Jiang Wuyong’s visit to the Lian family this time, while fueled by a desire for the famed sword that stirred his heart, held a deeper, more calculated purpose. For a figure of his standing, actions were never solely guided by simple likes and dislikes.

To solidify his position, the Lian family’s ancestral worship ceremony was held with extraordinary grandeur. It could be said that within the borders of Qi, the two most captivating events of the period were undoubtedly the Tianfu Secret Realm in Linhai County and the Lian family’s magnificent ceremony.

Jiang Wuyong intended to leverage this grand occasion to publicize his political stance and showcase a portion of his underlying strength. His cooperation with the Lian family had been long in the making. For him, a weapon-crafting lineage like the Lians represented an excellent partner.

To control Chiyang was akin to controlling the very essence of military might. Therefore, the Qi Emperor would never permit Chiyang County to become solely reliant on any single imperial prince or princess. Before the alert line, the support the Lian clan could offer was decidedly limited. This was precisely why the Crown Prince, the Third Imperial Princess, and the others hadn’t set their sights on the Lian clan; the gains were minimal, the trouble considerable.

But for Jiang Wuyong, this was already a rare piece of “fat meat” that had slipped through his elder brothers’ and sisters’ grasp. Firstly, his own power was considerably weak. Frankly, even cooperating with the Lian clan wouldn’t necessarily trigger the Qi Emperor’s vigilance. And while the Lian clan couldn’t be entirely controlled by him, nor did he dare to exert such deep control, the tilting of some resources was enough for him to later extend his reach into the military department and seek strong backing. This was his ultimate goal.

From another perspective, as a renowned weapon establishing the Lian clan’s position as a crafting holy land, a newly forged famous sword like Longxiangsi, its fame would belong to whoever held it. For a weak imperial prince like Jiang Wuyong, this could both enhance his reputation and avoid arousing the jealousy of the Crown Prince and others. It perfectly aligned with his personal development strategy. Targeting Jiang Wang was merely an afterthought, a chance opportunity.

But returning to the point, Jiang Wang, appearing simultaneously at the Tianfu Secret Realm and the ancestral worship ceremony, represented a very suitable piece for him to place his foot.

Firstly, Jiang Wang was a rootless wanderer, merely a foreigner invited by Chongxuan Sheng. He didn’t even know which small country he originated from, possessing nothing to truly fear.

Secondly, through the Tianfu Secret Realm and the crafting of this renowned weapon, he had garnered some fame. He was perfectly positioned to serve as a stepping stone.

Thirdly, Jiang Wang was Chongxuan Sheng’s retainer. It was well known that Chongxuan Sheng was currently competing for the family headship with Chongxuan Zun. Jiang Wuyong’s arrival in Nan Yao, besides finalizing his cooperation with the Lian clan, also served as an opportunity to show favor to Chongxuan Zun, a not entirely insignificant benefit.

Lian Que was merely a junior within the family, his words carrying little weight. Chongxuan Sheng was far away in Handan. And Jiang Wuyong not only had the support of the Lian clan’s high-level figures but also traveled with a great eunuch of the Inner Mansion realm. Suppressing a mere foreign Jiang Wang carried absolutely no risk of accident.

Unexpectedly, Chongxuan Sheng arrived in such haste. Even more unexpectedly, he was so thoroughly prepared, immediately turning the situation around. It was clear that upon deciding to come, he had already planned everything meticulously.

For Jiang Wuyong, recognizing the situation was an invaluable ability. Seeing that the manpower he brought was insufficient, and a group fight wouldn’t work, he immediately changed tactics to a single duel.

Chongxuan Sheng, of course, was unwilling to agree. He had always been the one to take advantage of others; when had he ever been at a disadvantage? At present, he let out a cold laugh: “Alright. Shall you verify us two, or shall we two verify you? Or simply everyone verify together?”

Jiang Wuyong’s face remained impassive, as he smoothly retorted: “Since you all are but empty vessels, not daring to engage in a fair battle with me, then so be it! This imperial prince is also too lazy to waste any more time with you.” This was a rather smooth maneuver to retreat gracefully. Saying that Jiang Wang and Chongxuan Sheng feared his fighting prowess and dared not resist alone allowed him to save face.

But Jiang Wang merely shook his head and chuckled softly: “What is there that I dare not do?”

“Brother Jiang!” Lian Que below the stage was somewhat anxious.

“Good!” Seeing that this young man, Jiang Wang, who had quickly risen to fame, was indeed susceptible to provocation, Jiang Wuyong seized the opportunity, not allowing anyone else to interject, and immediately settled the matter: “Consider you to have some courage, not shaming your surname. Step forward, and battle me!”

“But I have a small doubt.” Jiang Wang said, feigning confusion: “Longxiangsi is originally my sword. If I lose, you take it away. But if I win, what do I get? Surely you won’t say it’s just your patronage?” He let out a light, contemptuous laugh, looking around: “Where in this world is there such a principle? Could it be that the esteemed Fourteenth Imperial Prince of Great Qi possesses only the ability to steal empty-handed?”

The crowd below the stage exchanged strange glances.

Jiang Wuyong frowned and said: “Why preset something that is fundamentally impossible?”

“Since it is an impossible thing, then why does Jiang Wuyong not dare?” Chongxuan Sheng said coldly: “You wish to seize a renowned weapon, and considering your status, we grant you the opportunity. However, to enter this gambling table, you must put forth a stake of sufficient weight!”

Jiang Wuyong looked at him with cold eyes: “Truly a gambler by nature. Win one round in the Tianxu illusion realm and you think you can win everything? Do you truly believe Chongxuan Zun is unable to deal with you?”

“Then trouble yourself not. At least I can gamble with him at the table. As for you, a mere spectator at the edge of the gambling table, what right have you to point fingers?” Chongxuan Sheng’s words were sharply cutting, openly mocking Jiang Wuyong’s lack of qualifications to even compete with the other imperial princes and princesses. He let out a hearty laugh, pressing on step by step: “If you dare not play this round today, then simply return. Excuse me for not escorting you!”

“Good!” Jiang Wuyong’s face was ashen as he looked towards Jiang Wang and said: “What do you want?”

Chongxuan Sheng interjected from the side: “Jiang Wang, speak your desires. Although the Fourteenth Imperial Prince is a bit tight-fisted, the Great Qi imperial family possesses numerous secret arts.” This was an open declaration of support and a subtle indication of the acceptable range of Jiang Wang’s demands.

Jiang Wang’s heart had already calculated the possibilities and he immediately spoke: “I desire a first-grade lower-quality fire-element escape technique, and a first-grade lower-quality fire-element attack dao technique, provided they are refined secret transmissions.” This was to build up his combat system after opening his Heavenly Gate.

Generally speaking, dao techniques were categorized into four grades and twelve qualities. Upon reaching the first grade, the gap between each quality exceeded that of the preceding grades. cultivators of the Tenglong realm typically corresponded to first-grade lower-quality dao techniques. Those in the Inner Mansion realm corresponded to first-grade middle-quality, and those in the Outer Building realm to first-grade upper-quality. Apart from those with exceptional talent, few could break this limit.

The conditions Jiang Wang included – “secret transmission” and “refined” – were crucial screening factors. “Secret transmission” meant the dao technique wasn’t widely known, making it less susceptible to being countered. “Refined” indicated it was at the very peak of the first-grade lower-quality.

Before opening his Heavenly Gate, relying on his physical reaction speed and the powerful aerial combat ability granted by the Four Spirits Refining Body Decision, his speed wasn’t significantly inferior to opponents of the same level. However, upon reaching the Tenglong realm, cultivators could soar through the air, making a powerful escape technique indispensable. This was why he prioritized the escape technique.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wuyong turned to glance at the great eunuch behind him. After confirming that he possessed items meeting the conditions, he turned back to Jiang Wang and said: “You indeed choose carefully, as if you can truly claim these. This imperial prince agrees. Come!”

At this moment, Chongxuan Sheng spoke again: “A first-grade lower-quality dao technique can only be used for a time, while a renowned weapon can accompany one for life. Perhaps the value doesn’t quite match?” But his words were indeed logical. Under the gaze of the crowd, Jiang Wuyong couldn’t brazenly haggle with him.

At present, with a gloomy face, he said: “This imperial prince will add ten pieces of ten thousand yuan stone! If you lack sincerity, then forfeit!” At this moment, in his heart, this fatty was undoubtedly the most detestable person in the world.

Initially, in Fenglin City, Fang Zihou had offered a single dao yuan stone to bribe Jiang Wang. The basic unit of dao yuan stone was the hundred yuan stone, meaning one dao yuan stone contained one hundred yuan. The value of ten pieces of ten thousand yuan stone was precisely one thousand dao yuan stones, a truly enormous sum.

“Enough, enough. Let’s begin, let’s begin.” Knowing that it was impossible to extract any more concessions, Chongxuan Sheng smiled happily and walked to the side. His posture was as if these stakes were already in his possession, an expression that was quite deserving of a beating. Among everyone present, only he had a full understanding of Jiang Wang’s strength. If he hadn’t been absolutely certain Jiang Wang would win, he would never have allowed this duel to be established.

Although Jiang Wang was brimming with confidence, he wouldn’t be blindly arrogant. Before the battle began, he first addressed Jiang Wuyong: “Half of my learning lies in sword techniques. At this moment, I am without a single weapon. This Longxiangsi might become your spoil of war, but before that, please allow me to use it first.”

Jiang Wuyong couldn’t prevent this reasonable request, nor could he. He simply said generously: “Then let you try it for a moment, what harm is there?”

Jiang Wang then walked towards the supply rack and finally once again grasped his sword. He felt a sense of peace in his mind, as if that long-wandering heart had found a temporary resting place. He perceived it so concretely and clearly: this was his sword. He grasped the sword, turned his body, and directly faced Jiang Wuyong: “Please!”

At this moment, the high platform was already empty. The retainers of both sides had descended, and the Lian clan members were all gathered below the stage. The place used for the worship ceremony had become the battleground for two people.

Just as Jiang Wang’s voice fell, Jiang Wuyong was already close, his speed extreme, and he pressed down with a palm! The palm was like overturning mountains and rivers, its momentum crushing the world. However, a flame flower bloomed before his palm. This kind of shift secret technique, though formidable before the Tenglong realm, was something Jiang Wang had seen countless times in the Taixu illusion realm. He mobilized his dao yuan with absolute reaction speed, directly meeting the attack with an attack.

Jiang Wuyong’s palm fell, his purple robe billowing. In the visual sense, the higher the purple robe flew, the wider it spread, almost covering the sky and blocking the sun, plunging one’s vision into darkness. In the darkness, the only light, the flame flower, flashed and then extinguished.

But at the same time, within Jiang Wuyong’s body, wood qi surged, coiling in reverse. Dao technique – Bind Tiger! With this obstruction, Jiang Wang had already leaped back, about to escape the darkness. Within Jiang Wuyong’s body, purple qi suddenly surged, directly breaking through the binding wood qi. He patted the jade belt at his waist, and in the darkness of the visual sense, a cold light was born!

At his waist hung a sword. This sword was also a renowned weapon, a soft sword known as Beauty Waist! This sword severed the soul and broke the spirit, most effective at killing heroes. Once the cold light emerged, it was already unavoidable.

Feeling the purple qi within Jiang Wuyong’s body, Jiang Wang quickly extinguished the nascent momentum of his Purple Qi East Come Sword Decision. He realized that his original Purple Qi East Come Sword Decision was perhaps a deduction derived from the Qi country imperial family’s sword techniques “borrowed” by the Taixu illusion realm. Using this sword in front of Jiang Wuyong would be courting death.

His hand pressed upon the sword hilt. The wrapping on the sword hilt was personally done by Lian Que. Meticulous, sturdy. Jiang Wang grasped the sword, grasping Longxiangsi. It was like grasping the softest spot in his heart.

What did his hometown look like now? Where were the people of his hometown now? A traveler in a foreign land, an unbearable past, under the bright moon! Jiang Wang drew his sword, bringing forth a round of bright moon, shining through the heavy darkness. Like memories, like longing. Once a distant gaze, a midnight dream returned. People had become strangers, the moon difficult to make round again. This was the Sun, Moon, and Stars Sword!

P.S. Last week’s humble goal was not achieved, alas. Average order is 97, still needing 3 to break a hundred. Recommendations are only 756, still over two hundred votes short. This week’s small goal is: an average order of 150.