On the southeast side of Wuling Villa, there was a courtyard filled with blooming crape myrtles.
Curving clusters of purplish-red buds densely packed together blossod in the night, radiating a translucent, dreamlike glow. A pebbled path wound through rockeries, erald lakes, and small galleries, stretching all the way to a three-story pavilion in the distance.
On the first floor of the pavilion, light gauze covered the window lattice, behind which a dim candlelight glowed orange-red, warm with a hint of spring. Several magpies chirped incessantly in the trees, drowning out the quieter sounds beneath.
Inside the room.
Behind a folding screen embroidered with mandarin ducks and landscapes, a pink gauze canopy was half hidden, under which two figures embraced tightly, enjoying sweet tranquility.
"Miss ?"
Shi Xiaole asked, his chin resting on the woman’s forehead.
"Not at all."
Xia Yunxi giggled, her radiant face still flushed, her eyes like two gentle arcs of autumn water. Her left hand absentmindedly drew circles on the man’s chest.
To Xia Yunxi, happiness ant different things to different people. Listening to her lover’s heartbeat and basking in his warmth were her greatest joys in life.
She wished ti could stand still.
The outside world could drift away from her, and she wouldn’t care, for in her arms, she held her entire world.
Feeling Xia Yunxi’s abundant love, Shi Xiaole tightened his arms around her as if trying to rge her into his being. Xia Yunxi looked up just in ti to catch a fleeting glimpse of sorrow on his face and scolded him, "You’re such a spineless shrimp!"
"What did you say?"
"You couldn’t even last long enough just now, what are you if not a spineless shrimp? You might need so dicine to strengthen yourself, lest the world learns that the renowned Kirin is actually all bark and no bite."
Having said that, Xia Yunxi gave Shi Xiaole’s chest a hard twist and rolled her eyes at him, then turned over, leaving behind only her white, porcelain-like beautiful back.
There are so things one simply cannot tolerate.
It was a matter of dignity. Even soone as cultivated as Shi Xiaole would be angered, to be called a spineless shrimp after half a 2-hour period. Did she really think his leniency was a sign of weakness?
Fine, let show you what I’m made of.
In feigned annoyance, Shi Xiaole grabbed Xia Yunxi, his mind no longer on anything else as he bent over her.
"Brother Shi, no matter what happens in the future, I will stand by your side. If you live, I live; if you die, I die," Xia Yunxi embraced Shi Xiaole tightly, swearing to herself as her consciousness began to drift.
...
A night of vigorous battle.
At dawn, Shi Xiaole still got out of bed full of energy.
The physical endurance of martial artists was naturally superior to that of ordinary people, not to ntion Shi Xiaole and Xia Yunxi had the dium of the blood sun, nearly negating any need for restraint in that aspect.
Arriving at the top floor of Yinfeng Pavilion, Shi Xiaole imdiately saw two figures practicing cultivation - Chou Hentian and Qi Yuanzheng.
He hadn’t failed to notice their unease and nervousness when they welcod him the day before, but thankfully, through his encouragent, their mindset had gradually shifted.
Fear of embarrassnt and the desire to improve are two different things. He didn’t want the identity of a Kirin disciple to beco a pressure that bound them.
In fact, their progress was much faster than he had thought. Both had reached high levels in the Xuanqi Realm and were approaching the Spiritual-Passage Realm. From Zhu Ling, he also knew how hard they had worked for this, which filled him with gratification.
In ti, these two prominent nad disciples would be the backbone of the villa.
Of course, when it ca to current strength, the master of Wuling Villa, Xin Zhuliu, was the first to be recomnded.
After ingesting the Heavenly Hidden Seed Fruit, Xin Zhuliu had reached the fourth level of the Divine Barrier Realm, with his combat power at the peak fifth tier. He wasn’t only the top expert of Wuling Villa but also the publicly acknowledged number one in Xuanwu State.
Apart from Xin Zhuliu, the three geniuses also benefited greatly, having broken through to the Divine Barrier Realm three years ago and currently cultivating the Dragon Gate Divine Skill.
Apart from these four individuals, Qiao Yu also beca a Terrestrial Immortal two years ago, joining the ranks of the hundred-year Earth Immortals, with a talent not inferior to the top geniuses of Tian State.
Not to ntion Hua Yiyun.
In addition to these figures, with the newcors to the villa, Niu Dali and Qiu Mingyue, Wuling Villa, not counting Shi Xiaole, boasted no less than eight Terrestrial Immortals. Among them, three even had the chance to break through to the Void Origin Realm.
The world could never imagine that behind the attention Shi Xiaole and Hua Yiyun drew, this newly established power was accumulating a fearso foundation. One day, it would shine brilliantly and turn all eyes in the world upon it!
Shi Xiaole’s gaze shifted to the distance.
There lay six majestic mountain villas concealed by array systems, standing still like behemoths, waiting to erge one day.
In the north, large groups of craftsn were gathering, transporting thick wooden pillars and stone bricks to the mountain summit using ropes and pulleys.
After receiving Shi Xiaole’s nine billion fortune, Zhu Ling imdiately arranged manpower to begin extensive construction, building the last two mountain manors.
Under Shui Lingping’s design, the Nine Great Mountain Manors would suppress the nine lethal pulse points of the Nine Profound Mountain, converging the geomancy of the land’s energy. They aid to change fortune with heaven-defying tactics, turning the place into one of the rare wonders of the world!
And all this was predicated on Shi Xiaole using the Inheriting Heaven Seal to transform the Nine Profound Mountain’s malevolent energy into supre auspicious energy. Fortunately, he had not disappointed Shui Lingping’s expectations.
In the square, nurous young disciples were practicing martial arts and sparring, while the elders carried out their duties efficiently. Servants and maids moved about the living quarters, chatting and laughing cheerfully.
Everything was developing in the best possible direction.
"The uncertainties of the future are unpredictable, but I will give my all to protect this place and prevent any person, any force from affecting it," he said.
The conspiracies from the lands beyond had always weighed heavily on Shi Xiaole’s mind, making him very uneasy.
He knew that the great battle between heaven and earth would co again, and when it did, only the truly proud and strong would be qualified to protect themselves, their loved ones, and friends.
Therefore, he felt a sense of urgency and dared not slacken in the slightest.
In the subsequent months, Shi Xiaole led a very fulfilling life, cultivating during the day and spending tender monts with Xia Yunxi at night.
It wasn’t that he was indulging in amorous pleasures, but he found that after each encounter, both he and Xia Yunxi would erge slightly more proficient in their abilities. Although the improvent was extrely subtle, it was certainly not inferior to cultivating on his own.
Boom!
One day, Shi Xiaole’s cultivation finally broke through to the ninth level of the Divine Barrier Realm, with Vigorous Air surging endlessly within him.
"The breakthrough in cultivation doesn’t significantly enhance my strength," he admitted.
Shi Xiaole smiled, realizing at his level, actual strength was not dictated by cultivation, but by martial arts. Under normal circumstances, to enhance martial arts skills, one had to grind away day after day, month after month.
However, under the transformation of the life-and-death martial path, and less than half a month from his cultivation breakthrough, Shi Xiaole’s Wind Sword Way astonishingly advanced to the mid-nine percent stage, and his Illusion Martial Way reached the early nine percent stage.
Even the life-and-death martial path was approaching the mid-four percent stage, with startling results.
"My current strength has increased by about twenty percent compared to when I returned to the villa," he estimated.
The Invincible Earth Immortal is a concept, a limit, but now, Shi Xiaole was clearly stretching and raising this limit continuously. At this mont, he was blissfully unaware of the benchmark he was setting for future generations.
It was once again ti for the new issue of the Martial World Gazette.
In the courtyard, Shi Xiaole took a rare mont to rest, enjoying the fruits fed to him by Xia Yunxi while flipping through the Gazette.
"The Gui Family has been imprisoned?"
Suddenly, it seed like he saw sothing shocking, and he sat up straight from the lounge chair.
He carefully perused the text, and information that had shaken the Flying Horse Dynasty flowed into Shi Xiaole’s mind.
It turned out that just ten days ago, the sixth son of the current Emperor, Zuo King, was suddenly accused by a confidant of plotting a rebellion. Upon thorough investigation, evidence was found that Zuo King had indeed been amassing troops in secret and purchasing weapons illicitly.
The Emperor was furious and imdiately incarcerated Zuo King, throwing him into the heavenly prison, and with a thunderous approach, he sealed off Zuo King’s mansion, dismantling a series of Zuo King’s powers.
The matter wasn’t over yet. Among the nurous pieces of evidence collected by the Golden Armor Guard, they surprisingly discovered clandestine correspondence between Zuo King and the current Minister of Rites, Liu Ziying, showing they had been colluding in secret.
Who was Liu Ziying? Everyone knew he had long since sided with the Crown Prince, yet he turned out to be Zuo King’s secret ally.
What was even more unexpected to the people of the Martial World was that after Liu Ziying was captured, he readily confessed to his cris, and in the end, he even revealed that all his actions had been protected by the covert backing of the Gui Family!
As a super-first-rate force in the Martial World, the Gui Family certainly had the capacity to do so, and just a few years earlier, Liu Hanshan, the son of Liu Ziying, had even engaged to Gui Fuling, the daughter of the Gui Family.
Instantly, the Gui Family beca the target of public criticism, and within just three days, everyone was arrested and beca prisoners at the lower steps.
It was said that Gui Nanyan, who was highly valued under the command of the Northwestern Military Commissioner Wei Langyi, also mysteriously disappeared shortly after the incident. So said he fled due to fear of punishnt, while others claid he had been killed by Wei Langyi himself...
After the news spread, the Martial World eerily quieted down, with even the usual gossipmongers speaking rarely.
The rabbit dies, the fox grieves.
The Gui Family was undoubtedly among the top fifty, even the top thirty powers in the Martial World, but they were so easily defeated by the imperial power, sending chills down the spine of everyone in the Martial World.
Even the enemies of the Gui Family felt fear rather than satisfaction at this ti.
Putting down the Martial World Gazette, Shi Xiaole lay back down on the lounge chair, gazing blankly at the sky.
"I’ve heard that Gui Zhihang is your friend," Xia Yunxi said as she caressed the corner of Shi Xiaole’s eyes, attempting to smooth away his worry. She leaned gently against his shoulder, her faint fragrance soothing.
"We share similar aspirations and have both experienced life and death together. He’s a very charismatic person," replied Shi Xiaole.
Xia Yunxi didn’t say anything more, but her gaze grew even more tender.
The setting sun slanted westward, startling the birds into flight, and distant smoke rose from chimneys, yet so people would no longer be able to see this most ordinary of scenes.
"Always staying in the villa is not conducive to cultivation, it seems I need to go out and about," he murmured, as if he had made up his mind.
He couldn’t ddle in the affairs of the Gui Family, nor did he have the power to save them, but his innate character made it impossible for Shi Xiaole to stand idly by. At the very least, he wanted to see his good friend one last ti.
"Alright," Xia Yunxi said, burying her face in the young man’s chest, her voice soft but her expression resolute.
She was still too weak in strength, but one day, she vowed to confidently tell him that she would accompany him on his journey.
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