Chapter 358: Chapter 357: Lingxi Sword and Lu Lingxi (4th update, various requests)
The Flame Cloud Mountain Range is a unique area of the Fire Cloud State, one of the eight states. It is several thousand miles long and wide, filled with countless large and small volcanic craters.
Unlike ordinary volcanoes, the volcanic craters in the Flame Cloud Mountain Range erupt periodically. However, the amount of magma erupted is not large, and does not pose a lethal threat to martial artists.
It is precisely because of these countless large and small volcanic craters that the vicinity of the Flame Cloud Mountain Range is always as hot as fire throughout the year.
"I’ve actually arrived in Fire Cloud State."
Shi Xiaole was somewhat taken aback.
But it seemed plausible, as the underground mechanism he had previously encountered was located on the fringe of Hezhou, which bordered Fire Cloud State. The distance between the two places wasn’t far.
"Young Master, we are now entering the eruption period of the Flame Cloud Mountain Range. Many experts have rushed there to grab some weapon embryos. You could give it a try."
The leading Escort Leader said with a smile upon seeing Shi Xiaole’s attire.
"Weapon embryo?"
"Yes, the volcanic craters in the mountain range are filled with magma all year round, preserving ores that are exceptionally hard and excellent materials for weapon forging. Each volcano eruption would spew out lots of weapon embryos. If you’re lucky, you might even find one that is fifty years old."
Flame Cloud City, which has become the most famous city in Fire Cloud State, owes its prosperity to its proximity to the Flame Cloud Mountain Range, which allows for the easy collection of weapon embryos.
Spirit-level weapons are rare in the Martial World, and out of a hundred Spiritual-Passage Realm experts, maybe none of them may possess one. Moreover, the art of forging has been lost, so the majority of experts still use ordinary or unique weapons.
Some of the weapon embryos spewed from the Flame Cloud Mountain Range are extremely hard. Therefore, the weapons forged from these embryos are often unparalleled in sharpness, far surpassing ordinary unique weapons.
These weapons, aptly named "pseudo-spiritual weapons," pack more power than top-grade unique weapons but are still far from being authentic low-grade spiritual weapons.
These pseudo-spiritual weapons sell for a very high price in the Martial World, often fetching several million taels of silver each. However, due to their scarcity, they are hard to find, and people who can really afford these pseudo-spiritual weapons are few and far between.
Upon learning of this, Shi Xiaole’s interest was piqued. As there was still over half a year before the grand meeting at Mountain Cang, it wouldn’t hurt to take a look.
"Young Master, why don’t you join us? We are on the outskirts of Flame Cloud Mountain Range, where many rogue artists often lurk around, waiting to prey on easy targets."
The group of escorts, from a first-rate escort agency named Heroic Escort Agency, was led by Wang Dahuh. He warmly invited Shi Xiaole to accompany them.
"I would be intruding then."
Shi Xiaole nodded in agreement.
The group crossed mountains and valleys, and after two days, they saw an oddly forked large mountain from far away.
"That’s the territory of the Flowing Cloud Bandits. We need to bypass it."
Wang Dahuh’s expression changed instantly upon recognizing the odd mountain and he hastily gave instructions.
Without needing his reminder, the escorts from Heroic Escort Agency turned their direction. When they were hundreds of meters away from the strange mountain, they steered their escort carts towards a far-off distance.
"Brother Wang, are the Flowing Cloud Bandits really powerful?"
Shi Xiaole couldn’t help but ask.
As the Dart Leader of a first-rate escort agency, Wang Dahuh himself was in the middle stage of the ninth level of the Spiritual-Passage Realm. Judging from his steady temperament, his actual strength should not be weak.
Wang Dahuh said, "Don’t laugh at me for being cowardly, Brother Shi. The Flowing Cloud Bandits are one of the most notorious bandit groups in the Flame Cloud Mountain Range. All of their leaders, known as the ’Flowing Cloud Three Righteousness,’ are in the late stage of the ninth level of the Spiritual Passage Realm and have fully mastered a certain state of mind."
"Besides the ’Flowing Cloud Three Righteousness,’ their ’Flowing Cloud Eighteen Disciples’ are all powerful martial artists, each of them not much inferior to me. In the Martial World, there have been experts from prestigious orthodox sects who attempted to suppress these bandits, but these bandits have a keen sense of danger and would escape if they cannot win. As soon as these experts leave, they would resume their activities, leaving everyone at their wits’ end."
Towards the end of his recount, Wang Dahuh shook his head repeatedly, both angry and upset towards the notorious Flowing Cloud Bandits.
Fortunately, these bandits didn’t appear to be overly reckless. They had only carved out a piece of territory near Liuyun Mountain, and it was safe as long as outsiders did not trespass their territory.
Their elusive nature and independent status also made the prestigious orthodox sects somewhat hesitant to confront them. As a result, the bandits established themselves as kings of the mountain.
The group bypassed the vicinity of the strange mountain peacefully. Just when they were about to breathe a sigh of relief, there was a sudden rustling in the bushes.
"Who’s there? Show yourself!"
All the escorts tightened their grip on their weapons, while Wang Dahuh led the charge, drawing his sword and shouting for the intruder to reveal himself.
Amidst the tense wait, a woman emerged slowly from the woods. Dressed in plain clothes and holding a fine sword, she said, "Everyone, I have lost my way in the woods. If you are heading to Flame Cloud City, I hope you wouldn’t mind letting me tag along."
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Wang Dahuh asked, "Are you alone, Miss?"
The woman in plain clothes nodded, "I am heading to the Lingjian Tower in Flame Cloud City to meet with my elders."
"Miss, are you a high-ranking disciple of the Lingjian Sect?"
Everyone’s tone changed upon hearing Wang Dahuh’s question.
"My name is Lu Lingxi."
When the woman in plain clothes stated her name, Shi Xiaole immediately noticed everyone’s stunned expressions, including Wang Dahuh’s.
Lu Lingxi, the top-ranking discipleship of the Lingjian Sect in Fire Cloud State is commonly known as the "Lingxi Sword". At just twenty-five, she has achieved the fourth level of the Spiritual-Passage Realm and has grasped the ’Sword Heart’, making her stronger than many peak experts of the Spiritual-Passage Realm. She is lauded as the first female sword prodigy of Fire Cloud State in the past few centuries.
Wang Dahuh had no reason to doubt her as there was no sign that they had run into the Flowing Cloud Bandits, and she was so young. Even if she wasn’t Lu Lingxi herself, she was unlikely to intend any harm to them.
Hence, the woman in plain clothes also joined the Heroic Escort Agency’s team.
"This person?"
Perhaps due to the intuition shared amongst swordsmen, Lu Lingxi noticed Shi Xiaole instantly. She didn’t feel any threat from him, but instead, found it strange that she couldn’t sense anything at all.
Generally, one should still be able to sense someone even if their skill levels are far apart, much like a pebble, no matter how small, always causing a ripple when it falls into a lake.
Yet this youth in the green shirt was nonchalant, quietly sitting on the shaft of the escort cart as if he was a nonfactor in this situation.
"Brother, are you also heading to Flame Cloud City?"
Lu Lingxi asked curiously.
"I am seeking some worldly experience."
Shi Xiaole said with a smile.
Seeing that he had no intention of further discussion, Lu Lingxi just laughed and passed it off.
They had merely encountered each other by chance, so formalities were unnecessary. In truth, if Shi Xiaole’s temperament wasn’t somewhat unusual, Lu Lingxi, given her own character, wouldn’t have initiated any conversation.
After a few more 2-hour periods of travel, they had distanced far enough away from the territory of the Flowing Cloud Bandits. The worries Wang Dahuh had earlier were at ease. If all went well, they would arrive in Flame Cloud City within three days.
"The people in front, stop."
As they were preparing to rest, boisterous laughter rang out suddenly from all sides like that of night owls.
The color drained from Wang Dahuh’s face: "Who is it?"
"I am a cloud from the sky, residing nowhere consistent, leaving no traces behind."
Breaking the wind, twenty-one people emerged from all directions, instantly surrounding the people of the Heroic Escort Agency.
"Flowing Cloud Bandits."
Wang Dahuh’s face turned incredibly bleak. Sweat beaded on his forehead. He forced a smile and said, "Gentlemen, we are not within your territory."
A thin-faced man laughed mockingly, "Idiot! The territory we claim is merely a casual remark among brothers. Can we allow any fat meat that enters our jaws to slip away?"
The Flowing Cloud Bandits very well understood the psychology of those on the Righteous Path. Therefore, outwardly, they maintained that they only operated near the Flame Cloud Mountain Range. But in reality, they stationed lookouts everywhere. For every ten groups of passersby, they would strike four or five times.
Earlier, they had noticed the group from the Heroic Escort Agency and identified their status from their escort banners. After tracking them for a while, they ultimately decided to strike.
"Gentlemen, our Heroic Escort Agency may not be a top-tier force, but it has a wide network. We are all part of the martial world. Can you give us some face?"
Wang Dahuh tried to keep his calm and made a fist-and-palm salute.
"Ha ha ha..."
All of the three Flowing Cloud Brothers and their eighteen disciples burst out laughing, completely dismissive. The thin-faced man said, "Sure, but you have to leave two things behind."
"Which two items?"
"Your possessions and your lives!"
The faces of the people from the Heroic Escort Agency changed in unison. Many of them secretly gathered their internal energy, their complexions turning paler and paler.
Among them, only three were at the ninth level of the Spiritual-Passage Realm, and their realm understandings were incomplete. In terms of actual strength, they were no match for the Flowing Cloud Brothers. If it came to a battle, they had no chance of survival.
Regrettably, the caravan had been in a hurry this time and because many who had passed through the Flame Cloud Mountain range did not report any trouble, they had been careless resulting in their current perilous situation.
"Boss, it seems they still want to put up a fight. Truly overestimating their capabilities."
A shadow flashed. The third of the Flowing Cloud Brothers made a move. This yellow-skinned man wielded a long spear, the tip of which shimmered with flowing light. He directed an overhead thrust towards Wang Dahuh.
"Defending with cold brows."
Wang Dahuh reflexively unleashed his signature move. As the spear and sabre clashed, a suction force emanated from the spear tip. Horrified, Wang Dahuh hastily retreated. He had lost his weapon on the very first move due to unexpected circumstances.
The people of the Heroic Escort Agency looked utterly dispirited.
"Die."
The yellow-skinned man’s spear tip flashed again, aimed like lightning at Wang Dahuh’s chest.
Clang.
A sword tip shot forth blocking the attack for Wang Dahuh. The one making a move was the simply dressed woman.
"Stinking wench, showing off some skill, triple spear!"
The yellow-skinned man shook his slightly numb arm. Initially, he thought he had been careless, but this time, his momentum shifted, and his spear transformed into three, forming a trident thrust at Lu Lingxi.
Clang Clang Clang.
Lu Lingxi gave her longsword a twist, vanishing the shadow of the spear. Then she extended her wrist, with the sword tip touching the spear shaft, and instantly flew off the man with the yellow face.
"She’s really the female hero Lu Lingxi!"
Surges of hope rose up in the escorts at the sight of her strength. They had doubted her identity when she initially disclosed it, but now they believed.
"Her Sword Heart is close to the minor success stage."
Shi Xiaole was somewhat surprised.
Though Lu Lingxi had tried to hide it, how could she fool Shi Xiaole’s keen eyes? She seemed young but her sword realm was extraordinary. She was actually nearing minor success.
"Lu Lingxi?"
The Flowing Cloud Bandits were also taken aback.
The eldest of the Three Flowing Cloud Brothers was a burly man. He said: "Miss Lu, you might as well leave. We won’t hold you back."
