Chapter 3: The Immortal Maiden Trapped in the Governor's Office

"What? What happened to my father? Father... I miss you so much... Please be safe." Upon hearing Jiang Yang's words, Li Mengyun was instantly frightened and began to cry.

I never expected that the authority of a master could be so formidable; even before making a move, I already felt a strong sense of unease in my heart, Lu Sheng thought in astonishment

Li Mengyun bit her lip, her face flushed with anger: "You... you better let me go, otherwise if my father finds out, you will definitely die a miserable death"

... ...

Although Lu Sheng had seen many beggars fighting over half a steamed bun, he had never witnessed a fair duel between righteous masters. Watching Li Fu and Jiang Yang's elegant moves and graceful forms, he was suddenly filled with a strong desire for martial arts. The thought of himself and the young lady being at the mercy of others filled him with regret for not possessing any skills; otherwise, they would not be left with no room for resistance.

At this moment on the Huaiyue Bridge, Li Nantian and four personal bodyguards have been surrounded by hundreds of people, with Li Nantian in the center and the four bodyguards positioned at the four cardinal points.

"Hmph, how many times have I told you not to be infatuated with women? How could I, your father, who has been wise all my life, give birth to such a useless child like you?" Jiang Yang said angrily

Hmph! As a dignified governor of a province, is there any need for me to deceive you? Since you do not believe me, I shall send you down to meet him. Someone, behead the two of them for me!" Jiang Yang shouted with wide-open eyes in anger

"What does the realm of True Qi Transformation mean?" Lu Sheng muttered to himself

I will take good care of your, my light beauty. Jiang Xian looked at Li Mengyun with a sly smile and said

Hmph! The governor let out a heavy snort and said: "What a schemer Li Nantian is, attempting to incite me to help him seize the position of president of the Southern Chamber of Commerce, promising to seduce my son with beauty. His intentions are worthy of condemnation. If it weren't for my understanding and reason, would I not have been exploited by you two, father and daughter? Today, I shall kill you, this enchantress who has bewitched my son."

Regardless of the outcome, my subordinates will exert their utmost strength to defeat the enemy, kill! Kill! Kill!

For decades, the Donglong Kingdom has been free from war. Even after two consecutive years of severe drought, the atmosphere remains one of peace and prosperity, with music and dance flourishing. Consequently, the literary arts are thriving, subtly overshadowing the martial spirit. However, those in the know understand that, regardless of the era, power is always held in the hands of military force. Just as a general with a strong army commands a degree of caution even from the emperor.

"Master Li, I am ashamed before you!" Li Fu shouted loudly to the sky, and as soon as his words fell, he lunged towards the tip of Jiang Yang's sword

Li Mengyun looked at Jiang Xian's sinister face, feeling frightened as she leaned back, inadvertently bumping into Lu Sheng behind her. Lu Sheng quickly supported Li Mengyun, and a faint, delicate fragrance wafted into his nose, causing his heart to tremble slightly.

"Yes, my lord." Jiang Yang's attendants, Lu Sheng and Li Mengyun, were pulled down.

The path of martial arts is long and winding, divided into seven realms, also known as the Seven Levels of Physical Training. The first level is Bone Forging and Muscle Training, the second level is Great Opening of Meridians, the third level is Harmonization of the Shin Bones, the fourth level is Condensation of True Qi, the fifth level is Complete Opening of Meridians, the sixth level is Transformation of True Qi into Essence, and the seventh level is Peak Transformation. Li Mengyun felt a twinge of guilt towards Lu Sheng, so she carefully explained the answer to him

Li Mengyun and Lu Sheng were directly escorted to the prison within the governor's mansion, where the two were bound back to back. Li Mengyun, born into wealth, had never endured such humiliation; her heart was filled with both anger and fear, and her fair, porcelain-like face flushed with two shades of red due to her struggles

The descendants of emperors, the offspring of nobility, and the children of prominent families are all required to diligently practice martial arts. In order to ensure that their children acquire formidable skills, elders are often willing to pay high prices to hire renowned masters or seek education from afar. After all, the unchanging truth across all eras is that strength is the ultimate principle.

Cultivating martial arts requires sacrifices that ordinary people cannot make, enduring hardships that ordinary people cannot bear. Therefore, as the ancients said: "The path of martial arts is profound and elusive; only those with unwavering will can reach the summit." This means that those who aspire to reach the pinnacle of martial arts must possess a heart of unwavering determination

"Silver Snake Sword? You must be the infamous thief Wu Jue, who vanished three years ago! Hmph, I never expected that even you have been recruited by Li Nantian. It is rumored that you have already broken through to the fourth level of physical cultivation, condensing your true energy, and your Wu Jue Sword Technique has reached an extraordinary level. I was just thinking of seeking your guidance on a few points." At that moment, Jiang Yang's fighting spirit surged, and a chilling killing intent enveloped his entire being, causing Lu Sheng to involuntarily hold his breath.

Li Fu looked out the window; below the Star Picking Tower, the governor's troops were tightly encircled. This time, it seemed unlikely that he could escape even if he had wings.

Hahaha... Miss Li, you probably do not know that your father passed away three days ago, right? Someone, kill this enchanting demon for me.

Moreover, those who have cultivated to the realm of True Qi Transformation are individuals of extraordinary talent, possessing martial skills that can dominate the world of martial arts. Beyond three zhang, there are almost no individuals capable of defeating them, unless one encounters a peak master of the highest caliber. However, peak masters typically retreat into their respective sects, seeking even greater heights. Throughout the entire Eastern Dragon Kingdom and even the Seven Mysterious Continent, it is difficult to find transformation masters in the secular world. Of course, there are some transformation masters who, upon receiving orders from their sects, handle matters related to the interests of their sects. Nevertheless, peak masters generally choose to seclude themselves within their sects, pursuing higher peaks, making it challenging to find transformation masters in the secular realm across the entire Eastern Dragon Kingdom and the Seven Mysterious Continent.

"Hmph, something that doesn't know how to appreciate kindness." Jiang Yang said coldly as he looked at Li Fu lying on the ground. He then instructed his subordinate beside him, "Keep a close watch on those two. No one is allowed to touch him until I confirm that Li Nantian is dead"

The beggar, accustomed to his life, was not as unyielding as Li Mengyun. However, seeing the pained expression on Li Mengyun's face felt like a knife twisting in his heart. He blamed himself for not possessing extraordinary martial skills to save this light beauty. Perhaps if he did, Li Mengyun might be moved and even offer herself in return. Alas! Such thoughts were mere fantasies. Nevertheless, he should be content to die alongside such a beautiful young lady.

As soon as the governor Jiang Yang spoke, he drew the long sword from his waist and coldly pointed it at Li Mengyun, who stood in front of Lu Sheng. Under the governor's fierce and venomous gaze, Li Mengyun appeared even more frightened, pressing tightly against Lu Sheng. Lu Sheng took a small step forward, pulling Li Mengyun behind him, and said: "I will not allow you to harm the young lady"

Seeing Li Mengyun cry made Lu Sheng feel even more distressed, and he hurriedly comforted her, saying, "Miss, perhaps this villain is deceiving you; please do not be upset for now"

"What a grand scheme, to have designed such a massive trap with Qian Baibai, just waiting for me to jump in. I truly refuse to accept this; I must survive." Li Nantian said with reluctance.

Li Nantian and his four guards are all at the fifth level of the physical realm, with fully open meridians. If they could step into the True Qi Transformation realm, breaking through would not be a difficult task. Unfortunately, they are one level short in terms of realm, and their skills are still quite lacking.

Reaching the fifth level of muscle and bone connectivity to the sixth level of true energy transformation is another hurdle, which will completely transform the true energy within the body into a more refined primordial energy, thus enabling its manifestation with immense power, capable of shattering gold and severing jade. However, anyone who can step into the sixth level of true energy transformation, as long as they are not killed, will inevitably reach the seventh level of peak transformation, because the transition from the sixth to the seventh level is merely a process of transformation and accumulation. This is why Jiang Yang, the governor of Jingyang Province, stated within the Star Picking Tower that he would eventually reach the peak transformation.

Li Fu leaped forward and stood in front of Lu Sheng, turning his back to him and saying: "Yesterday I asked the young lady why she would take a liking to you. The young lady said it was because of your spirit. At that time, I did not take it seriously, but now it seems you indeed possess some spirit. It is a pity that just as you entered the Li family, you are to be dragged along with us to death."

At this moment, Lu Sheng surprisingly still had the composure to consider this issue, which indeed left Li Mengyun somewhat astonished. If it were an ordinary person, they would likely have already been terrified to the point of begging for mercy. Lu Sheng did not understand what it meant for true energy to transform into the Yuan realm, but Li Mengyun still did.

"How is that possible?" Li Fu looked incredulously at the damaged Silver Snake Sword in his hand and at Jiang Yang across from him. "Have you already entered the True Qi Huayuan Realm? Otherwise, you would not be able to sever my Silver Snake Sword."

Three crisp sounds of "ding" echoed, and the silver snake sword in Li Fu's hand was unexpectedly sliced into three segments, falling to the ground

In the end, the four guards slaughtered over a hundred people, who perished beneath the chaotic swords, while Li Nantian, in utter despair, leaped into the turbulent waters of the Jing River

"Master, the number of opponents is too great; we simply cannot fight our way out. If this continues, we will eventually be worn down by them," said a guard.

After speaking, Li Fu made a swift motion at his waist, and with a "swish, swish, swish," a long sword gleaming with a chilling light appeared in his hand

Jingjiang, a surging river that runs through Jingyang Province, has its waves crashing against the banks, unchanged for a thousand years. Above Jingjiang, a bridge connects the north and south, known as Huaiyue Bridge

Jiang Xian was taken aback and quickly turned around, shouting: "Father..."

Hahaha, a year ago I had already entered the True Qi Transformation Realm, and it is only a matter of time before I reach the Pinnacle Transformation Realm. You, a mere petty thief, still do not kneel and beg for mercy before me?" Jiang Yang shouted loudly

The transition from the third level of the tibia to the fourth level of condensing true energy is a significant hurdle. Comparing the human body to a world, condensing true energy is akin to creating something that did not previously exist using the elements inherent to that world. It is evident that a certain level of insight and opportunity is required. Many individuals find themselves stuck at this hurdle, unable to progress beyond it.

Approximately after a quarter of an hour, Li Fu and Jiang Yang had exchanged over a hundred moves. Li Fu was clearly showing signs of physical exhaustion, while Jiang Yang was becoming increasingly vigorous in battle

Li Mengyun looked at Lu Sheng, wanting to say something, but the words did not come out. Li Mengyun was well aware that her choice to bring a beggar like Lu Sheng to the Li family as a servant was originally intended to use him for a certain purpose. However, the events that unfolded today exceeded her expectations

Even Li Mengyun has reached the realm of great meridian unblocking under the supervision and guidance of Li Nantian, far surpassing Lu Sheng in strength.

The seventh level of martial arts is increasingly difficult to surpass, with one level being more challenging than the previous one. Among those who practice martial arts in the world, eight or nine out of ten cannot reach the third level, known as the "Tibia Alignment". As for the realms achieved after condensing true energy, they are even rarer. The seventh level of martial arts, known as "Great Accomplishment of Vital Energy", is also referred to as the "Pinnacle Realm"

Hahaha, Jiang Yang laughed heartily and said, "You overestimate your abilities! I want to kill someone; can you stop me?" After saying this, Jiang Yang was about to make his move

Even Lu Sheng himself lacked confidence in saying this; he could not even ensure his own safety, yet he wished to protect others

Li Nantian was wise throughout his life but made a critical mistake in a moment. A single misstep in a chess game led to a complete defeat. He believed that by offering a substantial sum of money and marrying off his daughter, who was as beautiful as a celestial being, he could secure cooperation from Jiang Yang. However, he did not anticipate that Jiang Yang had colluded with Qian Baiwan to set a trap for him. Qian Baiwan's family had been engaged in business for generations, and their connections with the governor's office were intricate and entangled. In the end, he lost his daughter and found himself plunging into the river.

Jiang Yang originally intended to obtain some of the Li family's secrets from Li Fu, but he did not expect that Li Fu would rather die than submit. In a moment of carelessness, when he wanted to withdraw, it was already too late.

Governor Jiang Yang's sword surged forward like a swift wind towards Li Fu, the sound of whooshing immediately filling the air. Li Fu's silver snake sword also soared up, resembling a dragon emerging from the sea, furious and unrelenting. In an instant, the sword light flickered, shimmering like waves.

"Light beauty, will you yield to me? This way, I can plead with my father for your life, ensuring your safety. You are so beautiful; I cannot bear to see you die," Jiang said, walking into the prison with a smug expression and a sarcastic tone.

Just as the Star Picking Tower was left empty with people departing, in the blink of an eye, the Star Picking Tower was surrounded by the troops of the Governor's Office