Chapter 321: Xu Ruoyun! Qimen Dunjia! The Northern Marquis’ Second Son!

At this time, Li Yanchu suppressed his aura and quickly followed the sound to the scene. In a narrow alley of the ancient city, a fierce battle had erupted. Broken walls crumbled, and shattered stones flew in every direction.

Seeing this, Li Yanchu’s gaze sharpened. He recognized that tall, broad-shouldered figure, Murong Longcheng. And the one fighting him was a beautiful icy young woman.

Suddenly, Murong Longcheng curled his fingers slightly and flicked them.

Buzz!

A string of raindrops condensed into an arrow of qi before whistling through the air and streaking with a flash of silver.

Boom!

The qi arrow struck the young woman, exploding instantly into a cloud of mist. However, her body glowed with a yellow earthen light, and it blocked the arrow’s violent power.

Yet she was still sent flying in an instant like a kite with its string cut, thereafter she slammed heavily into the ground.

“To actually withstand one of my arrows...” Murong Longcheng said slowly.

The young woman’s hair fell loose, obscuring her face, but her figure was graceful and shapely.

“Murong Longcheng, are you insane?! With such an opportunity before us, why are you targeting me instead of seizing it?” the young woman cursed angrily. Her voice was crisp and melodious, and it sounded exceptionally pleasant to the ear.

At this time, rain poured down in a steady curtain.

Murong Longcheng smiled and said, “Wouldn't killing the princess of the Northern Marquisate be far more entertaining than snatching some opportunity?”

In response, the young woman let out a cold snort. “My father holds power now, and in the future it is my eldest brother who will inherit the Marquisate and guard the northern frontier. Above me are my second and third brothers. What sense is there in killing me, just a mere woman?”

However, Murong Longcheng sneered coldly, “You can ask this question in hell!”

Suddenly, he threw a punch, and his surging qi and blood shattered the curtain of rain.

The young woman’s long hair flew wildly, revealing a peerless face of breathtaking beauty. Her body seemed to be torn apart into pieces, yet no blood spilled out. In the next instant, her figure reappeared ten zhang away.

Qimen Dunjia!

What had just been struck was merely an illusion technique!

Unfortunately, her opponent was none other than the prodigy of the frontier imperial court, Murong Longcheng. A ferocious golden dragon manifested, and its overwhelming qi and blood were so dense it nearly became tangible.

Roar!

Suddenly, a dragon’s earth-shaking cry reverberated through the heavens and earth. And Murong Longcheng had only thrown a single punch!

At this time, the young woman’s figure vanished once more. But this time, her Qimen Dunjia failed to save her! The dragon’s head, condensed from golden qi and blood, smashed down directly at the spot where she reappeared.

Clang

! The heavens rang with the sound of a massive bronze bell. Suddenly, the phantom of an ancient bell appeared before her body, forcefully blocking Murong Longcheng’s fist.

“Heh, all you can do is borrow the power of an external item. Xu Ruoyun[1], how many punches can you withstand?” Murong Longcheng sneered.

With a single step forward, he closed in before Princess Xu Ruoyun of the Northern Marquisate. His presence was savage, like a primordial beast unleashed.

Clang!

Clang!

Clang!

His fists, each carrying the weight of a thousand jun, blazed with searing qi and blood as they struck again and again.

At this time, Xu Ruoyun’s face turned pale, and blood trickled uncontrollably from the corner of her lips. From her bosom, she drew out a calligraphy slip and tore it open. Suddenly, the calligraphy slip ignited without wind, and the massive word “seal” appeared out of thin air.

Murong Longcheng, who had been unleashing his ferocious assault, suddenly had his aura halted. His entire body was caught, and it struggled against an invisible force.

It was a Great Scholar Scroll, which brimmed with awe-inspiring righteous qi.

In the next instant, the princess of the Northern Marquisate vanished from sight, and her figure reappeared at the mouth of the alley.

This land was barren and desolate. With her speed, if she tried to flee outside the city, she would never escape pursuit from Murong Longcheng, a peak body cultivator[2].

Thus, she chose instead to dart into this alley for cover. But as soon as she turned, she ran straight into a group of three.

At the head stood a youth dressed in luxurious garments, accompanied by two other tall and elegant young geniuses from great families with extraordinary bearing.

Seeing this, Xu Ruoyun’s eyes lit up. “Second Brother, save me! That brute Murong Longcheng wants to kill me!”

Xu Ye[3] was the Northern Marquis’ second son.

“Good!” Xu Ye carried a fierce and commanding presence, and his sword-like brows were sharp and striking. Plus, at his waist hung a long sword with a golden hilt.

But just as his words fell, one of the young men beside him suddenly made a hand seal and frontierd forward, thereafter a yellow talisman shot forth.

Rustle!

Xu Ruoyun’s heart sank. This talisman was clearly aimed at her!

The other young genius also directly summoned two flying daggers...

Whoosh!

The sharp whistle of blades slicing through the air resounded.

Xu Ruoyun had just breathed a sigh of relief at seeing her second brother. She never expected him to strike at her the very next moment!

Rustle!

Fortunately, she managed to evade the yellow talisman, but one of the other man’s flying daggers slashed across her arm. Blood streamed out endlessly, and the wound quickly turned black, emitting a foul stench.

At this time, Xu Ruoyun’s face changed drastically. But before she could even react, a searing pain shot through her chest. The gleaming tip of a sword pierced clean through her chest and was jutting out from her back.

The blade’s tip surged with a violent, explosive aura. Meanwhile, a strange light suddenly flared across Xu Ruoyun’s body, and her figure transformed into a delicate little straw doll.

Her true body took the chance to slip away, staring in disbelief at the cold-faced young man before her.

“Second Brother, y-you... you want to kill me?!”

Xu Ruoyun could hardly believe it. If not for the Substitute Strawman Technique, she would already be dead.

At this time, a look of disgust flashed across Xu Ye’s face. “A bastard born of a whore dares to call me Second Brother?”

𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Xu Ruoyun felt as if she had been struck by lightning. Since childhood, the three Xu siblings had always been close, especially her second brother, Xu Ye, who had doted on her the most. She never imagined he would reveal such a different side now.

Her head swam, and her vision blurred, as the venom from the dagger wound rushed straight toward her heart. The Substitute Strawman Technique could only negate fatal blows, it could not remove the effects of the poisoned flying dagger.

“How does that corpse poison feel?” Xu Ye sneered coldly.

“For what reason... are you doing this?” Xu Ruoyun’s face turned frosty.

At that moment, a surge of boundless aura erupted skyward. And immediately after, a tall, broad-shouldered figure appeared at the mouth of the alley.

He had thick brows, bold eyes, and rugged features, plus his muscles were like coiled iron. It was none other than the frontier prodigy, Murong Longcheng!

At this time, he crossed his arms over his chest, and his gaze was lofty and disdainful.

“Xu Ye, do you still want this woman killed?” Murong Longcheng asked.

Hearing this, Xu Ye let out a cold laugh. “Thank you for breaking this slut’s protective technique. Now that she’s in my hands, I have my own ways to deal with her properly!”

Murong Longcheng said in a deep voice, “Your sibling matters are none of my concern. But since you sought me out, whether you succeed or not, the payment must still be given.”

No one would have expected this domineering frontier prodigy to be such a money-grubber.

“But of course. With Mr. Murong’s peerless might, I’ll surely need to rely on you more in the future!”

Xu Ye drew out an ornate brocade box from his robes and handed it to Murong Longcheng.

Murong Longcheng inspected the contents of the box and gave a slight nod. Then he lifted his head and looked at Xu Ye.

“Sometimes I wonder if someone like you were to become the Northern Marquis and were holding command of the army, would that be good or bad for my frontier tribes?”

Xu Ye replied solemnly, “If I become the Northern Marquis, I will forge an everlasting alliance with the imperial court of the frontier, and never betray it!”

Murong Longcheng scoffed, “Do you even believe those words yourself?”

In response, Xu Ye chuckled. “Who can say what the future holds? But for now, at least, my heart is with the frontier imperial court, is it not?”

Murong Longcheng narrowed his eyes and sneered, “Well said!”

Then, he turned and walked away, then his figure vanished into the curtain of rain.

1. The surname 徐, besides being a common family name, carries connotations of calmness and grace, setting a serene tone for the name. The middle character 若 means “like” or “as if,” giving the name a literary and almost dreamlike feeling, as though drawing a comparison to something lofty or beautiful. Finally, 云, meaning “cloud,” evokes imagery of drifting skies, freedom, and ethereal beauty.

To me, the name suggests a woman who is refined yet unrestrained, graceful yet mysterious, much like clouds floating effortlessly across the heavens. ☜

2. “Body Cultivator” (体修) refers to a type of practitioner who gains power by tempering the physical body. Unlike qi cultivators (法修), who focus on refining the mind and cultivating spiritual energy, body cultivators devote all their resources and effort to strengthening their physique. This may involve specialized techniques or martial arts that push the body to undergo a qualitative transformation. For example, Daoist practices like the Yuanqi Formula (元气诀) or Shaolin classics such as the Muscle-Tendon Changing Classic (易筋经) and Marrow Cleansing Classic (洗髓经) embody similar methods of body cultivation. While the ultimate achievements of body cultivation, such as reaching sainthood, may be limited, at the same level of cultivation, a body cultivator can often overpower a qi cultivator. ☜

3. The surname 徐 lends a sense of calmness and gentleness, balancing the power of the given name. The character 烨 means “radiance,” “brilliance,” or “flame,” often used to describe dazzling light or glorious achievements.

To me, the name evokes the image of a man who is outwardly composed but inwardly powerful, someone whose presence shines brightly like firelight cutting through the dark. ☜