Chapter 93: Riding the Waves and Rising, Leaping the Dragon Gate Three Times!

The blazing sun radiated warm light. The breeze of the sea carried a faintly damp and salty scent.

Yun Haitang, Sophie, Long Sha, and even many sailors and guards fixed their gazes tightly on Dao Shier. They knew that Dao Shier was practicing a martial art, one that seemed exceptionally wondrous. Naturally, they were intrigued.

Lu Changsheng did not stop them from watching. He did not fear onlookers. If anything, the many gazes fixed upon him helped him to better grasp the feeling of a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate. After all, for a tiny carp to vault the Dragon Gate, it would naturally be under the eyes of countless spectators.

Lu Changsheng was bathed in the warm rays of the fiery sun, which slowly rose above the sea's horizon. At that moment, he felt like he was truly transforming into a fish, and a towering Dragon Gate appeared to loom in the sky above the ocean. Lu Changsheng stared intently at it.

Whoosh

.

In the next instant, Lu Changsheng leapt up, and this time, he could feel the difference clearly. The first time he leapt over the Dragon Gate, he had only been a tiny carp. The second time, his body had grown slightly larger. And now, on his third attempt, his form had already reached over a zhang in length—a considerable size indeed.

The great fish gathered all its strength and surged upward, bursting free of the water and easily clearing the first and second Dragon Gates before reaching the third. However, as he was approaching the third Dragon Gate, Lu Changsheng suddenly felt exhausted.

Crap!

Lu Changsheng knew from experience that this sensation was bad news. With his strength depleted, there was no way for him to leap past the third Dragon Gate. And if he failed, he would require a long period of recuperation.

Divine Dragon, Third Transformation.

In the next instant, Lu Changsheng attempted to activate the Divine Dragon Transformation. The Third Transformation was supposed to double his physical prowess, but that did not seem to help him with the leap. The great fish was about to plunge into the water.

But then, Lu Changsheng saw the calm sea in the distance, and a single thought stirred within his mind.

BOOM!

Lu Changsheng unleashed the Wave Intent.

The sea, previously still, suddenly surged with raging waves that swept straight toward him. The great fish rose above the crest of the tide, and in that instant, Lu Changsheng used the overwhelming force of the water to surge upward once more.

Carried by the fierce waves, Lu Changsheng managed to leap past the third Dragon Gate. Simultaneously, he began his eighth round of marrow transformation and blood replacement.

To everyone aboard the ship, Dao Shier was merely sitting on the deck cross-legged, with an elusive aura surrounding his body.

Eventually, that aura surged at once, and a thunderous rumble echoed from within Dao Shier as a terrifying surge of blood qi burst forth. An overpowering presence instantly enveloped the entire deck. That was the pressure Lu Changsheng unleashed when tapping into the Third Transformation. Everyone was staring in awe, their hearts shaken.

"Brother Dao's blood qi and presence seem even stronger than the supreme elder of the Divine Fire Palace... Just what stage of the Divine Strength Realm has he reached?" Yun Haitang muttered under her breath, a strange light flashing in her eyes.

She had infiltrated the Divine Fire Palace alone and stolen the fire seed right under the noses of three Divine Strength Realm experts, so she naturally had her own means. She was already aware of the three stages of the Divine Strength Realm: the Ten Cauldrons Stage, the Hundred Cauldrons Stage, and the Thousand Cauldrons Stage. She estimated that Dao Shier should be at the Hundred Cauldrons Stage and had likely progressed quite far within it.

However, Yun Haitang did not know that Lu Changsheng was not actually at the Hundred Cauldrons Stage at all. It was merely the fearsome effect of the Divine Dragon Transformation. What everyone saw was Dao Shier's aura surging explosively, followed by what seemed like rolling waves surging forth before their eyes.

"Intent?"

Only Yun Haitang nearly cried out. Her eyes widened as if she could not believe it. She had seen many Divine Strength martial artists, but only one in a hundred could actually comprehend Intent!

Whoosh

.

Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. After successfully leaping past the third Dragon Gate, he immediately proceeded with his eighth marrow transformation and blood replacement. Within his body now surged the strength of eighty cauldrons.

Seeing the calm in Dao Shier's eyes, Yun Haitang stepped forward.

"Congratulations, Brother Dao! Your martial cultivation has advanced another step."

Lu Changsheng merely nodded. With eighty cauldrons of strength, he was drawing closer to the Hundred Cauldrons Stage.

Over the next several days, the ship continued sailing at sea. Although they encountered several bouts of strong winds and waves, each passed without danger.

Instead, Lu Changsheng took advantage of the winds and waves to deepen his comprehension of Wave Intent. In turn, his progress increased by another three percent. By the time the ship arrived at the docks of Zhanhai City, his comprehension of Wave Intent had already reached eight percent.

Eventually, the ship reached the dock, and it was time to disembark.

"Farewell, Brother Dao! If fate allows, let us meet again in the jianghu."

After bidding Lu Changsheng farewell, Yun Haitang disembarked from the ship and swiftly disappeared into the crowd.

"Sir Dao, you were welcome to visit the Far Ocean Merchant Guild at any time."

Sophie had also come to terms with reality. She knew that someone like Dao Shier was likely beyond her reach, but forming a good relationship was still worthwhile.

Lu Changsheng then returned to an inn in Zhanhai City, where he immediately summoned his Status Panel.

[Status Panel]

Host: Lu Changsheng

Perception: 840 (Hidden Dragon in the Abyss)

[Skills]

Blood Qi Sword Crafting Secret Technique: Sword-Crafting for 4 months and 3 days.

Wave Intent: Progress 8%

Celestial Treasure-Refinement Secret Technique: Second Layer

Ninefold Carp-Dragon Ascension: Third Level

Nine-Character Thunder Chant: Perfection (Incomplete)

What Lu Changsheng cared about most was his Wave Intent, which was at eight percent. Progress was slow, but at least it was there. Moreover, he had to experience the surging waves of the ocean firsthand to deepen his Wave Intent.

Looks like I'll need to come to Zhanhai City more often. Or maybe I should just move here.

After giving it some thought, Lu Changsheng realised that living by the sea would greatly benefit his comprehension of the Wave Intent. If he remained in Nanyang City and had no access to the ocean, there would be no possibility of further progress at all.

However, this matter was not urgent. Thinking about it, he realized his trip had already lasted around ten to fifteen days. It was time to head back.

He went to retrieve his horse from the inn. The attendant had taken good care of it, so Lu Changsheng tossed him one silver tael.

"Thank you!"

The attendant was filled with joy upon receiving the reward.

"Little horse, let's go home."

Lu Changsheng gently patted the horse's back. The horse immediately kicked off, and within moments, they dashed out of Zhanhai City, headed straight toward Nanyang Prefecture.

A few days later, Lu Changsheng was back home. He immediately went to see his master, Wu Jing. It looked like his condition had deteriorated further. At this point, it was uncertain whether Wu Jing would survive the year.

Lu Changsheng had originally planned to visit Zhanhai City often to comprehend the Wave Intent, but that no longer seemed possible. He had to remain in Nanyang City and accompany his master through his final days. After all, there were only two people he truly cared about in this life. One was Old Wen, who had been killed by Li Ji. The other was his master, Wu Jing.

Lu Changsheng visited his master every day and stayed with him for a while. Wu Jing likely knew that his days were numbered. Each time, he would grasp Lu Changsheng's hand and endlessly recount stories from his youth. Although Wu Jing had never been a martial artist, he had travelled to many places in his younger years to hone his medical skills and had experienced many things. Lu Changsheng found his stories astonishing, and the more he listened, the heavier his heart became.

That evening at dusk, a group of strangers arrived outside Miaoshou Garden; they were all martial artists. Those who passed by glanced at them a few extra times but did not think much of it. Miaoshou Garden housed many physicians, and martial artists who fought in jianghu often came here to treat their injuries. As such, the presence of martial artists outside the garden was nothing unusual.

"Cavern Master, this is Miaoshou Garden!"

Guo Jiuling narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked toward Miaoshou Garden. It did not matter who had killed Li Ji. What mattered was that Li Ji had previously been entangled with Miaoshou Garden. That alone was enough.

First, they would wipe out Miaoshou Garden. If they still could not find the murderer of Li Ji, they would continue by targeting other forces in Nanyang City that had Organ Refinement martial artists at their disposal. Anyone capable of killing Li Ji had to be at the Organ Refinement Stage or above. By slaughtering every Organ Refinement martial artist in Nanyang City, they were bound to kill the culprit in the process.

This was not just Guo Jiuling's way of doing things. Rather, this was the style of Liyang Cavern—brutal, overbearing, and tyrannical.

"Go."

Guo Jiuling waved his hand, and a large number of martial artists from Liyang Cavern immediately stormed into Miaoshou Garden.

"Who are you guys? How dare you barge into Miaoshou Garden?"

One of the guards had just begun to question them when a Liyang Cavern martial artist swung his saber and beheaded him on the spot.

Thud!

The guard's head fell onto the ground as blood gushed forth. The sight stunned everyone in Miaoshou Garden. At that moment, many apprentices, apothecaries, and physicians were still inside.

"

Aaaahh!

Help! Someone's killing people!"

"Run!"

"Hide, quickly!"

Everyone in the Miaoshou Garden panicked. The members of the guard unit rushed forward, unaware they were throwing their lives away. The people from Liyang Cavern were all elite. Even the weakest among them were at the Bone Tempering Stage.

Guo Jiuling scoffed. "Such weaklings. Who here could have killed Li Ji?"

He was disappointed, but the slaughter did not stop.

Lu Changsheng, within the courtyard of Miaoshou Garden, heard the screams and sensed the blood lingering in the air.

Has something happened?

He quickly took on Zhuang Shisan's appearance and rushed toward the commotion with a shortsword in hand. The sight appalled him. The ground was littered with corpses. Among them were apprentices, apothecaries, physicians, and even martial artists from the guard unit.

Zheng Renxin finally arrived and shouted, "Stop!"

As the master of Miaoshou Garden, the sight before him made him feel as though fire was about to burst from his eyes. After a furious roar, he drew his saber and charged forward, trying to stop the group of unfamiliar martial artists who were carrying out the massacre.

Bang!

Yet, in just a single exchange, Zheng Renxin felt as though several of his ribs had been shattered. He collapsed helplessly.

The few remaining Organ Refinement martial artists of Miaoshou Garden met the same fate. They were either killed or critically injured.

Zheng Renxin growled, "Enough! All of you, stop! What has Miaoshou Garden ever done to you? What justifies such senseless bloodshed?"

At that moment, Guo Jiuling walked forward step by step until he stood before Zheng Renxin.

"Li Ji was my disciple. Is that reason enough?" he said flatly, his gaze cold.

"Li... Ji?" Zheng Renxin went pale, feeling as though lightning had struck him. The matter he had worried about for over a year had finally come to pass.

Back then, a Bone Tempering martial artist under Li Ji had escaped, and Zheng Renxin had flown into a rage. He could not do anything about the escapee, only tell himself that a Bone Tempering martial artist could not stir up much trouble. He had never imagined that one pitiful martial artist would bring ruin to Miaoshou Garden.

Zheng Renxin gritted his teeth. "But Li Ji wasn't killed by someone from Miaoshou Garden."

Guo Jiuling nodded. "Indeed, weaklings like you couldn't have killed Li Ji. But that doesn't matter. There are plenty of Organ Refinement martial artists in Nanyang City. I don't know which one of them is Li Ji's killer, so I'll kill them all, just to be safe."

At that, Zheng Renxin's eyes nearly bled with fury. These people were even worse than bandits.

"This is Nanyang City! Great Hero Zhuang won't allow this!" he growled defiantly.

By now, almost everyone in the jianghu knew that Nanyang City was Zhuang Shisan's territory. Anyone who dared cause trouble here was making an enemy of Zhuang Shisan.

Guo Jiuling scoffed. "Zhuang Shisan? Yeah, I've heard of him. A Divine Strength martial artist who despises evil and prides himself on righteousness. Jianghu is still the same old jianghu. There are always fools with dull wits playing at being heroes. They think that reaching the Divine Strength Realm allows them to protect an entire prefecture? If Great Hero Zhuang does not come, tough luck on your part. And if he does come, the Liyang Cavern will be glad to beat him to death. That would increase our reputation tremendously, wouldn't you say?"

Guo Jiuling was brimming with confidence. As the master of Liyang Cavern under the Great Dragon Heavenly Cult, he had just advanced to the Hundred Cauldrons Stage. Even within the Divine Strength Realm, there were vast differences in strength, and only disciples of major sects could compare with him among his peers. How could a Divine Strength martial artist from a backwater prefecture measure up? If Zhuang Shisan truly dared to come, he would suffer a terrible fate.

Whizz!

Suddenly, a crimson light cut through the air and reached Guo Jiuling in an instant. He managed to respond with a punch just in time.

Boom!

A fierce shockwave followed, forcing Guo Jiuling back several steps.

"Who goes there?" Guo Jiuling shouted, narrowing his eyes slightly as he stared at the figure up ahead.

That man's aura surged with each step he took. He stopped five zhang away from Guo Jiuling, glanced around, and casually swung his sword.

Whizz whizz whizz.

Silken threads filled the sky and rained down on the martial artists of Liyang Cavern.

Splurt!

In just a single instant, every Bone Tempering and Organ Refinement martial artist of Liyang Cavern within ten zhang was completely wiped out. Guo Jiuling's eyes widened at the carnage.

The ability to transform blood qi into swords and kill even Organ Refinement martial artists within ten zhang was nothing short of miraculous. Not even he could do something like that.

A Divine Strength martial artist, huh?

There was no mistake about it. Although the man had yet to introduce himself, his sword technique left no room for doubt.

Zhuang Shisan of Nanyang Prefecture!