Chapter 22: Secrets of the Martial Arts World

“Have you heard? This Martial Arts Assembly is being held here in Pingwu County. Leaders and outstanding disciples from hundreds of sects across the entire Liangzhou region will be sending representatives to attend,” a thin-faced middle-aged man asked, deliberately lowering his voice.

“I heard long ago. What kind of news is that? Every sect is currently rushing toward Pingwu County. Even the leader of our Red Shark Gang arrived early and rented out an entire inn. Those arriving later will likely find nowhere to sleep, not even on the streets,” a bearded man laughed heartily.

At this moment, inside the Qian Family Restaurant in the county town, many travelers and martial arts experts sat around, carrying blades and swords. They were discussing various matters amongst themselves, creating a lively atmosphere.

A Martial Arts Assembly in Pingwu County? And involving every gang within the Liangzhou territory? Lu Xiaotian, sitting in an inconspicuous corner of the restaurant, ordered a pot of tea and a plate of beef, listening silently to the discussions in the room.

“That is not what I meant to say. Such a grand martial arts event is a first in decades. Even the Iron Palm Sect, currently ranked number one in Liangzhou, does not possess such influence. Do you know why?” After being refuted, the thin middle-aged man decided to drop some bombshell information.

“What reason?”

“The Black Iron Token!”

“What? The Black Iron Token? How is that possible? Has it not been missing for nearly a hundred years?” The entire restaurant was shocked, the patrons looking at one another in disbelief.

The thin man snorted. “Yesterday, Yu Tianshan, the leader of the Four Seas Gang, was ambushed by enemies and unfortunately died. A passing martial artist witnessed the Black Iron Token falling from Yu Tianshan's body. Aside from the Black Iron Token, who else has the ability to summon all the gangs of Liangzhou to discuss matters in such a short time?”

“If that's the case, it does seem plausible.” The people in the restaurant erupted into heated discussion, their faces filled with apprehension.

*So it's just mundane martial arts affairs,* Lu Xiaotian thought, shaking his head with a smile as he prepared to pay and leave. Aside from matters regarding his cultivation, he had little interest in these worldly conflicts. However, the words of a white-browed elder soon caused his hand, which was reaching for his silver, to pause.

“Rumor has it that the holder of the Black Iron Token once received guidance from an Immortal. Back then, the various sects of Liangzhou refused to obey the token, but they underwent a bloody baptism. Within a few days, the residences of various gang leaders and sect masters were either attacked by fireballs that could melt gold and iron and could not be extinguished by water, or they were pierced by ice arrows that froze them into ice sculptures—arrows so frigid they would not melt even in fire...”

Lu Xiaotian’s pupils contracted. A fireball capable of melting gold and iron—wasn't that the Fireball Technique? As for the Ice Arrow Technique, the black-robed elder had used it once when trapped by a barrier. The person wielding the Black Iron Token was very likely a cultivator. It made sense; with hundreds of sects and hundreds of thousands of martial artists across dozens of counties in Liangzhou, including many first-rate experts and even a few peerless warriors, it would be impossible for a single person to command such unruly warriors. Only the overwhelming power of a cultivator could force them to submit.

However, what puzzled him was why a cultivator would go to such great lengths to seek out these ordinary martial artists?

While Lu Xiaotian was lost in thought, a luxurious carriage escorted by twenty first-rate martial artists entered through the north gate of Pingwu County. Setting aside the four magnificent, snow-white horses pulling the carriage, the presence of twenty first-rate martial artists galloping through the streets represented a formidable force anywhere.

The carriage drove straight into a large courtyard, and no one dared to stop it. A white-haired elder and a man dressed as a manager were waiting there respectfully. If Lu Xiaotian were here, he would have recognized that the manager was indeed the manager of the Miaozhi Hall.

*Clatter, clatter.*

The carriage stopped, and an arrogant young man in golden robes stepped out. He appeared to be only in his twenties, but his disdainful attitude suggested he held the many martial artists present in no regard whatsoever.

“I am Hu Yiping, Hall Master of Miaozhi Hall, and this is our manager, Ma Hongtao. We greet the Holy Envoy,” the white-haired elder, Hu Yiping, and Manager Ma said in unison, bowing to the golden-robed youth.

“Hmm. Are you the ones with news of the Purple Spirit Grass?” The golden-robed youth stood with his hands behind his back on the carriage, looking down at them.

“That is correct, but the Purple Spirit Grass the Holy Envoy mentioned was bought by another youth,” Manager Ma said truthfully.

“What?” The young man’s face darkened with anger. Liangzhou was a remote area with few spiritual items; having finally obtained news of the Purple Spirit Grass, someone else had beaten them to it.

“I did not know beforehand that the Purple Spirit Grass was a herb required by the Holy Envoy. Please forgive my offense!”

Feeling the pressure emanating from the golden-robed youth, Ma Hongtao’s legs trembled, and he nearly collapsed to his knees. Beside him, Hall Master Hu Yiping had a much higher cultivation level, yet his face was also pale.

“Do you remember what that person who bought the grass looked like? Was it a man or a woman?” the youth asked in a low voice.

Ma Hongtao nodded repeatedly. “I remember.”

“Have the master painter immediately draw a portrait of this person and secretly investigate their movements. If you find anything, do not act rashly—notify me immediately. Now, get out!” the youth commanded after a moment of thought.

“Yes, yes!” Hu Yiping and Ma Hongtao hurried out as if they had been granted a pardon.

“Return to the Green Lotus Villa!” the youth said before retreating back into the carriage.

Inside the carriage lay a beautiful woman with a voluptuous figure, dressed in red. Twirling a strand of hair by her ear, she asked, “Didn't you say Liangzhou has always been the territory of your Situ family? Why are there other cultivators here?”

The golden-robed youth replied gloomily, “I only heard about those matters from the clan elders. Our family left Liangzhou a hundred years ago. In such a long time, it is normal for a few rogue cultivators to appear in Liangzhou. I would have let it go if I hadn't heard of it, but now that I know, this person must be eliminated.”

“We don't know the depth of their strength yet. Are you so sure? Should we notify the experts in the family?” The woman leaned into the youth's embrace.

The youth snorted. “In a remote place like Liangzhou, high-level rogue cultivators wouldn't come here. If it weren't for the intense competition in Moon-Viewing Immortal City and my ancestor offending a Foundation Establishment senior there, I wouldn't have ended up back in Liangzhou. Besides, the target only took the lowest grade of spiritual herb, the Purple Spirit Grass. A rogue cultivator, even at the third level of Qi Refinement, is unlikely to be my match. Moreover, there are two of us; what is there to fear? My father is preparing to break through to the fourth level of Qi Refinement and has no time for this. Besides, if I cannot even handle a small matter like this, how can I inherit the family business in the future?”

“Very well. Let's probe their strength first, but we have to find them first.”

The youth nodded. “As long as he is still in Liangzhou, he won't escape our eyes. With hundreds of sects and countless martial artists, news will surely arrive soon. We will act according to the situation then.”

*There might actually be other cultivators in Pingwu County.* Having dealt with the black-robed elder, Lu Xiaotian was instinctively wary of others. However, the black-robed elder had remained silent about his own nature, and Lu Xiaotian knew nothing of the cultivation world. After much deliberation, he decided that even if there was risk, he had to try to learn about the cultivation world. Otherwise, relying solely on his own training, he might spend his whole life stuck at the fourth or fifth level of Qi Refinement. Now that cultivation had opened a door for him, he was unwilling to stop here.

“It seems I must attend this Martial Arts Assembly after all,” Lu Xiaotian muttered to himself. He placed some silver on the table and walked out. Shortly after he left, a flash of surprise crossed the eyes of two middle-aged men wearing bamboo hats. One of them hurried away, while the other trailed far behind in the bustling crowds of the county town.

As martial artists from all over converged on Pingwu, the number of experts in the town grew. The streets were filled with heavy traffic and a constant flow of people. Lu Xiaotian didn't notice much on the streets, as the crowds were simply too dense.

However, once he passed through the city gates, the man in the bamboo hat followed him, which quickly triggered his alertness.

*Is it the people from Miaozhi Hall again?* Lu Xiaotian frowned and quickened his pace toward the deserted wilderness.

*Clop, clop.*

Dozens of first-rate martial artists galloped through the streets, followed by the carriage pulled by four white horses. The martial artists on the street initially wanted to curse them, but seeing such a uniform group of first-rate experts, they immediately shut their mouths. They knew that words could bring disaster, and they could not afford to provoke such a powerful force.

After exiting the city gates, the golden-robed youth and the red-dressed girl left the carriage and chased after the man in the bamboo hat, following the marks he had left in the wilderness. After pursuing him for a while into the forest, they saw the man in the bamboo hat looking blankly into the distance.

“Where is he?” the youth asked coldly.

“Who do you think you—ow!” The man was about to retort to the youth, as he didn't recognize him, but halfway through his sentence, a sharp pain erupted in his abdomen. He was kicked so hard he curled up like a shrimp and flew several yards away, landing on the ground with a miserable wail.

“Before my patience runs out, you had better say what I want to hear,” the youth said with a cold face.

“I... I followed that youth out of the city gates and into the forest, but then he vanished! I... I don't know where he went!” Seeing the icy gaze of the youth, the man shuddered, his face turning ashen as he spoke tremulously.

“Useless trash!” With a wave of his right hand, the golden-robed youth sent a crystalline ice spike into the man's chest, instantly freezing him into an ice sculpture. The man's expression of terror and pain was frozen forever within the ice.