Chapter Fourteen: The Crimson Blood Sword Body

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This...

Wu Shu felt his composure beginning to collapse. All along, he had believed himself adept at maintaining control when it came to pretending. He was confident in his ability to keep things measured.

But after encountering Xiao Ling today, Wu Shu’s worldview wavered slightly.

At the same time, he wondered if this was really the path of the strong he had been so desperately pursuing. In the Forgotten Continent, after a hundred thousand years, his ultimate goal was to break free from the constraints of the continent’s natural laws. A hundred thousand years! Numerous attempts with various formations had only yielded...

Wu Shu simply wanted a change of scenery. He yearned to use passionate fervor to alter everything, to wield absolute power to shatter all the shackles of heaven and earth.

He was a man of firm resolve. Though moved within, there was also a hint of excitement.

“Hearing you say that, it turns out there are quite a few peerless powerhouses on our Thick Earth Continent too? Now that’s interesting. Innate bloodline power, right? They can refine their bodies effortlessly, yes? Such people, line up properly—I, Wu Shu, will take them down one by one.”

As he spoke with youthful confidence, an aura radiated from him, one that the stele spirit found eerily familiar. Xiao Ling exclaimed, “That aura—is it the Divine Anomaly? You actually possess the will of the Divine Anomaly? Are you the Star Lord of the Forgotten Continent?”

Wu Left and Wu Right, unfazed, said, “Kid, is there anything so shocking about that? If he weren’t the Star Lord, do you think we could even exist within his divine consciousness?”

Upon hearing Wu Shu possessed divine consciousness, Xiao Ling was astonished. “Big brothers, you’re not tricking me, are you? Those thick-headed cultivators on the Thick Earth Continent who only think about body refinement—do they even have a divine consciousness?”

The stele spirit Xiao Ling spoke without restraint, blunt and straightforward. Yet what he said made Wu Shu uncomfortable.

How could he respond?

Xiao Ling claimed there were many innate bloodline powerhouses on the Thick Earth Continent, and that foolish cultivators abounded there as well.

Among all the words the stele spirit spoke, this remark hit a nerve for Wu Left and Wu Right.

For years, the brothers had loved and fought each other, always vying for supremacy. You are the younger; I am the elder. Yet today, suddenly becoming the elder felt so abrupt yet remarkably satisfying to Wu Left and Wu Right.

Wu Right chimed in, “Xiao Ling, it’s not that we don’t take care of you; you’re still young. You should follow your elder brothers more often. I guarantee it will feel like living at the pinnacle of life.”

In high spirits, Wu Right’s tone changed noticeably. Wu Shu knew these two troublemakers were about to open a new front. Whatever—they might as well toss Xiao Ling into the divine consciousness. Let those three do as they please.

However, after meeting the stele spirit Xiao Ling, Wu Shu thought if what Xiao Ling said was true—that there were many bloodline powerhouses on the Thick Earth Continent—then the fact that Wu Left and Wu Right had never mentioned this might reflect a problem.

These two probably spent too much time bickering over seniority.

Wu Left, communicating almost telepathically with Wu Right and Wu Shu, explained, “Wu Shu, Wu Right and I are only interested in geniuses who possess spiritual power. Of course, in cultivating spiritual power, you have indeed achieved a breakthrough from steady accumulation, but what about your innate talent?”

Wu Left’s tone was sly as he stopped talking, seeming to mock Wu Shu’s talent or invite him to guess how his spiritual power aptitude ranked.

“Tch...”

Wu Shu didn’t want to guess at Wu Left’s thoughts; it wasn’t worth the trouble. Besides, the stele had transformed from a worthless stone into a treasure, which had slapped many in the face but also garnered Wu Shu some enmity. Who wouldn’t want a treasure?

Moreover, the treasure was held by a ‘waste’ with a third-level body refinement realm, so stealing it wouldn’t be too difficult.

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Of course, to many present, Wu Shu’s acquisition of the stele seemed like dumb luck. But Ying Meier and Li Jianfeng, who recognized Wu Shu’s true strength, would not see it that way. With so many human and demon descendants on Desperate Peak, no one else had noticed the stele’s uniqueness. Wu Shu’s approach and retrieval of the stele had been far too smooth.

Even if Wu Shu was a person of great fortune, the stele initially had no affinity with him. Otherwise, he would not have been unable to move it at first. Discounting luck, the only possibility was that Wu Shu saw something extraordinary about the stele and approached it intentionally.

Many cast greedy glances at Wu Shu, but Ying Meier merely smiled without a word. She had fought Wu Shu before and lost thoroughly, and remained very curious about his true strength.

Li Jianfeng was a man of clear allegiance. He immediately stood beside Wu Shu, scanning the crowd and commanding in a low voice, “Everyone back off!”

Due to Li Jianfeng’s status, most human disciples halted, but the demon disciples advanced with ill intent, surrounding Wu Shu and Li Jianfeng swiftly, while the human disciples watched indifferently.

“Interesting, very interesting.”

Just as Wu Shu and Li Jianfeng prepared to fight, a young voice echoed across the square.

Seeing that even Ying Meier gave a disdainful snort, Wu Shu knew the newcomer was Fei Yu. Fei Yu approached Ying Meier with a retinue and sneered, “Such a waste can even make the Young Master of the Shadow Clan take this seriously? Ying Meier, shouldn’t you explain yourself to me?”

Upon meeting Fei Yu, Ying Meier resumed her usual aloofness and sternness, saying, “Fei Yu, if you want to complete this mission, you must give it your all.”

In Fei Yu’s impression, Ying Meier’s methods were extremely shrewd. She behaved with controlled defiance before her clan and icy arrogance before peers. Even when rebuked openly by him, Ying Meier would still say such things, which made Fei Yu take Wu Shu more seriously.

Fei Yu continued to accuse, “Ying Meier, aren’t you bewitched by his looks? Among the people of the Kun Kingdom, besides Zhao Zhenlu, who else can force me to go all out? In the face of my true strength, not even a third-level body refinement ‘waste’ or someone in the savage bull realm would stand a chance—they’d be crawling on the ground.”

Fei Yu’s arrogance irritated Ying Meier. She had thought Fei Yu was smart and would act cautiously after her hint, but now seeing his arrogance, she felt she had misjudged him.

Out of goodwill, Ying Meier still warned, “The formations here, none among us can match them.”

At that moment, Zhao Zhenlu and others arrived at the square. Ying Meier told her followers, “Let’s go, I’m tired.”

Then she withdrew to the edge of the square with her clan, settling down to enjoy tea and desserts as if watching a play.

“Oh, my dear younger brother, I didn’t expect you to enter the great formation as well. Big brother, I heard your men suffered badly outside. Now you enter the formation alone—does that mean your troops have been wiped out?”

After Zhao Zhenlu appeared, he exchanged glances with Fei Yu and Ying Meier, then greeted Li Jianfeng coldly. It was clear that though brothers, Zhao Zhenlu and Li Jianfeng’s relationship was not warm. This was the nature of royal offspring—once royal, forever embroiled in scheming.

Glancing at Wu Shu, Zhao Zhenlu said plainly, “Wu Shu, a direct disciple of the Wu family from East Su City, sixteen years old, third-level body refinement, formation talent unknown. East Su City sure does produce talent, doesn’t it? I’m talking about Sun Chengwu and Li Shaofeng.”

Sun Chengwu?

The young master of the Sun family in East Su City? The one who gravely wounded Wu Zhen?

Sun Chengwu replied respectfully, “Your Highness flatters me!”

Looking again at Wu Shu, Zhao Zhenlu said calmly, “Hmm, last time you persuaded that Wu family brat to back down, I haven’t properly rewarded you yet. How about this? I’ll give Sun Chengwu the stele you obtained.”

Zhao Zhenlu handed the stele Wu Shu had acquired directly to Sun Chengwu without informing Wu Shu. Clearly, Zhao Zhenlu’s sense of hierarchy was strong; in his eyes, Wu Shu was merely a subject of the Kun Kingdom, and all he possessed was subject to commandeering.

Just as Li Jianfeng was about to object, Fei Yu sneered, “Zhao Zhenlu, little prince, have you been in the palace too long? The treasure is seen by us demon disciples too, so the Shadow Clan deserves a share. Otherwise... you know what will happen.”

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The seemingly amicable relationship between Fei Yu and Zhao Zhenlu was surely the result of negotiation, with both sides benefiting. Now, Fei Yu’s resolute declaration to tear off the mask and fight forced Zhao Zhenlu into a difficult position.

Zhao Zhenlu had planned to have Wu Shu hand over the stele first. If the stele was truly useful, he could then leverage it to battle Fei Yu decisively. But now Fei Yu openly challenged the Kun Kingdom disciples for the stele.

From the moment Zhao Zhenlu finished speaking, Wu Shu had not reacted, which annoyed Zhao Zhenlu deeply. For a scion of a fallen family from small East Su City to openly defy royal orders was no mere lack of tact—it was a blatant challenge to royal authority. Even knowing Wu family’s ancestral connections to the royal house, Zhao Zhenlu would not tolerate this insult.

He turned coldly to Fei Yu, “Fei Yu, have you not grasped the situation? This stele has already been claimed by our human faction, so it belongs to us.”

Fei Yu refused to back down. “Zhao Zhenlu, you’re quite the treasure thief, but you seem to have missed one thing: since we entered Desperate Peak, all treasures there belong to you and me. Even if some stray dogs snatch them, those treasures still belong to us. How we divide them is a matter between us.”

Fei Yu’s words pleased Zhao Zhenlu. He wanted to punish Wu Shu and replied, “Fei Yu, you’re not wrong. Fine, have your people retrieve the stele, and as usual, a duel will determine its rightful owner.”

Fei Yu agreed, “It’s settled then.”

As Fei Yu ordered his servants to approach Wu Shu, Wu Shu remained calm and said, “Prince Zhao Zhenlu, did you know from the start that I come from the Wu family of East Su City?”

Wu Shu’s composure showed he was not about to surrender the stele easily. Li Jianfeng nodded, “I did know about your Wu family background, but as for your strength and that person, my elder brother is unaware.”

Mentioning that person, Li Jianfeng glanced at the night-walking beast, currently disguised as a donkey, and also at the dog-like Little White. Li Jianfeng was genuinely annoyed. At critical moments, these two were utterly useless. If the night-walking beast could reveal its true form, it would surely command the human faction’s respect.

In human eyes, the night-walking beast symbolized not only status but unshakable strength. Li Jianfeng understood his elder brother Zhao Zhenlu well—formidable in battle and masterful in diplomacy.

Knowing he could not change his brother’s mind, Li Jianfeng stood shoulder to shoulder with Wu Shu and said, “Brother Wu Shu, I, Zhao Zhenfeng, am willing to stand with you through thick and thin.”

Coldly watching the demon disciples approaching, Wu Shu said calmly, “Prince Zhao Zhenlu, I prefer to call you Brother Li.”

Li Jianfeng shook his head with a smile, “Just as I like it!”

The demon disciples were close now. Li Jianfeng took a large step forward, sword aura rippling around him, declaring, “I too possess a gifted bloodline.”

“Blood of the Crimson Sword?”

As Li Jianfeng unleashed his bloodline power, Zhao Zhenlu frowned deeply. Li Jianfeng’s concealment of his strength had always irritated him. “My dear younger brother, you truly surprised me. Everyone thought you were unfit for royal harem life, but no one expected you to have fooled everyone all these years. The Crimson Sword bloodline is no ordinary lineage. You truly are a worthy opponent.”

“Big brother, this concerns the fate of the nation. Upon returning to the capital, I will report your actions truthfully to the Emperor.”

Li Jianfeng was displeased that his elder brother Zhao Zhenlu had not taken a hard stance against Fei Yu but instead chosen mutual restraint. As a prince of the Kun Kingdom, with demons invading, Zhao Zhenlu had not surrounded and slaughtered the demons but instead negotiated, resulting in a stalemate.

Truly, a disgrace to the royal family.