Chapter 36: The Gate of the Sword Mound

The sudden appearance of the young man on the stage drew everyone's attention, a gaze that quickly shifted to contempt and mockery.

"The young are reckless, playing the hero to save a beauty; he's going to suffer for it."

"I hope Cao Kui doesn't lower himself to the level of this boy, otherwise the lad will surely be beaten to death."

"A beautiful woman is a curse; this is the perfect example."

The crowd shook their heads one after another.

On the stage, Yue Wumiao looked at the familiar back of the man before her, feeling an inexplicable sense of security envelop her. Her beautiful eyes were momentarily lost, but she soon began to worry for his safety. After all, Cao Kui was a member of the Immortal Sect. Though perhaps not a core disciple, his status as an outer associate of the sect meant his strength was not to be underestimated.

Cao Kui, his hand still gripped by the boy, frowned in annoyance. He cursed silently at the meddlesome brat who dared to interfere. However, seeing that it was just a greenhorn, he decided to use the boy as a stepping stone to assert his authority. He roared, "Anyone who dares to block me, dies!"

As the words left his lips, he balled his left hand into a fist and slammed it toward the young man's head. The blow carried the weight of a hundred pounds—enough to shatter five stacked bricks. If it landed on the boy's skull, it would surely crush bone and kill him on the spot. Cao Kui could already see the grim outcome. Many in the audience turned away, unable to bear watching the tragedy.

*Snap!*

Just as everyone expected the boy to be finished by that single punch, a crisp sound echoed through the room. They looked over to see that the boy had caught Cao Kui’s sandbag-sized fist firmly in his palm, preventing it from moving even an inch further.

Feeling the indestructible strength radiating from that grip, Cao Kui’s face turned to one of utter shock. He stared at the young man, unable to believe his eyes. No matter how much force he exerted, his fist could not break through that seemingly thin palm.

"With skills like these, you dare call yourself an immortal?" the boy asked, his tone laced with skepticism.

"You little bastard—ah!"

Cao Kui started to retort, but before he could finish, a sharp pain erupted in his groin. He looked down to see the boy had delivered a swift kick. The agony was unbearable; Cao Kui doubled over, clutching his crotch with both hands, his eyes bulging and veins throbbing on his forehead. He wheezed out, "You... you fight dirty."

"If you can't even handle a dirty fight, what right do you have to demand a fair one?" the boy said, looking down at him with cold indifference.

Choked by these words and unable to argue, Cao Kui roared in fury, "I am a member of the Blade Burial Sect! If you dare hurt me, the sect will never let you go!"

The boy replied calmly, "If the Blade Burial Sect knew that an associate like you was abusing their name to run wild in the mortal world, they would likely thank me for what I’ve done."

"You—"

Watching the boy look down on him while delivering truths he couldn't refute, rage overwhelmed Cao Kui. He spat a mouthful of blood and collapsed, unconscious.

***

*Hiss!*

Seeing this, the entire room gasped in unison. Although Cao Kui was not a formal member of the Immortal Sect, his selection by the sect proved he possessed strength and talent far beyond mortal limits; he was a powerhouse that even masters of the local martial guilds could not hope to match. Yet, he had been effortlessly felled by an unknown youth.

"That boy is Chen Tiansheng! The young tavern worker who participated in the Guild assessment and joined the Mortal Martial Pavilion!"

Amidst the gasps, someone finally recognized him. Indeed, the boy who had defeated Cao Kui was none other than Chen Tiansheng. His actions at the Mortal Dao Assembly had shocked the city, though only a few in the vast Qingzhou Prefecture had seen him. Among the many patrons in the brothel, only a handful recognized him.

Even knowing his identity, they were stunned by his prowess.

"To pass the guild assessment at such a young age and join the Mortal Martial Pavilion—how impressive!"

"Impressive as he is, he’s still just a student. How could he block that punch from Cao Kui? Cao Kui is stronger than many guild masters!"

"Could this kid have the strength of a master?"

Facing the murmurs, Chen Tiansheng cupped his hands to the crowd. "I accepted the task of protecting Miss Yue. Seeing her in danger, I acted to teach this man a lesson. I apologize for any disturbance I have caused."

His sincere words were well-received, and the crowd nodded in approval. Yue Wumiao stepped forward to confirm, "I did commission a task from the Mortal Dao Assembly, and Master Chen is here as my bodyguard." She signaled to a maid, who went upstairs to retrieve Chen Tiansheng’s credentials. Upon seeing the documents, the crowd was convinced.

Because the matter touched upon the authority of the Mortal Dao Assembly, officials arrived to take charge of Cao Kui. The news reached Gao Runshan, who specifically dispatched Yu Huan to assist Chen Tiansheng.

Seeing Chen Tiansheng, Yu Huan did not offer a rebuke. Instead, he said with a look of relief, "Good lad. Only two days have passed, and you’ve caused such a stir, even wounding an associate of the Blade Burial Sect."

Chen Tiansheng scratched his head in embarrassment. "I’ve caused you trouble, Elder Yu."

Yu Huan waved his hand. "No trouble at all. This isn't your fault; Cao Kui brought it upon himself. You performed your duty perfectly and didn't lose face for the organization. We should be thanking you!"

If the members of the Mortal Dao Assembly feared to act simply because the opponent was connected to an immortal or a noble, the reputation of the Assembly would be ruined. Chen Tiansheng’s lack of fear and his ability to defeat the man showcased the character and strength of the organization’s members. Before leaving, Gao Runshan had specifically instructed Yu Huan to protect Chen Tiansheng.

The more Yu Huan looked at Chen Tiansheng, the more satisfied he became. After some small talk, he advised earnestly, "The Blade Burial Sect will send someone to handle this matter, and you will need to be present. We have reason and evidence on our side, so don't be afraid. I know their external director; if you perform well, you might even be recruited into the Immortal Sect early!"

*Join the Immortal Sect!*

Chen Tiansheng’s heart skipped a beat.

***

The Blade Burial Sect was the closest immortal sect to Qingzhou Prefecture. While not very famous throughout the Qi Kingdom, it was still an immortal sect, and one focused on the blade. Joining would be a tremendous opportunity. With their protection, even Zhang Jingcong would find it difficult to kill him. Furthermore, once inside, he could gather information on the sects and perhaps find Gu Xue and the enemy who killed his brother.

"Thank you, Elder Yu," Chen Tiansheng said gratefully.

After a few more words, Yu Huan and his men left the Si Xiang Pavilion. As his bodyguard mission was not yet over, Chen Tiansheng remained.

Upon returning upstairs, he was invited into Yue Wumiao's room.

"Thank you for tonight," she said. "I truly wouldn't have known what to do without you."

Chen Tiansheng smiled. "I am your bodyguard; it is what I am supposed to do."

Deeply moved, Yue Wumiao took out a prepared pouch of gold—one hundred and ten taels. Seeing Chen Tiansheng’s confusion, she explained, "You helped me kill Zheng Peng, so the investigation task is more than fulfilled. As for the bodyguard mission, you’ve saved me twice, which is more than enough. The task was merely a test of your abilities. If you were incompetent, I would have dismissed you after the first period; otherwise, you would move on to the investigation. Now that you’ve finished both, the mission is over."

This was the truth. Many of her previous bodyguards could handle the crises she staged, but those sent to Yue Village to find evidence of the Zheng family's massacre usually ended up dead or injured. Only Chen Tiansheng had completed the mission during his probationary period and saved her multiple times.

Looking at the gold, Chen Tiansheng said, "Miss Yue, are you angry with me? If I am truly that good, there are still five days left on my contract. Why not keep me on for a while longer?"

Yue Wumiao hurriedly replied, "I am not angry with you." Her face turned slightly red, and she urged, "Just go. I won’t be in danger here, and you’re only wasting your time staying."

Chen Tiansheng smiled slightly. "Miss Yue is worried that if Zheng Guangzhong comes looking, he will discover that I am the one who killed Zheng Peng."

Her hidden thoughts exposed, Yue Wumiao froze, embarrassed. "That's not it."

But it was. She feared Chen Tiansheng would be killed by Zheng Guangzhong, who was already a quasi-immortal. Her identity had been exposed that night; even if she fled to the ends of the earth, Zheng Guangzhong would not let her go. Rather than letting Chen Tiansheng remain at her side and risk being suspected and killed alongside her, it was better for her to face it alone.

With her revenge complete, she had no regrets in death. The only thing she felt reluctant to part with was the budding feeling in her heart...

Chen Tiansheng saw through her thoughts but did not argue. He tucked the gold into his Star-Gathering Ring and said earnestly, "I will stay in the Si Xiang Pavilion for the full seven days. Just pretend that for the next five days, I am merely an ordinary patron who admires you."