More Terrifying than His Rank! Thousand Tripods Combat Strength!

*Boom!* The massive curtain of blood shattered on impact. "What?!" The four Thousand Tripods Realm martial artists stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what was happening before them. Wasn't Dao Twelve supposed to be merely at the Hundred Tripods Realm? Yet with a single saber slash, Dao Twelve had just torn through the combined blockade of four Thousand Tripods Realm experts. The force behind that single strike far exceeded a hundred ding—it was unequivocally the power of a thousand ding. In fact, it wasn't just ordinary thousand-ding force, but several thousand ding! "Stop him!" The four Thousand Tripods Realm experts strained their eyes, desperately trying to cut Dao Twelve off. However, combining every technique at his disposal, Dao Twelve's single saber strike had erupted with a terrifying force of three thousand ding. With such horrifying power tearing right through their cordon, he seized the opening and surged forward in a single stride. *Whoosh!* Lu Changsheng broke free from their encirclement in an instant and rapidly pulled away. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from their sight. "Dammit! We actually failed to keep him here!" "Such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity fell into our hands, yet we still let Dao Twelve slip away?!" "A cooked duck just took flight and flew off!" "Who the hell said Dao Twelve was only at the Hundred Tripods Realm? Does that look like the Hundred Tripods Realm to you?!" The four were in foul moods. They had laid low on the Northern Region Battlefield for so long, constantly watching their backs every single day to avoid giving away even the slightest tell. And now? The chance had been right in front of them, yet they had failed to grasp it. "We were careless—we really let our guard down. Or rather, all of us did." "Indeed, this isn't our fault. Who could have imagined Dao Twelve was hiding so much depth? His strength isn't at the level of sixty-first on the Divine Strength Ranking at all; he can definitely rival the top fifty. Even if he hasn't reached the Thousand Tripods Realm, he can't be far off." "Dao Twelve possesses secret methods. In a sense, he's barely any different from a Thousand Tripods Realm martial artist." "We must spread word of this immediately. We can't let the four of us become laughingstocks." The four quickly settled on a plan. Unwilling to become the butt of everyone's jokes over this failure, they naturally intended to describe Dao Twelve as being as formidable as possible. Besides, they weren't making anything up—it was the plain truth! Dao Twelve had fooled everyone, and his true strength was far more terrifying than his position on the Divine Strength Ranking suggested! *Whoosh.* Lu Changsheng sprinted at full tilt, heading straight back to Beiling City. The moment he stepped through the gates, he finally let out a long breath of relief. "Eh? Isn't that Dao Twelve? Did he return empty-handed this time?" "Now that's a rare sight. Mister Dao actually came back with nothing, and he even looks a bit disheveled. Did he run into trouble?" "For over a month now, Mister Dao has returned victorious every single day carrying barbarian heads. Today is truly unusual." "Could Mister Dao have actually failed?" Seeing that "Dao Twelve" wasn't carrying any barbarian heads, many people found it strange. However, no one dared step forward to question him. Lu Changsheng swept a glance across the crowd and said nothing, heading straight back to his courtyard residence. Once inside, he carefully reviewed the day's events. It had indeed been perilous. Four Thousand Tripods Realm experts joining forces—if his strength hadn't been so formidable, he probably would never have made it back alive. *Walk by the river long enough, and your shoes are bound to get wet.* *Relying purely on luck isn't a viable long-term strategy.* *Yet sweeping all before me purely through overwhelming strength isn't something I can achieve overnight either.* *Am I supposed to stay holed up cultivating all the way to the Thousand Tripods Realm before stepping foot onto the Northern Region Battlefield again? But without merits from the battlefield, where will I find Divine Strength Realm pills to temper my physical body?* *I must devise a way to earn merits on the Northern Region Battlefield while avoiding dangerous situations like today's.* Lu Changsheng racked his brain trying to find a compromise, but it was far from easy. Bitter, slow cultivation clearly wouldn't work. Yet if he continued venturing out to the Northern Region Battlefield, who could guarantee he would get as lucky as he did today? Lu Changsheng carefully cataloged all the techniques and advantages at his disposal. His greatest edge was neither the Starry Sky Waterfall Conception, nor the Nine-Word Mantra Secret Method, nor his Hundred Tripods Realm cultivation. It was the Wind of Perception Conception! He could precisely sense everything within a radius of several li. *Actually, my perceptual ability can be put to much better use.* *I don't need to charge into the fray myself; I can act as a commander.* *Martial artists across the Northern Region Battlefield are forming squads right now, so why shouldn't I assemble a squad built around me? With my Wind of Perception Conception serving as the squad's eyes and ears, I can have the others do the fighting while I direct them from a safe distance.* *If we run into northern barbarian squads operating under disguises, I can turn tail and flee from several li away before they even get close. That way, I can completely eliminate any real danger on the Northern Region Battlefield.* The more Lu Changsheng thought about it, the brighter his eyes grew. He felt this plan was entirely feasible! Naturally, to form a squad, the pros and cons had to be made crystal clear. Everyone who joined had to do so of their own free will. That part wouldn't be difficult. Even though Lu Changsheng wouldn't be fighting in person, any team led by him would inevitably harvest far more spoils than any other. Risk and opportunity walked hand in hand. Lu Changsheng was confident that people would agree. However, he couldn't recruit just anyone. They had to be exceptionally strong. After all, the enemies Lu Changsheng targeted were Divine Strength Realm martial artists, or even experts on the Divine Strength Ranking. If his teammates weren't powerful enough, it would backfire and amount to sending them to their deaths. He had to recruit martial artists of true caliber. It would be even better if they were at or above the Thousand Tripods Realm! Of course, Thousand Tripods Realm martial artists weren't easy to recruit. Regardless, Lu Changsheng had to try. *** The Martial Demonstration Tower. Martial artists gathered here in droves every day. Consequently, the Martial Demonstration Tower was also the quickest place to hear the latest news. At that very moment, a piece of news exploded across the building. "Breaking news, coming straight from the barbarian side!" "Dao Twelve, ranked sixty-first on the Divine Strength Ranking, was ambushed and besieged by four Thousand Tripods Realm experts from the northern barbarians!" "And guess what? Those four Thousand Tripods Realm martial artists couldn't do a thing to him! Dao Twelve forcefully tore open their encirclement and made it back to Beiling City completely unscathed!" "The barbarians are even claiming that while Dao Twelve hasn't formally reached the Thousand Tripods Realm, he definitely possesses combat strength on that level!" "That's right, I just heard the news too. Those four Thousand Tripods Realm martial artists made the announcement themselves..." In an instant, an uproar swept through the hall. To begin with, the martial artists of the Great Fish Dynasty rarely had the upper hand on the Northern Region Battlefield. In fact, they were constantly suppressed by the northern barbarians. Even on the Divine Strength Ranking, barbarian experts occupied an overwhelming majority of the top spots. The sole exception was Dao Twelve. Every single day, Dao Twelve ventured out to the Northern Region Battlefield to reap heads. When people saw him return empty-handed earlier, everyone had been speculating whether he had suffered a setback. Yet now, the news had broken. Dao Twelve had made four barbarian Thousand Tripods Realm martial artists completely lose face! One had to realize that four Thousand Tripods Realm martial artists who had even comprehended martial conceptions were top-tier experts ranked in the top fifty, or even the top forty, of the Divine Strength Ranking. Yet even with four such elite figures ganging up on Dao Twelve, they hadn't been able to keep him there. "Mister Dao's strength is actually that formidable?!" "Before, we only knew Mister Dao slaughtered barbarians like chickens, so he was clearly strong, but who could have imagined he was powerful to this degree? Operating at the Hundred Tripods Realm, he can erupt with Thousand Tripods combat strength!" "Those barbarians are truly sinister, disguising themselves as ordinary Divine Strength Realm martial artists. They almost caught Mister Dao off guard! Thankfully, Mister Dao's prowess carried him through safely." "The heavens protect Mister Dao!" Without realizing it, Dao Twelve had gained immense prestige among the martial artists of the Great Fish Dynasty. After all, on the Northern Region Battlefield, "Dao Twelve" was practically the dynasty's sole beacon of pride. The only person capable of driving the northern barbarians into such frantic frustration was Dao Twelve! And now, Dao Twelve had once again brought glory to the Great Fish Dynasty, humiliating the northern barbarians. "Look! Mister Dao is here!" Suddenly, someone with sharp eyes caught sight of a familiar figure approaching the Martial Demonstration Tower step by step from the distance. Dao Twelve! It truly was Dao Twelve! "Hmm?" Lu Changsheng looked up. People—so many people! Moreover, countless gazes were fixed upon him, brimming with feverish excitement. What had happened? "Mister Dao, is that really you?" "Word of you escaping the siege of four Thousand Tripods Realm experts has already spread throughout all of Beiling City!" "The barbarians are utterly furious! Hahaha, you've truly brought great glory to our dynasty!" As the crowd spoke all at once, Lu Changsheng finally pieced together the reason. It was actually because of his encounter with those four Thousand Tripods Realm martial artists. To Lu Changsheng, the matter was hardly something to boast about. After all, the fact remained that he had fled in disarray. Yet in the eyes of the Great Fish Dynasty's martial artists, what "Dao Twelve" had done dealt a massive blow to the barbarians' pride and boosted their own morale immensely. He was practically being treated as a hero. Regardless of what others thought, Lu Changsheng didn't consider himself a hero. If he were truly a hero, he would have slaughtered all four Thousand Tripods Realm martial artists right then and there. For now, however, he couldn't accomplish that. Lu Changsheng said nothing. He passed through the Martial Demonstration Tower, cut through the crowd, and headed straight toward the other end of the street. Gradually, Lu Changsheng came to a stop. Before him stood a residence. Lu Changsheng knew who lived here: ranked eighteenth on the Divine Strength Ranking, Lone Wanderer You Shifei! In truth, many powerful martial artists had already formed squads. Even among the top twenty of the Divine Strength Ranking, most had joined teams. The top three stood aloof and above the fray; they never joined squads, nor could anyone persuade them to. From the fourth to the twentieth rank, the majority were northern barbarians. Among the few from the Great Fish Dynasty who remained unattached, You Shifei was one of them. His moniker as the "Lone Wanderer" spoke volumes. He almost never teamed up with anyone. Though many experts had invited him, You Shifei had turned them all down. Even so, Lu Changsheng intended to give it a shot. He knew You Shifei bore a deep hatred toward the northern barbarians—a blood feud over his slaughtered clan! As long as an opportunity allowed You Shifei to slay barbarians, he wouldn't easily refuse. Taking a deep breath, Lu Changsheng spoke, "You Shifei, Dao Twelve has come to pay a visit." *Creak.* The door opened. A black-clad martial artist emerged, exuding an icy chill from head to toe. "Dao Twelve?" You Shifei appraised Dao Twelve thoroughly from top to bottom. A hint of curiosity surfaced in his gaze. While Dao Twelve couldn't compare to him in terms of Divine Strength Ranking position, when it came to fame and influence, Dao Twelve wasn't inferior to him in the slightest—in fact, Dao Twelve's renown was even greater. "Do you intend to have me speak out here?" Lu Changsheng asked. You Shifei's brow furrowed slightly, but in the end, he stepped aside. "Please come inside to speak." Lu Changsheng entered the modest courtyard. The courtyard was simple, with You Shifei living there alone. The two sat directly on meditation cushions. Unwilling to beat around the bush, You Shifei asked straightforwardly, "Whatever business you have, you can speak now." "My purpose here is simple. I would like to invite Hero You to form a squad with me." "Form a squad? Not interested." You Shifei refused without a second thought. He was used to walking alone. Whenever he wanted to kill, he made a trip to the Northern Region Battlefield by himself. He had no desire to be bound by a squad. In truth, Lu Changsheng had felt the same way before. It was only after being ambushed by four Thousand Tripods Realm martial artists that his perspective shifted. "Hero You, if you team up with me, I can guarantee that every time we enter the Northern Region Battlefield, you will encounter barbarian squads. "When that time comes, the number of northern barbarians you slay will be several times, or even ten times, what you kill now! "After all, in all your time on the Northern Region Battlefield, have you killed as many barbarians as I have in the past month and a half?" Lu Changsheng's words gave You Shifei pause. Indeed, who was Dao Twelve? He was a ruthless demon who ventured out to harvest barbarians every single day! Every day, he returned with several severed heads in hand. Everyone in the city had witnessed it with their own eyes. In the past, whenever You Shifei sought barbarians to kill, he had to rely purely on luck. If he teamed up with Dao Twelve, however, he could certainly slaughter to his heart's content. "Just the two of us?" You Shifei asked, clearly swayed. "Certainly not just the two of us," Lu Changsheng replied. "I want to form a powerful squad capable of handling the vast majority of situations—a squad that can retreat unscathed even if we cross paths with the top ten of the Divine Strength Ranking. "So just the two of us isn't enough. We need to recruit several more formidable members. Ideally, everyone should possess the strength of the ranking's top fifty." Hearing Lu Changsheng's plan, You Shifei was genuinely tempted. A squad of top-tier experts. What was more, commanded by "Dao Twelve," they would definitely find barbarians the moment they deployed. If such a squad were powerful enough, they could hunt down virtually any barbarian team! When the time came, their existence would deal a devastating blow to the northern barbarians. At that thought, You Shifei hesitated no longer. "Count me in!" You Shifei agreed. A faint smile appeared on Lu Changsheng's face. However, You Shifei was only the first. Lu Changsheng envisioned a squad of five members, which meant four others besides himself. Thus, they were still short three people. "Hero You, do you have any recommendations for the remaining spots?" Lu Changsheng asked. You Shifei pondered for a moment before saying, "Based on your criteria, candidates must possess at least top-fifty strength on the Divine Strength Ranking. That essentially means they must be in the Thousand Tripods Realm and have comprehended a martial conception. There aren't many who fit that description. "How about Yang Zhen, ranked thirty-third on the Divine Strength Ranking? "If you agree, I'll go invite him personally." It seemed You Shifei shared a friendship with this Yang Zhen. "That works. I'll leave Yang Zhen to you, Hero You." Lu Changsheng rose and took his leave. He still needed to find other candidates. Even with Yang Zhen and You Shifei, they would still need two more. *Right, there's one person who will almost certainly agree.* A flash of inspiration crossed Lu Changsheng's mind. The Martial Maniac, Tong Xuan! This Tong Xuan was ranked forty-third on the Divine Strength Ranking. Tong Xuan differed from the others; he had come to the Northern Region Battlefield for only one purpose—to seek out opponents! Originating from a small city, Tong Xuan had defeated everyone there before embarking on a journey of challenging experts along the way. Yet he still found almost no match. Later, when war erupted on the Northern Region Battlefield, Tong Xuan traveled north. Upon arriving in Beiling City, however, he hadn't gone out to fight northern barbarians. Instead, he sought out renowned figures within the city to challenge. As luck would have it, the very first opponent Tong Xuan picked was Song Wuqing. Song Wuqing had nearly slain him with a single slash. Fortunately, Song Wuqing stayed his hand at the last moment and spared Tong Xuan's life. Although Tong Xuan was defeated by Song Wuqing and nearly died, he wasn't discouraged in the least; rather, he grew even more crazed. He challenged opponents one after another, and later threw himself into slaughtering barbarians on the Northern Region Battlefield. As long as one could provide Tong Xuan with worthy opponents, he would never turn down an invitation to team up. With that in mind, Lu Changsheng arrived at Tong Xuan's courtyard. "Tong Xuan, Dao Twelve has a matter to discuss with you." *Creak.* The door opened. Tong Xuan wasn't very old—roughly the same age as Lu Changsheng, both still in their teens. "Dao Twelve?" Seeing Dao Twelve, Tong Xuan's eyes lit up slightly.