He Has Come! Number One on the Divine Strength Ranking, Tianxin!

Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 2,680 (Praised in All Directions) Qi and Blood Sword Casting Secret Method: Casting sword for 2 years, 1 month. Wind of Perception Conception: Progress 15% Starry Sky Waterfall Conception: Progress 1% Ocean Wave Conception: Progress 25% Ninefold Carp Leaping Dragon Gate Art: Fifth Layer Lu Changsheng brought up his attribute panel. The Wind of Perception Conception had progressed the fastest. In just over a month, its progress had reached 15%, which could truly be considered rapid advancement. After all, Lu Changsheng used the Wind of Perception Conception almost every day. Of course, because he had earned a vast amount of merits and exchanged them for comprehension points, his comprehension had also increased swiftly. However, it seemed there was still quite a long way to go before his comprehension underwent another metamorphosis. Just then, You Shifei, Yang Zhen, Tong Xuan, and Tie Yuan all arrived. "Brother Dao, when do we set out?" You Shifei asked. Though Dao Twelve's rank on the Divine Strength Ranking had slipped, the members of the Barbarian Slaying Squad knew full well how rapidly Dao Twelve had improved over the past month and more. When it came to actual combat prowess, Dao Twelve was likely on par with Tong Xuan and Tie Yuan. In fact, who was stronger between him and Yang Zhen could only be determined by a fight. Lu Changsheng looked up at You Shifei and the others. "Have you heard any news lately?" Lu Changsheng asked. "News? In fact, yes. The northern barbarians are furious with our Barbarian Slaying Squad, so much so that they're willing to pay any price. Word has it that the barbarians have asked Tianxin to take action against us." The speaker was Tie Yuan. He was usually quite well-informed. "Tianxin?" Everyone's expressions darkened. In truth, even if it had been Sheng Yuanyi, they would not have felt such immense pressure. Tianxin, however, was different. Tianxin had never suffered a defeat, and he overshadowed even Sheng Yuanyi and Song Wuqing. He was the undisputed number one on the Divine Strength Ranking! He was truly the foremost figure of the Divine Strength Realm! If such a person intervened, even though the members of the Barbarian Slaying Squad were far stronger than before, facing Tianxin would likely end in disaster. "That's just a rumor." "Besides, even if Tianxin does make a move, how would he know where to find us?" "Indeed. Tianxin has such distinctive features that Brother Dao couldn't possibly miss him. When the time comes, we can just avoid him." "I'm afraid it won't be that simple. If the barbarians are dead set on having Tianxin act, they must be confident they can deal with our squad." For a moment, differing opinions arose within the Barbarian Slaying Squad, sparking a debate. "There is no need to argue," Lu Changsheng spoke. He glanced at the group and said in a low voice, "Even if it isn't Tianxin, we still have to guard against others moving against us. Is Sheng Yuanyi weak? Could it be that aside from Tianxin and Sheng Yuanyi, Northern Barbaria has no other top Divine Strength Realm martial artists? "Given how many Divine Strength Realm martial artists our squad has slain, this was bound to happen sooner or later. "We must still build our own strength to remain invincible. However, we do need to change our approach going forward. We cannot head to the Northern Region Battlefield every day; we need to become unpredictable. "As for when we strike, I can't say for sure. Whenever I feel the time is right, I will naturally summon the four of you, and our Barbarian Slaying Squad will move then." Lu Changsheng's words put a complete stop to the four men's dispute. Furthermore, thinking it over, it was indeed a solid plan. Without a set pattern, it would be extremely difficult to plot against them. After all, even they themselves wouldn't know when the squad would strike next. "Alright, then we will await Brother Dao's summons." With that, the four left Lu Changsheng's courtyard and returned to wait quietly. At this stage, none of them cared all that much about merits anymore. Lu Changsheng also understood that it was impossible to keep killing ten to twenty Divine Strength Realm martial artists every day. From now on, they would likely only be able to strike a few times a month. "Tianxin..." Lu Changsheng murmured under his breath. In truth, it wasn't as if he had no means of dealing with Tianxin. Tianxin was formidable, yes, but Lu Changsheng possessed the Qi and Blood Sword Casting Secret Method. Currently, Lu Changsheng's physical body possessed six hundred and sixty ding of strength. Back when he first began accumulating qi and blood with the Qi and Blood Sword Casting Secret Method, he only had a mere sixty ding. Now, his qi and blood was ten times what it was back then. Reasonably, the accumulation speed of the Qi and Blood Sword Casting Secret Method should also be about ten times faster. That meant casting the sword for one month now was equivalent to ten months under his original conditions. He had already cast the sword for over two years now, amounting to over two thousand ding of force. If he cast it for ten years, that would exceed ten thousand ding of strength! When that time came, even Tianxin might not be able to withstand it. After all, there was a saying among martial artists: Ten thousand ding can shatter Gang! This meant that if one's strength reached ten thousand ding, ten thousand ding of force could break through Divine Gang. Of course, that was merely breaking through Divine Gang—equivalent to breaching the most basic defense of the Divine Gang Realm. Even so, that was terrifyingly potent. And Tianxin was not a Divine Gang Realm martial artist; he was still in the Divine Strength Realm. "Wait." Lu Changsheng closed his eyes. During this period, he had to be all the more cautious. *** Meanwhile, in Northern Barbaria. Immortal Master Lingji swept his divine sense across the grasslands time and time again. Yet he found nothing. Moreover, the intelligence coming out of the Northern Region Battlefield indeed reported no activity from the Barbarian Slaying Squad. Ten days had already passed, yet the squad showed no signs of life, nor any trace of movement. Could the Barbarian Slaying Squad have ceased their operations? "The Barbarian Slaying Squad is truly cunning. They used to head into the Northern Region Battlefield every day, but now they suddenly stopped coming." "Immortal Master Lingji, we must trouble you to keep monitoring the battlefield daily," the black-robed martial artist said respectfully to Immortal Master Lingji. Immortal Master Lingji frowned. Northern Barbaria had approached him earlier and promised enormous rewards. Only then had he grudgingly agreed to lend a hand. Who could have known that ten days would pass without the Barbarian Slaying Squad making a single move? Having to monitor the battlefield closely every single day was proving to be quite a nuisance. "Hmph. One month at most," Immortal Master Lingji said displeasedly. "If the Barbarian Slaying Squad doesn't make a move within a month, this poor Taoist can do without your rewards." He could not afford to waste his time on the battlefield indefinitely. "Very well. Within a month, the Barbarian Slaying Squad will definitely make a move." The black-robed martial artist took his leave of Immortal Master Lingji. His expression was grim. Tianxin was not an issue; he could afford to wait. But Immortal Master Lingji could not necessarily wait. *I must find a way to make the squad mobilize.* *Even if they only deploy once.* *I only have a month's time...* After some thought, the black-robed martial artist decided he had to use provocation. He had to get the Great Fish Dynasty's side to "push" the Barbarian Slaying Squad into action. "Men, spread word across the Northern Region Battlefield that the Barbarian Slaying Squad fears our northern barbarian warriors' vengeance and dares not enter the battlefield anymore! "Furthermore, increase the frequency of our squads' patrols during this period and slay even more Great Fish Dynasty martial artists." The black-robed martial artist arranged the orders one by one. He refused to believe the Barbarian Slaying Squad could truly stay holed up forever without moving once! Following the black-robed martial artist's arrangements, the situation on the Northern Region Battlefield shifted dramatically. The northern barbarian squads that had previously been battered into retreat by the Barbarian Slaying Squad suddenly surged back into the open. Their assault was exceptionally fierce. Advancing aggressively across the Northern Region Battlefield, they slaughtered numerous martial artists from the Great Fish Dynasty. The Great Fish Dynasty's forces suffered disastrous defeats, with large numbers of their martial artists cut down daily. Consequently, questions and rumors began spreading rapidly: "Why hasn't the Barbarian Slaying Squad mobilized for so long?" "The northern barbarian martial artists are running rampant!" "When on earth will the Barbarian Slaying Squad take action?" "Where is Dao Twelve?" Yet, as widespread as such talk was, it had zero effect on the squad. Both You Shifei and Dao Twelve were men of unshakeable will. How could they possibly alter their plans over mere rumors? Lu Changsheng remained thoroughly composed. He was waiting. In fact, even Lu Changsheng himself wasn't entirely sure what he was waiting for. Ten days, fifteen days, twenty days... Finally, after twenty days, Lu Changsheng "awoke" from his meditation. He glanced at the sky outside. "It's about time to stretch our legs in the Northern Region Battlefield." After being inactive for so long, Lu Changsheng felt the itch to move. He immediately summoned You Shifei and the others. "Well? Have you all grown impatient from waiting?" Lu Changsheng asked with a smile. You Shifei shook his head. "Not really, but the situation on the battlefield isn't good. We're on the defensive." "Then let's kill to our hearts' content today!" A sharp glint flashed through Lu Changsheng's eyes. Having rested for twenty days, finally mobilizing meant doing something big. "Let's move." Once fully prepared, the group slipped out of Beiling City without making a sound and entered the Northern Region Battlefield. The Northern Region Battlefield was vast and desolate. "Finally back." "It feels so much better to be out here." "Following Brother Dao is the best. Brother Dao, we won't be picky about our targets this time—give us whatever enemies come our way!" Having been cooped up for twenty days, returning to the Northern Region Battlefield made You Shifei and the others feel like tigers unleashed from a cage. Each was eager to fight, even claiming they wouldn't pick and choose. They were certainly getting cocky. Lu Changsheng said nothing, simply waiting in silence. Activating his Wind of Perception Conception had a condition: there had to be wind. Without wind, Lu Changsheng could not perceive anything. After waiting a moment— *Whoosh...* A gentle breeze stirred, and the grass all around swayed in the wind. The wind had risen! Lu Changsheng immediately activated his Wind of Perception Conception, blending his consciousness into the breeze. As his mastery over the Wind of Perception Conception steadily advanced, his perception range had finally expanded beyond ten li. After twenty days, sensing the battlefield again, Lu Changsheng found things remarkably different from before. Because the squad had remained dormant for twenty days, the northern barbarian squads were indeed far more brazen than before. Within a mere ten-li radius, there were already several barbarian squads. "Five li to the southeast. A northern barbarian squad with five Divine Strength Realm martial artists." Lu Changsheng selected a target. "Move out!" You Shifei commanded. Eager and raring to go, the four immediately dashed southeast. Five li to the southeast, there was indeed a northern barbarian squad. They had just fought a fierce battle, wiping out a squad from the Great Fish Dynasty. Their haul was substantial. "Good luck today, running into a squad from the Great Fish Dynasty." "Lately, our squads have beaten the Great Fish Dynasty black and blue. Only a handful of their squads can even put up a fight." "Ever since the Barbarian Slaying Squad vanished, our barbarian squads have virtually had no rivals on the Northern Region Battlefield." "Speaking of which, why hasn't the Barbarian Slaying Squad made a move in so long?" "Who knows?" The barbarian squad was chatting among themselves, gossiping. The topic of the Barbarian Slaying Squad came up in particular. Both the northern barbarians and the Great Fish Dynasty followed news of the squad closely. Unfortunately, the squad seemed to have evaporated into thin air. Twenty days had passed without a peep. *Buzz.* Suddenly, they felt the surrounding space warp slightly. In truth, the environment had not warped; it had been enveloped by a martial conception. Being battle-hardened veterans, the barbarians immediately sensed something was wrong. "A martial conception has descended—run!" "This conception... it's the Lone Traveler, You Shifei!" "The Barbarian Slaying Squad is here..." A thought flashed through their minds. Regrettably, by the time they recognized the Barbarian Slaying Squad, it was already too late. Once You Shifei, Yang Zhen, Tong Xuan, and Tie Yuan struck, it was with thunderous fury, wasting not a fraction of a second. In just half a breath, the northern barbarian squad was wiped out. Five barbarian heads were smoothly secured. "Withdraw." You Shifei and the others pulled back rapidly. Moments later, the four returned to Lu Changsheng's side. "Smooth run." "Five heads—might be worth a thousand minor merits." "Brother Dao, where's the next squad?" All four were thrilled and eager. After twenty days of waiting, a single squad was nowhere near enough to satisfy them. "Eight li to the southwest. A northern barbarian squad with four Divine Strength Realm martial artists." Lu Changsheng picked another target. "Move out." With that, the four set off again. *** Meanwhile, back in Northern Barbaria, the black-robed martial artist found Immortal Master Lingji once again. "Immortal Master..." The black-robed martial artist was about to speak. However, Immortal Master Lingji seemed not to pay attention; he was unleashing his divine sense, sweeping across the Northern Region Battlefield. The battlefield was massive. Even for Immortal Master Lingji, sweeping through it with divine sense required time. *Whoosh.* Immortal Master Lingji opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing within them. "They have appeared. Send Tianxin," Immortal Master Lingji said, a faint smile curling on his lips. "Hm? Immortal Master, you mean the Barbarian Slaying Squad?" The black-robed martial artist's heart skipped a beat. "Indeed. The Barbarian Slaying Squad has finally entered the Northern Region Battlefield. As for that Dao Twelve you spoke of, this poor Taoist has locked onto his location as well. Hurry and have Tianxin move, lest Dao Twelve escapes again." "Yes, Immortal Master! I will dispatch Tianxin at once." With that, the black-robed martial artist hurried off to notify Tianxin. *** On the Northern Region Battlefield. The Barbarian Slaying Squad struck in quick succession. Within a short time, they had wiped out five barbarian squads. Moreover, they showed no signs of stopping, pressing on further. "Exhilarating, absolutely exhilarating!" You Shifei couldn't help laughing out loud. After twenty days away, this feeling was incomparably refreshing. "Brother Dao, let's keep going," You Shifei said with great anticipation. Lu Changsheng probed the area. Within a ten-li radius, the northern barbarians had essentially all been slaughtered clean by the Barbarian Slaying Squad. They had to move elsewhere. That was no trouble for Lu Changsheng, of course. He led the squad members toward another direction. Yet as they walked, a sudden sense of apprehension gripped Lu Changsheng's heart. He snapped his head up to gaze into the sky. In the end, he sensed nothing. *An illusion?* Lu Changsheng frowned deeply. For a split second just now, he had felt as though someone were peering down at him. Yet with his Wind of Perception Conception covering ten li around them, there was no one spying on them at all. This was the first time such a feeling had arisen. Lu Changsheng continued deeper into the battlefield, but that unsettling feeling clung to him like a shadow. "Something isn't right. Retreat!" Deciding decisively, Lu Changsheng immediately led the squad back toward Beiling City. "Brother Dao, what's wrong?" You Shifei asked. "I'm not entirely sure, but I feel as though someone is spying on us. "We've already harvested enough for today. There's no need to continue; we can return to Beiling City," Lu Changsheng explained. It might have sounded far-fetched without any proof, but Lu Changsheng chose to trust his instincts. There was never any harm in being cautious. The others did not doubt him in the slightest. They held absolute obedience toward Dao Twelve. As long as Dao Twelve made a decision, every member of the Barbarian Slaying Squad would comply. As Dao Twelve retreated, he did not let down his guard. Instead, he kept his Wind of Perception Conception active, monitoring the surroundings within ten li. Then, all of a sudden, a peculiar figure entered Lu Changsheng's perception. A young man clad in white robes, seemingly with a sacred mark between his brows. Barefoot, he strode step by step across the tips of the grass. From afar, it looked as though he were treading upon empty air. "He has come!" Lu Changsheng blurted out. "Who has come?" You Shifei was momentarily stunned, finding the sudden remark baffling. Why had Dao Twelve suddenly declared that someone was coming? Looking all around, the land lay empty. Where was anyone else? Lu Changsheng offered no explanation. He simply led the others toward Beiling City with all haste. Within his perception, that figure continued in pursuit, rapidly closing the distance. Lu Changsheng was all too familiar with that pursuing figure. In fact, not just Lu Changsheng—virtually every martial artist on the Northern Region Battlefield knew who he was. Tianxin! The number one figure on the Divine Strength Ranking, Tianxin!