Rising on the Waves, Leaping the Dragon Gate for the Third Time!

The fiery red sun radiated warm sunlight. A sea breeze blew past, carrying a hint of salty moisture. Yun Haitang, Sophie, Longsha, and even many of the sailors and guards kept their eyes fixed on "Dao Twelve." They knew Dao Twelve was practicing martial arts, and seemingly a very miraculous kind at that, which left them immensely curious. Lu Changsheng did not stop them from watching. When it came to leaping the dragon gate, there was no need to fear onlookers. In fact, being watched by so many eyes helped Lu Changsheng tap even deeper into the feeling of a carp leaping over the dragon gate. After all, for a tiny carp to attempt that feat, it too would be under the scrutiny of all. Lu Changsheng bathed in the warm sunlight as the fiery morning sun slowly rose, hanging high above the vast ocean. At this moment, Lu Changsheng felt as if he had truly transformed into a fish, while a towering dragon gate reaching into the clouds seemed to manifest in the sky above the sea. Lu Changsheng stared intently at that towering dragon gate. *Whoosh.* The next instant, the fish he had embodied sprang upward. This time, Lu Changsheng clearly felt a difference. During his first leap over the dragon gate, he had been merely a tiny carp. The second time, his size had grown slightly larger. Yet for this third attempt, Lu Changsheng's body was over a zhang long—a remarkably large form, truly worthy of being called a great fish. The great fish leaped with all its might, swiftly breaking through the water's surface. It cleared the first and second dragon gates with ease, soaring straight toward the third. Yet just as he seemed to reach the third dragon gate, Lu Changsheng felt his strength fail him. *Not good.* Having accumulated experience from his previous attempts, the moment this sensation appeared, he knew trouble had struck. With his strength exhausted, there was simply no way he could clear the third dragon gate. If he failed, he would have to recuperate and nurse his body for a very long time. *Three Transformations of the Divine Dragon.* The next moment, Lu Changsheng attempted to unleash the Divine Dragon Transformation. The Three Transformations of the Divine Dragon boosted his physical strength twofold. Yet no matter how much his physical body was enhanced, it seemed entirely useless for clearing the third dragon gate in this state. Seeing that the great fish he embodied was about to plummet downward, Lu Changsheng looked out toward the calm ocean in the distance. An idea struck him, and a thought flashed through his mind. *Boom!* Lu Changsheng unleashed the Ocean Wave Conception. The previously calm, unrippled sea suddenly surged with rolling waves, sweeping directly toward the great fish he had become. As the surging waves churned, the great fish seemed to stand atop the crest of a massive swell! Instantly, drawing upon the immense power of that surging wave, the great fish sprang forth once more from amidst the torrent. This time, no accidents occurred, and Lu Changsheng smoothly cleared the third dragon gate. At the same time, Lu Changsheng began his eighth marrow transformation and blood exchange. The scene of Lu Changsheng leaping the dragon gate played out before everyone on board. However, in their eyes, Dao Twelve's leap was completely different from what Lu Changsheng experienced within himself. There was no great fish, nor any dragon gate piercing the clouds. They only saw Dao Twelve sitting quietly cross-legged on the deck, surrounded by an ethereal aura. Then, that aura abruptly expanded into something vast and boundless. Soon after, a rumble sounded from within Dao Twelve. A terrifying surge of qi and blood burst outward from his body, and a formidable presence instantly enveloped the entire deck. This was the aura Lu Changsheng unleashed under the Three Transformations of the Divine Dragon. Such a presence left everyone on board filled with awe and profound shock. "Brother Dao's qi, blood, and momentum seem even stronger than those of the Sacred Fire Palace's Supreme Elder. Just how far has he reached within the Divine Strength Realm?" Yun Haitang murmured softly, a strange glint flashing in her eyes. She had snuck into the Sacred Fire Palace alone and managed to steal the fire seed right under the noses of three Divine Strength Realm experts, so she naturally possessed some extraordinary means. Yun Haitang was also well aware of the three realms of Divine Strength: Ten Tripods, Hundred Tripods, and Thousand Tripods. She estimated that Dao Twelve was likely in the Hundred Tripods Realm, and perhaps had even progressed very far within it. However, she had no idea that Lu Changsheng was not in the Hundred Tripods Realm at all; rather, the Divine Dragon Transformation secret method was simply extraordinarily wondrous. Not only did the crowd see Dao Twelve's aura erupt, but they also seemed to "see" rolling waves tumbling before their eyes, sweeping forward in a majestic tide. "A martial conception?" Yun Haitang was the only one who nearly cried out in shock. Her eyes went wide with disbelief. She had seen plenty of Divine Strength Realm experts. Yet among them, fewer than one in a hundred could comprehend a martial conception! *Swish.* Lu Changsheng opened his eyes. Having cleared the third dragon gate, he had commenced his eighth marrow transformation and blood exchange. His body now brimmed with the strength of a full eighty tripods! Seeing the calm in Dao Twelve's eyes, Yun Haitang stepped forward to offer her congratulations. "Congratulations, Brother Dao, on advancing further in your martial arts!" Lu Changsheng nodded, offering no comment. With the strength of eighty tripods, he was drawing closer and closer to the Hundred Tripods Realm. Over the next few days, the ship continued its voyage across the sea. Though they encountered several squalls along the way, every danger passed without incident. Instead, Lu Changsheng used the storms and waves to deepen his comprehension of the Ocean Wave Conception, advancing its progress by three percent. By the time they reached the docks of Zhanhai City, the round trip had brought his Ocean Wave Conception to eight percent. Still, having arrived at the port, it was time to disembark. "Brother Dao, farewell. Until our paths cross again in the jianghu." Yun Haitang bid Lu Changsheng goodbye, stepped off the ship, and swiftly vanished into the crowd. "Mister Dao, you are welcome to visit our Ocean Commerce Guild anytime." Sophie had also come to terms with reality, knowing there was little hope of tying down a figure like Dao Twelve. Even so, forging a favorable connection was certainly worthwhile. Lu Changsheng returned to the inn in Zhanhai City and immediately brought up his attribute panel. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 840 (Hidden Dragon in the Depths) Qi and Blood Sword Casting Secret Method: Casting for 4 months and 3 days. Ocean Wave Conception: Progress 8% Qiantian Treasure Transformation Secret Method: Second Layer Ninefold Carp Leaping Dragon Gate Art: Third Layer Nine-Word Thunder Sound Secret Method: Perfection (Incomplete) What Lu Changsheng cared about most was the Ocean Wave Conception, whose progress had reached eight percent. Although its improvement was very slow, it was still progressing. Moreover, only by experiencing the rolling waves out at sea in person could he advance the Ocean Wave Conception. *It seems I'll need to visit Zhanhai City more often in the future.* *Or perhaps I could simply reside in Zhanhai City.* Lu Changsheng considered the thought. Living by the sea would be of tremendous help to his grasp of the Ocean Wave Conception. If he remained in Nanyang City indefinitely without ever coming into contact with the ocean, the Ocean Wave Conception would make no progress at all. However, there was no rush regarding that matter. Lu Changsheng calculated the time. It had been nearly half a month since he departed Nanyang City, and it was about time to return. He then retrieved his horse from the inn's stables. The inn's attendant had taken good care of the mount, and Lu Changsheng was not stingy, rewarding the attendant with a tael of silver. "Thank you, honored guest!" Having received the tip, the attendant was overjoyed. "Come on, horse, let's head home." Lu Changsheng patted the horse's back gently. Its four hooves kicked up, and in the blink of an eye, they had departed Zhanhai City, galloping straight toward Nanyang Prefecture. Several days later, Lu Changsheng returned to Nanyang City. The first thing he did was pay a visit to his master, Wu Jing. Wu Jing's illness seemed to have grown even more severe; it was uncertain whether he would survive the year. Originally, Lu Changsheng had planned to travel frequently to Zhanhai City to comprehend the Ocean Wave Conception, but that seemed out of the question now. He had to stay in Nanyang City to accompany Master Wu Jing through his final days. After all, Lu Changsheng truly cared about only two people in this life. One had been Old Wen, who was murdered by Li Ji—and Lu Changsheng had killed Li Ji to avenge him. The other was Master Wu Jing. Lu Changsheng went to spend time with his master every day. Perhaps aware that his days were numbered, Wu Jing would hold Lu Changsheng's hand each time, endlessly recounting stories from his youth. Though Wu Jing was not a martial artist, he had traveled to many places and experienced numerous trials in his youth to improve his medical skills. As Wu Jing recounted those past experiences in vivid detail, they sounded quite wondrous. Yet the more his master spoke, the heavier Lu Changsheng's heart grew. One day, at dusk. A group of uninvited guests arrived outside Miaoshou Garden, every one of them a hardened martial artist. Passersby cast a few extra glances their way, but paid them little mind. Miaoshou Garden housed many physicians, and martial artists who clashed in the jianghu frequently came here to treat their wounds. Therefore, the appearance of martial artists outside Miaoshou Garden was nothing out of the ordinary. "Cave Master, this is Miaoshou Garden!" a martial artist said respectfully. Guo Jiuling narrowed his eyes slightly, gazing at Miaoshou Garden. Who killed Li Ji did not matter. What mattered was that Li Ji had previously been entangled with Miaoshou Garden. That alone was sufficient. He would wipe out Miaoshou Garden first. If he failed to find the culprit who murdered Li Ji here, he would simply move on to the other factions in Nanyang City that possessed Refining Organs martial artists. In any case, whoever killed Li Ji had to be at or above the Refining Organs Realm. By slaughtering every Refining Organs faction in Nanyang City, he was bound to find the culprit eventually. Such was Guo Jiuling's method. Or rather, such was the style of Liyang Cave! Crude, tyrannical, and overbearing! "Go." Guo Jiuling waved his hand, and a large contingent of Liyang Cave martial artists immediately stormed into Miaoshou Garden. "Who are you people? Why are you trespassing on Miaoshou Garden?" A Miaoshou Garden guard had only just begun to question them when the Liyang Cave martial artist met him with a cold expression, severing his head with a single blade strike. *Squelch!* The guard's head hit the ground as blood gushed forth like a fountain. This sight left everyone in Miaoshou Garden dumbfounded. At this moment, many apprentices, apothecaries, and physicians were still inside the grounds. "Ah... Murder!" "Run!" "Hurry, hide!" Panic instantly gripped the people of Miaoshou Garden. Even when members of the guard team stepped forward, it was practically suicide. The men from Liyang Cave were all elites; even the weakest among them were at the Tempering Bone Realm, not to mention the many Refining Organs martial artists among their ranks. "Too weak." "Could people like this kill Li Ji?" Guo Jiuling was sorely disappointed. Yet the slaughter did not cease. At that moment, Lu Changsheng was in a courtyard within Miaoshou Garden. His senses were exceptionally keen, and he caught the sound of distant shouts and screams. A faint trace of blood even drifted through the air. *Something happened at Miaoshou Garden?* Lu Changsheng's heart gave a start. He quickly assumed the disguise of "Zhuang Thirteen," took up his short sword, and rushed swiftly toward the sound of slaughter. Inside Miaoshou Garden, corpses already littered the ground. There were apprentices, apothecaries, physicians, and martial artists from the guard team. "Stop!" Zheng Renxin finally arrived. As the master of Miaoshou Garden, watching this scene unfold made his eyes blaze as though spitting fire. With a furious roar, he drew his blade and charged forward, attempting to stop this band of murderous strangers. *Bang!* Yet with merely a single clash, Zheng Renxin felt several ribs shatter under a punch, and his body slammed heavily onto the ground. The few remaining Refining Organs martial artists of Miaoshou Garden met the same fate, either wounded or slaughtered with virtually no power to resist. "Stop! All of you, stop!" "How has my Miaoshou Garden offended you, that you would slaughter us to the last?" Zheng Renxin screamed hoarsely in fury. At that moment, Guo Jiuling walked up to Zheng Renxin step by step, his gaze icy as he said faintly, "Li Ji was this seat's disciple. Is that reason enough?" "Li Ji?" Zheng Renxin felt as if struck by a sledgehammer, his face instantly turning pale as ash. The disaster he had dreaded for over a year had finally come to pass. One of Li Ji's Tempering Bone subordinates had escaped back then, which had enraged Zheng Renxin at the time. However, once the man was gone, there was nothing he could do. He could only comfort himself with the thought that a mere Tempering Bone martial artist could hardly stir up any great waves. Yet who could have thought that that very subordinate who fled would bring utter annihilation down upon Miaoshou Garden! Gritting his teeth, Zheng Renxin said in a deep voice, "But Li Ji wasn't killed by our Miaoshou Garden at all!" Guo Jiuling nodded. "Indeed. This seat has already seen that a bunch of useless trash like your Miaoshou Garden couldn't possibly kill Li Ji." "Not that it matters. There are only so many Refining Organs martial artists in Nanyang City; this seat will simply kill them all one by one." "Better to kill a thousand by mistake than let a single one slip away!" Hearing this, Zheng Renxin's eyes grew so bloodshot they seemed ready to weep blood! These people were more abominable than mountain bandits, treating human lives like grass. "This is Nanyang City! Hero Zhuang will not let you off!" Zheng Renxin ground out every word, as if intending to crush his own teeth. By now, nearly everyone in the jianghu knew that Nanyang City was Zhuang Thirteen's territory. Anyone who dared cause trouble in Nanyang City was crossing Zhuang Thirteen. "Zhuang Thirteen?" "This seat has heard of him—a chivalrous Divine Strength Realm martial artist who hates evil like a deadly foe." "The jianghu is still the same old jianghu, always plagued by brainless fools playing the hero. Does he think becoming a Divine Strength Realm martial artist allows him to protect an entire region?" "If your Hero Zhuang stays away, so be it. But if he dares show his face, this seat wouldn't mind beating him to death to forge the prestige of my Liyang Cave!" Guo Jiuling radiated confidence and ambition. He was the master of Liyang Cave, having just advanced to the Hundred Tripods Realm. One had to understand that a vast disparity existed between different Divine Strength Realm experts. He was the cave master of Liyang Cave under the Dalong Heavenly Cult; among Divine Strength Realm martial artists, only disciples of the great sects could compare to him. How could some Divine Strength martial artist from a forgotten backwater ever measure up? If Zhuang Thirteen dared come, he would simply beat him to death! *Whew!* The moment his words fell, a terrifying scarlet sword beam slashed through the air from afar, arriving before Guo Jiuling in an instant. Guo Jiuling threw out a punch almost instantaneously. *Boom!* A violent tremor shook the empty air. The immense recoil forced Guo Jiuling back several paces before he could steady his footing. "Who goes there?" Guo Jiuling narrowed his eyes, his gaze locking tightly onto a figure slowly appearing ahead. It was a martial artist holding a short sword, walking forward step by step, his momentum climbing steadily with every pace. The figure halted five zhang before Guo Jiuling. Glancing at his surroundings, he casually swung his sword. *Swish! Swish! Swish!* The sky filled with dense swarms of Silken Thread Swords, shooting outward in all directions toward the martial artists of Liyang Cave. *Pfft!* In a single instant, every Tempering Bone and Refining Organs martial artist from Liyang Cave within a ten-zhang radius was wiped out completely! At this sight, Guo Jiuling's pupils shrank violently! Transforming qi and blood into a sword, slaughtering even Refining Organs martial artists within ten zhang. Such a method was nothing short of miraculous! Even he could not accomplish this. A Divine Strength Realm martial artist! Clearly, the figure before him was an immensely powerful Divine Strength expert. Though the newcomer had not announced his name, appearing at such a time and capable of transforming qi and blood into a sword made his identity glaringly obvious. Nanyang's Zhuang Thirteen!