Invincible Under Heaven

Cooperation

"If you don't have enough money on hand at the moment, I can pay for you first."

Zhou Juechen said.

"An investment?"

Li Xian replied with a smile.

"If possible, the Zhou family would be willing."

Zhou Juechen said, "Even those who haven't made it onto the Hidden Dragon Ranking, as long as they stand out, can enjoy special treatment. Take Heavenly Gang Hand Zhao Tianming, famed in Lijiang City—he was once sponsored by the Dingfeng Marquis Residence. Yet in the end, not only did he fail to make it onto the Hidden Dragon Ranking, he couldn't even break through to the Leakless realm."

He turned to Li Xian.

"But you, claiming you can undergo Marrow Cleansing and Purification within three months... That's truly inconceivable if word got out! With such talent, unless you get stuck at the Primordial Unity stage, it'd be utterly unreasonable for you not to make it onto the Hidden Dragon Ranking."

Primordial Unity...

He had long since understood this phase.

However...

"You should think it through."

Li Xian said, "My nature is unrestricted. To put it in plain terms, I never put the greater good above all else. As I advance, I am bound to infringe on the interests of many. Their losses will naturally bring retaliation. If they can't deal with me, they'll certainly target the innocent—like you and yours."

"If you had the ability—would you avenge us?"

"I would."

Li Xian said calmly, "But it's meaningless. The moment someone dies, everything comes to an end. No matter how famous you become in the future, the dead can't come back to life."

"That's enough."

Zhou Juechen smiled.

"Just investing a few resources, then hoping to ride the coattails of a dragon—how could it be so easy? Even the largest sects face risks when investing in such young talents."

He added with a sigh, "Five years ago, a regional sect supported a Hidden Dragon Ranking genius, but right before the Dragon Gate contest, their competition, leaving nothing to chance, sent masters to storm in and slaughter both the sect's guardian and that ranked genius."

"Oh? It can be that ruthless?"

Li Xian was a little surprised.

"Sometimes, the difference in the Dragon Gate contest is just a rank or two! For example, in this round, aside from Yan Yu and Xiang Yangsheng, who dares claim they're guaranteed to get a Dragon Gate Token? So, one way is to break through quickly; another is to eliminate opponents before the contest even begins!"

At this, Zhou Juechen's expression grew somber.

"Each Dragon Gate leap is accompanied by heaps of corpses; ninety percent of martial path geniuses end up as stepping stones for those who transform from snake to dragon! But if you cross the Dragon Gate... you soar unhindered, entering a whole new realm! Thus, even knowing the odds, every five years martial experts still step forward, eager for the challenge despite the risk."

"Just like in nature, for a fish to leap the Dragon Gate, it must struggle with all its might, suffering wounds for that one chance."

Yet Li Xian was perfectly calm.

"On the path of the great Dao, one can only advance, never retreat! Of all those who summit the peak, only one can be truly unrivaled!"

Zhou Juechen looked at him—

"Your clarity of mind truly surprises me."

He was perplexed, "It's hard to imagine that just two months ago, this same you would choose to enter the Marquis Residence, resigning yourself to be a live-in son-in-law. The change is like night and day."

"You may consider 'Li Xian(李现)' dead. The one standing before you is now Li Xian(李先)."

Li Xian said.

"Striving for the Dao's summit?"

Zhou Juechen asked.

Li Xian nodded slightly.

"Good."

Zhou Juechen nodded forcefully.

He counted it as getting to know him anew, completely discarding prior views of his "Li Xian" identity.

"Though I know a genius like you will have no trouble reaching the Hidden Dragon Ranking and entering such extraordinary sacred places as the Taixu Sword Palace, Sacred Martial Tower, or Heavenly Treasure Pavilion in the future, I still hope, Li Xian, that you'll give our Zhou family this opportunity."

Zhou Juechen continued, calm and composed: "As for the potential dangers you've mentioned... the Zhou family is willing to bear them."

Li Xian glanced at Zhou Juechen.

He didn't look down on the Zhou family.

He understood that if he truly brought colossal trouble, even if the Zhou family chose to keep their distance, the mighty at the top might still vent their wrath on them.

Since Zhou Juechen had already steeled himself...

"I'll trouble you to procure a new batch of Jade Decoction for me."

Li Xian said.

Zhou Juechen nodded heavily.

"I'll do it right away!"

Then he quickly added, "Shall I introduce you to the Swordsage of Guangyuan? The Swordsage is a sword master certified by the Sacred Martial Tower—precisely why he's been honored with the title Swordsage!"

"People choose me, and I choose people. Let's clarify cause and effect; we each take what we need. No need to force anything."

Li Xian replied.

Zhou Juechen instantly understood.

He preferred cooperation.

The other party invests in him now; he'll repay them in the future. He didn't want to be entangled in emotional debts.

Yet...

"As a Swordsage certified by Sacred Martial Tower, countless young geniuses and martial youths pine to be taken under the Swordsage of Guangyuan's tutelage. Even famed martial figures do all they can to send their best disciples to this Swordsage, hoping for a word of advice. You, as a monstrous genius, have your own pride, but..."

Zhou Juechen looked at Li Xian.

"When facing a true master, it isn't shameful to lower yourself and pay a visit in person to show respect. It helps you see yourself more clearly."

Li Xian listened and replied calmly, "I understand."

He chuckled, "I'm no fool. Why seek trouble you can avoid?"

"So, you agree to try for the Swordsage of Guangyuan's..."

"The blazing sun shines upon the world, the bright moon, the splendid stars—I see them as a frog from the well, gazing at the sun and moon, as an ephemeral mayfly looking up at the blue sky. My heart holds only endless awe and..."

Li Xian did not finish.

The topic shifted, and he said calmly, "But as for the Swordsage of Guangyuan... that isn't necessary."

Not necessary!

What does he mean, "not necessary"!?

Swordsage of Guangyuan...

He certainly can't compare to the sun and moon!

Nor to the sky itself!

But if such a master were to aid Li Xian...

His path would be a hundred times smoother!

"Are you sure?"

Zhou Juechen asked, "I've also seen stunning martial geniuses, proud and arrogant, believing they can forge their own path on sheer talent alone. In the end, they watch their less talented peers ascend rapidly with the help of masters, lose their composure, fall behind in cultivation, miss their chance at leaping through the Dragon Gate, and ultimately fade into mediocrity."

"So we're right back to this topic again."

Li Xian remarked.

"Back?"

Zhou Juechen was stunned.

"Obviously, he just wasn't a true genius."

Li Xian said, "He just wasn't good enough."

Zhou Juechen was struck speechless.

He hadn't thought that genius lacked ability.

But...

Li Xian was just that much more proud and ambitious.

"Besides... the joy of life lies not in the result, but in the process."

Li Xian beamed, "Looking up at the vast universe, observing the multitude of beings—all to feast one's eyes and ears, truly a delight."

Zhou Juechen shook his head.

In this result-obsessed, success-driven world, is there really someone who doesn't care about the outcome, only the process?

Or...

Is it just youthful bravado, refusing to turn around until you hit the wall?

He couldn't tell.

Nor did it matter anymore.

Because, even though he did not fully agree with Li Xian's approach, he had to admit...

These words felt imbued with some mysterious power, stirring his heart.

He didn't know what that power was...

Only that he had to get that Jade Decoction for him.

Maybe even—

Blood Spirit Powder with even better effects!

"Then as you suggested, I'll explain the cause and effect to the Swordsage of Guangyuan and see if we can cooperate for mutual benefit."

Zhou Juechen said.

He knew that by doing so, he might offend the Swordsage of Guangyuan, or even anger this top Sacred Martial Tower master. But—

He was still willing to put his face on the line and try on Li Xian's behalf.

Li Xian nodded.

Zhou Juechen left quickly.

...

While Zhou Juechen and Li Xian were talking, the young commandery princess Yan Ruxue was hurrying back to the Canglang Sword Sect's guest courtyard under the escort of Shen Hong, Cao Zhi, and others.

Even after returning, Yan Ruxue remained somewhat dazed, as if her mind was still trapped in the shadow of fear from Li Xian's sudden murderous violence.

Until—

Hearing in the courtyard the laughter and conversation of Yan Kaigui, the Duke of Yue's Residence heir, xuan Tie Daoist (the Iron Sword School's master), and Feng Juanyun, a Hidden Dragon Ranking expert, she was jolted awake.

Once alert, her fear and the humiliation from Li Xian's threats quickly turned to shame and rage.

An indescribable sense of disgrace overwhelmed her.

"Li Xian!? How dare he kill someone before my very eyes! And he killed someone from my Duke of Yue's Residence?! I want him dead!"

Enraged, she stormed into the inner hall.

Inside, besides the host Yan Kaigui, their guests Xuan Tie Daoist and Feng Juanyun, were Xuan Tie Daoist's female disciple Chen Yu and the Dingfeng Marquis Residence's eldest daughter Liu Yanran.

As the maids served, the group toasted each other—everything was harmonious and merry.

But as Yan Ruxue rushed in, she shattered that atmosphere.

"Brother, others are bullying our Duke of Yue's Residence, and you still have the mind to sit and drink?"

She immediately managed to offend Xuan Tie Daoist and Feng Juanyun.

Both honored guests visibly cooled.

Yan Kaigui's brow furrowed. He scolded, "What nonsense! What could be more important than my meeting with Master Xuan Tie and Brother Feng? If you want to make a scene, wait until you're back at the Residence. For now, leave and don't disturb us!"

"What happened?"

Yan Ruxue, fuming, blurted her grievances: "Yan Lian was slaughtered before everyone's eyes, and you don't think that's a big deal?"

Upon hearing that, Yan Kaigui's expression finally changed.

"Yan Lian? Dead?"

Not just him—Xuan Tie Daoist and Feng Juanyun also paused.

They all knew who Yan Lian was.

A master of Viscera Refinement.

As heir to the Duke of Yue's Residence, and someone involved with the Immortal Seed, Yan Kaigui's security was already overqualified.

Daoist Xuan Tie was actually a Duke of Yue's Residence retainer, specifically tasked with Yan Kaigui's safety.

But as a Marrow Cleansing expert, he wouldn't perform every task for Yan Kaigui. Practical affairs were handled by Yan Lian, luo Teng, and other Viscera Refinement managers and the Captain of the Guards.

Yet now...

Yan Lian was dead!?

"What happened!?"

Yan Kaigui finally put down his cup.

"Who? Yan Lian was granted the Yan surname by our Duke of Yue's Residence—he's practically one of us. Who dares kill him?"

"Li Xian!"

Yan Ruxue shot a resentful glare at Liu Yanran.

"He was killed by that rustic upstart you picked, Li Xian!"