Chapter 54: The Sword Cultivator, Li Xiao

“So, whether it’s you, Wang Shi, or Wang Sen, acting for yourselves or for your family is of no consequence,” Zhang Shen observed. “What I require is competence and the ability to get things done.”

Zhang Shen held a degree of admiration for Wang Shi, viewing him as a useful asset. He was open to sharing some of his core principles with Wang Shi, to avoid the risk of this seemingly useful tool overstepping boundaries and being slapped to death by him one day.

Wang Shi exited the room, a sheen of cold sweat on his back. The Wang family had chosen to pledge loyalty to Zhang Shen primarily to close the rift between them and Hongyuan City.

Wasn’t this loyalty a calculated bet that Zhang Shen would sustain his prominence for the next three to four hundred years? 

Shouldn’t that also afford the Wang family an opportunity to prosper?

From the current perspective, it was a win-win for the Wang family. Even if Wang Shi was taking a bit of a risk, he was willing to gamble, knowing that success would bolster his standing within the family.

“Wang Sen, Wang Shi… Quite the intriguing family,” Zhang Shen mused. “It’s no wonder they’ve maintained their resilience in the Endless Wilderness. I have no aversion to people of this sort. True rascals are far more endearing than sanctimonious hypocrites. And if they can be effectively managed, they’re extremely useful.”

The Wang family held true to their commitment and swiftly moved to sabotage the other four cities. When these cities gathered forces to annihilate the Ancient Covenant, a mere exposure to Zhang Shen’s True Core strength brought them to their knees. No battle required.

Invoking a reluctant sense of righteousness and choked-back tears, the Ancient Covenant graciously annexed their cities and manpower. 

While the fate of those four cities might be a tale of bitter resentment against the Wang family, Zhang Shen was entirely satisfied.

His domain now extended over a thousand miles. Excluding Yousha Town, this territory was comparable in size to five or six provinces from his previous life. Despite its vastness, the total population, even after accounting for the commoners, was just over a hundred million. Truly a land of great expanse but sparse population.

Continuing the longstanding policy of the Ancient Covenant, they emphasized economic development and encouraged population growth. A principle that might appear simple but in reality encompassed a web of intricate details and a multitude of affairs.

Zhang Shen didn’t attend to these matters himself. Instead, he delegated authority, selecting capable individuals to execute his plans. He would only occasionally drop by to ensure they remained aligned with his established guidelines and to correct any misguided notions among his top brass.

The bulk of his time was dedicated to his own cultivation.

Thanks to the contributions of martial techniques and skills from the other five cities, Zhang Shen found himself suddenly in possession of a trove of unpracticed secret manuals. Though none were at the True Core level, their cumulative value offered a significant boost to his overall experience points.

This was an opportunity he had no intention of missing out on.

Moreover, with only two True Core level techniques currently in his possession, he had ample time to practice these lower-tier, both Innate and Acquired, martial arts skills. He even found leisure time to refine a mid-grade True Core Flaming Blade.

***

In the blink of an eye, three years flew by.

Zhang Shen never returned to Luoshui Ravine, choosing instead to remain stationed in the Endless Wilderness. The headquarters of the Ancient Covenant were also moved.

Over the past few years, both Zhang Shen and the Ancient Covenant maintained a low profile. Numerous merchant guilds and trade associations were still unaware that regions such as Hongyuan City and Jiuchuan City had fallen under the Ancient Covenant’s jurisdiction.

Zhang Shen constructed a residence in a scenic location within his territory, a place adorned with both mountains and water and named it Shanshui Residence. He designated the area within a one-mile radius as off-limits. Without his explicit permission, no one was allowed to enter.

This was not only to maintain secrecy but also to protect his subordinates. Given his True Core power, even routine practice sessions could unleash dangerous energy. Anyone who came too close risked being inadvertently killed by the residual energy.

Such a loss would be utterly wasteful.

However, on this day, he received a visitor.

“Esteemed Zhang, I am Li Xiao from Lin Yuan City. I’ve come to pay my respects and seek an audience,” announced a young man dressed in white, carrying a sword case. 

He stood before the barrier that surrounded Shanshui Residence.

The barrier was designed merely to obstruct vision and provide an early warning. It had no other functions.

Li Xiao made no move to cross it. He had come with good intentions and had no desire to stir up trouble.

From within a formation of clouds and mist, Zhang Shen flew toward him.

Confused, Zhang Shen wondered why a True Core stage expert would suddenly come looking for him, and from Lin Yuan City, no less. Although several speculations flickered through his mind, he revealed nothing.

“Esteemed Li, what a pleasure to meet you. I am Zhang Shen. Please, come in,” he warmly invited, deactivating a portion of his protective formation to create an opening.

Li Xiao nodded appreciatively and stepped inside. 

“Esteemed Zhang, I am here as a representative of Lin Yuan City, and we would like to invite you to join our ranks,” he declared, his candidness characteristic of his swordsman’s ethos.

“To join Lin Yuan City?”

The idea took Zhang Shen by surprise. He was all too familiar with Lin Yuan City. A formidable human stronghold situated at the edge of the endless wilderness, an allied force standing as a buffer between human territories and the demon races. A place under the continual vigilance of several demigods and even hosting a True God during wartime. To Zhang Shen, Lin Yuan City was unquestionably a colossal power. And they wanted him to join them?

Li Xiao elaborated, “Being a native of these parts, you’re naturally acquainted with the ever-strained relations between our human race and the bestial beings. We often find ourselves in territorial disputes and conflicts for survival. Lin Yuan City was founded as a united human front to directly confront the demon race.”

Zhang Shen nodded in understanding. He was already well aware of these dynamics. The cyclical waves of demonic invasions had once been Hongyuan City’s greatest fear.

Li Xiao pressed on, “However, it’s not just people within Lin Yuan City who are affected. There are others like you, born and raised in these borderlands. For factions operating deep within human territories, Lin Yuan City usually doesn’t get involved. But for those living in the peripheries, especially those directly confronting the monstrous races in the Endless Wilderness, we feel an obligation to extend our protection. You were born here, so you naturally bear some of the burden of fending off these threats. If left unaided, there’s a high probability that factions like yours would be annihilated amid ongoing conflicts. That’s why powers that reach a certain level of maturity often receive an invitation from Lin Yuan City to become one of us.”

Li Xiao and Zhang Shen conversed for an extended period, the former doing most of the talking while the latter listened attentively.

“Now I understand,” Zhang Shen finally remarked, grasping the rationale behind Lin Yuan City’s invitation.

Essentially, any force or lone cultivator residing near Lin Yuan City or within the Endless Wilderness, who ascends to the True Core stage, would be extended an invite. Although they could decline the offer, doing so would make rejoining Lin Yuan City considerably challenging in the future.

As an official member of Lin Yuan City, one would be obligated to defend humanity in times of conflict but would also gain access to numerous benefits and privileges under the city’s policies. Admission into this community came with stringent requirements, granting a form of preferential treatment solely to martial artists residing on the fringes of human territories or within the Endless Wilderness. Whether or not this qualifies as preferential was, of course, open to interpretation.

“Esteemed Zhang, you don’t have to make a hasty decision. I’ll be here waiting for the next three days, you can give me your answer then,” Li Xiao noted. 

His trip to extend this invitation was a detour from other pressing commitments he had.

Interestingly, the matter should have been settled long ago, but Zhang Shen’s extreme discretion had left the officials in Lin Yuan City unaware of his True Core attainment. It was only when traders mentioned him during their activities within the Ancient Covenant that the news gradually filtered back to the city, unveiling the newly ascended True Core master.

The official responsible for the invitation was somewhat flabbergasted. Typically, new True Core cultivators sought attention and exhibited flamboyance, so why had Zhang Shen remained so inconspicuous? So much so that they only learned of his existence once rumors began to circulate. The last time they had encountered such a situation was over a decade ago, with an individual named Lin Fanyun, who had disappeared after making a few public appearances.

Zhang Shen, however, smiled and declared, “There’s no need to wait three days. I can give you my answer right now. I agree to join Lin Yuan City.”

There was no need to overthink it. As Zhang Shen’s cultivation level advanced, his need for increasingly specialized resources grew. These were not easily accessible in ordinary circles, he needed to reach higher echelons to obtain them.

Had Li Xiao not appeared, Zhang Shen would have eventually sought out Lu Qinsheng under the alias Lin Fanyun. He would have joined the circle that Lu Qinsheng intended for him, even though his gut feeling warned him it could be a pitfall.

But now that Li Xiao was here, a more appealing option presented itself. Was there any need for hesitation?

Not in the least.

As for Lu Qinsheng? He could go jump in a lake. That could be dealt with at a later time, if necessary.

Zhang Shen’s immediate acceptance slightly surprised Li Xiao but instantly elevated his opinion of him. Having grown up in Lin Yuan City, Li Xiao had been imbued with a strong sense of responsibility from a young age. While he didn’t hold any prejudice against those who hesitated or even declined the invitation, he unquestionably favored those like Zhang Shen, who agreed without a second thought.

In Li Xiao’s eyes, someone who agreed so quickly must, like himself, hold a deep sense of duty toward humanity. Such individuals deserved extra consideration and respect.

Li Xiao’s change in demeanor puzzled Zhang Shen but didn’t hinder him from probing for more information about Lin Yuan City. The two engaged in an invigorating discussion, finally parting ways as day turned to night.

“Estemed Zhang, if you ever find yourself in Lin Yuan City, make sure to look me up,” said Li Xiao.

“Absolutely, without a doubt,” responded Zhang Shen.

With those final words, Li Xiao soared into the sky on a radiant sword, disappearing from sight.

“Sword cultivators, eh? Merely being in close quarters with one gives me an unsettling sense of danger. It’s a discipline renowned for its offensive power,” Zhang Shen pondered.

He had an inkling that if a fight were to break out, he would be no match for Li Xiao in his current state, even if he used all his tricks.

“The world is teeming with extraordinary talents and formidable creatures, as plentiful as carp swimming upstream. I’ve still got a long road ahead,” Zhang Shen concluded, awe and ambition filling his thoughts.

Resisting the urge to immediately dive back into intense cultivation, Zhang Shen understood that he needed to follow Li Xiao’s advice, to head to Lin Yuan City for official registration, and to avail himself of the benefits designated for combat personnel.

Li Xiao had described these benefits in such an enticing manner that Zhang Shen was practically drooling in anticipation. He was eager to get started.

His progress over the past three years had been nothing short of remarkable.

Firstly, his breakthrough to the True Core stage in martial arts yielded a massive influx of experience points.

During those three years, he also ingested the True Core spiritual fruit that had originally been given as compensation to Li Shuang by Luo Tian. This resulted in another significant boost to his experience points.

Practicing the True Core portion of the Mountain of a Thousand Layers technique and the Sky-Splitting Finger martial skill further contributed to his gains in experience.

Additionally, there were various supplementary gains from different Innate and Acquired techniques and skills.

All of these had elevated his physical level to the Third Layer of the True Core stage, standing at 31%.

After reaching the True Core stage in his martial arts journey, his rate of experience gain had yet again accelerated. He was now at the First Layer of True Core, with 52% progress. A substantial part of this progress could be credited to that singular spiritual fruit.

“Spiritual treasures are truly magnificent. I look forward to the day when I can enjoy them one after another, in various forms, without any regrets,” Zhang Shen said.

Summoning Zhang Yu, Li Zhong, and Li Zhi, he informed them that he would be away for a few days. He entrusted them with the responsibility of overseeing the affairs of the Ancient Covenant while he was absent.