189: Chapter 189 Midnight Robbery

After returning from Jingxin Cliff, Li Changsheng locked himself in the Tool Storehouse and did not step out for ten whole days.

He kept that Protective Talisman close to his body, never letting it leave him for a moment.

True Lord Three Swords' words echoed repeatedly in his mind.

"Increase your strength as quickly as possible. Foundation Establishment Late-Stage is not enough. You need Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, you need a Golden Core, even higher."

He took a deep breath, took out the Blood Fiend Sect's Jade Slip from his robes, and pulled out the small cloth bag containing Spirit Stones he had brought back from the mineral vein from under the bed.

These were all his accumulated resources.

He had gained more cultivation insights from the Jade Slip, and combined with the dense Spiritual Qi he had absorbed in the mineral vein, he was confident he could charge toward Foundation Establishment Peak in a short time.

On the morning of the fourth day, he began his secluded meditation.

Spiritual power circulated slowly within his body, running along his Meridians.

His Foundation Establishment Late-Stage cultivation was much stronger than before, but he knew it was still far from enough.

He needed to become stronger.

Strong enough to have the power to face that unknown enemy.

Strong enough to have the ability to protect those he wanted to protect.

Time passed quietly during his cultivation.

On the seventh day, he felt a throb in his Dantian.

It was the omen of a Breakthrough.

Delighted, he focused even more on circulating his spiritual power.

That throbbing grew stronger and stronger, as if something was brewing.

Just then—

A sharp killing intent suddenly struck from behind!

Li Changsheng's pupils constricted, and his body suddenly flickered away!

A sword light grazed his shoulder, leaving a deep mark on the wall!

He turned his head and saw a man in black standing at the door, holding a long sword with a cold gaze.

Foundation Establishment Peak cultivation.

An assassin sent by Ling Cang.

"Li Changsheng," the man spoke, his voice raspy, "the Sect Master told me to bring a message. You are too dangerous to be kept alive."

Li Changsheng did not speak; he merely gripped the qingshuang sword and looked at him coldly.

The man sneered and lunged with a sword strike!

The sword light was like lightning, aiming straight for the throat!

Li Changsheng dodged to the side and countered with a backhand strike!

Clang!

The two swords collided, sparks flying everywhere! Both men retreated several steps simultaneously!

Foundation Establishment Peak was indeed difficult to deal with!

But Li Changsheng did not back down.

He took a deep breath and unleashed his sword techniques. The Gale Style, Flowing Cloud Style, and Falling Thunder Style of the Qinglan Sword Art were executed in alternation, each move more fierce than the last!

The assassin responded calmly, his sword techniques equally exquisite.

They fought from inside the room to outside, and from outside to the edge of the spirit fields. Sword light flashed, and killing intent lurked everywhere!

Fifty moves, a hundred moves, a hundred and fifty moves!

Several wounds appeared on Li Changsheng's body, but the assassin was not faring well either; his left shoulder had been slashed, and blood flowed incessantly.

At the two-hundredth move, the assassin finally revealed a flaw!

A sharp light flashed in Li Changsheng's eyes!

He lunged with his sword—it was the 'Army Breaker' from the lower volume of the Qinglan Sword Art!

The assassin's expression changed, and he exerted all his strength to parry!

Clang!

Amidst the loud crash, the assassin's sword flew out of his hand!

Li Changsheng's sword did not lose its momentum, stabbing straight toward his chest!

Just as the sword tip was an inch from his chest, the assassin suddenly pulled out a blood-red Talisman from his robes and crushed it!

A terrifying surge of Evil Qi erupted from the Talisman, rushing straight at Li Changsheng's face!

Li Changsheng's face paled; he had no time to dodge!

At that moment, the Protective Talisman in his robes suddenly glowed!

A soft light surged from the Protective Talisman, blocking the Evil Qi!

The assassin's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You!"

Before he could finish, Li Changsheng's sword had already pierced through his heart!

The assassin slowly collapsed, dying with his eyes wide open.

Li Changsheng stood where he was, panting heavily.

He had several wounds on his body, and his spiritual power was nearly exhausted, but he didn't care about that; he just looked down at the Protective Talisman in his robes.

The runes on the jade talisman were still glowing faintly.

The Protective Talisman True Lord Three Swords had given him had saved his life.

He carefully tucked the Protective Talisman away and turned to walk back to the Tool Storehouse.

After a few steps, he suddenly stopped.

In his Dantian, that throb surged again, even stronger than before!

The moment for the Breakthrough had arrived!

Without time to think, he sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and sank his entire consciousness into his Dantian.

Spiritual power surged wildly within his body, pounding against that invisible barrier.

Once, twice, thrice...

He didn't know how much time had passed—maybe an instant, maybe an hour—when with a boom, the barrier finally shattered.

An unprecedentedly powerful force surged from his Dantian and flowed through his entire body.

Foundation Establishment Peak.

Only one step away from the Golden Core.

Li Changsheng opened his eyes, a sharp light flashing within them.

He looked down at his hands, feeling the surging power within his body, and a faint smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.

He had broken through.

But he knew now was not the time for celebration.

The assassin Ling Cang sent had failed. He would certainly send more people.

He had to leave.

Immediately.

He stood up, walked into the Tool Storehouse, and began packing his things.

The qingshuang sword, the Protective Talisman, the Blood Fiend Sect Jade Slip, the Spirit Stones from the mineral vein, and some Medicinal Pills and dry rations. He put these items into his Storage Pouch and kept it close.

Finally, he walked to the edge of the spirit fields and gazed at the Spirit Tea Tree he had planted with his own hands.

Under the moonlight, the tea tree swayed gently, the dew on its leaves reflecting tiny points of light.

He crouched down and gently stroked the trunk.

"I'm leaving," he said softly. "When this is all over, I will return."

The tea tree was silent, its leaves swaying gently in the wind as if in response.

He stood up and took one last look at this place where he had lived for many years.

Then, he turned and headed down the mountain.

At the same time, in Ling Cang's palace on the Main Peak of the Qinglan Sword Sect.

Ling Cang sat in the high seat, his expression terrifyingly gloomy.

Before him, a man in black knelt, reporting.

"Sect Master, the assassin failed. Li Changsheng... is still alive."

Ling Cang's pupils constricted slightly.

"Failed? He's only at the Foundation Establishment Late-Stage; how could he kill an assassin at the Foundation Establishment Peak? Moreover, he was carrying..."

The man in black lowered his head, not daring to speak.

Ling Cang was silent for a moment, then said coldly.

"Pass down the order: search the entire city for Li Changsheng. If he's alive, I want the person; if he's dead, I want the corpse."

The man in black acknowledged the order and turned to leave.

Ling Cang stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the night.

"Li Changsheng..." he murmured.

"I didn't want to kill you, but you brought this death upon yourself."

His gaze pierced through the night and landed on that solitary peak in the distance.

That was True Lord Three Swords' place of quiet cultivation.

"Old man, you think you can protect him?"

He sneered and turned back into the hall.

Outside the window, the moonlight was like water.

In the distance, firelight flickered faintly.

Those were the pursuers, about to set out.

Li Changsheng sped along on his sword.

His speed was pushed to the limit, like a streak of green light weaving through the night.

Behind him, the shouts of pursuers could be heard faintly.

He did not look back, only gripped the sword in his hand and continued forward.

Ahead was endless darkness.

But he knew that through this darkness lay the dawn.

He remembered Zhou Yuan's gaze before he died, remembered the figure of Elder Li Ran as he burned himself, remembered Qin Hao's eyes full of grief and indignation, and remembered True Lord Three Swords' words, "Guard your own heart."

He also remembered the people he had saved and the things he had promised.

He would not stop.

Because he was Li Changsheng.

Because he still had people he wanted to protect.

He took a deep breath, increased his speed, and disappeared into the night.

Behind him, the lights of the Qinglan Sword Sect grew further and further away.

Ahead was an unknown road.