356: The Grand Master’s grandfather!

Chapter 353: The Great Grandmaster’s Maternal Grandfather!

The vermilion palace doors slowly closed with a creak, the gilded bronze nails and the beast-headed ring handles gradually disappearing into the shadows, as if isolating the entire world outside.

The moment the palace doors fully closed, an ethereal and mysterious whisper sounded.

They were two words that only Lu Xuan could hear.

“Deduction!”

Before long, a faint dragon's roar echoed leisurely within the bedchamber.

Though the sound was subtle, it contained endless majesty and power.

It seemed to come from beyond the heavens, shaking every corner of the hall.

Lu Xuan’s tightly shut eyes suddenly opened, and a brilliant golden light flashed momentarily.

At the same time, a mighty aura burst forth from his body.

Golden light, faintly discernible, enveloped Lu Xuan’s body, gradually coalescing into a golden dragon head phantom.

The dragon head reared its neck and roared, its whiskers flying, and its majestic dragon eyes scanned all directions.

Every subtle movement released a heart-stopping pressure.

Host: Red Dust Immortal Lu Xuan (Third Incarnation)

Realm: Inner Energy Realm (Initial Entry)

Cultivation Method: Nine Dragons Body Protection Scripture 3/9

Points: 2

The original 10 system points became 2 points after deducing the Nine Dragons Body Protection Scripture.

The Wenjing Dynasty, established for eight hundred years, saw the martial arts flourish across the nine provinces, clearly the most dazzling path of cultivation in the world.

This world meticulously defined and divided martial artist realms into eight tiers.

From bottom to top, third-rate martial artists initially glimpsed the martial path, their bones and muscles gradually strengthening.

Second-rate martial artists tempered their physique, capable of shattering stone tablets.

First-rate martial artists were as light as swallows, their every move containing immense power.

Only upon entering the Inner Energy Realm could one draw the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into their body, condense Inner Energy, and from then on, true qi would circulate, with both offense and defense possessing profound mysteries.

If one could break through the shackles of their own Inner Energy, they could ascend to the ranks of Great Grandmaster.

A Martial Great Grandmaster’s Gale Force could be released externally like blades, hot as fire, capable of manipulating objects from a distance, and cutting through metal and shattering jade.

Further advancement to the Great Grandmaster Realm meant that with every move, the Gale Force was unstoppable and astonishingly powerful.

As for the Land Immortal Realm, it was a legendary realm, for those who stepped into it.

Their physical bodies resonated with heaven and earth, allowing them to fly through the air and pluck stars and moons.

As for the legendary Celestial Realm, it was even more transcendent, rumored to allow communication with the Heavenly Dao, triggering celestial phenomena with every gesture.

However, those who could reach this realm were few, each a legendary figure renowned throughout history.

This low-martial world, however, shared a peculiar commonality with the Great Xia Dynasty of the Tianwu World.

The strange entities that roamed in dark corners, devouring living beings, lurked in the world like persistent parasites.

Wailing in the dead of night, inexplicably missing pedestrians, and bloodstains seeping from walls.

All spoke of how this seemingly prosperous nation was also shrouded in terrifying shadows.

But there was also a world of difference between this place and the Great Xia Dynasty.

That is to say...

In the Wenjing Dynasty, ordinary people also possessed unique methods to combat the strange.

Those objects considered precious by the world, capable of warding off evil, could become sturdy barriers against malevolent spirits at critical moments.

In his memory.

Just like the ambergris on his own body, emitting a faint fragrance.

When his original body encountered a strange attack, it was this seemingly ordinary piece of incense.

Like a golden barrier, it completely blocked the incoming chilling aura.

At the same time, the golden barrier contained ancient and mysterious power, purifying the yin energy that was eroding his physical body one by one.

Had it not been for the protection of the ambergris, this body would have been completely corrupted by the yin energy, turning into ashes scattered by the wind, utterly dead.

“It’s good to have these strange things!”

“This way, I can quickly complete this incarnation in the Red Dust!”

Just as Lu Xuan was murmuring.

“Your Highness the Crown Prince, Duke Wu has arrived.”

Outside the vermilion palace doors, the eunuch’s shrill voice carried a hint of carefulness, as if fearing to disturb the esteemed Crown Prince inside.

The light tapping of the gilded beast-head door knocker mingled with the voice, creating subtle echoes in the empty corridor.

Duke Wu?

Memories of the original body surged forth like a tide.

This white-haired old general was not only the original body’s blood-related maternal grandfather but also the unshakeable pillar of the Wenjing Dynasty.

As one of the few Great Grandmaster powerhouses, he had guarded the frontiers for decades, his “Innate Protection Gale Force” shaking all directions with its might.

It was rumored that when this cultivation method was activated, a crimson Gale Force barrier would appear around his body, making it impossible for any enemy attack, no matter how varied, to penetrate it even slightly.

Once the scorching Gale Force erupted, it could incinerate all life within dozens of feet, truly unparalleled in its dominance.

As the only bloodline left by Duke Wu’s only daughter, the original body had been cherished since birth.

The old Duke, having spent his life in military campaigns, poured all his longing for his deceased daughter into this sole maternal grandson.

The undercurrents of the Crown Prince’s struggle in the imperial court.

Without Duke Wu’s Great Grandmaster might to deter all parties and his status as a pillar of the nation to mediate and maneuver.

Even if Lu Xuan was the legitimate eldest son, the position of Crown Prince might not have been secure.

This assistance, like half the empire, allowed the original body to gain a firm footing in the extremely cruel imperial struggle.

In the original body’s memory, Duke Wu was never as majestic and indifferent as the emperor, who resided high in the nine heavens.

Every time he returned victorious from court, the old Duke would bring back the rarest items from beyond the Great Wall, or divine weapons forged by his own hands.

When he encountered difficulties in his studies, he would shed his armor, transforming into the most patient teacher, analyzing the art of governance through battlefield strategies.

This unreserved favoritism made the original body deeply aware.

Compared to his imperial father, who had the art of imperial rule ingrained in his bones.

The only one who truly cherished him and was willing to give everything to protect him was this white-haired maternal grandfather.

At this moment, Lu Xuan had not yet had time to respond.

The vermilion palace doors burst open with a crash, the gilded door rings clashing with the bronze nails, emitting a harsh clang.

Enveloped in a fierce, scorching Gale Wind, an old man draped in a crimson cloud-brocade python robe strode in.

The python-patterned silk surged like waves with his movement, the lifelike dark golden threads embroidered as if about to break free from the fabric.

Though he had reached the age of wielding a staff, the old man showed no signs of aging.

His silver beard moved without wind, his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, and his every move exuded the accumulated pressure of years.

Although Duke Wu appeared to be seventy or eighty years old, his burly physique was half a head taller than ordinary people.

His black boots, inlaid with gold thread, stepped on the blue bricks, each step seemingly carrying immense weight.

Particularly striking was the dragon-head staff in his hand, entirely cast from profound iron, with a coiled dragon carved at the staff’s head, seemingly spitting out bright pearls.

It was precisely the nation- The national treasure bestowed by the late emperor, signifying the holder’s supreme honor and power.

Duke Wu quickly crossed the gilded threshold, his profound iron staff striking the blue bricks and sparking.

His burly figure, accompanied by the sound of rushing wind, rushed to Lu Xuan’s front in a few swift steps.

His pupils trembled violently, and his calloused hands almost tremblingly gripped Lu Xuan’s shoulder.

Immediately, Duke Wu’s gaze swept over Lu Xuan’s face inch by inch.

His clothes, even the subtle wrinkles in his hair, were not overlooked.

“Xuan’er, are you alright!”

His extremely powerful voice tore through the stagnant air.

It even carried a trace of panic, something he had never shown despite years of campaigning on battlefields.

Before he finished speaking, Duke Wu’s clothes around his body suddenly billowed.

Crimson Gale Force, like magma erupting from the earth, instantly broke through the constraints of his silk robes.

The pillars of the entire palace groaned under the unbearable pressure, and the air twisted into strange ripples in the heatwave.

The crimson Gale Force condensed into a three-zhang diameter dome in the air.

The surging flames at its edge swallowed all the candles in the hall.

Only the small area where Lu Xuan stood was firmly protected in the center by this scorching barrier.

Immediately after, the scalding crimson Gale Force transformed into thousands of fiery snakes, swarming into Lu Xuan’s major acupoints.

They moved gently yet domineeringly through Lu Xuan’s internal organs, exploring every corner.

As if to incinerate all potential threats into ashes.

Before long, Duke Wu’s pupils suddenly contracted, glowing brightly like lit torches.

His bloodshot eyes stared intently at Lu Xuan, his voice filled with unconcealed shock: “Xuan’er, you have no yin energy on you!”

“Xuan’er, why did your maternal grandfather hear from the scouts that you were corroded by yin energy last night, and your life was hanging by a thread?”

Before Lu Xuan could respond, the old man eagerly pressed on, a barely perceptible tremor in his voice.

“Also, this Inner Energy of yours, have you broken through to the Inner Energy Realm!”

His voice suddenly rose, carrying an unspeakable delight.

Ecstasy and bewilderment collided fiercely like two torrents in Duke Wu’s heart.

The joy was that his only maternal grandson was completely fine and had successfully broken through to the Inner Energy Realm.

The shock, however, was the secret letter he received early this morning.

Every line described the Eastern Palace being invaded by evil spirits, and his maternal grandson being in mortal danger.

Therefore, in his anxiousness, Duke Wu paid no heed to seeking the emperor’s decree.

Just now, he had unleashed the Gale Force power of a Great Grandmaster, traversing the sacred and inviolable imperial palace by flying over eaves and scaling walls.

He shattered countless glazed tiles and broke through heavily guarded palace walls one after another.

The shouts of the Imperial Guards and the obstruction of the attendants were all left behind.

Only one thought echoed in Duke Wu’s mind.

He had to see his maternal grandson as soon as possible!

“Yes, Maternal Grandfather!”

Lu Xuan’s expression was calm, and he nodded gently in response to the old man’s question.

Duke Wu looked at the young man’s tall figure before him, and a hearty laugh suddenly burst from his throat, shaking the dust from the palace beams.

He strode forward, his calloused hand heavily patting Lu Xuan’s shoulder.

“Good, good, good!”

Repeating “good” three times, Duke Wu’s aged voice surged with uncontrollable pride.

“As expected of my Peng Lie’s good maternal grandson, the Crown Prince of the Wenjing Dynasty!”

However, this tremor of ecstasy had not yet dissipated from Peng Lie’s bones.

The smile on his face instantly froze into frost.

His five calloused fingers slowly tightened around the profound iron staff.

His knuckles cracked with a grating sound, and two clusters of crimson, fierce light suddenly erupted from the depths of his cloudy pupils.

Peng Lie slowly turned, his indifferent gaze cutting through the air towards outside the hall.

Wherever it passed, the air emitted a harsh tearing sound, and even the palace lanterns hanging in the corridor sizzled with smoke.

A vast, scorching aura once again surged out from the pores around his body.

The entire hall instantly transformed into a burning inferno.

The golden lacquer on the pillars began to twist and peel, and wisps of scorched smoke seeped from the cracks in the floor tiles.

Outside the gilded threshold, the Eastern Palace Guard Captain, Feng Qi, remained in a kneeling position.

His body beneath the silver-scaled chainmail, however, trembled uncontrollably.

Cold sweat trickled down the wrinkles on his forty-something-year-old face.

“Feng Qi…”

Peng Lie drew out the name, each word imbued with a soul-freezing chill.

“It’s been a year since we last spoke.”

With deafening footsteps, Peng Lie dragged his profound iron staff slowly closer.

Each impact of the staff on the ground left spiderweb-like cracks on the blue bricks.

The invisible pressure of the Great Grandmaster mercilessly crushed Feng Qi’s entire body.

When Peng Lie roared again, the entire palace trembled: “You dog, you dare to turn traitor!”

A phantom of a fiery wolf, formed from crimson Gale Force, burst forth, shattering the white marble railing outside the hall.

Splintered stones grazed Feng Qi’s ear, leaving a hideous bloody mark on his cheek.

Immediately after, Peng Lie extended a hand bulging with veins, gripping Feng Qi’s topknot tightly and forcibly lifting his face.

Face to face, Peng Lie’s cloudy old eyes surged with monstrous rage.

“Back then, you stank and huddled in the corner gate of the Duke’s estate, gnawing on leftovers like a maggot!”

“Who gave you clothes? Who taught you how to wield a sword?”

With that, Peng Lie violently threw him to the ground.

Feng Qi’s silver armor clashed against the floor tiles, making a grating sound.

Lying prostrate, Feng Qi made guttural sounds in his throat, but he couldn’t even muster the strength to beg for mercy.

As Peng Lie turned, the hem of his python robe swept over Feng Qi’s trembling body, bringing a gust of Gale Wind that incinerated all things.

In an instant, crimson Gale Force suddenly wrapped around Peng Lie’s hands.

A few breaths later, the temperature in the hall plummeted, a strange intertwining of chilling cold and scorching heat, as if the air itself had solidified.

The golden pillar in front of Peng Lie reflected his distorted face.

It was as hideous as a demon from hell, his eyes almost solidifying with murderous intent.

“It seems…”

As the whisper fell, crimson Gale Force spread from Peng Lie’s palm.

Finally resting against Feng Qi’s Adam’s apple.

The scorching aura barely touched Feng Qi’s skin before it emitted a soft “hiss.”

Charred marks slowly spread across his neck, flesh curling, and a burnt stench permeated the air.

Feng Qi trembled all over, cold sweat pouring down, yet he lacked even the courage to struggle.

Peng Lie stared at him, his gaze chillingly suffocating.

“I haven’t made a move in so many years…”

“It seems some people have harbored thoughts they shouldn’t.”

The crimson Gale Force intensified again, deepening the scorched marks.

Feng Qi let out painful “hoarse” sounds from his throat, but couldn’t even scream.

Peng Lie leaned slightly, whispering in his ear: “And forgotten… what reverence means.”

Even though his throat was burned bloody by the crimson Gale Force, Feng Qi suddenly lifted his head amidst the intense pain.

In his eyes, a fierce glint, like that of a dying beast, burst forth.

The next moment, Feng Qi gritted his teeth, actually breaking through the Great Grandmaster’s pressure, and hoarsely squeezed out: “You… you can’t kill me!”

Every word seemed to be squeezed from his lungs, carrying a scent of blood.

“I am the Eastern Palace Guard Captain personally appointed by His Majesty!”

He roared unwillingly: “Kill me… even if you are Duke Wu… His Majesty will never… let it go!”

Feng Qi almost used all his strength for the last sentence!