Chapter 273: Zhang Ruochen's Scheme
"Yan Lixuan's skill in swordsmanship is even above Han Qiu's."
The Heavenly Heart Sword Technique that Zhang Ruochen practiced was only a spirit-level lower-grade sword technique, yet he had already cultivated it to the realm of perfection, making its power surpass that of many spirit-level middle-grade sword techniques.
Coupled with Zhang Ruochen's state of Sword Heart Illumination, he could handle even spirit-level upper-grade sword techniques with ease.
"Shua shua!"
Combined with the mastered Wind-Riding Flying Dragon Shadow footwork, Zhang Ruochen moved unhurriedly within Yan Lixuan's sword strikes, holding a single blade of grass with effortless grace, as if casually dismantling Yan Lixuan's killing moves.
Suddenly, Yan Lixuan retreated rapidly, landing back beside the table. He dispersed his true qi, tossed the ice sword into the pond, and let out a long sigh: "Young friend Zhang's swordsmanship is so profound that I, Yan, cannot hope to match it."
Zhang Ruochen also withdrew his true qi, walked over, and said, "Senior Yan's Boundless Sword Technique is also immensely powerful, with a continuous momentum. Although I appeared to handle it easily, I was actually using my full strength. One misstep could have led to defeat."
Liu Chuanshen laughed heartily and said, "You two shouldn't be so modest with each other. Watching your battle just now made me, a Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artist, feel deeply ashamed."
Zhang Ruochen sat down across from Yan Lixuan and Liu Chuanshen, getting straight to the point: "Elder Liu, I have come today for two matters."
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's serious expression, Liu Chuanshen immediately put away his smile, sat up straight, and asked, "What two matters?"
Given Zhang Ruochen's current martial arts strength, no one dared to treat him as a junior.
Zhang Ruochen said, "First, my fourth brother, Zhang Shaochu, should still be at Elder Liu's residence. I wish to see him now and discuss some matters with him."
"That's easy. I'll have someone invite the Fourth Prince over right away."
Liu Chuanshen signaled to the old servant, who immediately hurried out.
Then, Zhang Ruochen continued, "Second, Elder Liu still owes me a favor. Now, I would like to ask you to repay it."
Liu Chuanshen pondered for a moment, considering the purpose behind Zhang Ruochen's words.
After a while, he said, "Naturally. How could I not repay a life-saving grace? As long as the Ninth Prince gives the word, I, Liu, will give my all, even if it means my death."
Of course—who in the Demon Ridge didn't know by now that Zhang Ruochen was the secret disciple of Pavilion Master Lei?
With Pavilion Master Lei backing him, as long as Zhang Ruochen said the word, even if Liu Chuanshen didn't owe him a favor, he would still have to get the job done.
Zhang Ruochen nodded and said, "With your promise, Elder Liu, I can rest assured."
Liu Chuanshen asked, "Ninth Prince, what exactly do you need me to do?"
"We'll discuss it once my fourth brother arrives."
Zhang Ruochen picked up his teacup, took a light sip, and praised, "Excellent tea."
Liu Chuanshen glanced at Zhang Ruochen, feeling for the first time a considerable pressure from sitting across from this young man.
Before long, Zhang Shaochu arrived.
With the large amount of cultivation resources Zhang Ruochen had given him, Zhang Shaochu's cultivation had improved again. Although he hadn't broken through to the Earth Extreme Realm, he had already entered the Xuan Ranking, possessing the strength to contend with Earth Extreme Realm martial artists.
"Ninth brother, you're finally back! You're incredible now—they say even several Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myths from the Black Market were killed by you. I still find it hard to believe." Zhang Shaochu said excitedly.
"If you don't believe me, want to spar a couple of rounds?" Zhang Ruochen said.
Zhang Shaochu shook his head vigorously and said, "My Diamond Vajra Fist hasn't reached mastery yet, so I won't compete with you. Oh, right, ninth brother, why did you call me over? What's the matter?"
Zhang Ruochen's expression turned serious. "The four commanderies colluded with the Poison Spider Merchant Guild, angering the higher-ups of the First Central Empire. The sanctions against them should be announced soon. Right now, the other eight commanderies of Western Ridge's Nine Commanderies are all restless, with troops massing at the borders, ready to carve up the four commanderies. Our Cloud Wu Commandery must also take some action."
Zhang Shaochu was delighted. "Ninth brother, are you going to personally lead the troops to attack the four commanderies and annex their territory and resources?"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head. "Not me. You."
"Me?"
Zhang Shaochu shook his head vigorously, somewhat deflated. "No, no, I can't. I'm only at the Mysterious Extreme Realm Great Perfection. How could I lead troops? Even if I did, the generals in the army wouldn't accept me. If you led the troops, that would be different—who in the army would dare to defy you?"
Zhang Ruochen glanced at Liu Chuanshen and said, "Elder Liu will go back with you. As long as you have a Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myth by your side, combined with your strong insistence, the king will certainly consider letting you command the army."
Liu Chuanshen immediately understood Zhang Ruochen's intention. He stood up and said, "Fourth Prince, I, Liu, am willing to go into battle with you, expand the territory, and establish immortal merits."
Yan Lixuan also stood up and said, "I, Yan, am also willing to follow the Fourth Prince and charge into the four commanderies."
Both Liu Chuanshen and Yan Lixuan were shrewd men, seeing the bigger picture at a glance.
Zhang Ruochen was both the consort of the Thousand Water Commandery and the secret disciple of Pavilion Master Lei. With the support of these two forces, the four commanderies were as good as in the bag for Cloud Wu Commandery.
Once Cloud Wu Commandery seized the four commanderies, it would surely become a middle-rank commandery, and could even unify the entire Western Ridge's Nine Commanderies, or even all thirty-six commanderies of the Demon Ridge.
Now was the perfect time for them to pledge allegiance to Zhang Ruochen, and they might rise to prominence because of it.
Zhang Ruochen looked at Yan Lixuan and said, "Senior Yan is also willing to work for Cloud Wu Commandery?"
Although Yan Lixuan was only at the Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection, he possessed the strength to fight Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artists, making him a formidable figure.
With his help, Zhang Shaochu would be like a tiger with wings.
Yan Lixuan smiled and said, "I am not working for Cloud Wu Commandery, but for the Ninth Prince. Back then, if not for the Ninth Prince, I wouldn't have achieved what I have now. I naturally have to repay the favor I owe."
Zhang Ruochen nodded and said, "With Elder Liu and Senior Yan assisting you, fourth brother, do you still lack confidence?"
Zhang Shaochu said, "They... they'll both follow my orders?"
"During the campaign against the four commanderies, I, Liu, will obey the Fourth Prince's commands."
"I, Yan, will obey the Fourth Prince's commands."
Zhang Shaochu felt as if he were dreaming. Before, when he saw a Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artist, he had to look up to them, as if beholding a mythical figure.
Now, suddenly, two martial arts myths were becoming his left and right hands, obeying his orders.
Was this really not a dream?
"Slap!"
Zhang Shaochu slapped his own face, wincing in pain, and said, "It's not a dream! Great! If I conquer the four commanderies, won't Father look at me in a new light?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, "Fourth brother, I have another gift for you. It should give you a helping hand."
Zhang Ruochen condensed his voice into a strand of sound waves, transmitting directly into Zhang Shaochu's ear, telling him the location of the hidden Red Spider Giant Ship.
The previous generation king of Cloud Wu Commandery, Zhang Shaochu and Zhang Ruochen's grandfather, had died under the Red Spider Giant Ship. Zhang Shaochu naturally knew very well the power of that vessel. His eyes widened, and he was so excited he could barely contain himself. He never expected his ninth brother to have such a powerful secret weapon.
If he had a Red Spider Giant Ship, wouldn't he directly crush the armies of the four commanderies?
Zhang Shaochu had already begun to fantasize about standing atop the Red Spider Giant Ship, commanding a million troops, conquering cities and territories, invincible and unstoppable. Just thinking about it made him ecstatic.
That very day, Zhang Shaochu, Yan Lixuan, and Liu Chuanshen left Demon Martial City and headed back to Cloud Wu Commandery.
Before leaving, Zhang Ruochen handed a storage bracelet to Zhang Shaochu, along with some Half-Saint True Liquid and Three-Leaf Saint Qi Grass, instructing him not to neglect his cultivation while commanding the troops.
Zhang Ruochen had his own reasons for letting Zhang Shaochu lead the army. It was essentially to build Zhang Shaochu's authority in the military, so that he could one day take over Cloud Wu Commandery.
Zhang Ruochen didn't want Zhang Tiangui to become the king of Cloud Wu Commandery, and he himself couldn't stay there forever. So Zhang Shaochu was the best choice.
Among the nine princes, aside from Zhang Ruochen and Zhang Tiangui, Zhang Shaochu had the highest talent. With Zhang Ruochen's help, his future achievements would certainly be significant, enough to rule a commandery.
Of course, for now, Zhang Ruochen was just paving the way for him as much as possible. How the future would unfold, no one could say.
As for himself, he wouldn't spend too much time on commandery wars. Focusing on improving his own strength was the true path.
Returning to the Martial Market Academy, Zhang Ruochen began cultivating the Ten-Pulse Sword Wave.
The Ten-Pulse Sword Wave connected to the ten fingers of a martial artist.
The five sword waves of the left hand: Solar Pulse Sword Wave, Grand Void Pulse Sword Wave, Middle Surge Pulse Sword Wave, Celestial Pool Pulse Sword Wave, Lesser Marsh Pulse Sword Wave.
The five sword waves of the right hand: Lunar Pulse Sword Wave, Grand Calm Pulse Sword Wave, Middle Spirit Pulse Sword Wave, Grand Abyss Pulse Sword Wave, Lesser Coagulation Pulse Sword Wave.
Left hand is yang, right hand is yin.
For male martial artists, cultivating the left hand first makes it easier to get started.
Zhang Ruochen began cultivating the first sword wave, the Solar Pulse Sword Wave.
The Solar Pulse Sword Wave gathered true qi through the left thumb, infused it with sword intent, and released the sword wave.
Once successfully cultivated, the sword wave would burst forth with a fierce sword path, shattering rocks and melting mountains, carrying the blazing qi of a man. It could pierce cliffs and melt stone.
A single sword wave could break a thousand troops.
Zhang Ruochen sat cross-legged by the pond, from morning until night, continuously practicing the "Solar Pulse Sword Wave."
During the day, sunlight shone brightly, and yang qi was strong—the perfect time to cultivate the Solar Pulse Sword Wave.
He kept his four fingers clenched, his thumb leaning forward, constantly pointing and striking into the void.
As he practiced, Zhang Ruochen felt his thumb begin to heat up, as if flames were burning within the finger.
After an entire day of cultivation, Zhang Ruochen had found some clues.
The temperature of the meridians in his thumb grew higher and higher, feeling like they had turned into a river of magma. True qi was the boiling magma flowing through that river.
However, the sword intent had not yet merged with the true qi. What he released was still just a pillar of true qi, not a sword wave. Still, the power of the true qi pillar had become stronger than before.