Chapter 65

The situation on Tongyou Peak was becoming increasingly tense. Even Shang Xia, who had been hiding in the Shang Building to practice his sword techniques, could feel the atmosphere of a major battle looming over the entire peak.

The Shang Building had long ceased doing business and was instead transporting carts of reserve supplies out.

The extraordinary power of the Shang family, which was stationed on Tongyou Peak, was now under the control of Tongyou Academy.

Not only the Shang family, but the other three major families on Tongyou Peak, as well as some other medium and small forces, began to hand over part of their reserve supplies and extraordinary power to Tongyou Academy for allocation without any compensation.

At this moment, no one was concerned about personal gains and losses. If Tongyou Peak were to fall, it would not be as simple as retreating to Tongyou Academy.

They would not only lose control of the entire Two Realms War Zone, but the entire Cangyu World would be exposed to the Cangling World.

At that time, it would not just be Youzhou that would fall, but the entire thirteen states of Cangyu would face the threat of invasion from the outer realms.

...

Shang Quan was busy running around, but at least he still had Yan Qi to command.

Shang Ke, on the other hand, had not been seen since he appeared in Shang Xia's private room that day.

In the entire Shang Building, it seemed that only Shang Xi and Shang Xia, the aunt and nephew, were the most "leisurely."

Shang Xi spent her days in seclusion, and apart from Shang Ke, Shang Quan, Shang Xia, and Yan Qi, no one in the Shang Building knew of her existence.

Shang Xia, on the other hand, was deeply engrossed in the cultivation of the "Ji Jian Ce."

He had laid a solid foundation while in the Wu Yuan realm, and when he advanced to the Liang Yi realm, he encountered a great opportunity. The combination of these two factors had accumulated a depth of cultivation that was hard for other cultivators of the same level to imagine.

However, due to the lack of cultivation techniques and martial arts inheritance, his cultivation and strength had not improved for a while.

Now that he had both the cultivation technique and martial arts, Shang Xia immediately showed a burst of accumulated strength.

Whether it was the expansion of the Liang Yi Yuan Qi in his body or the progress in the cultivation of the Fang Gang Sword Technique, everything was proceeding smoothly.

As for the improvement in Shang Xia's own strength, it was advancing at a rapid pace.

In the training ground of the Shang Building's backyard, Shang Xia was practicing the last move of the Fang Gang Sword Technique with an ordinary green steel sword and successfully concluded it.

After this period of practice, he had become proficient in all nine moves of the light steel sword technique.

This proficiency not only referred to the familiarity with the sword moves themselves but also the coordination between the internal Yuan Qi and the execution of the sword moves.

Only in this state could the power of the Fang Gang Sword Technique, as an extraordinary martial art, be fully unleashed.

Of course, at this stage, it was merely proficiency.

There was still a long way to go before he could master the martial art completely.

Despite this, during the practice, Shang Xia could still see through his inner vision that a large amount of residual Yuan Qi scattered around the Taiji diagram was gradually being assimilated and absorbed, becoming part of the Liang Yi Yuan Qi.

This was the purifying effect of an extraordinary martial art on a cultivator's essence.

"Clap, clap, clap—"

A round of applause came, and Shang Xi had appeared on the training ground, apparently having been there for some time.

"Aunt, why are you out today?"

Shang Xia casually threw the green steel sword, which accurately landed on the weapon rack beside him.

"I was bored in seclusion, so I came out to relax. Besides, there are not many people in the Shang Building these days."

Shang Xi said casually, "But I didn't expect your sword skills to have reached this level. It's truly impressive."

Shang Xia chuckled, "Aunt, how often have I surprised you?"

"Stop being cheeky!"

Shang Xi made a move to hit him, and Shang Xia quickly laughed and dodged.

"Aunt, is there something you need from me?"

Shang Xia had already noticed that Shang Xi had something to discuss, not just to watch him practice.

Shang Xi smiled and opened her palm, revealing a brocade box.

Shang Xia deliberately made a drooling face and said happily, "Aunt, are you finally going to give me this brocade box?"

The brocade box opened the moment it appeared in Shang Xi's hand, and a jade talisman about two inches long and one inch wide flew out and landed in her palm.

Just as Shang Xia's playful words reached her, Shang Xi's expression changed, and she casually threw the jade talisman and the closed brocade box to Shang Xia.

Shang Xia, caught off guard, caught both items while exclaiming, "Aunt, my dear aunt, I was just joking, you really gave it to me?"

Shang Xi smiled, but there was no hint of playfulness in her expression. She said calmly, "What, you don't dare to take it?"

Shang Xia, not wanting to be provoked, quickly handed over the brocade box, saying, "I don't dare to take it!"

As for the jade talisman, Shang Xia kept it in his hand.

He could tell that the jade talisman was what his aunt intended to give him, and the brocade box was more of an afterthought.

"Coward!"

Shang Xi laughed and scolded, then said seriously, "Xia, the battle is coming..."

Shang Xia nodded, "I know, Aunt, we are already preparing, right?"

Shang Xi ignored him and continued, "But the news of Master Koushan's severe injuries has leaked, and the Yueji Association will also be involved in this battle..."

Shang Xia interrupted again, "Aunt, don't worry, we have already deduced that the Yueji Association will not directly attack Tongyou Peak!"

"Don't interrupt me!"

Shang Xi, interrupted twice, was furious. She grabbed his ear and pulled him to her side, angrily saying, "In a major battle, who dares to be complacent? Can you guarantee that Tongyou Peak will win? If things go wrong, that Shenxing Cenci Talisman is your means of survival, remember?"

Shang Xia, in pain, cried out, "I remember, I remember, Aunt, let go!"

Shang Xi released his ear but tapped his forehead, still angry, "Be smart. Once Tongyou Peak shows signs of defeat, use this jade talisman to escape, understand?"

Shang Xia nodded quickly.

Shang Xi, seeing this, finally let him go and said with a hint of pride, "Do you know who in the family has the best Cenci Bu cultivation?"

Just by looking at her expression, Shang Xia knew the answer.

He quickly flattered, "It must be Aunt!"

Shang Xi gave him a "you have good eyes" look and said, "This is a third-stage jade talisman. We don't have a talisman master who can make third-stage martial talismans, so I had to use a lot of favors to get Mr. Chen from the Academy's Hundred Arts Pavilion to make this talisman. It also contains a thread of my martial will. Once activated, even if you encounter a Wu Yi realm expert, few can catch you."

"Aunt, you..."

Shang Xia was moved. Integrating martial will into a jade talisman would weaken her cultivation.

Although the lost cultivation could be regained through further cultivation, it would significantly delay her progress.

This showed how much she cared for him.

"Enough, enough, stop being so sentimental, I'm getting goosebumps!"

Shang Xi shrugged and then stretched out her hand, "Since I've given you the benefit, give me the 'Yuhe'!"

Shang Xia immediately looked pained, "I knew it, I knew it, Aunt, my gratitude lasted only a blink of an eye!"

As he spoke, he unfastened the Yuhe from his waist.

"Stop talking nonsense!"

Shang Xi snatched the "Yuhe" softsword from Shang Xia's hand.

Shang Xia, suddenly thinking, asked, "Aunt, is this softsword comfortable for you to use?"

Shang Xi rolled her eyes, "If it were comfortable, would I let you show it off all the time?"

Before Shang Xia could ask, Shang Xi said helplessly, "Even if it's not comfortable, it's still a medium-grade weapon. Having it is better than not having it, right?"

Shang Xia asked, "Aunt, are you taking the ivory fan too?"

Shang Xi said seriously, "Yes! At this time, we need to maximize our combat power. The best weapons should be in the hands of the strongest. Your ivory fan will be given to Brother Yan Qi."

"Who?"

Shang Xia's voice rose, "Don't joke, Uncle Qi using an ivory fan?"

The image of a large, bearded man wielding a small ivory fan, opening and closing it, made Shang Xia want to laugh out loud.

Shang Xi said helplessly, "What can we do? We have only these two weapons left in the Shang family."

"Who said only these two?"

Shang Xia's expression turned serious, "Aunt, didn't Uncle Quan tell you?"

"Tell me what? Uncle Quan has been so busy, I hardly see him."

Shang Xi was puzzled, "Where did you get two more weapons?"

Shang Xia was about to speak but suddenly stopped. Both aunt and nephew looked towards the Shang Building.

"Ha, Brother Quan, are you there?"

The sound of footsteps approached, and a joyful voice called out before the person even entered.

"Good timing, better than being early!"

Shang Xia laughed, but then felt something was off. He turned around and saw that Shang Xi had already disappeared without his notice.

"Brother Quan... Oh, Xia is here, where is your Uncle Quan?"

The person, having searched the Shang Building without finding anyone, quickly arrived at the training ground in the backyard.

Shang Xia, recognizing the person, smiled and asked, "Uncle Hong, Uncle Quan has been busy these days. Are you here because the three weapons have been repaired?"

The person was the only weapon master in the Shang family, named Duan Hong.

He had some talent in forging weapons and had been cultivated by the Shang family in the hope of becoming a third-stage master who could forge powerful weapons, but he was still only a second-stage master.

Previously, Shang Xia had handed over the damaged weapons to Shang Quan to handle, hoping to secure the task for Duan Hong.

"You know?"

Duan Hong was slightly surprised.

"Of course, those three weapons are my trophies. How could I not know?"

Shang Xia almost rolled his eyes but still smiled, "Uncle Quan instructed that if Uncle Hong repairs the three weapons, he should give them to me directly."

"Oh, oh, that's fine!"

Duan Hong had no major doubts. Giving the weapons to Shang Quan or Shang Xia made little difference.

He had originally intended to show off his skills and争取一下锻造利器的机会，但现在向一个半大的孩子展示似乎不太合适。

在将修复好的三件武器交给商夏后，他匆匆离开了。

商夏展开手中的包裹，商溪已经悄无声息地出现在他身边，目光紧紧盯着两把寒光凛冽的弯刀。