Chapter 83

Xueling lowered her head to look at the long sword: "This sword..."

She raised the sword and came to the front of the woodshed, slashing at a tree stump the size of a plate. With a "chi," the tree stump was split in half without any resistance.

Xueling looked at the tree stump, then at the sword in her hand. Although it wasn't as sharp as a sword that could cut through iron like mud, it was far superior to ordinary long swords. To be able to withstand such a sharp sword, the Vajra Dharmic Power was indeed formidable!

Chu Li smiled at her.

"Sir, doesn't this make you invincible in the world?" Xueling asked. "If nothing can penetrate, there's nothing to fear."

Chu Li smiled and said, "There's no such thing as invincible martial arts. If it were a treasured sword, it might not be able to withstand it. If it were a先天高手 (先天高手 means a highly skilled martial artist with innate abilities), they might also be able to break through."

"Why don't we find a treasured sword to try?" Xueling was eager to give it a go.

"Where would we find a treasured sword?"

"I'll go find the steward!" Xueling hurriedly ran out.

Su Ru followed her into the courtyard, a slender waist adorned with a long sword of dark green and mottled patterns, making one worry if her waist would be crushed.

Chu Li clasped his hands and smiled, "It's good that you brought the sword, but why did you bring the steward as well?"

"Why can't I come?" Su Ru walked gracefully to him, looking him up and down. "Have you completed the second level?"

Chu Li smiled, "The White Tiger Yang Cultivation Diagram is indeed effective!"

"Watch the sword!" Su Ru suddenly shouted, a cold light flashing as she thrust the sword at Chu Li's shoulder.

Chu Li didn't dodge. The sword tip struck his shoulder but couldn't penetrate, the skin beneath the tip sinking half an inch.

"Interesting!" Su Ru sheathed the sword and stared at his shoulder. "It can also neutralize force!"

"Completing the second level allows for both hardness and softness."

"But you can't always be using your power, right?" Su Ru smiled, her waist flashing with a cold light as she thrust the sword at Chu Li's shoulder again.

Chu Li still didn't dodge. The sword tip sank into his skin but couldn't penetrate.

"Hmm, did you prepare for this, or is it the effect of the Vajra Dharmic Power?" Su Ru asked in surprise.

Chu Li smiled, "The power follows the mind, and the mind moves the power."

He had the Sutra of Withering and Flourishing, controlling qi within a hundred meters. The Life-Ending Blade and the qi interference worked together, making it not so easy for the monks of Dule Temple to kill him.

"Indeed profound, far surpassing ordinary body cultivation techniques," Su Ru sighed.

"The Dule Temple's renowned techniques naturally have their unique aspects."

"However, just the second level is far from enough!" Su Ru's eyes fixed on him, trying to cool his enthusiasm.

According to her knowledge, most Dule Temple disciples only completed the first level, and those who completed the second level were few. As for the third level, it was even rarer. After all, the first level was sufficient.

Chu Li smiled.

Cultivating the first level of the Vajra Dharmic Power was very draining, and the second level doubled the internal energy consumption. He estimated that the third level would double it again.

If this continued, it was unknown who could cultivate the later levels.

But thinking about it, becoming a Buddha or an ancestor was a rare occurrence over thousands of years. Achieving sainthood in the flesh, attaining enlightenment in the body, if it were that easy, the sky would be filled with Buddhas.

Chu Li sat down in a small pavilion, "Steward, has the matter with Gu Liting been resolved?"

Su Ru sat opposite him and sighed.

Xueling served two cups of tea. The white jade cups, filled with light green tea, looked like dew on willow branches.

"Not yet?"

"How could it be so easy!" Su Ru took the white jade cup, blew on the hot steam, sipped lightly, and sighed again. "Lu Yurong is very capable. She anticipated our pursuit, divided her people into several groups, and set up false trails. All these routes are fake!"

"Is Gu Liting still in Chongming Prefecture?"

"Impossible!" Su Ru put down the white jade cup. "If he were really in Chongming Prefecture, he couldn't escape our eyes!"

Chu Li smiled.

Su Ru huffed, "What are you laughing at!"

Chu Li waved his hand.

"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking!" Su Ru glared at him, not in a good mood. "Yes, we were careless at first, letting Gu Liting disappear, but that was because we didn't pay attention to him. Now all our informants are mobilized. If he's really in the prefecture, he can't hide!"

Chu Li sipped the tea, holding the white jade cup thoughtfully. "So, he has already left Chongming Prefecture, but we don't know which route he took. That's very troublesome!"

"He can leave quietly, so he can also enter quietly." Chu Li sipped the tea again, put down the cup, and said, "It's hard to guard against."

"What can we do about it!" Su Ru huffed. "We can't really make Chongming Prefecture impenetrable, can we?"

Chu Li smiled, "With the power of our Duke's Mansion, why not?"

Su Ru tilted her head and looked at him, "How can we do it?"

Chu Li picked up the white jade cup and sipped leisurely.

"Hurry up, don't keep us in suspense!" Su Ru urged.

Chu Li put down the cup and raised four fingers, "Set up four layers of nets."

Su Ru nodded, listening attentively.

Chu Li pressed his index finger, "The first layer, tea houses and taverns outside the city."

He pressed his middle finger, "The second layer, the city gates."

He pressed his ring finger, "The third layer, inns and restaurants."

He smiled and pressed his little finger, "The fourth layer, patrol officers. With these four layers, no stranger can escape."

Su Ru thought for a moment.

Chu Li picked up the white jade cup and sipped lightly, "This way, we can directly grasp any movement and respond, even take the initiative."

Su Ru looked at Chu Li, smiling, "Chu Li, you're really underutilized as a guard!"

Chu Li smiled, "I'm just talking theory, not worth laughing about."

Su Ru rolled her eyes, thinking about Chu Li's words.

The Duke's Mansion had already set up informants in the city, mostly beggars and small vendors, with eyes and ears throughout the city, very thorough. But after Chu Li's suggestion, she realized there were flaws and it could be improved!

"I'll go discuss it with Miss!" Su Ru stood up, waving to indicate he didn't need to see her off, and floated away.

Chu Li smiled and sipped the tea, the path to power was still long for him.

---

The night was low, the moon like a hook.

Chu Li floated out of the small courtyard, rowing a small boat away from the East Garden without disturbing Li Yue.

He left the Duke's Mansion, passed through Chongming City, and headed out of the city toward Feng Shicai's estate, intending to kill Feng Shicai. If he didn't kill Feng Shicai, Feng Shicai would continue to find people to kill him.

With the second level of the Vajra Dharmic Power completed, even if Dule Temple pursued him, he had confidence to escape unscathed, especially with the ability to travel great distances instantly.

As he floated through the forest, he sighed, his power was too weak, without any informants. If he could gain power in the Duke's Mansion, he wouldn't need to come out to search, and might not even need to act himself!

Unfortunately, he had been in the mansion for too short a time, and his status limited him. Even as a fifth-rank official, it was difficult to gain power, and he needed several years of experience before there was any hope. Even if he constantly added weight to himself, the opportunities were few, just slightly better than nothing.

To act more conveniently, he needed to cultivate some power. The Storm Cloud Gang was one part, and if there were opportunities, he would develop more. Even if he couldn't gain power, he wouldn't be alone and weak. In the future, if he could gain power, his actions would be more effective.

His thoughts churned, and suddenly he paused. The Great Mirror Wisdom saw a gray-robed old man floating 300 meters behind him, his surging aura completely contained within, not leaking out at all.

Chu Li raised an eyebrow, a Heaven Beyond Heaven expert!

Chu Li changed direction, leaving the direction of Feng's estate and heading south. The gray-robed old man also changed direction, clearly following him. If not for the Great Mirror Wisdom, it would have been hard to detect his presence.

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