Binding to Geniuses To Become Stronger - Chapter 117

Changan City.

The atmosphere at the White Jade Square became more and more grim and even a little solemn. As the pile of evidence grew, the third prince, Li Liancheng, seemed to be trapped in a dead-end, with no way out.

Numerous pairs of eyes were fixed upon the third prince, Li Liancheng, causing him to clench his fists. As for his gaze, it was fixed upon Nan Yehuo who stood among the sect leaders in formation.

As everyone was staring at the third prince, the white-haired Chao Xiaojian who was dressed in white robes started to laugh.

He walked down the White Jade Steps in the snowy backdrop. With each step he took, he exuded a wisp of blade energy. On his final step, his blade energy rose like flames!

Chao Xiaojian stared intensely at Nan Yehuo.

Chao Xiaojian did not know whether the third prince was the main culprit. All he knew was that the Sword Guild disciples had suffered great injustice in this Resource Battle.

Since his senior was not here, that meant he, Chao Xiaojian, was the most senior person representing the Sword Guild. Hence, he was in charge of helping these children seek justice and ensure they never suffer these grievances again!

Chao Xiaojian would make anyone who wronged them pay for their mistakes, he would make sure they paid in spades!

No one knew who the main culprit was. However, he was sure of the Donglu’s Sword Guild’s involvement in this matter!

Lin Muzhe used the Demon Dispelling Pearl to lure the demon swarm with the aim of killing the Sword Guild disciples. This was undeniable evidence! Even if Lin Muzhe had died in a terrible manner, Chao Xiaojian still felt Fang Lang and the others had suffered an injustice of great magnitudes!

Chao Xiaojian clasped his hands and knelt before the Taiji Palace. After that, he declared coldly, “Come out, Nan Yehuo!”

His voice reverberated around the White Jade Square causing countless snowflakes to shatter.

“If you dare not approach, believe it or not, I, Chao Xiaojian will slaughter all the Donglu’s Sword League disciples within three thousand miles.”

The words startled the audience, causing the White Jade Square to plunge into a deathly silence.

Slaughtering the entire Donglu’s Sword League! If anyone else had made this declaration, they would have laughed it off. However, since it was the White-Haired Sword Demon, Chao Xiaojian… perhaps he would really be able to do it!

Under the complex gaze of the sect leaders, Chao Xiaojian transformed into a sliver light, tearing through the heavy snow and shooting for the clouds.

Lin Muzhe’s death had caused endless sorrow within Nan Yehuo’s heart. Due to Lin Muzhe’s death, the Donglu’s Sword League would not be able to save themselves. As the sect leader of the Donglu’s Sword League, he did not have much choice. Hence, he took out his sword and chased after Chao Xiaojian.

The two people tore through the skies.

…

Youzhou Demon Portal.

The fourth Resource Station.

Under the eaves of the Resource Station, the first prince, Li Tianlin, sat quietly. The stove beside him was burning and the teapot emitted hot steam from its spout.

Li Tianlin seemed to be enjoying the feeling of having everything within his grasp. Everything played into his hand—he was like a buddha mentioned in the All-Seeing Buddha Sect’s ancient texts, possessing the ability to control everything with a flick of his hand.

It was like a game of chess—the slaughter between white and black was within his grasp.

He liked to see the expression of hopelessness in the faces of his opponents. Just like the Scholarly Sword Master, Wen Ting, whose will he had completely crushed all those years ago.

He was different from the third prince, Li Liancheng. In Li Tianlin’s eyes, Li Liancheng was too stupid and dumb. Li Liancheng who spent too much time with the savage foreigners would become a person who would only know how to use violence and brutish tactics to solve problems.

This behavior would only bring failure—he would end up in a hopeless situation beyond the point of recovery.

Li Tianlin’s gaze deepened. He finished the tea in his tea cup and slowly stood up.

The storm raged on with no end in sight. The breeze caused his dragon robes to flutter.

Li Tianlin’s gaze was deep and imperceptible as they looked in the direction of Fang Lang.

Li Tianlin thought he was the only one who inherited the bloodline of the Tang Dynasty Emperor. He was the only one who was truly like the Tang Dynasty Emperor in his younger days—a flawless strategist who was in complete control of everything.

He, Li Tianlin, was the most suitable heir, the most suitable candidate to become the future Tang Dynasty Emperor.

However, Li Tianlin knew that… in his lifetime, he would not have the opportunity to ascend the throne and become the next Tang Dynasty Emperor.

The battle for the title of crown prince was in actual fact, a huge joke.

Even the third prince, Li Liancheng did not have their father’s approval because he had deep ties with the foreigners.

The person their father favored was… the idiotic second prince!

Li Tianlin found it laughable. After so many years, their father had finally decided to name a crown prince. However, it was not him…

He had worked so hard yet all this had gone unnoticed by the Tang Dynasty Emperor. Instead, it was the useless second prince who did not know how to do a thing who was chosen by the Tang Dynasty Emperor.

How could the next ruler of the Tang Dynasty be an imbecile!?

Li Tiancheng felt a ball of fire burning in his belly.

As he looked into the rain, an image flashed across Li Tiancheng’s eyes. It was an image of him drawing closer to the Tang Code.

Deep within the Royal City laid the Tang Dynasty’s Tang Code.

It was the ironclad law wrought by the blood of the royal sons. It was strong, powerful and mighty.

The Tang Code had endured countless ages and was a treasure possessed by all the emperors of the various dynasties! It was also the power that Li Tianlin was in pursuit of!

Each time Li Tianlin spilled his blood into the Tang Code, he could sense the frightening heartbeat emitted by the Tang Code. It was like the Tang Code had transformed into a real person!

Li Tianlin felt as though he was immeasurably small and insignificant in the presence of the Tang Code.

It was the sense of feeling small that fed Li Tianlin’s desire to possess and control the Tang Code. Only the true Emperor of the Tang Dynasty was qualified to wield the Tang Code.

Li Tianlin looked at the raindrops falling—the land that gradually filled with mist. His eyes deepened.

The Emperor and the Tang Code…

What on earth happened ten years ago?

Ten years ago, tXuanyuan Taihua went missing in the Loulan Demon Portal. Apart from that, Martial Arts King Jiang who returned from the demon portal severely injured had locked himself in his manor for more than ten years.

After the news shocked the entire Tang Dynasty, no one paid attention to whether the Tang Dynasty Emperor had successfully broken through the limits of man.

However, Li Tianlin continued to give notice to this issue. Over the years, he had never stopped investigating to see if he could uncover any clues.

Had the Emperor succeeded? Or… did he fail?

If the Emperor had succeeded, then Li Tianlin would never have the opportunity to ascend the throne in his lifetime.

However, if the Emperor had failed, then it was Li Tianlin’s chance to stir trouble and change his fortune.

Hence, no matter what, Li Tianlin needed to uncover the truth!

So what if the world descended into turmoil?

…

Fang Lang looked calmly at the first prince, Li Tianlin.

To be honest, as soon as he heard the Imperial Court of Judicial Review official mention the first prince had ordered the arrest, Fang Lang knew he came to the wrong conclusion!

His deduction was wrong from the start. The person who had ordered Lin Muzhe to lure the demon swarm and act against them was not the third prince!

In other words, the third prince was a scapegoat—he was a pawn.

The true mastermind, the nobleman who was behind Lin Muzhe and the Donglu’s Sword Guild’s plot was the first prince, Li Tianlin.

Hence, Fang Lang did not refuse to see the first prince for himself.

Perhaps the fact that he had killed Lin Muzhe was beyond the first prince’s expectation—an unexpected change for the royalty.

Fang Lang’s expression under his bamboo hat was not overly friendly. As he faced the first prince, Li Tianlin, in his bloody robes, Fang Lang felt a feeling of hatred and displeasure surge deep within his chest.

“You truly surpassed my expectation by killing Lin Muzhe,” said the first prince with a smile.

“Have you given more thought to the matter we spoke about last time?”

The first prince had previously chatted with Fang Lang at the Ministry of Rites. Fang Lang had rejected the first prince’s recruitment offer.

Fang Lang shook his head. “My thoughts on that have not changed.”

The first prince frowned. After a while, he poured a cup of tea and tossed it.

The cup of tea cut across the curtain of rain steadily as it flew in Fang Lang’s direction.

“Drink some tea and think about it carefully.”

The tea cup flew toward Fang Lang. Fang Lang raised his hand—his palm peeked out of his blood-stained sleeve. He brought his thumb and middle finger together and made a flicking gesture.

Whoosh!

The surrounding curtain of rain instantly exploded. A formless sword wave rippled through the air. The tea cup that was flying towards him abruptly shattered into pieces!

“We’re on different paths, I can’t drink your tea,” said Fang Lang.

The tea vaporized and disappeared into the rain as vapor.

That finger flick demonstrated Fang Lang’s attitude.

The smile on the first prince’s face began to falter.

“Lin Muzhe must have been sent by you,” said Fang Lang coolly as he shook off the water that had gotten onto his hand. He narrowed his eyes.

Ni Wen, Li Bubai and Geshu Yehuo were surprised by the revelation. They thought Lin Muzhe was a disciple of the Donglu’s Sword Guild…

The person who sent her should have been the third prince, right?

“It was merely a test for you,” said the first prince indifferently.

“A test? If I was killed by Lin Muzhe then it wouldn’t be a test any longer.”

“In that case, you’d be counted as a victim of the third prince’s plot.”

“All the royal princes are so arrogant, so prideful, so cold-blooded. You are the same as the third prince. Do you think that as a royal, any handout from you is deserving of deep gratitude?”

Fang Lang raised his hand and pointed the sheathed Blooming Lotus Sword at an angle towards the dark clouds enveloping the skies.

He slowly unsheathed the Blooming Lotus Sword.

It was like there was energy condensing, threatening slice through the thick mist that encompassed the skies.

The officials of the Imperial Court of Judicial Review scurried to grab the swords at their waist. The atmosphere instantly froze and the raindrops suspended in the air.

The atmosphere was filled with hostility.

Huang Ying and Jiang Linglong also gripped their swords. Their expressions were serious.

The first prince appeared to acknowledge he was the one who had sent Lin Muzhe. Since that was the case, their only option was to draw their swords.

“Since you refused to join me, you will now face my wrath. Honestly, if you hadn’t drawn the Blooming Lotus Sword, I would have really thought you were a learned gentleman. However, now that you’ve drawn the Blooming Lotus, you’ve become just like that woman, Xuanyuan Taihua… Putting on airs. It’s extremely detestable!” said Li Tianlin coolly.

“How dare you draw your sword against me!?”

Li Tianlin stood up in his white cloak. Very quickly, the cool, indifferent expression on his face morphed into a contemplative smile.

“Wen Ting was just the same all those years ago. You really are his protégé. The mentor and the disciple are equally arrogant and egotistical, with no sense of respect.”

Li Tianlin extended his arm, pointing one finger and the falling raindrops froze midair.

“I won’t kill you, I’m not like the third prince. When he loses his mind to anger, he can’t control his actions. However, I… won’t.”

Li Tianlin smiled brightly.

He took step after step into the rain. The rain seemed to dissipate around his body.

“Champion… You are extremely confident, gleaming with brilliance. Just like Wen Ting all those years ago. If you work for me, I will give you a bright future. However, if you choose to oppose me… That would be a waste of your talents.

“I will plant a terrible, frightful seed deep within your heart and destroy your sword drive, causing you to live a wretched, muddleheaded life… just like Wen Ting.”

As his step landed on the ground, the first prince’s white cloak billowed. The raindrops filling the sky seemed to be completely frozen, like a pause button had been pressed.

A mountain-like sense of oppression felt like a single boat faced with a mighty thousand-meter wave appeared.

The first prince, Li Tianlin’s eyes flashed with a trace of resplendent, golden brilliance. There was a faint soul-crushing force that shot out towards Fang Lang.

Fang Lang wore a cool, stern expression. Since he had chosen to meet the first prince, naturally, he had a trump card.

Enemies were most dangerous when they were hidden in the dark. However, once they were brought out into the open, that daunting feeling would recede.

It seemed to Fang Lang that the first prince was more hateful than the third prince. This incomparable self-confidence, toying with people’s hearts and that lofty, arrogant air made a fire burn within his heart.

Fang Lang did not understand the battle for the crown prince, nor did he have the desire to be dragged into this fight.

However, despite his unwillingness, he could not avoid it.

He was caught in this tide with little control of his body, he would just have to bare his canines and tear this huge net into shreds, just like he did when he faced the third prince.

However, back then, he had relied on some luck. Yet now, Fang Lang had something to base his confidence on. What was his ace?

Fang Lang stroked the hilt of the Blooming Lotus Sword. The carvings on the guard of the Blooming Lotus Sword seemed to become endlessly agitated as they breathed in and out.

This feeling was exactly the same as the situation back in the Qiuling Demon Portal in the past.

The Blooming Lotus Sword seemed to come to life.

There was a trace of will slumbering deep within the Blooming Lotus Sword that was passed on by Xuanyuan Taihua.

No one else could awaken it, except for Fang Lang!

This was because Fang Lang’s energy center contained the Innate Sword Intent Seed. Through borrowing Wen Ting’s power, he was able to use this Innate Sword Intent Seed to awaken the sword intent!

This was Fang Lang’s trump card which gave him the confidence to face the first prince head-on!

He wished to be like a swordsman who pressed forward courageously regardless of the storm that was up ahead.

With a swing of his sword, he would destroy everything! Even though Wen Ting dared not swing his sword, Fang Lang would do so!

The golden light shining out of the first prince’s eyes seemed to form a unique ‘domain’, causing Fang Lang, Jiang Linglong and the others to be enveloped within it.

In everyone’s eyes, the first prince’s stature seemed to grow continuously. It was as if he had transformed into a god that was looking at the ant-like humans from up high.

That oppressive aura nearly made all of them suffer a breakdown!

Huang Ying despaired as her expression changed drastically. So this was the situation Wen Ting had faced back then. This was the type of despair he had faced!

Huang Ying had previously scolded Wen Ting for not striving hard enough for excellence and was sad when Wen Ting did not keep his promise.

However, Huang Ying finally understood the hopelessness that Wen Ting had endured, the hopelessness he felt after his sword drive was crushed.

Fang Lang closed his eyes as his spiritual sense flooded quickly into the Blooming Lotus Sword, stirring the Innate Sword Intent Seed in his energy center. Wisps of sword intent were stirred and surged into the Blooming Lotus Sword in a crazed manner.

Fang Lang seemed to see a whole world contained within the Blooming Lotus Sword.

There was a faint, indistinct figure dressed in white robes, with unparalleled beauty.

…

Whoosh!

A gourd canteen was thrown at high speed, crashing viciously into the muddy mire. Instantly, the gourd canteen exploded into pieces. The wolfberry tea within the canteen splattered all over the ground.

Huang Ying, Ni Wen, Liu Bubai and the others instantly felt the oppressive force on their bodies relax.

Fang Lang was stunned. His eyes widened as he saw a languid figure descend from the sky, standing before them as a shield. The figure held a thin sword as he slowly straightened up.

It was like he held up the sky.

Countless raindrops were sent flying back up into the sky!

Wen Ting had rushed over and shielded Fang Lang and the others from the first prince.

He stared at the first prince. The first prince’s eyes were filled with shining gold light—they returned Wen Ting’s gaze.

As their eyes met, Wen Ting put on a slight smile. “Your Highness, long time no see! You’re as detestable as you’ve always been.”

The first prince’s gold-light emitting eyes looked at Wen Ting coolly.

“You dare show up before me. I’ve destroyed you once and I’ll destroy you again.”

The first prince raised his hand and aimed at Wen Ting in the distance. He viciously clenched his fist.

The air surrounding Wen Ting compressed!

An unending pressure descended on Wen Ting’s body, causing him to look as though it could collapse any minute.

All of a sudden, Wen Ting smiled. A blush appeared on his face.

He had been waiting for this day for too long!

“There was once a youth who told me that an ant could kill an elephant, hence an ordinary person would be able to slay an immortal… The body may be weak but never lose your boldness in wielding your sword.

“I’ve learned that and today, I will avenge my past self!” said Wen Ting with a smile.

Shackles appeared around him. He tapped his fingers lightly and blade energy spread out, shattering the shackles. Instantly, his aura began to increase by many folds!

It went from the fourth-class sword intent realm to the fifth-class, sixth-class, seventh-class… Rising all the way until it reached the peak of the seventh-class!

After that, the sword in Wen Ting’s hand seemed to transform into a shockingly gigantic shark. It opened its jaws and swallowed the blade energy, sword intent and power from Wen Ting’s body.

The blade energy and power hidden in his lungs, kidneys, heart, any part of his body was all swallowed by Wen Ting’s sword!

He was using his body to nurture his sword!

It was like a pack of hungry wolves, waiting for the time to attack, the time to consume the entire forest!

This was not the halfhearted skill Fang Lang had borrowed with the Power Loan Card. This was the sword Wen Ting had cultivated for ten years.

It was the true secret killing technique!

Li Tianlin’s eyes froze as though he could not imagine the piece of trash whose sword drive he had crushed years ago was now removing his shackles before his very eyes and advancing straight into the seventh-class.

“Seventh-class. Not bad. However, it’s still far from enough,” said Li Tianlin coolly.

His eyes flashed with brilliant gold light as endless ripples of oppressive aura emanated.

He watched Wen Ting with the illusionary aura of the Sky God. The third prince waved his sword at Wen Ting then raised his foot, looking as though he was about to crush an ant under his foot.

However, his movement froze all of a sudden.

Wen Ting fiddled with his beard as his lips parted.

Instantly, Wen Ting’s seventh-class cultivation began to subside rapidly, just like the flood waters receding.

Sixth-class… Fifth-class… Falling back to the fourth-class…

With each fall into the next class, Wen Ting’s white sideburns became thicker.

Second-class, first-class. Finally… there was no trace of a cultivator’s aura on his body.

His head was full of white hair.

He looked like an ordinary man holding a sword.

The first prince’s eyes were golden like a god.

Wen Ting’s jet-black eyes looked like the eyes of a commoner who worshipped the Sky God as he looked at the first prince, Li Tianlin.

Wen Ting swung his sword in an ordinary fashion. The giant illusion that was about to step on him was cleaved away—it was like a mountain had been sliced apart.

The dark storm and heavy rain in front of the first prince were cut away.

This sword attack was like a commoner crushing a mountain or killing a god with one swing!

“Zhou Yiyuan! Help me!”

When Li Tianlin saw this sword attack, his pupils contracted. For the first time, he let out a loud roar!

A loud cry for help!

The maniacal Wen Ting had been silently enduring his suffering for ten years in order to unleash this attack!

His outstretched palm attack had been pierced by a mere sword. Golden blood began flying all over the air. A sword pierced his palm and arm then plunged into his chest. His heart!

It pierced through his chest!

Wen Ting released his grip with a bright smile.

Ten years he spent nurturing his sword to unleash its power all at once!

The sword that pierced through Li Tianlin’s heart suddenly shuddered. It looked as though it was howling like a wild beast, sounding like a hungry wolf.

It was covered in golden blood!

The sword writhed wildly in Li Tianlin’s body.

All Li Tianlin’s organs, including his heart, lungs, liver were all damaged by the gust of blade energy!