I Can Strengthen Infinitely

Chapter 229 174: Fame (Part 1)

The secret of the sword grave has always been a rumor within the Jiangnan martial arts community.

Years ago, a generation of swordsman, Bai Yue, suddenly emerged, with his elusive sword techniques. Right after his debut, he defeated the then top martial arts champion, gaining overnight fame as a true prodigy.

If there had been the Hundred Soldiers List back then, Bai Yue would surely have been named the number one sword in Jiangnan.

Yet, such an honor was merely the beginning for Bai Yue. Engrossed in swordsmanship, indifferent to women, he focused solely on improving his Sword Dao and Swordsmanship, traveling all around to challenge renowned masters and aristocrats.

At first, he occasionally faced defeats, but as Bai Yue kept advancing, after ten years, he became invincible in Jiangnan, with sword techniques as divine as a randomly picked tree branch or a casually plucked reed serving as his sword.

Finally, at the age of twenty-eight, his Inner Power advanced to the tenth layer, truly reaching the pinnacle that countless martial artists could never touch in their lifetime.

Grandmaster Realm.

From then on, people no longer called him Hero Bai.

Instead, Bai Yue Sword Saint.

After that, Bai Yue disappeared, leaving no trace in the martial arts world.

Some say he went to the distant northern Great Tang's uninhabited territories.

Some say he encountered a thunder calamity, with heaven unwilling to let such a prodigy exist, and struck him dead.

Some say he was defeated by the Demon Sect Leader.

In short, there are myriad explanations, but none prove reliable.

However, apart from Bai Yue's cause of death, the narrative is fairly unified in Jiangnan regarding one matter.

That is the secret sword grave Bai Yue left somewhere in Jiangnan.

Inside there are ten stone tablets, recording Bai Yue's Sword Dao insights, learned sword techniques, and Inner Strength cultivation techniques over the years. Also, all the treasured swords Bai Yue used.

These include ordinary practice iron swords and Divine Weapons, all priceless treasures, desired by all swordsmen.

Thus, many have been searching persistently across Jiangnan for the location of the sword grave secret, but with no results thus far.

Little did they know, actually finding the sword grave secret has clues.

That is a suspected map left by Bai Yue Sword Saint, containing many incomprehensible symbols and texts.

Years ago, two heroes from Central Plains fought fiercely to seize this map, with things ending unknown, leading to the map being split into four and scattered into the martial world, with no knowledge of who acquired it.

This affair has long been a little-known secret.

The forces holding a fragment of the map, Autumn Water Household, Thunder Fist Sect, and Sword and Saber Sect, have kept this secret tightly while covertly searching for the fourth fragment.

But unexpectedly, years of peace were shattered by the arrival of the Demon Sect.

Autumn Water Household was wiped out overnight, delivering a shocking blow to the Sect Leader of Thunder Fist Sect and Sword and Saber Sect, setting them on edge, anxious and fearful.

Even though Autumn Water Household only had the two Inner Power masters, Qiu Zhong and Shui Cangsheng, to guard it, its strength wasn't weak. Thunder Fist Sect and Sword and Saber Sect combined surpass it barely. If they became the next target, the situation would be cumbersome.

Just so, receiving the news, Thunder Fist Sect and Sword and Saber Sect promptly devised their response strategies, surprisingly in unity.

...

"Have you heard? Bai Yue Sword Saint left a map recording how to find the sword grave secret, which was later split into four parts. Currently, two fragments are said to be in Yangzhou Prefecture."

"Heard about it, but is this sort of thing credible? Never heard of such a thing before."

"Everyone's talking about it; it shouldn't be fake, right? I've heard Autumn Water Household was wiped out by the Demon Sect seeking a fragment of the map."

In the teahouse, most seated were people from the martial world, all with swords or blades, various weapons making a daunting sight, deterring ordinary civilians from entering for tea.

Qin Yuesheng sat alone on the second floor, a section reserved for private rooms, each separated by bead curtains, far more elegant than the first floor.

"These two forces used this tactic cleverly, shifting focus, but whether the Demon Sect will believe this rumor remains a substantial question," Qin Yuesheng pondered looking below.

Within a day, the number of martial figures in Yangzhou Prefecture surged, even though the Jiangnan martial arts conference couldn't be convened, the numbers rose even higher.

This situation renders the circumstances increasingly complex.

At this time, below in the teahouse's lobby, an extraordinarily noticeable group entered from the main door, all dressed luxuriously, the leading young lord in exquisite attire, suggesting an unusual status at first glance.

Under everyone's watchful gaze, he waved his fan and walked up to the second floor.

"This seems to be the fifty-sixth rank in the Jiangnan Hundred Soldiers List, 'Carefree Fan' Murong Su."

"It does seem to be him."

"This matter is getting more and more interesting; I've seen many well-known figures on the Hundred Soldiers List these days."

"What's interesting is if they could spar, exchange a few moves, that would be truly interesting."

"But a single defeat could affect their ranking in next month's Hundred Soldiers List; they probably won't duel in front of everyone, right?"

Just then, a bald, robust man suddenly stood up from his seat and spoke with a rough voice to a young man sitting at another table not far away: "I am Lin Zhicheng from Yanggang Mountain, 'Mandarin Duck Sabers' Guo Jian, I challenge you in front of all these martial artists."

This sudden commotion naturally attracted the attention of everyone in the teahouse.

They didn't know who Lin Zhicheng from Yanggang Mountain was, but quite a few people remembered the name 'Mandarin Duck Sabers' Guo Jian clearly.

He has been fluctuating between positions ninety and ninety-seven on the Jiangnan Hundred Soldiers List for years, never dropping off, and is considered a veteran in the martial world.

Guo Jian skillfully wields a pair of curved sabers, one blue and one crimson, earning the nickname 'Mandarin Duck Sabers' from those in Celestial Secret City.

Guo Jian put down his teacup and said lightly: "Challenges are welcome, but I never do losing trades. You win against me, you can take my place, but if I win against you, I gain nothing — you need to add a reward to this challenge."

"I offer three hundred taels of silver for the challenge; if you win, you can take it." Lin Zhicheng responded.

"We all mix in this world, and this bit of silver is not enough. How about adding that stick you're using?"

Guo Jian pointed to a copper rod placed by Lin Zhicheng's table.

To people in the martial world, their weapon is as dear as life, and losing one's weapon due to a defeat is certainly a disgraceful affair.

Lin Zhicheng's expression changed slightly but quickly agreed: "Alright."

The surrounding patrons started to move their tables and chairs aside, making space for the two to spar.

Whenever there's a change in rankings on the Jiangnan Hundred Soldiers List, it's the most exciting time for others.

These martial artists mostly aim to rise to prominence and become famous, and the Hundred Soldiers List, published by Celestial Secret City, with only a hundred positions, is undeniably attractive to every martial artist.

Thus, those hundred individuals on the list are not only well-known figures in the martial world but are also constantly coveted by others like tempting meat.

If your skills don't continually improve, sooner or later, you'll be replaced by someone else.

Even Qin Yuesheng didn't know when he got onto the Jiangnan Hundred Soldiers List.

Someone sparring is naturally more interesting than listening to those storytellers, so the storyteller sitting high above stopped speaking immediately, and the musicians in the teahouse quickly switched to a powerful, murderous tune, adding a fitting background score to the spar.

Martial artists spar, and it happens in an instant.

Lin Zhicheng was the first to swing his rod, the copper rod in his hand creating a continuous shadow, instantly forming circles.

This flashy spectacle may appear impressive to ordinary people, but to Qin Yuesheng, it was full of flaws, the rod technique impractical.

Guo Jian, however, remained steady, drawing his pair of curved sabers from their sheaths behind his waist and leapt forward, meeting Lin Zhicheng's copper rod.

A longer weapon holds power; a shorter one is riskier.

This saying was vividly demonstrated by the two, exchanging blows back and forth, soon fighting more than ten rounds, unable to determine a winner.

Without Inner Strength, these external martial artists' fighting was overly ordinary, lacking the grandeur of those with Inner Strength, purely a clash of weapons, occasionally accompanied by punches and kicks.

Qin Yuesheng found it dull, yet the crowd in the first-floor hall watched eagerly, occasionally shouting praises like "Good!"

After prolonged attack, Guo Jian's imposing blade skill seemed to wilt, his assaults noticeably slowing down, while Lin Zhicheng stood firm like a tower, waving his copper rod to envelop himself tightly, like a shield.

His endurance noticeably surpassed Guo Jian, and if the fight prolonged, people began to believe Guo Jian would surely lose.

"Indeed, those who dare to challenge are somewhat skilled; seeing Lin Zhicheng's continuous rod technique, perhaps today Guo Jian's rank might truly be taken by this newcomer."

"This is interesting; Guo Jian is a regular on the Hundred Soldiers List, and if Lin Zhicheng wins, he'll definitely become famous in one battle."

Amidst everyone's discussion, Guo Jian's forehead began to sweat profusely.

He knew better than anyone that this time things were really going south.