Great Li Martial God

On the stone path among the trees of the Falling God Peak main peak, the big black cat was left standing alone, letting out furious meows.

Very soon, it stopped abruptly and lifted its head toward the direction of the main hall.

Those green eyes spun rapidly, as though it was weighing whether to simply make a run for it too.

After all, it had lost something this important. If Li Musheng did not slap it dead on the spot, it would not believe it itself.

But after a long internal struggle, the big black cat finally drooped its head.

Then, with a resigned meow, it turned its stiff cat legs around and made its way back toward the main hall.

Before long, Li Musheng saw the big black cat come back completely empty, with nothing on its back, and narrowed his eyes slightly, ”Where is the person I sent you to fetch?”

At those words, the big black cat immediately raised its head, both ears flopping to one side, and pointed a paw at its own back, as though reminding Li Musheng that his attention really should be on that matter first.

Li Musheng, however, simply gave a cold laugh and said, ”Go and fetch Miss Murong first. I will settle accounts with you about this later.”

At those words, the big black cat clearly looked a little dazed, seemingly unable to understand how Li Musheng could have lost something this important and not seem even slightly anxious about it, with only the cat itself in a panic.Even so, Li Musheng not having slapped it dead on the spot was genuinely a relief.

The big black cat let out a long breath. Since nothing was happening right now, it did not dare bring up the lost jade stele again, in case Li Musheng suddenly changed his mind and gave it that slap after all.

And so it let out a quick answering meow and promptly turned and left the hall to go and find Murong Xiaoya.

Li Musheng watched the big black cat go, then looked down at two threads of true qi wound around his fingers, his expression thoughtful.

One thread connected to the big black cat, and the other connected to the Divine Talent Stele.

”These people with divine nature are quite interesting. There must be some organized force behind them, otherwise it would be difficult to gather a group of them like this to act with a plan.”

Li Musheng was in no hurry to go and retrieve the Divine Talent Stele.

On the contrary, he found this a perfect opportunity to let the stele fall into the hands of these people with divine nature.

The connection between those with divine nature and the Divine Talent Stele ran deep, and for someone like him, who possessed no divine nature, trying to comprehend it had been slow going without any real leads.

And these people had clearly come specifically for the Divine Talent Stele, which meant they likely had some existing understanding of it.

Rather than stumbling around with no idea where to begin, it was far more efficient to let them research the stele for him.

When the time came, he would simply collect the results they had worked out. That was undeniably the easier path.

Of course, the martial imprint Li Musheng had already left on the dark jade stele meant it was not as though he had thrown a meat bun at a dog, never to see it again, allowing those people with divine nature to come away with any lasting advantage.

”A bunch of tools. What are they even thinking? Things taken by force will have to be returned.”

Li Musheng glanced toward the outside of the hall, then drew his gaze back and, with nothing pressing to do, began studying the Formless Divine Canon he had obtained from the Myriad Forms Demonic Sect.

The technique was barely worth his attention, but some of the unusual applications woven into it had a degree of value for study.

Before long, the big black cat finally returned to the main hall with Murong Xiaoya.

Murong Xiaoya wore a red dress, her skin as pale and smooth as snow, her lips a deep crimson, her waist slender and her figure small and delicate.

The overwhelming strength that the Vermilion Bird Bone had lent her was now entirely reined in, and her aura was no different from that of any ordinary woman of the martial world.

”Is Your Highness here to remove the Vermilion Bird Bone from my body?”

Murong Xiaoya seemed to have guessed his intention, and her expression was remarkably calm.

Li Musheng looked her over once and nodded, ”I told Miss Murong before that I could extract the Vermilion Bird Bone without taking her life. Naturally I must keep my word.”

As he spoke, his gaze came to rest on Murong Xiaoya’s chest.

At that, Murong Xiaoya’s pretty face flushed red at once, and she instinctively lowered her head. She looked nothing at all like the figure who had cut down enemies across Sheng Province’s city.

Li Musheng paid no attention to her expression, and in a single movement crossed to stand before her.

”Miss Murong, there is no time to waste. Let us begin at once.”

Li Musheng spoke quietly. Murong Xiaoya was clearly a little nervous. She looked down at the big black cat crouching beside her.

The cat was sitting there with its green eyes wide open, like two lamps, watching the two of them without blinking.

”Could the cat be asked to step away for a moment?”

Murong Xiaoya pinched the hem of her dress and bit her lip.

At those words, the big black cat tilted its head to one side, apparently feeling rather put out that it was so unwelcome, that it could not even stand nearby and watch.

Li Musheng simply waved a hand and said, ”Miss Murong need not worry about it. It is only a cat, and this will not take long.”

At those words, Murong Xiaoya drew her gaze back, and finally said no more, giving a small nod.

Then she reached out her smooth, alabaster arm and with a slight trembling began to undo the ties of her red dress.

But in the next moment, her arm was gently held by Li Musheng, ”Miss Murong does not need to undress. I only need the power within the Vermilion Bird Bone. There is no need to remove the bone itself.”

And even as he spoke, Murong Xiaoya felt herself enveloped by an irresistible surge of aura.

Then she could sense with clarity that the Vermilion Bird Bone in her chest suddenly erupted with an intensely scorching heat.

At the same time, a frenzied murderous consciousness began to spread outward from the Vermilion Bird Bone, as though it sought to consume her entirely.

But very quickly, the Vermilion Bird Bone seemed to be suppressed by an ocean-deep and mountainous force, and its aura collapsed in an instant. The spreading murderous consciousness disappeared in the blink of an eye.

At the same time, thread after thread of molten-gold luminescence began to flow from Murong Xiaoya’s chest and, following her meridians, poured into Li Musheng’s palm.

Li Musheng drew on the Divine Beast Power Consumption Art to absorb the power flowing from the Vermilion Bird Bone rapidly.

The refined technique absorbed far faster than before, and in roughly the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the power within the Vermilion Bird Bone in Murong Xiaoya’s body had been drawn out completely.

Seeing that no more molten-gold light was flowing from Murong Xiaoya’s chest, Li Musheng maintained his hold on her arm and let his own aura circulate through her body in a full circuit to confirm all was in order, then withdrew his palm.

”The power within the Vermilion Bird Bone has been entirely taken by me. Without that power to sustain it, the Vermilion Bird Bone is a tree without roots, with no remaining potency, and will cause Miss Murong no further harm.”

Li Musheng sensed within himself the improvements from absorbing the Vermilion Bird Bone’s power, while explaining to Murong Xiaoya, ”Additionally, the cultivation energy Miss Murong previously absorbed through the Vermilion Bird Bone may be kept. And the scar on your heart will heal gradually over time.”

At those words, Murong Xiaoya instinctively reached up to touch her own chest.

She could indeed sense it now. The wound that had seemed as though it would never close was already producing a faint, itching sensation, clearly beginning to grow back and heal.

”Xiaoya thanks Your Highness.”

Murong Xiaoya drew back her hand and bowed in thanks to Li Musheng.

But then she slowly lowered her head again, and it was difficult at that moment to say exactly what she felt.

The Murong family had been destroyed. Every one of her loved ones had died. Though she had afterward brought down the four great families and the Sheng Province general Han Chuiyuan, none of it had been able to bring back her father and brothers.

And even with her great vengeance fulfilled, not an ounce of the grief and pain in her heart had been eased.

In truth, deep inside, Murong Xiaoya had not wanted to go on living. She had only wanted to follow her father and brothers. When she had asked Li Musheng to remove the Vermilion Bird Bone, that had been her thinking at the time. She had not cared whether she lived or died.

Now Li Musheng had resolved the danger of the Vermilion Bird Bone, giving her the chance to go on living without having to die.

She was naturally grateful to Li Musheng for that. But as for what she was supposed to do in the future, what meaning there could be in going on, she had no answer to those questions at that moment.

Li Musheng drew his focus back from sensing his own improvements, and waved off Murong Xiaoya’s thanks.

After absorbing the Vermilion Bird Bone’s power this time, his overall physical constitution had improved by another ten percent.

That ten percent was Li Musheng’s measure relative to what he considered a perfect martial constitution.

Though he had no way of knowing what the most perfect martial constitution in the world was actually supposed to look like, he had set his own internal standard based on his understanding and pursuit of the martial path.

When he started out, his natural gifts had been thoroughly ordinary, or one might even say genuinely poor.

But now they could be considered quite excellent. Among certain sects in the martial world, he might even be counted a martial prodigy.

Li Musheng was genuinely pleased by this. After all, natural gifts were set from birth, and there was no way to change or improve them afterward.

With gifts as ordinary as his had been, the best he could have hoped for in a small martial school was to be the one doing odd jobs. Through sheer, transcendent comprehension alone he had forced himself to the absolute peak of the martial path.

And now, as he slowly filled in the gap left by his inadequate natural constitution, it was perhaps not out of reach to think that true transcendence through the martial path might one day be within his grasp.

With that thought, Li Musheng’s gaze settled on Murong Xiaoya before him.

To be honest, he owed her some thanks as well. Obtaining the Vermilion Bird Bone had been a complete and unexpected windfall for him. If not for meeting her, he might never have had access to it.

”Miss Murong’s martial cultivation is fully preserved. You are quite a formidable martial artist by any measure of the martial world. I wonder what you plan to do from here?”

Li Musheng had naturally noticed that Murong Xiaoya’s spirits were low, and so he brought it up of his own accord.

Murong Xiaoya raised her eyes to look at Li Musheng briefly, then shook her head gently and said, ”Xiaoya does not know.”

But quickly, realizing that answer was rather abrupt, she drew a slow breath and continued, ”Perhaps I will return to Sheng Province’s city and gather whatever remains of the Murong family outside, and rebuild the family from what is left.”

”Or perhaps I will wander the martial world, and travel to the other four nations...”

At that, Murong Xiaoya trailed off and said no more. She had given herself some reasons to keep going, even if only on the spot.

Whether she would actually do any of those things in the future, she was not certain at this point.

After all, she was socially withdrawn and not good with people, and had no real ability to lead or command. Rebuilding the Murong family was genuinely too difficult a prospect for her.

And as for traveling the entire martial world, she had absolutely no heart for it right now.

At that, after listening to Murong Xiaoya, Li Musheng rubbed his chin and said, ”It is good that Miss Murong has goals, but things must be done step by step. Given your current state, I actually have a suggestion.”

At those words, Murong Xiaoya’s gaze shifted slightly and she looked up at Li Musheng, clearly a little curious, ”I would be willing to hear whatever Your Highness suggests.”

Li Musheng gave a small nod, then earnestly offered, ”My suggestion is that Miss Murong join the Tianjin Guards. The Tianjin Guards are in great need of capable people right now, and the Murong family has always been on good terms with Lord Fu. With Miss Murong’s current strength, there will certainly be much you can accomplish in the future.”

As he said this, Li Musheng added with a meaningful look, ”And besides, the Great Li Tianjin Guards will be under my command going forward. Miss Murong would have ample opportunity to spend time in my company.”

Li Musheng naturally had not forgotten that this socially withdrawn young woman had frequently been caught stealing glances at him before.

He understood full well that she had been drawn in by his handsome face and found it impossible to look away.

And now, using himself as the incentive, he was confident another capable general was about to be recruited for the Tianjin Guards.

At that, Murong Xiaoya, upon hearing Li Musheng’s rather blunt offer, did not decline.

On the contrary, she fell into genuinely careful thought, as though she was taking his words seriously.

After a long moment, Murong Xiaoya slowly nodded and said quietly, ”Your Highness’s suggestion is actually not a bad one. Xiaoya truly does not know where to go right now. If there were things to keep me occupied and take my mind off the Murong family’s affairs, it might help me move forward sooner.”

At those words, Li Musheng looked at Murong Xiaoya for a long moment and gave a quiet nod, ”It is a good thing that Miss Murong can think this way.”

Though he privately thought the girl was still far too reserved, and her way of saying yes was more than a little understated.

Even so, having received Murong Xiaoya’s affirmative answer, Li Musheng was genuinely pleased.

People needed to look forward. Carrying too much on one’s back made living exhausting.

Li Musheng sometimes found himself wondering, if he had stepped in to help Murong Xiaoya and the Murong family at the time, would things have turned out differently?

But thinking it through carefully, leaving aside the fact that he had known nothing of the Murong family’s situation at the time, he had also had no reason to get drawn into the conflicts between martial world factions.

And even if he had helped the Murong family, unless he had wiped out all four of the other great families entirely, the grudges and entanglements between those families would have ensured that his help could have bought them time at best, not a permanent solution. The outcome would have been the same in the end.

”Sometimes that is simply how it goes. You never know whether the unexpected or tomorrow will arrive first.”

Li Musheng reflected on this inwardly, glanced at Murong Xiaoya, and then drew his gaze back.

By now the sky outside the hall had brightened. This journey to Falling God Peak could truly be considered finished.

The next step was to set out and return to Shangyang City.

The pace would be somewhat tight, but he had his own affairs to attend to.

And as for how long he would even stay in the Great Li imperial capital afterward, that remained to be seen. It might not be very long at all.