Chapter 292: Chapter 170: Wifey, Please Don’t Transform

How could Jiang Huai have known that the cultivation methods recorded in Lu Yuan’s secret manuals were actually long-lost Secret Techniques?

The Sword Qi Lu Yuan unleashed was far stronger than what Gu Ziye’s Personal Guards could muster.

The warty monkey collapsed, unable to rise, whimpering incessantly.

The Spirit Binder on the sparring ground was also completely dumbfounded.

The Spirit Binder went to check on the warty monkey, only to find its bones had been shattered.

It looked like the Xingzi he had summoned would need a long time to recover.

An injury to the bones takes a hundred days to heal.

The Spirit Binder had once accidentally sprained his own wrist, and it hadn’t fully healed even after a hundred days. It still ached whenever he tried to exert any force, preventing him from using his full strength.

Seeing that his warty monkey could no longer fight, the Spirit Binder had no choice but to concede.

The next Spirit Binder to come up had his summoned black panther go head-to-head with Lu Yuan.

A paw swiped at Lu Yuan’s left arm, but it felt like hitting a block of iron.

Lu Yuan, with just a single full-powered punch to the black panther’s face, knocked it out cold.

"This young nephew of the Zhao Mansion is unreal."

"A Xingzi with three or four hundred years of cultivation, taken down with a single sword strike and a single punch."

"Are the Xingzi getting weaker, or are humans getting too monstrously strong?"

...

After watching the morning’s matches, and now these two bouts... 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Who would dare question the young nephew of the Zhao Mansion’s strength now?

They all felt this young nephew didn’t need to hire Mansion Guards to protect him at all.

If these applicants knew that the seemingly gentle woman accompanying Lu Yuan was actually far stronger than he was, they would probably start to wonder if their entire life of cultivation had been a sham.

In reality, Su Liyan was Lu Yuan’s true personal bodyguard.

For Lu Yuan, when trouble arose, Su Liyan was on it. When there was no trouble, he was on Su Liyan.

Life couldn’t be any sweeter.

Lu Yuan dispatched several of the more formidable Spirit Binders while expending minimal energy.

Next up were a few of Jiang Huai’s stronger Celestial Masters.

Fighting Celestial Masters one-on-one posed no problem for Lu Yuan either.

After all, he had cultivated top-tier secret manuals like the *Holy Body*, *True Martial*, and *Celestial Master*.

’Even if the Jinyi Guard trained with the best Martial Arts Secret Manuals, could they possibly be better than mine?’

Relying on his superior Daoist Skills, Lu Yuan quickly suppressed the next few Celestial Masters who took the stage.

Still, it did cost Lu Yuan some of his stamina.

For Lu Yuan, the main event was the one and only Grand Celestial Master who had been selected.

Namely, Jiang Huai, the Central Guard Thousand Households of the Southern Town Patrol Department.

Although Lu Yuan didn’t know Jiang Huai’s specific rank within the Jinyi Guard, he knew that based on his status as a Grand Celestial Master, ’his position couldn’t be low. He had to be in management, at the very least.’

Jiang Huai was tall and powerfully built. A quick glance revealed a subtle handsomeness beneath his steady demeanor.

With his excellent Martial Arts and his abilities as a Spirit Binder, Jiang Huai certainly wasn’t afraid of Lu Yuan.

’Just because Lu Yuan could defeat my subordinates doesn’t mean he can defeat me.’

’However, given the current situation, even if I manage to pass the third round of assessment, Lu Yuan will probably just give me the cold shoulder. What if he assigns a Grand Celestial Master like me to clean the men’s and women’s latrines?’

’Should I do it or not?’

’If I do it, I won’t be able to gather any intelligence. If I don’t, I’ll have to answer to my superiors.’

Jiang Huai was now riding a tiger, unable to dismount. He could only brace himself and press on.

’First, I’ll beat Lu Yuan. Then I’ll figure out what’s next.’

Looking at the towering Jiang Huai, Lu Yuan naturally didn’t dare to underestimate him.

He tightened his grip on the Celestial Master Sword.

Jiang Huai charged at Lu Yuan and thrust his sword forward.

Lu Yuan dodged, then immediately parried Jiang Huai’s follow-up: a horizontal slash.

The two swords clashed, sending sparks flying.

Lu Yuan’s Celestial Master Sword was Top Grade, so it naturally held its own.

As he parried, Lu Yuan said, "I suggest you all just go back quietly."

Hearing this, Jiang Huai was certain his group’s identity had been exposed.

"Lord Lu, what are you talking about? I don’t understand," Jiang Huai said, feigning ignorance.

Lu Yuan continued to trade blows with Jiang Huai. "It’s a little late for that. Stop pretending. I have a way to ensure your safety."

Jiang Huai fell back a step.

’Let he who tied the bell be the one to untie it.’

’Since the mission was doomed to fail, I won’t be able to report success upon returning to the Imperial Capital.’

’According to Jinyi Guard regulations, failing a mission on the same target twice in a row meant that I and my men would definitely face severe punishment.’

Jiang Huai considered his options. The predicament he was in could likely only be resolved by Lu Yuan.

Back in the Imperial Capital, Jiang Huai was known for commanding respect through his strictness.

This time, however, he couldn’t see any other way out.

Jiang Huai’s attacks were no longer as sharp as they had been moments ago.

He used the cover of their fight to start talking with Lu Yuan.

It would take more than a few words to make a Central Guard Thousand Households of the Southern Town Patrol Department switch sides.

This would require a proper conversation.

The Jinyi Guard below the stage watched their superior, thoroughly puzzled.

In their eyes, the Central Guard Thousand Households was still holding back, not using his full strength against Lu Yuan.

They knew full well what their superior was capable of.

The spectators in the crowd were also confused. "Is this the real strength of a Grand Celestial Master? He hasn’t used any Daoist Skills at all!"

A Grand Celestial Master’s Daoist Skills were highly effective against Xingzi, but they also worked on humans.

If all he did was slash and stab, then how was he any different from a Traveler?

Just as the crowd was wondering about this...

...Lu Yuan sent Jiang Huai flying with a heavy kick.

Jiang Huai collapsed to the ground, unmoving.

A few men hurried forward to help him up.

’That’s our direct superior! He just got knocked flat on his back, of course we have to go attend to him!’

Of course, most of the Jinyi Guard remained where they were, staring at their superior’s sorry state.

’They couldn’t all swarm over to help him, right? That would be too obvious.’

The remaining Jinyi Guard who had yet to face Lu Yuan were like deflated balloons.

Every one of them knew with perfect clarity: if their superior, a Grand Celestial Master, couldn’t beat Lu Yuan, what chance did they have? Even if they were elites among the Jinyi Guard.

After all, Lu Yuan had already defeated the Jinyi Guard who were even stronger than them.

In the subsequent matches, Lu Yuan handily defeated each of the Jinyi Guard.

It looked as though Lu Yuan was about to achieve a grand slam, a clean sweep against more than twenty opponents to set a glorious record.

No one could have imagined that Lu Yuan would be forced out of the sparring ring by the very last Celestial Master to take the stage.

Everyone was astonished. The one who had overwhelmed Lu Yuan, leaving him unable to retaliate, was a mere Celestial Master.

Many people speculated that the Zhao Mansion’s young nephew must have run out of stamina, allowing this final Celestial Master to take advantage of an opening.

Seeing Lu Yuan forced out of the ring and clutching his injured arm, Su Liyan’s short temper instantly flared.

’In my eyes, no one is allowed to hurt my man.’

’Not even in a friendly spar.’

Su Liyan glared at the Celestial Master on the stage who had beaten Lu Yuan.

The Celestial Master on the stage suddenly felt an inexplicable pressure wash over him.

Under this pressure, the Celestial Master couldn’t even keep his footing.

He dropped to one knee, struggling to support himself with his sword.

Lu Yuan saw the Celestial Master’s state on the stage.

’I clearly didn’t hit him that hard, so why is he putting on a show for me?’

’It’s not like I’d hold this match against him. Besides, I intentionally gave him that opening.’

’This Celestial Master doesn’t really think he hurt me, does he?’

But looking at the Celestial Master, it didn’t seem like an act.

Suddenly realizing what was wrong, Lu Yuan spun around and ran toward Su Liyan, who was standing not far behind him.

’That girl... she’s about to revert to her demonic form!’

’If that happens, I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold my wife back.’

’If she just injures them, breaks a few bones, that’s fine.’

’I’m not short on cash!’

’But if she kills them, that’s a huge problem.’

’Even I can’t withstand that kind of public pressure.’

Lu Yuan took off his outer coat and tied it around Su Liyan’s slender waist.

Many people could tell that Su Liyan was a Half-Demon.

The people Lu Yuan was looking to hire were no ordinary folk, either.

They could naturally tell that Su Liyan was not a normal human.

What they couldn’t see, however, was that this seemingly beautiful and gentle girl could send them all flying with a single swipe of her tail when angered.

In a situation like this, Lu Yuan couldn’t care less what other people thought.

Lu Yuan pulled Su Liyan into his arms and kissed her deeply.

Half a minute later, Lu Yuan pulled back and said, "Honey, please don’t transform!"