Binding to Geniuses To Become Stronger

Dusk was approaching.

The autumn rain did not let up—it became heavy rain and thunder shook the skies.

The streets of the ancient city were washed clean and the puddles turned into flowing rivers.

A horse carriage emerged. The carriage wheels spun quickly on the limestone path, splashing water as the carriage bounded for the city gates.

Zhao Wuji had a bamboo hat on as he urged the horse forward.

He raised the token as the carriage approached the gates.

The soldiers who guarded the city walls rushed to open the gates.

The carriage raced past the narrow opening without hesitation.

Not long after they left the city, Zhao Wuji tugged sharply on the reins. The horse whinnied and reared before falling back onto all fours.

Its heavy hooves stomped on the wet ground and caused rainwater to splash up.

The passenger in the carriage peeled open the blinds—a veiled Jiang Linglong looked out.

“My lady, look,” Zhao Wuji said as he stared into the distance.

Jiang Linglong let her sight roam. Surprise registered on her face.

Under the roaring rain, she saw two silhouettes on the official path—it was a standoff between two capable opponents who were ready to kill.

The ground around them was a mess—sword marks, craters from punches, footprints…

There were also signs of spell casting.

A huge battle had occurred here.

Wei Sheng’s top was torn in multiple areas, showing his toned torso. A long, black sword was stabbed into the earth. He leaned on the sword with both hands as he panted.

Across Wei Sheng stood a pale-faced Li Yuanzhen who had blood running down his fingers.

There were holes in Li Yuanzhen’s long robe but the boy retained his elegant look.

The carriage rolled to a stop 30 meters away.

The two boys turned and saw Jiang Linglong exit the carriage, umbrella in hand.

Wei Sheng gave Jiang Linglong an honest smile.

“My mentor told me to help Fang Lang. Wanna double team?” Wei Sheng asked.

Jiang Linglong’s starry eyes gave Li Yuanzhen a once-over.

The look was enough to make Li Yuanzhen freeze. He quickly put on an amiable smile and picked up his fallen oil paper umbrella. “This is merely a misunderstanding.”

Li Yuanzhen smiled courteously at Jiang Linglong.

Then, he turned and left for Changan, the thought of joining the ruckus in Qiuling Demon Portal abandoned. ‘It probably isn’t that great anyway. No point wasting my time.’

Wei Sheng and Jiang Linglong were not normal cultivators. Li Yuanzhen knew he could only take them on one at a time. Having to fight both of them at once would result in his defeat.

Hence, Li Yuanzhen did as he said and returned to Changan to avoid embarrassment.

They would meet again for the final section of the Imperial Examination so there was no point fighting then and there.

Outside the city, Jiang Linglong bowed slightly at Wei Sheng before returning to her carriage.

Just as she lifted the blinds, a shockwave rippled through her slender figure.

She lifted her head and peered at the ancient city of Changan through the curtain of heavy rain.

Wei Sheng’s smile fell as he glanced at the city with a serious expression.

On the main street of Changan City, Li Yuanzhen’s footsteps landed in a rain puddle. He lifted his head, a startled expression on his face.

…

In the inn on a small alley.

The storm was worsening. Lu Taixuan’s belly was filled with wine when he bade farewell to Cui Cheng. Umbrella in hand, he waded through the ankle-deep waters and headed back to his official residence.

Dong!

An austere bell rang from within the Royal City. The ominous ring shattered the falling raindrops, echoing through every corner of the city.

The chime was akin to the Sky God reciting the sins of humankind, demanding the rain to cleanse the Earth.

Someone had offended the Tang Code that hung over every head in the Tang Dynasty.

Lu Taixuan’s footsteps stalled. The hunchbacked Cui Cheng rose and stepped out of the inn. The storm drenched the old man.

The two elders raised their heads and stared at Changan’s skyline that was plagued by dark clouds.

…

The golden imperial decree hung above Changan City. The raindrops vibrated like the old foreign tribesmen dancing frantically.

The falling droplets in the night sky gathered around the golden imperial decree.

On the decree, an endless list of laws was set.

Every raindrop that collected around the royal decree formed one complicated rune after another.

The runes exuded a destructive aura.

This was a forbidden spell.

Anyone who raised their heads could see an alluring drop of crimson rolling down the golden imperial decree—someone had drawn the royal family’s blood.

Hum.

Suddenly, a shockwave rippled through the empire.

Then, the drop of blood on the golden decree congealed and shot out in the form of an arrow.

The red arrow speared through the air like a brushstroke through an ink wash painting, splitting Changan’s sky in half.

The arrow headed straight for Qiuling Demon Portal’s hunting grounds.

…

The autumn rain continued.

The world was silent except for the sound of rain striking the soil.

Li Liancheng looked at the wounds on his abdomen in shock. The stabbing pain ran up his torn muscles and registered in his mind—fear struck his heart.

He was… injured!

He glanced at the boy who was stained with his royal blood—those eyes were determined and shone with a hint of madness.

Even the lowly had episodes of madness…

The third prince was incredulous. “How dare you stab me?!”

This was the first time Li Liancheng was injured, the first time he saw blood flowing out of his body…

Royal blood flowed in his veins. The issue of succession had always plagued the three princes but their exchanges were cordial despite wishing each other death.

Their restraint was due to the Tang Code that governed the whole empire.

The laws varied in weight and severity but the most important…

‘Anyone who draws royal blood will be executed.’

By the laws of the Tang Dynasty ruled by the Li family, the Tang Code was incontestable.

No one dared to oppose the laws, except this teen.

This teen who ran his sword into the third prince’s abdomen!

This teen who tore the third prince’s skin and flesh!

This teen who took his sword to the Tang Code!

Li Liancheng studied Fang Lang. With a calm expression, he said, “You’re dead.”

The third prince eagerly awaited Fang Lang’s execution.

Boom!

Fang Lang drew the Obsidian Sword from Li Liancheng’s abdomen. The urge to move overcame him and he leaped onto the horse carriage, picking up the relaxed Blooming Lotus Sword. With both swords in hand, Fang Lang retreated back into the muddy ground.

Li Liancheng’s face was pale. He had one hand on the carriage wall and another on a jade bottle. He swallowed a medicinal pill, then placed a hand over his abdominal wound.

All the while, his eyes never once left Fang Lang.

A distance away, Nan Yehuo crawled up, using his remaining arm and sword as support. His unibrow was scrunched into an ugly expression.

He glanced between the injured Li Liancheng and the golden bloodstains on Fang Lang’s robes—he relaxed his muscles.

Nan Yehuo was not needed, Fang Lang was a dead man walking.

Nobody was exempted from the Tang Code—a forbidden killing spell that acted on the soul.

Even the Blooming Lotus Sword was useless against it.

Nan Yehuo breathed out a sigh of relief.

Amidst the rain, despair painted Wen Ting’s face—he of all people was intimately familiar with the horrors of the Tang Code.

Fang Lang would die without a doubt.

As his mentor, Wen Ting had failed him.

…

Rumble!

Outside Qiuling Demon Portal, a blade of light zoomed through the sky like a white dragon.

The rain and clouds were decimated by its speed.

Chao Xiaojian had a head in one hand as he rode the currents of his three-foot long sword.

His face was drawn into a frown while fear clouded his eyes.

The power of the Tang Code…

There were more than a thousand laws etched into the Tang Code—some were insignificant footnotes that could be easily bypassed but a few were immutable.

“That… That aura was the senior’s…”

Chao Xiaojian’s white hair billowed in the wind. He looked into the Qiuling Demon Portal’s hunting grounds.

His eyes sparkled.

The Blooming Lotus Sword held a secret.

Someone had uncovered the secret.

Chao Xiaojian flung the decapitated head into the mountains and rivers below. Then, he turned just in time to catch the flaming red arrow that shot out from Changan City.

Chao Xiaojian stood among the clouds with his hands pressed together.

Suddenly, his sword hovered above his head and he appeared as if he was a devout Buddha.

He waited for the judgment arrow to arrive.

The sky was split open by the red streak.

Chao Xiaojian’s eyes opened wide, a flash of madness shone within.

All would run and hide from the Tang Code.

All but the White-Haired Sword Demon Chao Xiaojian! He stood against the incoming missile.

Like a madman, he laughed as he raised his hands above his head. White hair flew in all directions as he brought his pressed hands down.

The raindrops in the atmosphere transformed into blade rays.

Chao Xiaojian’s body was flung backward. Blade rays continuously bloomed at the arrow tip. The red arrow spun in the air as it flew, destroying the light’s attempt to impede it.

The three-foot steel sword stood against the Tang Code!

Within the demon portal, the third prince and Nan Yehuo stared incredulously at the man who was fighting the judgment arrow of the Tang Code.

Lunatic!

Dang!

A loud noise.

Chao Xiaojian’s white hair was blown back. With a swing of his sword, he deflected the red arrow and sent it soaring toward the earth. However, before the arrow touched ground, it switched directions and flew straight at Fang Lang.

Frustration boiled in Chao Xiaojian. He tried.

Whoosh!

Fang Lang stood motionless with a calm expression.

He faced the incoming arrow with both the Obsidian Sword and Blooming Lotus Sword in hand.

Danger was approaching.

At that moment, Fang Lang sent out the Blooming Lotus Sword.

Lotus Blade, strike!

A lotus blossom appeared before Fang Lang, shielding him from the attack.

Zoom!

The lotus flower wilted on impact.

The Tang Code’s judgment continued its flight toward Fang Lang’s head.

‘Just die already,’ Li Liancheng thought with a snide chuckle.

The chuckle soon died down in the third prince’s throat.

‘Ding! Instant Casting Staff effect activated! Spiritual sense protection provides an ultimate defense against spiritual sense’s attack.’

A chime echoed in Fang Lang’s ears. Suddenly, his world took on a golden tint. As the red arrow plunged into his golden world, it was taken apart inch by inch. The residual energy from the spell was condensed into a ball of spiritual sense energy which fused with Fang Lang.

The fusion raised Fang Lang’s spell mastery abilities—the shackles on the spell master class were broken.

Fang Lang advanced from a measly eight-grade spell disciple to a third-grade spell master after the absorption of the Tang Code’s judgment.

The rain continued to fall.

Silence filled the atmosphere.

The teen who was just punished by the ironclad laws of the Tang Dynasty stood under the pouring rain with his heart beating wildly.

Fang Lang slowly turned to face the third prince atop his carriage.

A bright smile appeared on his face as he said, “That’s all?

“The Tang Code is strangely comforting.”