I Have A Martial Dao World

The Zhenhai Naval Force only pursued symbolically for a while before they realized that even with cannonballs, the battle could no longer be continued.

In this battle, the naval force lost three warships, including the Zhiyuan, and the remaining seven were all severely damaged.

The hulls were riddled with holes from taking on water; some were still emitting thick, billowing smoke, looking like nothing more than scrap metal.

The flagship Dingyuan, in particular, had been scorched by a massive fire and had already lost the ability to navigate. It was now summoning the entire fleet's engineers onboard for repairs.

The situation was urgent at the time. The fire raging below the decks could not be extinguished, and the only option was to close the hatches to prevent the flames from spreading.

When these hatches were opened, many crew members were found burnt alive; they had stayed at their posts as the fire spread and were still in the positions they had been in the moment they died!

There were many such individuals, and each ship had lost at least a quarter of its crew.

In the face of artillery, the bodies of flesh and blood were too fragile, and even those in the Blood-Exchange Realm could perish without a trace if they weren't careful.

The death of these sailors was the greatest loss for the Zhenhai Fleet. They were a modern military force with a strong fighting will, trained with great effort by captains who had returned from studying abroad in previous years; they could not be replaced in one or two years.

The ships, patched up as best as they could be, were scarcely fit for travel. Meanwhile, a sea burial was organized during this period, following naval tradition to allow the souls of the fallen to return to the ocean, making this vast expanse of blue their final resting place.

Wrapped in bandages, Captain Deng looked at the fleet marred with scars and sighed,

"Ship and firearm developments are changing day by day, and the Yoshino's speed, rate of fire, and accuracy are far superior to ours. The stagnation of our naval force bodes ill for the nation."

"Let Li Zhongtang and the others worry about these matters," Chen Jinkui said with a smile:

"I asked Commander Lin for some alcohol. Let's celebrate your '45th Birthday' first! Today's the 18th of August, such an auspicious day~"

Captain Deng's expression turned stern, as he was about to reprimand them—drinking was strictly forbidden on the ship—but then he reconsidered, realizing he had no ship left to uphold the rules on.

While he was feeling sentimental, he suddenly noticed something off about Yu Yanmei nearby.

Although she was standing there, he couldn't sense her presence, and her entire being had an 'as if riding the wind' ethereal and transparent sensation, making her seem even more detached from the world.

It took a good while before Yu Yanmei returned to normal.

With much experience, Captain Deng immediately congratulated her with a fist salute, "Congratulations to Grandmaster Yu for your breakthrough in Spirit Refinement to the state of 'Oblivion'!"

The people around them also reacted, hastily congratulating her together, their expressions filled with barely concealed envy.

Yu Yanmei responded with a casual nod as if to deal with the formality and looked up at the sky with a puzzled expression, seemingly deep in thought.

~~~~~~~~~

Lu Yao and the other two returned home. Without saying a word, they fell asleep immediately and did not wake up until the sun was high in the sky.

To achieve better cultivation results, the three of them had carried their cart all the way home, exhausting themselves to the limit.

Waking up with the smooth and fragrant body in his arms, Lu Yao deeply inhaled a few breaths from Liao Qe's body before getting out of bed. The girl quickly scrambled to help him dress.

In the courtyard, Liao Ya was already practicing boxing.

Su Erya was there too, waiting like a housekeeper ready to report on her tasks.

Pointing to a large basket of invitation cards, she said, "Uncle Master, during these few days while you were away, 30 people came to visit. They all want to establish a relationship with you."

"Hmm, I see, throw them all away," Lu Yao said casually. "Is there any news in the newspaper?"

Su Erya handed over the newspaper: "The Government Forces won the naval battle, and Izumo has retreated. The Empress Dowager, in great joy, has added grace to the science exams and is holding a martial arts competition to select 'Martial Scholars'."

Lu Yao took the newspaper and saw that the Imperial Court was planning to hold a Blood-Exchange Realm exclusive martial arts competition in Imperial City on the 6th of October, as a tribute to the longevity celebration.

The top three will be granted the title of "Martial Scholar" and rewarded with varying amounts of silver, ranging from 100 to 300 taels.

These did not concern Lu Yao; he had already been conferred a third-grade official title by the court and enjoyed privileges like "exemption from kneeling." He certainly was not lacking in money.

However, the prize for the first place was the 'Nirvana Sutra!' That was somewhat interesting.

Lu Yao asked with curiosity, "By the name, it seems like a Mystical Refinement Method?"

"It is the Mystical Refinement Method of Baique Temple," Liao Ya joined in. "Baique Temple is at the forefront of Buddhism, on par with Wudang. The Sect-Protecting Divine Skill was leaked at the end of the previous dynasty and ended up in the possession of the Imperial Court."

Lu Yao said, teasing her, "Big sister, you sure know a lot~"

"I read about it in picture books when I was a child," Liao Ya said with a blush. "Liao Qe liked those books; she bought so many of them..."

"You're talking nonsense! You liked them even more than me, you have a whole pile hidden under your bed!"

Hearing her sister's words from afar, Liao Qe hastily denied it.

Liao Ya went to tickle her sister, and the two charming girls started frolicking around.

Lu Yao stretched lazily, feeling that life was wonderful. But, the next piece of news was not so pleasing.

~~~~~~~~~

"Uncle Master, there is also a document and a telegram," Su Erya whispered. "Both are related to the Commandery Princess."

Upon hearing this, Liao Ya and Liao Qe also became curious and leaned in to see, wondering how Li Pei was doing.

Upon opening the Imperial Court's document, it sternly stated that Li Pei had been negligent of her duties and had been removed from her position as the president of the Yunzhou branch of the National Martial Arts Association.

The telegram she sent, however, read: "All is well, no need for concern."

Liao Ya sighed, "To call this 'all is well'... Sister Li Pei certainly knows how to put on a brave face."

Liao Qe nodded in agreement, "She doesn't want us to worry."

Lu Yao fell silent for a while before speaking, "Big sister, I'm going to try synchronizing the cleansing of my brain and spinal cord; help me with the protective rites."

"All right, are you confident?"

"Hmm, I've benefited a lot from continuous hard cultivation. I have cleansed up to the 12th segment of my spine," Lu Yao shared his thoughts. "I plan to advance to the Blood-Exchange Realm soon and then visit Li Pei in Imperial City."

Liao Qe interjected, "I also miss Sister Li Pei. Once you've achieved the Blood-Exchange, let's go together."

Lu Yao smiled, "Perhaps we can also participate in the martial arts competition along the way and win the Mystic Cultivation Manual to enrich the Liao Family Fist's Scripture Depository~"

The Blood-Exchange Realm not only offers a complete cure for deadly illnesses but also provides enough power to defend oneself!n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

If those in the Marrow-Cleansing Realm were surrounded by a vast army or trapped in a narrow terrain, they would still face death under a barrage of bullets.

But the Blood-Exchange Realm is different. One could withstand a .50 caliber machine gun for a dozen or so shots—it's essentially impervious to conventional weapons. At the very least, there would be time to escape.