Ni Kun, clad in a prisoner's uniform smeared with filth and bloodstains, couldn't help the maniacal elation that flashed in his eyes when he saw Chen Ku, dressed all in black, appear at the entrance of the alley.
He hadn't expected to run into this little beast while escaping to freedom. How fortunate! Could there be anything more gratifying than avenging his great hatred before making his escape?
However, his elation vanished when he saw Chen Ku, without a word, smashing his iron rod straight down onto his head.
WHIZ!
The alley was already narrow. This blow instantly compressed the air, making it feel as if an orb of gas had detonated right above Ni Kun's head!
Danger! A single, blood-red word frantically pulsed in Ni Kun's mind. The oppression of death enveloped him like a rapidly rising tide!
It is said that in the moment before death, one can witness all the memories of a lifetime in the briefest of instants.
At this moment, Ni Kun saw his life unfold. He went from being a horse slave in Yuan Country to a smuggler by serendipity. At twenty, he was initiated into the Blood Blade Sect. After a decade, he was granted the Blood Blade, only for it to be lost later. Finally, outside Tongluo Lane, Chen Ku reported him, leading to his capture.
All the images finally narrowed down to the rod looming above his head. In the final glimmer of consciousness and Divine Intent, he understood everything.
This brother-in-law of Li Yuancheng, an apprentice from Medicine King Hall named Chen Ku, was no ordinary character... The terrifying power in this blow confirmed it: from the very beginning, his imprisonment had been orchestrated by Chen Ku... He had actually thought running into him at the alley entrance was a coincidence. Chen Ku, this youth, had clearly come after him, intending to kill him with his own hands!
After the scenes of his life flashed through his mind, Ni Kun had no chance to make any grand gestures. He acted on pure instinct, summoning his Inner Qi and raising his arms above his head, hoping to struggle one last time. He pinned his hopes on surviving this strike.
However, the moment Chen Ku's rod made contact with his arms, all of Ni Kun's hopes for survival burst like a bubble.
BANG!
Under the force of the rod, the Inner Qi in his arms was instantly obliterated, and his arms themselves turned into a bloody, fleshy mess mid-air! The Skyward Strike, unleashed with the Irresistible Power of Four Elephants, was something Ni Kun couldn't have withstood even in his prime, let alone in his current state.
"AAAH!!"
Ni Kun only had time for that single scream as his arms exploded into bloody mush. That rod, like a pillar from heaven, then struck his torso, crushing his body and shattering it within the alley!
GURGLE.
Only an intact head remained, rolling onto the ground. Inside the alley, a miasma of blood and filth lingered.
WHOOSH.
After killing Ni Kun, Chen Ku watched as the man's Evil Qi was absorbed into his mind. He then exhaled deeply. He looked down at the iron rod in his hand; it had bent at a right angle.
"Not having my Refined Iron Dragon Stick does make things a bit inconvenient..." As he spoke, he manually straightened the iron rod with his hand.
He had stolen this rod on a whim from a shop, along with a set of clothes. The reason was simple: after transforming into the Flower Fox Mink, his entire body had shrunk, and his clothes had fallen off long ago. But the Flower Fox Mink's demonic speed had given Chen Ku enough time to change clothes and grab a weapon en route, still allowing him to get ahead of Ni Kun and kill him with a single blow.
Bending down, he picked up Ni Kun's head. I deliberately shifted the rod towards his shoulder when I struck,
he thought. Otherwise... if his head was smashed, how could I exchange it for the bounty?
Since he was helping the county government office catch a criminal today, there was no need to clean up the bloodstains. Besides, he wasn't carrying any corpse-dissolving powder. He wrapped Ni Kun's head in cloth and returned to his courtyard in the outer city, where he simply sprinkled some lime on it.
Then, he picked up his own Refined Iron Dragon Stick and headed out again. The reason for heading out again was simple: if all the escaped death-row inmates were like Ni Kun, each would provide him with a strand of Evil Qi and at least eight hundred taels of silver in bounty.
Meat delivered right to his door, and killings that would earn him commendation? How could he pass this up?
Moreover, his Flower Fox Mink form had inherited Skinny Dog's keen sense of smell, allowing him to memorize the scent of everyone from the marketplace. With a quick dash, he chased after one of the death-row inmates.
In no time, within the span it took to drink two or three cups of tea, Chen Ku found an inmate hiding in the courtyard of a dilapidated thatched cottage, seemingly intending to stay hidden there. The result: Chen Ku vaulted over the wall and caught him red-handed.
[There is Lin Jiu, with ill intentions towards the master...]
The criminal, Lin Jiu, was a notorious "flower thief" who had drugged and raped over a dozen respectable women in the county, even targeting the daughter of a prominent family. That family had offered a hefty bounty, leading to his eventual capture by a Blade-Handler and a death sentence.
The moment Lin Jiu, a ferocious death-row inmate, saw Chen Ku enter with a stick, he immediately guessed Chen Ku was a Blade-Handler or similar. Even if not, he's at least a trained martial practitioner... There's no chance of escape. If he catches me and shouts, I'll be like a rat everyone wants to beat.
Therefore, Lin Jiu lunged, his body tensing like a drawn bow. Shaking his spine to generate power, he swung the broken shackles on his wrist like an iron whip towards Chen Ku's face!
The moment Lin Jiu attacked, Chen Ku sensed that while his opponent didn't use Inner Qi, he was still a Martial Practitioner whose strength and intent were unified. The attack carried a bloody Divine Intent, rushing towards Chen Ku like a blade honed from countless killings—sharp and deadly!
"You're dead!" Lin Jiu roared.
However, as Lin Jiu attacked, Chen Ku, wielding the Refined Iron Dragon Stick, simply stepped forward and, with a flick of his stick, swept the chains aside. He then executed the Lion's Nod from the Spirit Ape Knocking Mountain Stick technique—a direct jab with his stick.
WHOOSH!!
The air audibly ripped as the stick jabbed forward.
Lin Jiu felt the stick flick his iron chains with the force of an adult elephant's trunk striking his hand. His arm was instantly crippled. Then... he saw the point of the stick growing larger and larger before his eyes.
"No!"
Lin Jiu's pupils shrank, his mouth agape. He only had time for a desperate scream.
"PUH... GURGLE..."
His throat was pierced through by the jab.
PFFT.
Chen Ku withdrew his stick, contemplating how to take the thief's head, when a voice suddenly came from behind him, "I didn't expect there to be such a young Blade-Handler in the county, getting ahead of me."
Chen Ku immediately turned. A slender man in a hemp robe and a Conical Hat that obscured his face walked in from outside the courtyard. He gave Chen Ku a slight bow, "My name is Feng Guang, also a Blade-Handler. I was chasing this man here, but it seems you've already taken him down, little brother. So, the bounty is yours."
Another Blade-Handler? Chen Ku looked at the man and nodded.
Feng Guang, not minding Chen Ku's silence, glanced at the dead Lin Jiu. He then pulled a small knife from his waist and tossed it to Chen Ku. "Meeting like this is fate. It seems you didn't bring a knife, little brother. Borrow mine. It'll be more convenient for taking his head and carrying it. If you don't mind, perhaps we could team up afterwards..."
Chen Ku glanced at the knife the man had tossed, abandoning his plan to use the stick to smash the body—that would be too gory.
Just as he bent down to pick up the knife,
[There is Feng Guang, with ill intentions towards the master...]
Without hesitation, Chen Ku straightened up and swung his stick fiercely at the Conical Hat-wearing man before him.
CLANG!
The stick parried the long knife Feng Guang had slashed at him. The impact sent Feng Guang stumbling back several steps, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief as he stared at Chen Ku.
Chapter 78: Chapter 78: Passing the Stick
Feng Guang was a Blade-Handler, and to put it plainly, this profession had nothing to do with benevolence, righteousness, or morality.
Not only did he handle blades for the government, but sometimes he did so for private individuals as well.
He was driven by only one thing.
Money!
Handling blades for the government involved capturing notorious criminals and fugitives wanted by the government and claiming the bounty. But sometimes it wasn't just the government that issued Bounty Orders; many large, shady households would also secretly offer rewards for certain people's lives.
For example, not long ago, Huang Gun had a bounty placed on him in the black market. However, before any Blade-Handler or government official could find him, he fell into the hands of Chen Ku.
Overall, the profession of a Blade-Handler wasn't reputable. Their movements were very covert, and very few people knew their true identities.
They were solely motivated by money.
They also never shared a bounty with another, nor did they have the habit of forming teams for blade-handling.
Feng Guang, shockingly swept back by a staff blow from Chen Ku, looked at his cleaver. The blade now had a gaping nick the size of a baby's fist.
His arm trembled violently from that strike.
He had assumed this young Blade-Handler possessed little strength, so he harbored malicious intent. He planned to trick Chen Ku and strike suddenly when Chen Ku was about to use his blade to sever Lin Jiu's head.
That way, the bounty for Lin Jiu would be his alone.
Motivated by greed, he frequently engaged in killing and plundering from fellow Blade-Handlers, picking up easy gains, as it was both simple and effortless.
Typically, with the other party completely unguarded, he would finish them off in an instant.
But he had not expected...
"You thought to kill me?!"
With a murderous glint in his eyes, Chen Ku swept Feng Guang's weapon away with his staff. He then stepped forward swiftly, swinging the Refined Iron Rod horizontally at Feng Guang!
He had been vigilant and cautious all along. Even without the Transformation Diagram's reminder, he remained on guard.
On that basis, as soon as the Transformation Diagram alerted him to the opponent's malice, he didn't hesitate and swung his staff outright!
"Young man... a misunderstanding..."
Feng Guang was shocked. The moment they engaged, he felt Chen Ku's true strength—a bodily Force Power of at least tens of thousands of pounds, not counting some strange Qi Power.
Tens of thousands of pounds of Force Power?! At this age... What kind of monster is this?
Never mind Baojiao County, even in the entire Qiu Dragon Mansion, perhaps only Grandmaster Jin Chui in his youth possessed such a Root Bone. To think such a figure could emerge from a small place like Baojiao County, and I just had to run into him.
CLANG!
His Inner Qi surged through the Treasure Blade in his hand as he executed a fierce Bladesmanship technique to block Chen Ku's staff. However, the impact was so strong that the webbing of his hand split open and bled, his arm nearly fractured, and he was flung backward!
"Young man, it really is a misunderst—"
"Misunderstanding, my ass!!"
Chen Ku pressed his advantage relentlessly. Raising the Refined Iron Rod, he executed a Skyward Strike, smashing it down toward Feng Guang's head.
Feng Guang was horrified. Already knowing he was no match, he dared not block again. He executed a series of rapid evasive steps, narrowly avoiding the heavily forceful strike.
But after dodging one staff blow, another followed.
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
The air itself seemed to shriek from the sonic booms created by Chen Ku's staff.
Feng Guang was terrified.
At that moment, his only thought was to escape. He didn't even want his Treasure Blade anymore. Immediately stepping back a few paces, he threw his Treasure Blade towards Chen Ku's face using the Flying Blade Technique.
He had no hope that this attack would harm Chen Ku; he simply wanted to disrupt Chen Ku's rhythm, to gain a chance to catch his breath and turn to flee.
The moment he threw the blade, he turned and retreated, making a few quick steps, about to leap over the wall.
Chen Ku was indeed distracted by the flying blade and missed a step in his advance.
Monster! If I ever encounter him again, I'll definitely stay away... Feng Guang felt the force of the staff disappear from behind him and breathed a huge sigh of relief. He was utterly terrified of Chen Ku and resolved never to cross paths with this man again. But just as this thought flashed through his mind...
Although Chen Ku had faltered for a moment, a stream of white Qi shot from between his brows, instantly transforming in midair into a Strange Beast the size of a giant elephant.
It lunged at Feng Guang to swallow him.
Feng Guang only felt a dark shadow looming over him like a black cloud. As he looked up, he saw a huge, gaping maw.
"What kind of... demon..."
CRUNCH!
Half of his body was bitten off by the Flower Fox Mink. With another bite, his entire person was swallowed into its belly.
[Diagram Master killed Feng Guang, gained one streak of Evil Qi.]
With an indifferent expression, Chen Ku recalled the Flower Fox Mink. He walked forward and looked at the puddle of blood.
Blade-Handler...
In the future, when encountering someone from this profession, I'll always assume the worst from the start.
He bowed his head, turned, cut off Lin Jiu's head, and carried it back to the small courtyard.
His nostrils flared.
Chen Ku muttered to himself, Truly efficient. Eight death row inmates, and I've only taken down two. The other six are already dead.
It seems the number and quality of Blade-Handlers in this city are quite astonishing.
But if Chen Ku had heard what County Lieutenant Ma said, he would have known that the Blade-Handlers had already been positioned near the execution grounds.
Two bounties are still two bounties. Anyway, that's over a thousand taels in the bag...
Just as Chen Ku was preparing to call it quits, he suddenly smelled a familiar scent.
It's Master Yang's scent, and Instructor Chai Bao from Medicine King Hall, along with many masters...
「...」
Before long, Chen Ku followed the scent and arrived at a main street in the outer city. There, he saw Medicine King Hall experts, led by Master Yang Luochen, fiercely battling seven Peace Path experts and a middle-aged man in a purple robe.
"Yang Luochen, hasn't the injury I inflicted on you last time taught you a lesson?" Peace Path Incense Master Yan Hongwen, holding a Peach Wood Sword adorned with yellow Talisman Paper, teamed up with the purple-robed man to fight Yang Luochen.
"Demon People, if it weren't for you lot last time, I wouldn't have broken through to Inner Strength!" Yang Luochen retorted. He wielded his twelve-thousand-jin Water-Fire Dragon Head Staff, his body swelling to over two meters tall. Looking like a heavenly god descending to subdue demons, he pressed the two men, forcing them to retreat continuously.
Yan Hongwen spat out a mouthful of blood from the force of a staff strike, his face twitching. Although he was augmented by Talisman Papers, he was no match for the ferocious Yang Luochen.
Not to mention, even before his breakthrough, Yang Luochen was already the second strongest in Baojiao County. Now that he had stepped into the Inner Strength realm, in terms of sheer Qi Power, he could well be considered the number one expert in Baojiao County.
Xu Family Head, this Old Man Yang's most formidable aspect is his stick technique, Yan Hongwen communicated using Talisman Paper. I have an ultimate Divine Talisman here. In a moment, I'll use my Talisman Sword to block his staff. You seize the opportunity and unleash the Divine Talisman with your Mountain-Lifting Palm. It would be best if it hits him. Even if it doesn't, it could still send his weapon flying. Then... he'll be like a tiger without its claws... no longer a threat to us.
Xu Ao, the Xu Family Head clad in purple robes, did not delay. Though he was only at the Fourth Realm of Meridian-Opening, his inherited techniques were profound, especially the Mountain-Lifting Palm, which had an astonishing origin. Coordinating with Yan Hongwen, he struck out with his palm, unleashing the Divine Talisman.
The Divine Talisman transformed into a mountain-shaped palm force that dominated the ten-meter-wide street, smashing down powerfully toward Yang Luochen!
For the first time, a solemn expression appeared on Yang Luochen's face. He sensed that the Talisman Paper had amplified Xu Ao's Mountain-Lifting Palm Force by severalfold. He also felt an extremely dangerous aura, very similar to the day he and Monk Yunfang were injured.
He immediately swung his staff to sweep away that palm force.
Unexpectedly, this played right into their hands.
BOOM!!
On the street, everyone, including Instructor Chai Bao who was fighting other Peace Path Taoists, and Nong Baosen, the head master of the Hundred Herbs Courtyard, turned their heads in shock. They saw...
In the center of the trio's battle, a palm force manifestation the size of a small house exploded, blasting all three combatants backward. Yang Luochen's twelve-thousand-jin Famous Weapon, the "Water-Fire Dragon Head Staff," was sent flying tens of meters into the air before crashing heavily to the ground, gouging out a large pit several meters wide.
BOOM!
Dust flew everywhere.
"Master Yang's Dragon Head Staff! Without his weapon, Master Yang can't use his Furious Ape Mighty Staff..."
Meanwhile, other masters like Ke Yansheng, and Yang Luochen's apprentice Yang Shaoqi, were engaged in battles with other Peace Path Demon People in various parts of the street.
Without his staff, Yang Luochen was immediately set upon by the two opponents.
Seeing this, Ke Yansheng quickly disengaged from his own fight and retreated, shouting, "You all hold off these Demon People! I'll go get Master Yang's staff!"
He then moved forward, intending to retrieve Master Yang's staff and find an opportunity to return it to him.
Truthfully, he wasn't very confident. After all, even he would struggle to lift the twelve-thousand-jin staff.
Yang Luochen was besieged by the two, one with a sword and the other with palm attacks. He managed to counter with his fists and feet, not falling into a significant disadvantage, but without his weapon, he couldn't even utilize half of his robust Qi Power and Ultimate Skills.
Just then...
Is that... Ke Yansheng suddenly noticed a familiar figure appearing in the large pit at the corner of the street. It was Chen Ku, lifting the Water-Fire Dragon Head Staff with one hand.
Chen Ku picked up the Dragon Head Staff and murmured, I just got here, and Master Yang's staff has already fallen. Does Heaven not want me to witness his Perfection-level Skyward Strike?
「...」
It's almost time to retreat, Yan Hongwen thought, seeing that he and the Xu Family Head had a moment to catch their breath. Otherwise, if Shangguan Yun comes personally, we won't be able to escape. He seized another opportunity and threw out a Talisman Paper.
BANG!!
Yang Luochen, now weaponless, quickly dodged as the Talisman Paper exploded in mid-air, capable of blasting through his Inner Qi and injuring him.
But his retreat also gave his two opponents the chance to swiftly withdraw into the distance.
Yang Luochen was furious. He looked at his empty hands, knowing that if his Dragon Head Staff were still with him, he wouldn't have allowed the two an opportunity to catch their breath and flee.
Just at that moment, the Water-Fire Dragon Head Staff appeared at his side.
"Master Yang, your staff."
Yang Luochen turned and saw a young man who seemed even more anxious than himself, as if afraid he wouldn't be able to catch up to those two and would miss the fight.
"Thank you, young man."
He unconsciously reached for it.
Suddenly, he came back to his senses.
He stared as Chen Ku held the twelve-thousand-jin Water-Fire Dragon Head Staff with one hand, casually passing it to him.
His gaze gradually filled with disbelief.
Chapter 79: Chapter 79 Qilin (First Subscription Check-in)
The air on the street froze slightly.
Yang Luochen stared at Chen Ku, who was holding his Water-Fire Dragon Head Staff, his expression one of utter disbelief.
His Water-Fire Dragon Head Staff, weighing a full twelve thousand jin, was crafted by Qiu Dragon Mansion's top craftsman, Li Yuan, using the Essence of a Hundred Irons, Iron Essence, and Exotic Metal.
A weapon weighing twelve thousand jin could rank within the top ten in the entire Qiu Dragon Mansion.
Only someone with Innate Divine Strength, coupled with training in the Furious Ape Mighty Staff, could wield such a heavy weapon.
Typical Inner Qi Realm practitioners, even if they had cultivated Force Power and nurtured Inner Qi, possessing a body with Thousand Jin Force, could at most amplify their Qi Power to two or three thousand jin with the boost from Force Power and Inner Qi, and that was only when actively cultivating and channeling Qi.
Yet, this apprentice from the hall had casually lifted his Water-Fire Dragon Head Staff single-handedly...
If Ke Yansheng or any other master craftsman from the hall had lifted this staff, it would have all made sense.
But, it was such a young man, only seventeen or eighteen years old.
"How did you manage to lift this staff?"
At this moment, Yang Luochen wasn't even concerned about chasing the Demon People anymore.
Clearly, in his heart, the fact that this youth could lift his staff had suddenly escalated to the most crucial matter at hand.
What importance did the Demon People have compared to this youth before him?
Upon hearing this, Chen Ku's mind flickered. He had initially intended to deliver the weapon to Master Yang and then secretly observe Master Yang's Ultimate Stick Technique, but unexpectedly...
Master Yang focused on his Divine Power instead.
He answered honestly, "Master Yang, I just have a bit of strength, so I could lift it."
Not far away, Ke Yansheng watched this scene, his heart sinking. It's over. Our hall's gem can't be kept safe anymore. Seeing Master Yang looking at Chen Ku with such a burning gaze... Ke Yansheng knew it was all over.
But at the same time, he was immensely shocked by the strength Chen Ku had displayed.
What exactly is going on? The last time this boy pressed down Leopard Head, I thought his strength of four to five thousand jin already qualified as Innate Divine Strength.
Ke Yansheng was momentarily dazed. To think he could lift Master Yang's staff, weighing more than ten thousand jin, with one hand... Isn't this the very definition of a young, born Ba Wang?
So, never mind Master Yang. Even he felt that if Chen Ku didn't follow Master Yang to cultivate the Furious Ape Mighty Staff, there was simply no martial art within Medicine King Hall more suitable for him.
As others were engaged in their own actions, they too glimpsed this scene from the corners of their eyes, each reacting differently.
That apprentice... actually... Especially Yang Shaoqi, Master Yang's sole heir, felt his eyelids twitching wildly. He had cultivated Inner Qi and was one of the top Disciples in Medicine King Hall, yet when facing his master's staff, forget one hand, he couldn't even lift it with both...
The apprentice had just held it with one hand and handed it over to his master.
In a daze, only one thought remained in Yang Shaoqi's mind: It's over. I'm going to have a junior brother.
Not far away, Yan Hongwen and Xu Family Head Xu Ao also had their respective reactions to this scene.
What kind of luck does Medicine King Hall have? Producing a monster like Yang Luochen with Innate Divine Strength wasn't enough... the hall actually hid another little monster!
Xu Family Head Xu Ao seethed with envy for Medicine King Hall. Why aren't such promising talents part of the Xu Family Bloodline?!
His Xu Family had originally held a status a hundred times superior to Medicine King Hall; they were descendants of the Tuo Mountain Heavenly King Xiong Ying. To avoid pursuit by the Imperial Court and various sects, they had been forced to change their surname to Xu.
At the peak of their family's history, their great-grandfather Xiong Ying was a famous hero, and the Xiong Family's Hero Manor was a colossal power. Not just in Qiu Dragon Mansion, but even in higher-level prefectures or provinces, it was a juggernaut.
Unfortunately, due to continuous pursuit over a hundred years, their talent waned, and their bloodline thinned. Now, they had declined to a minor county-level family.
All this happened because the Qilin Blood within their Xiong Family grew weaker with each generation, leading to their decline.
With great difficulty, over twenty years ago, a descendant with slightly purer Qilin Blood was finally born. Alas, she was female. Being female would have been one thing...
But after she grew up, she tragically encountered the scoundrel Shangguan Yun, who deceived her heart and body, and then aimed to lay hands on the greater secret behind the Xiong Family.
Thus, knowing that Shangguan Yun was deliberately using Minjun to lure them, they had no choice but to attempt to rescue this last descendant with purer blood, even if it meant allying with a cult like Peace Path and paying a hefty price.
Xu Ao shifted his gaze from Chen Ku. He had already put several hundred zhang between himself and the battlefield on the main street, suppressing his envy and jealousy towards Medicine King Hall.
Fortunately, I've successfully broken away. Minjun is with Xu Feijing, the Divine Walker from Peace Path. By now, she should have escaped the city and rendezvoused with the family members sent to meet her.
However, just as Xu Ao felt a wave of relief, preparing to use his full strength to break out of the encirclement and shake off Yang Luochen who was pursuing him, RAT-A-TAT! RAT-A-TAT-TAT! From the end of the long street, the sudden sound of a child's rattle drum echoed.
With the civilians scattered and gone, leaving only a few experts from Medicine King Hall, members of Peace Path, and a handful of Xu family members on the street, the sound was exceptionally clear. It was almost demonic, captivating the ears of Chen Ku and all the Medicine King Hall members present.
[Diagram Master affected by Counselor Sui You's 'Mystic Insect Drum Sound.' Mind shaken by its pervasive influence. Evil Qi has arisen!]
Almost at the same moment Chen Ku felt a sense of unease and agitation stirring in his mind, DUO! Master Yang's voice suddenly sounded by his ear. It was a strange syllable, seemingly imbued with a peculiar Force Power. As it entered Chen Ku's ears, it instantly jolted his mind, and clarity returned to him all at once.
"Master Yang... what is that rattle drum sound?" Chen Ku asked, looking up at Master Yang's towering figure, well over two meters tall.
Master Yang hadn't released his technique; his body remained enlarged.
At what should have been a very serious moment, Chen Ku's thoughts unexpectedly drifted to Master Yang's attire. Master Yang's body has expanded so much, yet his clothes haven't burst? What material are they made of? Could it be something like Heavenly Silkworm Silk from those martial arts TV shows, capable of stretching and contracting? If it really is that kind of material, I should find a way to get a set for myself...
Yang Luochen was unaware that the young man beside him was pondering the material of his clothes. Instead, his gaze was solemnly fixated on Counselor Sui You, who held the rattle drum and had ethereally appeared in the path of Xu Ao's escape.
Regarding Chen Ku's question, he had already discerned the truth: "The drum's sound isn't aimed at us. It's specifically targeting the accomplices of that man in the purple robe. Your cultivation Skill is just shallow, so you were incidentally affected."
Hearing Master Yang's words, Chen Ku also looked on cautiously.
"AAAAHHHHH..."
Indeed, as the rattle drum's sound intensified, Xu Family Head Xu Ao's face immediately turned crimson, his eyeballs reddened, and something seemed to be squirming beneath the skin of his face.
Yan Hongwen exclaimed, "Xu Ao! What's wrong with you?! What's happening? Why is that rattle drum affecting you so intensely?!"
Yan Hongwen saw Xu Ao, apparently controlled by the rattle drum, standing rooted to the spot. He was clawing wildly, howling in extreme pain, and tearing at his own face as if trying to rip it off entirely.
Even though Peace Path used Talisman Techniques in its teachings and possessed many incredible abilities with Talisman Paper, witnessing such a horrifying scene still made Yan Hongwen's scalp tingle.
The most crucial point was... it wasn't just Xu Ao. The few Xu Family members he had brought with him also, at this very moment... screamed in agony.
"Ah, Family Head... there's something burrowing inside me..."
"Family Head, save me!!"
"We seem to be poisoned!!"
All three Xu Family members affected by the rattle drum began tearing at their own skin, as if trying to flay themselves alive.
"Poisoned?" Yan Hongwen staggered back in shock. Since the jailbreak at the execution ground, they had all been together. If it was poisoning... that would mean he too might have been contaminated.
But despite several internal inspections, he couldn't find any similar symptoms in himself.
Then, in an instant... Yan Hongwen seemed to understand something.
He exclaimed in horror, "This poison, is it specifically targeted at your Xu Family?"
"It's not poison! It's a Gu! A Gu specifically targeted at the Xu Family's Qilin Blood!"
Xu Ao let out a miserable wail: "I understand now! That villain Shangguan Yun planted a Blood Gu in Minjun! This Gu specifically targets our Xu Family's Qilin Bloodline! Any Xu Family member who gets close to Minjun will be infected... No..."
So that was it! All the Xu Family members who appeared at the execution ground today had been infected with this Blood Gu.
Suddenly, he thought of something else and let out a despairing roar, "No, Minjun... you mustn't go..."
The moment his words fell—BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! On the long street, the four Xu Family members, led by Xu Family Head Xu Ao, all exploded like balloons, erupting into a gruesome mist of blood.
[The air is thick with the spreading Qi of the Qilin Blood Gu. This is unfavorable for the Diagram Master. 'Qilin Blood Gu Evil' has emerged...]
[Qilin Blood Gu has infiltrated the body...]
Chen Ku was alarmed.
What the hell is this? It's like some pathogen just exploded and is spreading through the air!
Just as Chen Ku was reeling from shock, confirming to himself that he seemed to have been infected by something incredibly dangerous and terrifying,
[The Diagram Master's Flower Fox Mink Physique possesses the ability to devour, digest, and neutralize all poisons. The Blood Gu has been successfully eliminated within the body... One strand of 'Qilin Blood Gu Evil' has been harvested.]
[Qilin Blood Gu Evil (Fourth Realm Demon-level)]
[Qilin Blood Gu: A fusion of Qilin Blood and Blood Gu. Specifically counters the Xu Family Qilin Blood.]
(Note: This bloodline contains the memory inheritance of the Qilin Blood, which can be directly accessed after Transformation.)
[Would you like to equip the Qilin Blood Gu Transformation?]
Chen Ku was bewildered by the series of changes occurring within him.
But one thing was clear... Without doing anything, he had unexpectedly obtained a Fourth Realm Demon-level Evil Qi? And it was some imperceptible, microscopic, virus-like Gu Insect? Does that mean if he underwent Transformation into this Gu Insect, he could, like Monkey Brother, turn into a fly or a flea and burrow into someone's stomach?
Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Surprise
Chen Ku had not expected that while watching a spectacle on the main street, he would somehow be affected, automatically neutralize it, and obtain a Fourth Realm Evil Energy.
But upon closer thought, he was actually somewhat frightened. This was because the Qilin Blood Gu had merely dispersed a tiny amount, which had spread through the air and landed on him.
As a member of the Medicine King Hall, he understood one principle very clearly: namely, discussing toxicity without considering dosage is incorrect.
Although the Flower Fox Mink in his body could detoxify, this Qilin Blood Gu was, after all, a Fourth Realm Levels substance. Otherwise, it couldn't have been used against the Xu Family Head...
It was only because the amount transmitted through the air was too minuscule to pose a significant threat. Additionally, he did not possess Xu Family blood, so there was no suppressive relationship...
Only under these two major conditions could his Flower Fox Mink's detoxifying Physique easily digest and neutralize it.
Look at someone like Master Yang Luochen; he must have inhaled some as well, but he experienced no issues. This was precisely the reason: his inherently strong Physique, combined with not being specifically targeted by the Gu, meant it was of no consequence.
Overall, Chen Ku had lucked out again.
At this moment, he saw that after the four Xu Family experts exploded, a large cloud of blood mist erupted. Surprisingly, it didn't fall to the ground. Instead, it was enveloped by countless, microscopic Gu Insects, seemingly hundreds of times smaller than a normal swarm... It transformed into four pale golden orbs of blood, drifting towards Counselor Sui You, who was holding a pellet drum.
Facing the four drifting golden blood orbs, Counselor Sui You opened a Beast Skin Pouch and collected all of them inside.
Chen Ku watched in amazement, a strange feeling in his heart. He couldn't help but ask, "That Beast Skin Pouch is only about the size of a water flask an ordinary Herbalist would carry into the mountains, yet it can hold four blood orbs, each the size of a human head... How is that possible?"
By speaking out, he was essentially asking Master Yang beside him for an explanation.
Hearing Chen Ku's curious question, Yang Luochen, leaning on his staff, gazed at the pouch in Counselor Sui You's hands and explained, "That is made from a part of a special Demon and Monster Strange Beast found in the mountains, known as the 'Fur Bear.' Its stomach is unique; it can hold food up to twice its own body size. When human artisans craft its stomach into a pouch, it gains storage capabilities."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ku's heart stirred.
A Fur Bear? Are they easy to hunt? If I could kill one, wouldn't that be like having a personal Storage Bag? Then, in the future, I could carry several changes of clothes and even store my Weapons inside...
Yang Luochen saw the boy's eager expression and poured cold water on his enthusiasm, saying, "Precisely because its stomach pouch has such an effect, the Fur Bear has been hunted extensively for millennia. This has led to it becoming a rare and scarce Strange Beast within the territory of the Daji Dynasty. So, don't underestimate that small pouch. It's a true treasure worth tens of thousands, and often, money can't even buy it."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ku's spirits immediately flagged.
Meanwhile, the Peace Path Incense Master, who had just witnessed Counselor Sui You effortlessly slay the four Xu Family experts, now had a face as white as a sheet. Originally, he alone was no match for Yang Luochen. He needed the cooperation of the Xu Family Head to even have a chance of escaping. Now, not only had the four skilled members of the Xu Family died instantly, but Baojiao County's fifth-ranked expert, Counselor Sui You, had also arrived. Surrounded from both front and rear, he felt it was impossible to leave this main street.
Finding himself in a desperate situation, he surprisingly composed himself and sneered at Counselor Sui You, "Blood Gu? This type of Gu Art... is not common within the Ji Country. Conversely, in the Yuan Country, many sects and factions are proficient in this path... To think that Shangguan Yun, a court-appointed official of Daji, would secretly cultivate such an enemy nation's Gu Art!"
After collecting the four blood orbs, Sui You ignored Yan Hongwen's sarcastic remarks and merely glanced at Yang Luochen. "Old Mr. Yang, the Lord County Magistrate dispatched me to assist your Medicine King Hall in eliminating this Peace Path Demon Person. Let us strike together."
Yang Luochen grinned. "There's no need. Counselor, just support me from the flanks and prevent his escape. This scoundrel injured me and Old Shang last time. Today, he will repay that debt."
He and Shang Yunfang had initially investigated the Peace Path for the benefit of the Medicine King Hall, only to be injured by them. This time, he had dared to venture into the city, and without any allies. What was there to wait for?
"Then, it shall be as Old Mr. Yang says. Please, execute this Demon Person. I will cover your flanks," Sui You stated, his hands clasped behind his back, exuding an air of detachment. He shifted his feet slightly, sealing off all potential escape routes for the Peace Path Incense Master, Yan Hongwen.
BOOM!
Without another word, Yang Luochen charged forward, Water-Fire Dragon Head Staff in hand.
Chen Ku finally got to witness the scene he had been eagerly anticipating.
When Master Yang attacked, it was with heaven-rending, earth-shattering momentum. Wielding that Mysterious Cudgel, he leaped up like a Fierce Ape, bringing the staff crashing down towards the Peace Path Incense Master. Beneath this single strike, wisps of terrifying, arrogant, and domineering Divine Intent rippled outwards like waves on a lake, impacting the minds of everyone present.
Chen Ku was entranced... It was as if he wasn't seeing a two-meter-tall, giant old man, but a world-disrupting Fierce Ape emerging from mountains and seas. Every move it made carried the Power of Ten Thousand Jun, enough to shake mountains and rivers!
BOOM!!
Before the staff even reached Yan Hongwen, the force of the blow swept out for tens of zhang, clearing all debris from the main street—tables, chairs, benches, broken stones, and tiles—like a small tornado passing through.
Meanwhile, Yang Luochen's disciple, Yang Shaoqi, stood idle. His opponent, one of the Xu Family, had just been made to explode and die by the sound of Sui You's pellet drum. As he watched his master attack, his expression became extremely peculiar:
What's going on with Master? His Furious Ape Mighty Staff technique has long reached the Perfection Realm. Usually, when he attacks, the Power of Ten Thousand Jun is concealed within, unreleased and unmanifested, erupting with mountainous force only upon impact with the enemy, making it impossible to defend against... This... why has he suddenly changed his style? It's as if he's deliberately trying to create an imposing aura...
As he pondered, his gaze subconsciously drifted to Chen Ku, who was watching Yang Luochen's descending strike, and he instantly understood.
He slapped his forehead with his hand, a mix of exasperation and ruefulness in his heart. Master, you're acting like an old peacock spreading its tail... When you accepted me as your disciple, you never behaved like this. Fine, now that you've found someone with better Root Bone, and I'm still right here, you don't care about my feelings at all, do you?
But it had to be said, the sheer presence of this strike was immense, and the effect it produced was significant, instantly causing Yan Hongwen's face to turn deathly pale. He instantly slapped several more yellow Talisman Papers onto his body. Simultaneously, he prepared to dodge with speed and took a stance with his peach wood talisman sword, attempting to win through skill and agility.
"Dodge? Do you think you can dodge?" Yang Luochen, seeing Yan Hongwen's movements after his strike, grinned, revealing his large white teeth. "My staff can only be met head-on!"
He stomped his foot, and the head of the staff, like a dragon's head, shot forward. It was like a dragon in the clouds suddenly turning back, instantly closing in on Yan Hongwen and sealing off all his escape routes.
"I'll risk it all!!"
Yan Hongwen had no choice but to try and withstand it using the power of the Divine Talisman on his peach wood sword, holding it defensively before him.
BOOM!!
But in the instant the staff's Force Power struck, the Talisman Papers on Yan Hongwen's peach wood sword shattered and burned to ash, blasted apart by the immense might!
CRACK!
Losing the augmentation of the Divine Talisman, the peach wood sword was merely a sword made of special wood. It was instantly smashed into countless splinters.
Then, the staff, its power undiminished, struck Yan Hongwen squarely on the chest. He was sent flying like a meteor, and the Talisman Papers on his body disintegrated into ash one after another...
In his final moments, Yan Hongwen, staggering backward, looked at Yang Luochen who stood behind that devastating strike. His gaze was surprisingly calm as he used his last ounce of strength to utter, "Huangtian nurtures the bountiful earth; a wise teacher descends to order the cosmos. May all beings find peace; may the universe be without turmoil."
POP!
Having lost all protection from his Talisman Papers, this Incense Master of the Peace Path exploded in mid-air due to the terrifying Force Power of that strike. His body disintegrated into a shower of limbs and flesh that rained down on the ground.
Skyward Strike... The same Skyward Strike!
The last time Chen Ku saw Master Yang in action, his body had merely swelled in place, preventing Huang Muxia from budging the staff in his hands. That was a contest of weight and Skill, not a true strike.
This time, he had truly seen it.
And, whether Master Yang had done it intentionally or not, he had specifically used the Skyward Strike to kill Yan Hongwen. It truly broadened Chen Ku's horizons.
The same Skyward Strike, when executed by Master Yang, seemed to possess the force to tear through an entire street; the wind generated by the staff could be felt a li away!
What did it mean to be fierce? This was fierce!
Killing Yan Hongwen with a single staff strike was well within Yang Luochen's capabilities and didn't require much effort. At this moment, he stood with his staff, his gaze stealthily flicking towards Chen Ku. Seeing the youth's reaction, he couldn't help but feel a touch of pride, extremely satisfied with the imposing display of his previous strike. He remained silent for a moment.
Yang Shaoqi, who knew his master very well, naturally understood what the old man was thinking. He coughed and loudly praised, "Master, that strike was incredibly domineering!"
Counselor Sui You also observed Yang Luochen's strike with a grave expression. Although he had heard that Yang Luochen had broken through to the same Realm as Official Shangguan, making them the only two Fifth Realm cultivators in the city, seeing Yang Luochen—now in the Fifth Realm—attack with his own eyes, Sui You couldn't help but compare their strengths:
Yang Luochen cultivates Qi Power. In terms of sheer Qi Power, even Official Shangguan would have to concede defeat.
He was inwardly awed, but his face betrayed nothing as he offered a compliment, "Old Mr. Yang, you are nearly a hundred years old, yet your might is unparalleled, as if you are still in your prime. This junior is truly filled with admiration."
"Enough with the empty pleasantries. Of all the Peace Path Demon People who appeared in the city today, not a single one will escape. Counselor, please lead the way." Yang Luochen certainly hadn't forgotten the important business. The existence of the Peace Path was incompatible with the Medicine King Hall; for the sake of the Medicine King Hall, it was imperative to eradicate this evil completely.
"It is good to hear you say that, Master Yang. According to reports, three Incense Masters from the Peace Path appeared in the city today..." Sui You continued, "The City Defense Forces have already eliminated one. The last one is currently fleeing towards the outskirts of the city. Experts of the Medicine King Hall, let us proceed there together."
Yang Luochen turned to Ke Yansheng and said, "Chai Bao, Old Nong, and I will go. You take Shaoqi and that boy from earlier back to the Medicine King Hall first."
"Yes, sir." Ke Yansheng acknowledged the order and moved beside Chen Ku. Looking at the boy, and realizing the Butcher Court would likely lose its chance to monopolize this talented Apprentice, he sighed inwardly. "Let's head back."
Having witnessed this battle, Chen Ku's comprehension of the Skyward Strike had deepened further. Since all his tasks were completed, he said nothing more and followed Ke Yansheng back to the Hall.
The group returned, each awaiting good news from Master Yang.
Once Chen Ku returned to his room, he first replayed Master Yang's technique in his mind several times, committing its nuances to memory so he wouldn't forget them. Only then did he sit cross-legged on the kang bed-stove and begin to examine the day's gains.
The greatest gain was undoubtedly the Fourth Realm demon-level Qilin Blood Gu Evil.
The first Evil Energy one obtains often presents an opportunity, like opening a 'blind box.' It allows for the first 'Shape Shifting' transformation. After that, further transformations require the infusion of Evil Energy of the same level.
Let's see... what surprise will this Fourth Realm Qilin Blood Gu Evil bring me?
Chen Ku placed this Evil Energy onto the Transformation Diagram.
[Qilin Blood Gu Transformation: Shape Shifting]
[Transformation Part: Blood Memory Inheritance]