Thirteen Body Refinement!
The most supreme Body Refining Hard Skill from another world had just proven its might.
The spear tip tore through his clothes and struck the center of his chest, only to create a slight indentation in his flesh before coming to a sudden halt.
Hmm?
The spear-wielding Black-Clothed Man's eyes narrowed. He then snorted coldly.
"Stop playing games. It's just a piece of Protective Soft Armor."
He didn't believe a human body could be impervious to blades and spears, much less that such a thing could be true for a Noble Young Master.
"TWANG!"
With a flick of his wrist, the long spear jumped, its tip tracing a graceful arc toward Zhu Ju's temple.
"Cyan Dragon Tail Swing! The Six Harmonies Spear!"
Yann Xiuxin cried out in alarm,
"You're Shen Ying!"
'Shen Ying? The master of the Liuhe Martial Arts Hall?'
Zhu Ju's eyes flickered. He tilted his head back slightly to avoid the incoming spear tip, his face now livid.
"Master Shen?"
"That's right!"
Since he had been exposed, Shen Ying simply ripped the black cloth from his face and stared coldly.
"You, Zhu! There's a saying: 'An innocent man gets into trouble for possessing a treasure.' I'm just following orders. Don't blame me."
"Die!"
Poison Dragon Stab!
The spear tip vibrated rapidly, like a viper flicking its tongue. A multitude of spear afterimages filled the air before suddenly converging inward.
TWANG!
The long spear tore through the air, letting out a sharp, piercing shriek.
To have cultivated the Six Harmonies Spear to such a level meant he was only half a step away from Qi Blood Body Tempering.
Zhu Ju raised his hand to meet the incoming spear.
'He's courting death!'
A vicious grin spread across Shen Ying's face. He could already picture the spear piercing through Zhu Ju's palm and then plunging into his throat.
'Does he really think he's impervious to blades... '
"SMACK!"
The spear, hurtling through the air, stopped dead in its tracks, like a striking viper seized by the neck.
"Shen Ying!"
Zhu Ju gripped the spearhead with one hand, looking down at his opponent.
"I always thought I treated you well. To think that..."
"You have truly disappointed me!"
"Impossible!" Shen Ying's eyes flew wide. He frantically tried to pull the spear back, but it was useless.
"This is impossible!"
With a roar, he abandoned the spear and lunged forward, his fists whistling through the air as he unleashed a Fist Technique.
Hmph!
Zhu Ju snorted, tossed the spear aside with a wave of his hand, and brought his palm down in a chop that carried the force of a collapsing mountain.
Mixed Element Iron Hand!
Falling Mountain!
Gold-Fixing Bridge!
The palm strike shattered Shen Ying's stance instantly. With his center exposed, he took the full force of the blow to his chest.
"PUFF!"
A furious palm force crashed into him with overwhelming power. Shen Ying spat out a mouthful of blood and flew back several meters, landing silently on the ground.
A Peak of Blood Coagulation Martial Artist,
Dead!
Silence fell over the scene.
Everyone had been stunned when Shen Ying's spear struck Zhu Ju's chest, but that could at least be explained away by Protective Soft Armor.
But now?
Catching a spear with a bare hand and killing a Blood Coagulation Martial Artist with two palm strikes—this was something that couldn't be faked.
"SWOOSH!"
A figure flashed across the courtyard. Zhu Ju had already appeared beside another Black-Clothed Man, his palms striking out, wreathed in black energy.
Carrying Mountains Tiger Suppression Form!
The man instinctively swung his saber in a counterattack, but Zhu Ju didn't dodge or evade, letting the blade strike his neck.
"CLANG..."
The saber bounced back, and the palm force shattered the man's throat.
Dead!
Zhu Ju's figure flashed again.
The Thirteen Body Refinement was known to slow a person down, but that was all relative. With a burst of Qi Blood and Strength, he was far faster than an ordinary Blood Coagulation Martial Artist.
His indestructible Physical Body and terrifyingly powerful Palm Force made him like a tiger let loose among sheep, and he began a slaughter.
"A Body Tempering Martial Artist!"
"Run!"
"Aargh..."
In the blink of an eye, four men had fallen to Zhu Ju. The remaining three were tied up by Master Yann and Master Lan.
「A short while later.」
Seven corpses lay on the ground.
"Hooo..."
Zhu Ju closed his eyes and let out a long, turbid breath, silently assessing the weakened Qi Blood and aching Tendons and Bones within his body.
'A Qi Blood Burst really is hard to sustain. If my opponents hadn't lost their will to fight, they might have actually escaped.'
"Young Master Zhu."
Yann Jingfu finished examining the bodies on the ground and cupped his fists respectfully.
"Aside from Shen Ying, two of them were well-known Martial Artists in the city. I don't recognize the others, but this is likely the work of the Wuh Family."
"Likely?"
"I am merely the master of a small Martial Arts Hall. I don't know much about the wealthy families and major powers in the city."
He replied with an embarrassed look,
"The Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall would probably know their origins."
"Forget it."
Zhu Ju waved his hand.
"It's getting late. Let's go back."
"Yes." Yann Jingfu complied, then gestured to the dazed Yann Xiuxin.
"Bring the horse over for the Young Master."
"Brother Lan."
"Ah..."
"Let's go."
"...Yes."
Lan Qisheng snapped back to reality. He glanced at the seven bodies on the ground, then at the composed Zhu Ju, his expression shifting rapidly.
...
「Not long after.」
A group of Government Office constables arrived at the scene. The bodies were carried out one by one, and the Forensic Doctor stepped forward to examine them.
"Shen Ying of the Liuhe Martial Arts Hall, Shunzi of the Wuh Family, Fu Chun from the docks..." Jiangg Ping's face was grim.
"They were all experts!"
"Chief," one of them whispered.
"I heard someone from the Wancai Cloth Shop passed by when it happened. Should we bring them in for questioning?"
"Heh..." Jiangg Ping scoffed.
"Do you recognize the men on the ground?"
"Any one of these seven was at least as strong as me. Do you think a group like ours can apprehend the killer?"
"Ah!" The constable's face paled.
"But doesn't the Wancai Cloth Shop have no background to speak of?"
"Who knows?" Jiangg Ping clasped his hands behind his back and looked toward the Wancai Cloth Shop. Suddenly, his expression changed.
"Brother Tie, what brings you here?"
"Chief Jiangg." Tie Heng cupped his fists.
"Lord Fang heard about the murders here and sent me to take a look. Have you found anything?"
"Lord Fang has to worry about matters of state and still concerns himself with catching criminals. It's truly admirable." Jiangg Ping's face was a mask of sycophancy.
"We just arrived as well. I've heard that Brother Tie served as an inspector in the Capital City. Now that you've been transferred to Yue City with Lord Fang, we were hoping for your guidance."
Tie Heng ignored his rambling and strode over to the corpses, lifting the white cloths to inspect the wounds.
His expression immediately turned grave.
"Where are the weapons?"
"Over there!"
"Is there any blood on them?"
"None."
"..." Tie Heng stood up, his face dark.
"Palm Force shattered their breastbones and vital organs. The attacker is at least at the level of Great Success in Body Tempering. The injuries are consistent, which means it was a single person."
"There's no blood on the blades. This means the person handled the seven-man ambush with ease and was completely unharmed."
?
Although Jiangg Ping's own strength was average, he was a veteran constable. Hearing this, how could he not understand the situation?
His face turned deathly pale.
"Gui Cang?"
"It's very likely." Tie Heng nodded slowly.
"Tell your men to be careful during the investigation. A Gui Cang Realm expert usually requires an army to take down."
"Yes." Jiangg Ping lowered his head.
'Investigation?'
'More like a suicide mission!'
'Whoever has the guts can go. My men are definitely staying out of it.'
*
*
*
Zhu Ju soaked in a medicinal barrel, his long hair draped down his back. Steam rose around him, gradually obscuring his body.
"Young Master."
Yann Xiuxin was squatting nearby, brewing a medicinal soup. She asked curiously,
"Are you not planning to cooperate with others to establish the cloth business?"
"Why would you think that?" Zhu Ju replied.
"On the contrary, I'm more than happy to work with others. It was the same when I brought the Martial Arts Halls in, and it's the same now."
"Then why..."
"Because they didn't come to talk business."
Zhu Ju smiled.
"They came to give handouts, to coerce. They acted as if cooperating with them would be an honor I'd accumulated over several lifetimes."
He had transmigrated here to make a fortune, so he was naturally willing to do things that were mutually beneficial.
However,
Whether it was the Zhao Family or the Wuh Family, these major families of Yue City looked down on his upstart cloth shop.
Tossing a few bones seemed to be their idea of goodwill, and you were expected to be grateful. If you weren't grateful quickly enough, it was an insult to their charity.
Since that was the case,
there was nothing left to say.
"Nngh!"
"PUFF..."
His expression changed, and he suddenly opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of black blood. He then skillfully grabbed a nearby towel and wiped the corner of his mouth.
"Young Master?"
Yann Xiuxin stood up, her face filled with worry.
"It's nothing," Zhu Ju waved his hand.
"It's an old problem. No need to worry."
But inwardly, he thought, 'The Vital Organ Realm really is difficult to cultivate. Rushing even a little can cause injury.'
The Thirteen Body Refinement's External Training has five realms, and the Third Realm is a watershed—the most critical hurdle.
Succeed,
and the foundation of the Physical Body is solidified, making it easy to switch to other Cultivation Techniques without much consequence.
Fail,
and it proves your Cultivation Talent is poor. You'll likely never achieve anything and should consider taking up another trade.
The Vital Organs are extremely fragile, filled with Acquired turbid impurities that must be tempered and cleansed bit by bit. It cannot be rushed.
Zhu Ju was used to his strength advancing by leaps and bounds. The sudden need to slow down was uncomfortable, and he had nearly injured himself because of it.
'Expelling impurities is normal, but the black blood means my Vital Organs are damaged. It looks like I'll have to stop taking the Great Medicine for a few days.'
Sighing, he stepped out of the tub, dried himself off, and put on a robe.
Yann Xiuxin's face flushed slightly as she turned away.
'Fortunately, my Qi Blood nourishes my body. Compared to others, my progress in the Vital Organ Realm is already considered fast.'
'If my Qi Blood Martial Arts can advance another step...'
Sensing the condensed Qi Blood inside him, Zhu Ju couldn't help but smile.
His progress was rapid!
It shouldn't be long before he had a chance to break through. Unfortunately, he had no Martial Arts Method for the Body Tempering Realm, so after advancing, he would just have to endure.
"Young Master Zhu."
Yann Jingfu's voice came from outside the door.
"Master Shenn is here to see you."
"Oh!"
Zhu Ju raised an eyebrow.
"Show him in."
Compared to the other powers that came to "discuss cooperation," the Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall was by far the most sincere.
...
"Haha..."
His voice arrived before he did.
"Younger Brother Zhu, what a move! That Wuh character judges people with his dog eyes; he deserved a slap to teach him a lesson."
Shenn Hu entered with a laugh and went straight in for a bear hug.
"I just woke up. I'm afraid I don't understand what Master Shenn is talking about." Zhu Ju laughed as he separated from the hug and looked at the other person.
"Chief Jiangg, it's been a while."
"Indeed."
Jiangg Ping gave a dry laugh and asked perfunctorily,
"There was a murder on the street last night. I heard Young Master Zhu was passing by at the time. I wonder if you saw anything?"
"Is that so?" Zhu Ju stroked his chin.
"I didn't see a murder, but I did see someone secretly misappropriating city defense armaments. That's a crime that could get an entire family wiped out."
"Ah?" Jiangg Ping's face turned white.
He didn't even want to investigate the murder, and now it involved the misappropriation of military equipment. How could a mere constable like him possibly handle that?
"Well..."
Giving another weak laugh, he pulled an invitation from his clothes.
"Young Master Zhu, Lord Fang is hosting a banquet tomorrow for all the masters on Martial Arts Dojo Street, and you are invited."
"The new Prefecture head, Lord Fang?"
"Yes!"
Zhu Ju glanced to the side and saw Shenn Hu nodding; clearly, he had received an invitation as well.