“At this moment, although I have only broken through the sinews and blood passes of the six external martial arts passes, both my true dragon sinews and Extreme Yang blood are of the highest grade.”
The former represented strength, the latter represented explosive power.
Combined, his defense, pressure resistance, and stamina might not match a martial artist at external perfection, but his attack power should be no less.
Perhaps even stronger!
“Where is Chen Haoyan?” Wang Ping looked around.
Under the torrential rain, all scents, sounds, and lines of sight were obstructed. Finding a person in the rain was no different from searching for a needle in a haystack.
But that only applies to mortals.
Wang Ping calmed his mind and simply closed his eyes, discarding his five senses. His subtle spiritual sense rapidly extended outward, expanding in all directions like a spiderweb.
No matter what he did at the 【Wandering Spirit Temple】, he definitely has to return to the county yamen eventually. Since that’s the case, I’ll cast my spiritual sense net over the surrounding blocks, encompassing all the shortest and fastest routes from the 【Wandering Spirit Temple】 to the yamen.
Wang Ping was certain Chen Haoyan had no other path to take.
He couldn’t possibly have retreated from the 【Wandering Spirit Temple】 unscathed. He’s highly likely severely injured.
Under these circumstances, his only option is to return to the yamen because there’s another expert there… the County Magistrate of Longxing County! Only that person can protect him.
About a quarter of an hour later, Wang Ping’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“Found you…!”
It was as if a butterfly had fluttered into the massive spiritual sense net, triggering the perception. It rapidly outlined the newcomer’s appearance— it was a disheveled Chen Haoyan.
Without a second thought, Wang Ping continued tracking Chen Haoyan’s escape route, anticipating his position. He then took a shortcut, cutting him off, and curled up in the rain, hiding in the shadows of the street. He gently pressed his intertwined fingers against his abdomen.
【Planting the Lotus in the Fire Seal】!
This was the White Lotus Cult’s introductory technique. The palm strike Shouchong used against him earlier was also derived from this seal technique. Now, Wang Ping replicated it using his spiritual sense.
Generating force cannot be limited to a single body part.
Calves, thighs, liver, gallbladder, intestines, stomach, abdominal muscles, waist, back, spine—you must use your entire body to generate force, twisting all your qi, blood, and strength into a single strand.
While recalling Shouchong’s palm strike, Wang Ping pressed his fingers against his lower abdomen’s dantian, intercepting his qi and blood and gradually converging all his energy.
The entire process was like a flower bud slowly closing, suppressing all of Wang Ping’s vitality, qi and blood circulation, heartbeat, breathing, and even the peristalsis of his internal organs. Or rather, it entered a state of ‘accumulation’. Beneath the seemingly calm surface lurked monstrous, towering waves.
Chen Haoyan… it’s time we settle our old score.
Having reached this point, Wang Ping relaxed his mindset. His spiritual sense locked tightly onto the approaching Chen Haoyan as he silently counted the steps between them.
………….
The rain poured down heavily.
Under the curtain of rain, every household kept their doors and windows shut tight. The downpour completely obscured sight and sound, providing perfect cover for those with ulterior motives.
“That black snake… one day I’m going to stew it for soup!”
Chen Haoyan hurried through the rainy alleys. Relying on the downpour to wash away his scent and his intimate knowledge of Longxing County, he finally managed to shake off his pursuers.
His breathing, pulse, and even his footsteps carried a bizarre rhythm at this moment, faintly synchronizing with the ambient sounds. As a result, even if someone were staring intently, they wouldn’t notice a person hidden in the rain. This was an exceptionally high-level concealment technique.
This was exactly why he chose to strike today.
It wasn’t just because Shouchong appeared and forced his way into the county town; it was also because the heavens were unpredictable. The torrential rain initially predicted to arrive later suddenly started two days early.
Thank goodness… I successfully completed the mission.
Thinking of this, Chen Haoyan tightened his grip on the cloth bundle slung across his body. Inside were all the elixirs from the 【Wandering Spirit Temple】’s alchemy room, each one a rare treasure.
The elixir of immortality was definitely among them.
That 【Bodhisattva of Compassion for All Life】 might have come for this as well. I just don’t know why she suddenly paused right before landing the killing blow…
Recalling what just happened, lingering fear gripped Chen Haoyan’s heart. He had no doubt that the 【Bodhisattva of Compassion for All Life】 could have killed him then. Her bizarre methods completely defied his understanding of martial arts. Yet, for some unknown reason, she clearly hesitated at the very end.
He snapped out of his daze and seized the opportunity to escape.
However, when it rains, it pours. Right after escaping the 【Wandering Spirit Temple】, he ran straight into the returning Wandering Spirit Perfected One. Even that old bastard Shouchong was there.
A wolf ahead, a tiger behind.
He didn’t dare stick around to fight. To shake them all off as quickly as possible, he had no choice but to damage his own martial foundation, nearly draining his internal force entirely, just to escape with his life.
The toll of Heavenly Demon Disintegration is still too great.
Furthermore, to ensure my escape, I dispersed more than half of my martial foundation in one breath. My entire foundation is nearly ruined, my internal force has scattered, and even my internal organs are damaged…
At this thought, bitter resentment surged within Chen Haoyan. Even an optimistic estimate suggested it would take three to five years to slowly heal these injuries, and he might not even fully recover. His only consolation right now was that the mission wasn’t a failure—he managed to secure the items.
To prevent further complications… I must deliver these items back to the yamen immediately!
Chen Haoyan quickened his pace. But the moment he passed an alley intersection, his eyes snapped shut, his steps halted abruptly, and he looked toward the shadows around the corner.
“Who’s there!”
Almost simultaneously, Wang Ping opened his eyes.
“…… What a pity.”
Ultimately, the gap was too wide. Even though he had concealed himself with all his might, in the eyes of an Internal Force Master like Chen Haoyan, he still stood out like a firefly in the dead of night.
“Since that’s the case, I won’t hide anymore.”
With this thought, Wang Ping released the hand seal pressed against his lower abdomen. The qi and blood he had accumulated for so long erupted ferociously like a ruptured dam.
Boom!
With this single burst of force, although he still couldn’t twist it into a single strand like Shouchong did, he managed to condense more than half of it. Therefore, the resulting momentum was equally terrifying.
The torrential rain exploded outward instantly!
Following that, Wang Ping’s figure bolted forward. The boiling qi and blood caused his body temperature to spike, so much so that the rain vaporized into mist upon hitting his skin.
Roar—!
Within Wang Ping’s body, the snapping of large sinews vibrated the air. Stretched taut by his high-speed sprint and mixing with the sound of rain, it evolved once more into a drawn-out dragon’s roar.
This momentary burst represented Wang Ping pushing himself to the absolute limit. With the advantages of Extreme Yang blood and true dragon sinews, coupled with the accumulated energy from his ambush, he was confident that if Xie Shi from that night appeared before him now, he wouldn’t even need a saber. He could punch a hole right through him with his bare fists!
Facing him, Chen Haoyan’s initial emotion was sheer shock.
His first reaction was—Who is this?
Monstrous qi and blood, terrifying force generation, and the ability to intercept him perfectly. When did such an expert arrive in Longxing County without his knowledge?
“No, wait, it’s that young constable.”
“I think his name was… Wang Ping?”
He recognized the person the next second.
Consequently, an even more intense shock overwhelmed his myriad thoughts, because in his calculations, Wang Ping should already be a corpse by now!
Why was this happening?
However, Chen Haoyan quickly suppressed his emotions. He raised the massive bow in his hand high, the bowstring twanged, and an arrow tore through the rain.
Swish! Swish!
The arrow soared like a dragon, showcasing Chen Haoyan’s profound foundation. Moreover, driven by an ominous premonition, he didn’t dare underestimate his opponent in the slightest.
Therefore, after firing the first arrow, Chen Haoyan didn’t pause. He drew the bow repeatedly with both hands. Arrow after arrow was nocked and fired, emptying the quiver in the blink of an eye. The volley of arrows, denser than the rain and radiating the glow of internal force, instantly engulfed Wang Ping!
Lower abdomen, heart, glabella!
Hands, feet, groin!
At this moment, Wang Ping’s spiritual sense blared a warning. Every vital spot on his body felt plunged into ice. An intense sense of crisis nearly drowned his rationality.
Simultaneously, Chen Haoyan sneered.
“A leaping clown!”
Witnessing this, based on his martial arts and experience, he had already made his judgment: this kid couldn’t dodge his arrows. At best, he could protect one or two spots.
But what use was that?
Glabella, groin, heart—there were three lethal spots alone, not to mention the others. Even if the hits weren’t fatal, they would be enough to incapacitate him.
This kid probably realized I used him as a pawn, so he harbored resentment. By sheer luck, he intercepted my path… Ultimately, he’s just a young man acting on hot blood, as naive as Lin Sheng. Didn’t he consider that even if he intercepted me, he’s no match for me?
To put it harshly:
If he were currently at his peak, even if his hands and feet were bound and he used no weapons, he could glare this kid to death using just his eyes!
Brimming with intense confidence, Chen Haoyan relaxed his sinews and bones, preparing to catch his breath. Once Wang Ping fell, riddled with arrows, he would continue his sprint back to the yamen.
However, the next second, his expression froze.
Boom!
Facing the incoming volley of arrows, Wang Ping showed no intention of stopping his charge. He even stomped heavily, further accelerating his speed!
With the assistance of his spiritual sense, he accurately grasped the speed, position, and timing of the incoming arrows. With a slight tilt of his head, he dodged the arrow aimed at his glabella. Then, with a leap, he raised his body, dodging the arrow aimed at his groin. However, he made no attempt to block the others.
Pfft!
Arrows pierced his body, spraying dazzling scarlet blood.
Bowl-sized wounds instantly appeared on Wang Ping’s heart, limbs, and lower abdomen’s dantian. His scalding Extreme Yang blood looked like ignited flames under the rain.
Yet, he still didn’t stop.
Then, under Chen Haoyan’s bewildered, uncomprehending, and shocked gaze, Wang Ping charged right up to him. He drew his saber and executed a horizontal slash in one seamless motion.
【Three Demonic Sabers of Yama】, signature technique: 【Yama’s Summon】!
Instantly, the freezing murderous intent radiating from the blade—as if Yama himself were delivering an invitation to claim a soul—invaded Chen Haoyan’s heart, nearly paralyzing his limbs.
“….. Courting death!”
Chen Haoyan roared furiously, completely unafraid. He saw clearly that the young man before him was heavily injured and was merely a paper tiger at this point.
Such massive wounds across vital areas—the sheer blood loss would be enough to claim a person’s life in mere breaths. This young man was definitely no exception. He only managed this momentum through terminal lucidity. Did he really think he could turn the tables just by getting close?
Utterly delusional!
Although he majored in the 【Heaven-Shaking Cloud-Piercing Bow】 and his expertise lay in archery, it didn’t mean he was inept at close-quarters combat.
With the strength to draw a massive bow to a full moon, how could his melee combat be weak?
With this thought, Chen Haoyan decisively discarded his bow and drew his own ox-tail saber. He executed the same signature technique, 【Yama’s Summon】, unleashing a cold saber light.
Clang!
The two sabers crossed, and another bloom of blood blossomed in the rain. Following that, an arm firmly gripping an ox-tail saber flew high into the sky.
“Overestimating your capabilities!”
Chen Haoyan’s face was grim. His grip on the saber remained steady. The arm soaring into the sky unmistakably belonged to Wang Ping, who had charged in to strike with his life on the line.
An external martial artist versus an Internal Force Master.
There was a qualitative difference in their life levels. Even though Chen Haoyan was currently in terrible condition, Wang Ping still couldn’t withstand a single move!
However—this was also within Wang Ping’s expectations.
The heavy rain abruptly stopped.
Not only that, the wind, thunder, lightning, and even Chen Haoyan’s face—every sight halted at this very moment. Time ground to a halt.
Scripture scroll activated: 【Perish with the Sun】!
Wang Ping’s figure instantly vanished from the spot, entering the 【The Taiping Classic】 space along with his severed arm. He then collapsed onto his knees on the ground.
“Cough, cough…”
Blood, carrying his vitality, rapidly drained from his body, yet it seemed guided, converging toward the towering tome directly ahead.
One spot on the lower abdomen, one on the heart, one on each limb, and his severed right arm. Every injury Chen Haoyan inflicted was clearly recorded onto the 【Perish with the Sun】 scroll at this moment. Every character was shockingly scarlet.
They would deliver full retribution upon Chen Haoyan.
As for Wang Ping…
“Just a few fatal wounds.”
Wang Ping grimaced, enduring the agonizing pain. He grabbed his severed arm lying beside him, pressed it against the stump, and took a deep breath.
Spell: 【Qi Ward】!
Vast True Qi flowed into his limbs and bones, stopping the bleeding, regenerating flesh, and reconnecting bones and sinews. After a few breaths, Wang Ping actually stood up as if nothing had happened!
“Cultivating immortality is the way to go.”
Stretching his reattached arm, Wang Ping sighed sincerely. Severe injuries that meant certain death for martial artists were simply not worth mentioning for immortal cultivators.
This wasn’t even the limit of 【Qi Ward】. He had practiced bitterly for so long, barely managing to elevate the spell’s effect to the second tier— reconnecting bones and sinews. If he could advance further to the realm of invulnerability to weapons, Chen Haoyan’s slash wouldn’t have harmed him at all!
“….. Let me see just how strong this scripture scroll truly is.”
The next second, the familiar dizzying sensation surfaced in his mind. Wang Ping immediately gathered his thoughts, rallied his spirit, and returned to reality in the blink of an eye.
At this moment, only a ten-thousandth of a second had passed in reality.
The retribution of 【Perish with the Sun】 would never be late. Therefore, the time it took to record all of Wang Ping’s injuries was accelerated to the limit, condensed into a single instant.
Bang!
Chen Haoyan stood frozen in place. On his lower abdomen, heart, limbs, and arm, visible wounds burst open, instantly spraying blood!
“…….Ah?” Chen Haoyan hadn’t even reacted.
What happened?
Why am I injured?
His thoughts stalled at this moment. The agony radiating from all his vital spots, especially the tearing sensation in the bones and sinews of his arm, left him completely bewildered.
However, Wang Ping’s actions did not stop.
Zing!
The cold saber light slashed down like butchering a pig or dog. This time, it was Chen Haoyan’s arm that flew into the air, spraying blood, finally jolting his mind awake.
“My hand…!?”
At this moment, Chen Haoyan couldn’t even feel the pain, but he clearly realized something else: he had lost, lost in complete bewilderment!
From start to finish, the other party hadn’t said a single word to him. He didn’t even shout ‘kill’, nor did he hurl any insults. There was only silent, resolute killing intent.
Did it really have to come to this?
Even if I did treat you as a disposable pawn earlier, and it was my fault, didn’t you survive? Since that’s the case, what can’t we talk about?
At worst, I’ll find a way to compensate you!
In that instant, Chen Haoyan had a thousand words he wanted to say, not because he realized his mistakes, but because he felt the encroaching aura of death.
I have to run… run as far as possible.
He didn’t want to die!
Chen Haoyan decisively abandoned his dignity. Stomping the ground forcefully, he ceased confronting Wang Ping head-on. Instead, he tried to create distance, attempting to flee into the rainy alleys.
As long as he survived!
It took so much effort to reach this point. Surveying the farmland, checking the household registers, collecting the autumn tax… he had achieved so many dazzling accomplishments.
Now that the Magistrate’s task was complete, regaining his freedom was no longer a pipe dream.
When that time came, he could step out of this tiny Longxing County and utilize his lifelong learning in the commandery capital to protect the borders and secure peace for the people, ensuring his journey in this mortal world wasn’t in vain.
A grand future awaited him.
How could he die here for no reason, dying at the hands of a lowly commoner with no family background? This was not the ending he deserved…
“Roar—!”
A low, resonant hornless-dragon roar snuffed out all of Chen Haoyan’s unwilling thoughts. He instinctively looked back, only to see Wang Ping drawing a bow and nocking an arrow.
【Heaven-Shaking Cloud-Piercing Bow】, drawn to a full moon!
As the bowstring was drawn back bit by bit, the two hornless dragons coiled around the bow body abruptly opened their eyes. Their claws and toes writhed as if coming alive.
I gave him that bow… Chen Haoyan’s mind was in a daze.
It was also at this moment, as he looked at Wang Ping’s face, now mixed with ruthless determination, that the fog in his memories finally cleared, allowing him to remember.
… It’s him?
Damn it! Why didn’t I remember?
He wasn’t some constable; he was the mud-legged peasant he personally sent to the White Lotus Cult as an undercover agent, and then betrayed and killed to steal military merit!
He didn’t die!?
In that instant, countless questions exploded in Chen Haoyan’s mind, but regardless of how many thoughts he had, they all met their end in the next second.
Wang Ping drew the bow to a full moon. A faint light gleamed on the long arrow, its sharp tip aimed directly at Chen Haoyan. Despite his desperate attempts to dodge, he couldn’t escape the lock of spiritual sense.
The next second, Wang Ping released.
Boom!
The arrow, capable of splitting monuments and shattering rocks, tore out violently. It struck the desperately dodging Chen Haoyan in the blink of an eye. The unrivaled divine force condensed on the arrow erupted. The shockwave felt like a bomb planted inside his body. Following a loud explosion, only a blooming blood flower remained on the spot.
“Phew!”
Stepping through the blood and water, Wang Ping let out a long breath. He didn’t linger. Bracing his aching body, he picked up a bundle and vanished into the rain.
It wasn’t until he left that the sound of heavy objects hitting the ground rang out successively.
Splat, splat, splat.
Hands, feet, torso, internal organs… the shattered body parts littered the streets of Longxing County. The splattered blood was washed away by the heavy rain.
Longxing County Head Constable, Internal Force Master Chen Haoyan.
Dead!
(End of Chapter)