Chapter 82: Chapter 82 Blade Edge
「Outside Baojiao City.」
「In the midst of a dense forest.」
Xu Feijing had just brought Xu Minjun—who possessed a purer bloodline among her generation of the Xu Family—to this place to rendezvous with other Xu family members. However, before the dozens of them gathered there could even exchange a few words...
The sound of a pellet drum suddenly pierced through the dense forest, echoing all around them.
"No! Uncle! Paternal Uncle! Grandfather! Brother... Sister..."
Xu Minjun felt as though she were experiencing a moment in hell. She watched helplessly as half of her familiar relatives exploded into bursts of pale golden blood spheres amid the noise of the pellet drum. Some spheres were a denser gold, while others were almost too faint to see.
Not good! It’s a trap!! Xu Feijing was terrified. Seeing this, how could he not realize that Xu Minjun had been deliberately allowed to escape with him? It was so that some toxin she carried could be transferred to their family members—all to eliminate them in one fell swoop.
Shangguan Yun, this old fox, is too cruel, too venomous! We, several Incense Masters, and these Xu Family members, have all been played right into his hands!
Xu Feijing stepped forward and grabbed Xu Minjun.
This wasn’t because, even at this critical moment, he still intended to honor his promise to the Xu Family to protect Xu Minjun’s safety and escape with her. Rather, it was because Peace Path, in joining forces with the Xu Family, shared the same objective. This objective was the treasure hidden long ago in Hongjing City by the Xu ancestor, the Mountain-Lifting Heavenly King ’Xiong Ying’.
Peace Path harbored grand ambitions. If they could obtain those treasures, great achievements would be within reach.
However, just as Xu Feijing was dragging Xu Minjun, preparing to rush out of the forest in a particular direction...
In the woods before them, a figure in a green robe suddenly appeared. Hands clasped behind his back, he gazed indifferently at Xu Feijing.
"Shangguan Yun!!!"
Xu Feijing immediately recognized the green-robed scholar. It was none other than the foremost expert in the city and the most powerful and influential figure in Baojiao City, the esteemed Lord Magistrate.
"Not good!"
He halted abruptly, turned swiftly, and relying on the dwindling two or three-tenths of power from the Godspeed Talisman on his legs, he bolted in the opposite direction.
He instantly veered away, avoiding a direct confrontation with the magistrate, creating a distance of fifty to sixty zhang in an instant.
Good, with my speed! As long as I widen the distance, even a Five Realms Inner Strength martial practitioner could not possibly...
However, just as Xu Feijing was inwardly feeling fortunate and complacent, proud of his own speed...
The next moment.
The Lord Magistrate of Baojiao County, who had been over a hundred meters behind, reappeared just one zhang in front of Xu Feijing.
What? This is impossible! I am already a Fourth Realm cultivator, and with the Godspeed Talisman, no one within the Five Realms should be able to outpace me! Shangguan Yun... impossible...
For an instant, Xu Feijing was terrified to his core.
But in that flash, he seemed to realize something.
Unless... Shangguan Yun himself is also a master renowned for his extraordinary movement technique and speed.
Yet, before Xu Feijing could finish this thought...
The magistrate before him had already raised his sleeve and extended his arm. Curling four fingers, he pointed with his index finger as if it were a sword.
Move, move!!
In that moment, Xu Feijing felt that the speed he had always prided himself on simply couldn’t react in time; his body couldn’t keep up with his mind. He could only watch helplessly as the finger jabbed towards him.
PFFT!
Effortlessly, the finger struck his brow, creating a bloody hole. This Fourth Realm Divine Walker of Peace Path was instantly bereft of life.
He then toppled backward, his momentum also sending Xu Minjun’s body tumbling forward.
The green-robed scholar, however, stepped forward. Smiling faintly, he extended his arms and caught Xu Minjun in his embrace.
"Minjun, you’re covered in blood. Go and wash up!"
"Ahhh! Shangguan Yun, you beast! You killed my entire family... I’ll die with you!" Xu Minjun, restrained in his embrace, gritted her teeth and lunged at Shangguan Yun, attempting to bite him.
Unexpectedly, she merely met the magistrate’s eyes, as deep and fathomless as a well, and her will instantly crumbled.
「In the backyard of the county government office.」
"My lord, here is the Qilin Essence Blood from the Xu Family Head and the others..."
Shangguan Yun looked at the Beast Pouch that Counselor Sui You had someone deliver, merged its contents with the mass of blood gathered from the forest, and then turned to Xu Minjun.
He channeled his energy, guiding the blood with his hands. Eventually, he refined the blood of dozens of Xu Family members—a volume comparable to several large water vats—into a single golden line. He then sent this line directly into Xu Minjun’s brow.
BOOM!
As Xu Minjun received the Essence Blood from half of her clan members, a mysterious, majestic aura erupted from her, and a peculiar, sweet fragrance emanated from her skin.
Shangguan Yun raised an eyebrow slightly. "Quite intriguing. I wonder how many of your family’s inherited secrets this will awaken in you?"
The next moment.
Xu Minjun opened her eyes. They were vacant, like a puppet’s. She murmured, "I see it."
"You see what?"
"A mountain, a path, the location of one of the Hero King’s Treasures."
"Quick! Draw it!"
Without hesitation, Shangguan Yun took out paper and ink, having Xu Minjun draw on the spot.
Controlled by the sinister martial arts, Xu Minjun moved like a puppet on strings. She began to draw. Gradually, the contours of the mountain ranges and forests within a hundred-thousand-li radius of Baojiao County were depicted. At last, with the red brush in her hand, she circled one tall and majestic peak.
"This is the place where the Hero King Treasure is buried."
Shangguan Yun looked at the familiar topography of Baojiao County and then at the mountain. His composure, usually maintained to an extreme degree by his cultivation, wavered. As he gazed upon the object he had pursued for years, now finally before him, he couldn’t help but feel his heart race.
It’s... that mountain! So it was on that mountain all along!
He leaned in, almost obsessively, bending over to study the map drawn by Xu Minjun.
He didn’t notice, however, that behind him, Xu Minjun’s eyes suddenly snapped back to clarity. Staring at the map, she was overcome with shock and despair.
No!!
The secret their family had guarded for over one hundred and fifty years—she had just revealed it, revealed it to this utterly shameless, beastly man before her.
Xu Minjun lunged toward the map, intending to destroy it.
But unexpectedly, Shangguan Yun, without even straightening his body and still looking at the map, casually pointed backward with his right hand and struck, sealing Xu Minjun’s acupoints.
Only after he had stared at the mountain for a long while did he slowly straighten up and speak leisurely, "In fact, if the blood of half a clan is infused into one person, even the thinnest bloodline will be purified. It’s a pity your entire family consists of cowards, lacking the courage or decisiveness to sacrifice anyone. Ultimately... this is the outcome you’ve brought upon yourselves."
Saying this, he looked at Xu Minjun with a slight frown and said, "We only have the general location of the treasure, knowing it’s on that mountain. We don’t have a map of the routes inside the Underground Palace..."
Xu Minjun was momentarily stunned.
Shangguan Yun picked up his teacup, sipped lightly, and said, "The Hero King Treasure was divided into ten parts back in the day. Each Underground Palace contains the world’s most terrifying formations and mechanisms. Without an internal map of the Underground Palace, trying to obtain the treasure would likely mean a journey of nine deaths to one life..."
Xu Minjun gave a bitter laugh. "Fine, very good. The mechanisms, traps, and puppets set by my ancestors were prepared just for a beast like you. I’ll see how you die inside that Underground Palace!"
Shangguan Yun looked at her indifferently. "Don’t forget who I am. Would I, this official, personally take such risks? What this official does not lack is experts and manpower."
Chen Ku temporarily put aside his speculations about the specific location of the Hero King Treasure.
After all, all the Qilin Blood was in the hands of the county’s foremost figure. With his own limited abilities, it was completely impossible for Chen Ku to obtain anything from that official.
However, this doesn’t mean I can’t look for an opportunity to follow him. After all, this Blood Memory Inheritance suggests Shangguan Yun is primarily after the Hero King Treasure. He’s very likely to obtain its specific location from the Qilin Blood. I just need to follow him, and perhaps I can get a share of the loot.
Chen Ku felt he was being very bold.
But all of this was just his speculation.
Perhaps, even if Shangguan Yun obtained all the Qilin Blood, he wouldn’t get the treasure’s location from the Blood Memory Inheritance anytime soon.
After all, in the entire world, only his Transformation Diagram was capable of treating Qilin Blood as a Transformation and reading the Blood Memory Inheritance as easily as flipping through a book.
The Hero King Treasure was a major affair.
He estimated there wouldn’t be any movement on it for a while.
So, Chen Ku temporarily suppressed this thought and focused all his energy on the other gains from that day.
Besides the Qilin Blood Gu Transformation, a Fourth Realm Evil Qi transformation, he had also killed two internal qi experts, Ni Kun and Feng Guang, and Lin Jiu, who had achieved the Unity of Intent and Force. All of these could be used to enhance the quality of his other transformations.
「Above his Heart Sea.」
Chen Ku stared at the Transformation Diagram.
Two streams of Inner Qi Realm Evil Qi... what transformation should they fuel? Or should I directly transform into Ni Kun or Feng Guang? Last time, the Huang Gun Transformation directly gave me the experience of ’Unity of Move and Force,’ allowing me to successfully cultivate Force Power in just a few days. If transforming into either of these two could manifest Inner Qi, then... my breakthrough from Unity of Intent and Force to Inner Qi would also be much smoother.
However, Chen Ku reconsidered.
Advancing from Unity of Move and Force to Inner Qi requires specialized Qigong. My foundation is now solidly built upon the Spirit Ape Great Strength Skill, which is also the best foundational inner strength practice in Baojiao County. I should wait until I have a master and obtain a Qigong Secret Manual before considering this, to avoid messing up my qi.
With this thought, he didn’t hold much hope for such a transformation. After all, it was like opening a blind box; the probability of manifesting Inner Qi was slim. It was far more likely to result in something else...
So, after pondering for a moment, Chen Ku directed Ni Kun’s Evil Qi directly into the Blood Blade Transformation.
Let’s see if this can grant the transformation an additional Transformation Part.
[Burning Ni Kun’s Evil Qi, injecting into Blood Blade Transformation...]
SIZZLE...
[Shape Shifting in progress...]
[Shape Shifting successful.]
[Blood Blade Transformation: Shape Shifting Level]
[Transformation Parts: Blood Blade Tip (Sharp Enough to Pierce Stone), Blood Blade Edge (Cut Gold and Shatter Stone)]
Chen Ku was pleasantly surprised.
It had been two or three months since the last Blood Blade Shape Shifting. Merely the Blood Blade Tip, when applied to his finger, had granted him an incredibly formidable Finger Force. A single point of his finger was all but invincible.
Now, he had even managed to manifest the Blood Blade’s edge.
Although this wasn’t the Blood Blade’s primary ability of "blood-sucking," it was still...
Chen Ku felt the sharpness augmenting his arm. He looked around, and his gaze immediately fell on his Refined Iron Dragon Stick. With a thought, he swung his arm, making a tentative slash towards his Refined Iron Dragon Stick.