Chapter 72: A Clash of Martial Ways

Chapter 72: A Clash of Martial Ways (End of the Long Chapter)

The distance between the capital city and Donghe County was vast, and there was a desolate stretch of the official road where no one lived for dozens of leagues. Qi Country had established a post station in the middle of this desolate stretch.

The post station was adjacent to the Endless Great Mountains, over a hundred leagues away from Yunshan County. Due to the fervor in Qi Country to seek out reclusive masters, many dignitaries from the capital would pass through this station to enter the Endless Great Mountains.

As a result, the station was often staffed with extra hands to cater to these important guests.

And on this day, a figure emerged from the Endless Great Mountains and landed directly in the post station.

"Are you...?"

A small clerk at the station, upon seeing Xu Xin descending from the heavens, was first startled and then elated!

"Is my opportunity here?!'

Thump! He immediately knelt on the ground and kowtowed.

"I, Ma Xiao'er, pay my respects to the Master. I humbly request that you accept me as your disciple..."

Xu Xin was taken aback. Were the people of the frontier so direct? To see him and immediately kneel and beg to become a disciple?

"Hehe..."

Xu Xin let out a sinister laugh. "Blood food, you are not worthy to be my disciple!"

The clerk was puzzled. Blood food?

Puff! Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain in his heart and, looking down, saw a thin silk thread piercing it. His blood seemed to be sucked away.

"Save..."

Before he could cry for help, he fell to the ground, his body turning into a shriveled corpse.

Xu Xin frowned. "The essence blood is too impure. In this remote land, the spiritual energy of the heavens and the earth is diminished, and even the people here have impure and chaotic essence blood."

Thin silk threads emerged from his body and instantly pierced the hearts of the other clerks in the post station.

Thump! Their shriveled corpses fell to the ground.

There were no survivors at the post station.

"The essence blood is impure, and it needs to be purified before it can be used. This means that a huge amount of blood is required. To break through a minor realm, I would need to perform blood sacrifices on tens or even hundreds of thousands of people."

Xu Xin's brows furrowed slightly.

"For now, I can only endure. If one million is not enough, then I will take ten million..."

"There is no shortage of people in the frontier. Even if they are all sacrificed, what of it?" Xu Xin's eyes shone with a bloodthirsty light.

However, sacrificing so many people and purifying their blood would take a considerable amount of time.

"First, I will slaughter a city to recover from my injuries. Then, I will find a few suitable candidates to cultivate as blood disciples, who will perform blood sacrifices and purify the essence blood for me.

"Within ten years, I must break through to the Grand Master realm!" Xu Xin turned to look at the Endless Great Mountains, his eyes cold and ruthless.

"Within ten years, I will return to the Inner Realm!"

Leaving the post station, he was about to head to the nearest city to perform blood sacrifices and purify essence blood to heal his injuries.

...

Xu Yan set out from the capital with a belly full of questions, eager to find his master and get some answers.

He used his martial arts to travel directly from the capital to Donghe County.

With his current strength, even the finest steeds couldn't compare to his speed, so Xu Yan didn't bother with a horse. With his qi and blood flowing, his body moved like the wind as he rushed towards Yunshan County.

"If it's not a corpse fiend, then what kind of monster is it that sucks the bodies dry?"

Xu Yan was still pondering the nature of the creature that had left those desiccated corpses.

"I'm almost at Yunshan County."

Ahead was a post station, and beyond it, a hundred leagues away, lay Yunshan County.

"I'll take a rest and calm myself."

Xu Yan slowed his pace, intending to rest at the post station and also inquire with the officials there if they had ever heard of a monster that sucked human blood.

Being adjacent to the Endless Great Mountains, the post station's officials were sure to be well-informed, perhaps even more so than outsiders about the legends and stories originating from within those mountains.

Having rushed all the way from the capital, Xu Yan's qi and blood had been somewhat depleted, and he didn't want to present himself to his master in such a restless state. It wouldn't do to have his master think him impetuous.

"One must not be hasty when facing troubles!" Xu Yan thought to himself.

As he slowed down and stopped using his martial arts, his depleted qi and blood began to recover rapidly. The jade-like bones within his body seemed to shine with a radiant light, demonstrating the strength of his foundational jade bones.

By the time Xu Yan entered the post station, his qi and blood had almost fully recovered to their peak state.

"Something's not right!"

Suddenly, Xu Yan's expression turned slightly grim. The keen senses of a martial artist alerted him to the anomaly, and his qi and blood instantly surged, readying him for any threat.

He sensed a danger lurking nearby.

It was the first time he had felt this way since becoming a martial artist.

Xu Yan immediately realized that there was danger within the post station! And this danger was a threat to him!

"What is it?"

Xu Yan felt his qi and blood boiling, and a fierce battle intent arose in his heart, along with an expectation to face this unknown danger.

Step by step, he entered the post station.

Suddenly, his pupils contracted as he spotted a desiccated corpse! It was the body of a post station clerk! The shriveled corpse was identical to those of the young master of the Minister of War and the others.

"Is it that monster?"

Xu Yan's heart tightened, and his keen senses alerted him to the danger lurking in the surroundings. Gradually, he homed in on the direction of the threat—it was in one of the rooms of the post station, and the enemy was standing behind the door!

"It's not a monster, but a person!"

In that instant, Xu Yan's heart skipped a beat. Could it be another martial artist like himself? Someone from the martial arts world? But where did they come from, and why did they kill the post station clerk?

And... they had sucked the clerk's blood dry!

What kind of martial artist was this?

Puff!

Suddenly, a cold, almost transparent silken thread shot through the door, aiming directly at his heart. The attack was incredibly swift and powerful.

Inside the room, Xu Xin was shocked.

How could there be a martial artist in this remote land? And this young martial artist seemed a bit unusual!

He had been about to leave the post station and head to a nearby city to perform blood sacrifices and heal his injuries.

But suddenly, he sensed a powerful presence approaching on the official road, and the vitality of that blood shocked him.

"Is it a martial artist pursuing me from the Inner Realm? No! It can't be! Why is their blood so terrifyingly vigorous?"

Xu Xin was astonished. He moved back into the post station to hide.

That powerful presence was too unrestrained, too overwhelming, and the vitality of their blood was simply frightening. How could there be such a terrifying person in this world?

"If I could devour their blood, wouldn't I instantly recover from my injuries and even further my strength?"

The more Xu Xin thought about it, the more excited he became.

"In this remote land, where the spiritual energy of the heavens and the earth is diminished, it is impossible for a martial artist to exist. But it's also impossible for there to be a martial artist with such terrifyingly vigorous blood in the Inner Realm, not even among Grand Masters."

Xu Xin's confusion only grew.

"Could it be that martial arts can now be cultivated in this remote land? No, absolutely not!"

Even as Xu Yan entered the post station and ceased his martial arts, reining in his qi and blood, Xu Xin, with his keen sense of blood, could still perceive the vast amount of blood within Xu Yan's body.

The more he sensed it, the more shocked he became.

"Is this blood? But it feels different, and why does it feel so fiery, like an infinite inferno? This doesn't seem like blood at all!"

Xu Xin's mind was filled with questions.

"If I kill him, I believe that by devouring his blood, I can not only heal my injuries but also strengthen my foundation and perhaps even break through!"

A bloodthirsty light shone in Xu Xin's eyes.

"What kind of martial art is this?!"

Bloodless Heart's expression turned pale with shock.

Boom!

The room collapsed, debris flew everywhere, and Xu Yan raised his hand, unleashing another dragon-like palm strike. The crimson dragon soared through the air, sweeping down with overwhelming force.

The fierce and domineering Descending Dragon Palm caused the Bloodthirsty Silken Threads to evaporate instantly. However, Xu Yan's expression remained solemn, his eyes filled with confusion.

As he looked at Xu Xin, who had leaped into the air to dodge the attack, Xu Yan was stunned.

"A Precelestial State warrior? Is that qi?"

That thin, cold silken thread seemed to be condensed from qi.

"No! Something's not right, qi shouldn't be this weak!

"And a Precelestial State warrior shouldn't be this weak either. What's going on with him?"

Xu Yan's mind was filled with questions.

Xu Xin stared at Xu Yan, his eyes widening with shock.

"A warrior! He really is a warrior!"

"Is he from the Inner Realm? No! That can't be! If he were a warrior from the Inner Realm, he would have recognized me already."

Xu Xin dismissed the idea that Xu Yan was a warrior from the Inner Realm.

Clearly, this young man was a warrior from the frontier lands.

"Is he a third-rate warrior? No, he's stronger than that. A second-rate warrior? No, he's even stronger. Could he be a first-rate warrior?

"Such a young first-rate warrior?

"Something's not right. What kind of warrior is he? A first-rate warrior shouldn't be this strong!"

As shock filled Xu Xin's heart, confusion quickly followed.

"His qi and blood are like a gale force? What kind of warrior is he? What martial path does he follow? What kind of technique is he using? A first-rate warrior cultivates the Gale Qi, but it shouldn't be this vast and overpowering, nor should it possess such formidable might.

"Why does he give me the feeling of a Qi Refining Master?

"However, this doesn't seem like the inner qi of a master. It seems more like qi and blood, but why is his qi and blood so powerful?"

Xu Xin felt his mind spinning.

What was going on here?

Xu Yan was equally perplexed. The cold aura emanating from Xu Xin, along with his formidable power, seemed like qi, yet it was weaker than Precelestial qi.

However, Xu Xin could fly, a capability that only Precelestial State warriors should possess.

If he was indeed in the Precelestial State, why was he so weak?

"Could it be that my cultivation technique is too strong?" Xu Yan wondered.

"That doesn't make sense either. Why do I feel that his physical body isn't strong? It's as if his martial arts foundation isn't solid, or perhaps he hasn't cultivated his qi and blood at all.

"This is strange. Is he really a Precelestial State warrior?"

"He doesn't look like a good person. I need to be careful!" Xu Yan thought.

His qi and blood surged, and a giant dragon coiled around his body, with another dragon hovering above his head. Two more dragons on either side raised their heads, ready to strike at any moment.

Facing a powerful enemy, Xu Yan dared not let down his guard.

Xu Xin's pupils constricted as the fierce and fiery qi and blood emanating from Xu Yan filled him with a sense of threat and a strong desire.

His intuition told him that if he devoured Xu Yan's qi and blood, he could not only heal his injuries but also break through to a higher level of power! A bloodthirsty gleam appeared in his eyes.

His already pale face turned even paler, and a cold aura shrouded his body.

A narrow, gleaming dagger appeared in his hand, emanating a chilling light.

Xu Yan's eyes narrowed as he sensed the threat emanating from the dagger.

"It's a treasure dagger!"

The dagger shared similarities with the sword he had obtained from the Qi Kingdom's royal treasury. Both were not made of steel.

"I didn't bring my sword with me!" Xu Yan realized.

"When I get back, I'll learn swordsmanship!" he decided.

Hmm!

Xu Xin's dagger emitted a deep, buzzing sound, and the dagger's light shone with a gloomy glow. The cold dagger aura spread out, and around the dagger, thin silken threads floated like long needles.

"He who strikes first gains the advantage!"

Xu Yan pushed his palm forward, and with a thunderous roar, the Descending Dragon Palm struck out.

Xu Xin's eyes turned cold, and he slashed downward with his dagger.

The cold dagger aura, accompanied by the thin silken threads, was incredibly sharp. With a single strike, it sliced through the Descending Dragon Palm.

Boom!

The dagger aura sliced through the air, filling the surroundings with a chilling atmosphere, causing the temperature to drop.

Xu Yan waved his hands, and the Descending Dragon Palm expanded. In an instant, nine giant dragons rushed out from all directions, targeting Xu Xin. The terrifying qi and blood surrounding Xu Yan resembled a blazing inferno.

The cold aura emanating from Xu Xin was instantly evaporated by Xu Yan's fiery qi and blood.

"This boy must not be allowed to live!" Xu Xin's heart was filled with murderous intent. Xu Yan's fierce qi and blood had a suppressing effect on his inner qi, causing his strength to drop by more than 20%.

If not for his higher cultivation level, he would have been completely crushed by Xu Yan at the same level!

In that instant, the dagger light swept through the air, and the thin silken threads coiled like spider webs, condensing into a giant net.

Boom!

The nine giant dragons attacked from all directions, their overwhelming palm strikes forming layer upon layer of oppressive force. However, Xu Xin's dagger light was even more ruthless and fierce.

With each slash of his dagger, he tore through the giant dragons. His body moved swiftly, constantly pressing forward.

The post station had been reduced to ruins by their battle.

"He's strong!"

Xu Yan's heart stirred as he faced his opponent's vicious dagger techniques and powerful dagger aura, which could slice through his Descending Dragon Palm. However, Xu Yan did not retreat; instead, he felt invigorated.

He had finally met a worthy opponent.

Now, he could let loose and fight to his heart's content!

When facing the Divine Might Army, he had not been able to fight with abandon.

But now, he could!

Warriors were meant to battle!

Xu Yan's qi and blood surged, and the power of his Descending Dragon Palm continued to grow stronger. With a thunderous roar, a tenth giant dragon emerged, coiling and swirling alongside the others, further enhancing their might.

"Why do I feel that he's not that strong? Precelestial State warriors shouldn't be this weak," Xu Yan thought.

Although Xu Xin had the upper hand for the moment, Xu Yan remained calm and unafraid, his mind filled with questions.

His opponent was unusually weak and lacked the strength expected of a Precelestial State warrior.

If Xu Yan's qi and blood were at their peak, he was certain he could defeat Xu Xin!

With each exchange, Xu Xin's heart pounded with alarm. Although he held the advantage, it was incredibly difficult to defeat Xu Yan.

The dragon-shaped palm strikes were overwhelmingly powerful and fierce.

Moreover, the dragon-shaped palm strikes could change their attacks mid-motion. Just when it seemed like the dragon's head was about to strike, it would twist in mid-air, turning the attack into a strike from the dragon's tail!

What kind of palm technique allowed for such flexibility?

"Something's not right. What martial art is he cultivating? Judging by his strength, he seems to be a first-rate warrior. But how can a first-rate warrior possess such power and overwhelming might?" Xu Xin wondered.

Taking a deep breath, Xu Xin knew that he had to end the battle quickly.

He slashed with his dagger, and countless Bloodthirsty Silken Threads wrapped around the giant dragons, hindering their movements and reducing their flexibility and attack speed.

As Xu Xin's body moved swiftly, he seized the moment when Xu Yan's Descending Dragon Palm revealed an opening above him. He leaped into the air and stabbed downward with his dagger!

 (End of Chapter)

Chapter end