Chapter 535 - 317: It’s You
Chapter 535: Chapter 317: It’s You
After paying the entrance fee, Xu Yang entered Wu Family Castle. It was just as bustling as yesterday, completely unaffected by his previous actions, with various stalls scattered everywhere.
He saw plenty of Spirit Medicine used for refining Spiritual Essence Pills. Unfortunately, since he had not yet learned how to refine Spiritual Essence Pills, he could only sigh in frustration. Nevertheless, he still went up to ask about the prices, familiarizing himself with the costs of various Spirit Medicines.
Soon, a voice caught Xu Yang’s attention.
"That man was ten feet tall with an eight-foot waist! His muscles were knotted like dragons! The moment we saw him from afar, we knew things were going south..."
Finding the voice familiar, Xu Yang squeezed into the crowd. Sure enough, he saw the burly man who had bought his remaining Dragon Tiger Great Golden Pills yesterday, animatedly describing what he had witnessed.
"Xie Jin from the Fuhu Gang took just one punch from him! His arm was shattered, his body nearly exploded, and he took his last breath while still in mid-air.
"Fortunately, my brothers and I were smart enough to keep our distance. Otherwise, I’m afraid we wouldn’t have made it back.
"I thought he was just a naive newcomer, but who would have guessed he was a formidable force to be reckoned with!"
As the burly man spoke, a look of lingering fear appeared on his face.
"But he’s done for anyway. By provoking the Fuhu Gang, no matter how good the quality of his Dragon Tiger Great Golden Pills is, he won’t dare to bring them out to sell anymore."
"This man could kill Xie Jin with a single punch. Would he really be afraid of the Fuhu Gang?" Xu Yang chimed in.
The burly man glanced at Xu Yang and laughed. "You young people really know nothing. The Fuhu Gang Leader, Yang Zheng, is a powerful expert at the Celestial Essence Second Layer. He also has several Celestial Essence Elders under his command. No matter how strong that man is, facing the Celestial Essence Second Layer will only result in him being slapped to death."
"Yang Zheng is probably reluctant to kill him. I bet the Fuhu Gang wants to find the Pill Master behind that man and capture them to perform Alchemy for the gang," someone laughed.
A Pill Master capable of refining premium-grade Dragon Tiger Great Golden Pills was practically a walking cash cow. Only a fool would kill them.
He thought, "Celestial Essence Second Layer?"
Xu Yang listened for a while longer, occasionally asking a few questions, and gathered a significant amount of information about the Fuhu Gang. Aside from Gang Leader Yang Zheng possessing Celestial Essence Second Level Cultivation, it was said that Yang Zheng’s mount was also a powerful Exotic Beast comparable to the Celestial Essence Second Layer. This meant they effectively had two experts at the Celestial Essence Second Layer.
"Two at the Celestial Essence Second Layer. I’m not a match for them just yet," he murmured to himself.
Xu Yang pushed the thoughts aside. If the Fuhu Gang hadn’t been strong, he would have attacked their headquarters directly to eliminate the root of the problem.
He stayed in Wu Family Castle for a while longer. As a trading market, the people conducting business here were predominantly Celestial Essence Martial Artists. There were plenty of secret Jianghu rumors, and he heard a lot of useful information. At the very least, he gained a superficial understanding of the power dynamics across Yunzhou City.
Various factions intersected in Yunzhou City, their relationships intricately woven together. An inconspicuous minor family might be related by marriage to a Thousand-Year-Old Noble Family, or perhaps act as one of their miscellaneous branch lineages—it was very difficult to tell. Aside from the local factions, there were also formidable outsiders and Demon Sect disciples who were frequently active here. Some families would even collude with the Demon Sect.
However, the strongest of them all was undoubtedly the Court. Unlike the subordinate counties and prefectures, the Court had a very strong grip on Yunzhou City and was extremely dominant. Even a Thousand-Year-Old Noble Family had to overtly abide by the Court’s rules.
Of course, dirty dealings existed everywhere. The information he had come across only covered what was on the surface.
After staying for a few hours, Xu Yang bought nothing and left Wu Family Castle to return to Yunzhou City.
Halfway there, the sound of footsteps suddenly rang out behind him. He looked back and discovered it was none other than the burly man. Earlier in Wu Family Castle, he had heard someone mention the man’s name: Zhang Baoqing.
"What a coincidence!" Xu Yang could not help but chuckle.
Yesterday, this Zhang Baoqing had also wanted to make a move against him but had been a step too late. After seeing him slay Xie Jin, the man had been scared away. Originally, he hadn’t planned on killing Zhang Baoqing, but that was only because there hadn’t been a suitable opportunity. If the right chance presented itself, he naturally wouldn’t show any mercy.
If he remembered correctly, Zhang Baoqing had quite a lot of Spirit Coins on him.
"Little brother, what a coincidence," Zhang Baoqing said with a smile as he strode over to catch up.
Xu Yang had asked him questions earlier in Wu Family Castle, so he clearly still remembered him.
"It is!" Xu Yang smiled. He expanded his five senses, listening carefully, and found that within a radius of hundreds of feet, there was no third person besides him and Zhang Baoqing. It was the perfect time to strike.
"Are you heading back to the city, little brother? Me too. Let’s travel together so we can look out for each other on the way," Zhang Baoqing said casually. As he spoke, his gaze swept over Xu Yang nonchalantly.
His clothing was made of average fabric, so he didn’t look like a young master from a major family. A faint hint of Spirituality drifted from his waist, which should be Spirit Coins. Although the Weapons on his back were wrapped in black cloth, they also exuded a faint Spirituality. Based on his experience, it was most likely a Spiritual Soldier.
He thought to himself, "He’s a fat sheep with quite a fortune."
A Spiritual Soldier, even if it wasn’t forged by a master, could easily fetch a market price of over thirty Spirit Coins. Even if stolen goods couldn’t be sold through regular channels, selling it for a dozen Spirit Coins would be no problem. If the Spiritual Soldier on this person’s back was crafted by a true expert, it could sell for at least twenty or thirty Spirit Coins even on the black market.
"I’ll do it!"
Killing intent surged in Zhang Baoqing’s heart. He was exactly the type of person who did these kinds of deeds; there was no reason to reject Spirit Coins that were delivered right to his doorstep. Judging by his attire, this person didn’t seem to have any formidable background.
"I was just thinking the same thing!" Xu Yang smiled.
Zhang Baoqing mused that the young man truly had no Jianghu experience. Just because they had exchanged a few words back in Wu Family Castle, the kid actually thought they were friends. Shaking his head inwardly, Zhang Baoqing approached seamlessly and cupped his hands. "I am Zhang Baoqing. How should I address you, little brother?"
As he spoke, he began to secretly gather his Force, calculating the perfect moment to strike.
"I am your father!"
Right as the other party cupped his hands to speak, Zhang Baoqing made his move.
BOOM!
Amidst a sound like an exploding thunderbolt, his fist thrust out like a massive spear, carrying a fierce power that tore through the air. He aimed straight for the young man’s throat, intending to blast him to death in a single strike.
BOOM!
At almost the exact same time, Xu Yang also moved. Amidst the rumbling of his muscles and bones, his Gang Yuan roared like a mighty river. A ferocious-looking giant tortoise emerged behind him, shaking the heavens and the earth, causing the surrounding Power of Heaven and Earth to riot.
Celestial Essence Martial Technique, Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Fist!
This was the Fist Technique obtained from the Song Family. It was a true Celestial Essence Martial Technique, and one had to comprehend its Martial Dao Imagery to even reach the Entry Level. Song Yushao had broken through to the Celestial Essence for decades, yet he had never managed to master this Fist Technique Martial Technique.
An astonishing killing intent burst from his body. Xu Yang threw a heavy punch with the overwhelming momentum of a collapsing mountain, tearing the air apart and emitting a deafening boom.
Zhang Baoqing froze. The other party was actually harboring the exact same idea—to kill him and steal his valuables.
"You little beast!" he couldn’t help but shout.
Seeing the other party was no more than eighteen or nineteen with clear and handsome features, he had thought he was a greenhorn who had barely experienced the world. Who would have guessed he was also a ruthless character who dabbled in murder and robbery? If he hadn’t planned to strike first, he might have been done for today.
Their auras clashed, cracking the mountain path and sending plumes of dust rolling into the air. Both of their fists, originally aimed at each other’s throats, changed direction simultaneously, intercepting one another.
BANG!
As the two fists collided, a deafening muffled sound rang out. A violent shockwave of air exploded, forming a shockwave visible to the naked eye. Within a radius of a hundred feet, everything was pulverized. Rocks and vegetation burst apart as a dragon-like plume of dust soared into the sky.
Zhang Baoqing’s entire body shuddered, his muscles and bones whining under the immense strain. His hand bones felt like they were going to shatter. He only felt an incredibly fierce force transmit from the opposing fist, scattering the Gang Yuan he had condensed. What shocked him even more was the opponent’s fist. It was so hard it felt like it wasn’t made of flesh and blood, but rather a terrifying weapon tougher than a Spiritual Soldier, rippling with a strange metallic luster.
Looking at his own fist, the skin and flesh had already cracked in the terrifying collision, as if his punch had smashed into a sturdy Spiritual Soldier.
"Ugh!"
Zhang Baoqing let out a pained grunt. His body crashed through the barrier of dust as he retreated in large strides, leaving a deep pit in the ground with every step.
"The top-tier Martial Dao Imagery, the Black Tortoise!"
He stared in horror at the ferocious giant tortoise behind Xu Yang. This kind of top-tier Martial Dao Imagery was essentially exclusive to geniuses. Anyone with Comprehension below A-class didn’t even have the qualifications to study it.
"You took a punch from me without breaking your hand bones. You’ve refined your body pretty well," Xu Yang said. He took a large stride forward, his killing intent surging like the tide.
His Black Tortoise Mountain-Suppressing Fist was currently only at the Minor Achievement Realm, so its power was not yet overwhelmingly strong. Of course, it was enough to kill Zhang Baoqing, but it would be difficult to kill him quickly.
BOOM!
A violent shockwave erupted. A ten-foot-tall Ming King Illusion manifested and quickly merged with him. Amidst the cracking of his joints, Xu Yang’s body expanded. His muscles bulged, and a majestic pressure swept in all directions. Bright King Unmoving Body and Eight Ferocious Hidden Dragon Strength circulated simultaneously. He transformed into a giant with knotted muscles, his entire body flowing with light.
"It’s you?" Zhang Baoqing’s pupils shrank violently, feeling as if his scalp was going to explode. This handsome young man before him was actually the ruthless killer from yesterday.
The opponent had killed Xie Jin and returned to Wu Family Castle with a different face to gather information, and he had actually thought he stumbled upon a fat sheep!
"It is me. I let you escape yesterday, but I never expected you to still harbor your wicked intentions today. In that case, stay here forever."
Xu Yang’s voice was freezing. Closing the distance in a few quick strides, he caught up to the retreating Zhang Baoqing and threw a punch that shone with a jade-like luster, punching right through the air.
BOOM!
The air rippled with visible shockwaves. Before the fist even arrived, the ground around Zhang Baoqing was already shattered by the majestic pressure, turning dirt and rocks to dust. His body sank. The fierce fist pressure made him feel as if he were bearing the weight of a thousand boulders, his body trapped in a quagmire.
At this moment, he finally understood why Xie Jin had been suppressed and killed with a single punch yesterday. With the Perfection Body Refining Technique, Bright King Unmoving Body, coupled with the top-tier Secret Technique from the Celestial Strategy Academy, the Eight Ferocious Hidden Dragon Strength, this opponent could completely dominate the Celestial Essence First Layer.
Unless a Spirit Bone Celestial Pride appeared, even the likes of Huo Xiaochen or Lin Jingyu might not be able to suppress the young man before him. Moreover, judging by the opponent’s age, he was likely one of those geniuses on the Lingyun List who were second only to the Spirit Bone Celestial Prides.
He had actually tried to rob and kill a top-tier genius on the Lingyun List?
"Ahhhh!"
Filled with sheer terror, Zhang Baoqing desperately fought back. He condensed all his Gang Yuan in front of him, and the imagery of a massive cyan wolf materialized behind his back.