Chapter 15

A one-in-a-thousand chance is too slim.

Just after breaking through the Innate Stage, he now felt that his Heavenly Gang Child Skill had reached an unprecedented state.

Scorching gangqi burst from his body's surface, and flaming thunder erupted within, causing the room's temperature to soar rapidly.

In his sight, Zhang Jian saw that the silk bedding around the nearby wooden cot turned to charcoal at a visible speed, not ignited but reduced to ash by the intense heat, even the stone floor beneath him was scorched through.

The Heavenly Gang Internal Energy cultivated through the Heavenly Gang Child Skill is actually Pure Yang Internal Energy.

Based on a sliver of true yang from a child's body, it is the most scorching and overbearing.

It can be called Extreme Yang.

In the darkness, countless invisible spiritual influences were twisted and pulled by this terrifying force, about to form vortices and merge into Zhang Jian's body.

Zhang Jian felt that, through the Heaven-Earth Bridge, he could now mobilize the spiritual influences in the darkness.

Although the gangqi of Nurturing Origin Stage internal martial artists is formidable, their internal gangqi has limits; whereas Innate Stage internal martial artists can, via the Heaven-Earth Bridge, draw a thread of heaven-earth spiritual influence.

The power unleashed by the pressure of heaven-earth force is naturally far beyond what Nurturing Origin Stage internal martial artists can match.

Zhang Jian sensed that the Jade Pool Golden Lotus Seed's endless power was flowing into the depths of his soul, enhancing his innate spiritual awareness.

It is quite profound.

"Drawing even a thread of heaven-earth power at the Innate Stage is already this terrifying; who knows how far one could go upon stepping onto the Gate of the Great Dao?"

Zhang Jian's eyes shone brightly.

He was already somewhat impatient.

……

"Paulownia Mountain Pure Nine Chapters!"

With Zhang Yi's help, Zhang Jian's deciphering speed increased greatly, and he finally completed the deciphering half a month later.

In the study, Zhang Jian furrowed his brow, just as he and Zhang Yi had expected; the ancient golden script contained in those dozen or so scrolls was indeed a cultivation manual.

This is an immortal's method.

Even a rough browse let Zhang Jian feel its vast profundity.

At this time, Zhang Jian could not hide his smile.

"Jian Ge'er, how is it?"

Zhang Yi stood to the side, one hand clasped in prayer, the other merely holding a duster, obviously still nervous, worried about an accident.

Zhang Jian returned the smile and said, "We succeeded!"

"Good!"

Zhang Yi's facial muscles twitched slightly, his body trembled; although he had uttered only a single word, the surge in his heart could not be contained.

Zhang Jian laughed and said, "Uncle Yi, I will later fully transmit this technique to you; moreover, this technique has some special aspects!"

There was something unusual in his gaze, and Zhang Yi instinctively looked over.

"According to the information I deciphered from this ancient golden script, this might be a heart method passed down from a sect!"

Zhang Jian's expression turned somewhat solemn.

To be frank, this is an introductory heart method of some sect.

It is extremely complete.

What is most rare is that the technique's end also bears many cultivation secrets, such as explanations of terms and practice taboos, and it even includes three minor techniques, amounting to a complete inheritance.

However, only the first three layers are available now; according to the later information in this ancient golden script, to obtain the later core teachings one must find the location of Paulownia Mountain to acquire the subsequent core secret methods.

So, does this article have the location of 'Tong Mountain' mentioned later?

Zhang Yi's expression also froze slightly.

No!

Zhang Jian shook his head.

Zhang Yi nodded, his expression not disappointed.

Although it was a bit unexpected, this did not affect the uncle and nephew's enthusiasm; this is a matter for later.

At least it has no impact on the present.

Whether such immortal arts can be cultivated remains unknown.

While the uncle and nephew were wholeheartedly comprehending this wonderful technique,

Shuangta Mountain

At this moment, hundreds of soldiers shouted and brandished their weapons, putting on a good show of breaking the encirclement; wave after wave of outlaws rushing down from the mountain pass were shot dead by a group of red-clad soldiers opening their crossbows.

Crossbow bolts fell like a violent rain into the valley; groups of vicious bandits, in fear, collapsed one after another.

Miserable cries and pleas for mercy filled the air.

These red-clad soldiers, each with resolute brows, broad shoulders and thick waists, filled with killing intent, were clearly veteran troops who had seen much battle.

These roughly one hundred people were the result of Zhang Yi's painstaking cultivation over more than ten years.

Although there are only about a hundred, each has endured numerous killings, finally surviving the battles with outlaws and horse bandits to become elite troops.

And the Nine Pearl Divine Crossbows they hold are also heavy weapons of the Great Qian army.

All were procured by the Zhang family at great expense from the military.

With ample money to grease the wheels, many things became much simpler.

Today, however, Zhang Yi handed these roughly one hundred elite troops to Zhang Kui to use as a surprise force to exterminate the bandits of the three strongholds alliance that had gathered from the three mountains.

This three strongholds alliance consists of Baima Stronghold, Heihu Stronghold, and the Xiaohan Mountain horse bandits; these three are well-known major strongholds in the Shuangfeng Mountains, notorious far and wide, often gathering to shout and block the road to rob.

The merchant caravans of the great households around Fengxi County have suffered greatly from them, gnashing their teeth, yet they have always been unable to do anything about these three mountain strongholds.

This time, however, through the machinations of a certain person, they united to oppose Zhang Kui's anti-bandit troops.

At this moment, the valley was already flowing with blood; each horse bandit and outlaw lay fallen in pools of blood.

Even the several leaders of the three major strongholds, facing that military weapon, under the Nine Pearl Repeating Crossbow they repeatedly suffered losses; only the two chief bandits, together with the Northern Land Five Heroes, using their overbearing external cultivation martial arts aided by corpses, managed to block those waves of arrows.

The several "good friends" in front of him had become arrow targets, and as wave after wave of arrows poured down without stint, he watched the meat shield in his hands gradually be pierced through.

Several of them felt a little panicked; the arrowheads of the Nine Pearl Divine Crossbow were specially made, specifically to break qi strength, and they could hardly withstand many.

"Damn Zhang family, just how many arrows did they buy?"

At this moment, the chief leader of the Northern Land Five Heroes, Black Hawk Zhu Heng, almost bit his teeth to pieces.

This is relying on money to do as one pleases.

They knew, however, that those people in the army were the sort who wouldn't act unless they saw a rabbit; such military heavy weapons are normally hard to obtain, and even if they leak out, they still require a huge price.

But Zhang Kui's volley of crossbow arrows poured down wave after wave.

Every arrow shot was a string of copper coins, silver!

"Zhu Heng, you said this battle was certain to succeed—how did it end up like this?"

At this moment, the sole remaining leader of Black Tiger Mountain, his expression grief-stricken and indignant, saw the meat shield in his hands gradually pierced by the dense arrow rain; in despair he let out a violent roar, like a fierce tiger bursting forth, but in an instant he was drowned in the arrow storm, suffering a dozen or more arrows amid his anguished cries.

He was extremely ferocious; even turned into a 'hedgehog', he still gripped a beheading great sword and continued to charge wildly toward Zhang Kui's direction, the energy of the Yijin vigor shattering large chunks of mountain stone that splashed out.

But in the next instant, a figure beside Zhang Kui raised a hand and fired a spear, pinning him dead to the ground.

That fierce divine power penetrated straight through the mountain rock several feet deep.

The Northern Land Five Heroes, seeing this situation, each felt despair deep within.

They all rushed out one after another, but their situation was not good at all; they had only just reached in front of Zhang Kui when they were surrounded by the dozen or so retainers in front of him and beaten together.

Before a neatly arrayed army, individual martial strength still has great limitations.

Especially before such elite troops equipped with military heavy weapons.

Of course, this is also because the Northern Land Five Heroes were schemed against and distanced; otherwise, even if they wanted to slaughter this group of external cultivation martial artists, Zhang Kui would still have to pay a price.

"A pack of bereaved dogs, they can't amount to anything!"

Zhang Kui was tall and broad-shouldered, his face covered with pockmarks—leftover from childhood smallpox—making him indeed look fierce and menacing.

The handsome middle-aged man holding a red-tasseled spear beside him reminded him.

"Fourth Lord, should we still keep a few captives? Perhaps we could overthrow Yang Qing; maybe it will fall to them instead."

He is the Spear King of Fengyang, Wang Quan, who stands alongside Jian Yao and Zhao Jinhong, and is also one of the three most capable retainers of the Zhang family.

Zhang Kui glanced at the valley flowing with blood, gave a slight nod, signaling his subordinates to keep captives; although the Northern Land Five Heroes before him were fierce, each had already suffered considerable losses and could not escape.

……

Zhang family, in the inner quarters.

Gu Xiu'er had her internal breath sealed, unable to move her whole body; at this moment Gu Xiu'er's face was calm, without any sign of panic.

At this moment the white gauze on her face had been removed, her lotus-like jade face turned upward, her skin white as jade, her appearance exceptionally outstanding, her demeanor like orchid and immortal.