Chapter 92

Two days later, at dawn.

Changping County.

News that the mysterious strongman Ye Chen struck again, instantly slashing a Yuhunshi, gradually spread.

It is said that this time the opponent also rescued a large convoy, and even two official Bone-forging Strongmen survived because of it.

This made countless martial artists in the city all the more curious.

A group of people were speculating that, as a blood-replacing strongman, the opponent would certainly take further action.

All the martial artists of the county town were silently looking forward.

It remains unknown whether Ye Chen can defeat the First Yuhunshi and, for the DemonSubduingOffice's two Patrol Envoys' defeat, regain a shred of face.

Even some Xuan-level DemonSubduingOffice enforcers also began to discuss it.

Several Patrol Envoys were also extremely curious.

It is said that many martial artists witnessed the opponent's striking power this time; that speed was astonishing, unattainable even by ordinary blood-replacing strongmen.

In a side hall of the DemonSubduingOffice.

Zhu Houyu sat upright on the chair, his complexion rather grim.

"Pa…"

He grabbed the teacup on the table and smashed it hard onto the floor, the tea leaves mixed with fragments instantly scattering.

After his defeat to Zuo Jiliang, the long‑conceived plan went straight to ruin.

Now, suddenly another mysterious strongman has emerged, consecutively slashing Yuhunshi, and his fame is unrivaled.

This forms a stark contrast to his own failure.

Fortunately, the opponent is not a member of the DemonSubduingOffice, otherwise his role as FuduDianZhu would be uncertain.

He silently breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

……

Outside the city.

A dim underground space.

A group of black‑robed men stood in the center of the great hall, their expressions extremely respectful as they looked at a red‑robed woman ahead.

"Did you find any information on Ye Chen?"

The red‑robed woman's tone was chilling, her face ice‑cold.

"Respectfully, my lord, grant your subordinate some more time..."

A middle‑aged man answered with a face full of terror.

"The Holy Sect does not nurture waste."

A murderous glint flashed briefly in the red‑robed woman's eyes.

At that moment, two armored hulks hurried from behind, lifted the middle‑aged man and dragged him away.

"My lord, grant your subordinate another chance..."

The middle‑aged man struggled while shouting loudly, his face full of despair.

He knew that if he were dragged away, there would be no way to live.

Given this lord's cruelty, what remained for him would be worse than death.

The red‑robed woman wore a murderous aura, unmoved by his cries.

The atmosphere on the scene was rather oppressive.

"My lord, shall we dispatch a sect strongman to act?"

At that moment, a young man with a grim visage carefully spoke up.

"Forget it, the timing isn't right; if we send the older generation strongmen now, the decisive battle would likely erupt immediately."

"As long as this person does not jeopardize my great affairs, let the Yuhunshi act for now."

The red‑robed woman waved her hand.

Zuo Jiliang then stepped forward: "Your subordinate will fully investigate this person and slay the opponent."

His tone was rather confident.

According to intelligence obtained within the Holy Sect, the opponent is only at an early blood‑replacing level; only by a surprise attack could he slay a Bone-forging Strongman who had reached perfection.

With his strength, slaying this person is also highly possible.

"I entrust this matter to you two; the collection of boy and girl children must never be neglected..."

The red‑robed woman scanned Zuo Jiliang and Qi Guangcheng with an air of authority.

"Your subordinate, at your command."

Zuo Jiliang and the other immediately clasped their hands in salute.

……

Time flew, and several more days passed.

That day, at noon, the warm sun shone brightly.

Lu Zhangsheng practiced sword technique in his own courtyard.

Endless blade light darted through the void, appearing somewhat glittering.

In recent days, Lu Zhangsheng stayed at home each day to train, and at night went to the magma edge to mine; his days were rather peaceful.

His own Source Energy Points were steadily rising, which made him very pleased.

In just a few days he could upgrade his skills again.

As long as he perfects his defensive technique, the next step is a realm breakthrough to transcendence, which will be another domain; once there, his full‑force strike can even slay ordinary early blood‑replacing opponents.

The two demonic sect's First and Second Yuhunshi could no longer be his opponents.

A moment later.

Lu Zhangsheng sheathed his sword technique and walked toward a corner at the back of the courtyard.

After reaching a wall corner, he dug up the nearby soil, revealing a small pit.

Inside lay a deep brown jar, its mouth sealed with red cloth.

This fruit wine was brewed by Lu Zhangsheng from mountain spiritual fruit, and had been buried here for dozens of days.

Since he fell in love with the fine brew of Yue Lai Building, he has long wanted to use mountain Spiritual Creatures to make wine, teaching himself many brewing methods, and today finally reaped the harvest.

Lu Zhangsheng took out the wine jar and eagerly peeled back the cloth.

A strong, fresh fragrance wafted into his nose.

It lifted his spirit, and even his body seemed a bit lighter.

He lifted the wine jar and gulped down a large mouthful.

An incredibly cool, sweet sensation rushed down his throat straight to the depths of his heart.

"Fine wine, truly worthy of being brewed by mountain Spiritual Creatures."

Lu Zhangsheng wiped his mouth corner, his face carefree.

These spiritual wines used many aged fruits; drinking them in the previous session greatly advanced his cultivation.

Then he poured all the spiritual wine into a wine gourd, returned to the courtyard, and began sword practice.

"Hoo…"

Blade light darted through the void, appearing even more graceful.

Drinking, sword practice, and slaying demons and evils have become the portrait of Lu Zhangsheng's life.

This simple, unadorned life gradually intoxicated him.

The DemonSubduingOffice seemed to have forgotten Lu Zhangsheng.

He enjoyed the leisure, barely interacting with others, simply cultivating.

Whenever he felt bored, he would leave the city to trouble that group of cultists.

Such days slipped by, another ten or so days passing.

That night, deep midnight.

The moon shone brightly among sparse stars.

The bright moonlight scattered beneath several large willows in the courtyard, revealing layered shadows that added an air of mystery to the night.

Lu Zhangsheng stood with his feet apart, holding a long blade, poised in the center of the courtyard.

After days of digging, his resources again met the skill requirements.

He opened the panel.

Source Energy Points: 820.

He no longer hesitated, immediately moving toward the plus sign after the Great Cauldron Technique.

"Buzz…"

A faint wave descended again into the depths of his mind, as if a peerless warrior were endlessly cultivating martial arts within.

【After years of relentless cultivation, you have finally perfected the Great Cauldron Technique.】

Accompanied by a crisp Prompt Sound, this upgrade formally concluded.

Lu Zhangsheng immediately began verification.

He gently activated the Great Cauldron Technique.

"Boom Boom Boom…"

Qi and blood inside his body surged wildly, converging toward his limbs and bones, and then a transparent shield appeared around his body, astonishingly miraculous.

"Is this the perfected Great Cauldron Technique?"

Sensing his entire being enveloped by a surge of energy, he felt rather puzzled.

This scene already exceeded his imagination.

He did not expect the perfected defensive art to undergo such a Metamorphosis.

He already felt a preliminary sense of being impervious to blades and spears, water and fire.

At that moment, a martial art seemed to surface in his mind, closely resembling his current state.

"Heavenly Gang Boy Technique?"

It is said that mastering the Boy Technique to its highest realm spreads vital essence throughout the body, rendering one impervious to weapons—truly astonishing. His condition bore some resemblance.

He suspected that the Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield might have some connection with the Boy Technique.

After this defensive breakthrough, his survivability surged dramatically.

With this body‑wide transparent force, even a swarm of early‑stage blood‑changing warriors would find it hard to breach his defense.

Not to mention he still had Source Energy Points to restore his condition.

As long as they don't crush him, mass‑attack tactics are almost ineffective against him.

Combined with his agility, his overall strength ranks him among the strong in Changping County.

This also gave Lu Zhangsheng greater confidence for the upcoming city‑wide patrol.

A moment later.

Lu Zhangsheng gathered his thoughts and walked toward the bedroom.

A night passed without a word.

The next day, early in the morning, Lu Zhangsheng got up and resumed his daily sword practice.

Sword practice had become an indispensable part of his life.

Just then.

Thud thud thud...

A faint footstep sound rang out.

A beautiful woman in a white dress walked slowly from afar.

The woman's lips curved into a smile, her steps light, as if lotuses bloomed with each step.

Soon, she arrived before Lu Zhangsheng.

"Patrol Envoy Lu is indeed diligent, training martial arts at home every day; no wonder he's become a genius among commoners."

Tong Yuhua pursed her lips and smiled.

These past few days, the two have gone out of the city together on patrol several times, and their relationship has gradually become familiar.

Lu Zhangsheng sheathed his long blade and gave a faint smile.

"I heard magpies calling early this morning; it turns out Patrol Envoy Tong has arrived."

He casually offered a polite remark.

"Today, Hall Master Qin sent me to inform you; I fear something has happened."

Tong Yuhua smiled charmingly, making people feel like they were basking in a spring breeze.

"Then let us set off."

Afterward, Lu Zhangsheng and she headed toward the Zhen Yao Si Office.

Along the wide, clean streets, crowds on both sides made way with reverent expressions.

At this moment, Tong Yuhua smiled and said, "Patrol Envoy Lu, do you know Ye Chen? It's said his swordsmanship and speed are astonishing, somewhat similar to your path."

"Haha... If I had that speed, that would be great."

Lu Zhangsheng gave a vague answer.

What he has shown outwardly is only less than thirty percent of his peak speed.

Moreover, with the illusionary function of the Pig Slaughter Knife, they could not possibly recognize him.

"That's true as well; Patrol Envoy Lu can keep striving, and one day surpass the martial artist named Ye Chen."

Tong Yuhua gave a faint smile.

These past days, the name Ye Chen has spread throughout the county; even she has received much news about him.

Lu Zhangsheng chuckled and said nothing more.

The two soon arrived at a magnificent hall within the DemonSubduingOffice.

Upon entering, they saw Qin Ruobing seated at the head, seemingly waiting for them.

"I summoned you two today to convey some matters."

"Recently, many boys and girls have gone missing outside the city; I suspect those demons are causing trouble again."

"I hope you can investigate this while on patrol; of course, preserving your lives comes first..."

Qin Ruobing's gaze swept over the two, a faint smile on her face.

His two subordinates are the weakest among all Patrol Envoys; even XiaoTiansi's men have been slain two.

Her two Patrol Envoys, however, are steadily improving, which pleases her greatly.

She also occasionally mocked XiaoTiansi for a while, leaving him feeling stifled.

"We obey your orders."

Lu Zhangsheng and Tong Yuhua laughed as they clasped their hands in salute.

Their own Hall Master Qin treats them well; in private, she puts on no airs.

The two naturally grew ever closer to Qin Ruobing.

At this moment, Qin Ruobing spoke again: "If you encounter that mysterious person Ye Chen, try not to make contact too early; the DemonSubduingOffice currently has no information on him."

"We understand."

Lu Zhangsheng nodded with a calm expression, feeling somewhat strange; he hadn't expected even several Vice Hall Masters to start paying attention to "Ye Chen".

After a brief exchange among the several, the two turned and left the hall.

In the following days, Lu Zhangsheng also did not rush to act.

He continued to cultivate martial arts at home, and still went to the deep mountains to mine ore at night.

With a steady stream of spiritual fruit sent by the strange beasts, his spirituous liquor never ran out, letting him indulge to his heart's content.

In the blink of an eye, another four peaceful days passed.

That morning, after washing up, Lu Zhangsheng headed out of the city.

He walked along the streets, exited the west gate, and quickly reached a dense forest.

Crack crack crack...

Lu Zhangsheng activated the Bone Shrinking Skill, transforming into a sinister-looking young man.

Afterward, he gulped down a mouthful of spirituous liquor and strode forward with great vigor.

As his footwork unfolded, his speed grew ever faster, until only blurred afterimages could be seen, darting like a phantom across the vast heavens and earth, extraordinarily unrestrained.

Ten days later, Sand Cloud Town.

On the second floor of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, a window-side elegant room.

Lu Zhangsheng sat upright in a chair, eating dishes while gazing at the scene outside the window.

At this moment, it was noon; the street was surprisingly sparsely populated, looking quite desolate.

This scene was clearly abnormal.

As a town with a population of several thousand, its central street ought to be extremely prosperous.

Lu Zhangsheng came here a few days ago.

After his extensive investigation, plus information from the DemonSubduingOffice, he also discovered many clues.

In the outskirts of the city, many towns have missing children.

Some parents with children hide at home guarding their kids, which makes the streets look so desolate.

Moreover, Lu Zhangsheng compared and found that this town has the most missing children.

Within twenty days, seven or eight have gone missing, extremely outrageous.

At this rate, probably not many days left before the whole town has no children.

These cultists are truly insane.

Lu Zhangsheng guessed that the other side abducting children surely won't lead to anything good.

Nothing more than using them to train killing machines, or directly taking their blood to refine pills.

Thinking about refining pills, his eyes turned cold.

That night, the black cat outside the County Lord's wall held a pill in its mouth; unknown if it's related to this.

First, men had their essence extracted; now boys and girls are missing.

What exactly do those demon people want? In the dark, all this seems to point to the County Lord.

Du Ling, this girl, definitely has a problem.

Lu Zhangsheng seemed to grasp some context, his mind becoming increasingly clear.

At present, his strength still lacking considerably; he strives to become a FuduDianZhu in three years, possessing power enough to decide the battle.

Undoubtedly, the outcome of the final showdown will certainly be decided by several warriors who have reached the Retreat Platform realm.

He must reach the Retreat Platform realm within four years.

This is also a plan he had long set.

With many Spiritual Creatures in the mountains, achieving Retreat Platform in several years is not too hard.

"Thud thud thud..."

Just as Lu Zhangsheng was pondering, a faint footstep sound arose.

Several men and women slowly came down from downstairs.

Lu Zhangsheng turned his head and saw it was Xiao Chao and Yue Shulan et al., all his former teammates.

The leader was Tong Yuhua.

Unexpectedly, they also tracked down to this place.

Just unknown whether any other Patrol Envoys will arrive.

Those capable of being Patrol Envoys are not fools; this town is quite abnormal, a little thought and one can notice.

Lu Zhangsheng also had no intention of greeting them; he quietly ate his food and drink, planning to investigate again late at night.

(End of chapter)