Chapter 117

"You awake?" Fang Xu looked at Yun Wan and gave a faint smile.

"I..."

Yun Wan was just about to speak when her beautiful eyes swept over the surrounding dark crowd of man‑xiang; she immediately flashed to Fang Xu's front, shielding him behind her, and said solemnly:

"These are man‑xiang, very formidable!"

"Especially this kind with scales growing on its body and horns on its head..."

Before she finished speaking, she also noticed the road that voluntarily made way behind Fang Xu and the respectful expressions of the many man‑xiang looking at him.

What on earth is going on?

Yun Wan looked at Fang Xu somewhat puzzled, as if waiting for him to give her an answer.

Fang Xu gave a faint smile and said, "Don't worry, they're very friendly."

Friendly?

Yun Wan looked at the many man‑xiang stained with blood, some with horns bearing a martial artist's arm, and found it hard to associate them with the word "friendly."

"That is the entrance to the third stage." Fang Xu said, pointing to a pile of rubble in the distance, "The way out to the second layer is there; just climb up the vines."

Fang Xu spoke.

Fang Xu glared at Broken Horn, signalling it not to interrupt.

"Alright, Broken Horn, let them retreat a bit." Fang Xu glanced at Broken Horn and said.

"Well then, Yun Wan, how did you come here? And why did you fall into a coma?"

Yun Wan stared at him, astonished.

Looking at him, Yun Wan wanted to speak but stopped herself.

Meeting Yun Wan's astonished gaze, Fang Xu had just opened his mouth when Yun Wan interrupted, saying, "Call me Yun Wan."

Yun Wan furrowed her brows slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "I only remember that after entering the ruins that night, I was attacked by a group of man‑xiang on the second layer and barely escaped..."

"Then what?"

Although she didn't know what happened during her coma, the fact that Fang Xu could subdue this ferocious group of man‑xiang was enough to prove his prowess.

It seemed she couldn't believe that Fang Xu, by himself, had slain so many martial artists and even killed a Martial Venerable!

You know, all the Martial Venerables of the Great Yu Dynasty together probably number just over a hundred, yet this time Fang Xu allied with the man‑xiang directly killed over twenty of them…

Fang Xu asked his question.

Yun Wan also understood its meaning; seeing Broken Horn like that, she found it somewhat funny and immediately said, "The ones who attacked me seem to be corpse refiners..."

"And you?" Yun Wan wondered.

Having finally left her family for the first time to train, Yun Wan, though possessing the cultivation of a Ninth‑Level Martial Master, was still an inexperienced girl at heart; these experiences made her miss home and her parents.

"Fang Xu, what stage of the ruins is this? I've searched for a long time, and aside from the entrance to the next layer, I haven't found any other exit," Yun Wan wondered.

Fang Xu shook his head and said, "If you want to go back, just follow the vines upward; I'll have Broken Horn escort you away."

After all, I inherit the Extension God's legacy; falling into the hands of those Extension God Sect lunatics would be worse than falling into the hands of the martial artist families at the entrance.

Hearing Yun Wan say she had been attacked by man‑xiang, Broken Horn's expression changed; it hurriedly shouted and waved its hands, as if saying it wasn't the one who attacked her.

After hearing her words, Fang Xu fell into deep thought.

Yun Wan nodded: "Indeed, I left through the passage."

"Now, the entrance to the ruins is likely where the entire Yu State's strength is waiting for me to come out." Fang Xu said with a wry smile.

"I suffered severe injuries, and my Blood Qi Pill was completely used up; there was nothing else in this cave to replenish my blood and qi, so I fell into a coma."

"Roar! Roar!"

"Divine Expansion Sect!" Upon hearing her description, Fang Xu instantly realized that was the secret base of the Divine Expansion Sect.

"But the place where I appeared seems to be a gathering spot of a mysterious force—a group of weird martial artists wearing blood robes and strange masks on their faces, and they are very strong."

"Not long ago, Yun Qing came to Maple Forest Town looking for you, but he has already returned to Huang Prefecture."

Upon hearing that, Yun Wan immediately said, "Then let's go back now."

Yun Wan organized her thoughts and continued, "Later, those blood-robed people saw me, without a word, they immediately moved to seize me."

"Miss Yun..."

"These two exits don't seem very safe."

Fang Xu thought for a moment, then still spoke about how he had opened a killing spree on the second level of the ruins.

"When I woke up, I found myself here."

Broken Horn heard the words, turned its head and let out two low growls; the man-like fiends around immediately obeyed, stepping back more than ten meters, then each one sat down quietly on the ground like a well-behaved child.

One of these exits leads directly to the secret base of the Divine Expansion Sect, while the other probably leads to a waterfall not far from that base.

"All right, there's nothing else; you can go back first."

The exit Yun Wan mentioned should be two.

"In the battle, I was knocked off the waterfall by a blood-robed person suspected to be a Martial Lord, falling into a dark, surging whirlpool."

Yun Wan continued, "After being attacked by those man-like fiends with corpse-refining techniques, I almost died in the ruins; later, the terrain changed, and I inadvertently left the ruins through a passageway, emerging in Ti Lan Mountain."

"Are you sure you left through the passageway, rather than returning to the first level of the ruins and exiting through the entrance?" Fang Xu asked eagerly upon hearing that.

As a princess of the Yun Clan, she very much wanted to help Fang Xu, but this time he has stirred up trouble that is simply too great!

More than twenty Martial Lords, several hundred Martial Artists, even including the prince consort of the Yu State.

The Yun Clan is already the lowest among the seven prefectures; it simply cannot withstand the wrath of so many clans and forces.

She does not know why Fang Xu killed them, but now that it has come to this, she truly can do nothing.

"Fang Xu..."

With a hint of worry in her beautiful eyes, Yun Wan pondered for a long time before saying, "You can subdue those man-like fiends; there are also suppressive seals inside the ruins. If it really doesn't work out, you may just stay in the ruins."

"After I go back, I will try to bring you some pills and daily necessities."

The only ways she could think of to help Fang Xu were these.

"Well, I have my own plan." Fang Xu nodded with a smile, bringing Yun Wan to the place he had come from and said: "Just climb up the vines and you'll reach Relic Stage Two."

"Duan Jiao, find two clansmen to escort her away."

Behind him, Duan Jiao heard the words, let out two low growls, and immediately two man ogres came forward.

"Then... I'll go up first."

"You must be careful."

Yun Wan spoke.

Fang Xu nodded: "I will."

After seeing Yun Wan off, he turned and came to the edge of the pond, gazing at the deep water and fell into thought.

The pond is an exit, but the other end of the exit is the secret base of the Divine Expansion Sect……

Huh!?

As if suddenly realizing something, Fang Xu hurried to the vines and climbed up along them.

"Yun Wan!"

Seeing Yun Wan about to walk into a passage, Fang Xu shouted loudly.

Yun Wan turned around, saw Fang Xu approaching, and asked curiously: "What's wrong?"

Fang Xu pondered for a moment and said: "I recall the Divine Expansion Sect was labeled a heretical cult by the Great Yu Dynasty, right?"

Yun Wan nodded, then her beautiful eyes widened slightly, and she spoke with delight on her face:

"I understand!"

"After the matter is settled, I'll come back to give you news!"

Fang Xu had saved her life; now being able to help Fang Xu, Yun Wan was very happy.

Watching her silhouette disappear into the passage, Fang Xu looked around and then realized he had almost missed a huge fortune.

In the small plaza, four or five hundred martial artists had died.

Among them were not a few Martial Venerables with powerful backing; these people likely had many valuable items on them.

Looking behind at Duan Jiao, who had followed him up, he immediately said: "Duan Jiao, have your clansmen pick up everything on these corpses."

With a Cosmic Bag, he certainly wouldn't mind having more things.

After his plan came together, he not only harvested the relics of all martial artists present, but also led a group of man ogres around Relic Stage Two to seek out those tragically deceased "friends," collecting their inheritances one by one.

Four or five days later, on the small plaza of Relic Stage Two, Fang Xu sat cross-legged on the ground, his consciousness sinking into the Sea of Consciousness.

In the friend list, only four remain now.

The Ascendant Society's Mu Xuan trio plus the Heir Apparent Li Xun.

Li Xun's HP after his name has stayed around 70%, with little change.

Meanwhile, the HP of Mu Xuan's trio has dropped to 10%; they will likely die soon.

As for this panel,

After harvesting all the inheritances of friends that could be collected in the relic, his attribute points underwent tremendous changes.

【Name】: Fang Xu

【Realm】: Martial Disciple Sixth Stage

Added Strength Attribute: 1544

Added Vitality Attribute: 601

Added Agility Attribute: 158

Added Spirit Attribute: 0

The added strength has already reached 1500+, and the added vitality has surpassed 600; Fang Xu feels that he is now truly a humanoid beast, and based on strength alone, he is even stronger than Duan Jiao!

News that someone in Relic Stage Two had apparently grasped a first-grade martial technique quickly spread throughout the Great Yu Dynasty, and many powers and families that had previously paid no attention to the relic promptly dispatched experts to rush toward Lift Blue Mountain.

Maple Forest Town Government Office.

Seventh Prince Li Xingzhao, Deputy Commissioner of the Surveillance Bureau Ling Mu, Grand Diviner Xu Liang, and a few others were now sitting around in the courtyard.

"Father, how credible is this news?" After hesitating for a long time, Li Xun rose slowly and bowed his hands.

He had never entered the relic, and was unsure whether Relic Stage Two truly existed as such a miraculous place.

As soon as Li Xun's words fell, Xu Liang and Ling Mu also looked at Li Xingzhao with doubtful expressions.

"It should be true." Li Xingzhao pondered for a long time and then said slowly: "In Relic Stage Two there is a mysterious bone stele, covered all over with strange patterns; I myself once comprehended a fifth-grade martial technique from it."

"Furthermore, recent news from the relic says that several Martial Venerables from the Northern Frontier Liangzhou and Yin Chi of Li Prefecture, among others, were chasing and killing a Martial Master Seventh Stage martial artist in Lift Blue Mountain, allegedly because that martial artist had apparently grasped a third-grade martial technique."

Hearing this, several people present had their breathing become somewhat hurried.

Apparently a third-grade martial technique, apparently a first-grade martial technique……

What kind of existence was the owner of this relic in Lift Blue Mountain during his lifetime?

"Not only that, I also have a guess……"

Without paying attention to the others' eagerness to try, Li Xingzhao's face grew solemn as he stood up and said: "A few days ago, the Ascendant Society's Huang Qingzhou hurried back, taking those two girls with him, but Fang Xu was nowhere to be seen……"

Upon hearing his words, Li Xun's expression froze, then he said with utter disbelief: "Father suspects that the one who grasped a first-grade martial technique is…… Fang Xu?"

Li Xingzhao said nothing.

His intuition told him that Fang Xu was not ordinary; it was absolutely impossible for him to die easily in the relic.

If he hadn't died in the relic and hadn't returned together with Huang Qingzhou, Li Xingzhao had reason to suspect that Fang Xu was the person rumored to have grasped a first-grade martial technique.

"Report!"

"Seventh Prince, latest news!"

Just then, a Golden Scale Guard rushed in panic, holding a secret letter in his hands.

Li Xun took the secret letter, hastily opened it, and handed it to his father.

After glancing at the letter's contents, Li Xingchao's face turned somewhat unsightly; he handed the letter to Xu Liang, saying, "I indeed did not guess wrong."

Ling Mu and Li Xun, hearing that, hurriedly gathered before Xu Liang, examining the letter's contents.

"He... actually comprehended a first-rank martial technique...?" Li Xun's face filled with astonishment.

"This brat!" A flash of regret crossed Ling Mu's eyes.

Xu Liang said nothing, merely silently returning the letter to Li Xingchao.

"Your Highness, we should immediately set out for the ruins and capture that brat!" Ling Mu said, "A first-rank martial technique, falling into any faction's hands, is an enormous threat to the imperial family."

"Father..." Li Xun was also eager to give it a try.

First-rank martial technique!

Li Xingchao said nothing; he was now considering another matter.

The two girls that Fang Xu had asked me to look after were just picked up by Huang Qingzhou two days ago; judging by the itinerary, the three of them have at most just left the limits of Clear River County.

If I now send people to pursue them, I should be able to catch up soon.

Those two girls, one is Fang Xu's sister, the other is his senior martial sister; capturing them seems easier than directly rushing into the ruins to compete with many martial artists for Fang Xu.

But doing so also carries quite a few hidden dangers.

First, the news has spread; all Martial Venerables of the Dayu Dynasty who can free themselves will likely rush to Tilan Mountain Ruins. If Fang Xu is captured by them, even if I control those two girls, it would probably be of no avail.

Second, accompanying the two girls is Steward Xu's personal disciple; to bring the girls back, I would inevitably have to clash with Huang Qingzhou.

Thus offending the Ascension Immortal Society, if we ultimately fail to obtain the first-rank martial technique, it would be losing the wife and losing the troops.

"Vice Envoy Ling, immediately send someone to report this to the emperor father, let the emperor father make the decision." After long contemplation, Li Xingchao could only say helplessly.

The Emperor Yu has left seclusion; there are some matters he does not dare to overstep.

After all, the Eldest Prince has not yet made a move; my recent actions have been unremarkable, and I can no longer allow any mistakes.

Otherwise, once the Eldest Prince catches hold of a handle, my previous efforts would likely come to nothing.

Ling Mu, hearing that, although somewhat unwilling, also knew this was not something he could decide; Li Xingchao dared not step forward, and as a Vice Envoy of the Surveillance Bureau, he could hardly act arbitrarily.

"Xun'er, go send a letter to your master." After a moment's thought, Li Xingchao immediately turned to look at Li Xun and said.

His master is Slaughterer Zhao Wují; looking across the entire Dayu Dynasty, aside from the current Emperor Yu, Zhao Wují is an absolute power broker.

I now must rely on his strength.

Li Xun's expression grew somewhat excited; he hastily clasped his hands and said, "Your servant will go at once!"

…

Tilan Mountain Ruins.

Just as Fang Xu had anticipated, at this moment a large number of martial artists continually rushed to the gate of Tilan Mountain Ruins.

Many long-unseen veteran Martial Venerables also came to the mountains at this time; upon hearing that Fang Xu, suspected of having comprehended a first-rank martial technique, was still in the ruins, some Martial Venerable-level experts, without hesitation, directly led their own martial artists into the ruins.

Other Martial Venerables, after gathering some information, also followed and rushed in.

After all, there is only one copy of the first-rank martial technique; whoever captures Fang Xu first gains the initiative; once this technique is forced out, the power or faction to which one belongs will inevitably rise in a short time, and in the future may even have a chance to challenge the imperial family…

But after Fang Xu chose to strike, the martial artists remaining in the small plaza were all slaughtered; those who had left earlier only knew that Fang Xu had comprehended a first-rank martial technique, not his concrete strength, nor that he could communicate with the manfiends in the ruins.

Those martial artists who rushed into the ruins are doomed to suffer terribly.

Inside the ruins, after Fang Xu had harvested all the martial artists' relics and the legacies of all his friends, he quietly waited for news from Yun Wan.

Once the imperial family takes action, wiping out the Divine Extension Sect at the exit, he can immediately use the hidden exit beneath the water pool to silently leave the ruins.

Roar!

On the small plaza, Fang Xu was sitting cross-legged cultivating when a manfiend suddenly ran over, letting out a low growl at the Broken Horn guarding Fang Xu's side; the Broken Horn then immediately came before Fang Xu.

"Roar!"

After awakening Fang Xu, the Broken Horn pointed at the surrounding slain martial artists, then gestured toward the nearby passages.

After several days of interaction, Fang Xu also roughly understood these gestures of the manfiend.

"You mean many more martial artists have come to the ruins?" Fang Xu slowly spoke.

Duanjiao nodded.

Fang Xu slowly stood up, looked around the passage, then turned his head to Duanjiao and said, "Gather all your clansmen, don't let them act alone."

The news had been sent out; at this point, many Martial Sovereign-level experts are likely to have rushed into the ruins.

Although the human goblin tribe is strong, facing Martial Sovereigns, especially many of them, acting alone accomplishes little besides being slain.

He needed to plan well, gather all these human goblins together, then give those martial artists who rushed into the ruins a big surprise.

After receiving Fang Xu's order, Duanjiao immediately let out two low growls at the human goblins behind him.

After hearing the order, each human goblin leapt into the surrounding passages to summon their clansmen.

Throughout the ruins, aside from those human goblins that had turned into corpse refinements and were uncontrollable, all the other human goblins, upon receiving the order, rushed from all directions to the small square.

The small square could not hold many human goblins to begin with.

After some thought, Fang Xu had Duanjiao lead them through the underground passage to the plaza at the third-stage entrance, and along the way, move the corpses of the martial artists in the small square down as well, while he himself remained alone in the small square waiting for that group of martial artists to arrive.

At the second stage of the ruins, large numbers of Martial Sovereigns, accompanied by the martial artists of their respective forces, crushed everything in their path, slaughtering many human goblin corpse refinements, and finally reached the small square.

When they saw Fang Xu sitting cross-legged in the small square, they all froze.

"This brat actually didn't hide, and sits here so arrogantly waiting for us?" a Martial Sovereign wondered.

"Wasn't it said that Prince Consort Tuoba Hao and the old master of the Xun family, among other Martial Sovereigns, are here? Where are they?" Another well-informed Martial Sovereign scanned the surroundings of the small square with a doubtful expression, seemingly unable to understand why Fang Xu was sitting there so casually, while Tuoba Hao and the other Martial Sovereigns had not made a move.

They imagined ten thousand possibilities, but never considered that Tuoba Hao and the other Martial Sovereigns had already been slain by Fang Xu.

After all, in all the reports, Fang Xu was merely a novice in the Martial Apprentice Realm.

How strong could a Martial Apprentice possibly be?

As Martial Sovereigns and their forces arrived one after another, seeing Fang Xu fearlessly seated below, they dared not act rashly.

At this moment, Fang Xu bore the air of Zhuge Liang Kongming of old, seated atop the city wall with only himself and his qin, frightening away several hundred thousand of Sima Yi's troops.

As more and more Martial Sovereigns arrived, among these suspicious old-timers, finally someone could not sit still.

"Old man, I want to see what trick this brat is up to!"

A white-haired, white-bearded Martial Sovereign fourth-stage cultivator whose qi and blood were somewhat depleted let out a cold snort, his body like a great peng, and leapt straight down from the passage above.

(End of chapter)