Chapter 697: True Martial Holy Body

Whoosh!

In the countryside, a figure was traveling swiftly.

He channeled his lightness skill, moving with incredible speed.

In an instant, he arrived at the village’s edge.

But all he saw was a wasteland of charred earth…

“Uncle Da Luo, Sister Cuihua…”

Seeing this, Xun Heihu fell silent.

Though he had long known the world was in chaos, with martial artists running rampant and common folk worth less than weeds,

to actually witness his own hometown reduced to ruins was an entirely different matter.

“If my hometown is like this, then what of the small mountain village where my parents now live in seclusion? What if they happened to be caught between two top-tier masters clashing?”

Xun Heihu clenched his fists.

As a fourth-rank Tai Xi in appearance, but in truth a third-rank Beng Yue martial artist, he understood full well his own destructive power.

In the end, collapsing mountain peaks was nothing unusual!

To ordinary people, he was nothing less than a mobile natural disaster.

“Elder… how did the world come to this?”

Xun Heihu felt bewildered.

“Your confusion, your lack of confidence—these are merely because your strength is insufficient.”

Inside the True Martial Talisman, Fang Xing sneered: “To fix it is simple… break through beyond the first rank to the transcendent level, unify the land, bring all under one rule, then ride across the Jianghu, shatter sects and destroy gates, and issue imperial edicts to regulate the martial world. Then the world will be exactly as you wish it to be!”

“Unify the Nine Provinces under one rule?”

Xun Heihu took a deep breath: “Me? Can I achieve the great deeds of Emperor Taizu of Da Kang, Emperor Taizu of Da Yuan… or even the Martial Emperor?”

At that moment, he suddenly turned and saw Jiang Yuyan chasing after him.

“Xun Heihu—it really is you!”

Jiang Yuyan smiled sweetly, like a hundred flowers blooming: “I’ve come to thank you for drawing your blade in my aid… By the way, why did you leave without a word all those years ago?”

“Sigh…”

Xun Heihu sighed: “My parents planned to relocate far away—I naturally had to follow them…”

“I see.”

Jiang Yuyan sensed there was more to the story, but she was a clever woman and wouldn’t pry. Instead, she brought up another topic: “Do you remember Ye Fengchun? He later opened a tavern, and several of his senior brothers, like Wei Chi Gang, often visited…”

“Oh, by the way, Wei Chi Gang and I both passed the trials and joined the Five Beasts Sect—he even regretted you weren’t there…”

Listening to Jiang Yuyan’s words, Xun Heihu’s expression gradually softened; his once-hardened heart seemed to grow a little tender.

At that moment, he glanced behind Jiang Yuyan: “A master is approaching—is he your guardian?”

Jiang Yuyan turned and saw a black-clothed man.

He was tall and thin, like a bamboo pole, with a narrow face, bulging eyes, and an oddly ancient appearance.

“Guardian Zhen?”

Jiang Yuyan quickly bowed, her heart stirring—she realized this must be the guardian assigned by the Five Beasts Sect to escort them.

Such guardians were usually filled by the sect’s underperforming disciples or outside experts, with cultivation at least at the fifth rank, and unparalleled experience in martial world combat.

She wouldn’t have received such a privilege unless she were a core disciple.

“You’re Xun Heihu? Number One on the Lingzhou Dragon List? Former student of the White Deer Lower Courtyard?”

Guardian Zhen stared at Xun Heihu, then smiled: “Would you consider joining the Five Beasts Sect?”

The current top disciple of the Five Beasts Sect had been overshadowed by Nie Renlong, causing many to feel humiliated.

If this Xun Heihu could suppress Nie Renlong, he’d make a remarkable contribution to the sect.

“I have no intention of joining a sect.”

Xun Heihu shook his head outright.

Guardian Zhen appeared to be a seasoned primordial expert and a guardian of a major sect, trained in the sect’s ultimate techniques—his strength far surpassed that of any lone primordial master in the Jianghu.

But back then he hadn’t wanted to join the Five Beasts Sect; now, he certainly wouldn’t.

Jiang Yuyan had initially felt hopeful when Guardian Zhen tried to recruit Xun Heihu.

But when Xun Heihu immediately refused, she sighed inwardly.

“You brat, you refuse the cup of wine and choose the punishment… You really think we couldn’t find your tracks back then?”

Guardian Zhen’s eyes turned icy: “Since you won’t be one of us, let’s settle the account for the Xie Tian Dog!”

Xun Heihu’s expression changed: “You… you’re the one whose ancestral tomb was dug up?”

“Die!!”

Guardian Zhen let out a cold shout and lunged forward like a raging storm.

Facing a provincial prodigy who had just demonstrated his power—confirmed as a fourth-rank Tai Xi—he felt no trace of underestimation.

In a swirl of wind, Guardian Zhen swept his right hand across his waist and drew a cold-moon crescent blade!

The blade’s body resembled an iron ruler, impossibly thin, originally coiled around his waist; now drawn, a sharp, cutting aura instantly surged toward him.

The blade’s glow was chilling, paired with its technique… it looked like a full moon hanging high in the sky!

Seeing this slash, Jiang Yuyan felt her own sword art seemed laughably childish.

‘Guardian Zhen wants to kill him over a word?’

‘Does the sect really despise talents from outside so much?’

Jiang Yuyan felt suffocated.

In truth, if Nie Renlong hadn’t taken as his master a renowned expert from Chuzhou, he’d probably be dead already…

Clang!

Facing this slash, Xun Heihu’s expression didn’t change. His right hand shot forward, lightly reaching into the blade’s glow.

Swish!

The cold moon instantly froze.

Guardian Zhen felt his cold-moon blade had been caught in an iron clamp—he couldn’t budge it an inch.

He stared closely and saw his precious blade pinched between Xun Heihu’s fingers. His face twisted in utter horror: “This is impossible!”

He was a seasoned primordial master, trained in the sect’s ultimate techniques.

And Xun Heihu?

He was said to be nothing but a wandering swordsman—how could he possibly defeat him?

“You want to kill me?”

Xun Heihu sighed: “I’ve roamed the Jianghu for years—I’ve seen killings over grudges, love, wealth, lust… but someone who kills merely out of envy and contempt? That’s rare… Do you know one thing? Those who kill will always be killed in return!”

As he spoke, his left hand flicked lightly.

A blood hole instantly appeared on Guardian Zhen’s chest. He collapsed, face filled with shock: “No… you can’t kill me! I’m a guardian of the Five Beasts Sect… I… spare me…”

Guardian Zhen murmured weakly, his eyes gradually losing focus.

Xun Heihu sighed, turned, and looked at Jiang Yuyan.

Jiang Yuyan instantly felt her legs trembling, cursing herself for her curiosity, for following him.

Now that he’d killed Guardian Zhen, would he spare her?

“Sigh…”

Xun Heihu sighed softly, gazing at Jiang Yuyan: “Tell me… how should I deal with you?”

“You won’t kill me?”

Jiang Yuyan’s eyes darted, then she smiled sweetly: “My only chance of survival is probably to return and kill those disciples to silence them, offer my loyalty… then flee with you?”

Xun Heihu froze, silently thinking: ‘Elder… this woman is ruthless—has she just latched onto me?’

‘Hah… you’ve scared her half to death, and now she’s scrambling to find a way to live.’

Fang Xing laughed loudly: ‘Perfect… didn’t you have a crush on her when you were young? Just go for it!’

‘Elder, don’t joke around—I’ve seen countless beauties in my years on the road,’ Xun Heihu replied seriously.

‘But you never fancied any of them—that’s the lingering white moonlight,’ Fang Xing said. ‘Besides… you’ve been eating and drinking my resources for ten years—you’ve fully awakened all Twelve Body Marvels. Such an excellent bloodline should be spread widely—open a harem, ensure your lineage continues. Who knows? You might become the founding ancestor of the human race’s True Martial Holy Body.’

"But you haven’t taken a fancy to anyone—that’s the kind of white moonlight you can’t forget..." Fang Xing said. "Besides... over the past decade, you’ve been eating and drinking my resources—you’ve already awakened all twelve variations of the Ancient Martial Stream. Such an excellent bloodline should open a harem and pass it on properly... Perhaps from now on, you’ll become the founding ancestor of the human race’s True Martial Sacred Body lineage."

Xun Heihu was baffled. He just couldn’t bring himself to kill people he knew—how had this sly old man already named his future son and grandson’s bloodline?

‘When you fully master the Twelve Body Marvels and pass on all dominant bloodline traits, you become the True Martial Holy Body of our True Martial lineage—far superior to any top-tier martial bone.’

Fang Xing declared proudly: ‘Right now, you have two choices: kill this woman on the spot, or take her with you. Since you’re taking her with you, living side by side, affection will naturally grow—isn’t that normal?’

‘I feel you’re up to something… you said before I couldn’t handle her. Now you’re just hoping I’ll fail, aren’t you?’ Xun Heihu said.

After years together, he knew this elder’s nature—extremely malicious!

‘Killing a mere primordial guardian of the Five Beasts Sect isn’t a big deal. If I reveal my third-rank Beng Yue master status, do you think they’ll dare to pursue it?’

Xun Heihu sneered: ‘That’s the real solution—why make it so complicated?’

‘Heh… but that hands the initiative to others. Do as you please.’

Fang Xing finished speaking and cut the connection.

Jiang Yuyan, meanwhile, looked anxious, watching Xun Heihu’s expression shift constantly, as if performing a face-changing act.

“Forget it… I’ll do as you said.”

After a long silence, Xun Heihu exhaled slowly and spoke to Jiang Yuyan.

After a long while, Xun Heihu exhaled a long breath and said to Jiang Yuyan.

Jiang Yuyan instantly felt a wave of relief, knowing she had saved her life.

At that moment, an unexpected change occurred!

Xun Heihu suddenly pressed his brow, feeling a sharp pain!

He could not help but gaze northward, his expression turning grim: “Elder… I followed your instructions to the letter—why are you still tormenting me? I feel something terrible has been born in the north… and I even sense a hint of my archenemy.”

“Not me. But something troublesome has indeed emerged.”

Inside the Zhenwu Talisman, Fang Xing sighed.

Although Pan Wu was in a vegetative state, his subconscious remained active.

It made no sense for him to stir up chaos while others waited solemnly.

It was unreasonable for him to make moves beyond the board while forbidding others from overturning it.

He could also sense that Pan Wu had introduced a trace of “contamination” to the north.

Yes!

Not resurrection, not awakening of consciousness—only a trace of contamination.

Even so, it would likely bring massive changes to this world.