Chapter 157: The Stronghold Breached, Sneaking In to Loot

A martial master's control over Qi and Blood has reached a state of perfection, further strengthening the physique and undergoing a transformation from the inside out.

Ice-like skin and jade-like bones, jade marrow and golden body—these are all miraculous states where flesh and blood have been strengthened to their peak.

Even if Yan Ping has not reached the legendary realm, he possesses a physical defense that is hard to damage with blades and swords, comparable to precious armor.

Zhou You's punch force can tear through steel plates, yet it has no effect whatsoever when landing on him.

However, he eventually found the flaw.

The wound, like the shortest stave of a wooden barrel, exposed Yan Ping's greatest weakness.

The Tiger Aura tore along the texture of the flesh at the wound, unstoppable, expanding it to one or two times its original length.

"Yan Ping, today is your death day."

Through the wound, Zhou You could already see the opponent's internal organs.

Yan Ping roared like thunder, "You want to kill me? Do you even deserve to?"

He is a martial master after all; even a rotting ship still has three catties of iron, and at the brink of death, he finally unleashed a burst of power.

He pressed his arms downward, and with a thunderous boom rising from the ground, cracks spread across the ground for 200 meters in diameter, centered on his feet.

Birds flew away in alarm, trees collapsed, and a column of dust rose dozens of meters high.

He unleashed the suicidal technique of the Kaibeishou Yan Ping, causing this section of the mountain to disintegrate and collapse.

"Beast!"

Jiang Hua saw his intention; once this place collapsed, everyone would be buried inside.

He pinched a pebble and flicked it out; after the sound of piercing through the air, there were bursts of mournful cries, and several dead birds fell from mid-air.

He opened his mouth to bite the dead birds, gulping down the blood; the wounds on his body surface healed rapidly, and his previously numb arms and legs gradually regained sensation.

At this moment, the hard rocky ground became as brittle as dregs, filled with torn cracks and holes everywhere.

Taking advantage of Zhou You's unstable footing, Yan Ping stepped forward and struck a palm, hitting Zhou You's chest, but it was blocked by Hard Qigong.

The two figures were entangled, fists and feet striking each other, instantly submerged in the dust.

"Yan Ping, stop being arrogant!"

After Jiang Hua rose from the ground and was about to step forward to help, his vision blurred and he lost track of the two.

……

The mountain stronghold was in chaos; stone projectiles falling from the sky were like raindrops, covering the ground with pits of all sizes.

Many bandits who could not dodge in time had their bones and flesh ground into mud, smearing large, vibrant red patches.

Woo-woo!

The familiar sound of piercing through the air arrived, and more stone projectiles fell from the sky.

A figure among the bandits leaped into mid-air, golden light flickering around his body, revealing a strange beast with golden manes.

Amidst the roar of the strange beast, a massive fist struck a stone projectile, shattering it into flying powder.

The Great Chieftain's personally taught Golden Lion Fist, its sound shaking the mountains and forests, possessing the aura of a king.

"Those who cause their own chaos, behead them!"

The figure landed, and the group of bandits found their backbone, crowding around, "Diaodayi!"

Diaodayi, Qi and Blood 5th Stage, the beloved disciple of the Great Chieftain of the Moyun Stronghold, the leader of the young generation of Qi and Blood warriors.

"Everyone go to the front gate to help; all three of Chenlaogou's capable lieutenants have arrived."

"Several uncles are leading the crowd to resist; the stronghold wall has been blasted with multiple gaps, go and plug them."

Urged by him, the bandits rushed toward the direction of the stronghold's front gate.

Diaodayi breathed a sigh of relief and was about to take a step when he suddenly saw a figure flash by, "Third Uncle."

The person who arrived was none other than the Third Chieftain Yan Ping; he was clutching his profusely bleeding wound, his footsteps unsteady as he arrived from the direction of the back mountain.

He nodded at Diaodayi, "Quick, take me to the treasury."

"The back mountain cannot be held; the enemy will kill their way in soon."

What? The back mountain has fallen?

Diaodayi was well-versed in the defense system of the Moyun Stronghold; the front and back were one, and if the back mountain fell, holding the front gate would be in vain.

Looking at Yan Ping's heavily wounded state, it was clear he had encountered a powerful enemy.

"Third Uncle, could it be one of the three Captains under Chenlaogou?"

The three Captains under Commander Chen were all experts at the martial master level.

To be able to make Kaibeishou Yan Ping unable to win and flee, it must be one of these people.

Yan Ping's complexion was very poor, and he seemed unwilling to mention his opponent, only urging him to go to the treasury quickly. Diaodayi looked at the shocking wound and said fiercely, "Chenlaogou's foster son dares to hurt you; we must repay this grudge tenfold."

The two arrived at the main hall where the chieftain discussed matters; the floor was covered with a golden tiger skin.

There were many tigers in the mountains, but their sizes varied, and one with a body length reaching 10 meters was especially rare.

This tiger skin exceeded 10 meters, its fur as smooth as golden thread, and the tiger's eyeballs were inlaid with two ink-black gemstones, which were Charm Cores.

This tiger skin alone was already a priceless treasure! Diaodayi lifted the tiger skin, revealing an iron plate, and looked up at Yan Ping.

The key to the treasury was held only by the 5 chieftains; although he was a disciple of the Great Chieftain, he could only look and not touch.

Yan Ping seemed to be seriously injured, his movements very slow; he took an Iron Ring from his hand.

The ring popped open as soon as it was pried; it turned out that a key was hidden inside.

"Open it."

Diaodayi took the key and inserted it into the keyhole; it fit perfectly, and he couldn't help but feel excited. This was one of the only 5 keys in the stronghold, symbolizing supreme power and wealth.

After the treasury was opened, a wave of golden light and treasure aura rushed toward them.

Diaodayi was knocked over by the impact on the spot; it wasn't that he hadn't seen money, but he had never imagined that the stronghold had accumulated such a massive amount of wealth.

Thinking that once the government troops killed their way in, this wealth could not be taken away, his heart felt a sharp pain.

"Don't just stand there, take as much as you can!"

Yan Ping's words made Diaodayi's heart leap with joy; this was great, he had a share too.

Seeing that the stronghold was on the verge of being breached, they could only fend for themselves, and they couldn't do that without money.

"Many thanks, Third Uncle, many thanks, Third Uncle!"

Diaodayi's eyes were full of greed as he lunged at the chest full of gems and pearls, feeling that a pair of hands was not enough, only wishing his parents had given him 10, or even 100 hands.

Suddenly, a miserable howl came from outside.

"Not good, Chenlaogou used the remains of the Strong Martial Golden Body to shatter the Great Chieftain's Calamity Charm treasure."

"The few chieftains have been wiped out, we are finished!"

Hearing this, Diaodayi was stunned; he knew they would fail, but he hadn't expected the defeat to come so quickly.

The Great Chieftain was an Intermediate Martial Master himself and possessed a treasure crafted from Calamity Charm Remains, rarely meeting an equal in close or long-range combat.

Who could have imagined that to take the stronghold, Chenlaogou would actually find the Strong Martial Golden Body to counter it.

Defeated, completely defeated.

As Diaodayi stuffed things into his bosom, he kindly reminded him, "Third Uncle, you are not lightly injured; Nephew will support you as we fight our way out."

Yan Ping had the strength of a Martial Master; as long as he took medicine to suppress his injuries, he could fight his way out of the army's encirclement.

At the very worst, he could attract fire for him.

From behind came Yan Ping's eerie tone, "Good nephew, you have a heart."

The next moment, every hair on Diaodayi's body stood on end, and a murderous aura enveloped him, chilling him to the bone.

There were only the two of them in the treasury; where could this murderous aura have come from?

Bang, a palm pressed against Diaodayi's back.

At this distance, the only one who could possibly strike was... Yan Ping.

"Poison Palm?"

Diaodayi's Qi and Blood were agitated, and he immediately deployed his defenses, only to find that the opponent's palm force was extremely penetrating and carried a potent poison that polluted his Qi and Blood.

He had the strength of Qi and Blood 5th Stage, and his Qi and Blood had been compressed and solidified; how could it be shaken by mere Palm Poison? However, one wave had not yet subsided when another rose.

A second wave of palm force followed in quick succession, and then a third.

The Seven Step Poison Sand palm was used in the sneak attack, with triple-layered force, stacking the Palm Poison three times, pouring every drop into his body.

Diaodayi stiffened like a wooden stake, his eyes filled with shock as he fell to the ground; his mind was full of questions, and he could not figure it out—why would Third Uncle plot against him?

Also, Yan Ping's nickname was Stone-Splitting Hand; when did he master such a sharp Poison Palm?

Everyone was in the same boat and needed to work together to escape; why were they rushing to kill each other now?

All questions died with him as the poison took his life, leaving no more answers.

"Silly child, your Third Uncle has long been gone."

Zhou You wiped his face, the False Face was removed, and he returned to his original appearance.

"Armory: False Face, First Identity Lu Zhigang, Second Identity Yan Ping."

(End of chapter)