Chapter 54: Spring Literary Gathering·7

Chang Song Zhenren found a few cultivators nearby and inquired about the earlier events in the valley.

"I said, which fellow practitioner dares to act outside the trading fair, and I didn't expect a mere mortal to kill them—how laughable!"

"But that mortal seemed to have something; even though we are just entering the cultivation path, this body's magical power is not something ordinary martial men can break."

"You speak of two internal skills of different attributes?!" the burly man bearing a great sword asked suddenly.

Chang Song Zhenren clasped his hands: "I wonder what guidance Brother Wang has for us?"

"I dare not accept instruction; many years ago I once heard a senior speak of the martial Dao path. He also came from the Kun Dao region and said there once existed a uniquely strange demonic martial skill that could grant three Accumulation Devices upon entering the Lianqi Level!"

"Ah?!"

"A martial skill that defies the heavens...?"

"Indeed, what we study are all orthodox Xuanmen teachings, following the Fa Gai Hua Ti route. This martial cultivation path was a practice popular ten thousand years ago; few know it now."

"Brother Wang, are you speaking the truth?"

"True, back then our Nan Ting Mountain Region produced a truly terrifying demonic cultivator, didn't it?"

"You refer to… that great demon Wuji who wore a crimson wind and red cloud helm, wielded a violet‑golden world‑upending staff, wore yellow‑dragon battle armor, and stepped in heavy sea‑wave boots?" Chang Song Zhenren's face darkened.

"So Brother Chang has heard of him; this man mastered Martial Dao Profound Skill that pierced heaven and earth, nearly reached the Transformation Divine Realm, and caused a cataclysm. Only the Eight Dao Profound Gate Sect Masters intervened together to slay him in the Kun Dao region; his corpse was then quartered and suppressed across the southern lands to prevent his rebirth!"

"Truly that terrifying? Even dismembered limbs could revive?"

"I do not know; I only know that Martial Dao Profound Skill possesses a blood‑dripping rebirth ability, but its martial power only augments the self, lacking the myriad subtle Dao techniques."

"You mean that mortal warrior is connected to the Great Demon Wuji?" Chang Song Zhenren's expression turned odd.

"Martial Dao Profound Skill cultivates True Essence rather than magical power; this force seems not far from magical power. If he indeed already harbors True Essence, he should not be weaker than a Lianqi Level cultivator."

Chang Song Zhenren furrowed his brows, unable to judge for a moment.

"In any case, thank you all for clearing my doubts. Once I settle this matter, I shall come to the trading fair to share a drink with everyone." Chang Song Zhenren smiled and clasped his hands.

"Hahaha, then we shall take our leave now. Farewell."

"Farewell."

Chang Song Zhenren saw off the cultivators, turned and gazed toward the mountains.

"Do you think I'm a fool? The martial Dao path was cut off by saints long ago; where in this world are there any True Essence warriors? They're all just shameless imitations using magical power."

Yet since these few had not spotted the thief's figure, it was not easy to handle; they could only search slowly.

Elsewhere.

Yan Buji, who had packaged Zhang Xungui and taken him away, concealed him in a hideout he had prepared long ago, bound him with five‑flower ropes soaked in poison to induce unconsciousness, and sat quietly beside him, straining to suppress his own injuries.

*Pop! *

"Cough cough cough! Forced exertion, truly to the limit?" Yan Buji suddenly spat a mouthful of fresh blood, his spirit, qi, and body instantly withered; he struggled to rise, grabbed a pill nearby, and swallowed it.

Seeing the abnormal object retrieved from Zhang Xungui's body, Yan Buji picked it up and examined it carefully for a long time.

He felt this thing… seemed somehow familiar.

Upon seeing this blackish wooden stick, Yan Buji immediately produced the celestial artifact he had previously found.

That similarly black wooden fragment seemed linked to this item; when approached, it emitted a faint red glow.

Yan Buji could not yet discern its purpose nor whether it was harmful, so he separated it.

The red glow vanished; Yan Buji took a deep breath and continued his seated meditation.

After days of battle, Yan Buji suddenly felt the bottleneck that had long constrained him open considerably; it seemed that if he refined his breathing, a closed‑door cultivation could propel him into the Tianren Realm!

But what meaning does even the strongest mortal martial art have?

Take Liu Feng, who just entered the cultivation world; he's still a scholar! He made Yan Buji sweat profusely, fearing the other might unleash some immortal technique to kill him; it shows that even the strongest mortal martial art is no more than a baboon!

It also helped that Liu Feng knows no spells, otherwise I would have died long ago.

This is the fatal risk Yan Buji must face after losing all preparations.

Fortunately, luck was on my side.

At last I have found this resurrected Zhang Xungui!

Zhang Xungui opened his eyes, feeling a surge of scorching heat and icy cold across his body, very uncomfortable, and weakly looked toward Yan Buji:

"You… who are you? Why are you doing this to me?"

"You and I should not be like this, Zhang Xungui, do you still remember who I am?"

Yan Buji tore off his mask, and the moment his true face was revealed, Zhang Xungui was stunned, looking at him with great confusion.

"You are…?"

"You truly don't recall me, or perhaps you were never Xiao Bao; you are a ghost that entered Xiao Bao's corpse?!" Yan Buji sneered.

Zhang Xungui's complexion changed; he hadn't expected Yan Buji to know the former owner of this body?!

Yet he seemed also unaware of where I truly come from, only knowing that a ghost has possessed this body…

"You… then what exactly do you intend?"

"What do I intend? Hahaha, simple—tell me who you really are!" Yan Buji laughed loudly.

"I… I am merely a traveler longing to return home; I do not belong here. I know you cannot let me go, so I will not say much else." Zhang Xungui's face changed, he sighed.

Yan Buji nodded: "I know you will not say much, but this body is my wife's son. You have occupied it as my son for years; now I must reclaim her relics!"

Zhang Xungui watched Yan Buji approach, extended his large hand, his complexion dramatically shifted:

"You!"

*Snap! *

"Ahhhhh!!!"

Yan Buji thrust one hand straight into Zhang Xungui's chest, but at that moment Zhang Xungui's body suddenly burst with a flash of light, pushing Yan Buji's hand away!

"Indeed, here it is, indeed! You wretched woman, you tormented me for three years while alive, told me this thing would flow out with your fetus, I knew something was wrong! Indeed, indeed, right on this wretched offspring!!!"

Yan Buji was overjoyed, suddenly grabbed a skull from beside him!

Zhang Xungui was terrified beyond measure; all he saw was Yan Buji holding a skull, the Buddhist beads on his wrist exploding with a boom and releasing waves of mist!

He could only watch in terror as the opponent approached, not even realizing there was a white light on his own chest!

Crack!

The white light could no longer block Yan Buji's big hand; at the instant he extracted something from Zhang Xungui's chest, Zhang Xungui felt as though he had lost something extremely important, his whole body grew more lethargic, and he suddenly lowered his head and fainted.

At that moment, the white light in Yan Buji's hand gradually faded, revealing a jade tablet emitting a lustrous glow.

On the tablet, four large characters were conspicuously written:

"North Star Evening Clear!"