Chapter 135: The Death of a True Inheritor

Change clothes, leave, find the moment, strike and kill, loot the corpse and return!

Li Yuan's movements flowed like water and drifting clouds, without the slightest delay.

With the Six Harmonies Boots enhancing him, a single rise and fall carried him nearly a hundred meters, and by the time he returned to his room, he hadn't alerted a single patrolling disciple.

When he had first entered the sect, he had already been familiarizing himself with the environment.

"Hoo!"

Only after closing the door did Li Yuan finally exhale a breath of turbid air; sweat and rainwater, scorched by his high body heat, drifted like vapor.

From the sudden strike to looting the corpse had taken only a few minutes, but the drain on his stamina and mental energy was still immense. Now that he had relaxed, he felt aches all over his body.

Swallowing a Zeng Xue Dan, Li Yuan reviewed the night's events, judging that nothing had been overlooked. Thanks to the Six Harmonies Boots' enhancement, even when there were patrolling disciples on the road, he had slipped past them with ease.

"Squeak squeak~"

Under the bed, the little mouse let out a frightened cry, its gray fur standing on end—extremely sensitive and full of spirit.

"Mm, except for this little mouse."

Li Yuan glanced at it, then swiftly changed into a fresh set of clothes.

He stowed away the hemp clothes, bamboo hat, boots, human-skin mask, and his short-handled war hammer.

With a shake of his strength, he drove away the chill and instantly felt refreshed all over.

"Worthy of being the fourth True Inheritor—tough as nails."

Lighting the oil lamp, Li Yuan sat down and began to mull over and review today's battle.

The Six Harmonies Boots' enhancement had somewhat exceeded his expectations. That Ding Zhi's speed and reactions had been completely crushed by him, but the force of his resistance was still astonishing.

If he hadn't struck suddenly with one hammer and crippled his right hand, forcing him unable to draw his sword, tonight might not have gone so smoothly.

"A Body Transformation martial artist truly cannot be underestimated."

Li Yuan took off the 'Golden Silk Gloves' and flexed his numb fingers:

"Force erupts within a foot, inner Qi reaches three zhang. Inner Qi truly is ferocious—even a heavy hammer couldn't fully insulate against it… If not for these gloves, I'd probably have taken some injuries."

Inner force leaving the body by a foot is already the limit, but the penetrating and explosive power of inner Qi is simply too astonishing. In that final clash, even his internal organs took the impact.

And that was only because the gloves had blocked most of the inner Qi.

"With the Soldier Master's enhancement, my strength, explosive power, and speed all surpassed Ding Zhi's, and it was still a sneak attack. The odds of victory were on my side from the start."

Li Yuan was conducting his post-battle review.

From his very first strike to now, he had maintained this good habit—analyzing gains and losses, drawing lessons and experience.

Compared to when he first ambushed Qin Xiong, he now understood how to choose the location and create the opportunity.

"Even in a straight fight I'd have a chance of winning, but a sneak attack is undoubtedly crucial. Without that sudden hammer strike, I might not have been able to kill him tonight?"

Li Yuan weighed the gains and losses, comparing the gap between himself and a Body Transformation martial artist.

He finally reached a conclusion.

"There's only one life; a sneak attack is also a means to defeat the enemy."

After quite a while, once the stinging across his body faded, Li Yuan pushed open the door. The night rain was still heavy, and the traces of his return trip had been washed completely clean.

Through the night rain, he could faintly hear cries of alarm and footsteps approaching from afar, as if people were flooding toward Hammer Soldier Hall.

"A True Inheritor has died—Divine Weapon Valley is bound to boil over."

Li Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

He judged that the timing he had chosen was good. During this period, there were already people targeting Divine Weapon Valley, so the blame could very easily be shifted onto them.

Even if it couldn't be shifted, the one who killed Ding Zhi was a sallow-faced middle-aged man wielding a short hammer—what does that have to do with him, a Dragon Form True Inheritor who had only just completed Body Tempering and had a boundless future ahead of him?

A Body Tempering cultivator killing a Body Transformation one—even in Divine Weapon Valley, let alone in the entire Dormant Dragon Prefecture over the past several thousand years, there were only a handful of such examples.

"Mm, nothing to do with me."

Perhaps because the drain had been too great, Li Yuan was feeling a bit hungry.

He went to the kitchen, lit a fire, stir-fried a few small dishes, brewed a pot of tea, and ate slowly to the accompaniment of wind and rain outside.

Once the food was finished and the tea drunk dry, his emotions had also completely settled.

And at this moment, hurried footsteps also drew near from afar, and knocking—

'Bang bang' rang out:

"Junior Brother Li, Junior Brother Li!"

"Senior Brother Gao?"

Li Yuan had been waiting for someone to come, and immediately rose to open the door: "Senior Brother Gao, what brings you here so late?"

"It's good that you're all right."

Gao Gang took off his bamboo hat, and only after seeing Li Yuan was unharmed did he let out a breath of relief:

"Something happened."

"Ding Zhi is dead!"

……

Crack!

The heavy rain fell the entire night, and by morning the clouds were still thick, the sky a gloomy gray, with thunder dragons and lightning snakes racing through from time to time.

In the brightly lit mountain gate great hall, the atmosphere was oppressive. Gazing at the bundle of mud wrapped in a straw mat on the floor, every face was dark and grim.

"Ding Zhi is dead!"

In the great hall, Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong slammed the table heavily, beard and hair bristling:

"Audacious—truly audacious!"

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong was like a raging lion, pacing back and forth within the great hall, beside himself with fury.

In the great hall, the disciples who had searched the entire night—nearly turning Divine Weapon Valley upside down—were all soaked through, and Li Yuan was no exception.

Lord Master Gongyang Yu, Shi Hong, along with several Grand Elders, were all absent. At this moment, the only True Inheritance disciples in the main hall were him and Qiu Qiu Changying; among the elders, there was only Feng Feng Zhongyi of the Outer Gate.

At this moment, the faces of all the disciples were very unsightly.

A True Inheritance disciple brazenly killed in cold blood within the mountain gate—no matter their relationship with Ding Zhi, everyone now had cold, blue faces, both furious and shocked, some even terrified.

Just thinking that a vicious killer capable of slaying even a True Inheritance disciple was hiding within the mountain gate made everyone uneasy.

"Daring to kill my Sect's True Inheritance within the mountain gate—the first time in fifty years. No matter who he is, he must die!"

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong was furious beyond measure, and the atmosphere in the main hall grew increasingly oppressive.

Li Yuan went along with the crowd, silent, his face grim.

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong looked at the disciple examining the corpse and asked:

"Feng Feng Erzhong, by what Wu Gong was Ding Zhi killed? How did he die?"

"This…"

The disciple examining the corpse had a pale face; his throat worked several times before he bowed:

"Tendons, bones, flesh, and skin all shattered and mashed. That thief struck with excessive viciousness—should be a heavy hammer… Wu Gong-wise, no traces of internal Qi were found."

Feng Feng Erzhong kept his head low, forcibly suppressing the urge to retch.

Besides him, several other disciples had also come out to examine the corpse, and now they all gave the same account.

"A heavy hammer?"

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong swept a glance at where the Hammer Bingtang disciples stood, his brow furrowing deeply:

"Huizhou has no shortage of hammer-wielding experts. What about Wu Gong? What technique, what Qi art did he use?"

"This…"

Feng Feng Erzhong and the others felt their scalps prickle, but could only shake their heads.

The heavy rain had washed away all traces, leaving only this mangled corpse.

Being able to discern these things from a puddle of mush was already a testament to their rich experience in examining corpses.

"Elder Qiu, she's awake!"

At this moment, a disciple walked out from the Piandian, supporting a woman whose face was deathly pale.

The woman had been greatly frightened, trembling, her eyes full of panic and terror, having even forgotten to bow.

"Lin Fu'er, what happened last night?"

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong spoke in a low voice, pulling the woman out of her panic: "Who killed your man? How are you still alive?!"

"Ah! No, don't…"

The woman was so frightened she fell to the ground. Only after several female disciples went to support and comfort her did she finally come back to herself from her terror.

"Master!"

The woman threw herself onto the straw mat, weeping like pear blossoms in rain.

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong's anger was at its peak, but he could only restrain himself. After waiting for the woman to calm down, he asked again:

"What exactly happened last night?!"

"I, I…"

The woman's face was covered in tear stains. After quite a while, she haltingly began to recount the events of last night.

"... Last night in the heavy rain, the master was drinking in the courtyard, and the Red Dragon Fish were crying out piteously…"

"…"

Li Yuan listened quietly.

This woman had only just cultivated internal force, and was timid. When he struck last night, she had only thought of fleeing in terror. Had he not deliberately shown his face, she wouldn't have been able to see anything clearly at all.

"Red Dragon Fish?"

Qiu Qiu Changying frowned slightly and glanced at Li Yuan. She remembered that the two of them seemed to have had some friction a few days prior.

However, it was just a flash; she had already shaken her head inwardly.

Although this kid was somewhat cunning and his lightness skill was good, he had only just achieved Great Success in Body Tempering. Even wielding a divine weapon, he couldn't have killed Ding Zhi.

"You saw that killer's face?!"

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong's face was full of astonishment, and the other disciples in the main hall all frowned, puzzled and shocked.

"That killer was so vicious—yet you saw his face and weren't killed?"

Feng Feng Zhongyi was also frowning.

"Someone, bring a portrait!"

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong's heart was filled with suspicion. With a wave of his hand, a disciple had already stepped forward with paper and brush.

Soon, based on the woman's account, a portrait was drawn.

Disheveled black hair, a sallow face, a ferocious expression, wielding a Short-handle heavy hammer larger than a human head.

"Drawn so accurately?"

Li Yuan glanced at it, inwardly amazed. This artist's skill was quite impressive.

"This person…"

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong's brow furrowed deeply. Qiu Qiu Changying took the drawing, examined it carefully, compared it, then shook her head:

"He's not a famous expert of the Eight Prefectures, nor on any wanted poster. Either he's a hidden expert from those few families, or he's used disguise and alteration…"

She handed the portrait to several disciples of the Supervisory Hall. Those disciples compared it and also shook their heads—no impression.

"Disguise and alteration only proves a guilty conscience!"

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong took the portrait, looked at it, and slammed the table heavily: "Publish this drawing throughout the entire prefecture, put up a bounty for this person—a heavy reward!"

"Yes!"

The Supervisory Hall disciples bowed in acknowledgment, took the scroll, tucked it into their robes, turned, and vanished into the rain.

"Chang Ying, mobilize the Eight Squad Divine Guards to seal the mountain—no one is permitted to enter or leave the sect!"

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong ordered with a grave face, instructing the assembled disciples and elders:

"Junior Brother Feng, summon every Outer Gate and menial disciple. Search every corner of the mountain gate—do not overlook a single suspicious spot!"

"Yes, sir!"

Feng Feng Zhongyi bowed to receive the order and strode swiftly out of the hall.

"Gan Ji, go inform those old fellows in the valley—tell them to get moving too!"

"Shangguan Lie! Go to the Casting Valley, notify Elder Jing, Elder Lei…"

"Bu Xiang, Ji Zhi, Du Yi…"

……

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong called out name after name, issuing orders, and every single person bowed to receive them.

"Gao Gang!"

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong looked toward the Hammer Hall crowd.

Gao Gang's heart tightened: "This disciple is here."

"Your Hammer Hall is versed in all manner of hammer techniques—find out the Suo Yong Wu Gong this person used!"

"……"

He glanced at that puddle of pulp, and Gao Gang accepted the order with a stiff upper lip.

"Li Yuan!"

Finally, Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong looked toward Li Yuan, who bowed.

"Until this murderer is found, move to the Dustless Hall—you are not to stray far from this old man!"

"Huh?"

Li Yuan started; this he truly had not expected.

"Among the sect's ten True Inheritances, you entered latest, your Wu Gong is the weakest, and your natural talent is the best. If that murderer strikes again, it will most likely be you!"

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong's face was dark as still water, brooking no refusal:

"You refuse?"

"……This disciple obeys."

Li Yuan bowed to accept the order, feeling rather odd at heart.

This old fellow wants to use me as bait to fish out… myself?

Or does he truly mean to keep me under guard, so the murderer can't get at me?

"Follow this old man!"

Qiu Qiu Zhengxiong flicked his sleeve and strode out the door.

Li Yuan followed him into the pouring rain.

……

……

The True Inheritance's death sent the entire Divine Weapon Valley into fury.

Valley Lord Gong Gong Yangyu struck, rooting out every hidden agent of the three great sects—Qianjun Cave, Sanyuan Stronghold, and Pang Pang Liexue Mountain—and hanging their bodies before the city.

Three thousand Divine Guards plowed through Fucheng from top to bottom, inside and out, arresting countless wanted criminals and fugitives who had slipped through the net over the years.

More than a dozen Xieshen Sect cultists were uncovered, along with multiple families that had colluded with them—over three thousand people arrested or killed.

The turmoil spread from within outward, already reaching the neighboring commanderies and counties.

Fleeing wanted criminals, horse bandits, mountain brigands, and roving marauders were swept clean—heads rolled in heaps, and the Dayun River ran red.

On the eleventh day after Ding Zhi's death, the Xieshen Sect branch leader Su Su Wanxiong's trail was found. Two Inner Gate elders struck, gravely wounding him, and he fled in disgrace.

All the experts under his command were captured or cut down.

At this point, the Xieshen Sect's branch in Dragon-Hibernation Prefecture was uprooted completely; Su Su Wanxiong escaped with his life alone.

Even so, the upheaval from the True Inheritance's death had not subsided.

The three great sects whose hidden agents had been exposed were all enraged. They flatly denied any connection between the "Talent List" assassination and Ding Zhi's death—and in retaliation, they too rooted out the Divine Weapon Valley's hidden agents and beheaded them one by one, hanging the bodies on display.

In a flash, Dragon-Hibernation Prefecture was a place where every rustle of wind set hearts to trembling.

Blade-bearers and wandering martial men all vanished from sight one after another, sensing the storm about to break.

Before long, the arrival of a piece of news made the already-shaken Dragon-Hibernation Prefecture boil over even more.

"The ones who stirred up the Pinggou County uprising were actually Qianjun Cave? They colluded with the Xieshen Sect?!"

"Elder Han slew two of Qianjun Cave's Inner Gate elders and three hundred elite 'Qianjun Guards' in a single battle?!"

"No, that's wrong—some say Elder Han Han Chuijun is a bloodthirsty killer by nature; those two Qianjun Cave elders only glanced at him, and he slaughtered their entire households!"

"The Qianjun Cave Lord has come out of seclusion and is going to demand an explanation from Elder Han…"

……

Once the news from Pinggou County spread, the shock was no longer confined to Dragon-Hibernation Prefecture—even the neighboring commanderies and counties, and indeed all the commanderies of Dechang, were in an uproar.

The last great slaughter among the Sida Sect had occurred only a few decades ago, and many of the older-generation experts who had lived through that battle were still alive.

……

"Puh!"

In a stretch of mountain forest, Su Su Wanxiong staggered as he landed, coughing up great mouthfuls of blood. His ashen face was full of shock, fury, and frustration:

"Laozi didn't kill your sect's True Inheritance!"

With a furious roar, Su Su Wanxiong coughed up another mouthful of blood. His expression was savage, his eyes blood-red—he was done running.

If he kept fleeing, he wouldn't even have the strength left for one last fight.

Hoo—

A sound of wind drew near.

Su Su Wanxiong's eyes went vicious, about to spring up, when suddenly he let his inner Qi relax.

Above the dense forest, an armored middle-aged man stood on a treetop, his gaze cold and mocking: "Months apart, and Steward Su has already become a stray dog?"

"Meng Zhan!"

Su Su Wanxiong let out a long breath, his expression cold: "Have you come to watch this old man make a fool of himself?"

"A fool? So long as the Divine Weapon Valley is not removed in a day, how is this old man, the Wutang Master, not also a fool?"

The armored middle-aged man tugged at the corner of his mouth and said in a low voice:

"I want to see your Hall Master!"