Chapter 91: Ghost-Face Asura, Han Han Chuijun!

Han Han Chuijun?!

Inside the room, Li Yuan's heart jolted. At the table corner, the little mouse squeaked once, its four limbs rigid, as if frozen in place.

Ghost-Face Prajna, ruthless and vicious, slaughtering entire households at the slightest provocation, his methods cruel and terrifying…

Intelligence about Han Han Chuijun flooded his mind, and Li Yuan grew even more tense. Even when Fang Fang Yunxiu had mentioned this man, she had done so with a look of dread.

Whoosh!

The wind and rain grew fiercer, the window paper flapping noisily.

Li Yuan retreated several steps. The room door was also blown open by the gale, and the ghost-faced man wearing a bamboo hat slowly walked in from the heavy rain, stopping beneath the eaves.

Amid the gale and downpour, steam rose from the courtyard, yet not a single drop of water clung to his body!

A master!

A great master!

Li Yuan's heart raced. He felt his scalp go numb, every hair on his body standing on end, sensing a threat he had never felt before.

Far more intense than when he had faced Qin Xiong head-on before learning martial arts.

"Greetings, Senior Han."

Li Yuan cupped his fists, exceedingly respectful in his courtesy.

If the man before him had not identified himself as Han Han Chuijun, he would have almost activated the Six Directions Boots and fled for his life.

Beneath the eaves, Han Han Chuijun removed his bamboo hat and calmly sized up the youth in the room, who appeared respectful but was in fact ready to flee at any moment:

"Where's your hammer?"

"Huh?"

Li Yuan gave a slight start, then picked up the practice hammer leaning against the table corner:

"Senior?"

"Not that one."

Han Han Chuijun shook his head, a half-smile on his face:

"What this old man means is, the long-handled heavy hammer you used to smash Cao Yan to death!"

Exposed?!

Li Yuan's heart lurched. He feigned bewilderment, his thoughts racing rapidly:

"What does Senior mean? Cao Yan, the Head Shopkeeper—he, he was smashed to death by someone?"

"Yes. This old man happened to pass by the weapons shop and saw his corpse."

Han Han Chuijun slowly walked into the room, his peripheral gaze sweeping over the plainly furnished space. He pulled out a fire stick and lit the oil lamp:

"Judging by the wounds, the killer must have struck from the shadows—first crippling his right arm, then chasing him down at speed, severing his left hand, and finally a single hammer blow that shattered his inner armor and took his life…"

In the flickering candlelight, the ghost mask looked even more terrifying.

"Huh?"

Li Yuan was utterly dumbfounded, seemingly unable to accept the news. After a good while, as if waking from a dream, he cried out in righteous indignation:

"This—this, does Senior know who killed Shopkeeper Cao? How could the methods be so brutal?!"

Li Yuan's shock was not feigned.

As Han Han Chuijun brushed past him, a burst of brilliant light exploded before his eyes, colors interweaving, nearly causing him to lose composure.

This Seeker-of-Heroes Envoy of the Divine Weapon Valley was covered in treasure-light from head to toe.

【Coiled Dragon Nine-Layered Boots (Tier 3)】, 【Thirteen Golden Silk Armor (Tier 3)】, 【Snake-Winding Soft Whip (Tier 3)】, 【Hundred-Poison Flying Dagger (Tier 2)】,

【Pure Silver Heart-Protecting Mirror (Tier 3)】, 【Sleeve Arrow (Tier 2)】, 【Celestial Silkworm Gloves (Tier 3)】, 【Frenzied Lion Knuckles (Tier 3)】

Truly, a walking mountain of treasures!

"Tsk~"

This boy's shock really does seem genuine—Han Han Chuijun was somewhat speechless: "Isn't it 'far away in the heavens, close at hand before your eyes'?"

"Senior Han jests. How could this disciple possibly have such skill? The Head Shopkeeper was an Internal Strength martial artist…"

Li Yuan felt somewhat uneasy. He lowered his head with a bitter smile, yet his peripheral gaze couldn't help but flick toward Han Han Chuijun's right sleeve.

【Wind-Thunder Wish-Fulfilling Jade Pestle (Tier 5)】

【A marvel of heaven and earth—red-secret white-mystic jade from Wind-Thunder Valley, tempered by a century of wind and thunder, forged by a master craftsman, refined in the forge for years, and quenched in a hundred kinds of strange waters…】

【Activation Requirements: Superior Hammer Art at Mastery, Strength of a Thousand Jun, Dragon-Tiger Physique】

【Activation Effects: Heavy as a Thousand Jun, Lightness in Lifting the Heavy, Heaviness in Lifting the Light, Relentless Advance, Armor-Breaking Horizontal Training, Swallowing-Ox Breath, Dragon-Spirit Tiger-Might, Soldier's Dao Combat Hammer at Great Mastery】

Eight activation effects!

Li Yuan received a tremendous shock.

What stood before him was no person at all—it was clearly a mountain of treasure!

Setting aside a body full of top-tier sharp-weapon-grade treasures, there was also a Tier-5 jade pestle!

"Tier five!"

Li Yuan felt his teeth ache and his eyes burn. A weapon of this tier—Gao Liu County hadn't produced even one in over two hundred years…

"Mm, not bad, not bad."

Watching the boy before him spout nothing but lies, Han Han Chuijun actually felt a measure of approval.

Some things can be done but not spoken of—a lesson he himself had learned the hard way several times. Yet this boy seemed to have grasped it instinctively.

On this point alone, he surpassed that fool Sha Sha Pingying.

Daring to risk his life in a deadly clash against an Internal Strength martial artist, yet more decisive in killing than Fang Fang Yunxiu…

"Li Yuan?"

"Ah? Senior Han…"

Li Yuan only felt a slight weight on his shoulder — a large hand had gripped his shoulder blade, so fast he hadn't been able to react.

Crack~

As if joints were grinding,

Li Yuan's eyelids twitched wildly; his limbs jerked beyond his control, and every sinew and bone in his body went *crack-crack*, as if a current of electricity were shooting through him.

"Wasp-waist, ape-arms — a frame remade by a hammer art at Great Perfection, eh? Mm, Bai Yuan's Strength, born with divine power — not bad, not bad…"

Li Yuan was utterly horrified.

This old man had only pressed his shoulder, yet could mobilize every joint in his body, making him like a marionette under the old man's control!

His foundation had been shaken out, more than half of it!

"Keeping your mouth sealed, refusing to confess even unto death — that's fine, but men of the jianghu don't play by those rules. A little suspicion is enough for someone to beat you to death."

Beneath the ghost mask, his gaze like ghostly fire, Han Han Chuijun released his hand:

"Unless you have some background, some power that makes people wary…"

"Senior Han speaks truly."

Li Yuan stepped back a few paces, shook out his arms — the injuries from his earlier over-burst seemed to have improved in an instant.

That bit of Wu Gong was simply terrifyingly high.

Han Han Chuijun smiled:

"Then, do you have any background, any power, that can make people wary?"

Li Yuan rubbed his shoulder. Drawing on years of experience humoring old men, how could he not know what to do?

"This junior… actually does."

He stepped back a few paces, saw the old man raise an eyebrow, cupped his fists and said: "My master — Han Han Chuijun!"

"Oh?"

Han Han Chuijun was first stunned, then burst into laughter:

"Ruzike Sect!"

Master Li didn't hesitate for a single beat — he'd read this one's intentions perfectly, and the fear in his heart vanished at once. He bowed deeply, his manner exceedingly respectful:

"Master above, receive your disciple's bow!"

Just from that whole body's treasure-light alone, this master was worth bowing to!

"Good lad, clever as they come!"

Han Han Chuijun was greatly pleased in his heart, yet raised a hand to stop him, not accepting the bow:

"This old man holds the post of Talent-Seeking Envoy, so it's not proper to take disciples abroad. Next March, when the mountain gate opens wide, bowing as master and disciple won't be late!"

Han Han Chuijun was more satisfied than before.

Disciples with good hammer-art talent — he had quite a few. But ones with good brains as well — truly not many. This one before him looked promising.

At the very least, not stupid.

"This disciple obeys!"

Master Li felt his skill at climbing up the pole had grown — open mouth, closed mouth, he already styled himself a disciple.

"You do know how to climb the pole!"

Han Han Chuijun was a little at a loss for words, yet didn't bother to correct him.

Besides, in the Divine Weapon Valley, when it came to hammer arts, he stood first — no one could possibly contest him.

Done!

Only now did the great stone in Li Yuan's heart finally fall to the ground. The hidden danger brought by that broken shoe had been entirely dispelled.

"Nian Jiu — you killed him, didn't you?"

Han Han Chuijun's tone was one of certainty:

"Soldier's Strike and Bai Yuan Hammer Strike share

similarities. Anyone else might not spot it, but it can't be hidden from these old eyes."

"That Nian Jiu was killed by this disciple."

This time, Li Yuan did not deny it.

Before bowing as master and disciple, secretly learning Wu Gong might be a great taboo of the jianghu — but after bowing, it was no problem at all.

"The Soldier's Path Combat Hammer is hard to learn, hard to practice. Even the entry-level foundation requires a lower-grade hammer art at Perfection. To master it, one needs exceptional hammer-art talent."

Han Han Chuijun was very satisfied.

Over the years, the Soldier's Path Combat Hammer rubbings he'd sent out numbered no less than eighty or a hundred — but those who could practice it to mastery were few indeed.

After all, the Soldier's Path Combat Hammer has three parts, and the Soldier Section alone accounts for seventy percent.

Missing the core 'Soldier Section secret manual' and still mastering it — one in ten thousand!

"This disciple was fortunate…"

Li Yuan tasted something in it: "That Nian Jiu…"

"Qianjun Cave has been hostile to my Divine Weapon Valley for many years. That Nian Jiu came to steal the scriptures. This old man went along with it, wanting to see if Qianjun Cave had any good hammer-art seedlings."

Han Han Chuijun held nothing back.

Just as he thought…

Only now did Li Yuan understand.

Given the importance of the Soldier's Path Combat Hammer, the bounty for its theft should never have been only the original fifty taels.

"Then this disciple killed him — what about the bounty?"

Li Yuan rubbed his hands together.

Nian Jiu's bounty had now risen as high as four hundred taels of silver — and that didn't even count the elixirs and weapons others had later added on.

Han Han Chuijun grabbed the little mouse by his feet and pinched it, smiling half-heartedly: "A whole nest of demons in the Thousand Jun Grotto — you really want this bounty?"

"This… forget it, then."

Li Yuan smiled bitterly, but did not give up.

This bounty silver, Li Yuan may not be able to take it, but can Li Li Yuanba not take it?

"Some small profit — what's that worth?"

Han Han Chuijun paid it no mind.

At this time, the night rain gradually lessened. Having gathered his disciples, Han Han Chuijun felt this trip had already been perfect. He slowly stepped out of the house, put on his bamboo hat, and departed:

"Come to the Lu Prefecture tomorrow!"

……

Whoosh~

In the heavy rain, the sounds of shouting and killing grew ever fiercer.

Inner city, outer city, one gang's territory after another, even the main streets — everywhere came the clash of weapons.

In the rainy night, no one knew how many common folk were startled awake, yet every one of them locked their doors tight, hid under their quilts trembling, and prayed.

"Rebels — kill on sight, no mercy!"

"Commander Sha said it — one head, one tael of silver! Slaughter them!"

"Mercy…"

……

Han Han Chuijun walked slowly along the main street. He did not make a move, only calmly watched gang strongholds catch fire one after another.

"Heroine Fang, mercy!"

From afar, Han Han Chuijun saw at the inner city gate dozens of people fleeing in panic. Fang Fang Yunxiu wielded her sword, shifting and darting, cutting them down one by one.

"The heads of the six factions in the inner city have all been killed — only the Yuan family remains!"

Fang Fang Yunxiu, shrouded in killing intent, sheathed her sword:

"The Yuan family has always been on good terms with Senior Brother Qiu. The layout of forces in the inner and outer cities, the intelligence — all of it was passed along by them."

"Not bad."

Han Han Chuijun nodded slightly, showing his approval:

"That boy's talent for hammer techniques is exceptional. This old man likes him very much."

"Huh?"

Fang Fang Yunxiu caught on — what Elder Han was praising was not the Yuan family at all, but Li Yuan?

"This…"

"Those few factions in the outer city, leave them to Ping Ying. The Weapon-Forging Shop need not be bothered with — their shopkeepers have all been wiped out…"

Han Han Chuijun paused slightly:

"What's left, leave it to Li Yuan!"

……

……

"Huff!"

Closing the room door, Li Yuan only felt a chill on his back. The pressure Han Han Chuijun had brought him was far too great.

"What if the one who came was an Incense Master of the Xieshen Sect?"

After closing the door, Li Yuan's heart tightened a little.

Between Internal Vigor and Form Transformation, there seemed to be a vast chasm. This cheap master of his was stronger than that Cao Yan by who knows how many times.

No — they simply could not be compared at all!

"Lucky I got in good with Heroine Fang ahead of time, or this time would've been real trouble…"

He glanced at the little mouse playing dead on the table — under even more pressure than himself — and Li Yuan felt thoroughly drained, forcing himself to stay awake rather than collapse into sleep on the spot.

Hum!

Lying down without undressing, Li Yuan entered the Weapon Master space, ready to take stock of his gains.

"This much?!"

Even though he had had some guesses, once he took stock, Li Yuan was still badly startled.

Cao Yan's wealth simply could not be compared to the likes of Yu Zhen or Qin Xiong.

In his snakeskin waist pouch, there were as many as eleven hundred-tael banknotes, not to mention various bits of loose silver — and astonishingly, three bottles of high-grade Origin-Supplementing Pills!

Pills worth fifty taels each — he had three bottles, eighteen in total!

Zeng Xue Dan and Leopard-Fetus Sinew-Changing Pills, one bottle each as well…

"This is only a small portion, yet already this much…"

Li Yuan's teeth ached at the thought.

Going out on a rainy night, Cao Yan could not have brought everything with him, but just this portion alone was already more than all the ill-gotten gains Li Yuan had ever made put together!

"He still had a secret chamber — too bad, no idea where it is…"

Even Li Yuan's state of mind wavered.

He forged a single high-grade blade and earned eight taels of silver. The banknotes Cao Yan casually stuffed in his pouch were the wages for forging over a hundred and forty blades!

No eating, no drinking, no spending, working day and night without rest — it would still take forty-six months to save up that much, and that wasn't even counting the pills!

"The gap for the Weapon Register to advance to the fourth rank is more than half filled!"

Li Yuan was very satisfied. He counted several times over before finally turning to look at his other gains.

Cao Yan could not compare to Han Han Chuijun, but he still had quite a few good things on him.

A second-tier Tiger Roar Saber is nothing special, but the damaged second-tier inner armor and the Tiger Roar Saber Origin Diagram are the real treasures.

【Crow-Gold Skin-Close Soft Armor (Second-Tier)】

【A soft armor woven from refined Crow-Gold silk, soaked year after year in secret medicines for over a hundred years. Though it has not become a supreme item, it has gradually developed spiritual anomalies…】

【Wielding Requirement: Any Horizontal Training to Small Completion】

【Wielding Effects: Light Arms Hard to Wound, Horizontal Training Talent, Internal Force Resistance】

A second inner armor!

"Cao Yan's inner armor is much better than the one I forged. Moreover, the wielding requirement is lower and the wielding effects are more…"

While tallying his gains, Li Yuan finally relaxed a little, but he kept watching the outside. The little mouse was tied to the door, so if anyone broke in, it could raise the alarm.

"My Seven Star Horizontal Training has only reached Great Completion; I'm still quite far from Small Completion, so there's no way for me to wield it for now…"

Li Yuan continued tallying.

【Tiger Roar Saber Origin Diagram (Second-Tier)】

【An internal-force origin diagram drawn on the skin of a Bai Tan Spirit Tiger by a saber-art Great Completion martial artist. Those whose saber art and qi-blood have reached Great Completion may study it and comprehend the mysteries of internal force…】

【Wielding Requirement: Tiger Roar Saber to Great Completion】

【Wielding Effects: Tiger Roar Saber Great Completion, Tiger Back Bear Waist, Fierce Tiger Force】

A second-tier origin diagram!

"All three volumes of origin diagrams from the Weapon Forging Shop are now complete!"

Li Yuan's thoughts began to stir.

"Snake Waist Python Tendon, Tiger Back Bear Waist, plus Bee Waist Ape Arm—if these three root bones don't conflict… hmm, I have to try carefully."

"Best to ask Lady Fang, or my cheap master…"