Tonight, the city of Sanyuan was anything but peaceful.
Especially near the Huang residence, groups of people carrying torches poured out like a swarm of fire dragons heading in all directions.
Fang Xi's steps were swift like the wind, but someone was closely chasing behind him – it was Huang Yuanwu!
Initially, he could have easily shaken off his pursuer with all his might, disappearing without a trace using camouflage clothing.
With the methods of a cultivator, not even a nine-lived beast could find him.
This was his reliance for daring to cause a commotion in Sanyuan City!
However, his target this time was Huang Yuanwu, so naturally, he wouldn't escape.
As the two engaged in pursuit and evasion, they soon arrived at the backyard of an abandoned mansion.
The garden was filled with artificial hills, yellowed weeds, a pond devoid of water, emitting a foul stench.
Under the moonlight, Fang Xi turned around, calmly looking at Huang Yuanwu. "You dare to follow, quite bold!"
"Hmph... a youngster who has just stepped into the realm of a martial artist dares to boast!" Huang Yuanwu stood tall and still, exuding a sense of profound strength.
Beside him, the Nine Lives Mastiff, black as a lion, growled softly and fiercely.
"With Nine Lives here, I can confirm there are no ambushes nearby... and you!" Huang Yuanwu's gaze turned slightly serious. "From our previous encounter, I confirmed that you have not yet condensed your fist intent. Your strength, however, rivals that of a second-step martial artist, a true genius! But by provoking my Huang family, even a genius from a powerful sect must die!"
It seemed he had mistaken Fang Xi's identity.
But it made sense. With Fang Xi having just broken through to the realm of a martial artist, possessing strength comparable to a second-step martial artist, he seemed like a genius with exceptional talent and guidance from a renowned master!
If Huang Yuanwu knew that Fang Xi was just a poor fellow in the martial arts world, attempting to raid the Huang family's secrets out of desperation, he would be speechless.
"Enough talk... your reinforcements will arrive soon, in about a quarter of an hour." Fang Xi spoke casually, circulating his True Yuan energy throughout his body, suddenly elevating his stature.
In the next moment, the earth seemed to tremble as a terrifying force generated from his feet, passing through his waist, spine, arms... finally converging into a single line, forming a devastating punch!
"Today, I will show you that a talent who has not yet matured is no true genius!" Amid Huang Yuanwu's roar, he pushed out his hands as if pushing a mountain.
Crash!
Fang Xi's fist collided with his palm, like turbulent waves crashing against a reef. Despite the violent True Yuan energy, it was ultimately shattered, dispersing into splashes.
Huang Yuanwu was a third-step martial artist, a top expert in Sanyuan City, naturally surpassing Fang Xi in strength!
He smirked, about to counterattack with his terrifying True Qi.
However, in the next moment, he felt something was amiss!
A terrifying penetrating force, like a sharp needle, pierced his hand, breaking through his skin, flesh, and even injuring his bones!
It turned out that just now, Fang Xi's fist had dispersed, revealing a small black needle that suddenly burst forth.
A disposable magical weapon – the Bone-Piercing Nail!
"You... despicable!" Huang Yuanwu took three steps back, looking at the black hole in his palm.
"Damn body cultivators are such a nuisance!"
Little did he know, Fang Xi was also complaining.
If it were a cultivator who had been hit by such a move, the Bone-Piercing Nail would have pierced through their palm and even pierced their heart.
Unfortunately, the physique of a third-step martial artist was truly astonishing. Even though the Bone-Piercing Nail's power approached the limit of a low-grade magical weapon, it was blocked by his iron-like bones.
"To resort to such despicable means, how vile!" Huang Yuanwu frowned, attempting to compress the wound with his True Qi, only to find that the bleeding couldn't be stopped.
Moreover, his entire arm began to throb with pain, causing him to curse in anger.
"Hehe... there's no need for justice among scoundrels like you." Fang Xi turned around and slapped the head of the Nine Lives Mastiff.
It turned out that this half-beast had sneaked up behind him while he was fighting Huang Yuanwu, attempting to launch a surprise attack.
But at this moment, it was met with Fang Xi's furious strike!
A burst of terrifying True Qi erupted, sending the Nine Lives Mastiff flying and landing in the pond, splashing water everywhere.
Huang Yuanwu's expression remained unchanged as he suddenly turned and ran!
One of his arms had already gone limp, indicating he wouldn't be able to use it for a while.
Even though he was a third-step martial artist, fighting with one hand tied against other martial artists put him at a disadvantage.
However, before Huang Yuanwu could jump over the wall, he suddenly felt a fierce wind rushing towards him.
Puff!
A black light pounced, transforming into a large ghost-headed blade that ruthlessly struck him.
"Ah!" Huang Yuanwu screamed in agony, falling back into the courtyard with a deep, bone-visible scar on his chest!
"Who... who are you?" His eyes were filled with despair, unable to recall when the Huang family had offended such a formidable individual!
"The one who wants your life!" Fang Xi took out several talismans, smiling.
At the same time, he made a comparison in his mind:
"Although a martial artist is equivalent to a second-level body refiner in cultivation, they are much easier to deal with... If it were a body refiner, they wouldn't have exposed such a big flaw because martial artists lack experience in dealing with cultivators... Moreover, body refiners would use various talismans and even magical armor to enhance themselves..."
"The martial artists of Da Liang are indeed too straightforward..."
Without hesitation, Fang Xi tore apart a 'Golden Light Shield' talisman, rushed forward, and exchanged blows with Huang Yuanwu...
Not long after, he left the abandoned mansion carrying Huang Yuanwu, whose limbs had been broken.
Shortly after, the experts and guards of the Huang family arrived, panting heavily, looking at the scene of devastation, exchanging glances...
The next day.
The Demon Hunting Conference.
"Have you heard? The Huang family has met with a great disaster?"
Some martial artists whispered, their expressions a mix of excitement and schadenfreude.
After all, the Huang family was known for their arrogance.
"Just yesterday, the second young miss of the Huang family offended someone she shouldn't have, and was killed on the spot... The Huang family had just issued a stern warning, but guess what? That very night, the second master of the Huang family went missing..."
"That's a military officer, who dares to offend the court and the Dingzhou army?"
"Who? It's a ruthless character... This person is probably in their twenties, looks like a scholar, and is known in the martial world as 'Ghosts Worry'!"
One martial artist, well-informed and eager to boast, shared.
"Oh? Why is he called Ghosts Worry?"
Another martial artist quickly inquired.
"Because this Ghosts Worry has no background, yet possesses incredibly powerful martial skills, acts wantonly, disregards the laws and regulations... What's even more terrifying is his... vile personality. Do you know why he attacked the Huang residence last night? It's said... because someone from the Huang family stepped out of the house leading with their left foot, violating his taboo..."
The surrounding martial artists listened, speechless.
Another person chimed in, "How come I heard... it was because they led with their right foot?"
Even so, everyone's scalp tingled, subconsciously looking at their own legs, not wanting to provoke such a bizarre enemy.
"Hehe... do you think the disappearance of the second master of the Huang family last night was the end of it?" The martial artist who spoke first chuckled. "This Ghosts Worry is truly audacious. After abducting the second master, he quietly returned to the Huang residence and reportedly went on a killing spree... He even severely injured the patriarch of the Huang family, Huang Yuanding. If it weren't for the timely arrival of the government and the Dingzhou army, he might have been beaten to death!"
"Even if they didn't die, after this battle, the Huang family is probably going to decline... Not only decline, but they won't even know who their enemy is. How frustrating is that?"
An elderly man set down his teacup, sighing softly. "The Huang family has committed many wrongdoings, and this is their retribution."
"Haha, that's true. Let's have some tea..."
...
Unaware of the turmoil outside, Fang Xi was in a room, carefully studying a secret manual in his hands.
After taking Huang Yuanwu away last night and using a charm to gather a wealth of information, he then launched a surprise attack on the Huang residence, causing chaos – in reality, it was all to search for the manual and divine intent, injuring the Huang family head was just an incidental consequence...
"The Huang family had an ancestor who studied at Yuanhe Mountain, reaching the realm of a fourth-step martial artist, just a step away from becoming a grandmaster... After leaving the mountain, the family passed down this 'Heavenly Wind Scroll'!"
Fang Xi carefully perused the ancient text, which also contained the divine intent.
By taking it, he likely severed the Huang family's lineage of divine intent transmission...
"The cultivation of a martial artist progresses through four steps: Condensing Fist Intent at the first step, Breaking Mud Pill Palace at the second step, Strengthening Bones and Muscles at the third step, merging God and Qi at the fourth step... then comes the grandmaster who harmonizes with heaven and earth, achieving unity of man and nature!"
The first two steps of martial arts were extracted from Linghu Yang's memories.
However, Linghu Yang had only heard about them from his master and didn't have specific cultivation methods!
But they were detailed in the 'Heavenly Wind Scroll'!
Fang Xi knew his own affairs better than anyone else. He had just broken through to the realm of a martial artist, not even reaching the first step.
However, with his abundant reserves, breaking through the limits of the human body, exceptional talent, and mastery of several major techniques, along with his self-created True Yuan technique, his strength was astonishing, capable of fighting against second-step martial artists!
If he added a few tricks from cultivators, even third and fourth-step martial artists would be vulnerable.
But facing a grandmaster who had stepped into the fifth step, a true martial saint, was a different story.
"Martial artists only have four steps of cultivation. Stepping into the fifth step makes one a grandmaster martial saint! Fortunately... I thought there would be at least nine steps... and even further divided into half-steps, peak half-steps, and great perfection half-steps!"
Fang Xi wasn't prepared to fight against a true martial saint.
His philosophy had always been to overpower others with strength. It was good to defeat an opponent one minor realm higher, and even better to crush them with a major realm advantage.
Avoiding conflict and bending the enemy's will without fighting was the best strategy!
Why engage in senseless violence in the immortal path?
Not to mention, a true martial saint was equivalent to a third-level Qi Refiner in the cultivation world. Trying to challenge them with a minor realm difference? Better not...
Although in this world, martial saints facing third-level Qi Refiners from the cultivation world would likely end in death, one shouldn't underestimate them.
"Third-level Qi Refiners have the advantage of the cultivation world's foundation, utilizing external objects... in terms of mentality and willpower, they may not necessarily surpass the grandmasters of this world..."
(End of Chapter)