"If this person's Golden Core isn't shattered, I'm afraid we're in big trouble."
Li Tianqing felt a chill in his heart.
Zhao Yanliang was one of the younger members of the Zhao family, only a few years older than the eldest son, Zhao Ziyu, and his cultivation was much lower than Zhao Yanlong and others.
He used his Golden Core to stabilize the black iron cannonball, which led to his severe injury and unjust death.
For a master at the Golden Core stage like him, they begin to use the power of the Golden Core to refine their bodies, removing impurities from the flesh.
The body of someone at the Golden Core stage is incredibly strong, no longer as fragile as in the earlier stages of cultivation.
Moreover, cultivators at this stage often practice body-strengthening techniques to enhance their close-combat abilities.
For instance, the Li family cultivators in Spring City, upon reaching the Golden Core stage, are provided with eight body-refining techniques to choose from.
The Zhao family in New Township might not be as established as the Li family, but they likely have similar techniques.
The power Zhao Yanliang could unleash was certainly not inferior to Chen Shi's!
The main reason he was killed by Chen Shi was that his Golden Core was shattered, leaving him severely injured, and unable to fully use his physical strength when facing Chen Shi.
Had he not been injured, even without the Golden Core, it would have been uncertain who would win in a close fight.
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing continued to charge forward, with Chen Shi having run out of cannonballs from his book box. He started grabbing cannonballs from Li Tianqing's basket, repeatedly throwing them with force, causing chaos among the Zhao family members and their Imperial Guards.
The Zhao family members and Imperial Guards could only curse their parents for not giving them more legs to run faster.
As for retaliating against Chen Shi, or even killing him, they only dared to think about it but didn't dare to act.
If they dared to stop, they would be blown to pieces!
Those two behind them weren't children; they were killing gods, evil spirits, demons!
Whoosh—
An invisible jade wheel flew by, slicing off someone's head.
Li Tianqing's heart was pounding, unsure if it was from excitement or disgust, as this was his first time killing someone.
The Zhao family members and Imperial Guards fled in terror from Heavenly Yang Mountain, with only six or seven out of over a hundred people making it out. Some were blown up, some fell off cliffs in panic, some were taken out by the Six Yin Jade Wheel, some were caught by Chen Shi, and others got lost in the deep mountains.
However, with Heavenly Yang Mountain being vast and sparsely populated, and full of dangers, most of those who fled into the deep mountains wouldn't survive.
The survivors fled to the provincial road, running along it towards the provincial capital.
Zhao Yanlong was being carried by an Imperial Guard who was running for his life, with fewer and fewer people around him, feeling terrified.
Luckily, Chen Shi and Li Tianqing, those two killing gods, didn't chase after them.
At this moment, Zhao Yanlong's porcelain transformation was starting to break down, and his body was gradually growing, like a two or three-year-old child. The Imperial Guard carrying him found it increasingly difficult to run long distances.
"Put me down first," Zhao Yanlong said.
He was now half porcelain, half flesh, with cracks on his legs turning into long wounds, starting to bleed and hurt.
But this was a good sign, indicating his body was beginning to return to normal.
He also felt True Qi flowing inside, and the Divine Fetus he couldn't sense earlier was gradually becoming perceptible, even faintly connecting with his Primordial Spirit.
His cultivation wasn't as high as Li Jindou's. When Li Jindou entered the kiln factory, his Primordial Spirit wasn't turned into porcelain, but Zhao Yanlong's was, severing the connection, and he didn't know where his Primordial Spirit had fallen.
However, now his connection with the Primordial Spirit was getting stronger, which brought him relief.
Although he didn't know why the demon domain suddenly collapsed, the collapse allowed him to start recovering from the porcelain state.
He circulated his True Qi, taking a step forward. Although his legs hurt, his speed wasn't slower than the Imperial Guard carrying him.
They were fleeing with four others, two Zhao family members and two Imperial Guards. Zhao Yanlong didn't see his sixth brother Zhao Yanchu or his second daughter Zhao Minrou and quickly asked, "Duofu, where are your Sixth Uncle and Second Miss?"
Zhao Duofu, born out of wedlock, had a low status in the Zhao family, barely above a servant. He didn't dare to call him father and said, "Master, Sixth Uncle and Second Miss were blown up."
Zhao Yanlong was stunned, grief-stricken, and couldn't help but cry, "If I don't wipe out Chen Shi's entire family, I swear I won't be human!"
They were still over two hundred miles from the provincial capital, and the Armored Horse Talismans wouldn't last that long. The talismans on the three Imperial Guards began to weaken, slowing them down.
Seeing this, Zhao Duofu quickly said, "Master, their Armored Horse Talismans are wearing off, wait for them!"
Zhao Yanlong's face was uncertain, and he snorted coldly, "Duofu, have you ever heard the story about two brothers encountering a tiger..."
Before he could finish, Zhao Duofu suddenly exclaimed happily, "Master, look!"
He pointed ahead, and Zhao Yanlong quickly looked, seeing the flags of New Township Province flying in the wind. One was the New Township Port flag, a blue flag embroidered with lightning patterns, and several triangular flags embroidered with the character 'Zhao.'
"It's the Governor's camp!"
Zhao Yanlong was invigorated, laughing, "The Governor is just ahead! We're saved!"
Governor Zhao Tianbao was the head of the Zhao family, overseeing four Zhao family territories, a man of skill and wisdom. Over the years, the Zhao family had prospered and grown in power, largely thanks to him.
Zhao Tianbao's cultivation level was unfathomable, rumored to be at the third or even fourth stage of the Spirit Refinement, but it couldn't be verified.
Zhao Duofu laughed, "Could it be that the Governor killed the Evil Bodhisattva and saved the people?"
Zhao Yanlong said, "Most likely."
At this moment, screams came from behind. The two turned to see Chen Shi and Li Tianqing somehow catching up and killing the three Imperial Guards who had fallen behind.
Another Zhao family member, running slow, was killed by a sudden jade wheel.
"Run!"
Zhao Yanlong and Zhao Duofu ran with all their might, the Governor's camp getting closer.
Suddenly, Zhao Yanlong felt his Primordial Spirit lighten, and as he sensed and summoned it, his Primordial Spirit broke free from Heavenly Yang Mountain, though mostly still porcelain, it was incredibly fast, coming their way.
"Duofu, you truly are blessed, my lucky star!"
Zhao Yanlong laughed heartily, saying, "Mother will be honored through her son. Once we return alive, you'll be my son, and I'll bring your mother into the mansion as a concubine!"
Zhao Duofu was both surprised and delighted. As an illegitimate child, he wasn't recognized by the Zhao family and had no status.
Now he was to become a legitimate son, and his mother would be elevated to a concubine, greatly increasing their status. He was bound to rise in the Zhao family, achieving great success soon!
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing, having dealt with the four behind, continued pursuing. They had chased from the mountain to here, sweating and exhausted, but their spirits were high.
Seeing the New Township Port flag in the distance, Li Tianqing was startled and quickly said, "Little Shi, we can't chase any further! The New Township Governor should be in the camp under those flags!"
Chen Shi hesitated, slowing down a bit, "The New Township Governor is also from the Zhao family?"
Li Tianqing replied, "That's right. The New Township Governor, Zhao Tianbao, his cultivation level is probably similar to my grandfather's, unfathomable! We can't chase any further!"
Chen Shi gritted his teeth, "Give me the rest of the cannonballs, you go back first!"
He took off his book box, grabbed Li Tianqing's basket, and stomped heavily, activating his Armored Horse Talisman, rushing towards Zhao Yanlong at an astonishing speed!
With each step, his straw sandals burst from his expanding feet, and the next step was barefoot running!
At the same time, Chen Shi's blood and Qi surged, making his body grow taller and stronger, in the blink of an eye, he grew over half a foot, his Qi and blood filled to the brim, even causing his hair to grow slowly!
His strides were larger, his speed faster, covering two yards with each step, even a galloping horse couldn't match him!
His arms grew longer, his hands thicker and larger, his Qi and blood surging, muscles and tendons bulging with a layer of Qi, revealing thick veins on his arms.
His eyes saw nothing but Zhao Yanlong, desperately running ahead!
Strike while the iron is hot!
Chen Shi understood this well.
If he didn't kill Zhao Yanlong now, once Zhao Yanlong reached the camp and returned to the Zhao family, finding such an opportunity again would be uncertain!
A life for a life, a debt for a debt.
That's the village rule, not bound by the laws of the Great Ming.
This catastrophe was caused by Zhao Yanlong's greed, costing countless lives. He must pay for these deaths and this disaster!
In the Governor's camp, Zhao Tianbao and the strongmen from the three divisions of New Township Province looked on, puzzled.
Earlier, the two overlapping demon domains expanding outward had startled them. They didn't expect the domain to collapse on its own.
Though the demon domain dissipated, they still didn't dare to enter and investigate.
While discussing, someone suddenly shouted, "Sir, sir! The Lord of Dark Jade Manor is still alive!"
Zhao Tianbao was both surprised and delighted, quickly stepping out of the tent, "Yanlong is alive? Where?"
The strongmen from the three divisions followed him out of the tent, and indeed saw two people running towards them from afar, one of them short, less than two feet tall, but with astonishing speed, clearly Zhao Yanlong.
However, Zhao Yanlong's body was mostly porcelain, his cultivation greatly damaged, seemingly still porcelainized, not yet recovered.
As he ran, his body continued to grow, the porcelain on him gradually retreating, turning back to flesh and blood.
Zhao Tianbao laughed heartily, "Yanlong led my Zhao family men into the mountains to slay demons. I thought he and the Dark Jade Manor disciples were all devoured by demons, but he succeeded in slaying the demon and returned victorious!"
Everyone understood, praising the bravery of the Lord of Dark Jade Manor, saying, "The cabinet will surely reward the Lord of Dark Jade Manor, bringing us honor!"
Behind Zhao Yanlong and another Zhao family member, someone else was running, about six feet tall, with large strides and incredible speed, charging forward like a wild beast, causing the stone slabs of the provincial road to crack and fly as he ran.
The person had a youthful face, clear brows, red lips, and white teeth, his clothes not particularly fancy but fitting.
But such explosive power drew the attention of Governor Zhao Tianbao and the provincial nobles.
"The Zhao family has another prodigy," praised Ding Heyun, the left envoy of the Administration Department, "This young one, only a teenager, has such amazing speed. He will surely achieve great things in the future!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
This wasn't flattery; the young one's displayed strength and aura were truly impressive. At the same age, they couldn't have been this capable.
"Just a little kid, is it necessary to praise so much? I'm worried about overshadowing the Governor," Zhao Tianbao laughed, modestly saying, "But he secretly noted Chen Shi's appearance, thinking, 'This child must be nurtured with care!'"
At that moment, divine light appeared behind, a misty glow. Everyone looked closely and saw a porcelainized Primordial Spirit flying in, incredibly fast!
It looked like Zhao Yanlong's Primordial Spirit, though still half porcelain, half spirit, with mixed and impure power.
Suddenly, the young one running took off the basket from his back, grabbed a black, head-sized ball from it, and with a powerful throw, launched the basket into the air, aiming at the incoming Zhao Yanlong's Primordial Spirit!
The black ball in his hand flew out, hitting the basket in the air first.
"Boom!"
Six or seven black iron cannonballs exploded, like a massive thunderball in the sky, firelight shooting out, fire clouds expanding, impacting Zhao Yanlong's Primordial Spirit, shattering the porcelain parts instantly, riddling it with holes!
The fire cloud engulfed his Primordial Spirit!
This unexpected turn left everyone in the camp unable to react in time to save him.
In the firelight, the young one caught up with Zhao Yanlong. At this moment, Zhao Yanlong's body had grown to about three feet, still like a child's, though heavily porcelainized, he had spent years refining his body, far surpassing ordinary people. He dodged Chen Shi's incoming punch and kicked at Chen Shi's lower body!
Chen Shi caught the leg, smashed his elbow, Zhao Yanlong's knee shattered, the tendons connecting his lower leg and thigh snapped, bending downward.
He shouldn't have been so fragile, having his right leg broken by a Divine Fetus stage youth, but now his body was mostly porcelain, shattering on contact.
Chen Shi, after smashing down with his elbow, stepped forward, swinging his elbow upward, hitting Zhao Yanlong's chest, breaking several ribs, then with a whoosh, slapped his ears heavily.
Zhao Yanlong's porcelainized eardrums shattered, dazed, as Chen Shi grabbed his head, repeatedly kneeing his chest, the porcelain parts on his body shattering with cracks!
His internal organs, many porcelainized, were now pierced by shards!
Zhao Duofu, nearby, was about to help, but Chen Shi dropped Zhao Yanlong, sidestepped to Zhao Duofu's side, pressing his palm against Zhao Duofu's chin, flipping him over and smashing him down!
"Thud!"
A dull thud sounded, the blue stone slab cracked, brain matter and blood spilled.
Chen Shi, left hand on the ground, swept his right leg back, Zhao Yanlong's legs snapped, falling backward.
Chen Shi sidestepped, smashing his elbow into Zhao Yanlong's throat, watching blood mixed with shattered porcelain spill from his mouth. Zhao Yanlong was dead beyond dead.
Chen Shi exhaled a breath of foul air, stood up, looked towards the Governor's camp, met Governor Zhao Tianbao's gaze, and turned to leave.