《Catching the fugitive is the only way to save your life》 Chapter 1 In ancient times, it was said that when a person died, there was a chance they could be reincarnated into a parallel world and be granted a second life. On a nameless, desolate mountain, amidst a torrential storm, a long, clear howl suddenly rang out from a dilapidated temple halfway up the mountain. It was like the cry of a dragon over a vast lake, or the roar of a tiger in an empty valley. As soon as the howl echoed, the raging storm seemed to hesitate for a moment, and the sound spread for miles, resonating for a full cup of tea¡¯s worth of time. When the howl finally faded, a figure flew out of the temple, landing in front of a stone tablet carved with the words ¡®M¨¢nhu¨¡ng Mountain God Temple.¡¯ Standing about ten feet away, the figure stretched out one palm. With a loud crash, the stone tablet was shattered mid-air by his strike, fragments flying in all directions. A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, revealing the figure''s true appearance. It was a young man, handsome and tall, with a strong, well-built frame. At this moment, he stared at his palm with a look of shock on his face, muttering to himself: "Sixty years of internal energy... it''s this strong?" As these words crossed his mind, he felt a stir in his heart. A faint blue, mysterious energy began to swirl and twist in the air, finally forming a translucent panel before his eyes¡ªone only he could see. [Fugitive Hunter System] [Host: Su Lun] [Target: Flying MouseFang Huohua] [Hunting Progress: Complete] [Rewards: Sixty years of internal energy (Claimed)] [Nine Dead Severed Meridians: Under Repair...] [Remaining Lifespan: 1 Year, 24Days!] ¡°One year and twenty-fourdays¡­¡± Su Lun gazed at the words, but instead of feeling despair, a low chuckle escaped his throat. At first, it was barely audible, but soon it grew louder, until he was laughing maniacally, a smile of delight on his face. ¡°This is fate not giving up on me!¡± After a long while, Su Lun took a deep breath, stopping his laughter. His gaze flickered, uncertain. He turned back, walking into the temple once more. He sat by a campfire, where a bundle and a black scabbard knife lay beside it. He set the knife aside, unwrapped a roasted chicken wrapped in oil paper from the bundle, skewered it with a wooden stick, and placed it over the fire to warm. As he did so, his thoughts drifted to the medical texts that spoke of the Nine Dead Severed Meridians. The Nine Dead Severed Meridians was an incurable disease. It did not stem from the twelve primary meridians or the eight extraordinary meridians. Instead, its root cause lay in the fact that those afflicted with the disease had nine hidden meridians beyond what ordinary people possessed. The symptoms were strange¡ªone could hardly call it a disease, but rather an abnormal constitution. The medical texts say: "Those with Nine Dead Severed Meridians have bodies like funnels, with life leaking away, beyond any cure." Thus, although few had this constitution throughout history, none of them survived past the age of twenty. And this year, Su Lun was exactly twenty years old! Twenty years ago, he had died in his previous life trying to save a little girl crossing the street, only to be struck by a dump truck. He was then reincarnated into this world, where an untidy old drunkard had taken him in. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. For the past twenty years, the Nine Dead Severed Meridians had hung like a sword over his head. He had watched helplessly as this sword inched closer, knowing there was nothing he could do. It seemed that from the day of his reincarnation, his life had already reached its end. The old drunkard had tried everything, and Su Lun himself had been subjected to many tortures, but it had all been in vain. And now, with the awakening of this system, only a month remained before his predicted death! ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that old drunkard suddenly sending me a letter to rescue him in Cangzhou, if I hadn¡¯t been short on money and had no choice but to take on a bounty to catch a bandit¡­¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t done that, I would have never known that I even had a system¡­¡± "Truly, misfortune turns into fortune." Su Lun exhaled lightly, a strange expression on his face. He hadn¡¯t expected that the activation condition for this system was to take down a bounty. To be specific, one needed to tear down a public notice of a wanted criminal or accept a maritime capture order. But there was one prerequisite: you had to know that the person was indeed a genuine criminal, or else anyone could be captured and the system rewards claimed. Was this a glitch in the system? At the moment, he had completed just one task, and not only had he received sixty years¡¯ worth of internal energy, but even the incurable Nine Dead Severed Meridians showed signs of being repaired. "Does this mean¡­ as long as I keep capturing these criminals, I might even cure the Nine Dead Severed Meridians completely?" Thinking of this, Su Lun felt a surge of excitement. And achieving this was far from difficult. In today¡¯s world, there wasn¡¯t much, but there were certainly plenty of bounty notices and wanted criminals. The Golden Wasteland Dynasty might not be in the midst of chaos, but it wasn¡¯t a time of peace either. Especially after the 13th year of Emperor Taizong¡¯s reign, when the ten-year-long Five Kingdoms War came to an end, the dynasty¡¯s national power weakened, and the lives of ordinary people grew even more difficult. With the court¡¯s power waning, the martial world was in turmoil. In the marketplace, various factions arose, and skirmishes broke out from time to time. Each battle left behind numerous bodies. There were also martial artists who, relying on their skill, roamed the world, committing crimes without regard for human life. When the government was too weak to capture these criminals, they would issue maritime capture orders, calling on skilled fighters from the martial world to hunt them down. The bounty hunters in the martial world are those who live by collecting rewards for capturing fugitives. From the name of his system, it¡¯s clear that it¡¯s designed for this very purpose. "In other words, within this entire martial world, there are countless life-saving treasures waiting to be found!" He clenched his fist lightly, calming his mind, forcing back the urge to rush into the county town and expose the notice immediately. When facing major matters, one must maintain a calm demeanor. This task is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Having extended his life by a year already, he could take it slow from here on out. There was no need to rush. Thinking of this, he exhaled softly, removing his soaked clothes with the intention of drying them by the fire. Though martial novels often describe how experts in the martial world can dry their clothes using their internal energy, Su Lun didn¡¯t do this. The reason was simple¡ªhis system had only granted him internal energy, without any skills on how to use it. In other words... he had no idea how. Just as he was about to look for some wood to hang up his clothes, he suddenly heard a swishing sound coming from outside the dilapidated temple. Su Lun was taken aback. Who would be walking around in this weather? Moreover, from the sound of it, the person seemed to be heading straight toward here. It seemed his guess was right. Within moments, the person had already reached the door of the temple. As Su Lun set up a horizontal bar with a stick, he turned to look. What he saw was a woman with a cold expression stepping into the temple. Their eyes met, and both were slightly stunned. Su Lun hadn''t expected that, on this late night when no one should be out, there would be a woman running through the mountains. The woman, however, was staring at Su Lun, who was shirtless. Her originally cold eyes widened, her lips parted, but no words came out. Su Lun wasn¡¯t worried about her gaze; he was just shirtless, but his pants were still on. He silently observed the unexpected guest. Apart from her age being similar to his, what stood out the most was her bloodstained white dress. Her features were delicate, her complexion pale, and she seemed somewhat disheveled. There were injuries on her body, not just one, and the blood had been washed away by the rain, giving the impression that from her neck down, she was outlined in a faint red, like a sketch done with a soft brush. Against her pale face, the contrast made her look even more deathly pale. She was holding a sword. The sword¡¯s blade had already been unsheathed, gleaming with cold light¡ªdefinitely not an ordinary weapon. It was a far cry from the dull blade Su Lun had bought from a blacksmith for two taels of silver. No matter how you looked at it, she seemed to be a skilled martial artist who had just come from a brutal fight in the martial world. But right now, she seemed stunned, like a marionette with its strings cut. Su Lun was puzzled. Was he really that attractive? He glanced at the long sword in her hand and felt it was better to remind her. He cleared his throat lightly and said: "Miss, with that deadly weapon in your hand, are you here to rob me of my money, or... my virtue?" Chapter 2 "Ah?" Upon hearing Su Lun''s words, the young woman seemed to wake from a dream. "I... I didn''t... I wasn''t..." After a flurry of flustered movements, she gradually calmed down. She cleared her throat, then held her sword in one hand and cupped her fist in the other. "I am Ye Menghua of the Liuyun Sword Sect, I greet you, sir." Liuyun Sword Sect? Su Lun thought for a moment and felt that he had some impression of it. He wasn''t sure whether it was from a tea house or a tavern where he had heard the name. He gave a slight nod, but didn¡¯t speak to introduce himself. After all, he had no significant background to speak of... He hung his clothes back up, sat down again, and was about to tear into the roast chicken when... Gurgle The sound rang out from the direction of Ye Menghua¡¯s stomach. Su Lun raised an eyebrow, looking at her midriff. Ye Menghua¡¯s face turned bright red, and she dropped her head, her hands tightly twisting together. She looked as though she wanted to find a hole to crawl into. Su Lun seemed to suddenly realize: "So, you don¡¯t want to rob me of my money or my virtue..." "You just want to steal my roast chicken, huh?" "You misunderstood, sir! I didn¡¯t... I¡ª" Before Ye Menghua could finish her sentence, another rumbling sound came from her stomach. At that moment, she wished she could vanish with the wind, so mortified was she. Su Lun sighed and tore off half of the roast chicken, handing it over: "Here, I can¡¯t finish it alone anyway." "Ah?" Ye Menghua was stunned for a moment. She hesitated, wanting to refuse, but seeing Su Lun¡¯s hand holding the chicken, still suspended in the air, the aroma of the meat wafting over, she finally took a few steps forward and accepted it. "Thank you, sir." "It¡¯s nothing. In this world, it¡¯s hard to avoid moments of inconvenience for everyone." "When you make it easy for others, you make it easy for yourself. Why not help when you can?" Su Lun smiled, bit into the chicken, and then took a swig from a wine gourd beside him. He always carried this gourd with him, not keeping it in his bag. Only after he took off his jacket did he set the gourd aside. The gourd contained wine brewed by an old drunkard. Though Su Lun was suffering from a fatal illness, it wasn¡¯t the same as typical diseases. Aside from his life force constantly dwindling and his pulse being strange, he showed no other signs of weakness. He didn¡¯t feel pain, nor did he suffer from fatigue. If you looked at him, he didn¡¯t seem like someone with a terminal illness at all. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Naturally, he wasn¡¯t forbidden from drinking wine or eating meat. In fact, he was raised in a barrel of medicine and wine by the old drunkard from a young age. He could drink like a fish and never get drunk, no matter how much he had. He carried the strong liquor around with him, almost treating it like water. It wasn¡¯t that he particularly loved it, but it had simply become a habit. Ye Menghua¡¯s heart stirred slightly when she heard Su Lun¡¯s words. She said softly: "If everyone in the Jianghu had your mindset, that would be great..." "What?" Su Lun glanced at her. "Nothing." Ye Menghua quickly shook her head, took a bite of the roast chicken, and her eyes lit up: "This roast chicken is really delicious. Where did you buy it?" "At Niu Ji¡¯s Roast Chicken Shop in Changhu County." "If I pass by next time, I¡¯ll make sure to buy a few more." Ye Menghua smiled slightly. Earlier, when she saw Su Lun without his shirt, she felt embarrassed. But now, after talking casually, the earlier awkwardness had completely dissipated. She immediately buried her head in the chicken, not saying another word. After finishing the half-chicken, Ye Menghua took a deep breath and cupped her hands again: "May I ask your name, sir? This meal, I, Ye Menghua, will repay you in the future!" "Are you being pursued?" Su Lun didn¡¯t answer her question directly. Instead, he posed one of his own, almost as if confirming something. Ye Menghua froze: "How did you know..." Su Lun didn¡¯t speak, only glanced at the wounds on her body. Ye Menghua immediately understood. Yes, anyone carrying so many injuries, disregarding the heavy rain and rushing through the night, wouldn¡¯t be doing so by chance. She sighed softly: "Sir has sharp eyes... Indeed, someone is chasing me." "But don¡¯t worry. I will leave now and won¡¯t drag you into it." She stood up and turned to leave, but suddenly paused as if she had just remembered something. She turned back to look at Su Lun, her eyes full of mystery as she spoke: "Before I leave, there¡¯s one thing I¡¯d like to ask you." Su Lun didn¡¯t look up. "Speak freely." "Sir, did you hear a long howl tonight? Did it come from somewhere near here?" Su Lun¡¯s heart skipped a beat. A howl? Was she referring to him? Earlier, when he had cultivated his internal energy with the method taught by the old drunkard, he had pushed it to its peak in a matter of moments. He could feel qi circulating all over his body, almost ready to burst. He had let out a long howl, shaking the skies. So Ye Menghua must have been drawn here by that howl? Su Lun thought quickly, then raised his head and nodded without any change in his expression: "I heard it." "Do you know where it came from?" Ye Menghua quickly pressed, eager for an answer. Su Lun didn¡¯t respond directly but instead asked: "Why are you looking for that howl?" Ye Menghua didn¡¯t understand why Su Lun would ask such a question, but she answered truthfully: Here¡¯s the translation of the passage you provided: ¡°I came here to seek help¡­¡± ¡°The person chasing me has martial arts far superior to mine and is also an expert in tracking. It''s like a maggot clinging to my bones.¡± ¡°No matter how hard I try to shake him off, I can''t. Earlier, I escaped to this area, and hearing that whistle, I realized there must be a master practicing Qi in the rain nearby.¡± ¡°That''s when I thought, if I¡¯m going to die, I might as well try to live, so I came in this direction to search.¡± ¡°But I couldn¡¯t find that master... instead, I encountered you, sir.¡± Su Lun smiled slightly upon hearing this, thinking to himself: You really came to the right place. ¡°I see. So, the master you were searching for, how does he compare to the one chasing you?¡± Su Lun asked with a raised brow. Ye Menghua immediately became serious and said: ¡°That master¡¯s internal power is profound. The person chasing me is simply no match for him.¡± ¡°How can a mere grain of rice hope to compete with the brilliance of the full moon?¡± ¡°Sir, judging by your question, I assume you''ve figured out where the whistle is coming from?¡± Su Lun was about to speak when his heart suddenly stirred. He then heard a cold, mocking voice cutting through the rain, drifting from outside the dilapidated temple: ¡°Ye family¡¯s little girl, you really made it hard for me to find you!¡± ¡°I never expected that tonight, the Ye family would be wiped out in one night.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not only untroubled, but you''re even here meeting some wild man! How ridiculous.¡± ¡°Who knows, if Ye Konggu were to find out that his daughter was like this, would he die of anger on the spot? Hahahahaha!¡± As the voice trailed off, a violent gust of wind suddenly rose, sweeping the raindrops with it from outside the temple. In the blur of the rain, a figure could be vaguely seen, moving like a storm, and in a flash, it appeared in front of the two of them. Ye Menghua¡¯s expression changed drastically as she reacted. ¡°That was fast!¡± She immediately stepped forward, positioning herself between Su Lun and the incoming figure with a flowing cloud step. At such a close distance, if she used her flowing cloud sword technique, she might accidentally injure Su Lun, so she decided to channel her internal energy instead. With a swift left-hand strike, her internal force enveloped the palm, directing it at the masked figure blocking the temple entrance. The black-clad masked man sneered. Without any sign of movement, he casually raised a palm, as light as a reed, and it gently met Ye Menghua¡¯s outstretched hand. First, a wave of air rippled in the air, and then with a loud bang, Ye Menghua was sent flying several meters backward by the light slap, finally stopping just in front of Su Lun. She trembled, a low groan escaping her lips, and a streak of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth. When she looked up again, the black-clad masked man was still standing at the entrance of the temple, hands clasped behind his back, his gaze full of contempt. Chapter 3 ¡°Good for you, Ye Menghua!¡± The man in black, his face masked, glanced at Ye Menghua, who was wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth. His gaze was calm: ¡°Tonight, amidst the chaos, when you broke through the encirclement, you were already severely injured.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been traveling non-stop through the night, no doubt exhausting yourself.¡± ¡°And yet, even now, after receiving my strike, you still stand unwavering.¡± ¡°The Ye family¡¯s twin pearls truly live up to their name.¡± His gaze shifted, cool and indifferent, towards Su Lun: ¡°And you, who are you?¡± ¡°Such a fortunate fellow¡­¡± Su Lun was momentarily speechless, about to speak up, when Ye Menghua quickly stepped in front of him: ¡°He is just an innocent bystander here, with no part in our matters.¡± ¡°Your martial skills are impressive, I trust you wouldn¡¯t involve an innocent.¡± While speaking, she hid one hand behind her back, subtly signaling to Su Lun to escape while she distracted the man in black. From their brief conversation, she had realized that Su Lun was neither a disciple from a prestigious sect nor a member of any major faction. He was of a similar age to her, with a cultivation level likely not high enough to contend with the black-clad man. She knew this was her chance to let Su Lun slip away while the black-clad man¡¯s attention was focused on her. But the black-clad man merely chuckled softly, his tone neutral: ¡°Anyone who meets me tonight has already sealed their fate.¡± ¡°You can only blame your bad luck for crossing paths with me.¡± ¡°Meeting someone you shouldn¡¯t have, learning things you shouldn¡¯t know.¡± He paused briefly, as if waiting for Ye Menghua to get angry, before giving a sly laugh. His eyes gleamed with amusement: ¡°But¡­ the world says the Ye family is a house of chivalry, but I don¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°Ye¡¯s daughter, I¡¯ll give you a choice.¡± ¡°Kill this boy, and I¡¯ll spare your life. How about it?¡± Su Lun furrowed his brow, looking towards the black-clad man. Ye Menghua¡¯s expression darkened: ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Since you say this boy is just an irrelevant passerby, and tonight is merely an accidental encounter, ¡°Then there¡¯s no reason to hesitate. Kill him, and it¡¯s no different from ¡®killing a friend but not a priest.¡¯¡± ¡°If you truly have feelings for him, though, I¡¯d like to see if you¡¯ll be willing to sever ties with him to save your own life.¡± The black-clad man spoke confidently, as if Su Lun¡¯s death was already a foregone conclusion. Ye Menghua fell silent for a moment, then suddenly took a deep breath. She turned to Su Lun: ¡°Tonight¡­ I truly owe you an apology. To preserve my own life, I must ask you to die.¡± As her words fell, her long sword whistled through the air, the cold light flashing in an instant. Her internal energy surged, wrapping the sword¡¯s gleam as it aimed straight for Su Lun¡¯s throat. Su Lun, having not sensed the killing intent in the sword, made no move. From the black-clad man¡¯s perspective, however, Su Lun seemed frozen, standing still without reacting. Her sword was fast, but just as it was about to pierce Su Lun¡¯s throat, it suddenly changed direction! The sword¡¯s blade gleamed brighter, and with her internal energy fueling it, the sword energy surged like waves in a sea, layer upon layer, vast and unstoppable. The sword aimed straight for the black-clad man¡¯s head. Although Ye Menghua was from the Ye family, she had been sent to the Liuyun Sword Sect to train in swordsmanship since childhood. Liuyun Sword Art had eighteen moves, and this one was the ninth move, "Wind and Clouds Shift." The key to this move was in the sudden reversal of the sword¡¯s trajectory! It was specifically designed to counter an ambush from behind, making it both fast and unexpected, catching the enemy off guard! From her words to the strike, it was truly an unexpected move for the black-clad man. He had mocked Ye Menghua, thinking that the so-called righteous ones of the Jianghu, full of chivalric talk, would never allow themselves to be manipulated. He had never imagined she would actually act. In the blink of an eye, he couldn¡¯t help but show a crack in his composure. By the time he reacted, the sword was just three inches from him. Within three inches, the sword was both precise and swift. But the black-clad man¡¯s cultivation was still higher. He gathered his internal energy, his palms turning dark green and black as he clapped his hands together with a sudden force. His palms locked around Ye Menghua¡¯s sword, effectively stopping its momentum. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. However, Ye Menghua was fighting for her life, and all her internal energy surged into the blade, making it hum with power. The sword energy continued to churn and swirl around her, relentless. Under such pressure, the black-clad man could no longer stay in place. He was forced to retreat, his feet grinding into the ground as he was pushed back by the sword¡¯s force. He slid back for about seven or eight feet before halting with a stomp. A thunderous sound echoed in the air, shaking the ground with a dull roar. Using the force, the black-clad man twisted his hands, and surprisingly, he managed to deflect the sword¡¯s trajectory. He clenched his fists, and Ye Menghua¡¯s precious sword, which had cost a fortune, seemed no more than paper in his hands, bending and deforming with a single squeeze. But it didn¡¯t stop there. His hands moved again, and with a series of crackling sounds, the sword was completely tangled between his palms. A sword harder than steel was bent as if it were made of soft thread! Ye Menghua¡¯s face was filled with shock: ¡°Dark Qi''s Infinite Hand!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the former leader of Tianwang Village, Zhang Dongxuan! How are you still alive?!¡± ¡°The Ye family is still alive in this world. How could I die so easily?¡± The black-clad man laughed maniacally, his hands twisting. He yanked the sword with such force that it snapped inch by inch. The long sword had shattered, and the man in black freed both hands. He slapped Ye Menghua¡¯s shoulders with both palms, causing her to spit out a mouthful of blood. Her body flew backward, and just as she was about to hit the ground, a palm landed on her back, steadying her fall. She looked up, and who else could it be but Su Lun? ¡°Young Man¡­ why haven¡¯t you run yet?¡± Su Lun ignored Ye Menghua¡¯s question. He helped her sit against the wall, his left hand checking her pulse. ¡°Your internal injuries are severe, but it¡¯s nothing serious. I have medicine to treat internal wounds.¡± While speaking, he squatted down, his back to the black-clad man, and took a small vial from his pack. He uncorked it, shook out a red pill, and pressed it into Ye Menghua¡¯s mouth. ¡°You think you can just heal and ignore me?¡± A sinister voice echoed through the broken temple. Zhang Dongxuan had not come out of the previous sword strike unscathed. The black cloth covering his face had torn under the sword¡¯s force, revealing a wound about an inch long on his face, blood pouring out. ¡°Zhang... Dongxuan!¡± Ye Menghua¡¯s shoulders slumped in exhaustion. ¡°Years ago, the government sent soldiers to destroy the Heavenly King¡¯s Stronghold, but someone leaked the information. You were the only one who escaped.¡± ¡°Later, the government issued a bounty of a thousand taels of silver for your capture. All these years, you¡¯ve been hiding, and that¡¯s fine. But now, you join forces with a group of evil bandits to wipe out my Ye family!¡± ¡°After committing such heinous acts, aren¡¯t you afraid someone will expose your whereabouts and take your head to collect the bounty?¡± ¡°A thousand taels of silver?¡± Su Lun¡¯s eyes brightened. ¡°He¡¯s a wanted criminal?!¡± Ye Menghua sensed that Su Lun¡¯s tone had suddenly become urgent. Though he had said ¡°he¡¯s a wanted criminal,¡± it almost sounded like he was saying, ¡°he¡¯s a big pill of elixir¡± in her ears. But she answered firmly, ¡°You don¡¯t know his background. If you did, you¡¯d realize that a thousand taels of silver is too little for this man.¡± ¡°Humph! What happens next is none of your business, you dying fool.¡± Zhang Dongxuan coldly snorted. He pressed his palm downward, a dark green-black energy spreading across his hand. His inner strength surged, the black clothes rustling as if the air itself was about to change, dark clouds rolling ominously. The force of his palm was terrifying. Zhang Dongxuan struck at Su Lun, aiming to crush both of them with a single blow. Ye Menghua instinctively tried to rise to block the attack, but as soon as she moved, a muffled groan escaped her lips, and her brows furrowed tightly. Though she had swallowed the pill Su Lun gave her, it was still too soon for it to take effect, and with her new injuries piled on top of old ones, she could barely move. At that moment, Su Lun had already risen to his feet. His broad back blocked her view, and with a surge of energy no weaker than Zhang Dongxuan¡¯s, he struck out with a palm faster than the eye could follow. Ye Menghua felt a massive force of inner energy coming from Su Lun. Her beautiful eyes widened in shock, her mouth opening in surprise but unable to speak. Zhang Dongxuan, on the other hand, burst into wild laughter. ¡°Looking for death!!!¡± As his voice fell, their palms collided with a deafening roar. The impact was so powerful that Zhang Dongxuan¡¯s inner energy, upon touching Su Lun¡¯s palm, seemed to evaporate like snow under the sun. There was a series of explosive sounds as the meridians and acupoints along his arm shattered, and blood mist erupted into the air. Zhang Dongxuan¡¯s mad laughter continued as blood poured from his mouth. A tremendous force pushed him back, and his body flew through the air. When he landed, his knees buckled, and with a crash, he collapsed to the ground in front of the broken temple. His face, still twisted in an unrestrained grin, showed no sign of stopping¡­ Su Lun looked down at his hands, which were now as strong as iron. He muttered to himself: ¡°Why am I so strong¡­¡± Chapter 4 The duel between the two was decided in an instant. Ye Menghua stared blankly at the scene before her. In her distraction, she didn''t even realize that she had interrupted her own effort to channel energy for healing. Turning her gaze back to Su Lun, her expression became resolute. ¡°So, the mysterious expert... it was you!?¡± She struggled to associate Su Lun with the master whose powerful inner strength had been evident in that resounding howl. After all, a true expert of that caliber could easily use inner energy to dry their clothes, sparing themselves such tedious effort. Su Lun turned his head at her words and smiled faintly. When he shifted his gaze back to Zhang Dongxuan, who was groaning on the ground, a translucent panel flickered to life before him. [Mission Triggered: Apprehend Zhang Dongxuan, the Master of Tianwang Stronghold!] [Do you wish to accept the mission?] The notification had just appeared, precisely after Ye Menghua identified Zhang Dongxuan as the wanted criminal for whom the authorities were offering a bounty of a thousand taels of silver. "When Zhang Dongxuan first appeared disguised in black, the system didn¡¯t respond at all," Su Lun noted inwardly. "It really aligns with this system¡¯s rules. Only after his identity as a fugitive was confirmed did the mission appear." He couldn¡¯t help but feel that his system was rather lackluster. Other transmigrators¡¯ systems were omniscient and all-powerful, capable of granting skills, developing techniques, or even predicting the future. His system? It might just be a discarded prototype from other transmigrators. Still, his system offered rewards for completing missions, which, though modest, had been lifesaving. However, he couldn''t rule out the possibility that this was a one-time bonus for the first mission. "Then again, if the rewards from future missions pile up, who knows? Maybe I¡¯ll eventually become an invincible, immortal legend." The thought filled Su Lun with excitement. Silently, he accepted the mission. He had expected that his next opportunity to claim a bounty would only come after reaching a nearby county town. Who would have thought that fortune would favor him so soon? The quarry had delivered himself right to his doorstep. Rejecting such an opportunity would surely invoke the wrath of the heavens. [Mission Accepted!] [Target: Apprehend Zhang Dongxuan, the Master of Tianwang Stronghold!] [Progress: Ongoing¡­] Satisfied, Su Lun calmed himself. However, he quickly realized a complication. The dilapidated temple was quite far from the nearest county town, and traveling with a fugitive would be highly inconvenient. ¡°System, does the bounty require the fugitive to be alive?¡± The system responded after a moment: ¡°As long as the authorities can confirm the identity of the fugitive, a complete corpse or even just the head will suffice.¡± Hearing this, Su Lun glanced at Zhang Dongxuan. The man was lying in a bloody heap, his arm¡¯s meridians shattered and his strength reduced to a fraction of what it once was. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Su Lun walked over and turned to Ye Menghua. ¡°Miss Ye, do you have any further questions for this man?¡± Ye Menghua, snapped back to her senses, seemed to guess what Su Lun intended. ¡°No, esteemed sir¡­ please proceed.¡± ¡°Just call me Su Lun.¡± Without further ado, Su Lun stomped on Zhang Dongxuan¡¯s neck, ending his life. He then stripped the corpse of its black robes and twisted off the head, wrapping it carefully in the fabric. After completing the grisly task, Su Lun glanced at the system panel and saw the mission progress was still marked as "Ongoing." Only then did he relax. Ye Menghua resumed her healing meditation. Su Lun, not wanting to disturb her, carried the bloody bundle back to the fire, which had been extinguished during the earlier fight. The half-eaten roast chicken had vanished, likely flung away in the chaos. Fortunately, his belongings remained intact. Su Lun gathered fresh wood and reignited the fire, continuing to dry his clothes. The moon hung high in the sky. Once her treatment was complete, Ye Menghua rose and offered Su Lun a grateful bow. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Su Gongzi to possess such formidable inner strength and exceptional martial prowess. Your intervention has saved my life, and I am deeply grateful.¡± She hesitated briefly before continuing, ¡°It is I who should apologize. I failed to recognize a master in your presence and made a fool of myself.¡± ¡°Think nothing of it.¡± Su Lun waved her off. ¡°You and I have had an enjoyable conversation. Besides, I am no master. I am but a man of humble origins who stumbled upon a stroke of fortune and gained a bit of inner strength.¡± Ye Menghua didn¡¯t press him for details, though her expression suggested she found his explanation entirely reasonable. ¡°That explains why Su Gongzi has such powerful inner energy yet doesn¡¯t know how to use it for simple tasks like drying clothes. It must be that your fortuitous encounter was incomplete.¡± Su Lun maintained a composed demeanor, though her words stung a little. "She¡¯s not wrong," he admitted to himself. ¡°Miss Ye,¡± he said, shifting the topic, ¡°I have a question to ask you.¡± ¡°Please, go ahead,¡± she replied. Su Lun scratched his head sheepishly. ¡°If I bring this man¡¯s head to the county town for the bounty, what should I do if the authorities doubt he¡¯s Zhang Dongxuan?¡± Ye Menghua froze for a moment upon hearing this. Seeing that Su Lun was not joking, she finally spoke: "This person is a notorious bandit from years past, once infamous and deeply entangled in many affairs. His likeness can be found in several wanted posters across the region." "The county office must report this up the chain, waiting for officials from the prefectural office to confirm his identity." "Therefore, Sir, it would be best for you to go directly to the prefectural office to turn him in." "In doing so, you can save yourself a great deal of trouble." "Furthermore, if you have no acquaintances in the prefectural office, it would be wise to find someone who can verify Zhang Dongxuan''s identity and vouch for you." "A witness?" Su Lun pondered briefly, his gaze falling on Ye Menghua''s delicate yet pale face. After a moment''s hesitation, he asked: "Miss Ye, if I may ask, where are you heading on this journey?" "I... I had planned to go to Cangzhou Prefecture." Ye Menghua''s expression turned sorrowful as she let out a gentle sigh: "Just now, Sir Su heard Zhang Dongxuan¡¯s words. Although I studied under the Liuyun Sword Sect, I was born into the Ye family and am the eldest daughter of the household." "Tonight, tragedy befell my family. Out of everyone, only my younger sister, who was away training in martial arts, and I survived." "I fought my way out, intending to seek aid from an old family friend in Cangzhou Prefecture." "Wait, are you saying you¡¯re also heading to Cangzhou Prefecture?" Hearing this, Su Lun couldn¡¯t hide his delight. The reason he inquired about Ye Menghua''s destination was precisely that he hoped she might serve as the witness. After all, she was the one who had identified the black-clad man as Zhang Dongxuan. Moreover, with her status as a member of the Liuyun Sword Sect and the eldest daughter of the Ye family, there was a chance she might have some influence with the local authorities. "Is Sir Su also bound for Cangzhou Prefecture?" Ye Menghua''s bright eyes studied Su Lun''s increasingly handsome face as she asked, "Is it an urgent matter?" Su Lun tilted his head back and let out a bitter laugh. "To save someone." Hearing this, Ye Menghua straightened her posture, her gaze fixed on Su Lun''s face, which seemed more striking the longer she looked. "And... who might it be that requires Sir Su¡¯s rescue?" "My master¡­" Thinking of the plea for help the old drunkard had sent him, Su Lun couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh. Chapter 5 Suren''s master was the old drunkard who had taken him in twenty years ago, rescuing him from the snow. To Suren, his master¡¯s behavior was... well, somewhat odd. Although his medical skills and swordsmanship were formidable¡ªeach impressive on their own¡ªone could easily make a fortune with either, and at the very least, live comfortably. But his master chose not to walk the righteous path. Instead, he was always involved in deceit, scams, and all sorts of vices¡ªgambling, drinking, womanizing, and the like. He especially enjoyed cheating... and never once hesitated to lie. Since Suren could remember, half of the messes left behind by his master¡¯s schemes were cleaned up by him. The other half was either handled by the master¡¯s quick escape, or... well, to be honest, some of it was too embarrassing to mention. For this reason, Suren had often found himself cleaning up after his master. A disciple is like a son, they say, but Suren had never heard of a son being scammed by his father. This time, the old drunkard sent a distress letter from Cangzhou Prefecture, asking Suren to come rescue him from the Tang family there. Upon reading the letter, Suren¡¯s first thought was that the old drunkard had been caught while trying to scam someone. After all, it was the old drunkard who had raised him. How could he not go help? Ye Menghua, who had been listening, frowned in thought. Suren was highly skilled in internal martial arts. Aside from a few powerful individuals in Cangzhou Prefecture, Suren could easily overpower anyone, even without using specific martial arts techniques. He could just force his way through using sheer strength. Zhang Dongxuan, known for his "Black Shackle Unlimited Hands," had built quite a reputation in the martial world for his "Invincible Iron Palm," leaving countless victims in his wake. Yet, Suren had been able to cripple him with a single strike. His master was likely no slouch in terms of strength either. Could something major have happened in Cangzhou Prefecture? While Ye Menghua was lost in thought, Suren suddenly spoke: "Since Miss Ye and I share the same destination, I wonder when you plan to depart? Would you care to accompany me? I also have a few things I would like to ask you." Suren had his reasons for saying this. Though he didn¡¯t know exactly how the Ye family had crossed paths with Zhang Dongxuan¡¯s group, it was clear from their conversation that the Ye family held some influence in the region. It was likely that Zhang Dongxuan''s associates were behind the Ye family¡¯s downfall. Since Suren had broken Zhang Dongxuan¡¯s neck, there would surely be some kind of retaliation. The journey to Cangzhou Prefecture wouldn¡¯t be peaceful. But, as much as Suren was willing to admit, he couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch a young woman like Ye Menghua suffer. It wasn¡¯t because he was carrying some sort of system or wanted to stick his nose in other people¡¯s business. There might be some extra tasks to pick up along the way! Ye Menghua, unaware of Suren¡¯s thoughts, simply felt that he was an exceptionally heroic figure with the demeanor of a true martial hero¡ªand, of course, he was also very handsome. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. At that moment, as she was trapped in a dangerous situation where one wrong move could mean her death, Suren''s words felt like a lifeline. He was offering to protect her and escort her into Cangzhou Prefecture. Without hesitation, she stood, looked Suren in the eye, and cupped her hands in a respectful gesture: "Since you are willing to help despite the trouble I bring, how could I possibly refuse? I¡¯ll be in your care on this journey." "Then it''s settled," Suren said with a nod. "It¡¯s safe here for now. You should tend to your wounds first." "Yes." Ye Menghua nodded, pursing her lips. She had just fought through several battles to escape her enemies, and her shoulders had been wounded by Zhang Dongxuan. Now, with her internal injuries stabilized, it was the perfect time to take care of her external wounds. As she began to tear a strip from her clothing, Suren reached out to stop her: "Wait. I have some medicines for treating external injuries." "Mm?" Ye Menghua looked at him in surprise. With martial prowess and medicine on hand¡ªtruly, he was the image of a hero. A young and handsome hero, too. Ye Menghua murmured quietly to herself, her face turning slightly red. Suren opened his bundle and took out several bottles and jars, along with some cloth for bandages. Ye Menghua smiled: "You carry these around with you?" "One must always be prepared when traveling the martial world." Suren replied casually, as he picked out a small brown bottle, opening it to reveal a faint medicinal fragrance. "This is a hemostatic ointment. It''s quite effective. Your clothes are soaked in blood and rain, which could easily cause an infection if left untreated." "Infection? Bacteria?" Ye Menghua tilted her head, confused. Even the cold beauty, with her head tilted, was a lovely sight to behold. "Oh, I learned this from medical books..." Suren explained as he handed her the bottle and the cloth. "There¡¯s a difference between men and women, so Miss, you should apply it yourself." "Okay." Ye Menghua took the items, her cheeks flushing red. She turned away and walked into a corner, not worried that Suren might peek. She began to remove her clothes to treat the wounds on her shoulder, her bare skin exposed. In her mind, Suren had the heart of a hero, and she trusted he would never do anything dishonorable. Suren, meanwhile, wasn¡¯t paying much attention. Suddenly, he remembered something and rummaged through Zhang Dongxuan¡¯s body. He didn¡¯t find any martial arts manuals, but he did discover fifteen taels of silver and a black, square token. He pocketed the silver without hesitation. The token was cold to the touch, weighing about two jin. It was made of a special material and crafted with great precision, with intricate carvings of skulls and ghostly faces around the edges. The front bore a large character¡ª¡®Token¡¯ , while the back was engraved with the words ¡®No Heart¡¯ . "Heartless Realm Token..." Suren muttered to himself. It was a shame there was no martial arts manual to go with it. If I could find the ¡¶Dark Qi''s Infinite Hand¡·... The moment Ye Menghua heard those three words, her body suddenly trembled. With a flash of the Liu Yun step, she appeared in front of Su Lun, her eyes fixed on the token in his hand. She completely forgot that she was still treating her wounds, with her skin exposed to the air. ¡°This is really the Heartless Realm Token! How could this be?¡± Su Lun looked up and saw Ye Menghua¡¯s robe half undone, with a glimpse of spring revealed, and he could even smell a unique fragrance wafting from her. Su Lun remained calm. Before crossing over to this world, he had seen far more than this. Back then, his computer hard drive even had quite a few practical tutorials; this truly wasn¡¯t anything major. ¡°Miss, do you recognize this token? How about putting on your clothes first and then telling me more about where this token comes from?¡± He casually spoke, but in his heart, he thought, This is the Jin Huang Dynasty, where the customs are relatively conservative. I don''t mind, but I should consider the young lady¡¯s reputation. They were in the wilderness, half-dressed. If word got out, it wouldn''t reflect well. Although the only witness at the moment was the decapitated Zhang Dongxuan, his companions were still on the way. ¡°Ah!¡± Ye Menghua immediately snapped to her senses, quickly turning around to put on her clothes. Her face flushed red with embarrassment. After calming down, she turned back to Su Lun and took the token he handed her, examining it carefully. The more she looked, the faster her breathing became. Her face turned slightly pink, and her hands were trembling. This scene made Su Lun a bit awkward. In his past life, this would have at least been rated as 16+. ¡°This was taken from Zhang Dongxuan.¡± "Seeing your expression, is this token...?" Ye Menghua adjusted her breath, her expression growing slightly dark. ¡°The Heartless Realm Token is the symbol of the Heartless Ghost Realm, and the Heartless Ghost Realm has quite a large background.¡± ¡°The Heartless Ghost Realm? What is that?¡± ¡°Sir... you don¡¯t know?¡± Looking at Su Lun''s honest nod, Ye Menghua''s expression became a bit strange, then she seemed to understand. Su Lun was powerful, with deep internal strength, but after all, he came from humble origins, and his martial arts were gained through fortuitous circumstances. It was normal for him not to know the ways of the Jianghu. Chapter 6 Suren truly knew little about the Heartless Ghost Realm. He had lived with the old drunkard for twenty years, and because of the incident with the "Nine Deaths and Broken Veins" technique, the old drunkard had never allowed him to step too deeply into the world of martial arts. He seldom spoke of such matters either. Most of the time, Suren kept a low profile, spending his days in taverns and teahouses, listening to storytellers recount tales of the martial world and engaging in idle chatter with fellow drinkers and tea enthusiasts. Ye Menghua assumed that Suren came from a rural background, with little understanding of the martial world. She took out a water flask from her luggage, took a sip, and spoke softly: "The Heartless Ghost Realm... is a dangerous place in the martial world." "Its origin is so ancient that no one can trace it. According to legends, it was established by a high-ranking official from the previous dynasty, someone from the imperial palace. Its background is shrouded in mystery, and no one knows its true nature." "According to rumors from high-ranking officials in the court, only those whom the Ghost Manor ''requires'' can enter." "Oh?" Suren responded, his interest piqued. "But how does the Heartless Ghost Realm know who is needed? How do they decide?" "I happen to know a little about this," Ye Menghua placed the flask back in her luggage. "Those who enter the Heartless Ghost Realm are either notorious bandits, heartless criminals, practitioners of evil arts, or even wanted criminals the government has placed bounties on." "These people are usually ruthless and have no place to hide in the martial world. They¡¯re hunted down to the point of having no other choice but to seek refuge." "Only those who meet these conditions get a chance to be ''chosen'' by the Ghost Manor." Upon hearing this, Suren immediately understood. "Ah, the Valley of Evil!" "And what is that?" Ye Menghua looked at him upon hearing his words. "It¡¯s something similar to the Heartless Ghost Realm, another gathering place for villains. The difference is that no one guides you there; you have to find it on your own." Suren casually mentioned a setting from "Absolute Twins." "I see." Ye Menghua¡¯s expression darkened. "I used to think that only the Heartless Ghost Realm was a place like that, but now there¡¯s also the Valley of Evil... Once I¡¯ve trained enough, I¡¯ll seek out these villains and wipe them out." When she spoke, her face was stern, her eyes gleaming with cold determination. Her right hand gripped the hilt of her sword, her entire body radiating a killing intent. Clearly, her words were not made lightly. Suren knew that Ye Menghua harbored a deep grudge against the massacre of her family, but he thought it would be best if the world''s worst criminals all turned into rewards for her. He nodded in agreement. "Miss Ye, you are highly talented, and with the inheritance of the Flowing Cloud Sword Sect, you will surely be able to deal with these scoundrels one day." "But, Miss, please tell me more about the Heartless Ghost Realm. I¡¯d like to know more." This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. "Please stop flattering me, Sir," Ye Menghua¡¯s previous killing intent faded into a faint blush on her face. She took a deep breath, her eyes focusing on the ground. Her hands unconsciously clenched together. "Ahem, I once heard my... my father speak of it. The Heartless Ghost Realm is a place you can enter, but you can never leave." "Though it exists within the martial world, it is also beyond it." "There are also four lines that have been passed down about this place:" "Once you enter the Heartless Gate, you become one of the Ghost Manor¡¯s people." "If you dare to return to the mortal world, a thousand ghosts will devour your soul!" When she mentioned "my father," the redness on her face disappeared, and her voice grew somber. Although her expression wasn¡¯t visible, it was clear she was struggling with the memory. Suren coughed to break the tense atmosphere. "Since the Heartless Ghost Realm is so mysterious, how did these four lines get passed down?" "Miss Ye, you also said that the Heartless Ghost Realm is dangerous. Have you heard of anyone who was once ''chosen'' by the Ghost Manor? What kind of people were they?" Seeing that Ye Menghua was now focused on his questions, Suren continued. "According to the rumors from the high-ranking officials, the Heartless Ghost Realm only accepts evil-doers and criminals." "You must know, these people can¡¯t stand being alone for long. A year or two might be bearable, but eventually, after three, five, or ten years, if they are trapped in one place and can never leave, won¡¯t they eventually try to escape?" Ye Menghua nodded. "Sir is right. Seventy years ago, there was a powerful demon, whose name I can''t recall, but his nickname was ''Golden Blood Ancestor.'' He practiced blood magic. He had been silent for many years, but suddenly resurfaced." "When he reappeared, he slaughtered several villages." "Five martial heroes, upon hearing this, were filled with righteous indignation. They immediately gathered a group of skilled warriors and set out to hunt down the demon, to rid the world of his evil." "In the end, they cornered him in a desolate mountain." "Unexpectedly, this demon was very powerful. Even when surrounded by the five heroes, he only grew stronger. He not only killed three of them but also caused heavy losses among the other warriors. The entire mountain was drenched in blood, and the cries of the dying filled the air." Ye Menghua found a more comfortable spot to sit, but accidentally strained some of her wounds, letting out a muffled grunt. "That day, my family¡¯s ancestor participated in the siege." ¡°At that time, my grandfather had already made up his mind to die, but to his surprise, just as the demon was about to begin his massacre, a voice suddenly echoed through the air. The words spoken were exactly the four sentences I mentioned earlier¡­¡± ¡°When I was young, my grandfather used to tell me these stories. According to him, when the mysterious person spoke the first sentence, his figure had not yet appeared.¡± ¡°By the time the second sentence was spoken, the mysterious figure had already arrived in front of the demon.¡± ¡°All I could see was a person dressed in a black satin robe, wearing a ghostly mask. The only thing visible were his eyes¡ªsharp, indifferent, and calm.¡± ¡°At that moment, no one in the area could tell where this mysterious person had come from.¡± ¡°Before the third sentence was even finished, the once invincible demon suddenly began to tremble like a sieve. Not only did his arrogance vanish, but he fell to his knees, kowtowing, and begging, ¡®Master, please spare me.¡¯¡± ¡°The master did not respond, as if speaking to the air. After the demon¡¯s kowtow, the master¡¯s hand pierced through the demon¡¯s back, as if his body, which had been as hard as steel, was made of tofu. Then, the master ripped out the demon¡¯s heart.¡± ¡°My ancestor once said, in front of that master, the demon had no strength to resist.¡± ¡°Gripping the heart in one hand, the master used his inner strength to extract a token from the demon¡¯s body with the other. Then, in the blink of an eye, he disappeared.¡± ¡°There was a deathly silence. No one dared to stop him.¡± ¡°My ancestor said, the martial arts of that master were unparalleled¡ªsomething he had never seen in his life.¡± ¡°There must be great terror within the Heartless Ghost Realm!¡± After hearing this, Su Lun¡¯s expression grew strange. ¡°It sounds to me¡­ like the Heartless Ghost Realm is some kind of prison.¡± ¡°A prison?¡± Ye Menghua was stunned, her bright eyes turned toward Su Lun. ¡°What makes you say that, my lord?¡± ¡°Think about it¡­ the most heinous, the most wicked, those who practice evil arts, all imprisoned together, far away from the cities.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that just like being locked in a prison for life?¡± ¡°And if someone escapes, the master has to take responsibility and deal with the aftermath.¡± Su Lun spoke casually, but his words made Ye Menghua pause. She wanted to refute him, but found his reasoning hard to argue with. Neither of them spoke for a moment, both of them lost in thought. Chapter 7 Upon careful thought, it seems that the Heartless Ghost Realm might indeed be like this? Ye Menghua continued, her voice steady: ¡°The Heartless Ghost Realm has taken in a group of ruthless and vicious individuals, and has become quite a powerful force. The strength of the Manor¡¯s Lord remains a mystery, but I¡¯d imagine they must be above these people, otherwise, how could they possibly keep them in check?¡± ¡°I wonder what the Lord of the Manor is scheming?¡± Su Lun picked up on her thoughts and couldn¡¯t help but feel that the Heartless Ghost Realm was indeed an intriguing place. It was practically like the furnace of the Great Supreme Alchemist! Once he had enough power, he¡¯d definitely visit¡­ though by the time he had that kind of strength, the Nine Deaths Severing Pulse might already be cured. Su Lun didn¡¯t linger on this thought and instead asked, ¡°Then what exactly is the Heartless Realm Token?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the identification token of the Heartless Ghost Realm.¡± Ye Menghua looked at the Heartless Realm Token in her hand, her expression darkening. ¡°The Heartless Realm Token is a plaque taken from the demon lord¡¯s body by the former Manor Lord. It¡¯s said that the Heartless Ghost Realm uses this token to summon demons into the Manor. Those who receive the token will be led into the Manor, and then they will disappear from the martial world forever.¡± ¡°These rumors have been circulating in the martial world for many years.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve even heard that some people have witnessed this firsthand.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not is difficult to say.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Su Lun murmured, now understanding why Ye Menghua had been so shocked upon hearing about the Heartless Realm Token. Anyone who receives the Heartless Realm Token would enter the Heartless Ghost Realm. And Zhang Dongxuan, as the leader of the Heavenly King¡¯s Mountain, should have been summoned into the Manor after the destruction of his sect. The Heartless Realm Token he possessed was the proof of his entry. But what puzzled him was¡ªif he truly entered the Heartless Ghost Realm, how did he come out again? Was it because the Manor Lord had given them a task, or had he somehow escaped while the Manor Lord wasn¡¯t looking? The memory of what happened to that demon lord who fled the Heartless Ghost Realm seventy years ago was still fresh in people¡¯s minds. ¡°So, Miss Ye, do you suspect that the Heartless Ghost Realm is behind the massacre of the Ye family?¡± Su Lun asked thoughtfully. If the Manor Lord had issued the order, there was no need to worry about their hearts being gouged out afterward. Ye Menghua nodded solemnly, her crescent-shaped brows furrowing together. ¡°I have my suspicions. Regardless of whether they are true or not, we can¡¯t stay here any longer.¡± ¡°Sir, I must head to Cangzhou and inform the family¡¯s old friends of the situation.¡± ¡°If the Heartless Ghost Realm really has some dark plans, then what happened to the Ye family is probably just the beginning.¡± ¡°Spreading the word early will allow more people in the martial world to prepare and defend themselves.¡± Su Lun nodded, glancing at the heavy rain still falling outside the ruined temple. It was already midnight, but the rain showed no signs of stopping. He whispered, ¡°Miss Ye, how is your recovery? Can you still travel?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve recovered about fifty to sixty percent from my internal injuries, and the external wounds won¡¯t affect my movement.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s leave now.¡± With that, Su Lun packed up his things, put on his damp clothes, and grabbed his black bag. He extinguished the remaining fire on the ground. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Then, he looked at the headless corpse, contemplating for a moment before taking a small bottle from his pack. He opened it and sprinkled the powder inside evenly over the corpse. Ye Menghua watched this strange action and asked, ¡°Sir¡­ what are you doing?¡± ¡°Leaving a reminder.¡± Su Lun smiled faintly, and Ye Menghua immediately understood. The two of them set off, leaving the ruined temple and heading north. Half an hour after their departure, two figures appeared from the shadows of the night, quickly approaching the temple. One of them was a tall monk, his face covered in rough features, holding a crescent-shaped spade in his hand. His eyes were like copper bells, scanning the area with a murderous gleam. On his shoulder sat a small figure, also dressed in black. The person¡¯s face was entirely wrapped in black cloth, leaving only their eyes exposed. Suddenly, the tall monk stopped in his tracks and pointed at the quiet, ruined temple ahead. ¡°The person is inside?¡± The small figure on his shoulder sniffed the air and nodded. ¡°Zhang Dongxuan is inside. I can smell his scent.¡± ¡°Hmm, and there¡¯s the smell of blood¡­¡± ¡°He must have been chasing this way. Could something have gone wrong?¡± The monk furrowed his brow. ¡°Heh, don¡¯t say that Ye Menghua is already on her last legs. Even if she was at her peak, she wouldn¡¯t be a match for Zhang Dongxuan. What could possibly have gone wrong?¡± The small figure grinned, a glint of cunning in their eyes. The monk nodded, ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ Zhang Dongxuan is indeed strong. His iron palms can split mountains. I just glanced at the temple¡ªthere are few signs of a fight.¡± The small figure chuckled, and the black cloth around their mouth loosened slightly: ¡°Could it be that he killed the Ye family girl and is just slacking off here? Let¡¯s go see what trouble he¡¯s causing!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The monk leaped into action, entering the ruined temple with a graceful leap. Upon entering the door, they both stopped. The inside of the temple was dim, with the fire long extinguished. Even the smell of burnt wood had dissipated. The two monks, however, were no ordinary people. Their martial arts were on par with Zhang Dongxuan¡¯s, and their internal energy had been cultivated to a high degree. They had long been able to see in the dark. As they entered the temple, they found a body lying silently on the floor, its arm twisted unnaturally. Both men froze at the sight. The older monk, quick-tempered by nature, did not hesitate to step forward and examine the body. His companion, a short, masked man, was more cautious. He used his lightness skills to leap onto the roof, concerned that someone might be lying in ambush from above. The older monk stopped in front of the body, his eyes scanning it carefully. ¡°This is Zhang Dongxuan,¡± he muttered, his tone certain. ¡°I¡¯ve fought him several times within the manor. His iron palms are unmistakable. No way would they escape my eyes.¡± He clicked his tongue in annoyance. ¡°What the hell is wrong with this bastard? How could he fail against a little girl who¡¯s already heavily wounded?¡± ¡°He¡¯s even had his head chopped off!¡± The short, masked man, still crouching on the roof beam, sniffed the air, twitching his nose. ¡°Blood, roasted chicken¡­ strong liquor¡­¡± ¡°A man¡¯s body odor, a woman¡¯s fragrance of orchid¡­ Hmm, this must be Ye Menghua!¡± He paused, then added, ¡°There was another man here at the time¡­ The problem must lie with him.¡± His narrow eyes narrowed further, like two slits. ¡°But why is there a faint smell of medicine too?¡± Without another word, the masked man jumped down from the beam and began to search the temple, looking for the source of the scent. The older monk scratched his head, puzzled. ¡°How did Zhang Dongxuan die? There¡¯s so little blood¡ªhe must have been decapitated after death.¡± ¡°Ha¡­ And they even stripped him of his outer clothes. What a disgrace.¡± As he spoke, he reached out with his free hand¡ªthe one not holding the crescent-shaped shovel¡ªand pulled open Zhang Dongxuan¡¯s shirt collar to check for other wounds. Corpses often preserved many clues; wounds caused by swords, blades, and fists could tell them much about what had happened. Just as he was about to examine further, the short, masked man let out a sharp gasp. ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t touch the body! Someone¡¯s tampered with it!¡± ¡°What?¡± The older monk¡¯s face turned pale, and he immediately withdrew his hand¡ªbut it was too late. A streak of dark purple energy was already spreading through his palm, traveling along his meridians. ¡°What the hell is this poison!?¡± Chapter 8 The purple-black aura instantly spread across the entire palm. But that wasn''t all. The monk raised his hand and pulled up his sleeve, revealing strands of poisonous gas intertwining and stretching like vines, wrapping around his arm and climbing upward. He immediately activated his inner strength to suppress the poison, but all he could do was contain it within his arm, unable to expel it from his body. The monk''s face turned an ugly shade of red. The short, masked figure leaped onto the monk''s shoulder again, his eyes filled with fury. "How can the one who poisoned us be so indifferent to the martial arts code, so sinister in his actions!" "This poison has a faint odor. If my sense of smell weren''t unusually sharp, I wouldn''t have been able to detect even the slightest trace." "How are you holding up?" As he spoke, he reached into his robe and pulled out several bottles, quickly opening them and pouring antidote pills into the monk''s mouth. However, after trying several antidotes, the black gas still did not dissipate. The monk''s face was flushed, and white mist began to rise from his forehead. His internal energy was at its peak, but the poison in his palm was proving completely unmanageable. His expression darkened, his face contorting with anger and pain. "There''s no use trying anymore... this poison is incredibly potent!" "Damn it, if that old bastard were here..." The short, masked figure wanted to say more, but suddenly, the monk''s face turned grim. He kicked out fiercely, sending the crescent-shaped shovel flying into the air. After tumbling a few times, it fell back down, landing with a loud clang. With a swift motion, the monk extended his poisoned arm, gritted his teeth, and with a sharp "sizzle," he severed half of his arm with the crescent shovel. The crescent shovel made a metallic sound as it plunged into the ground, standing upright. The sound reverberated throughout the broken temple. The monk grunted in pain, his already twisted face now resembling a demon''s. In the air, a shadow flitted past as the short, masked figure swiftly pressed his hands against the monk''s severed shoulder, using his fingers to stop the bleeding. The monk was a tough one. Using his remaining hand, he ripped off the hem of his monk''s robe and wrapped it around the stump, tying it tightly. Through gritted teeth, he spat out, "Where did they go?" "Based on the scent they left behind, they went north!" "We''ll follow them. If they think they can use such dirty tricks against me, then their martial arts are probably not that strong." "They cut off my arm, they will pay with their lives!!" ...... On a rainy night, through the forest, two figures were heading north. It was Su Lun and Ye Menghua. The two of them were traveling at a steady pace, neither too fast nor too slow. However, Ye Menghua''s movements were light and graceful, her body floating like a leaf in the wind, every jump and step full of elegance and purpose. In contrast, Su Lun''s steps were heavy and firm. Every time he leaped, the ground cracked with a loud noise, and rainwater splashed around. When he landed, his feet sank deep into the muddy ground, creating shallow pits with the water flooding back into them. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. It was obvious that he wasn''t using lightness skill at all; it looked more like an ordinary person running. Yet, there was something strange about him. His breath was steady and long, his leg muscles moving like steel whips, his bones solidly supporting his body like stone. Ye Menghua watched in astonishment. She wasn''t unaware of Su Lun''s strange movements. At first, she had assumed he was practicing some extraordinary lightness skill. But after they''d run for over thirty miles, she couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off. After some thought, Ye Menghua couldn''t help but ask, "Mr. Su... what kind of lightness skill are you using?" "Lightness skill?" Su Lun glanced back at her. "I don''t use lightness skill." He truly didn''t. He couldn''t, because the old drunkard couldn''t teach him that. Everything he knew, from medicine to swordsmanship and internal cultivation, had come from the old drunkard. Even his internal power was of a crude, unrefined kind that only gave him enough energy to circulate externally. Could anyone expect a scoundrel who lived by trickery, drinking, gambling, and carousing to possess any profound internal martial arts? "...?" Ye Menghua was once again stunned by Su Lun''s words. His internal power was unfathomable¡ªhow could he not know lightness skill? She wanted to doubt him, but looking at him, he seemed sincere and the situation didn''t seem like an act. So it must be true: he didn''t know lightness skill. After pondering for a moment, she finally said, "Since you don''t know lightness skill, your movements are already quite fast thanks to your profound internal power." "However, it''s very taxing on your internal energy." "This journey will rely heavily on you, Sir. If you use all your internal energy just to cover distance, what if others catch up to us? We might be in danger." Su Lun nodded. "Miss.Ye makes a valid point, but I really don''t know lightness skill..." "In that case, I do know a lightness skill. It''s up to you whether you want to learn it." "Oh? Is it from the Liuyun Sword Sect?" Su Lun was always eager to learn lightness skill from any sect. Lightness skill was invaluable. One could travel the jianghu without a horse, but not without lightness skill. Flying across the snow without leaving a trace, leaping across grass like wind... back in his previous life, Su Lun had loved such skills in martial arts novels. But back then, he never thought he''d live long enough to bother with it. And the old drunkard didn''t know it either¡ªhe had no connections to learn it. With the system''s assistance, not only did he gain profound inner strength, but the life-threatening crisis seemed far less dire. Originally, he had hoped to acquire a top-tier internal martial arts technique and a light-footwork skill. To his surprise, while the internal technique was still nowhere to be found, the light-footwork skill had practically fallen into his lap. As these thoughts passed through his mind, he spoke leisurely, "Can this light-footwork skill be shared freely? If your sect elders find out, will they send someone to hunt me down? I''ve heard that stealing martial arts techniques is one of the greatest taboos in the martial world." "Please rest assured, Sir," Ye Menghua said. "This light-footwork skill isn¡¯t a technique of the Liuyun Sword Sect. It''s one of my Ye family¡¯s ancestral secrets. "Now that my Ye family has fallen into ruin, and I was destined to perish without your rescue, it wouldn¡¯t be excessive even if I handed over all our family¡¯s martial arts to you." "I see," Su Lun said with a smile. "Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you, Miss Ye." "Very well." Ye Menghua, seeing his agreement, felt relieved. She softly said, "The light-footwork skill I¡¯m teaching you is called Heavenly Qian Nine Steps. "Let me first recite the mental technique¡¯s incantation for you. Please memorize it..." The incantation wasn¡¯t long¡ªonly sixty-eight verses in total. Ye Menghua finished reciting it in mere moments. "Void walks, shifting five, pacing three yuan, stepping into the abyss, four points part to both sides. "Heaven¡¯s mountain, wind and fire, return to Mei; alone amidst the vastness, merge with Tian Qian!" ... "How much have you remembered, Sir?" "I¡¯ve memorized it all." In just a few moments, Su Lun had committed the entire incantation to memory. Without waiting for Ye Menghua to confirm, he recited it flawlessly, word for word. Ye Menghua was astonished. She couldn¡¯t help but admire him. "Truly a martial arts genius," she thought. Considering his profound inner strength, she realized it was only natural. Without further hesitation, she began explaining the incantation¡¯s meaning. What did "Void walks" mean? What was "stepping into the abyss"? The term "Lin" referred to Di Ze Lin, derived from the sixty-four hexagrams. How should one step in such situations? The sixty-eight verses took half an hour to explain in full. Fortunately, the two continued their journey while learning, so their progress wasn¡¯t delayed. Once the explanation was complete, Ye Menghua began demonstrating the movements in coordination with the light-footwork technique. She guided Su Lun on how to step, how to gather breath, and how to align each movement with the circulation of inner strength. If someone had passed by in the rain that night, they would have seen a man and a woman walking side by side. The man¡¯s movements and steps gradually mirrored the woman¡¯s. They didn¡¯t follow a straight path. At times, they paused, stepped, turned, or shifted directions mid-stride. At first, their pace was slow. Gradually, they moved faster and faster. In the blink of an eye, their figures blurred, cutting through the wind and leaving behind faint, fleeting shadows. Chapter 9 The ground beneath Su Lun¡¯s feet seemed to be like wind, and the surrounding scenery swept by in the blink of an eye, vanishing without a trace. Su Lun felt as if he could run like this all the way to the ends of the martial world! Of course, he knew that this was just an illusion. However, the sensation brought to him by the Heavenly Qian Nine Steps was entirely different. Each time he used his internal energy to circulate the mental method, he felt light as a swallow, as though his feet were floating in the air. Previously, when he had forced himself to travel using internal energy, his technique had been too crude. At the same time, his internal energy flowed continuously, endless and boundless. Along with the swift running, he felt an unmatched sense of freedom. Su Lun was immersed in this feeling when he suddenly heard Ye Menghua¡¯s slightly tired voice from behind: ¡°Mr. Su¡­ wait for me!¡± Hearing this, Su Lun finally reacted. He stopped in his tracks and turned around, only to realize that without noticing, he had already opened up a distance of five hundred meters between himself and Ye Menghua. Ye Menghua¡¯s pale face had a faint flush to it, her breathing grew heavy, and she could occasionally be heard gasping for air. The wounds on her body were threatening to split open, and a little blood seeped out, only to be dried up by her internal energy. ¡°Miss Ye, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Su Lun seemed to realize something. In that moment, Ye Menghua had the impulse to curse him out. Since Su Lun learned the Heavenly Qian Nine Steps, whenever he ran, he completely disregarded her, leaving her far behind. If she hadn¡¯t shouted out, who knows where he would have gone by now. But when she looked at Su Lun¡¯s innocent expression, she took a deep breath, calming herself: ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s just that Mr. Su¡¯s speed is too fast, I¡­ can¡¯t quite keep up¡­¡± If she hadn¡¯t been injured, it wouldn¡¯t have been so hard to keep up. But now, her internal and external injuries hadn¡¯t fully healed, and running too fast was straining her internal energy, causing her wounds to threaten to tear open again. At this rate, before the pursuers caught up, she might end up running herself to death. Su Lun realized at this moment that he had been so immersed in his mental method that he had forgotten Ye Menghua was still injured and shouldn¡¯t be traveling so quickly. He awkwardly said: ¡°I forgot your injuries aren¡¯t fully healed. Let¡¯s slow down a bit.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we rest for a while?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Ye Menghua adjusted her breath and stabilized her internal energy. When she looked at Su Lun again, there was no hiding the surprise in her eyes: ¡°Mr. Su really has extraordinary comprehension. No wonder your internal skills are so remarkable at such a young age.¡± ¡°The Heavenly Qian Nine Steps seems simple, but it¡¯s quite profound. I thought that even if Mr. Su was familiar with the lightness skill and the mental method, it would still take a few days to comprehend it before mastering it.¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect that you could use it right after memorizing it.¡± ¡°Miss Ye is too kind.¡± Su Lun smiled faintly: ¡°I don¡¯t have any special comprehension, it¡¯s all thanks to your excellent teaching.¡± Ye Menghua shook her head slightly: ¡°Everything I¡¯ve said is sincere, there¡¯s no exaggeration.¡± Su Lun looked at Ye Menghua¡¯s expression and realized she wasn¡¯t joking. But this only made Su Lun a bit confused. Could it be that his comprehension was truly that high? But when he learned swordplay from the old drunkard, the old man often complained about his mediocre talent, saying he was like mud that couldn¡¯t be propped up against a wall. The sword technique the old drunkard taught him was called ¡°Nine Blades,¡± as it only had nine moves. Su Lun had always loved swords since his previous life, and even though he knew his own situation, he took the sword technique very seriously when given the opportunity. He didn¡¯t slack off even for a day, yet his progress had been slow. He began wielding a sword at six years old, and it wasn¡¯t until he was fourteen that he made a little progress. After six more years of refinement, according to the old drunkard, his swordplay was still only barely usable. This had made Su Lun never expect much from his own talent or comprehension. Yet now, a disciple of a prestigious sect like Ye Menghua was commenting on his exceptional talent? ¡°Could it be that the old drunkard was intentionally putting me down? Perhaps I¡¯m actually a genius?¡± Su Lun thought for a moment, feeling that this must be the truth. If he were truly a genius, why did it take eight years of practice to make such little progress in the Nine Blades? But he didn¡¯t dwell on this question for too long. Now that he had learned the lightness skill, the two of them were traveling much faster than before. After walking through the night in the dark, the rain finally stopped by the time dawn arrived. Along the way, they encountered a farm, where they took a clean set of clothes from a drying pole for Ye Menghua to change into and left some money as compensation. Ye Menghua¡¯s clothes, after last night¡¯s battle, could no longer be worn. The bloodstains were too heavy and too conspicuous. Su Lun¡¯s clothes were only wet, but there was no damage to them, though they were somewhat uncomfortable to wear. Ye Menghua then taught him how to use internal energy to dry his clothes. Su Lun, curious, quickly followed her instructions, and in no time, he was dry and comfortable again. The two continued on their journey, stopping to eat some dry food and drink some water. After another day and night of travel, everything remained calm. The following day was clear and sunny, the sky a bright blue with no clouds. The two of them continued down a narrow country path, using their lightness skills to glide through the woods. In a swift movement, just as they were passing through, Ye Menghua¡¯s voice softly rang out: "It seems like there''s a tea house up ahead. Let¡¯s be cautious." Su Lun nodded in response. The path they were walking on was somewhat desolate, and such roadside tea houses might very well be hiding assassins. But if there¡¯s nothing out of the ordinary, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to take a short rest, have some tea, and recharge. They exchanged a glance, both understanding that the other shared the same thought. Without further hesitation, they landed lightly on the ground and made their way toward the tea house. In front of the tea house, a tall pole stood, with a large sign hanging from it that read "Tea" . It was impossible to miss. Inside the tea house, there weren¡¯t many customers at the moment. A few patrons were scattered around, sitting idly and chatting in low voices. Su Lun and Ye Menghua exchanged another glance before walking inside. A quick-witted young waiter approached them. "Welcome, honored guests! What would you like to order?" "Although we¡¯re just a tea house, we also serve fine wine, good meat, and delicious steamed buns. Would you two care to try some?" "We¡¯ll pass on the wine and meat, just bring us a pot of tea." Before Su Lun could speak, Ye Menghua had already replied. The young waiter glanced at Su Lun, saw no objection, and immediately nodded eagerly. "Certainly! Please wait here for a moment, the tea will be right up." Before the words had even fully left his mouth, the waiter grabbed a rag from his shoulder and casually wiped the table a few times before turning and walking away. Not long after, a sound of galloping hooves was heard from the dirt road in front of the tea house, which had little to no weeds. Su Lun turned his head to look. After a cloud of dust, a group of riders had appeared in front of the tea house. The procession was impressive: six horses led the way, flanked by guards on both sides, with a soft sedan chair carried in the middle. Behind it, a dozen or so armed bodyguards followed. "Whoa..." The leader of the group pulled the reins and raised his hand, commanding the horses to halt. The entire group slowly came to a stop. The man dismounted, quickly jogging a few steps to the sedan chair. He bowed slightly and lowered his head, speaking with respect. "Madam, there¡¯s a tea house here. My men and I have been riding for half a day. Would you like to stop and rest for a while?" A soft, yet authoritative voice, filled with the dignity of an upper-class figure, came from the sedan chair. "Then let¡¯s stop and rest for a bit. But Geng bodyguard, remember to tell the men not to drink any alcohol." "Understood, thank you, Madam!" He immediately turned around and gently waved his hand in front and behind the sedan. "The Madam has ordered. We will rest here, but no drinking allowed."