Chapter 284: The Great Transformation of True Qi

Chapter 284: The Great Transformation of True Qi

On a moonless and windy night, it was the perfect night for murder and arson.

No one set fires tonight, but the death toll was already high.

Inside the large house of Tihu Village, several bodies lay sprawled on the ground.

Apart from Chang Shixin, the leader of the Divine Leg Gate, who was torn in half by the two sedan chair bearers at the beginning, more members of the Wangxuan Mountain lineage had perished.

A candied chestnut was embedded in the center of Granny Feiyan's forehead.

It had penetrated deep into her brain, and she died with a heart full of resentment.

The elderly man with the ghost crow had already been decapitated, and the ghost crow lay motionless in a pool of blood.

At this moment, the hall echoed with the sound of rushing wind.

A pale-faced sedan chair bearer, grinning widely, was darting around the hall, dodging a long sword that was just three inches away from him.

The sword was held by the elderly swordsman, his face stern.

His sword technique was sharp and unique, and with a sudden twist of the blade, a flurry of sword lights surged toward the sedan chair bearer's vital points like a barrage.

Yet, the sedan chair bearer always managed to dodge the blade at the last moment.

He would sometimes flick his fingers or throw a punch, effortlessly maneuvering the three-foot-long blade with ease.

The Wangxuan Mountain Lord sat quietly on the high seat, his face as immobile as stone, but his eyes were filled with intense gravity.

When he occasionally glanced at the man he had spoken with earlier, his malice deepened.

This person was not officially registered with Wusheng Hall. On the surface, he was a rogue martial artist with no sect.

He was known by the nickname Black-Hearted Rat, Ding Wugong.

The "black-hearted" part referred to his outwardly kind but inwardly ruthless nature, while "rat" added a sense of cunning and deceit.

Since stepping into the martial world, Ding Wugong had been a notorious villain.

However, in the beginning, his misdeeds were minor and went largely unnoticed.

It was not until he set his sights on the daughter of a prominent family, intending to make her his own.

The family was a well-known local figure, and relying on their connections with the local sect, they flatly refused.

Ding Wugong harbored a grudge and, in the dead of night, led his men to their home, binding the entire household of over a hundred people.

He asked the girl if she was willing.

If she refused, he would kill them one by one.

Faced with the lives of her loved ones, the girl had no choice but to agree and go with Ding Wugong.

How could the girl's family allow their daughter to fall into the hands of such a beast?

They immediately sought help from the local sect, which had deep ties with the family. Given Ding Wugong's notorious reputation, the sect naturally felt obliged to assist.

They sent people to capture him overnight and eventually managed to retrieve the girl.

However, by this time, the girl's chastity had already been violated. After being rescued and awakened by her family, she felt too ashamed to live in this world and, while her family was distracted, dashed herself against a pillar and died.

Ding Wugong, on the other hand, disappeared from sight for three months due to being hunted by that sect.

Everyone thought the matter had come to an end, but unexpectedly, this person reappeared and stormed into the girl's home with his men.

He massacred the entire household, over a hundred people, leaving no survivors, not even the livestock.

This incident infuriated the local sect leader, who eventually allied with several nearby sect leaders to hunt down this person.

But just as they were about to kill him, abruptly, an envoy from Wusheng Hall arrived with orders.

They took all these people to Wusheng Hall, saying there was something to discuss with them.

The urgency of the matter was such that there wasn't even time to draw a blade.

Although in the end, nothing was explicitly stated, after experiencing this, it was obvious to even the simplest mind that Ding Wugong must have a deep-seated connection with Wusheng Hall.

The events that followed confirmed this.

Regardless of the chaos Ding Wugong caused, as long as it was within the territory of Wusheng Hall, he always emerged unscathed.

Apart from being ruthless, Ding Wugong was also infamous for his deceit.

The Wangxuan Mountain Lord had previously thought this was just a rumor, after all, if he were truly as cunning and alert as they say, how could he repeatedly make such messes?

But tonight, he saw it with his own eyes.

After the big red sedan chair arrived, it swiftly struck down Chang Shixin.

Chang Shixin had come with Ding Wugong, and when he was killed, Ding Wugong displayed no hint of anger, instead probing the motives of the big red sedan chair.

Upon hearing that the person inside the big red sedan chair also claimed to be after the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron, Ding Wugong chuckled and remarked:

"Since it's for the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron, then we have no quarrel with you.

"Our goal is only to kill Su Mo. If your purpose is not just for the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron but also to kill Su Mo, then there's still no conflict with us.

"Now, let's hear what the Wangxuan Mountain Lord has to say."

With these words, he took the blame upon himself.

After further discussion, an agreement was made.

Disputes in the martial world should be resolved by martial means, letting the underlings settle it. The winner would naturally deal with Su Mo.

If they lost, they would turn and leave, with no one allowed to drag things out.

The Wangxuan Mountain Lord was now also in a precarious position.

Under such circumstances, the best course of action was to settle the matter discreetly.

Would they really allow people to surround and kill, creating a commotion that would alert the heavens?

Did they really think Su Mo was deaf and couldn't hear the commotion in Tihu Village?

Both sides thus made an agreement and had a confrontation with the big red sedan chair in the courtyard.

Instead, Ding Wugong ended up as a mere spectator.

Yet, after two bouts of combat, the person inside the large red sedan chair had not yet made a move, but any of the four sedan chair bearers who stepped forward showed remarkable martial skills.

Granny Feiyan employed sugar-roasted chestnuts as concealed weapons, each harboring its own trick.

But to her surprise, the adversary's skills were even more refined. With a mere flick of a finger, the chestnuts were sent back just as they had arrived.

After just a few exchanges, Granny Feiyan was already dead on the spot.

The occupant of the sedan chair chuckled, remarking that in martial contests, blades are blind, and fatalities are sometimes unavoidable.

The second round was even more brutal, swiftly decapitating the old ghost.

The bearer held the head, scrutinized it, then quipped, "So, not a ghost, eh?"

After tossing the head aside, they resumed their duty of carrying the sedan chair.

Enraged by its master's demise, the ghost crow was silenced by a soft hum from the sedan chair's occupant, causing it to burst instantly.

Such tactics were utterly terrifying.

The Wangxuan Mountain Lord, nearly out of patience, was eager to personally test the ghost lady's formidable abilities.

But he was forestalled by the elderly swordsman.

Initially, the duel was thrilling, with both combatants delivering spectacular exchanges.

But then, inexplicably, the bearer only dodged, offering no counterattacks.

The longer this went on, the more unsettled the Mountain Lord became.

Indeed, the turning point came then.

Suddenly, the bearer raised a finger, directing a gust that met the sword's edge, yet bypassed it, the finger's back adhering to the blade, mirroring the exact technique.

The swordsman's expression shifted dramatically, caught off guard by such a maneuver.

He swiftly raised his left hand, palm out, attempting to seize the bearer's finger.

But then, the bearer's fingertip conjured a flurry of illusions, myriad and elusive, blurring the line between reality and deception.

In a blink, the bearer's finger was at the old man's heart.

The old man glanced down, and instantly, a jet of sword energy burst from his back, mingling with blood, staining the hall.

The old man's eyes were wide with disbelief.

He never imagined he'd fall to his own swordplay.

But after uttering a single word, he could go no further, and his body crumpled to the floor.

After the kill, the bearer fell silent, his form flickered, and he was back at his post, hoisting the sedan chair.

Evidently, to them, bearing the sedan chair outweighed any martial conflict.

Laughter came from inside the sedan chair:

"Swift as the wind, fast as lightning, I've long heard that in the Wangxuan Mountain lineage, there is a fast sword, whose sword technique is extremely high.

"But now it seems, the reputation is greater than the reality. "First, his own disciple joined the Five Ghosts of Guan Chuan, infiltrated the territory of the Fallen Phoenix Alliance, and was killed along with the other four ghosts by Chief Escort Su."

"Now that I’ve died in this Tihu Village, this swift sword technique has lost its lineage."

"Luckily, this sword technique is nothing special, so losing it is no great loss."

Killing is one thing, but killing and breaking their spirit is another!

The Wangxuan Mountain Lord’s face darkened as he looked up at the large red sedan chair outside the door and spoke coldly:

"Very well, you are indeed formidable."

"Even your sedan chair bearers have such martial prowess."

"If they roamed the martial world, they’d easily make a name for themselves."

"There’s no need to continue the next few fights—we of Wangxuan Mountain concede."

"We dare not covet the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron anymore. You can go and demand it from Su Mo!"

After saying this, he stood up: "Let’s go."

Unexpectedly, the Wangxuan Mountain Lord was blunt. Including himself, Wangxuan Mountain had mobilized its entire force this time.

Yet, in just one battle, three of our top martial arts masters had already fallen.

If we keep fighting, the lineage of Wangxuan Mountain could end here in Tihu Village.

Though he wanted to settle the score with his opponent, how could he at this point?

Endure for a moment, and the storm will pass; step back, and the world will open up.

Having roamed the martial world all his life, what kept him alive was knowing when to be sensible and when to yield.

At once, Xinmo Xiulan and the ferocious monk stood up, ready to leave.

Ding Wugong, who had been watching the spectacle, perhaps having seen enough, noticed the Wangxuan Mountain Lord preparing to leave and sneered:

"Mountain Lord, you’re free to go. But could Xinmo stay behind?"

The three halted, and the Wangxuan Mountain Lord narrowed his eyes at Ding Wugong:

"What do you want?"

Xiu Lan gazed at Ding Wugong, deep in thought.

Ding Wugong then smiled:

"Xinmo’s skills are extraordinary—why limit yourself to Wangxuan Mountain?"

"The southwest is vast, and East City is even larger. The world is wide open, with so much to achieve!"

"Ding Wugong, you are outrageous!!"

The Wangxuan Mountain Lord’s expression shifted dramatically.

"Hahahaha."

Ding Wugong laughed heartily: "Mountain Lord, let me ask you—is this place Wangxuan Mountain?"

"...So what?"

"Then stop flaunting your status as the Wangxuan Mountain Lord here!"

Ding Wugong stood up: "Xinmo Xiulan is only staying temporarily at your Wangxuan Mountain. If I remember correctly, when she first came to Wangxuan Mountain, she said... if she wished, she could leave Wangxuan Mountain at any time."

"You're asking for death!"

As soon as the words fell, his palm was already in front of Ding Wugong's face.

Ding Wugong, however, laughed heartily: "Bring it on!"

With a swift motion of his hands, he neither dodged nor avoided, directly confronting the Wangxuan Mountain Lord.

The Wangxuan Mountain Lord was momentarily stunned. Ding Wugong was notorious for his cunning and treachery, yet his martial arts skills were only average. Where did he get the courage to challenge him?

But this was precisely the opportunity he had been waiting for.

Ding Wugong was untrustworthy. He had promised to handle Su Mo, but when the red sedan chair struck, he shifted the blame, resulting in the deaths of three of his top martial arts masters.

Now, he was rubbing salt in the wound by attempting to lure Xinmo Xiulan away.

This was the last straw. Given the circumstances, how could the Wangxuan Mountain Lord tolerate him?

He immediately drew a deep breath, boosting his power from thirty to sixty percent in a flash.

With a resounding 'bang', their palms collided.

As anticipated, the moment their palms met, Ding Wugong was immediately overpowered, thrust backward by the Wangxuan Mountain Lord. The chair behind him exploded into splinters with a loud crash.

In an instant, he was pinned against the wall.

With a few quick steps, Ding Wugong braced himself against the wall, using its solidity to counter the Wangxuan Mountain Lord's palm strike.

"Ding Wugong, this time next year will be your death anniversary!!"

The Wangxuan Mountain Lord suddenly burst into laughter, his hands swiftly retracting, gathering strength, and striking back with eighty percent of his power.

At that moment, a sly smile crept onto Ding Wugong's lips.

As their palms clashed, the Wangxuan Mountain Lord, who should have been certain of victory, suddenly looked alarmed.

He sensed that Ding Wugong, who should have been defenseless, suddenly unleashed an incredibly powerful and strange internal force.

As it penetrated his body, wherever it traveled, his skin turned ashen and numb.

It was as if life was draining away, leaving behind a chilling void.

Furthermore, a tremendous force bore down on his heart meridian. The Wangxuan Mountain Lord, who should have been victorious, was instead hurled backward.

He was flung across half the room, crashing into a side chair and shattering it to pieces. He jerked his head up, pointing accusingly at Ding Wugong:

"You... you... is this... the Great Transformation Transcendence Sutra?"

"Ha ha ha!"

Ding Wugong laughed heartily: "Wangxuan Mountain Lord, you underestimate me. Did you really think I came here today just relying on numbers?

"How... is the Great Transformation Qi treating you?"

At this moment, the Wangxuan Mountain Lord thought of something, his face turned pale, and he abruptly looked up at Xinmo Xiulan and the big monk:

"Let’s get out of here, now!"

However, Xinmo Xiulan smiled, "Why bother leaving? At first, I thought this Ding guy was pretty repulsive, but now I’m seeing a different side to him..."

"Mountain Lord... let me remind you, he was asking me, and I haven’t spoken yet. Why are you speaking for me?"

"You..."

The Wangxuan Mountain Lord’s expression turned grim as he turned to look at the monk, who looked shocked, giving Xinmo Xiulan a disappointed look.

"The Mountain Lord has been good to you; this is really cold."

He stepped forward, supporting the Wangxuan Mountain Lord’s arm, "I’ll get you out of here."

As he spoke, he quickly hit seventeen pressure points on the Wangxuan Mountain Lord’s body and grabbed the back of his neck.

In one move, he dragged him to Ding Wugong.

Ding Wugong laughed heartily, "Good, very good. A smart man knows when to fold. Master, you’re a real hero."

"Amitabha, the Mountain Lord’s crimes are vast, and this is his punishment."

At this moment, the Wangxuan Mountain Lord’s eyes burned with rage, but held by the monk, he was speechless.

Ding Wugong looked at the Wangxuan Mountain Lord and gently shook his head,

"Mountain Lord... the journey to the underworld is a long one. I’ll help you on your way."

But just then, a blood-curdling scream echoed from outside the house.

Everyone froze, and Ding Wugong’s hand paused just before the Wangxuan Mountain Lord’s face.

Looking around and listening intently, his face suddenly went pale,

"We’re in trouble, death’s at the door!!"

Then he did something no one would expect—he yanked the Wangxuan Mountain Lord away from the monk,

"I was out of line earlier, my apologies, Wangxuan Mountain Lord. Point us to a way out."

"..."

The Wangxuan Mountain Lord was momentarily stunned.

Of course, he had an escape route, and it was a secret known only to him.

He didn’t know how Ding Wugong had deduced that he would have a backup plan.

This man had just beaten him to the brink of death, and now he was saying such things...

Shameless and ruthless, a real snake in the grass!

But now, the Wangxuan Mountain Lord was caught in a dilemma.

Should he leave first and think later? Or should he stand firm and refuse to yield?

What kind of person was Ding Wugong?

He could read the Mountain Lord’s thoughts at a glance and was about to speak again.

And at this moment... a voice pierced through the silence, reaching everyone present.

"So, an escape route, huh? Where exactly are you planning to run off to?

"To Wangxuan Mountain, or to Wusheng Hall?"

The voice emanated from the head of the table.

It was not loud, nor fierce, but it drifted softly yet unmistakably to everyone present.

Yet it was like a series of thunderclaps, leaving everyone's heads spinning.

So much so that not a single person dared to utter a word.

Without thinking, they turned their heads and saw Su Mo, who had somehow seated himself at the head of the table.

From his elevated position, he gazed down at them with a smile.

The big monk, seeing this, yanked Wangxuan Mountain Lord back and swiftly approached Su Mo:

"Chief Escort Su, Wangxuan Mountain Lord plotted against you, seeking to seize the Star Sea Legacy Sand Iron. He has now been captured by this lowly monk. Chief Escort Su, the decision is yours."

"Oh?"

Su Mo stood up and walked over to them, his gaze sweeping over the two men.

Wangxuan Mountain Lord, realizing the game was up, let out a resigned sigh. The monk, meanwhile, was sweating bullets, waiting for Su Mo's judgment.

Su Mo let out a hearty laugh:

"Good, the big monk here is quite the virtuous fellow, truly impressive."

Hearing this, the monk couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, a slight smile tugging at his lips.

But at that very moment, Su Mo suddenly swung his fist.

Everyone saw something fly out with that swing, hitting the wall with a loud smack.

Some followed the object to see what it was, while others immediately noticed...

The monk's head was gone.