Bang!
Sheng Xiaotian's small eyes suddenly widened, as the sound of 'bang' echoed out. A stone, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, struck Zheng Biao heavily on the temple.
"Ah!"
Zheng Biao immediately collapsed headfirst to the ground, incapable of rising again.
But it wasn't just Zheng Biao.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Two more stones flew out from the darkness in succession.
One slammed into Zheng Biao, who was closest to Sheng Xiaotian and his father Sheng Dayang. The other flew straight toward the strongest fourth-grade master in the field, Xu Lang.
"Who?!"
Xu Lang, far superior to Zheng Biao, reacted instantly. He raised his saber high and shattered the stone into pieces with a single slash, his shout echoing across the scene.
At this moment.
A gray shadow pounced forward.
The figure was clad in gray robes, head and face fully covered, leaving only a pair of sharp, piercing eyes exposed. He moved with incredible speed.
"Courting death!"
Xu Lang roared in fury.
He channeled his inner strength into his arm; his steel saber gleamed like snow as he slashed forward with deadly force.
He had cultivated the **Divine Pouncing Saber** technique. It was said that a single slash of this blade could even strike down a god, showcasing its ferocity. Xu Lang had trained this technique to the Fourth Layer, transforming inner breath into inner strength, enabling him to wield it freely.
Therefore.
This slash was as fast and vicious as it was overwhelming.
In martial combat, victory often depends on whose speed, strength, and reactions are superior.
Xu Lang excelled in all three aspects.
Unfortunately.
His opponent was even more formidable.
As the saber descended, the gray-clad figure neither paused nor retreated.
Stomp! Stomp! Stomp!
Their feet churned up dirt in a rapid burst as they charged forward. Just as the saber was about to connect, the figure tilted their head slightly, and their right hand, faster than lightning, initially clenched into a fist but abruptly extended along the blade. Using their index, middle, ring, and pinky fingers, they flicked against the steel saber in rapid succession.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound resembled the strumming of a pipa lute.
The saber broke.
Amid the metallic clangs, the steel saber was momentarily forced aside.
"Hah!" With a low shout, the gray-clad figure pressed forward, crouched low, and locked Xu Lang's waist in a fierce grip while slamming their head into Xu Lang's chest.
Crack~
Xu Lang's spine and chest bones shattered simultaneously.
"Ah—"
Xu Lang managed only a short, agonized scream before falling silent.
The Feiying Hall Incense Master, fourth-grade master Xu Lang, died on the spot.
"Two."
Chen Jichuan's ambush had already taken two lives.
After slamming Xu Lang with a headbutt, he shifted his arms around to the front of Xu Lang's body. Leveraging his forward momentum, he exerted his full strength–
Boom!
Hurling Xu Lang's limp body like a cannonball into another nearby third-rank warrior.
At the same time.
Chen Jichuan seized Xu Lang's steel saber, swung it left and right to deflect another man's saber, and brought it down in a decisive arc, killing the opponent instantly.
Under such disparity in strength, speed, and reflexes, Chen Jichuan didn't even need technique.
He kicked a stone, propelling it directly into the forehead of the third-rank warrior still struggling to stand after being struck by Xu Lang's body, ending yet another life.
All this occurred in mere moments.
Grand, swift, and deadly.
Four men down in quick succession.
Only two remained. Witnessing Chen Jichuan's terrifying aura—especially the instantaneous killing of Incense Master Xu Lang—struck terror into their hearts, utterly shattering their resolve.
"Run!"
None dared to resist further.
They turned tail and fled without hesitation.
But.
Under Chen Jichuan's watchful eyes, how could mere third-level fighters possibly escape?
Chen Jichuan sprinted a few steps forward, swiftly catching up.
Swish!
Swish!
Two slashes ended the last remnants of opposition.
...
"So... so powerful!"
Sheng Xiaotian stared at the masked man who had slaughtered six people in a matter of breaths, his mouth agape, his heart pounding wildly.
He was afraid but at the same time exhilarated.
Sheng Dayang, on the other hand, was more composed.
Seeing Chen Jichuan's ruthless efficiency, a chill permeated his heart, fearing that this deadly man might decide to eliminate them next. He hurriedly pleaded, "Great hero, spare us. My son and I were taken captive and have nothing to do with them."
"Explain what's going on."
Chen Jichuan's voice was hoarse and aged, deliberately pressed low. He pointed to the prone Zheng Biao and warned, "That one isn't fully dead yet. Step back."
As he looted the bodies.
He questioned Sheng Dayang while cautiously keeping an eye on the father and son.
People with abnormal skills often possessed mysterious abilities and were not to be underestimated.
Chen Jichuan fully intended to save them.
But he couldn't discount the possibility of betrayal, so he remained guarded.
He had no intention of becoming an altruistic healer like Huaa Tuo.
Nor did he wish to turn into a self-sacrificing fool like Mr. Dongguo.
Zheng Biao lay sprawled on the ground, his temple smashed in and survival unlikely. He wouldn't last much longer. However, to ensure Sheng Dayang spoke truthfully, Chen Jichuan purposefully mentioned it to weigh on his mind.
"Not dead?"
Upon hearing this, Sheng Dayang crouched instinctively, reaching for a steel saber to finish Zheng Biao off.
"I still have questions for him."
Chen Jichuan shot Sheng Dayang a glance.
With just a look.
Sheng Dayang shivered and quickly abandoned the saber, opting instead to recount his and Sheng Xiaotian's harrowing ordeal in full detail.
It turned out.
A few days ago, Sheng Xiaotian had been stricken with an unbearable fever, his condition frightening.
Sheng Dayang rushed him to a clinic to see a doctor. The doctor prescribed two doses of medicine, but before the decoction had even been prepared at home, Sheng Xiaotian had already recovered and was bouncing around energetically.
At the time, Sheng Dayang thought little of it.
He allowed his son to go out and play.
But unexpectedly.
Sheng Xiaotian, like his father, had awakened a 'Immortal Technique.'
This 'Immortal Technique' could cause his blood to heat up, even burn. Sheng Dayang himself had acquired this strange ability four years ago after the death of his wife, amidst overwhelming grief.
Sheng Dayang had originally been a laborer in Yongfu County.
Thanks to this 'Immortal Technique,' he transformed into an acclaimed massage therapist, using it to stimulate qi and blood flow, earning a modest income.
However, he kept this secret tightly guarded.
People only knew Sheng Dayang for his exceptional massage skills; no one was aware of the existence of his 'Immortal Technique.'
But Sheng Xiaotian, being young and inexperienced, couldn't control his newfound ability.
One evening, while bickering with local children, an accident occurred, and someone was injured. The incident was reported to the authorities, exposing the secret and attracting the attention of the Feiying Hall from the Lishui Gang.
It turned out their awakening wasn't mere coincidence.
It was linked to the father and son's long-term consumption of **Immortal Jujubes** from a tree growing in the depths of Nanxi Mountain.
"I didn't realize at first either."
"It wasn't until the Lishui Gang questioned me about anything unusual we'd eaten, ransacking our home, that I remembered the Immortal Jujube Tree and its fruit. Afterward, they took my son and me to the mountain to find the tree, harvesting all the Immortal Jujubes it bore."
Frightened, Sheng Dayang held nothing back as he recounted everything to Chen Jichuan.
"Immortal Jujubes."
Chen Jichuan had gathered all the belongings of Xu Lang, Zheng Biao, and the others into one spot.
There were books.
Manuals.
Silk pouches.
And even some scattered silver.
Without examining them closely.
His attention was immediately drawn to the Immortal Jujubes Sheng Dayang had mentioned.
The Immortal Jujubes were contained in a cloth sack.
Chen Jichuan used his blade to cut open the sack's opening, revealing a pile of plump, glistening red dates, each larger than a thumb by two full sizes and strikingly lush.
Using the Insight Skill to inspect them—
[Prince Yongg's Jujube: Also known as 'September Delicacy,' this fruit was named for Prince Yongg, the sixth son of the Great Chu Grand Ancestor, who was particularly fond of it. The jujube ripens in early to mid-September, yielding abundantly and reliably. The fruits are large, sweet, and fleshy, with excellent resistance to cracking during the rainy season and no pre-harvest fruit drop. Suitable for plantations on gentle slopes with deep, fertile soils. Note: This Prince Yongg's Jujube contains spiritual energy, being the fruit of a Prince Yongg's Spirit Jujube Tree. It has effects such as replenishing blood, reducing pressure, and strengthening the immune system. It also provides some benefits for liver protection, calming the mind, and inducing serenity.]