Chapter 288: Chapter 197: Inventory of Gains, Heavenly Gang Dragon Capturing Hand, Beginner Level!
"Boom, boom, boom!"
Primordial Power surged like a tidal wave, sweeping in and soaring skyward. The massive trees throughout the forest snapped and splintered, a storm of shattered woodchips raining down like a furious downpour of mud.
"Whoosh!"
Within the mud rain, five Dragon Eagle Feather Arrows of Primordial Power tore through the air, the heart-stopping sonic booms trailing close behind.
Jiang Shu’s hair fell wildly about him as he let out a low roar, strength ripping through the air, veins bulging across his muscles. He threw a punch, like a meteor crashing into a lake, erupting with violent force.
Within the Earth Evil Tiger Roar Skill, pure physical power exploded, startling the black-robed elder so much that he stumbled back repeatedly, his face pale as paper.
"Damn it!"
*Compared to Tu Ling’s relationship with his retainers, the bond between the black-robed elder and the other four Martial Artists in the Acupoint Passage Realm was clearly more fragile.*
*They had only formed a temporary alliance in order to seize the Treasure.*
*Now, seeing Jiang Shu and Luo Yu fighting ever more fiercely, the remaining four Martial Artists couldn’t help but feel the urge to retreat.*
"They’re nearly out of Primordial Power, so what are you waiting for!"
Having been forced to take Jiang Shu’s ferocious punch head-on, the black-robed elder’s voice became warped as he involuntarily bellowed in rage.
*He couldn’t accept this.*
*Luo Yu had two Treasures on him!*
*If he could get them, within a few years he’d officially step into the Detachment Realm!*
*Then, with the Dragon Eagle Feathered Bow in hand—*
*The world was vast, and nowhere would be out of reach.*
*Even in Qianyuan City, he could establish a powerful faction.*
*This was his opportunity!*
*His great fortune, waited for over a hundred years!*
The black-robed elder roared, igniting his Essence Blood, Primordial Power erupting from the acupoints one after another, his eyes turning blood red. His hands became claws and with a solitary howl—
Top-grade Martial Arts, Blood Wolf Howling Moon Claw.
"Slay these two and we’ll split the spoils! Or do you want to be stuck in the Acupoint Passage Realm all your lives! In Qianyuan City, all you can do in this realm is be a retainer, serving under those big clans."
"Now, the chance is right in front of us: Golden Ape Meditation Mat, Detachment Realm!"
"Step into Detachment, and you control your own fate! Even if we return to the Dynasty, how many forces would even dare to oppose us!"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The black-robed elder’s words were laced with seduction. For him to stand alone against Jiang Shu and Luo Yu—it was impossible. The only road to victory was to join forces!
Five against two.
"Anyone who steps up dies!"
Jiang Shu shouted loudly. Compared to the black-robed elder’s manipulative speech, his mind—tempered by the Steadfast Realm—was grand and resolute.
His voice rang out like an emperor from a Dynasty.
He possessed an aura few dared meet head-on.
Primordial Power circulated through his body.
His punch, unleashed, decided life or death.
*So what if it’s top-grade Martial Arts!*
*Those who mastered top-grade Martial Arts at the Acupoint Passage Realm were still just in that Realm.*
*He, Jiang Shu, reigned invincible beneath the Detachment Realm!*
An invincible spirit began to coalesce.
*Every secret spot within him ignited, fueling his strength as it soared, his power rising like a long rainbow!*
His fist crashed straight into the black-robed elder’s Blood Wolf Howling Moon Claw.
"Bang!"
A terrifying shockwave exploded at the point of contact as waves of dust shot skyward.
In the span of just a few breaths, the entire dense forest had been flattened by the fierce blasts of Primordial Power.
On one side of the leveled ground,
three Martial Artists in the Acupoint Passage Realm were tangling with Luo Yu.
The last Martial Artist found his moment. Eyes narrowing, he suddenly lunged, his short axe glowing as Primordial Power surged.
"Watch out!"
Luo Yu hurried to warn, wanting to turn back to support him.
But three enemies had him completely pinned.
In the thick of battle, Jiang Shu exchanged relentless blows, the Blood Wolf Howling Moon Claw dragging bloody lines across his fists.
Facing a sneak attack from a peer in the same Realm—
He loosed a growl, his form flickering as Concealing Steps let him dodge the Blood Wolf Howling Moon Claw; his left palm swept out, as if moving a mountain.
Over one hundred thousand catties of force crashed down.
That overwhelming power battered the Martial Artist, exposing him and sending him stumbling back till he crashed into a giant tree.
The huge tree splintered, his body slumping down. The fierce impact had him trembling openly, blood seeping from his lips.
*Too strong.*
The Martial Artists besieging Luo Yu froze, stunned that even in the heat of combat, Jiang Shu noticed his surroundings instantly.
"Go die!"
Jiang Shu pressed the attack, gripping the Primordial Power with a technique, yanked the fallen axe from the ground and hurled it, striking down the sneak attacker.
"Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!"
Heads flew and fresh blood spattered everywhere.
Fear overtook their hearts.
Figures darted away at top speed.
The fewer people left standing, the less courage to fight.
*Once someone died, the whole situation collapsed!*
*No one dared bet they wouldn’t be next.*
*Such was Qianyuan City,*
*where trust counted for nothing.*
*Only profit was eternal.*
"Kid, you got lucky!"
Watching as his remaining allies retreated one by one, the black-robed elder’s face turned sullen. Alone, his chance of winning plummeted!
With a venomous curse, the black-robed elder swept out his claws and stomped the ground. A gale seemed to erupt as endless dust filled the air around him.
*If he couldn’t win, then he’d flee!*
His body shot backward. But Jiang Shu stepped out twice in a row, tireless, and struck out, shattering stones and splitting earth with his fist.
"Get back here!"
Every acupoint within his body now functioned as one. Jiang Shu no longer held anything back.
Primordial Power surged like a tide, his momentum unstoppable.
With a low roar of fury, this was his third time deploying the Earth Evil Tiger Roar Skill. His powerful spiritual power crashed over the black-robed elder.
This surge of strength felt like an ancient Fierce Beast awakening within, ripping the sky, trampling earth; his mountain-sized fist blasted toward the black-robed elder.
The black-robed elder, retreating, suddenly froze under the psychic onslaught. His steps halted as he watched that massive fist plummet toward him.
"I’m willing to hand over my top-grade Martial Arts, and everything in my Storage Bag!"
Jiang Shu’s punch—
*Utterly brilliant.*
*Nowhere to dodge, nowhere to flee, nowhere to block!*
The black-robed elder couldn’t help but cry out in terror.
"If you die, it all belongs to me!"
"Boom!"
The Primordial Power shield shattered, Jiang Shu’s form a cannonball as his fist slammed directly into the black-robed old man’s chest.
The whole world seemed to fall silent.
Under Luo Yu’s dumbfounded gaze, the black-robed elder, always the tyrant of the battlefield, was blasted into the air, blood streaming from every orifice. A clear fist mark caved in his chest.
"Bang!"
Blood poured as Jiang Shu stepped forward, seizing the old man’s arm and hurling him aside with all his strength.
Dust rose everywhere.
"You—"
"Dead is dead, save your words."
With one step he stomped the black-robed elder’s neck, Jiang Shu snatched up his Storage Bag, refined the Essence Blood anew.
He opened both Storage Bags and set them on the ground, producing a Jade Scroll. "I just took a look—there’s all kinds of stuff in here. We’ll split the elixirs evenly. As for the rest, we’ll each get one. I’ll take the ’Heavenly Gang Dragon Capturing Hand’ first. You can have the next pick."
This battle looked like he’d exploded on all fronts, but really, if not for the Dragon Eagle Feathered Bow’s strike that killed Tu Ling and frightened off the Tu Family’s five retainers—
Ten Acupoint Passage Realm experts besieging them—
No matter how strong he and Luo Yu were, they couldn’t fight all of them at once.
"Agreed."
Luo Yu didn’t stand on ceremony. He checked inside the Storage Bags, shook his head, then used his Primordial Power to snatch the whip from beside Tu Ling’s corpse. "This whip was made from flood dragon tendons—it’s valuable, so I’ll take this."
"Fine,"
Jiang Shu and Luo Yu each took one item and soon divided their spoils.
"These should be Tu Ling and the old man’s Black Alliance cards. I’m heading back to the capital—they’ll be useless to me, so you take them."
"And, for saving my life, Luo Yu will not forget. If you ever need my help, just bring the Jade Token and come to Luo Family in the royal city, and that’s all you need."
He flicked a Jade Token toward Jiang Shu, and as the Qi Replenishing Pill’s effect surged, Luo Yu’s body flickered as he rushed into the forest.
*His cover blown, he couldn’t stick around Qianyuan City any longer.*
*Tu Ling’s death wouldn’t stay hidden for long.*
*If the Tu Family’s Detachment Realm expert came after him, then running would be near impossible.*
*These guys are Acupoint Passage Realm, but compared to the capital’s geniuses, they’re just poor as hell.*
*Well, that makes sense—since they’re all wanted men at the end of their roads. Even at the same Realm, when it comes to Martial Arts or Treasures, they’re nowhere near a genius from the capital.*
*Not to mention, if Luo Yu hadn’t unleashed his Treasure at full strength, I’d have had to use the Thunder Peng Netherworld Wings to block it.*
Watching Luo Yu’s silhouette grow smaller and fade away,
Jiang Shu leaped in the opposite direction.
The Storage Bags held nothing special; aside from a few Black Alliance cards, only the black-robed elder had a copy of ’Blood Wolf Howling Moon Claw,’ which was worth something.
But what ordinary Acupoint Passage Martial Artists dreamed of—top-grade Martial Arts—no longer appealed to Jiang Shu.
This Cultivation Technique’s only use would be when he entered Elder Ming Lei’s Tomb Mansion; he could auction it in the royal city for a tidy sum.
Half an hour later,
The news of Tu Ling’s death swept through Qianyuan City like a hurricane.
Tu Family fell silent.
The air itself seemed filled with the stench of death.
All five retainers fled Qianyuan City.
The Young Master of Tu Family was reduced to a corpse.
The sprawling Tu Family Blood Battle Arena—one of the city’s five major factions—lost half its power overnight!
The culprit: Luo Yu, the Da Jing Dynasty’s Dragon Tiger List genius!
And an unknown middle-aged Martial Artist.
He shattered the messenger with a single palm.
Tu Ling’s father, Tu Yuan—a Detachment Realm expert—left Qianyuan City, his rage manifesting as a killing aura that darkened the sky.
...
Employing Concealing Steps, Jiang Shu evaded pursuit for three days before finally arriving in the mountains where Elder Ming Lei’s Tomb Mansion was hidden.
Inside a cave, he opened his eyes.
Extending a hand, it seemed as if mist swirled in the void. Primordial Power and Spirit gathered; a dragon claw boasting thirty-six Dragon Scales emerged.
A hundred meters away, an ancient tree, roots sunk for centuries, was ripped from the earth, flying through the air toward him in a storm of rocks and sand.
"Bang."
With a thought, Jiang Shu condensed his Primordial Power and spiritual power. The giant tree exploded, shattered chips falling like fine sand.
"Those three days of cultivation were worth it."
A hint of joy flickered at the corner of Jiang Shu’s lips as he murmured to himself.
Now that he’d stepped into entry-level mastery, he knew full well—the true might of the Heavenly Gang Dragon Capturing Hand wasn’t its grip or raw destruction,
but in the control of spiritual power!
*In the past, though he had Steadfast Realm spiritual power, he couldn’t really employ it to defeat opponents.*
*Having a mountain of treasure, but unable to enter.*
*But now, with Heavenly Gang Dragon Capturing Hand in hand—*
*His understanding of spiritual power rose yet another level.*
*Even if he met a Detachment Realm expert—*
*He could now truly stand firm against them.*