Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Chapter 67 Five thunders hit the top, killing like grass
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"If this person's Golden Core hadn't shattered, I'm afraid we'd have been in grave danger."
Li Tianqing's heart chilled.
Zhao Yanliang was the youngest of the Yan generation in the Zhao family, only a few years younger than the eldest young master Zhao Ziyu, and his cultivation was considerably lower than Zhao Yanlong and the others.
He had used his Golden Core to pin down the black iron pellet, suffering severe injuries as a result—his death was utterly unjust.
Cultivators at the Golden Core Realm had already begun refining their Golden Core, using its power to temper their fleshly body and purge the impurities within.
The fleshly body of a Golden Core Realm cultivator was bound to be extraordinarily powerful, no longer as fragile as in the four stages of the Qi Refining Realm.
Moreover, Golden Core Realm cultivators often deliberately practiced body-refining techniques similar to martial arts to enhance their close-combat prowess.
For instance, the cultivators of the Li family in Quanzhou, upon reaching the Golden Core Realm, would be provided with eight body-refining methods to choose from by their clan.
The Zhao family of Xixiang didn't have as deep a foundation as the Li family, but they surely had similar techniques.
The power Zhao Yanliang's body could unleash was absolutely no less than Chen Shi's!
The primary reason his skull had been shattered by Chen Shi's palm strike was that his Golden Core had been blasted apart, leaving him gravely wounded. When facing Chen Shi, he couldn't bring his full physical strength to bear, allowing Chen Shi to slay him.
Had he not been injured, even without his Golden Core, the outcome of close-quarters combat would have been uncertain.
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing continued charging forward. Chen Shi had run out of pellets in his book chest, so he simply grabbed the pellets from Li Tianqing's basket, hurling them out repeatedly with force, sending the Zhao family disciples and Embroidered Uniform Guards ahead tumbling in chaos.
The Zhao family disciples and Embroidered Uniform Guards could only curse their parents for not giving them two extra legs—they weren't running fast enough.
As for fighting back against Chen Shi, or even killing him, they merely entertained the thought in their minds; acting on it was utterly unthinkable.
The moment they dared to stop, they'd be blasted to bits!
Those two behind them weren't children—they were killer gods, evil spirits, demons!
*Shoo—*
An invisible jade wheel streaked through the air, severing one man's head.
Li Tianqing's heart pounded wildly, unsure if it was excitement or nausea—this was his first time killing someone.
In terror, the Zhao family disciples and Embroidered Uniform Guards fled Qianyang Mountain. Of the over hundred people, only six or seven survived. The rest had either been blown apart, fallen off cliffs in the panic, been taken out by the Six Yin Jade Wheel, been caught up to by Chen Shi, or scattered into the deep mountains, losing their way.
But Qianyang Mountain was vast and sparsely populated, teeming with dangers. Most of those Embroidered Uniform Guards and Zhao family disciples who fled into the depths wouldn't make it out alive.
The survivors burst out of Qianyang Mountain onto the provincial post road, racing along it toward the provincial capital.
Zhao Yanlong was being carried by an Embroidered Uniform Guard, who ran for his life. The people around them dwindled, filling his heart with utmost dread.
Fortunately, those two killer gods, Chen Shi and Li Tianqing, hadn't pursued them.
At this moment, the porcelainization on Zhao Yanlong's body surface had begun to crumble, and his body was gradually growing larger, now like that of a two- or three-year-old child. The Guard was starting to struggle carrying him over the long distance.
"Put me down first."
Zhao Yanlong said.
His body was now half-porcelainized and half-flesh. The cracks on his legs from the earlier impacts had turned into two narrow gashes that began bleeding, accompanied by pain.
But this was a good sign.
It meant his body was starting to recover.
Moreover, he could feel true qi circulating within him. The Divine Embryo he previously couldn't sense was gradually coming back into perception, even faintly reconnecting with his primordial spirit.
His cultivation wasn't as strong as Li Jindou's. When Li Jindou entered the Kiln Works, his primordial spirit hadn't been porcelainized, but Zhao Yanlong's had—it had lost connection, and he didn't know where it had fallen.
But now, his sense of his primordial spirit was growing stronger.
These changes allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief.
Though he didn't know why the demon domain had suddenly collapsed, its dissipation was letting him recover from the porcelainized state.
He circulated his true qi and took a step forward. Though his legs and feet ached terribly, his speed was no slower than when the Guard was carrying him.
Fleeing alongside them were four others: two Zhao family disciples and two Embroidered Uniform Guards. Zhao Yanlong didn't see his sixth brother Zhao Yancho or second daughter Zhao Minrou. He quickly asked, "Duofu, where are your Sixth Uncle and Second Miss?"
Zhao Duofu was born of a concubine outside the main household—the so-called illegitimate son was worth less than a chicken. His status in the Zhao family wasn't much higher than a servant girl's. Hearing this, he didn't dare call him "Father" and said, "Master, Sixth Uncle and Second Miss were blown to pieces."
Zhao Yanlong froze, grief surging within him. He couldn't hold back and burst into loud sobs. "Unless I exterminate Chen Shi's entire family, I swear I am no longer human!"
They still had over two hundred li to the provincial capital, but the Galloping Horse Talismans wouldn't hold out that far. The three Embroidered Uniform Guards' talismans began to wane, their speed gradually slowing.
Seeing this, Zhao Duofu hurriedly said, "Master, their Galloping Horse Talismans are wearing off. Wait for them!"
Zhao Yanlong's expression flickered between dark and stormy. He snorted coldly. "Duofu, have you heard the story of the two brothers who encountered a tiger outside...?"
The story hadn't finished when Zhao Duofu suddenly exclaimed in delight, "Master, Master! Look!"
He pointed ahead. Zhao Yanlong hurriedly looked, and sure enough, ahead fluttered the banners of Xixiang Province: one was the Xixiang port flag, a deep blue banner embroidered with four advancing lightning patterns, and several triangular flags embroidered with the character "Zhao."
"It's the Governor's camp!"
Zhao Yanlong's spirits soared. He laughed heartily. "The Governor is right ahead! We're saved!"
Provincial Governor Zhao Tianbao was the head of the Zhao family, overseeing the four Zhao manors. He was a man of cunning methods and strategy. The Zhao family's booming population and growing influence in recent years were thanks to his efforts.
Zhao Tianbao's cultivation realm was profound and unfathomable. Some said he had reached the third stage of Soul Refining, or even the fourth—though it couldn't be verified.
Zhao Duofu laughed. "Could it be that Governor Excellency slew the Evil Bodhisattva and saved the common folk?"
Zhao Yanlong said, "Most likely."
Just then, screams came from behind. The two turned to look and saw Chen Shi and Li Tianqing, who had somehow caught up, slaughtering the three lagging Embroidered Uniform Guards.
The other Zhao family disciple, running too slowly, was slain by a sudden jade wheel.
"Run!"
Zhao Yanlong and Zhao Duofu sprinted desperately forward. The Governor's camp grew nearer.
Zhao Yanlong suddenly sensed his primordial spirit was no longer so heavy. He immediately reached out with his senses, and sure enough, his primordial spirit burst from Qianyang Mountain through the air. Though most of it was still porcelainized, its speed remained incredibly fast as it raced toward them.
"Duofu, you're truly blessed with great fortune—you're my lucky star!"
Zhao Yanlong laughed loudly. "A mother's status rises with her son. Once we survive and return, you'll be my legitimate son. I'll bring your mother into the manor and give her the status of concubine!"
Zhao Duofu was both shocked and overjoyed. As the son of an outside concubine, he was essentially illegitimate, unrecognized by the Zhao family with no status whatsoever.
Now becoming a legitimate son, with his mother elevated to concubine, his status would soar, and he'd surely rise steadily in the Zhao family, his meteoric ascent just around the corner!
Chen Shi and Li Tianqing dispatched the four stragglers behind and continued the pursuit. Having chased from the mountains to here, they were drenched in sweat and physically exhausted, but their spirits burned brighter than ever.
Li Tianqing spotted the distant Xixiang port flag and paled. "Little Ten, we can't chase anymore! The Xixiang Governor must be in the camp under those banners ahead!"
Chen Shi hesitated, his speed unconsciously slowing a bit. "The Xixiang Governor—is he also from the Zhao family?"
Li Tianqing said, "That's right. Xixiang Governor Zhao Tianbao—his cultivation realm is probably about the same as my grandfather's, immeasurably deep! We can't chase any further!"
Chen Shi gritted his teeth. "Give me all the remaining pellets. You head back first!"
He shrugged off his book chest, snatched the basket from Li Tianqing's back, stomped the ground hard to activate the Galloping Horse Talisman, and charged toward Zhao Yanlong at an even more astonishing speed!
His foot landed, the expanding sole of his foot splitting his grass shoes. The next step was barefoot!
At the same time, qi and blood surged through Chen Shi's body, making him taller and more robust by the moment. In the blink of an eye, he'd grown over half a chi taller. His qi and blood reached their peak, even causing his hair to slowly regrow!
His strides grew longer, his speed faster—a single step covered two zhang, outpacing even a galloping steed!
In that instant, his arms lengthened considerably, his palms thickening and enlarging. Qi and blood roiled, inflating his muscles and tendons, bulging veins thick and prominent across his arms.
His eyes held nothing but Zhao Yanlong, who was fleeing desperately ahead!
Strike while he's sick—to take his life!
Chen Shi knew this principle well.
If he didn't kill Zhao Yanlong now, once Zhao Yanlong reached the camp and returned to the Zhao family, finding such an opportunity again would take who knows how long!
A life for a life, debts repaid in full.
That was the rule in the countryside, not the rigid laws of the Great Ming Code.
This demonic transformation was caused by Zhao Yanlong's greed, claiming countless lives. He had to pay with his own for those dead and this disaster!
Meanwhile, in the Governor's camp, Zhao Tianbao and the powerhouses of Xixiang Province's three departments scanned the distance with shock and uncertainty.
Just now, two demon domains had overlapped and expanded outward, startling them all. They hadn't expected the domain to collapse and dissipate on its own.
Though the demon domain had vanished, they still didn't dare venture in to investigate the cause.
As they conferred, someone suddenly shouted, "My lord, my lord! The Xuan Ying Manor Lord is still alive!"
Zhao Tianbao was both shocked and delighted. He rushed out of the main tent. "Yanlong's alive? Where is he?"
The powerhouses from the three departments hurried after him out of the tent to the camp's edge. Sure enough, in the distance, two figures raced toward them. One was short and stout, no taller than two chi, yet his strides were astonishingly powerful, his speed extreme—it was unmistakably Zhao Yanlong.
However, much of Zhao Yanlong's body was still porcelainized, his cultivation greatly diminished—likely from the porcelainization he hadn't fully recovered from.
As Zhao Yanlong ran, his body continued enlarging, the porcelain on his surface gradually receding, transforming back to flesh and blood.
Zhao Tianbao laughed heartily. "Yanlong led our Zhao clansmen into the mountains to slay demons. I thought he and the Xuan Ying Manor disciples had all perished to the demons, but he actually succeeded in killing that demon and returned victorious!"
The crowd understood and praised the Xuan Ying Manor Lord's bravery. "Once the Cabinet hears of this, they'll surely reward him—we'll all share in the glory!"
Behind Zhao Yanlong and the other Zhao family disciple, another figure charged madly, about six chi tall with enormous strides, even faster—like a rampaging primeval蛮牛 beast. Each footfall cracked the incredibly hard provincial road's stone slabs, sending gravel flying.
The figure had a youthful face, clear brows and bright eyes, red lips and white teeth. His clothes weren't particularly fancy but were quite fitting.
Yet this explosive power drew sidelong glances from Governor Zhao Tianbao and the provincial capital's dignitaries.
"The Zhao family has another prodigy."
Left Commissioner of the Administration Commission Ding Heyun praised. "This youth, so young—barely a teenager—has such astonishing speed. He'll surely achieve great things in the future, limitless potential!"
The crowd nodded in agreement.
This time, it wasn't mere flattery—the boy's displayed strength and momentum were genuinely shocking. At the same age, they wouldn't have had such prowess.
"Just a little kid—worth all this praise? I'm worried it'll spoil him forever!" Provincial Governor Zhao Tianbao laughed heartily, humbly demurring.
Though he said so, he secretly memorized Chen Shi's appearance, thinking, *This child must be carefully nurtured!*
At that moment, divine light flared behind them in a misty haze. The crowd focused and saw a porcelainized primordial spirit flying in at extreme speed!
It looked exactly like Zhao Yanlong's primordial spirit.
But its surface was still in porcelainized state—half porcelain, half spirit—its power impure and chaotic.
Suddenly, the madly charging youth ahead yanked off the basket on his back, grabbed a head-sized black orb from it, then hurled the basket into the air toward the oncoming Zhao Yanlong primordial spirit!
The black orb in the youth's hand followed, overtaking to strike the airborne basket.
*Boom!*
Six or seven black iron pellets detonated. The sky seemed to erupt with an enormous thunderball, flames bursting outward, the fire cloud expanding. The incoming Zhao Yanlong primordial spirit was caught in the shockwave; its porcelainized parts shattered instantly, riddling it with holes in a heartbeat!
The fire cloud engulfed his primordial spirit!
This sudden turn caught everyone in the camp off guard—they had no time to rescue.
Amid the flames, the youth overtook Zhao Yanlong. By now, Zhao Yanlong's body had grown to about three chi, still childlike. Though heavily porcelainized, years of body refining made him far stronger than ordinary folk. He dodged sideways, evading Chen Shi's incoming fist, and lashed out with a kick straight at Chen Shi's groin!
Chen Shi blocked the leg, smashed down with his elbow. Zhao Yanlong's kneecap shattered, the ligaments at his knee severing, his leg bending unnaturally downward.
He wouldn't have been so fragile—having his right leg broken by a Divine Embryo Realm youth—but now much of his body was porcelain, shattering on impact.
As Chen Shi's elbow descended, he advanced, whipping his elbow tip upward into Zhao Yanlong's solar plexus, snapping several ribs. Then his hands *whooshed* down, clapping heavily over both of Zhao Yanlong's ears.
Zhao Yanlong's porcelainized eardrums burst. Dazed and confused, Chen Shi clamped his head and drove his knees repeatedly into the solar plexus, porcelain parts shattering *crack crack*!
Among his five viscera were many porcelainized organs; now the shards pierced his organs!
Nearby, Zhao Duofu moved to save him. Chen Shi dropped Zhao Yanlong, sidestepped to his flank, his right palm root already pressing Zhao Duofu's chin, shoving his head back and slamming his body to the ground!
*Thud!*
A muffled impact echoed as the青石板 cracked, brains and blood spilling.
Chen Shi's left hand pressed the ground, his right leg sweeping back. Zhao Yanlong's legs snapped with a *crack*, and he toppled backward.
Chen Shi twisted, smashing his elbow squarely into the throat. Blood mixed with shattered porcelain poured from Zhao Yanlong's mouth—he was deader than dead.
Chen Shi exhaled a turbid breath, stood, and looked toward the Governor's camp, meeting Provincial Governor Zhao Tianbao's gaze. Then he turned and left.