Chapter 84: Plotting
Lin Yue’s words were taken to heart by everyone.
Although no one would give a direct promise, this could serve as an opportunity, and when the real assessment came, there would naturally be chances to help each other.
The group drank a few more rounds before dispersing. Su Yan left together with Bai Yun, preparing to return to the Golden Ape Martial Arts School.
“Lin Yue’s news should be real; we might team up during this assessment. But we can’t fully trust it.”
As the two walked, Bai Yun spoke up to remind him.
“Isn’t Lin Yue Senior Sister’s friend?”
“Martial Artists seek progress; with the chance to join the upper sect right in front of them, they won’t hold back. Moreover, the higher the ranking, the greater the benefits.”
Su Yan smiled: “Senior Sister thinks highly of me; I’m not yet at the Spirit Nurturing Realm.”
Only the Spirit Nurturing Realm had a chance to pass the first pass; below that, it was always lacking somewhat.
Bai Yun’s expression was calm as she stared into Su Yan’s eyes: “The Blood Moving Realm is just a transition, tempering the essence blood and nurturing the meridians throughout the body to foster that mouthful of true essence; there are no real passes in it. If there is one, it’s merely comprehending the phantom and inhaling spiritual energy to form essence. And this step, you have already achieved.”
Su Yan had not condensed a true intent phantom, but that wasn’t because he couldn’t; his cultivation was temporarily insufficient. He had condensed a blood qi phantom.
This meant his comprehension of the artistic conception was fully sufficient.
Su Yan knew his own situation; at his rate of accumulation, with enough pills and Insect Yuan to temper his foundation, he was confident of breaking through within one or two months.
“Thank you for your auspicious words, Senior Sister.”
The two had just reached the entrance of the Golden Ape Martial Arts School when someone came stumbling and crashing, throwing themselves in front of Su Yan.
“Yan Ge’er, hurry to Yun Qian Village; someone from the Little Mountain Association is coming to cause you trouble!”
This person’s expression was panicked, as if they had rushed over in a hurry. Su Yan vaguely remembered this person; they were indeed a mountain villager from Yun Qian Village making a living in the city.
“Get up and speak slowly.”
“No time for that; they might be heading to Xie Yuzhu’s house to use it against you.”
Su Yan’s expression was calm, but a playful glint flashed in his eyes as he said, “Senior Sister, help me report to the officials.”
The person’s expression froze obviously, not expecting Su Yan to be so cold-blooded, but they steeled themselves: “Yan Ge’er, the officials are all in the mountains catching the great bandit; they probably won’t make it in time. Come with me first.”
“Sure.”
Su Yan gave Bai Yun a look; she had already understood the situation: “I’ll report to the officials; Junior Brother, go ahead first.”
The two split up; the man named Zheng Hun led Su Yan quickly toward outside the city, afraid of being late.
Su Yan was unhurried, not to mention his cold-bloodedness; even if something happened to Yun Qian Village, he couldn’t show it on his face.
He wasn’t afraid of being schemed against, but Xie Yuzhu and the others were not.
Zheng Hun led him farther and farther; though heading toward Yun Qian Village, they reached a secluded spot.
After traveling one or two li, past a path and around some shrubs, several burly men suddenly jumped out from the forest beside them, all wearing martial uniforms and holding long sabers as guards.
Someone blocked Su Yan’s retreat, their faces fierce, looking at him like prey.
“So it’s you.”
In the middle of the crowd stood a sinister man with icy cold eyes fixed on Su Yan; one sleeve hung empty, clearly a severed arm.
“You caused my severed hand; do you think fleeing to the desolate mountains would help?”
Gu Hong’s eyes were filled with blood threads, making him look even more hysterical, with a crazed air beneath his sinister demeanor.
After the severed arm, the friends and subordinates in the Little Mountain Association who had once held him high had all changed faces.
A crippled waste with a broken arm was just waste.
He wanted revenge every moment, but even Gu Changfeng was merely a steward; at a time like this, it was impossible to move a Spirit Nurturing Realm Martial Artist like Li Jinshan.
But now, his opportunity had come.
What was Su Yan? Just a Muscle and Bone Realm Martial Artist; trash like that deserved to be killed.
Gu Hong had no idea of the changes in Su Yan’s current strength, and those who deliberately lured him here certainly wouldn’t tell him.
“Pathetically stupid.”
Su Yan just swept his gaze and knew it was a trap.
He looked at the three in the center: on Gu Hong’s left and right were two tall, sturdy burly men, silent but with exceptionally thick hands gripping their sabers.
They were Gu Changfeng’s sworn brothers, specially there to watch over Gu Hong and prevent accidents.
“Li Lie, Ma Hong, attack and kill that kid.”
Hearing Su Yan’s disdainful tone, Gu Hong couldn’t endure it, looking as if he wanted to tear Su Yan into ten thousand pieces.
“Young Master, this kid isn’t Muscle and Bone Realm; this might be a trap.”
Li Lie lowered his voice, his eyes flickering uncertainly, already sensing something wrong.
The one who brought the news said Su Yan was just Muscle and Bone Realm; for such a disciple, it was fine to let Gu Hong act willfully and ambush him.
But now, a Blood Moving Realm Martial Artist, and from the Golden Ape Martial Arts School at that.
“Brush”
While Gu Hong hesitated, the person behind Su Yan suddenly raised a saber and slashed down.
A fierce wind assaulted; Su Yan sensed the movement, shifted his body, and dodged the attack.
His hand grabbed smoothly, directly twisting the man’s arm; the sound of bone cracking accompanied by a scream rang out.
With his peripheral vision, he glanced over and said indifferently: “One hand.”
He smoothly seized the saber, swung it lightly, and saber light slashed across, severing the arm clean at the root.
Seeing this, someone grabbed their weapon and pounced to take down Su Yan.
The situation changed abruptly; a fight was unavoidable now.
Su Yan was utterly fearless, his eyes sharp as blades, his strikes like thunder.
Punching, hammering down, sweeping horizontally, elbow striking.
His attacks were extremely ruthless, without any hesitation; in mere moments, the Muscle and Bone Realm guards who attacked had their hands and feet broken.
Li Lie and Ma Hong saw this, their faces darkening: “Over the line.”
Both were Blood Moving Martial Artists in the Little Mountain Association; if not for being Gu Changfeng’s sworn subordinates, they would have long been blades in the front.
Seeing Su Yan act so wildly, they intended to teach him a lesson.
Blood qi surged around them like a bear, charging over; a saber sealed and slashed, aiming to sever Su Yan’s arm.
Su Yan’s expression unchanged, he stepped forward to meet it, his large hand grabbing like an iron hoop on the saber blade.
Li Lie’s face changed; Su Yan already thrust his elbow upward.
Li Lie tried to dodge, but Su Yan was faster and more ruthless; with a “hit,” the cracking sound was heard.
The massive Li Lie flew backward; Ma Hong, face grim, rushed to rescue.
Su Yan seized the saber and spun with a slash; this saber had no form but was exceptionally sharp, blood qi roiling and condensing atop it, like a bloodthirsty fierce ape pouncing from the forest.
Ma Hong raised his saber to block; Su Yan’s saber light flashed and cleaved down.
A clang rang out; Ma Hong’s arms shook numb, unable to grip his saber.
“I’ll leave you one hand.”
Su Yan’s saber came down; Ma Hong couldn’t avoid and had his arm severed.
Blood sprayed out, instantly staining the ground red.
Fear mixed with madness in Gu Hong’s heart as he actually pounced forward.
He couldn’t believe why that mountain trash could reach Blood Moving while he might never enter Spirit Nurturing in his life.
His mindset had long collapsed, stirred by someone like Yin Ruguang, and now he was utterly mad.
He gathered all his blood qi into his single arm, actually slashing out a stunning saber light, blood qi like a sharp blade stabbing toward Su Yan.
Facing such an attack, Su Yan remained completely composed.
He charged forward, his long saber like a long arrow, thrown out by him.
Likewise blood qi condensed, the formless blood qi refined like a White Bone Poison Centipede.
Though Gu Hong couldn’t see the form of the surging blood qi, he suddenly sensed the White Bone Poison Centipede that bit off his arm that day clinging to the long saber and assaulting him.
In an instant, he panicked.
A puff sounded; his saber light was broken, while Su Yan’s thrown long saber plunged straight at him, embedding in his left shoulder.
Saber and man together, nailed to the ground.
Su Yan swept his gaze over and sneered contemptuously: “No martial skill, no brains”
Su Yan turned to leave, suddenly spotting Zheng Hun hiding to the side.
Seeing Su Yan’s expression, he went limp all over, scared into wetting his pants, kowtowing nonstop.
“Yan Ge’er, I was forced; it’s not my fault, I didn’t dare defy a Martial Artist.”
“I know.”
Su Yan’s gaze was calm; Zheng Hun suddenly looked up: “Thank you, Yan Ge’er.”
Before the words finished, Su Yan pointed; thick strength surged into the man’s arm, instantly snapping the bone.
“Mistakes must be paid for.”
Finishing this, Su Yan strode away, leaving Gu Hong and the others in a mess.
Su Yan walked over a hundred meters when someone jumped down from a tree in the forest; it was none other than Bai Yun.
She held a fine steel longbow in hand, only putting it away when Su Yan arrived.
“Acting like this might play into certain people’s plans.”
Gu Hong had no brains and directly attacked him, but even Bai Yun saw it.
Someone was using Gu Hong as a knife, along with his father or the Little Mountain Association, to deal with Su Yan.
“When that fool Gu Hong acts, his father Gu Changfeng can’t escape.”
Su Yan sneered; as long as Gu Hong acted, was the conflict still up to him?
But fine, he’d see who was behind the mischief.
Bai Yun pondered; Su Yan seemed to have his own plans, so she didn’t need to worry.
But someone scheming against the Golden Ape Martial Arts School like this wouldn’t settle the account so easily.
The two returned to Yun Cang Town and split up to handle matters.
Su Yan returned to his room and took out the Blood Qi Arrow martial skill to comprehend.
“Gathering blood qi into arrows, special strength shot out to then explode with greater power? Blood qi, aura, enhancing archery power; this martial skill can even be used by Spirit Nurturing Realm, just condensing true essence atop it.”
Su Yan got the gist after a rough look, knowing the essence of this martial skill.
“One for archery, two for blood qi, three for spirit.”
He suddenly smiled: “Perfect; I’m probably even more suited than Senior Sister.”
With comprehension in mind, he took the fine steel longbow in hand, fingers plucking the bowstring, nocking a long arrow.
Blood qi flowed from his body, surging from his fingertips into the long arrow, turning into special force winding around it.
“Blood qi like centipede”
In an instant, the blood qi became like a White Bone Poison Centipede; he released, and the arrow embedded into the floor tile, only the trembling fletching left.
【Basic Archery: Transformation Realm】
【Blood Qi Arrow Technique: 31/200 (Minor Accomplishment）】
Archery attainment and experience fully integrated, becoming nourishment for the new martial skill, pushing the Blood Qi Arrow Technique to minor accomplishment right at beginner level.
With bow and arrow in hand, he could unleash even greater power.
“Just right; tonight, I’ll go out for a stroll.”
Su Yan’s eyes flickered with a cold smile; he was never one to take a loss without retaliation.
Tonight he’d see if it was the Seven Blades Martial Arts School, internal dealings in the Little Mountain Association, or someone else.
Dusk fell into night; Su Yan slipped out quietly, summoning the White Bone Poison Centipede at the same time.
Night was vast and dark; many streets were empty. Su Yan moved through the streets, the White Bone Poison Centipede like a hunting dog beside him, quickly leading him toward Gu Hong’s position.
From today’s contact, though Gu Hong wasn’t killed, his scent was quietly memorized by the White Bone Poison Centipede.
‘If I were the mastermind, this guy Gu Hong would have to be killed tonight, and die miserably.’
Su Yan eyed the sky; dark clouds veiled the moon, half-hidden; a fine pitch-black windy night.
To force Gu Changfeng’s hand, just killing his son would do.
With the son dead, as long as there was suspicion, he’d come knocking one by one.
Though the outside-the-city conflict was clumsy, once conflict arose, plus old grudges, who would Gu Changfeng seek first for revenge?
Su Yan hurried over and soon reached outside the Gu family large courtyard.
It was just entering night, quite quiet; Su Yan checked the surroundings.
Many grand households, no ordinary folk here.
His figure light and agile, he jumped onto a nearby rooftop, watching silently.
Gu family lights blazed, servants coming and going nonstop, sending the doctor out.
Gu Hong and his subordinates were all badly injured by Su Yan; tonight, the pain alone would keep them sleepless.
By late night, Su Yan’s eyes flickered subtly, showing a nuanced expression.
The person had come.
The person’s steps light and agile, figure fully concealed, only a tall black shadow vaguely visible.
He flipped over into Gu Hong’s home; soon, faint sounds came.
Su Yan was far away, but with archery at transformation realm and Blood Qi Arrow Technique at minor accomplishment, his senses were exceptionally sharp.
The sound was faint but clearly a neck snapping.
He watched closely as the black-clothed man slipped inside and began the slaughter.
Figure nimble like a phantom, punches sharp and ruthless, merciless.
Scattered guards were no match; only upon entering the inner courtyard was he barely discovered.
Li Lie and Ma Hong dragged their wounded bodies to block, clashing hands with the man.
Seemingly intentionally dragging it out, the man didn’t decisively end their lives.
After three or four exchanges, that fist technique was truly exquisite and brutal.
“So it’s you; one of our own, excellent.”
His Monkey Fist and Fierce Ape Three Forms had reached transformation realm; he recognized the origin from the man’s first move.
Such realm in Monkey Fist and Fierce Ape Three Forms wasn’t for ordinary disciples, and this guy didn’t seem Blood Moving.
“Ma Hong, take Young Master and go.”
Li Lie, less injured, wanted to hold off the black-clothed man.
“Too late.”
The black-clothed man’s eyes flashed; he reached out to grab, snapping his neck.
Ma Hong tried to flee but was hammered in the back with a fist, losing his life.
Gu Hong was in the room, about to seize the door to flee; upon exiting, he slashed at the black-clothed man to feint.
The black-clothed man’s combat experience was vast; he dodged the figure, then punched, shattering Gu Hong’s head.
“Now, Gu Changfeng should go mad.”
“Whoosh whoosh whoosh”
Three blood qi long arrows assaulted; the black-clothed man couldn’t dodge, aura surging as he swung fists to sweep the three arrows down.
Su Yan grinned: “So it’s you, Lu Ling.”
Aura leaked, easy to recognize.
Seeing the man identified, Su Yan drew bow for three more blood qi arrows, charging like a white ape straight at the face.
“Damn, someone else.”
