blueteamnovel Chapter 92 Rewards
Chapter 92 Rewards
Chapter 91 Fierce Battle
A sudden clash of wind and thunder!
Liang Cheng's strike was faster than anyone could have imagined.
The Wind and Thunder Slash, at the Lesser Completion stage, now unleashed power far exceeding that of other cultivators of the same level, thanks to Liang Cheng's perfect Dao foundation.
Before the blade even arrived, the sharp wind of the blade had already torn a gap in the bloody light of the altar, slashing straight at the face of the gray-robed guardian.
"Arrogant!"
The gray-robed protector let out a fierce shout, but dared not take the blow head-on. He slid backward, and at the same time, the two mysterious black-robed masked men on his left and right sides finally moved.
However, this movement seemed rather strange. The two moved in perfect sync, like puppets on strings, without any trace of human life.
Immediately afterwards, four hands covered in black scales reached out at the same time, with dark red blood light condensing in the palms, transforming into four solid, blood-red claw shadows that attacked from the left and right sides, directly blocking Liang Cheng's blade path and aiming straight for his vital ribs.
Before the claw shadow even arrived, the chilling, bone-corroding aura of blood rushed towards him. Liang Cheng's sword stance remained unchanged, but his left hand shot out with lightning speed, his five fingers forming a fist, a pale golden light flashing across his fist.
Raging Bull Force - Mountain Collapse!
"Bang!"
Two muffled thuds exploded almost simultaneously!
The claw shadow of the mysterious masked man on the left was shattered by the force of the fist. The black-robed masked man staggered backward, and several pieces of the black scales on his arm were actually shattered, oozing dark red viscous liquid.
But at the same time, the mysterious masked man's claws on the right side firmly gripped Liang Cheng's ribs. The gray-robed protector's eyes lit up when he saw this.
"Sneer"
The next moment, a piercing scraping sound rang out, like metal scraping.
Liang Cheng's robes were torn, but the exposed skin shimmered with a warm, pale golden luster. When the blood claws scratched at it, they left only four shallow white marks, unable to penetrate any further.
If Liang Cheng hadn't reached the pinnacle of the Golden Armor Realm, rendering him immune to claw strikes, an ordinary True Qi Realm martial artist would likely have already been invaded by the Blood-Eroding Force, suffering injuries that would be difficult to heal.
In that very instant!
Liang Cheng's right hand, having already exhausted its momentum, suddenly changed from a slash to a sweep, the blade drawing a strange arc as it swept upwards diagonally towards the neck of the black-robed, masked man on the right!
Wind and Thunder Slash - Thunderous Return!
"puff!"
The blade pierced flesh, but it wasn't the sound of blood and flesh being cut as one might imagine; instead, it was as dull and muffled as if it were cutting into rotten leather.
A head covered in a demonic mask flew up, and what gushed out of its neck cavity was not blood, but a dark red liquid with a pungent, fishy smell!
The gray-robed protector's pupils constricted sharply: "The blood puppet couldn't even withstand one of his strikes?!"
These blood puppets are made by using secret techniques to create the bodies of martial artists, incorporating blood demon crystals and demon beast materials. Their bodies are far tougher than those of the same level, they feel no pain, and they are not afraid of death. Each one is comparable to the combat power of the early stage of the True Qi Realm!
He was actually beheaded by Liang Cheng with a single blow?
Liang Cheng's sword strikes continued unabated. Taking advantage of the momentum from slaying one blood puppet, he spun around, his blade leaving a pale blue afterimage as it swept towards another blood puppet that had been knocked back, like a whirlwind!
But the next moment, the headless puppet was unaffected and continued to attack. Liang Cheng's pupils widened in shock. It was so strange that he temporarily sheathed his sword and returned to defense.
The gray-robed protector disregarded his status and used both hands simultaneously, his ten fingers bent like hooks. His gray-black true energy was filled with blood vessels, condensing into ten sharp energy energies, which grabbed at Liang Cheng's back from a distance!
Blood-Eating Claws - Ten Fingers Chasing Souls!
Liang Cheng seemed to have eyes on the back of his head. His swimming steps flowed naturally, and his figure was like a willow catkin in the wind. In the blink of an eye, he drifted three feet to the left. Ten blood-corroding claws grazed his right shoulder and carved ten deep grooves into the rock wall behind him. The rock hissed and crackled, and even emitted wisps of green smoke from the corrosion.
Liang Cheng's blade had already reached the headless blood puppet, cleaving it in two. Let's see if it can stand up again.
The headless blood puppet had just regained its footing when it faced the unavoidable slash. Instead of dodging, it crossed its arms to block the attack, and at the same time opened its mouth, sending a foul-smelling jet of blood spurting into Liang Cheng's face!
Trade wounds for wounds!
Liang Cheng's eyes were icy cold. He neither dodged nor yielded, and his blade slashed down fiercely!
"Clang—Click!"
A piercing sound of impact and the cracking of bones rang out simultaneously. The black scales on the blood puppet's arms were completely shattered, and most of the bones in its forearms were severed by the blade.
As for that blood arrow, Liang Cheng pushed the Dragon Step to its limit, turned around and barely dodged the attack. Taking advantage of the situation, Liang Cheng did not let up. With a flick of his wrist, the blade slashed up the blood puppet's broken arm and went straight for its jaw.
Just then, the gray-robed protector pounced forward, his claws creating a whirlwind of blood as he disregarded his own defense, each move aimed directly at Liang Cheng's vital points, forcing him to retreat and defend.
Another blood puppet silently reached out its claws and grabbed at Liang Cheng's side.
Liang Cheng fought against three opponents, pushing his Dragon Step to its limit, maneuvering and dodging in the confined space, his blades and claws flashing in a chaotic display.
He skillfully evaded the sharp edges, yet the blade always managed to inflict another wound on the already severely injured blood puppet in the gaps between attacks.
He is waiting.
After several rounds of fighting, Liang Cheng had already noticed something: every time the gray-robed protector fully activated the Blood-Eating Claw, his breathing would momentarily become sluggish!
Finally, he seized the moment when his opponent had once again unleashed their full power, their old strength exhausted and their new strength yet to arise, and he unleashed his full power, causing wind and thunder to roar.
The headless blood puppet was cleaved in two from its chest and abdomen, flying backward and crashing into the Blood Fiend Array cultists, falling to the ground like dominoes.
The remains of the blood puppet crashed into three black banners, leaving three corners missing. The formation immediately became disordered, and the blood light on the altar dimmed slightly.
"Now!"
Liang Cheng's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and the nine true qi seeds in his body trembled at the same time. The true qi of the Broken Wave Technique erupted like a mountain torrent, and the pale blue light on the Zhengxian Blade shone brightly. The sound of wind and thunder suddenly intensified!
He ignored the gray-robed protector and the other broken blood puppet, and suddenly leaped up, rushing straight towards the altar. His sword light was like a waterfall, pouring down, aiming directly at the blood flowing in the grooves along the edge of the altar and the nine black banners!
"You dare!"
The gray-robed protector, his eyes blazing with fury, mustered all his strength to claw at Liang Cheng's back, attempting a diversionary tactic.
Liang Cheng didn't even turn around; instead, the pale golden light behind him suddenly intensified by three times!
"clang--!"
The Blood-Eating Claw struck Liang Cheng's back, producing a metallic clang. Liang Cheng swayed slightly, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, but his forward momentum only increased!
Having reached the pinnacle of the Golden Armor Realm, he withstood the attack and used the force to propel himself forward!
"cut!"
With a roar, a flash of blades swept across the altar!
"Puff puff puff puff—!"
The six black banners snapped in two!
The grooves along the edge of the altar were torn apart by the blade's energy, and blood splattered everywhere!
Blood Fiend Formation, broken!
The mountain of blood marrow jade ore in the center of the altar trembled violently, its surface blood vessels twisting wildly, becoming violent and unstable.
The blood-red light stopped converging and instead began to shoot out erratically in all directions!
"No--!"
The gray-robed protector let out a desperate roar. The Blood Fiend Array had been broken, the blood sacrifice had been interrupted, and these incompletely formed Blood Marrow Jade Seeds had lost control; the raging blood energy within them could explode at any moment!
Liang Cheng landed, stood with his knife in hand, his chest rising and falling slightly.
He withstood the full force of the gray-robed protector's attack. Even with his Golden Armor Realm strength, he was still somewhat shaken. However, his gaze was cold as he locked onto the gray-robed protector.
"Now, it's time to settle our score."
Dongshan Mine, Garrison.
Wu Zhenshan sat in the chair, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the armrest, his gaze occasionally glancing at the sky outside the window.
Zhou Jin sat opposite him, slowly sipping her tea, and suddenly spoke up: "Treasurer Wu seems a little unsettled?"
Wu Zhenshan's heart skipped a beat, but he didn't refute it. Instead, he said, "I'm sorry to have troubled you, Steward Zhou. Garrison Commander Liang went into the mountains to pursue the bandits, but we haven't received a single message back. The mountains are dangerous, and the bandits are ruthless. I'm truly worried."
-
Zhou Jin put down his teacup and said gently, "Although Treasurer Wu and Garrison Commander Liang had some misunderstandings before, their concern for each other at this moment shows their great understanding and sense of righteousness. If the city lord knew, he would surely be gratified."
Wu Zhenshan smiled wryly and said, "Deacon Zhou is too kind. I was deceived before, and now I feel ashamed. I only hope that Garrison Commander Liang can return safely and capture the murderer. Only then can I put my mind at ease."
His words were sincere and earnest. Zhou Jin's gaze flickered slightly, revealing no emotion, and he suddenly asked, "Speaking of which, did Treasurer Wu discover anything during his inspection of the mines today?"
Wu Zhenshan's heart tightened, but his face remained calm: "Alas, the miners are mostly terrified, saying that the recent disappearances are too strange."
Mr. Wu tried to calm things down and increased patrols a bit, but the mine seemed quieter than usual, and even the Lin family members seemed to be rarely seen.
Zhou Jin nodded: "With one accident after another at the mine, it's understandable that morale is low. By the way, has Treasurer Wu seen Patriarch Lin? He's still recovering from his injuries, so we shouldn't disturb him further during this turmoil."
Wu Zhenshan shook his head. "I haven't seen him. He must be resting quietly at home. I've already given orders not to let anyone disturb the Lin family."
The two chatted for a while longer, mostly about trivial matters in the mine. Wu Zhenshan tried to leave several times, but Zhou Jin always managed to bring up a new topic at just the right moment.
Time slipped away little by little during this seemingly peaceful conversation.
Wu Zhenshan grew increasingly anxious.
Judging by the time, the blood sacrifice should have already begun, or even be nearing its end.
Is Zhou Jin, that old fox, deliberately stalling me while seemingly chatting casually?
He glanced at Zhou Jin's gentle and calm face, and the unease in his heart gradually grew.
Altar grotto.
The Blood Fiend Array shattered, and the blood-red light became chaotic.
The gray-robed protector stared intently at Liang Cheng, his eyes bloodshot, filled with madness and resentment. He slowly raised his hand and tore off the veil covering his face, revealing a pale, thin face covered with dark red lines.
"Liang Cheng, you have ruined the great cause of my Holy Sect and severed my path to enlightenment. Today, even if it means my soul and body are destroyed, I will drag you down with me!"
He suddenly bit his tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto his chest.
The essence blood seemed to be alive, rapidly seeping into his skin and merging with the dark red patterns on his body. An aura several times more violent than before suddenly erupted from his body!
The blood vessels under his skin bulged out, wriggling like earthworms, and his eyes turned completely blood red. He was burning his life force to forcibly enhance his power!
"Attack him together! Kill him!"
The gray-robed protector roared hoarsely and charged forward first, much stronger than before. Another blood puppet also charged forward fearlessly once again.
Liang Cheng took a deep breath, suppressing the churning blood in his chest.
He gripped the Blade of Struggle, the blade trembling slightly, the true energy of the Broken Wave Technique surging within his body, and the nine true energy seeds in his dantian shining brightly.
A pale blue aura of true energy emanated from his body, forming a hazy halo around him. As the halo swirled, one could faintly hear the sound of surging waves.
Faced with the two figures rushing towards him, Liang Cheng did not retreat but advanced, taking a step forward.
The rocks beneath their feet shattered.
The sword was raised, its pale blue light condensed into a tangible form, no longer accompanied by the phantoms of wind and thunder, but only a blade of light that was extremely fast.
This strike seemed to cleave through the air, through the blood and light, and through all obstacles in its path.
The swordsmanship is fierce!
People fight for a single line, and knives fight for the first opportunity!
The gray-robed protector's sinister grin froze in the blade's edge. The power he had gained by burning his very essence seemed utterly pale before this blade that seemed capable of severing everything.
He unleashed his Blood-Eating Claw Shadow with all his might. The blade light and the Blood-Eating Claw Force collided and remained locked in a stalemate for a moment. In the end, Liang Cheng's more refined true energy foundation crushed the opponent's defense, and the claw shadow shattered like a bubble.
The blade flashed past.
The world fell silent for a moment.
The gray-robed protector's forward-charging figure suddenly stopped, a thin line of blood spreading down from between his eyebrows.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but the frenzied bloodlust in his eyes quickly faded, leaving only an empty, lifeless gray.
"Thump."
The corpse fell heavily to the ground.
The blood puppet, which had been halfway to its final attack, froze in place like a puppet without its strings, before collapsing with a crash, turning into a pile of broken bones and foul-smelling liquid.
Liang Cheng did not stop, but suppressed the surging within him and killed the remaining Zoroastrian followers with a single strike.
Only after all the followers had fallen to the ground did he stand with his knife, slowly exhaling a breath of turbid air, as the pale blue aura around him gradually subsided.
Liang Cheng turned to look at the people on the verge of death below the altar. Lin Yue was unconscious, but hope was rekindled in the eyes of the Lin family members and the miners.
He swung his knife and cut the ropes.
"Take Patriarch Lin out first."
Lin Chong, having reached the pinnacle of his internal energy cultivation, was now free. Although somewhat weak, he could move freely.
"Thank you, Garrison Commander Liang!"
As he spoke, he carried Lin Yue on his back and directed the Lin family members and miners to help each other as they staggered out of the mine.
Liang Cheng finally relaxed and prepared to search the corpse. Just then, the pile of blood marrow jade stones in the center of the altar, which had lost control and were running rampant with blood energy, suddenly lit up with a dazzling blood light!
A destructive energy surge is rapidly accumulating within it!
Although the gray-robed protector died, his final act of burning his source energy seemed to have completely detonated these unstable energy crystals!
Liang Cheng's expression changed, and he retreated rapidly.
But it was too late.
A devastating shockwave erupted!
The entire grotto began to tremble violently!
A violent burst of blood-red light instantly engulfed everything.
At the moment of the energy burst, Liang Cheng held the Struggle Blade horizontally in front of him, and activated the Golden Armor Realm technique within his body to its limit, causing a pale golden protective shield to solidify and appear.
"boom-!!!"
The violent energy of blood and qi, mixed with rubble, crashed in, causing the light shield to vibrate violently and emit a humming sound as if it could not bear the weight.
Liang Cheng felt a tremendous force slam into his chest, a sweet taste in his throat, and blood welled up, which he swallowed back down. A stinging pain, like needles, shot through his skin as the blood energy began to erode him.
Each impact made the light shield more condensed, and each erosion made the pale golden luster deeper and more profound.
Deep within his consciousness, several lines of small characters kept changing, and his Golden Armor Realm continued to improve. Only then did he not give up and retreat, but instead chose to continue to endure.
[Stone Armor Technique (Golden Armor): Perfection]
After an unknown amount of time, under the repeated scouring and pressure of the violent blood energy, the barrier of the Golden Armor Realm finally broke through with a bang.
The pale golden radiance on his body surface was now completely contained, his skin was as smooth as jade, yet indestructible, and metallic texture flowed under his skin, his defense and physical strength surged once again!
This Stone Armor Skill, a hard martial art, has now reached its final, perfect state!
However, the aftershocks of the altar explosion had not yet ended. Although they were less than the accumulated energy of a Golden Armor Realm Perfection cultivator, they were still surging wildly into his body.
These energies were chaotic and powerful enough to overwhelm an ordinary True Qi Realm martial artist. Liang Cheng groaned, and blood seeped from his seven orifices.
He dared not slacken in the slightest, resisting with all his might in the Golden Armor Realm, while simultaneously circulating the second level of the "Broken Wave Technique" within his body.
The nine true qi seeds were like nine small whirlpools, forced to frantically devour the raging blood and qi surging into the body. The true qi flowed faster and faster in the meridians, almost making a rumbling sound like the tide.
The cultivation level, which originally required a slow and steady process to increase, is now improving at an astonishing speed.
[The Second Level of the Broken Wave Technique: Beginner (1047/2000)]
[Second Level of the Breaking Wave Technique: Minor Success (1/6000)]
[Second Level of the Breaking Wave Technique: Minor Success (2999/6000)]
As the last wisp of violent blood energy was refined and absorbed, the surging true energy within Liang Cheng's body gradually calmed down. The nine true energy seeds grew larger than before, their light became more solid, and the total amount of true energy increased to a new level.
The second level of the Broken Wave Technique has reached the minor completion stage, with nearly half the progress. However, due to the violent energy erosion, many parts of the meridians have been damaged. Although the true energy has greatly increased, it will take at least half a month to nurture and stabilize the realm.
He slowly opened his eyes, a faint blue tidal wave-like image flashing in them, his aura thick and deep.
Smoke and dust filled the grotto, the altar had completely collapsed, and the original Blood Jade stone had been reduced to dust, mixed with the rubble.
The corpses of the gray-robed protector and his men had long since turned to ashes. Liang Cheng coughed up a breath of foul air mixed with blood. Although he had benefited from the misfortune and his cultivation had improved, he was still injured from the shockwave of the explosion.
He looked at the half-collapsed mine entrance and breathed a sigh of relief. If he hadn't withstood most of the violent energy impact, he probably would have been buried underneath.
At that moment, hurried footsteps came from outside the mine tunnel. Wu Zhenshan rushed in first, followed by Zhou Jin and a large number of soldiers from the Armed Forces Hall.
Seeing the mess inside the grotto, Wu Zhenshan's face was filled with shock.
"Zhou Shou, what are you doing here? What's going on?"
Liang Cheng nodded. "Let's go back first, and I'll explain to you later."
Zhou Jin nodded and arranged for people to clean up the battlefield. She then quickly helped Liang Cheng out, with Wu Zhenshan following behind. Feeling the shock of Liang Cheng's aura, Wu Zhenshan felt his heart bleed. His hands clenched so tightly in his sleeves that his knuckles turned white, but his smile became even more sincere.
Eight years of planning, countless efforts, and just when all was about to be reaped, everything was destroyed in one fell swoop. What's even more hateful is that Liang Cheng not only didn't die, but seemed to have benefited from the disaster and made great progress in his cultivation.
Once back at the garrison, Liang Cheng had recovered somewhat and recounted the events of the night in detail, without concealing anything except for his significant improvement in cultivation.
After listening, Wu Zhenshan's smile grew even brighter, and with lingering fear, he offered his praise.
"Heaven bless Linwu City! If it weren't for Garrison Commander Liang's foresight and timely return, the consequences would have been unimaginable. This is an immense achievement, Steward Zhou, we both witnessed it with our own eyes!"
Zhou Jin's expression was solemn as he solemnly cupped his hands in greeting: "Guardian Liang turned the tide, saved the lives of hundreds, and thwarted the cult's blood sacrifice. I admire him greatly. The City Lord's Mansion will surely reward him handsomely for this."
Liang Cheng remained extremely calm: "I am the garrison commander of Dongshan Mine. This is my duty, and there is no need to say more. It's just a pity that before I could search him, the altar erupted, leaving no evidence."
Upon hearing this, Wu Zhenshan felt somewhat relieved and immediately followed up on the conversation: "The heretics are cruel and insane, and their deaths are not a pity. It's just a pity for these deceived miners and the Lin family members. If they hadn't reported the incident to the town police station immediately, we wouldn't have known that such a big thing had happened in the mine."
As he spoke, Wu Zhenshan looked at the Lin family members who were being helped up, shook his head and sighed, his face full of heartache. Lin Chong's eyes were red as he looked at his unconscious father and the dead and injured members of his clan, his teeth grinding together.
Zhou Jin walked to Lin Yue's side, squatted down and examined him carefully for a moment, then stood up and said to Lin Chong, "Young Master Lin, your father's injuries are extremely serious. His meridians are damaged, and his dantian and qi sea are also showing signs of shrinkage. Even if he wakes up, I'm afraid his cultivation will be in jeopardy."
Lin Chong trembled, his eyes filled with despair.
Liang Cheng remained silent.
He could save the Lin family, but he couldn't restore Lin Yue's crippled cultivation.
Having suffered this calamity, the Lin family has lost all its high-end combat power. In the Dongshan Mine, surrounded by tigers and wolves, they probably have no foothold.
Zhou Jin patted Lin Chong on the shoulder and said in a gentle tone, "Young Master Lin, this place is already a dangerous place and not a place for quiet recuperation. In my opinion, it would be better to take your father and clan to Linwu City for the time being. The city lord is kind and will surely make proper arrangements for them."
At this point, Zhou Jin paused, "As for the Lin family's share in the Dongshan Mine—"
"Now the Lin family is probably unable to manage it. Rather than keeping it in our hands and attracting covetous eyes, it would be better to sell it and exchange it for a stable foundation in the city, so that our clansmen can have a place to live, and your father can recuperate in peace."
Lin Chong was stunned when he heard this. He understood what Zhou Jin meant: the Lin family would withdraw from Dongshan Mine, hand over their share, and in exchange for the protection of the City Lord's Mansion in Linwu City, so they could live out their days in peace.
This is a blatant takeover by the City Lord's Mansion, but it is also the only way out that the Lin family can choose at present.
reject?
How can the Lin family, now in its dire state, possibly preserve its family business?
It will probably be devoured by other forces in just a few days.
His face turned pale, and he couldn't help but look at Liang Cheng.
Liang Cheng met his gaze but did not express his opinion. He understood that Zhou Jin represented not only his personal opinion but also the attitude of the City Lord's Mansion.
This is both an open strategy and a transaction.
If the City Lord's Mansion wants to increase its control over the Dongshan Mine, it needs to eliminate the Lin family, a local power that has become too powerful to control. This is the perfect opportunity.
Giving the Lin family a way out and some compensation demonstrates benevolence and avoids the infamous practice of discarding a loyal servant after the fact.
"Manipulating people's hearts is nothing more than this."
Liang Cheng sighed inwardly.
The City Lord's Mansion gained both tangible benefits and a good reputation through this move, while also keeping the potentially resentful Lin family under its watchful eye.
However, the Lin family had no choice but to accept this outcome; strength is the foundation of everything.
The city lord's mansion's calculations were truly brilliant.
Liang Cheng even suspected that his appointment as the garrison commander of Dongshan Mine might have been part of a scheme all along.
Seeing that Liang Cheng made no response, Lin Chong's last bit of struggle dissipated. At least his family was still alive, which was a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.
He gave a bitter smile and bowed to Zhou Jin: "Everything is up to Steward Zhou to arrange. I only ask that the City Lord's Mansion give my Lin family a way out."
Zhou Jin said gently, "Young Master Lin, rest assured, the Lin family is so righteous, the city lord will not treat you poorly. There is a three-courtyard house in the west of Linwu City, with a quiet environment, which is most suitable for recuperation."
Wu Zhenshan watched coldly from the sidelines, sneering inwardly, "Shen Jun, Shen Jun, you always have such a beautiful way of eating."
However, it's all for the best. Eliminating the threat from the Lin family has saved him some trouble.
However, it seems that the majority of the profits from the Dongshan Mine will be firmly in the hands of the City Lord's Mansion.
Everything has settled down.
After the soldiers of the Armory Hall cleaned up the scene, nothing was left except for some blood marrow jade debris left from the explosion.
Faced with such a momentous event, Wu Zhenshan and Zhou Jin could no longer remain still. They led a large contingent of men to escort the remnants of the Lin family away from the mining area.
Before leaving, Wu Zhenshan earnestly instructed Liang Cheng to take good care of his injuries, and made it clear that he would report his great achievements to the emperor and would never mistreat a meritorious official.
Liang Cheng stood at the entrance of the garrison, watching the departing crowd.
The Lin family of Dongshan Mining Village no longer exists.