Chapter 16. The Four Deities Activated (6)

"Young Master! We've broken through the southwest gate! The fire there has been extinguished!"

"R-really?"

Shinmo looked at Yan Zhiping with a puzzled expression.

Yan Zhiping's face was strange. It seemed as if he was afraid of something, and also surprised.

"Young Master?"

"This isn't the time to stand around! Quickly evacuate the people!"

Yan Zhiping rushed forward.

"I'll bring the people from the Zhuge family!"

"Ah! Young Master! That side is dangerous! The enemy's leader...!"

"It's fine! My elder brother has taken care of it!"

Elder brother? Is he talking about the Eldest Master?

Shinmo turned his head to look outside the broken gate, his eyes filled with confusion.

At that moment, a loud explosion echoed.

Bang!

'Ah!'

After the intense collision, Ma Fang involuntarily stepped back.

'Painful?'

He looked at his hands.

His palms were swollen red. The hands that could split a log with a single strike, without using inner strength, were now trembling slightly.

Ma Fang looked at Yan Hozheng's iron rod.

A blue aura was rising from the tip of the rod like mist.

'Spear?!'

It looked more like a spear technique than a rod technique.

Although it appeared to be an iron rod, the move he just made was clearly a spear strike. It was a fierce technique that aimed to pierce the opponent's chest in one blow.

"You... "

"Draw it out."

"What?"

Yan Hozheng said coldly.

"Wasn't your practice of Yinhuahongliu blocked?"

"......!"

"I'll take it, so come on."

Ma Fang's eyes turned red.

The emotion of anger, which he had forgotten, gradually rose. It wasn't because the opponent was unexpectedly skilled, but because the opponent knew about Yinhuahongliu.

"How do you know?"

Bang!

Yan Hozheng charged forward like a bolt of lightning.

Though his speed wasn't extraordinary, the momentum of his attack was incredibly fierce. It was so fierce that it was difficult to avoid just from the pressure alone.

'He's like a wild beast.'

Bang!

The iron rod shot out, aiming directly for the neck.

Not the chest, but the neck. Aiming for a small target area like the neck indicated a high level of confidence in his precision.

Swoosh!

He deflected the iron rod's path with the twin daggers in his hands.

'Grr!'

A strong impact remained in his hands holding the daggers.

In terms of raw strength, the other person was clearly superior. It was hard to understand how such a slender body could produce such power.

After just three exchanges, Ma Fang finally realized that he couldn't win in this state.

'You...!'

Rustle.

It felt as if a crimson flame was rising from his dantian.

'If you want to see it so badly, I'll show you!'

Killer intent surged in Ma Fang's eyes.

Yan Hozheng's eyes flashed.

That was the problem.

Whether it was Yinhanbailiu or Yinhuahongliu, those who practiced Yin-style martial arts never revealed their killer intent. These techniques were designed for assassination.

Ma Fang was clearly not in his right mind. He didn't fear the presence of the Zhuge family's children and even thought of torturing and selling them.

Ma Fang was suffering from zhuhuirimao (a state of mental derangement caused by excessive practice of martial arts).

However, this was a great opportunity for Yan Hozheng.

"Son of a bitch!"

Bang!

Ma Fang's movements changed.

His previously stealthy and passive footwork suddenly became rough and aggressive. The poisoned daggers were discarded, and he now aimed for Yan Hozheng's head with his bare hands.

'He's coming.'

Bang!

A palm technique that tore through the air was quite fierce.

It was as fast and aggressive as the revealed killer intent. It was a fiery martial technique.

Bang! Bang!

A sound like a drum explosion echoed in the air.

When facing the Leihua Fangs, and even just now with Ma Fang, Yan Hozheng never stopped attacking. He seemed to be someone who didn't know how to defend or evade.

But not now.

He was thoroughly evading Ma Fang's fiery martial technique. His movements were choppy and unnatural, but he didn't allow a single hit to land.

'You?'

Ma Fang, who had been continuously attacking, was taken aback.

'Does he know the characteristics of Yinhuashen Zhang?'

Yinhuashen Zhang was a dark palm technique specialized in penetration. It wasn't a technique that relied on destructive power but one that penetrated and damaged the internal organs. Even if blocked, it could penetrate the defense and cause internal injuries.

It was difficult to deal with. The only way to counter it was to avoid or exploit any openings.

Ma Fang, increasing his inner strength, struck at Yan Hozheng's chest.

Swoosh! Bang!

Yan Hozheng's body spun, and he ended up behind Ma Fang.

Ma Fang's eyes wavered.

The strike aimed at his chest was a feint. Pretending to attack with Yinhuashen Zhang, he aimed at the midsection with his foot, but Yan Hozheng evaded that as well.

'He saw through it?'

Even his best move was evaded. It was an incredible evasion ability.

Yan Hozheng, without looking back, struck the iron rod.

Thud!

"Ugh!"

Ma Fang staggered.

His back felt as if it was about to split. If inner strength had been used, his ribs and shoulder blade would have shattered.

"Where did you steal this from? Why is it so clumsy?"

"......!"

"Try it properly."

Ma Fang's eyes burned with anger.

"I'll completely refine your insides."

Whoosh!

Yan Hozheng spun the iron rod. Holding it in the middle, it seemed to suck in the air.

Ma Fang's eyes sparked with rage.

Yan Hozheng's face was expressionless. He looked almost lazy, but no clear emotion was visible.

'Is he completely ignoring me?'

Facing the opponent without looking at him, Ma Fang felt his inner strength surge to the top of his head.

"Son of a bitch!"

Bang!

The speed was even faster than before.

The precision was gone, but it was much more threatening. The faint red light emanating from Ma Fang's hands gave an ominous feeling to those who saw it.

Suddenly, Yan Hozheng's eyes lit up.

'Fire Qi!'

The opponent was finally using his true strength.

Ma Fang's hand aimed at Yan Hozheng's face.

Crack!

The tree struck by Yinhuashen Zhang split in half from the middle. The broken surface was charred black.

'Impressive.'

Yan Hozheng, who had evaded skillfully, was satisfied with the opponent's level.

Ma Fang gritted his teeth, seeing Yan Hozheng's satisfied smile.

"You brat! I am the successor of Yinshen!"

Bang! Bang!

The air heated up.

The faint red glow gradually intensified, eventually forming a shape similar to flames.

'A little more.'

Bang! Bang! Bang! Rustle!

Small flames appeared in the air and then disappeared.

The more he used his martial technique, the more the fire qi increased, and the power grew. His speed also became faster.

Ma Fang's eyes were bloodshot. He clearly wasn't in his right mind. In contrast, Yan Hozheng's eyes were calm.

'More!'

"Die!!"

Whoosh!

Ma Fang's movements suddenly became larger.

A powerful aura extended as if he was about to launch his ultimate attack. The fire qi and killer intent reached their peak.

Yan Hozheng's eyes changed.

'Here!'

In an instant, Yan Hozheng, who was seven steps away, charged to Ma Fang's nose.

The startled Ma Fang struck with a palm.

Bang!

Yan Hozheng's left hand caught Ma Fang's right hand.

Joy surged in Ma Fang's face.

"Stupid brat! You're dead!"

Rumble!!

A strange resonance sound echoed from the hands that were clasped.

Ma Fang, who had a cruel smile, was suddenly confused.

'What?'

The palm force that should have instantly burned his blood vessels and internal organs through the opponent's hand didn't work.

Yan Hozheng still had an expressionless face, looking at him with transparent eyes. He seemed unaffected by the penetration force of Yinhuashen Zhang.

"......Huh?"

Ma Fang said with a bewildered face.

"What? Why are you still fine?"

At that moment.

A dark something shot up from Yan Hozheng's eyes, which had been faintly glowing blue.

It was darkness, but not ordinary darkness.

It was a blackness that gave a cool and soft feeling. The surging black aura seemed ready to burst out of his eyes and sweep away Ma Fang.

Sizzle!

Steam rose from the clasped hands.

Ma Fang's eyes widened.

'Fire qi?'

The aura of Yinhuahongliu was being absorbed into this young man's palm.

It flowed naturally, like water from a high place to a low place. It seemed as if it was returning to its original place, and Ma Fang's fire qi was rapidly flowing to Yan Hozheng.

'Ah!'

Ma Fang's body trembled.

Yan Hozheng exhaled.

"Huuu."

The exhaled breath was thick with moisture.

'Good, I've drawn it out.'

Like the legend of the four sides besieging Xiang Yu, the fire wall surrounding Choucheng Tower was emitting fire qi that put him in a difficult situation.

But it wasn't enough.

The Four Deity Martial Arts were clearly human martial arts that activated when receiving the enemy's intent to kill and fighting spirit. If the realm was deep, it might be different, but the entry level itself was based on a life-or-death battlefield.

To make it smoother, to make it more certain.

While facing an enemy emitting fire qi and killer intent, Yan Hozheng finally awakened the legend of the Four Deities sealed in his soul.

Yan Hozheng swung the iron rod in his right hand.

Whoosh! Bang!

"Ugh!"

Ma Fang groaned and fell forward.

It felt like being hit by an incredibly thick whip. The pain in his left clavicle made it hard to regain his senses.

Thud!

Yan Hozheng, who had planted the iron rod on the ground, took a deep breath.

Rustle!

The fire, which had been suppressed, suddenly leaned towards Yan Hozheng.

'Come.'

Stimulated by Ma Fang's fire qi, the secret technique of the Four Deities finally revealed itself, drawing out an even stronger flame and amplifying the water qi.

The amplified water qi enveloped his body, making it more flexible. The meridians heated by the Yinhuashen Zhang technique quickly returned to their original state.

Whoosh!

The wind blew.

The water qi emitted by Yan Hozheng, meeting the wind, formed a semi-transparent shape of a divine beast. The divine beast had the head of a snake and the body of a turtle, a strange form.

The water deity of Ji Hai, the ruler of the north.

The Black Tortoise of the Four Deity Martial Arts revealed itself.

Sizzle!!

The surging water qi circled the entire iron rod.

Ma Fang, spitting blood, let out a scream.

"Aaa! You son of a bitch! What did you do to my inner strength!!"

Ma Fang, with a blood-covered face, swung his fist. Though his remaining inner strength was minimal, the destructive power was sufficient.

At that moment, Yan Hozheng spun the iron rod.

Bang!

Ma Fang, who attacked, was thrown back at an incredible speed, rolling on the ground.

His body, which rolled on the ground, twitched. His right arm, which he had swung, was grotesquely broken.

It was an overwhelming counterforce.

Whoosh!

A faint barrier formed in front of the iron rod, which was returning to its original shape.

It was the Black Tortoise's technique. A secret technique of absolute defense that could block even cannons and siege weapons when at its peak.

"Thank you. Thanks to you, I could draw it out faster than expected."

Having passed the entry level of the Four Deity Martial Arts, it was only a matter of time before he could summon the other three deities.

The legendary Four Deity Martial Arts of the ancient martial world, which had never been defeated in a thousand years, was an invincible martial art.

Once awakened, Ma Fang's level of martial arts was not enough to even touch Yan Hozheng's collar. Even with just one of the Four Deities awakened, he could block most attacks.

Yan Hozheng lifted Ma Fang by the collar.

"Since you helped me save time, I should give you some form of thanks, right?"

"Cough!"

"From what I can see, you seem to like fire. At least let your last moments be in the fire."

Ma Fang's eyes widened, losing strength.

"A, ah... no..."

Thud!

The front teeth, hit by the iron rod, were all broken.

In front of everyone, Yan Hozheng walked with Ma Fang towards the burning flames.

The faces of the people showed disbelief. Among them were Yan Zhiping, Shinmo, and the Zhuge siblings.

Yan Hozheng grabbed Ma Fang's neck and lifted him high.

"Next time, if you're reborn, play with fire alone."

"Grumble!"

Yan Hozheng threw Ma Fang towards the fire demon.

Rustle!

The fierce flames engulfed Ma Fang. With severe internal and external injuries, Ma Fang couldn't escape from the flames.

A chilling scream echoed throughout Choucheng Tower.

Seeing a person burn alive, the crowd shuddered in horror.

After a while.

The flames of Choucheng Tower were extinguished.