Chapter 53

Under the bright and clear moonlight, Zhang Yan felt the "Moonheart Jade" on his chest tremble gently, sensing his qi circulation speed almost double. He thought to himself, "This is heaven's assistance!"

"When the heavens unleash killing intent, the stars shift; when the earth unleashes killing intent, dragons and snakes rise; when humans unleash killing intent, the heavens and earth turn upside down!" Standing by the railing, he stroked the Ruyi Divine Dart in his hand, flicked his finger, and it emitted a "ding" sound. His eyes shot out a cold, electric-like light, and he said, "Today, you shall drink your fill of blood."

Three Daohai Warriors guarding the hallway entrance stared at him intently but couldn't hear what he was saying. Suddenly, Zhang Yan turned to them, waved his sleeve, and a green light rushed toward them. In a swirl, before they could react, their heads fell off. The green light circled in the air again, shattering their yuanling, and then flew to another hallway entrance. When it returned to his hand, the other side was also silent.

Zhang Yan adjusted his sleeve and walked slowly to the side room.

These were the residences of the alchemists, but all eleven were former confidants of Dou Ming.

After opening their meridians, alchemists needed to practice the "Three Apertures Technique" for several decades, leaving them without any qi. They were all still asleep, making them easy targets. Zhang Yan broke open the doors, killed one with a finger point, and then scattered their yuanling with a palm strike.

When he reached the last room, he pushed the door open to see a man suddenly leap up from the bed, sword in hand, and stab at him. Zhang Yan coldly snorted, and a white mist shot from his nose, hitting the man's face. The man let out a cry as if struck by a hammer, flew back, and fell onto the bed behind him.

Zhang Yan took a few steps forward and looked down. His eyes could see in the dark as clearly as in daylight. Even without a candle, he recognized the man as Dou Ming. Dou Ming, covering his bleeding eyes, retreated and shouted, "Zhang Yan, you still need us to refine elixirs for your journey to the Water Kingdom. I, I am still useful to you..."

Zhang Yan sighed and said, "The harm outweighs the use." He stepped forward, slapped Dou Ming to death, and then blew to scatter his yuanling.

Leaving the room, he slowly walked to the fifth floor.

He sensed a complex qi presence below, as if there were over twenty people. It seemed some had already noticed the commotion upstairs. A Daohai Warrior hurried up the stairs but felt his path blocked. He looked up to see a figure standing in front of him and exclaimed, "You..."

Zhang Yan exhaled a breath, and with a "pu" sound, a hole appeared in the man's forehead. He then kicked the man's chest, and the body rolled down the stairs.

There was a commotion below.

"Who is it?"

"Boss Ding is dead!"

"Zhao Er, quickly sound the alarm!"

"What is that? Oh no!"

On the fifth floor, there were twenty-three Fanjiang Warriors, slightly weaker than the Daohai Warriors. They were unaware of the plan to eliminate Zhang Yan. Seeing the green light slice through the air and sever the alarm ropes, and with their leader already dead, they fell into chaos.

Seeing Zhang Yan walk down slowly, they were stunned, their faces showing confusion. Some thought this cultivator was just venting his anger on Boss Ding and had killed him casually.

Zhang Yan ignored them, waved his hand, and the Ruyi Divine Dart circled the room. By the time he reached the sixth floor, the fifth floor was littered with severed heads, and their yuanling had been erased.

On the sixth floor, a cultivator who had been sitting on a mat suddenly opened his eyes and stood in front of Zhang Yan.

This cultivator was a Second Stage Mingqi cultivator, but he didn't rush to attack. Instead, he said, "Zhang Yan? I've heard Lord Feng speak of you repeatedly. Today, I want to see what you're made of."

Zhang Yan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Feng Ji? Where is he?"

"Feng Junior Brother is downstairs, but do you have the life to reach him?" The cultivator coldly laughed. "I've practiced for twenty-three years and have mastered the Water-Wood Profound Art, with twenty-four clear and turbid qi in my chest, far surpassing the sixteen of ordinary people. You are no match for me. I advise you to surrender!"

With two swift movements, two First Stage Mingqi cultivators appeared on either side of him. The cultivator's heart steadied. In fact, he had been nervous, as Zhang Yan had killed so many Daohai Warriors on the fifth floor. So he tried to intimidate him to buy time for his companions, and it worked.

The more qi one had, the more spells they could cast, making them stronger on paper. But he only had sixteen clear and turbid qi, not twenty-four!

Zhang Yan said calmly, "Good, you're all here."

"Kill!"

The two First Stage Mingqi disciples, who hadn't learned any spells, relied on their flying swords. They shouted and slashed at Zhang Yan together.

The Second Stage Mingqi cultivator stepped back, and sixteen clear and turbid qi shot from his mouth and nose, swirling in the air, emitting a yellow light, forming a spell. Suddenly, a green light flashed in front of him. With two "cha" sounds, two heads fell to the ground, and the two flying swords lost their spirit, deflected by Zhang Yan's hand.

Seeing the sixteen clear and turbid qi about to form a spell, Zhang Yan's lips curled into a mocking smile. He threw the Proclamation Pen, which spun in the air, sweeping away all the qi. The cultivator's body trembled, and before he could react, the Proclamation Pen pecked his forehead, erasing his yuanling and essence blood, leaving only an empty shell lying straight.

Zhang Yan suddenly sensed something and glanced at the corner of the hallway. A cultivator had just come up from the seventh floor. Seeing Zhang Yan kill three Mingqi cultivators like chickens, he was terrified and fled down the stairs.

Zhang Yan walked slowly to the last floor.

He saw Feng Ji surrounded by five First Stage Mingqi cultivators. Feng Ji held a jade pot, drank the last of the wine, threw it away, and then put his hands behind his back, shaking his head and sighing, "Zhang Yan, you're too impatient. Your time will come tomorrow."

He turned away and waved his hand, saying, "Kill him."

As their magical weapons and flying swords rose, the ceiling darkened. Looking up, they saw a "thunder" sound as a large inkstone fell, shaking the entire seventh floor. When they looked again, including Feng Ji, the five were crushed into powder, along with their flying swords and magical weapons.

Zhang Yan retrieved the Soul Suppressing Inkstone and scanned the area, then walked up the stairs with a blank expression. As he walked, a mist began to spread, enveloping everything in its path.

On the seventh floor, Wu Zhen looked uneasy and sighed, "Junior Brother Su, you've dragged me into this. We only agreed that you would introduce me to Senior Brother Su and I would teach him a lesson. How did it turn into killing him?"

The cultivator opposite him, about thirty years old, smiled and said, "Senior Brother, do you really think I, Su Yiang, would go to such lengths for a spirit pet? I'm not interested in Zhang Yan, just in his status as a True Disciple. For my elder brother's great cause, even an innocent person would be killed."

Wu Zhen looked troubled and said, "Junior Brother, you're playing with fire. A True Disciple is of high status. If this news leaks, not only will I be in trouble, but even the Su Clan might not withstand the wrath."

Su Yiang smiled meaningfully and said, "How could this leak? By then, we will all be 'dead.'"

"You!" Wu Zhen stood up in shock, but seeing Su Yiang's half-smile, he realized the meaning. He sat down, shaking his head and laughing bitterly, "In that case, I can't return to the Lingcang Sect."

Su Yiang laughed and said, "So what? Senior Brother Wu is from the 'Cold Spectrum,' and your family has long fallen. It's better not to return. The Su Clan seeks talented people from all over, not like other clans that care about lineage. With talent, you can join the Su Clan. Senior Brother Wu has practiced for thirty-five years and is already a Third Stage Mingqi cultivator, far surpassing me. I wouldn't want to miss such talent."

Hearing the invitation, Wu Zhen hesitated, then felt Su Yiang's gaze on him. He thought, "Su Yiang has several Mingqi cultivators with him. Though their cultivation is lower than mine, he is from a noble family and surely has magical treasures. If I don't comply today, I'll lose my life."

Thinking this, he didn't hesitate, got off his chair, and bowed, saying, "I, Wu Zhen, am willing to follow Second Young Master from now on." He immediately made a vow.

Su Yiang's face lit up, thinking this person was indeed cooperative. He quickly helped him up and sat him back down. To win his loyalty, he smiled mysteriously and said, "Since Senior Brother Wu is now one of us, I'll tell you something. Do you know why my elder brother must seize the Deep Spring Gorge?"

Wu Zhen said, "I hope Second Young Master will enlighten me."

Su Yiang smiled mysteriously and whispered, "Our ancestor learned from a secret place that beneath the Nine-Curves Stream Palace in the Deep Spring Gorge lies the remains of a ten-thousand-year-old dragon and a Dragon Palace. The old carp spirit has been here for centuries, trying to find the entrance but has failed. If the Su Clan takes this place, those with the right opportunity can immediately refine the dragon remains into a body outside the body, and the palace can become the foundation of our clan!"

Wu Zhen was stunned by this news and then realized the meaning. He looked at Su Yiang in shock and said hoarsely, "The Su Clan... has the ambition to establish its own sect?"

Su Yiang stood up, looked at the moon outside, and said proudly, "The Su Clan's ambition is the nine continents, not just a single sect or region."

Wu Zhen took a deep breath, suppressing his turbulent emotions. Although Su Yiang's words were grand, the Su Clan had indeed risen to become one of the great families in a thousand years, with some reason for pride. He stood up and bowed, saying, "If Second Young Master has such lofty ambitions, I, Wu Zhen, am willing to follow."

Just then, a clear voice came from the door, "Villains, you dare to talk of seizing heaven?"

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