Meanwhile, inside the house, the earless man and the sinister-looking man were drinking with growing enthusiasm.
But when they saw that Scarface had gone out to relieve himself and had not returned for a long while, a trace of wariness rose in their hearts.
"Did that brat Scarface fall into the latrine?"
"Why's he taking so long?"
The earless man muttered as he set down his wine bowl.
The sinister-looking man's gaze sharpened, and he said in a low voice:
"Something's wrong. Let's go out and take a look together!"
The two exchanged a glance, each seeing a flicker of unease in the other's eyes.
It should not have taken Scarface this long just to use the toilet.
And there had not even been a single sound...
The two of them rose at the same time and cautiously headed for the back door.
However, just as their hands were about to touch the door panels—
"Boom!!"
The flimsy wooden door was violently kicked apart from outside by an immense force.
Wood splinters flew everywhere.
A huge cloud of pungent, fiery red powder, like crimson smoke, came raining down over their heads.
It was chili powder!
"Ah! My eyes!!"
"Cough, cough! Damn it!"
Caught completely off guard, the two were hit instantly.
The spicy powder invaded their eyes, mouths, and noses, bringing searing pain and violent coughing.
Their vision blurred completely, and tears streamed down uncontrollably.
Just as their minds descended into chaos and they were wracked with pain—
A figure burst through the shattered doorway like a fierce tiger escaping its cage.
Wang Yuan radiated killing intent. The Rock-Solid Qi and Blood and Chasing Wind Qi and Blood of his First Blood Change erupted at once, while the power of Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone was driven to its utmost limit.
He gave them no chance to catch their breath. His fists came crashing down like a violent storm.
The Panshi Fist was steady and tyrannical, while the Chasing Wind Leg was nimble and swift.
His fists, feet, elbows, and knees—his entire body was a weapon, madly battering the two men who had lost both their sight and composure to the chili powder.
"Bang! Bang!"
"Thud! Crack!"
Dull impacts, snapping bones, and screams rang out without end.
The earless man flailed his arms wildly in an attempt to block, only for Wang Yuan's heavy Panshi Fist to smash his breastbone inward.
Blood sprayed from his mouth as he was sent flying backward. He crashed into the wall and fell silent.
The sinister-looking man was somewhat stronger, and he forcibly endured the burning agony in his eyes.
"Who the fuck are you!"
Relying on instinct, he roared. The Vital Blood within him suddenly surged by a great deal as he lunged at Wang Yuan.
He had clearly used some method to stimulate his potential!
"You still have strength?"
"You're really courting death!"
Wang Yuan's eyes turned sharp. He neither dodged nor retreated, and Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone erupted with all its power.
He clenched his right fist, gathering the strength of his entire body into a single point.
He threw out the purest, most brutal Panshi Fist.
Fist against fist!
"Boom!"
A blast of air spread outward from where their fists collided.
The sinister-looking man's forcibly enhanced Vital Blood was as fragile as paper before Wang Yuan's Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone strength—condensed like a mountain and vast like the sea.
The bones in his entire arm shattered inch by inch in an instant. The terrifying fist force penetrated his body and directly shattered his heart meridians.
His body froze in place. Madness and unwillingness still lingered in his eyes as he toppled stiffly backward, devoid of breath.
In the blink of an eye, all three First Blood Change martial artists of the Incense God Cult had been slain!
Wang Yuan let out a rough breath and calmed his churning Vital Blood.
He quickly searched the three men. In the end, he found some loose silver, several low-grade sticks of Chaotic Blood Incense that were dark red in color and gave off a pungent scent,
as well as a thin booklet he pulled from the sinister-looking man's chest.
Three words were written on the booklet's cover—"Blood Burning Great Method"!
Wang Yuan flipped through it roughly, and understanding dawned on him.
This was actually a secret art that burned one's own Vital Blood to forcibly increase one's strength for a short period of time.
Its power was certainly considerable, but it inflicted enormous damage on one's foundation.
This was especially true for martial artists of the Incense God Cult, who relied on Chaotic Blood Incense to break through and whose Vital Blood was already unstable and impure.
Using this method was no different from drinking poison to quench thirst. They were clearly being consumed as cannon fodder.
"But..."
"This actually suits me."
A glint flashed through Wang Yuan's eyes.
He possessed Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone. His Vital Blood was far more abundant than that of others at the same level, and his foundation was incomparably solid.
The side effects of this "Blood Burning Great Method"—
might only mean that he would be weakened for a couple more days and need to eat a few more Qi and Blood Pills to make up for it.
Yet at a critical moment, it could become a trump card.
He put away the manual and the useful items. After glancing at the mess inside the house and the corpses on the floor, he turned to leave.
Just as he stepped through the ruined back door—
an exceedingly faint rustling sound and suppressed breathing came from beneath the bed inside.
Wang Yuan paused, and a cold smile curled across his lips.
He pretended to leave, his footsteps gradually fading away.
Under the bed—
Widow Li clamped a hand tightly over her mouth, trembling violently in terror.
Only after all sound outside had completely vanished did she dare to gasp for air. A sense of relief at having survived a disaster surged through her heart, only to be replaced by intense resentment and fear.
"It's over... They're all dead..."
"I... I have to hurry and tell the hall master... That Wang Yuan... he's a demon..."
Shaking uncontrollably, she crawled out from beneath the bed. Her face was covered in dust, and her eyes were filled with panic.
However, just as she got to her feet—
a ghostly voice, carrying a hint of mockery, drifted lightly into her ear:
"Who... are you going to find?"
Widow Li's entire body went rigid, as though her blood had frozen in an instant.
She raised her head in absolute terror.
Wang Yuan had somehow returned, standing right before her.
Those cold eyes watched her without the slightest emotion.
"I... I..."
Widow Li was frightened out of her wits and wanted to explain herself and beg for mercy.
But Wang Yuan gave her no chance to speak again.
For an accomplice like her, one who acted as a tiger's accomplice and aided a tyrant in his evil, who knew how many families she had brought to ruin—
he would show no mercy whatsoever!
His fist carried a fierce gale as it rapidly grew larger in her terrified, widening pupils.
"Thud!"
A dull impact rang out.
Widow Li's head burst apart like an overripe watermelon. Red and white matter splattered everywhere as her body crumpled limply to the ground.
Wang Yuan did not even look at her corpse as he walked to the table.
He gently picked up the flickering oil lamp and flicked his wrist.
The scalding lamp oil splashed across the tables, chairs, corpses, and the piled-up low-grade Chaotic Blood Incense.
Flames instantly rose up, greedily devouring everything.
Wang Yuan turned around, and his figure completely melted into the night, disappearing into the depths of Bluestone Alley.
Behind him, soaring flames dyed half the sky red.
"Fire!"
Amid the crackling of burning wood and the cries of alarm and growing chaos rising from the alley,
Wang Yuan tossed away his bloodstained old clothes and returned home as though nothing had happened.
The night was deep, and only a dim yellow oil lamp burned inside the small house.
Wang Yuan sat cross-legged on the kang bed, the "Blood Burning Technique" manual he had taken from the Incense God Cult martial artist spread open before him.
He carefully studied the cultivation formula and the diagrams of Vital Blood circulation within.
As expected, this Blood Burning Technique was not difficult to reach the Entry Stage in.
Its core lay in using a unique method to rapidly agitate and burn one's own Vital Blood, transforming it in an instant into more violent, more powerful strength.
The key lay in exquisite control over Vital Blood and a nearly self-destructive resolve.
The manual divided the Blood Burning Technique into three realms:
Minor Accomplishment: One could burn a portion of one's Vital Blood and increase one's strength by roughly fifty percent for a short period. The duration was brief, and afterward one would fall into a period of weakness.
Major Accomplishment: One could burn Vital Blood more efficiently and increase one's strength by roughly twofold.
The duration would be somewhat longer, but the ensuing weakness would be more severe, and the meridians would suffer a certain degree of damage.
Perfection: Reaching the pinnacle, one could unleash terrifying power twice that of one's normal strength.
Its power was astonishing, but the price was equally enormous. At best, one's cultivation would regress and one's foundation would be damaged; at worst, one's Vital Blood would burn out completely, resulting in death.
Unless driven to the end of the road, it must never be used lightly.
"An increase of fifty percent, twofold, or even threefold..."
Excitement gleamed in Wang Yuan's eyes.
This Blood Burning Technique was practically tailored for him!
Ordinary martial artists had limited Vital Blood and unstable foundations. Using this technique was no different from suicide.
But he possessed Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone. His abundant Vital Blood rivaled that of martial artists at the Second Blood Change or even surpassed them, while his foundation was as solid as a boulder. He had every right to bear the burden brought by this Blood Burning Technique. Without further hesitation, he held his breath and focused his mind, beginning to follow the manual's instructions and attempting to guide the river-like Vital Blood surging through his body.
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