Buddhist Relic

The Late Houtian Realm martial artist seemed to sense something and turned to look towards Zhang Yuan.

In the night, more than four zhang apart, both could sense the other's gaze.

Whoosh—

Whoosh—

Crossbow bolts from the riverbank kept up their suppression. Many martial artists fleeing aboard the ship were pierced through and tumbled into the water.

That Houtian Realm martial artist also stepped into the water, splashing up murky yellow waves.

Run?

Zhang Yuan's expression did not change. He rushed out of the cabin, took several strides off the wooden ship, and plunged into the water.

The Martial Guard Bureau soldiers wore armor, and with their weapons, they were effectively burdened with dozens or even a hundred jin. Moving through the water was difficult enough, much less fighting.

Zhang Yuan wore no armor, and his cultivation was profound. Unafraid of the enemy bandits, he charged into the water in pursuit.

The moment he entered the water, the dotted lines before his eyes reconfigured, and several pale red pillars of light emerged ahead.

With a light tap of his feet, his body moved like a fish through water, instantly catching up to one pale red pillar.

Reaching out, he seized the ankle of the person ahead.

Crack—

After snapping the man's ankle, Zhang Yuan released him, leaving him to live or die on his own.

A martial artist with a broken ankle had little chance of surviving in the water.

Zhang Yuan continued onward, reaching out whenever he encountered a pale red pillar.

Whether they turned back to slash with sabers and stab with swords, or fled desperately, he merely reached out and twisted off their arms or legs. Some had their necks snapped as well.

After advancing for a short while, he had reached the opposite riverbank.

A figure ahead stepped out of the river and ran towards the woods along the shore.

Zhang Yuan followed close behind, neither too fast nor too slow, in no hurry to make a move.

This man was familiar with the riverway and the mountain forests. He was likely one of the bandits on the Guangji River.

According to the mission information and the materials Young Master Tao had given him, there were not many bandits along the Guangji River with Late Houtian Realm cultivation—only two.

One was the chief of Gutang Village, a hundred li upstream. Backed by the authorities, he was half-bandit, half-government informant.

The other was Yang Yaozu, chief of Guangyuan Stockade.

Chief Yang came from a great family, but his household had fallen into decline. Bitter over his own and his family's misfortunes, he had angrily taken to the wilds.

Zhang Yuan followed the martial artist ahead for more than ten li before calling out, "Chief Yang, the prison warden of the Luyang Prefecture Martial Guard Yamen invites you for a brief stay."

Ahead, the running figure shuddered, halted, and turned to look at Zhang Yuan, who stood less than three zhang away.

To have pursued him all the way from the wooden ship to this place, Zhang Yuan had to be at least in the Late Houtian Realm.

And since he dared give chase, he must have had enough confidence in his own strength to defeat Yang Yaozu.

"Sir, cultivation is not easy, and the roads of the martial world stretch far. Could you perhaps do me a favor?"

Yang Yaozu held his saber in hand and looked at Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan's expression remained unchanged. He walked forward slowly and said, "No."

No.

Yang Yaozu had not truly expected Zhang Yuan to agree.

After chasing him for so long, how could the man possibly let him go over one airy sentence?

Besides, Yang Yaozu was a renowned expert who had roamed the martial world for more than a decade and commanded over a hundred men. How could he truly beg for mercy?

The moment Zhang Yuan spoke, he had already wheeled around and lunged forward, his long saber twisting diagonally as it slashed at Zhang Yuan's arm.

He did not stab at Zhang Yuan's body, but targeted his arm instead, because government men generally wore armor. If Zhang Yuan wore inner armor, a strike at his body would accomplish nothing and cost him the initiative.

If this saber strike hit Zhang Yuan's arm and Zhang Yuan did not evade, the blade would sever it.

At the Houtian Realm level, when strength and speed were not greatly different, having a weapon in hand naturally gave one better odds of victory.

He could only say that Zhang Yuan was being far too arrogant.

The blade gleamed with cold light, like a streak of silver brilliance in the moonlit night. The howling wind of its passage through the air showed just how swift and vicious the strike was.

With the blade before him, Zhang Yuan did not evade as Yang Yaozu had expected.

Zhang Yuan stepped forward, lowered his left hand slightly, twisted at the waist, and suddenly raised his right arm.

Turn, drop the elbow.

Clang—

Zhang Yuan's elbow smashed down onto the broadside of the slashing saber, knocking it aside. The blade trembled and nearly snapped.

This saber was better than those wielded by the bandits aboard the wooden ship. Forged from refined steel, it had not broken even under Zhang Yuan's strike.

Though the blade remained intact, Yang Yaozu's hand shook violently around its hilt. His tiger's mouth split open, blood soaking through it.

Zhang Yuan's single strike had torn open his tiger's mouth!

Yang Yaozu drew back his saber and retreated, his eyes filled with terror.

He, too, was an expert who had spent many years drifting through the martial world and had fought countless battles. Never had anyone defeated him so simply and cleanly.

"There is actually someone like you in Luyang Prefecture..." Yang Yaozu dragged his saber as he retreated, his expression grave.

Zhang Yuan's strike had injured his tiger's mouth, instantly cutting his combat strength in half.

In truth, even if he had not been injured, that exchange alone was enough to show that he was no match for Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan's casual blow displayed control over deadly combat, precise command of the battle situation, and mastery over his own Martial Cultivation and martial techniques.

This was a powerhouse whose killing methods had been tempered to their very peak!

"I said I was inviting you for a brief stay in the prison of the Luyang Prefecture Martial Guard Yamen." Zhang Yuan's expression turned cold and stern, Sha Qi slowly gathering in his eyes. "You should not have attacked and killed the blue-clad martial soldiers stationed on the wooden ship today."

Daring to intercept and kill government men was a challenge to the authority of the government.

Such conduct was already a grave crime.

Yang Yaozu looked grim as he retreated step by step, switching the saber to his left hand and holding it horizontally before him.

"Believe it or not, the men of Guangyuan Stockade did not kill anyone."

"It was those monks who acted."

"We merely led the way for them and took some benefits."

As Yang Yaozu spoke, he pulled a book wrapped in oiled paper from his robes.

"The leading monk's cultivation was very high. He used a Buddhist Cultivation technique as payment and had me lead men aboard the ship."

A pained expression appeared on his face as he flung the booklet towards Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan reached out and caught it, but his feet did not stop moving.

Panic appeared in Yang Yaozu's expression.

"Oh, right—they found something amid the piles of ore on the ship. I know what it was."

Zhang Yuan finally stopped.

Yang Yaozu let out a breath of relief and said as he backed away, "A Buddhist relic. I heard them talking privately—it was a Buddhist relic."

A Buddhist relic.

Among Buddhist Cultivators in the Liangyuan Region, it was a treasure left behind after a top powerhouse passed away in meditation.

It was said that a Buddhist relic stood on the same level as the Golden Core of immortal cultivation and the golden body and jade bones of Martial Way Cultivation.

Buddhist Cultivation emphasized the union of mind and flesh. A Buddhist relic condensed a powerhouse's thoughts; it could purify the soul and temper the body.

Yet even within the Liangyuan Region, Buddhist relics were treasures of utmost importance. Why would one appear in Great Qin?

"Where is the Buddhist relic?" Zhang Yuan looked at Yang Yaozu.

"After they found it, they sent it to Guangyuan Stockade. That leading monk remained at Guangyuan Stockade and did not come to the riverbank."

Yang Yaozu pointed towards the rear, but his expression suddenly changed.

In the direction of Guangyuan Stockade, flames shot into the heavens, illuminating half the sky!

An indescribable force suddenly spread from Zhang Yuan's body. Yang Yaozu, several zhang away, was sent flying backward beyond his control.

His eyes widened as he watched Zhang Yuan take a step forward, his figure skimming over the treetops like a soaring eagle as he swept towards Guangyuan Stockade.

"Xiantian Realm!"