Startling News

Xu Yunfan let out a breath, and his slightly swollen muscles slowly relaxed.

He raised his hand and glanced at it. Just now, he had used the back of his hand to take the steel sabre head-on as a test. Other than a pale mark, there was nothing unusual.

Impervious to blades and spears!

Xu Yunfan glanced at the Attribute Panel that appeared in his vision at his whim.

...

Crimson Flame Copper Body Art and Cloak Hammer 639/5000 (Great Accomplishment)

Effects: surging qi and blood, strength reaching throughout the body, skin hard as iron, sturdy muscles and strong bones, resistant to sharp weapons, able to withstand massive rocks, extraordinary physical strength, mastery of hammer techniques.

...

Among the effects of the Crimson Flame Copper Body Art and Cloak Hammer were Sharp Weapons Find It Hard to Pierce and Skin Hard as Iron, both of which greatly enhanced his defense.

As long as he was sufficiently careful, ordinary weapons would find it difficult to break his skin. He wondered how the sharp blade Li Haomiao had mentioned compared.

He swept his gaze over the guards lying on the ground, all unconscious. He had not struck too heavily, using only half his strength. Though these guards had suffered injured muscles and bones, their foundations had not been harmed. With proper care, there would be no lasting effects.

After all, there was no deep grudge between them.

He pushed open the storeroom. Before his eyes stood two rows of shelves stretching deep inside, filled with miscellaneous books, account ledgers, and the like.

Xu Yunfan swept his eyes across them and finally spotted several boxes of various sizes in a corner.

He tore off the locks and lifted the lids.

Rows of neatly arranged silver ingots lay properly inside the boxes. Even after being bombarded by modern information in his previous life, the sight of all that gold and silver still left him dazed for a moment.

With this much money, why would he have to suffer through hunting and fishing to earn a living?

Wouldn't that just be asking for trouble?

After opening the remaining boxes in succession, Xu Yunfan raised his brows slightly. He immediately hung the box full of small gold bars across his chest and tucked a large box under each arm.

They were heavy, but still bearable—he could even call it easy. The small box of gold bars weighed over a hundred catties, while the boxes of silver ingots weighed at least five hundred catties each.

The clearest mark of a Great Accomplishment Martial Master was being able to lift eight hundred catties with one hand. Those like Xu Yunfan, who focused on body-tempering and followed the path of fierce strength, would possess even greater power.

After securing everything, he quickly left the storeroom.

Without stopping, he headed straight for the wall. Just as he was about to climb over it, his expression shifted slightly, and he concealed himself in a corner.

"Is that weapon real?"

From the neighboring room came an anxious voice, brimming with barely restrained irritation.

"Watch your words!"

Another, somewhat aged voice cut down like a blade, sternly rebuking him.

After a brief silence.

After a long while, the aged voice sounded again, carrying a hint of heaviness and concern.

"I don't know which link went wrong, but the news has somehow leaked. Uninvited guests have already infiltrated our Hu Residence to seek information. If this matter is confirmed, the Hu Family's century-old foundation may be destroyed in one stroke!

Those people are all wolves and tigers."

"Father, powerful figures have already come to investigate. If we don't think of something soon, we won't be able to hold on! If we drag this out too long, City Guard Jiang Huaisheng won't be easy to deal with. Our family only has Uncle, a Great Accomplishment Martial Master. We're simply not strong enough."

The room fell silent again for a while before the aged voice suddenly rang out, laced with ruthlessness.

"Tomorrow, spread word throughout the city that the other families also have relevant clues. So long as we can divert most of everyone's attention, we can preserve ourselves for now and make further plans later.

Perhaps people will even think it is fake. After all... there are clues about divine weapons everywhere every year, but the overwhelming majority are nothing but fabrications. Once the rumors spread, many people will naturally assume this is another false lead."

A divine weapon.

Xu Yunfan's heart stirred slightly, and he subconsciously touched the sharp fragment hanging around his neck.

This divine weapon fragment, formed from the shattered Amethyst Earth-Shaking Hammer, could still easily cut a bloody wound into his body with a light stroke, despite his current body-tempering physique.

His thoughts turned, but he ultimately suppressed the stirrings in his heart. His top priority was finding a place to settle down, then locating a bone-training martial art and completing the External Three Harmonies. Otherwise, the Pure Yang One Qi Art would be useless to him.

He still had several cultivation arts waiting to be practiced. This divine weapon had already drawn the attention of so many people. If he rashly involved himself, he might gain nothing and only invite trouble.

With all this silver in hand, he had more than enough to live comfortably like a wealthy master before his martial arts reached perfection. When the time came, he could buy a few maidservants and experience the lavish life of those masters from ancient times.

Besides, if those two were important members of the Hu Family, why were there no guards outside their door? Why would they dare discuss the divine weapon here?

Fishing for bait?

Xu Yunfan hesitated no longer. Taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, he climbed over the wall and swiftly left the Hu Residence.

"Master, this is bad!!"

A burst of urgent knocking instantly interrupted the discussion between Hu Hong, the Hu Family head, and his son Hu Fei'ang.

Hu Hong's brows immediately furrowed, and his heart tightened.

"Come in."

A guard entered the room, clutching his arm and carrying a long sabre, his face pale. "Our... our storeroom has been robbed. Several boxes containing gold and silver are gone."

As he spoke, the guard explained that the eldest master had shouted from afar, and most of the brothers guarding the storeroom had gone to provide support.

Hu Hong paid it no mind and merely asked, "Is my elder brother Hu Yan all right?"

"The eldest master is unharmed. After driving off that powerful intruder, he is now strengthening security throughout the residence."

Hearing this, Hu Hong relaxed and said slowly, "What's lost is lost. This isn't your fault. Strengthen the guard from now on."

Hu Yan was the Hu Family's only Tendon Training Great Accomplishment Martial Master, with great hope of reaching Great Accomplishment in bone training. Naturally, no harm could be allowed to come to him. Though the Hu Family operated only in North Ye City, it was still one of the city's foremost families. Its businesses were widespread and well run, and in terms of wealth, it was among the most prosperous families in the city.

"How much was lost?"

Hu Hong sat down and asked casually.

The guard said in a low voice, "Steward Hu is still taking stock and sent me to report first. The preliminary estimate is that, counting the gold and silver together, nearly thirty thousand taels were stolen."

Hu Hong felt his chest tighten, and his expression became extremely colorful.

Even though his family possessed immense wealth and had expanded its business to the provincial capital, valuables worth thirty thousand taels of silver still represented several years of accumulated earnings.

After a long while, Hu Hong suddenly smashed the teacup in his hand and roared in fury, "You damned thieves!! I will make you pay!"

Without incident, Xu Yunfan climbed over the wall and entered the inn he had selected that evening. He gently and silently set down the boxes.

After carefully counting everything, he let out a long breath, delight written across his face. Tomorrow, he only needed to find a property broker and buy a residence. After that, he could cultivate in peace and seek a way to join a sect. Once that happened, he would naturally have no further worries.

Since the room was too small, Xu Yunfan unusually did not practice the Crimson Flame Copper Body Art and Cloak Hammer. After washing up, he simply sat cross-legged on the bed, formed the Lin Word Seal with his hand, silently recited the Highest Good is Like Water Heart Mantra, and gradually allowed his mind to sink into a state that was neither empty nor not empty.