Demons in Chaos, Strange Phenomena Rampant

Xiang Kingdom, Binzhou, Jiujiang Commandery.

Zhengyang Martial Arts School.

Everyone gathered at the martial arts school was silent, their expressions a mix of sorrow and fear as they surrounded the wide courtyard.

In the center of the crowd lay several corpses, one of which was unmistakably the deputy master of the Zhengyang Martial Arts School, Feng Xiang!

The onlookers, disciples of the school, wore various expressions. Li Yuan squeezed through the crowd, his face filled with terror and a hint of confusion.

I've crossed over?!

A storm of emotions surged within Li Yuan, and a flood of memories from this body rushed into his mind!

This world is dangerous!

Demons lurk everywhere!

Ghosts roam freely!

During the day, things are relatively safe.

With the sun high in the sky, the demons retreat.

But at night, it becomes far more perilous, almost like a hundred ghosts on the prowl!

Some powerful evil creatures can even ignore the sun's presence, moving freely during the day!

Such creatures are terrifying; their appearance could spell disaster, capable of annihilating an entire city if left unchecked!

Of course, such creatures are not numerous. Once their whereabouts are discovered, top-tier experts dispatched from various places swiftly eliminate them, nipping the crisis in the bud.

So as long as luck isn't too bad, one won't encounter danger outdoors during the day.

Feng Xiang, the deputy master of Zhengyang Martial Arts School, was a formidable practitioner who had condensed Martial Arts True Qi, second only to the school's master, Qi Zhengyang. Even in the vast Jiujiang Commandery, he was a notable figure.

But even such a strong martial artist... met with disaster.

A day prior, Deputy Master Feng Xiang led two disciples who had broken through to the Inner Force Realm to escort a merchant caravan to a neighboring county, only to be ambushed by a terrifying evil creature in the wild.

One can imagine the strength of an evil creature that can operate during the day. Even though the merchant caravan had several capable martial artists, after a fierce battle, they managed to repel the creature but suffered heavy casualties!

Feng Xiang died on the spot!

His body was even torn in half by the creature!

Now, only half of him lay here, his face frozen in an expression of fear and pain, his death far from peaceful!

The crowd surrounding Feng Xiang slowly parted, creating a pathway as a robust figure walked forward and stopped in front of him.

The newcomer was none other than the master of Zhengyang Martial Arts School, Qi Zhengyang!

Though Qi Zhengyang was nearing sixty, he showed no signs of aging, his physique robust like that of a thirty-year-old man. His overwhelming Martial Arts True Qi was even more potent, and it was not impossible for him to advance to an even higher realm.

The Zhengyang Martial Arts School, founded by Qi Zhengyang, was a significant force in the entire Jiujiang Commandery, with numerous disciples and many strong practitioners. However, the current losses were severe—two disciples who had mastered Inner Force and the deputy master who had condensed Martial Arts True Qi were gone. How could this not infuriate him?

"What exactly happened?"

"Why did they run into trouble?"

Qi Zhengyang's eyes turned red as he fixed his gaze on the two figures in black standing at the courtyard entrance.

These two muscular men in black uniforms were officials from the Special Capture Division of Jiujiang Commandery, responsible for handling matters related to evil creatures.

Feng Xiang and the bodies of the two disciples were brought back to the school by them. Given the sudden turn of events, the atmosphere in the martial arts school was too oppressive, so the two men wisely stood at the entrance and did not enter.

Seeing Master Qi Zhengyang's inquiry, one of the black-clad men reluctantly explained, "Master Qi, we are equally pained by what has happened. All I know is that they were attacked by a powerful evil creature in the wild. The specific details are still under investigation, and we have not yet learned more."

The man in black paused before continuing.

"Also, we have brought the bodies. If you need to make arrangements for them, you can start preparing now."

"In two hours, we will return to take the bodies for cremation."

In this world, there is no concept of burial for the dead.

Anyone who has died must be cremated; burial is not permitted!

Otherwise, if someone is buried today, they might rise from the ground tomorrow!

As for what might emerge from the ground... that's another story altogether.

After hearing the explanation from the Special Capture Division, Qi Zhengyang slowly suppressed the anger in his heart. He knew that this was not the fault of the two officials; they were merely responsible for transporting the bodies.

Ultimately, Qi Zhengyang had to thank them.

If ordinary civilians were to meet with misfortune in the wild, their bodies would typically be burned on the spot, never transported back to the city.

Because Zhengyang Martial Arts School is an important force against evil, having a say in this small piece of land in Jiujiang Commandery, the Special Capture Division made an exception, allowing the three bodies to be brought back.

Even with only two hours to prepare, it was enough for the family to see their loved ones one last time and make arrangements, allowing for a more dignified farewell.

Qi Zhengyang took a deep breath, forcing a faint smile onto his face. "Then, I appreciate your help, gentlemen."

The two black-clad officials nodded at Qi Zhengyang and turned to leave.

Soon after, the relatives of the martial arts school's members, upon receiving the tragic news, rushed over, and the school was filled with wails and chaos.

Losing a deputy master and two disciples who had mastered Inner Force was a significant blow to the school, a wound that would take time to heal. Qi Zhengyang looked at the gathered disciples in front of him, weariness creeping into his expression.

"Today the school is closed. You all can go home."

As the person in charge of the martial arts school, Qi Zhengyang had to comfort the heartbroken families and deal with a mountain of aftermath, leaving him no time to attend to the disciples.

After dismissing the group of disciples, Li Yuan left the courtyard alongside his senior brothers and junior brothers, but his residence was not within the school; it was outside.

The school required a monthly fee of five taels for training, and if meals and lodging were included, an additional two taels were needed. To save money, Li Yuan chose not to stay at the school and instead rented a place outside.

After leaving the school, Li Yuan crossed several streets and arrived at a house not far from the martial arts school.

The house had two brick rooms and a small courtyard about ten steps square. While it wasn't large, it was sufficient for Li Yuan to live in.

However, the small courtyard felt empty and carried a hint of chill.

Usually, Li Yuan was the only one living here, as his parents had long since passed away.

A year ago, Li Yuan lived with his parents in Ping'an County of Jiujiang Commandery. The three of them ran a small rice shop in the county town. Although they weren't wealthy, they lived a comfortable life.

But tragically, overnight, demons began to rise, and the entire Ping'an County town fell into disaster!

A large number of demons broke through the city walls and invaded the town, turning it into a scene of bloodshed and chaos, with countless citizens dead or injured!

Li Yuan's family took their savings and fled the county town overnight.

Yet, the danger in the town was not the only threat; the wilderness was equally unsafe!

The fortunate citizens who managed to escape the town faced attacks from demons in the mountains and fields!

Li Yuan's parents were killed one by one, and all he could do was watch helplessly as it happened!

Fortunately, Li Yuan and a small group of surviving citizens were discovered by martial artists who had rushed over from Jiujiang Commandery to provide support. These martial artists fought off the demons and escorted them back to Jiujiang Commandery, allowing Li Yuan to escape with his life.

This upheaval had a profound impact on Li Yuan. With only himself left, the laughter and joy of his family were long gone, and his personality became increasingly somber. He resolutely decided to join the Zhengyang Martial Arts School in Jiujiang Commandery!

In times of chaos, what good is wealth?

Only by mastering power can one seize their own fate!

Li Yuan's family had been in business for generations, but he made a decision that went against his ancestors!

He abandoned commerce to pursue martial arts!

He understood everything now; to prevent the tragedy from happening to him again, he had to train diligently!

When his family fled Ping'an County, they had brought two hundred taels in silver notes, and Li Yuan invested almost all of that money into the martial arts school!

Afterward, Li Yuan practiced martial arts day and night, refusing to slack off for even a moment. After a year, his martial arts realm progressed rapidly, nearing the completion of the Body Tempering Realm!

With just one more step, he could access the methods of internal energy cultivation and refine his Internal Energy!

Memories from his previous life flooded into his mind, and Li Yuan gradually pieced together the stories of what had happened. He couldn't help but let out a long sigh. "What a terrifying world this is."

Then, Li Yuan focused his gaze and said firmly.

"That's right, I must train!"

Powerful martial artists can slay demons!

This was the best path for him right now.

With that thought in mind, Li Yuan wasted no time and began practicing martial arts in the small courtyard.

After joining the Zhengyang Martial Arts School, he had learned a technique called Cinnabar Palm, which he had practiced countless times and had become second nature to him. At this moment, throwing punches felt effortless.

Just as Li Yuan was practicing the Cinnabar Palm in the courtyard, a sudden voice rang in his ear.

[Ding!]

[System activated!]

[Awakening talent [Divine Wisdom]!]

A deep blue light screen appeared out of nowhere before Li Yuan, displaying some of his relevant information.

[Personal Panel]

[Name: Li Yuan]

[Talent: Divine Wisdom]

[Realm: Mid Body Tempering Realm]

[Martial Arts: Cinnabar Palm (Proficient)]

Li Yuan was taken aback. "What is this?"

"Has my golden finger arrived!?"