The group took a winding route, and after entering the city, they soon arrived at the Jiujiang Commandery Special Capture Division.
Upon reaching the main hall of the Special Capture Division, Zong Lin saw a familiar figure—Zong Wencheng.
This Spirit Master had not only regained consciousness, but his complexion was rosy as well, no longer as ashen as before. He was sitting beside Chu Han, smiling as he watched everyone enter the hall.
"Grandfather, have you recovered?"
Joy appeared on Zong Lin's face as she hurried over.
"I've almost recovered. After resting for a while longer, I'll be completely back to normal."
Li Yuan also looked at the elderly man before Zong Lin. The old man had an aura similar to Zong Lin's—he was clearly a Spirit Master as well.
While Li Yuan was looking at Zong Wencheng, Zong Wencheng was also looking at him. Although Li Yuan did not know him, Zong Wencheng had a deep impression of Li Yuan.
The last time, he had hidden inside the carriage and witnessed Li Yuan battle the Half-step Blood Robe and a host of zombie evil ghosts. Later, he and Xu Zhe had pursued the Corpse Demon and been gravely wounded into unconsciousness. Now that he had regained consciousness and seen Li Yuan again, the other man's strength had undergone earth-shaking changes... he had actually advanced to the True Qi Realm!
What kind of talent was this?
For such a genius martial artist to appear in Jiujiang Commandery was truly a blessing for Jiujiang.
Zong Wencheng nodded to Li Yuan. Although Li Yuan did not know him, he courteously nodded back all the same.
Li Yuan then reported the details of the mission to Chu Han. Combined with the results reported by the Yangxing Commandery Special Capture Division, the mission to support Meishan could be considered successfully completed.
"Li Yuan, you did very well."
"Your first mission with Squad Nineteen was a complete success."
Everyone in Squad Nineteen was delighted, especially Mi Lan. Not only had she completed the mission and obtained a large number of contribution points, but she had also broken through to the Inner Force Realm, greatly increasing her strength.
Mi Lan was immensely grateful to Li Yuan. Without this captain leading them, none of this would have gone so smoothly.
It was not only Mi Lan. The others also deeply admired Li Yuan. Whether it was his strength or the bearing he had displayed, both were enough to make people submit to him.
Ao Shaoguang was also an old hand who had spent many years in the Special Capture Division. He had experienced numerous missions and seen life and death. For an entire squad to return intact like this, without even a single injury, was extremely rare. None of it could be separated from Li Yuan's protection.
As for who had gained the most from this trip to Meishan, it naturally had to be Li Yuan.
The Yangxing Special Capture Division had accurately tallied the battle merits. Li Yuan had obtained a total of 2,300 contribution points.
Moreover, because Li Yuan's performance in Meishan had been outstanding and his contributions immense—he had wounded the Bottle Holder, killed five Blood Robe Evil Ghosts and two Evil Warriors in the True Qi Realm, and turned the tide by breaking the illusion formation and saving the squad pursuing the Evil Warriors—the division had specially granted him an additional reward for this mission.
He had been granted one opportunity to exchange for any one Peerless Martial Arts technique.
What were Peerless Martial Arts?
They were martial arts techniques that only top experts of the True Essence Realm could cultivate.
They were dozens of times stronger than the High-grade martial arts Li Yuan currently practiced—perhaps even dozens of times stronger!
How precious were martial arts techniques of this level? If one wanted to exchange for them with contribution points, it was out of the question without more than ten thousand points.
This was an extremely substantial reward.
To martial artists, martial arts techniques had always been important. Top-tier martial arts techniques were even more important.
Being allowed to choose any one Peerless Martial Arts technique was an extraordinarily weighty reward. Given Li Yuan's current rank, he originally should not have been able to come into contact with techniques of this level. At first, the higher-ups had considered giving him a High-grade martial art.
However, the Yangxing Special Capture Division's evaluation of Li Yuan was exceptionally high, and Kong Zhuohua in particular had exerted great effort on his behalf. The higher-level Special Capture Division had also taken Li Yuan's extraordinary martial talent into account. To avoid burying such a talent, they had adjusted his exchange authorization from High-grade martial arts to Peerless Martial Arts.
In addition, the end of the month had passed, and Li Yuan had received his share of the contribution points from submitting the martial arts technique.
The share from Shocking Step amounted to 1,080 points, and these contribution points had also been credited to Li Yuan.
Li Yuan now had more than 3,000 contribution points in hand, along with an exchange authorization for a Peerless Martial Arts technique. His gains could not be called anything but enormous.
Chu Han smiled at Li Yuan and the others. "The mission was completed perfectly. You've all worked hard. You may withdraw."
"Li Yuan, stay behind."
It was obvious that Chu Han had something to say to Li Yuan privately, and the others from Squad Nineteen tactfully left.
"Li Yuan, this is the attendant of my Jiujiang Special Capture Division, Zong Wencheng."
After Chu Han introduced him, Li Yuan became acquainted with the old man. He also learned that this old man was Zong Lin's grandfather.
The two chatted for a while and gradually became familiar with each other.
Then Chu Han asked, "Li Yuan, you've comprehended Martial Dao True Intent?"
Li Yuan had long known that Chu Han would ask this. He immediately replied, "Yes."
"When did you comprehend it?"
"It's been some time."
A flash of understanding crossed Chu Han's eyes. He had previously been curious about how Li Yuan had managed to resist the Half-step Blood Robe's illusion attack. Even ordinary True Qi Realm martial artists found illusions difficult to resist, yet Li Yuan had been able to do it while still in the Inner Force Realm.
That was because Li Yuan had already mastered Martial Dao True Intent while in the Inner Force Realm!
Chu Han drew in a deep breath. The Martial Dao talent Li Yuan had displayed could only be called monstrous!
His martial cultivation advanced at astonishing speed!
He had created his own martial arts techniques!
He had comprehended Martial Dao True Intent!
These were all things ordinary martial artists could scarcely imagine, yet every one of them had appeared in Li Yuan. Although Li Yuan was still a youngster not even twenty years old, all of this had truly happened.
He was very curious about exactly how strong Li Yuan was now.
A True Qi Realm martial artist who had mastered Martial Dao True Intent was on an entirely different level from ordinary martial artists. He was a martial expert on the same level as Chu Han, the Young Commander. Chu Han would never again regard Li Yuan with the eyes one used toward a junior.
"Li Yuan, both you and I have mastered Martial Dao True Intent."
"Let's spar."
"I'm very curious... just how strong are you now?"
Chu Han slowly rose from his seat and came before Li Yuan.
The Young Commander of the Jiujiang Special Capture Division actually wanted to spar with a young man not yet twenty?
It was not only Li Yuan—even Zong Wencheng and Zong Lin, standing nearby, were greatly shocked.
Seeing Chu Han's solemn expression, without the slightest hint of jest, Li Yuan slowly nodded.
"Very well."
Li Yuan was also interested in sparring with a martial artist who had mastered Martial Dao True Intent for many years. Perhaps he could learn something from him.
Seeing that the two were preparing to spar, the two Spirit Masters nearby were also excited.
People who had mastered Martial Dao True Intent were rarely seen. Now, two such experts were actually about to spar, and this was not a scene just anyone could witness.
Zong Wencheng flung several spirit talismans around them, forming a simple formation that isolated the area.
Otherwise, the commotion caused when two martial experts exchanged blows would be considerable, and causing a disturbance would not be good.
Once everything was ready, Li Yuan assumed a fist stance. His body trembled, and a huge phantom of a flood dragon emerged behind him.
Dragon's Bloodshed!
As Chu Han watched the enormous flood-dragon phantom coiling behind Li Yuan, its powerful aura surged toward him. Even he, the renowned Young Commander of many years, felt immense pressure.
"What astonishing Martial Dao True Intent..."
Chu Han praised it aloud. "And it's even the relatively rare Fist Intent."
As he spoke, Chu Han removed the long saber hanging from his waist. After thinking for a moment, he set it aside again.
"Since we're sparring, I won't use a saber either."
With that, a bleak, frigid chill swept toward Li Yuan. Then, a phantom shaped like a cicada appeared behind Chu Han.
"My saber technique is called Autumn Water Saber. After practicing the saber for many years, I comprehended Blade Intent..."
"Cold Cicada Autumn Speech!"
As Li Yuan looked at the Blade Intent named Cold Cicada Autumn Speech, a trace of gravity involuntarily appeared on his face.
Cold Cicada Autumn Speech carried a bone-chilling coldness. Perhaps it could not match the Ten Thousand Ranks Cold Pool in sheer frost, but this Blade Intent also carried an incomparably sharp edge!
It seemed that the instant he so much as blinked, a long saber would slash down!
Seeing Li Yuan's solemn expression, Chu Han smiled faintly.
"Li Yuan, be careful."
"At this moment, the autumn waters stretch beneath the endless sky... when the cold cicada cries!"
As soon as his voice fell, a clear cicada cry rang out.
Chu Han wielded his palm like a saber and slashed toward Li Yuan!
The flood-dragon shadow behind Li Yuan also erupted with a dragon's roar and surged toward Chu Han!
The two figures crashed heavily into each other...
Before you continue