Flying Centipede

Of course, his own strength was what mattered most.

According to the previous owner's memories, the Imperial City Department's two Deputy Commanders were genuine top-tier First-class experts.

As for that Chief Commander, who was as elusive as a dragon that showed its head but never its tail, he possessed even greater strength.

"I'm still too weak!"

Ye Kang sighed.

But with the system in hand, his strength would rise quickly.

He immediately returned to the dark room.

The three prisoners hanging there immediately revealed terrified expressions.

"You're back, which means..."

Third Brother Bai of the White Tiger Gang went pale.

Ye Kang offered no explanation and merely closed the dark room's door in silence.

"The White Tiger Gang, huh? Since you can cultivate so many experts, you must have inherited martial arts, right?"

"Huh?"

The three White Tiger Gang members looked at him as if he were a fool.

"What do you mean, sir? Everyone knows that our White Tiger Gang's White Tiger Slaughtering Blade stands unrivaled beneath heaven!"

Third Brother Bai proudly raised his head.

Hearing this, Ye Kang laughed.

"Those fellows from earlier had that kind of strength, and you dare call it unrivaled beneath heaven?"

"You really killed my Eldest Brother and Second Brother! Whoever you are, you're dead for sure!"

Third Brother Bai was grief-stricken and furious, but with his hands and feet bound, he could not move at all.

The other man beside him snorted coldly.

"What arrogant nonsense. The White Tiger Slaughtering Blade possesses immense power, so naturally it is extremely difficult to practice. We juniors have only trained to the first and second floors, yet we already possess the strength of third-rate and Second-rate experts. And you think it is weak?"

Ye Kang was immediately intrigued.

"Then how many floors does this blade technique have in total?"

The man was just about to speak when Third Brother Bai interrupted him.

"Shut up! Do you want to divulge the sect's martial arts?"

The man immediately did not dare say another word.

After all, in the martial world, revealing a sect's martial arts was a grave taboo.

Once discovered, one would certainly be hunted down by the sect to Tianya Haijiao.

"I understand."

Ye Kang nodded, then drew his long blade.

"I heard that you three were arrested for raping and murdering an official's daughter. Under this bright sky and clear earth, beneath the court's rule, and right at the foot of the imperial city, you still dared commit such evil deeds. Calling you steeped in wickedness would be giving you too much credit."

The three men's hearts all jolted when they heard Ye Kang say this.

"Y-you... what are you trying to do...? Privately killing criminals violates the Great Jin Law. Sir, you're still young—you mustn't walk down the road of crime!"

"What are you saying? Am I that kind of person?"

Ye Kang said solemnly.

"But!"

"Since you like women so much, if I cut off your tools for committing crimes, that would surely feel worse than death, wouldn't it?"

At those words, all three men felt a chill between their legs.

"You... how are you any different from the Demon Cult!"

"No! I don't want my line to end! I still want to visit the brothel and listen to music!"

After a round of threats.

Ye Kang finally obtained what he wanted.

The three men each recited the White Tiger Slaughtering Blade's martial arts cultivation method.

If even one word failed to match, he would cut them immediately.

Under such threats, none of them dared entertain any schemes and could only honestly reveal it all.

After obtaining what he wanted, Ye Kang came to a secluded place.

[Ding]

[Host has acquired a superior blade technique: White Tiger Slaughtering Blade]

[Requires 200 Comprehension to begin. Learn?]

The system recorded it successfully, and Ye Kang did not waste words. He learned it immediately.

[Host consumed 200 Comprehension and entered the White Tiger Slaughtering Blade]

In an instant, Ye Kang felt as though bathed in a spring breeze.

It was as if he stood amid a Deep Mountain's Dense Forest, tempering his body and honing his flesh. Every day, he swung his blade ten thousand times, fought tigers, and comprehended an unparalleled blade technique on the brink of life and death...

Ye Kang opened his eyes and tried drawing his blade.

It was completely different from before.

As the long blade left its sheath, it was as though mountains and forests were howling. The aura of destruction and slaughter made even the sheath tremble without stop.

"Not enough. Though I've learned the blade technique, my strength is still only second-rate."

It turned out that while the White Tiger Slaughtering Blade was powerful, it was far too difficult to practice.

According to Third Brother Bai, his father, Bai Daqing, had trained for forty years before barely entering the Third Floor and becoming a First-class expert.

Ye Kang, who had initially wanted to save some Comprehension, immediately stopped being frugal.

"System! Add Comprehension for me! I want to learn it straight to Great Perfection!"

[Ding]

[Host consumed 800 Comprehension and entered the Third Floor of the White Tiger Slaughtering Blade]

[The Fourth Floor Great Perfection of the White Tiger Slaughtering Blade requires 1,500 Comprehension. Learning paused]

As the System Sound rang out, Ye Kang continued comprehending the blade technique.

He swung his blade day and night, kept fierce tigers for company, endured ten years beneath a waterfall's pounding torrent, then underwent another thirty years of grueling training. Time flew like an arrow, and at last he comprehended the Third Floor of the White Tiger Slaughtering Blade...

Ye Kang abruptly opened his eyes and slashed out.

Blade energy condensed into substance, and a killing aura surged into the sky, instantly cleaving apart a five-hundred-jin stone pedestal before him.

"What a blade technique!"

Ye Kang could not help praising it.

"Still, Great Perfection requires 1,500 Comprehension. I can only learn it to the peak of the Third Floor."

[Ding]

[Congratulations to the host for advancing in martial arts]

[Current strength: First-class expert]

[Host lacks an Internal Energy Art, restricting strength. It is recommended that the host find an Internal Energy Art; strength will rise to a top-tier First-class expert]

"No wonder I faintly felt suppressed. So my Internal Energy hasn't kept up."

Ye Kang immediately understood.

Vajra Fury Intent came with a Buddhist sect cultivation method, but it was merely the most ordinary beginner method. At his current level, it had already begun to hold him back.

Third Brother Bai himself possessed only third-rate strength and had no more profound Internal Energy Art. There was nothing more to pry from his mouth.

"Looks like I need to find the Great Monk again."

Time waited for no one. Ye Kang immediately returned to the prison cells.

He had to raise his strength as quickly as possible before someone came down from above.

When he arrived before the Great Monk's cell, the latter stared at him as though looking at a Monster.

"Could it be that you're from the Buddhist sect? Hah! You've clearly practiced Buddhist sect Martial Skill, yet you still came to deceive me!"

Ye Kang did not explain, only gave a mysterious smile.

"Great Monk, I need another favor. Do you know whose Internal Energy is strongest here?"

"What is this bird-man trying to do now?"

The Great Monk wore A Face Full Of suspicion.

Still putting on an act?

Ye Kang touched the hilt of his blade.

"My strength is lacking, so naturally I want to learn a few more martial arts to protect myself. Just tell me, and this officer will treat you to a jar of Peach Blossom Drunk."

Peach Blossom Drunk was a famous wine of the imperial city. One jar cost no less than Ten taels of silver.

The Great Monk had intended to keep his mouth shut, but the moment he heard there would be wine, his eyes immediately lit up.

"Easy, easy. You... no, whatever the officer says goes. Well, how about two jars?"

"If you raise another condition, I'll ask someone else."

"Don't!"

The Great Monk immediately stood up.

"Flying Centipede in Cell Nineteen. That fellow is a Wandering Taoist. He was caught while raping village women, slaughtered an entire village, and ended up in here. That bird-man's techniques aren't much, but both his Internal Energy and Lightness Skill are superior!"

The Great Monk's voice rang like a great bell, and his cell was not far from Cell Nineteen.

Upon hearing this, Flying Centipede sprang directly up from his straw pile.

"You thieving Bald Donkey! This Dao Master has no grievance or grudge against you, so why are you harming this Dao Master!"

The Great Monk kept silent.

Ye Kang, meanwhile, walked to Flying Centipede's cell door with a smile that was not quite a smile.

"Daoist, may I seek some instruction?"

Ye Kang narrowed his eyes, revealing a strange grin.

Flying Centipede's scalp went numb beneath Ye Kang's gaze.

But a martial arts cultivation method was the lifeblood of a martial artist. How could he hand it over to another so easily?

Flying Centipede thought for a moment, his handlebar mustache twitching as he lifted his neck.

"This Daoist Priest does indeed possess a superior Internal Energy Art. If sir is willing to take this Daoist Priest as his master..."

"Shut up!"

Before he could finish, Ye Kang cut him off.

His expression was gloomy, and his eyes were filled with disgust.

"You vile Daoist, you raped village women, slaughtered villages, and exterminated entire families. You bastard who deserves to be Cut into a Thousand Pieces—how dare you think yourself worthy of having me take you as my master?"