There Are Ghosts

The three people in the arena were still no match; Zhang Li was sent flying by a single collision, his sternum caved in, and he collapsed to the ground, unable to rise.

Pei Yuhan was also struck away by a palm, falling heavily to the earth.

"Junior Sister!" Duan Hongyan tried to save her, but it was too late.

"It seems you care deeply for this woman?" Du Hengfeng sneered.

Du Hengfeng was displeased that he had been unable to immediately subdue Duan Hongyan, who was also at the Second Blood realm.

"This man and woman, they are yours to enjoy. Don't play them to death; we still have to report back," Du Hengfeng suddenly ordered.

Xu Tian and Xu Di exchanged a knowing look, their eyes flashing with lewd light. Ignoring Zhang Li, they walked straight toward the unconscious Pei Yuhan.

Xu Di licked his lips: "Brother, I'm a germaphobe. Can I go first?"

"Make it quick."

Su Yuan watched the Xu brothers with a strange expression: had they become such lecherous ghosts after spending so much time with Shan Xiongqing?

People truly could change a great deal in just two months.

If one lacks a firm heart while living in a filthy place, one will eventually be corrupted.

Su Yuan couldn't help but ask himself if he, too, had already been changed.

He had changed, yet he had not.

That selfish desire to seize resources from all sides and constantly grow stronger remained unchanged.

But his hatred for the Liang People, especially the Shan Family, was deepening day by day.

It was not out of national enmity, but because the brutal oppression of Great Liang clashed violently with the values of his past life.

The various tortures at the execution grounds—if he guessed correctly, those dark rooms were likely conducting all sorts of horrific experiments.

This stirred the hatred for invaders and the loathing for war deep within his bones.

"I wish for a world without war."

Slowly, he reached into his robes and took out a mask.

A green face, fangs, and short horns on the forehead.

As the cold touch pressed against his cheeks, Su Yuan took out earplugs and inserted them, cutting off the sounds of the outside world.

Su Yuan would show no mercy to anyone from the Shan Family.

All his troubles stemmed from the Shan Family.

Sister Mian was depressed because of Shan Xiongqing, Yun Xu was imprisoned by him, and the constant murderous intent surrounding him was all pushed by the Shan Family from behind.

"I'll collect some interest today, and continue my revenge during the Wolf God Festival! Sooner or later, I will tear you all down!"

Xu Di's hands didn't stop, his fingers wandering while he kept an eye on the battle.

Watching Xu Di's hand reach toward his Junior Sister's collar, despair and fury burned through Duan Hongyan's lungs.

This momentary distraction was seized by Du Hengfeng, who struck him heavily to the ground.

Du Hengfeng stepped on him, grinning hideously: "Enjoy the show."

Duan Hongyan's entire body trembled violently, his fingernails digging into the mud.

He couldn't save her... it was all because he was weak! He closed his eyes, not daring to look, almost turning his head away...

Just as their attention was entirely focused on Du Hengfeng and Pei Yuhan, a figure stood silently behind them.

Bang!

The two men's heads were grabbed simultaneously and smashed together; their skulls shattered, and they slumped to the ground, limp.

"Who!" Du Hengfeng spun around at the sound, only to see a figure draped in a wide black robe, wearing a demon mask.

The night wind blew, his sleeves fluttering like a ghost.

Su Yuan said nothing, mobilizing the blood energy throughout his body, and swung his fist.

He did not intend to use any techniques, lest he expose himself.

He wanted to use the purest power to crush and destroy.

Seeing the stranger kill the two men so easily, Du Hengfeng didn't fear; instead, he laughed and licked his lips: "Interesting."

He twisted his body and kicked off the ground, his short frame shooting out like a cannonball, using his head as a hammer to ram into Su Yuan!

It was the Horse Head Charge from the Golden Horse-Head Technique.

Su Yuan was all too familiar with it.

He did not dodge or evade. Tracking the trajectory of the head, he turned his fist into a palm, avoiding the hardest part of the forehead and slashing instead toward the temple.

Du Hengfeng tilted his head just in time, simultaneously attacking with all four limbs toward Su Yuan's body.

A roar erupted from his throat: "Whoa—"

His eyes bulged, pupils shrinking to pinpricks, and a fierce, oppressive aura exploded along with the ear-piercing sound wave!

Raging Horse Neighing Wind!

"Watch out! This move disrupts the mind!" Having suffered a heavy loss just moments ago, Duan Hongyan shouted a warning in alarm.

Su Yuan seemed not to react; his right hand maintained its momentum, palm joined like a blade, still slashing toward the opponent's skull.

"Prepare to be crushed by me! Hahaha!" Du Hengfeng grinned hideously, a fierce light surging in his eyes.

Smack!

Su Yuan's palm, like an iron fan, slammed viciously into the side of the man's face.

Du Hengfeng's head caved in with a sudden dent, and his entire body was sent flying sideways.

Su Yuan had said he would suppress others with sheer force.

Having mastered three martial arts and possessing trait enhancements, he suspected that at full strength, even the power of a Third-Blood martial artist would struggle to contend with him.

Yet, this head was truly hard; it hadn't been flattened.

"So painful! How is this possible? How are you not affected?" Du Hengfeng collapsed to the ground, his vicious gaze turning clear, his face full of bewilderment.

Su Yuan pulled two wooden plugs from his ears, flicked them away, and struck the back of the man's knees just as he was about to scramble up and flee.

Du Hengfeng had barely risen before he knelt down again.

How could he not understand the Golden Horse-Head Technique?

He had long been prepared for this move.

"So that's how it is." Though struck down, Du Hengfeng remained unafraid. Seeing Su Yuan discard the earplugs, he immediately lunged forward with another shrill shriek, the dent in his head eerily bulging slightly outward.

Yet Su Yuan remained unaffected and met him head-on once more.

Wearing the earplugs earlier was for safety; now, it was time to test the effect of his trait.

Judging by its description, it should have the effect of calming the mind.

It was indeed effective.

Du Hengfeng's throat grew hoarse from screaming, forcing Duan Hongyan to retreat far away.

Su Yuan, however, felt no hesitation, planting two more palms directly onto the previous dent.

Smack! Smack!

Teeth and blood splattered; Du Hengfeng's scalp split open, his head spinning as he flew backward, yet he still managed to crawl on all fours, struggling to escape.

Duan Hongyan watched in shock; this Ghost-Masked Man was completely crushing the opponent, even ignoring that terrifying screech!

Su Yuan felt the hardness of the opponent's skull, gaining an estimate of the durability of his own head.

Although the Horse Head Charge used the head as a hammer, one had to be cautious about using one's head to ram others in actual combat.

This beating of Du Hengfeng had allowed him to roughly gauge the strength of this move.

Cosplaying a great fortune has its risks!

However, this man was truly durable; without using a killing blow, three strikes had failed to take his life.

Su Yuan stepped forward to pursue, but Du Hengfeng threw the soldiers beside him backward to block his path.

Su Yuan's palm shadows fluttered, felling anyone he touched, his eyes locked on the fleeing Du Hengfeng.

[Slaughter: 63/100 (Entry)]

"Senior! Wait!" Duan Hongyan, carrying the unconscious Pei Yuhan, stumbled to block his path. "Do not chase! There are Liang People martial artists over there! It is best to retreat first!"

Su Yuan was unimpressed; he could not escape.

Duan Hongyan, however, knelt down with a thud while holding Pei Yuhan. "I beg you, Senior, save my Junior Sister first! She is dying! As long as you can save her, this Duan is willing to pay any price!"

He did not know if Su Yuan possessed medical skills, but he was the only one he could turn to for help now.

Delayed by this obstruction, Du Hengfeng was already close to escaping into Shangning Street.

Su Yuan glanced at him, his gaze cold. "To let a tiger return to the mountains today may bring you total annihilation in the future."

"Future matters can be discussed in the future! Right now, I only wish to save her!" Duan Hongyan pleaded mournfully.

Su Yuan sighed softly, took Pei Yuhan, and checked her breath; it was indeed faint and ragged.

He moved his fingers like the wind, pressing acupoints to stimulate blood flow, then supplemented it with a technique to circulate her internal energy.

A moment later, Pei Yuhan vomited a mouthful of stagnant blood, and her breathing gradually stabilized.

"Many thanks to Senior for saving my life. Whatever you require, this junior will not refuse even at the cost of death!" Duan Hongyan was moved to tears.

Su Yuan said indifferently, "Why did you take action today?"

Duan Hongyan explained that tonight was meant to be a probe, but they were ambushed and forced into hiding.

He recounted the events of the night in detail.

As for the people of the Cloud-Striding Martial Hall, he had secretly helped them many times; since they kept coming to his home to cause trouble, he would collect some interest.

"I want your martial arts manuals," Su Yuan stated bluntly.

"This..." Duan Hongyan naturally knew of the Liang People's covetousness for their techniques and secret arts.

Duan Hongyan gritted his teeth, took out a thin booklet, and offered it. "The martial hall's techniques must be reported to the sect, but this Abyssal Sea Technique is my family's heirloom; it is in no way inferior to the Cloud-Striding Palm. Please accept it as a token of gratitude."

Su Yuan took it: "Abyssal Sea Technique?"

"This technique excels at nourishing blood and qi, but it is extremely difficult to cultivate. This junior is dull of aptitude, and even now, I have only reached the second level..." Duan Hongyan said with shame.

It was precisely because it was hard to practice that he had switched to the Cloud-Striding Palm.

"This technique seems to originate from the south." Su Yuan glanced at it and tucked it away.

He then offered another reminder: "Leave quickly. After this encounter, I still hold to my original opinion: the Wolf God Ritual is the only opportune moment to strike."

Having said this, Su Yuan indicated he still needed to rescue others, and his figure swiftly vanished into the darkness.

His footsteps are silent, his palm force is formidable, and he ignores the neighing of horses... he is at least a Third Blood realm cultivator, perhaps even higher. Duan Hongyan gazed in the direction where he had disappeared, his heart unable to settle.

Who exactly was this person?

Duan Hongyan ultimately did not dwell on it; after all, the other party was his benefactor.

Since the other party did not wish to reveal himself, he should not speculate further.

He hoisted Zhang Li onto his back, picked up Pei Yuhan, and turned to leave quietly.

Su Yuan hid in the shadows and shed his disguise.

"This trip was worth it. As for that short one, I will let him hop around for a few more days."

Su Yuan was dissatisfied with his own strength; to have failed to kill the enemy in one strike meant he was still too weak and needed to improve.

In the future, he would strive to ensure that anyone who survived a single strike would be considered a fluke.

However, within the Coagulation Blood realm, he should no longer have anything to fear.

Since his identity had not been exposed, he did not fear retaliation from that defeated opponent.

Su Yuan snuck back home and discovered that Shangning Street had become rowdy once again.

Du Hengfeng had also crawled back to this place.

Chai Lang squinted at him: "Yo, kid Du, how did you end up in such a state?"

His head had been nearly flattened, and he was on the verge of death.

The other martial artists also came out to investigate, and upon seeing this miserable sight, they were all shocked.

Lin Fan clicked his tongue: "Isn't that Du Hengfeng the top talent of the Shan Family Martial Academy? How did he get beaten like this?"

Tie Niu also frowned: "And the Shan family's true technique clearly focuses on cultivating the head, yet his head has been beaten flat."

Su Yuan also walked out of his room, his face showing fear: "It is truly terrifying; the outside is genuinely dangerous. Tie Niu, the young master is right, you must not go out and take risks in the future."

In his heart, however, he sighed lightly; he had actually let him survive.

Chai Nian heard the commotion and stepped out: "Liu Chang, treat him. If he dies here, it would be bad luck."

"Yes, young master." Liu Chang stepped forward to examine Du Hengfeng.

He couldn't help but ask: "Who injured you like this?"

"Ah! A ghost—there is a ghost!"