Natural Talent and Constitution

Chen Zhuo's voice wasn't loud, but it slammed into everyone's heart.

The faint whistle of his blade slicing through the air was his answer to this "trumped-up charge."

If he confessed and was thrown in jail, he couldn't imagine what awaited him.

Especially after seeing Wang Mingyuan's vile expression, he felt even more certain about what he had to do.

Better to shatter like jade than remain intact as a tile.

"I have no choice but to gamble."

Chen Zhuo raised the long saber in his hand and swept his gaze over the crowd. It paused on Yan Ming for an instant before shifting to Huang Yuan'er.

Everyone present was briefly stunned.

Had the world turned upside down?

Since when did a mere White-Uniform Runner dare to draw his blade against the powerful?

The smile on Huang Yuan'er's face seemed to hit pause, freezing in place.

"Looking for death!"

The next moment, Huang Yuan'er came to his senses. His face turned livid as he drew his saber, ignoring the opinions of the three bigwigs beside him, and gave the order.

"Kill him on the spot."

Seven or eight Yamen Runners had already drawn their blades and were waiting. At the order, they didn't hesitate for a moment, all rushing to bring their blades down on Chen Zhuo.

The veins on Chen Zhuo's body bulged high, his powerful strength filling every corner of him.

Surrounded and attacked, he gripped his long saber and charged fiercely in one direction.

His blade sliced through the air, striking one of the Yamen Runners at incredible speed.

The man tried to dodge sideways, only to discover in terror that the blade was moving far faster than he'd expected.

In the blink of an eye, a gaping wound had opened across the Yamen Runner's chest.

Blood sprayed everywhere, staining his clothes. At the same time, the Yamen Runner fell to the ground, wailing.

Chen Zhuo had taken one down in an instant.

But now, several more blades were about to fall on him from behind.

Each blade gleamed coldly, and his skin prickled with pain.

At the critical moment, Chen Zhuo twisted his body until he was nearly knotted like a rope.

He swept his saber horizontally, barely managing to block the blades before him.

Then his entire body suddenly contracted. Before the men could react, he was already behind one of them, raising his saber and bringing it down in a vicious slash.

"Ah..."

Another Yamen Runner fell.

The others were shocked, but they didn't falter. They continued to execute their saber techniques in an orderly fashion.

With two of their men down, the remaining fighters were fully on guard, not allowing themselves the slightest lapse.

Chen Zhuo had taken the first two by surprise, while they still underestimated him.

But that wouldn't work now.

After all, they were all Body Refining martial artists. Chen Zhuo's greatest advantage was his sufficiently refined saber technique. Though he had only three moves, he was on the verge of mastering them.

That was the only reason he could barely hold his own against them.

[Zhengyang Blade Technique (Incomplete +1]

[Zhengyang Blade Technique (Incomplete +1]

It all happened in a flash. The onlookers blinked, hardly daring to believe what they were seeing.

Eight Yamen Runners had failed to take him down. Two had even fallen.

He had only three tricks, so how could this kid be so fierce?

Chen Zhuo finally understood what Fatty Sun had once told him.

The One Sect, Three Gangs, Five Schools—nothing but barnyard fowl and clay dogs.

There were more than thirty official Yamen Runners, all of them Body Refining martial artists.

With strength like that, it was no wonder they didn't take those gangs seriously.

And that was without even mentioning the Three Thousand City Defense Army stationed outside the city.

"Almost there."

Chen Zhuo silently murmured to himself.

The panel shifted, and a line of small text appeared before him.

[Zhengyang Blade Technique (Incomplete): 1/50 (Complete)]

His Zhengyang Blade Technique had reached mastery, and his saber work had visibly changed.

The Zhengyang Blade Technique was already forceful and fierce. Chen Zhuo wielded his saber like a hammer, smashing it down on the nearest Yamen Runner.

The Yamen Runner held his blade before his chest, but a tremendous force crashed into him. His saber flew from his hands, and a gash opened across his chest.

The third Yamen Runner fell.

The others' expressions changed drastically. Finally unable to withstand his fierce blade, they began retreating.

Chen Zhuo didn't pursue them. He stood where he was, chest heaving as he gulped down air.

Fighting eight men alone hadn't exhausted him completely, but he was worn out in both body and mind.

The Yamen Runners exchanged glances. One of them beckoned, and the sound of blades being drawn rang out one after another.

This time, more than a dozen Yamen Runners gripping long sabers advanced step by step.

The bigwigs on the platform were watching. The Yamen Runners who had started the fight felt humiliated, and now they had to win back face.

They didn't rush to attack. Instead, they shifted their feet, gradually tightening the circle, determined to give Chen Zhuo no chance to run amok.

The situation had taken a sudden turn for the worse.

Chen Zhuo quietly swallowed the last Blood Vitality Pill he had, already prepared for the worst.

Some in the crowd cried out in alarm, while others watched coldly.

"This kid was holding back. That saber technique is incredibly refined. His martial talent is truly exceptional."

"Indeed, what a pity."

"Pity? Hardly. With skills like that, he should've run for it instead of staying here to spar with them. That proves how foolish he is."

Huang Yuan'er's expression darkened. He stared fixedly at Chen Zhuo, his face looking especially grim.

This was no longer just a matter of losing face.

As the White-Uniform Runners' martial arts instructor, how could he not know these runners' abilities inside and out?

He had never imagined that this handsome young White-Uniform Runner, who was useless in every other respect, could possess such exceptional martial talent.

Those few strikes just now had been fierce and well-ordered. Clearly, his Zhengyang Blade Technique had reached mastery.

Even with only three incomplete moves, his talent was unmistakable.

His fighting style was only one aspect. What had shocked Huang Yuan'er even more was the Iron Cloth Shirt.

The practice method depended on talent, but even more on one's natural constitution.

Chen Zhuo's body had just been covered in bulging veins—that was the Iron Cloth Shirt's "Black Dragon Coiling Around the Body."

"In such a short time, he's mastered the technique and reached the Muscle Tempering stage of Body Refining. Both his talent and natural constitution are superior."

Huang Yuan'er had reached a firm judgment about Chen Zhuo.

And that was precisely why the killing intent in his heart surged more fiercely than before.

He hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he didn't immediately order Chen Zhuo's execution.

That kid was going to die sooner or later anyway. He couldn't rush; rushing would only cost him more face.

"Why isn't that kid running?"

Huang Yuan'er's thoughts shifted. Many others present had the same question.

A lot of people thought Chen Zhuo was irredeemably stupid, but Huang Yuan'er disagreed.

How could someone with superior martial talent and constitution be a fool?

He knew he was outmatched, yet he was still fighting with all his might. Was it just to reveal his talent and constitution without holding anything back?

Reveal his talent and constitution?

Wait!

"No, that kid is putting on an act!"

Whoever he was putting on an act for, it was enough to prove that Chen Zhuo still had another card to play.

He absolutely couldn't allow Chen Zhuo to survive.

Huang Yuan'er abruptly caught on. His round face creased with wrinkles, and he immediately shouted, "What are you standing around for? Hurry up and attack!"

His voice betrayed his urgency, and even a trace of a tremor.

The Yamen Runners shuddered and raised their sabers, ready to charge at Chen Zhuo.

Just then, a calm voice suddenly rang across the entire Drill Ground.

"Enough."

The voice wasn't loud, but it boomed like thunder.

The Yamen Runners froze, then turned to find the source.

The Dianshi, who had been sitting steadily on the platform, slowly rose to his feet, his tiger-like eyes fixed on the men below.