Indestructible Vajra Ancient Vein

Yuan Nanting of Iron Garment Martial Hall swung his saber across at the black-robed youth's chest. His clothes split apart beneath the blade, yet it was as though the edge had struck stubborn rock—it could not advance even an inch.

Instead, a string of blinding sparks exploded forth!

"What?!"

Yuan Nanting's pupils contracted, utterly incredulous, but his slashing motion did not slow. The great tendons in his right arm flexed as he activated Iron Strength Skill, the stance art of his own martial hall.

His blood and qi surged like divine drums being beaten, endlessly drawing out the potential of his entire body.

His skin turned bluish-black at a visible rate. This was the defensive enhancement granted to the body after Iron Strength Skill had been cultivated to a certain level: Iron Garment protecting the body.

"Hmph!"

His saber swept across, its edge passing over Wu Shan's entire chest. A piercing clang of metal against metal rang out, nearly rupturing eardrums.

Fine golden threads could be seen flowing faintly between the muscles and fascia of the latter's bare chest. The blade had done no more than make the youth's chest heave as he gasped for breath!

"Hehe!"

The black-robed youth grinned, revealing rows of ghastly white teeth.

To Yuan Nanting, however, that grin seemed exceptionally sinister. Just as he was about to raise his saber and slash for the head, Wu Shan extended an arm, seized the blade like an iron clamp, and gave it a fierce tug.

Crack!

Yuan Nanting immediately felt a mountain-toppling, sea-overturning force flood into him. Pain shot through his right arm, and he could not help releasing the Black-Plume Saber.

The next instant, the Black-Plume Saber was curled up like a sheet of paper by the black-robed youth, then kneaded between both hands into an iron ball amid a shrill screech of clashing metal!

The rumbling Wang Xuance had heard came from the golden threads circulating over the black-robed youth's body.

Strands of golden-red blood and qi coiled around his body. With the slightest turn, they possessed the power to send an army of thousands scattering.

"This is...!"

Seeing this strange sight, Wang Xuance's pupils abruptly shrank. He immediately recalled the Yellow-Sand Illusory Realm his mind had been dragged into when he used three hundred strands of True Martial Qi to advance the Tortoise-Snake Great Stance that day.

Back then, when his physical body had shattered the "Yellow Flood Dragon" with a thin layer of blood mist, the state surrounding him had been exactly the same as this.

Only, golden threads floated within the layer of blood mist around the black-robed youth. Its aura was ancient, tranquil, and empty, yet it harbored an overwhelmingly tyrannical bearing.

His already burly frame grew even taller. The great dragon of his spine trembled and snapped, while low bang-bang sounds arose between his bones and membranes. His momentum soared like a rainbow, wondrous beyond description.

Faint golden radiance emerged over his exposed skin, like a great dragon crossing mountains, layer upon layer rising in succession.

"Indestructible Vajra—ten thousand arts cannot touch the body!"

"It truly is the Vajra Ancient Vein! A supreme body-tempering aptitude not seen for who knew how many years. No wonder his blood and qi at the Two-Knock Blood Pass could rival that of the Three-Knock Blood Pass!"

General Li, who had likewise looked over at the commotion from afar, sighed inwardly.

"He has already condensed his first strand of Essence of Blood and Qi. He will most likely claim first place in this martial meet!"

The phenomenon revealed by the black-robed youth left all the martial artists present staring in stunned disbelief.

At the encampments of the six martial halls, everyone had been drawn by the sounds of the two men's battle. Seeing the phenomenon on Wu Shan's skin, they all wore expressions of sudden realization.

"Tsk, tsk... the Vajra Ancient Vein. Old Rock Ghost's precious disciple will most likely be unable to keep his position now!!"

You Changlin, master of Flying Fish Martial Hall, gnawed on a chicken claw. His pair of white brows swayed in the wind, and his face was full of gloating delight.

"When did White Light Outer City gain such a freakishly gifted brat? After today, those bald donkeys of the Buddhist Sect will probably come rushing over after catching wind of him..."

Not far away stood the master of Red Armor Martial Hall, a short man with ape-like arms. Not only were they covered in black fur, but all ten fingers were exceptionally sharp.

His entire appearance was rather strange. Fang Zengzhi wore a smile that was not quite a smile, leaving the disciples around him at a loss as to why their hall master looked so pleased.

"Hehe, so it is the most tyrannical of innate physiques, the Vajra Ancient Vein. No wonder, no wonder..."

Yan Zhen of Iron Garment Martial Hall in particular wore an ashen expression. He clenched a pair of refined iron walnuts in his palm until they gave off crisp clack-clack sounds.

The disciples around him feared that a word or gesture might provoke their hall master, and unconsciously edged farther away.

Wang Xuance suddenly recalled General Li's explanation in the Martial Lecture Hall that day of the secret to breaking through the Three-Knock Blood Pass and becoming a Martial Practitioner.

Blood and qi that could be wielded outside the body—was that not precisely the Essence of Blood and Qi that those at the Three-Knock Blood Pass needed to condense by opening Martial Apertures when they broke through the Mystic Gate and advanced into the Fetal Breath Realm?

"He is only at the Two-Knock Blood Pass, yet he can actually condense Essence of Blood and Qi?"

"Wasn't it said that only those at the Three-Knock Blood Pass could do that after opening Martial Apertures?"

"As far as I know, not a single disciple of the six martial halls has successfully condensed Essence of Blood and Qi!"

"Tsk, tsk. This dark horse may well overturn the entire martial meet."

Wang Xuance could not help feeling astonished. This man was Wu Shan, the senior brother who had joined a martial hall to learn martial arts three years before him. All Wang Xuance knew was that Wu Shan possessed outstanding talent and was deeply favored by the master of Tower Stele Martial Hall.

He had been the subordinate most likely to become a Martial Practitioner within a year, yet for some unknown reason, his martial cultivation had failed to advance by even a single step over three years.

Until the day the martial hall was wiped out, when Wang Xuance fled for his life, he had seen Wu Shan's heart meridians shattered by a single palm strike, his breath cut off as he died.

Yet unbelievably, Wu Shan, like him, had successfully survived and come to White Light City to join the army.

He was also the only living person who knew Wang Xuance had obtained the martial art [Eightfold Heavenly Gang].

Had he produced Essence of Blood and Qi because his aptitude was simply too heaven-defying, or had he found another opportunity and acquired a martial art that allowed him to cultivate Martial Apertures?

That thought flashed through Wang Xuance's mind.

"Hehe, being able to force out all my strength means you will not have died in vain!"

A trace of killing intent flashed through Wu Shan's eyes. With a thought, the Essence of Blood and Qi surrounding him transformed into a giant hand, wrapping around the "iron ball" before he hurled it at Yuan Nanting with all his strength!

The iron ball shot through the air, the sound of its passage tearing loudly through the sky.

Yuan Nanting was shocked and enraged, but not the least bit afraid.

He wrapped both hands in a current of force and swept them forward. The instant the iron ball crashed in, it was like charging into a mass of cotton, stalling in place.

The foundational stance art of Iron Garment Martial Hall—Iron Strength Skill, Third Form: Thousand-Force Brushing the Sea.

It followed the path of overcoming hardness with softness, using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds.

Yuan Nanting held his breath and sealed his apertures, using the power of his blood and qi to fill the major acupoints throughout his body and greatly strengthen his flesh.

He sprang forward on his toes, both hands driving straight ahead like a dragon plunging into the Yellow River, sweeping horizontally.

"Hmph, you truly do not know your own limits!"

Wu Shan gave a mocking smile, stepped forward, and drove a fist straight into him.

Palm and fist collided without making the slightest sound. What followed was merely fist and palm attacking each other in rapid succession.

There were no refined or mysterious techniques, only close-quarters brawling—fierce punches and savage slaps.

"Ha! I wondered what made you so formidable. So you are injured! No wonder your Essence of Blood and Qi can only protect your body and cannot harm an enemy!"

Yuan Nanting evaded the fist's edge and hammered the Zhiyang Acupoint on Wu Shan's back. He then swept out with one palm toward the black-robed youth's Danzhong Acupoint, but before his force could land, he slid away.

Bang!

Fist force exploded around Wu Shan, and the entire platform became covered in cracks like a giant spiderweb.

The Essence of Blood and Qi that had originally wound around Wu Shan's body slowly rose from the cracks in the ground, locking around Yuan Nanting's wrist like steel hoops.

"Why are you running? Do you think I'll eat you or something? Take a good look and see whether I'm injured!"

Yuan Nanting's eyes twitched at the sight. He seemed unable to grasp the situation before him, and his brows furrowed tightly!

Inside the main hall of the Chen Clan's four-courtyard residence, Chen Xuanfeng spoke in a deep voice.

"This old man condensed fifty strands of true qi as early as three years ago. In terms of the abundance of true qi, aside from those clansmen who traveled abroad in those days, who else could possibly compare with me!"

"Your aptitude is merely of middling bone structure. Becoming a Martial Practitioner is already the end of your martial path—what opportunity could you have to advance any further?!"

Chen Linger cried out in disbelief, her face filled with incredulity.

Hearing this, Chen Xuanfeng frowned, his expression turning displeased.

His five fingers curled loosely, then pulled back!

The next instant, Chen Linger felt her body lose control, as though some invisible force had seized her and dragged her flying toward the Second Elder.

"Stop!"

The Grand Elder's eyes widened in fury. One hand seized the back of the girl's neck while his sleeve swept out in a slash, severing that profound and mysterious pull of qi!

Yet the swift advance-and-retreat shift, together with the vast qi forces acting upon her body, which was only at the Two-Knock Blood Pass, made her heart suddenly tighten. She let out a muffled groan, and scarlet blood seeped from the corner of her mouth!

Her gaze toward the Second Elder was filled with terror!

"Hmph!"

Chen Xuanfeng looked displeased, but since he had already made a move to teach this junior who knew no manners a lesson, it would not do to pursue the matter further!

"Chen Xuanfeng, are you trying to rebel? Chen Linger is the clan head's daughter!"

Chen Xuanjing roared in anger. He pressed a palm to the girl's back and sent in a warm current, helping her soothe her blood and qi and return it to its proper flow!

"When elders are speaking, do not interrupt!"

Seeing her complexion turn from deathly pale to rosy once more, the Grand Elder heaved a great sigh of relief. One had to know that in conflicts at the Fetal Breath Realm, even the simplest exchange of moves—

Those of lower realms had no possibility of even watching, much less entertaining any thought of interfering.

They only had to fear that when the city gate caught fire, the fish in the moat would suffer.

"Hmph! You have only just passed the Two-Knock Blood Pass, yet you dare show such disrespect toward a senior! What is more, I am an elder of this clan. I will put my words here: even if the clan head himself came, I would say the same!"

Chen Xuanfeng's single eye slanted toward the girl. No one noticed the fleeting, indescribably sickly expression that flashed through his face.

The girl shuddered from head to toe and no longer dared show the slightest trace of petulance. She merely rose slowly to stand behind the Grand Elder.

"After all this circling around, what exactly do you want? The Chen Clan has stood for a hundred years, yet never have we seen such insubordination!"

"Where is the elder of discipline? Take this man down for me!"

Chen Xuanjing was beside himself with rage, pointing at the former as he roared.

Yet after looking around, there was not the slightest movement.

"Where is the discipline squad? Seize this man and take him away to be dealt with according to clan rules!"