Beat Him to Death for Me

When Zhao Heizi saw Niu Mancang, his heart skipped a beat. What a hulking man.

After awakening his Feral Ox Physique, Niu Mancang's appetite had soared. Before becoming martial artists, ordinary people could eat one or two taels of demon beast meat a day at most.

But he ate a full jin every day. Once he broke through to Bright Force and became a martial artist, he would need to eat ten jin of demon beast meat every day.

The growth was terrifying. He had originally been around 170 centimeters tall, but now he had shot up to two meters and weighed over 300 jin. His skin carried a metallic sheen.

The Bright Force of the Iron Shirt was oxhide, but Niu Mancang had cultivated a bronze hide due to the awakening of his Feral Ox Physique.

Once he cultivated it to perfection and broke through to Dark Force, the energy in his flesh and blood would seep into his bones, forming iron bones.

At that point, though Niu Mancang weighed over 300 jin, he would not look fat.

"Misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding. The Chu Family and I have always..." Zhao Heizi shouted.

Before he could finish, Zhang Yu cut him off. "Misunderstanding my ass. Mancang, beat him to death for me."

Damn it, he called it a misunderstanding just because he could not win? Was there really such a good deal in the world?

"Yes, Master!"

Niu Mancang knew no fighting techniques. Covering his head with his arms, he charged straight at Zhao Heizi.

With the Iron Shirt at major accomplishment combined with the Feral Ox Physique, it was simply impossible for a Bright Force martial artist to break through his defenses.

Zhao Heizi cultivated the Eagle Claw Technique. His body suddenly leaped more than a zhang into the air, taking the stance of an eagle spreading its wings as he evaded Niu Mancang's charge.

The next second, a cold glint appeared in Zhao Heizi's eyes in midair. He dove downward, his right claw snatching Niu Mancang by the back of the neck from above.

"Die!" he barked, his gaze cruel.

Zhao Heizi was at the peak of Bright Force and had absolute confidence in his eagle claw. Even a Dark Force martial artist caught by the neck would die with bitter resentment.

But the next second, his expression froze. Though his right claw had gripped the other man's neck, it rang out like metal. That strike had actually failed to break his skin.

This... shouldn't be possible. How could this be? Could his hard-body art have reached perfection? Zhao Heizi was greatly alarmed.

Unfortunately, Niu Mancang gave him no more time to think. Both hands seized Zhao Heizi's arm at his neck, then, with a whoosh, he swung him like a sack and smashed Zhao Heizi from midair into the ground.

Bang!

"Ah..."

A shallow human-shaped crater appeared in the ground. Zhao Heizi screamed miserably, feeling as though every bone in his body had shattered.

The next second, he discovered that he had been flung into the air again. Spinning 360 degrees, his body was smashed into the ground by Niu Mancang once more.

Bang! Bang! Bang...

Gripping Zhao Heizi's right arm, Niu Mancang began viciously smashing him into the ground without stopping. After more than a dozen blows, Zhao Heizi's bones and internal organs had all been pulverized into mush. He had long since stopped breathing.

"Oh my god, run! The chief is dead!"

Before long, only Zhang Yu, Niu Mancang, and Chu Qingwen remained in the mountain stronghold.

Looking at the corpses strewn across the ground, Zhang Yu began cursing the system again in his heart.

Half an hour later, Zhang Yu and the other two continued on their way. By then, the stronghold on Erniu Mountain had already become a sea of flames.

One third-rate cultivation technique: Eagle Claw Technique.

More than three thousand taels of silver.

That was Zhang Yu's haul.

"Poor bastards!" Zhang Yu cursed under his breath.

Niu Mancang's daily martial arts expenses alone were now close to 200 taels of silver. More than three thousand taels would not even last a month.

"I still need to find a way to make money!" A trace of worry appeared on Zhang Yu's face.

After thinking for a while, he came up with no good ideas. Back on Earth, he had never been good at business.

Leave professional matters to professionals. Zhang Yu turned to Chu Qingwen. "Qingwen, what business does your Chu Family make the most money from?"

"Hm?" Chu Qingwen looked at Zhang Yu in confusion, not understanding what he meant.

"Your master is short of money right now, but I know nothing about business. Your Chu Family has been in trade for generations. Qingwen, can you think of a way for your master to make money?" Zhang Yu asked frankly.

Chu Qingwen thought for a moment before saying, "Master, the biggest businesses in Boundless City are medicinal herbs and demon beast meat. Let's talk about the herb trade. There are roughly fifty thousand herb gatherers in the northern district. Every day, they risk their lives entering the Ten Thousand Mountains to gather herbs, then the gangs purchase them at extremely low prices."

"If Master wishes to make money, you can think of something in this area. As long as we can obtain herbs from the herb gatherers, our Chu Family can help sell them," Chu Qingwen said.

Zhang Yu nodded, considering the power structure of Boundless City's gangs.

Behind the Ghost Alliance stood the Ye Family of the Great Qi Empire.

Behind the Broadsword Gang stood the Cui Family of the Great Xia Empire.

Behind the Black Tiger Gang stood the Sima Family of the Great Chu Empire.

Though none of these three families were top-tier martial arts clans, they could not be underestimated. Each family had martial artists in the middle three realms.

Zhang Yu estimated his own strength. Though he was only at Dark Force, over 300 years of cultivation had long made his strength far surpass that realm. Combined with the Shattering Martial Intent, he was confident that below the True Qi Realm, no one could stand against him.

In the end, to be safe, Zhang Yu decided to wait until he entered Transforming Force before involving himself in Boundless City's medicinal herb trade.

Nothing else happened on the rest of the journey. Ten days later, Zhang Yu and the others returned safely to Boundless City.

"Master, you're back."

"Master!"

"Master!"

Li Yue, Wen Hua, Zhao Dun, Xia Shuang, and the others cried out happily when they saw Zhang Yu.

Zhang Yu nodded slightly, then looked toward Wen Hua. Sure enough, Wen Hua's qi and blood had reached the brink of breaking through. With his dual outstanding aptitude and comprehension, breaking through should not be difficult.

On the road, Zhang Yu had already seen on the system panel that Wen Hua's Clear Wind Stance was about to reach minor accomplishment.

[Name: Wen Hua]

[Cultivation Technique: Clear Wind Stance, Beginner (100/100)]

The Clear Wind Stance was a second-rate cultivation technique. Combined with its breathing method, one could attempt to break through to Bright Force upon reaching minor accomplishment.

Third-rate cultivation techniques had no breathing methods and needed to be cultivated to major accomplishment before one could attempt to break through to Bright Force.

Wen Hua's dual outstanding aptitude and comprehension made him a minor genius. He already had one foot in Bright Force and only needed to break through.

Zhang Yu then looked at Li Yue.

[Name: Li Yue]

[Cultivation Technique: Clear Wind Stance, Beginner (36/100)]

Li Yue was still far from it, but with her Thousand-Hammered Fate, the further she progressed, the more thoroughly she would understand cultivation techniques, and the faster she would cultivate.

Li Yue now provided Zhang Yu with 6 proficiency points every day.

That night, Zhang Yu gathered all his disciples for a meal. After they finished eating, he kept Wen Hua behind alone.

Zhang Yu lifted his teacup and took a sip. "Have you felt the Bright Force barrier?"

"Yes, Master. Please teach me how to break through it," Wen Hua answered respectfully.

He had sensed the barrier five days ago, but Zhang Yu had not been at his side, so he did not dare attempt a breakthrough carelessly. For the past few days, he had been consolidating his foundation.

He had also learned that most people found it difficult to break through the barrier. If they failed, they could even suffer backlash and be injured.

That was why martial artists were held in such high regard. Ninety percent of people were barred outside this gate.

"With your talent, breaking through should not be difficult." Zhang Yu took out a Blood-Nourishing Pill and handed it to Wen Hua. "Take this Blood-Nourishing Pill immediately, then begin the Clear Wind Stance. When your qi and blood have gathered to their peak, strike at the barrier. I will guard you. Break through without worry."

"Yes, Master!" Wen Hua accepted the Blood-Nourishing Pill and put it into his mouth. Once the pill entered his mouth, it turned into a warm current that flowed throughout his body.

He immediately began practicing the Clear Wind Stance.

Half an hour later, when the qi and blood within his body began to boil, Wen Hua controlled that force of qi and blood and slammed it fiercely into the barrier.

Boom!

With only one strike, the barrier collapsed like a landslide. In that instant, he felt as if some shackle within his body had opened.

A mysterious force surged forth from within his body and began nourishing his flesh, blood, tendons, and bones.

"What a wondrous feeling!" Wen Hua felt power filling his entire body, his force rising higher and higher.