Chapter 365 - 356: Bi Fangyu, Young Master Ling, Cloud Vortex Phenomenon

Chapter 365: Chapter 356: Bi Fangyu, Young Master Ling, Cloud Vortex Phenomenon

Military Martial Arts is a branch of the Martial Dao that evolved over many long years. It is a path that preaches, "Entering the Dao through power, replacing fists with soldiers, and commanding the land with intent."

Those who practice as a Soldier Martial Artist must hold real power. They use the blood and fire of their territory to cultivate "Soldier’s Killing Qi," borrow the strength of army formations to resonate their Qi Blood, and absorb "Sharp Military Spirit" to temper and strengthen their bodies.

It sounds incredibly profound, but its core can be summed up in a single word: Fortune.

When their fortune is good, a Soldier Martial Artist’s progress in the Martial Dao is incredibly fast. If their soldiers can conquer nine cities in a day, their Martial Dao can break through three gates in a day.

When their fortune is poor, their troops will suffer a total collapse, losing cities and territories.

In terms of the Martial Dao, they will also suffer a backlash from the Soldier’s Killing Qi in their bodies. In mild cases, their Qi Blood will wane and their realm will fall. In severe cases, they might die violently on the spot, their bodies turning into stiff corpses—this is not out of the question.

"When fortune arrives, heaven and earth lend their strength; when fortune departs, even heroes are not free." This speaks of the Military Martial Dao.

A step beyond the Military Martial Dao is the legendary Path of the Emperor, the Imperial Extreme Martial Arts.

Emperor Qianming walked this path in his time. With his Body of Heart and Mind, he effortlessly slew a living Grandmaster, relying on the blessing of an intangible, magnificent Momentum.

Nowadays, the only people qualified to cultivate the Military Martial Killing Dao are the great Warlord commanders who rule their own territories.

And to be able to cultivate Military Martial Arts to the point of killing two Viscera-Tempering Martial Artists of the Gratitude Heart Sensing Realm with a single finger... such a person must command a territory of considerable size.

No wonder the Mo Family’s Martial Tributor was so shocked.

Such figures are practically few and far between in the world today!

’I wonder which great lord this man, who looks like an old farmer, really is?!’

Having his methods seen through and stated aloud, Xie Mingzhi simply gave a faint smile.

His figure flickered, and in the moment it took for everyone’s vision to blur, he had already passed the two corpses on the ground and walked into the crowd.

Cries of alarm immediately rose from the Mo Family’s side as the crowd quickly scattered.

Xie Mingzhi’s expression remained indifferent as he walked straight ahead, cornering a man and a woman in just a few steps.

Xie Mingzhi gave the pair a cool glance. The handsome young man, who had recently started growing a queue and was dressed like a Manchus’ Young Master, immediately dropped to the ground with a THUD, kowtowing and begging for mercy in terror.

"Mar... Marshal Ming, spare me! Her! It was all her idea!"

The young man pointed at the demure-looking Xu Xiangniang beside him, frantically trying to defend himself. "This bitch, she burned your granaries and then instigated me to elope with her..."

"This bitch did all of it! It has nothing to do with me!"

Xu Xiangniang, who had been forcing herself to remain somewhat calm, turned to look at the young man berating and accusing her, her face a mask of disbelief.

It was as if she was truly seeing him for the first time, and for a moment, she was speechless.

Xie Mingzhi had no interest in their affairs. He simply asked coolly, "Where is the Jade?"

"The Jade is..."

Just as the young man was about to answer, he saw Xu Xiangniang’s lips move. In the next second, countless blisters suddenly erupted on his hands and face. His features twisted instantly, and with a horrifying scream, he fell to the ground, his body twitching and convulsing...

Within a few short breaths, the young man died a miserable death. From his gaping mouth, swarm after swarm of green-headed flies flew out with a BUZZZZZ.

This bizarre and unsettling scene sent a chill down the spines of the Mo Family members, even though they were based in Yingjing and had seen all sorts of Demon Fiends and strange occurrences.

Xie Mingzhi, however, remained impassive.

"So, Lan Ying’s Gu Skill was passed on to you."

He glanced at the young man’s corpse, then his gaze fell upon Xu Xiangniang. He asked his question once more: "Where is the Jade?"

Under the pressure of the formless aura in the air, Xu Xiangniang’s slender body trembled like a leaf, but she held on, sneering, "You want to know where the Jade is? Not unless you promise me..."

"You know that’s impossible."

Xie Mingzhi cut her off with a shake of his head before she could finish.

He said in a level voice, "You burned the granaries. If you don’t die, I’ll have no way to answer to the soldiers who died in the battle of Huangwu.

"However, if you honestly tell me the whereabouts of the Bi Fangyu, I can give you a quick death.

"You know as well as I do that there are many things in this world more painful than death..."

Xu Xiangniang’s face was ashen, and her body swayed slightly.

Her gaze flickered wildly for a moment. Finally, she looked at the dead young man beside her, and the light in her eyes died completely.

"The Jade is with Young Master Profound Banner Ling."

Xu Xiangniang gave a wretched smile, her eyes staring straight at Xie Mingzhi, filled with a deep, cursing intent. "If you have the guts, go ask him for it. Hehehe..."

Xie Mingzhi raised his hand casually, and it was as if an invisible string sliced through the air.

"SSST—"

Xu Xiangniang’s last laugh was cut off in her throat. A red line, like a knife cut, inexplicably appeared on her fair, slender neck.

She clutched her neck as she slowly collapsed, falling beside the dead young man, her blood staining the grey stone slabs red.

Xie Mingzhi didn’t look at the two. He turned, his calm gaze sweeping over the members of the Mo Family, and asked coolly, "Now, who can tell me?

"Where is this Young Master Profound Banner Ling?"

Hearing this, the Mo Family Patriarch’s eyes flickered slightly.

「Ten minutes later.」

In front of the Mo Mansion’s main gate, the Mo Family contingent silently watched as Xie Mingzhi and his two companions departed.

"Patriarch, the Supreme Commander of the Southwest Fire Cloud Army has entered the Capital City. Should we report this matter to the Royal Banner?" one person asked in a low voice.

The Mo Family Patriarch’s plump, bearded face suddenly twisted into a ferocious expression. "What’s the hurry?

"He’s looking for someone, isn’t he? Let him find them first.

"However, we can let Young Master Wei know about this..."

The Mo Family Patriarch turned his head and ordered, "Go inform Young Master Wei of the Purple Banner. I’m sure he’ll be very interested."

"Yes."

The subordinate took his leave. The Mo Family Patriarch gazed in the direction Xie Mingzhi’s party had gone.

He seemed to think of someone, and the trouble that person was about to face, and couldn’t stop smirking. Even some of the frustration he’d built up over the past few days seemed to dissipate.

What he failed to notice was that among the crowd of servants standing behind him, an inconspicuous figure quietly slipped away, hugged the wall to exit the Mo Mansion, and then immediately took a shortcut, sprinting madly in a certain direction.

........

「Blue Banner, Mu Mansion.」

"Give me the things. You may go."

Hong Huan stopped the servant who came to deliver the meal, took the food box from his hands, and dismissed him with a cold wave.

The servant withdrew. Hong Huan turned, carrying the food box, and walked step by step toward a quiet room with tightly shut doors and windows not far away.

His footsteps were extremely light, almost silent, as if afraid of disturbing something.

He walked all the way to the door of the quiet room, carefully placed the food box on the step in front of it, and then turned back.

Before Hong Huan could return to his original position, a sudden, inexplicable tremor welled up from the bottom of his heart!

He spun around, his gaze fixed on the quiet room.

The doors and windows there were shut tight, showing no signs of anything unusual. But in Hong Huan’s Perception, faint, indescribable wisps of Qi were slowly spreading out from the quiet room like invisible ripples.

The Qi was extremely faint and fine, like threads of silk, yet it carried a heart-palpitating pressure, as if something was gestating, growing, and taking form inside the quiet room.

Hong Huan followed this flow of Qi, his head tilting up to look at the sky—

Then, his expression turned to one of alarm.

Above the quiet room, masses of clouds and mist had been drawn in from all directions at some unknown time, converging like a hundred rivers returning to the sea.

The clouds gathered into a vortex, the mist condensed like a lid, layer upon layer, spinning without rest. In the very center of this vortex, a perfectly round opening appeared in the sky, where the color was deeper and darker than its surroundings...

Like the eye of heaven!

He stared, transfixed, as this strange spectacle unfolded before his eyes, his expression one of shock. For a moment, he was completely lost in the sight.

Just then, the sound of rapid footsteps came from behind him. Someone was barging in!

"The Spirit Lord is about to break through!"

Hong Huan whirled around, his eyes fixed on the suddenly arrived Mu Feng, his tone carrying an unquestionable warning: "At a time like this, no one is to disturb the Spirit Lord!"

"I know that better than you do!"

Mu Feng retorted impatiently, then his expression turned grim as he spoke quickly, "I just received a message from my men. Someone is coming to make trouble for us. They’ll be here in half an incense stick’s time at most..."

"How many?"

Hong Huan’s brows twitched slightly.

"One."

Mu Feng held up a single finger, paused, and then added, "But he’s an expert. They say he cultivates some kind of Military Martial Dao.

"Just now, at the Zhe Banner Mo Family’s residence, he killed two of the Mo Family’s Tributor experts with a single finger..."

"The Military Martial Killing Dao..."

Hong Huan’s eyes glinted, and he quickly said in a deep voice, "I’ll go and hold him off."

"That’s what I was thinking.

"I’ve already requisitioned men from the other families to help you.

"If that’s still not enough..."

Mu Feng paused, a flicker in his eyes. "Then we’ll have no choice but to release the one in the back garden.

"In any case, no matter what, we can’t let the Spirit Lord’s seclusion be disturbed."

Hong Huan had just come from the back garden, so he naturally knew what was being kept there.

It was a terrifying Senior Third Grade Demon Steed. After his strength had surged and evil thoughts had begun to sprout following his third successful Viscera Tempering, he had taken one trip inside and, upon witnessing the Great Demon’s power, had been immediately sobered.

He nodded. Without another word, he strode out with a grim expression.

After Hong Huan left, Mu Feng glanced toward the quiet room.

The vortex in the sky was still spinning, growing deeper and lower, as if it might press down at any moment. In the center of the vortex, a faint radiance seemed to flow, as if some power within the quiet room was resonating with heaven and earth.

A trace of faint anticipation appeared in Mu Feng’s eyes.

Finally, he withdrew his gaze and also departed in a hurry.

The courtyard returned to silence.

Only the vortex in the sky continued its silent rotation.

.....

「Duanku Old Lane, Brocade Street.」

Led by a servant from the Mo Mansion, Xie Mingzhi and two of his Fire Cloud Army subordinates strolled along the long street.