Urban Martial Saint

After dealing with the driver, Ye Qing jumped directly off the car. However, the vehicle was now off its previous course, and as he landed, another car came straight at him. Given the speed of the car and Ye Qing’s position, dodging was utterly impossible at this point. The driver inside seemed determined to kill Ye Qing as he slammed the accelerator to the floor, the vehicle roaring like a wild beast as it lunged forward.

”Captain!” Black Bear yelled anxiously from inside the car, but there was no time to assist. As for White Wolf and the others nearby, they were all wide-eyed in shock—if Ye Qing got hit by this, he wouldn’t die, he’d at least be gravely wounded.

Despite the danger, Ye Qing remained utterly composed. As the vehicle approached, seeming seconds from impact, Ye Qing took a deep breath, clutched the hilt of the Seven-Star Ancient Sword tightly, and let out a resounding roar. Raising the sword high, he swung it down forcefully at the vehicle’s front.

Cui Yulong had done something similar before, cutting off half of a car’s front using the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade. Ye Qing wanted to emulate that same move. At this moment, Ye Qing poured all the inner strength in his arms into the Seven-Star Ancient Sword. Strangely, as he channeled his full power, he felt a peculiar change in the sword—it seemed as though the seven stars on the hilt were absorbing his inner strength, funneling it rapidly into the sword.

In response, the Seven-Star Ancient Sword began to shift as well. The blade trembled slightly, emitting a deep, low hum akin to the awakening of an ancient deity. Different from the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade’s dragon-like resonance, the Seven-Star Ancient Sword’s hum carried an air of solemnity and desolation, exuding immense authority.

Even Ye Qing hadn’t expected the sword to undergo such a transformation. As he stood momentarily stunned, the blade had already swung down. Before it even made contact, the vehicle’s body split apart as though unable to withstand the sheer force of the sword’s aura.

With one swing, Ye Qing cleaved the car into two. Even the cement road behind the vehicle bore a deep mark—a two-finger-wide, half-foot-deep gash stretching seven to eight meters long. It was a sight to behold!

The car, split in two, had its engine shredded, triggering an explosive detonation. Before the vehicle could collide with Ye Qing, the resulting shockwave hurled him backward. Fortunately, Ye Qing only suffered minor abrasions upon landing without any severe injuries. His feat, however, left everyone present utterly dumbfounded, especially members of the Xihua Gang.

A single, unassuming ancient sword had split a vehicle in two and carved a deep groove into the ground. Such a display was beyond their wildest imaginations. Was Ye Qing even human?

Standing tall with the sword in hand, Ye Qing’s imposing presence petrified the Xihua Gang members who had moments ago charged forward with fierce determination. They now faltered, hesitant to advance further. Those inside the car that had been split were consumed by the explosion, losing their lives in an instant. The battle was nothing short of breathtaking.

Ye Qing’s face remained calm as he raised the Seven-Star Ancient Sword and pointed it at the remaining members of the Xihua Gang. In a low voice, he declared, ”Leave or die. The choice is yours!”

Not daring to court death, the remaining members exchanged glances, turned their cars around, and fled without hesitation, unwilling to linger for even half a second.

Seeing Ye Qing single-handedly scaring off the Xihua Gang, White Wolf and the other four were overwhelmed with shock and joy. Having been caught in an ambush, they had assumed their lives were over, but meeting Ye Qing turned their fortunes around.

”Mr. Ye, thank you so much!” White Wolf cupped his hands in gratitude toward Ye Qing. Just as he finished speaking, he noticed Ye Qing stumble and collapse to the ground.

”Captain!” Black Bear shouted in alarm, rushing out of the car to assist Ye Qing. White Wolf and the other four also hurried over to him. Ye Qing appeared utterly drained, lying weakly, as if all the strength had left his body. The scene was deeply unsettling.

”Captain, what’s going on?” Black Bear asked anxiously. ”Is… is it that poison acting up again?”

”Poison? Mr. Ye has been poisoned?” White Wolf exclaimed in surprise.

Black Bear didn’t have time to explain. Ye Qing weakly waved his hand and murmured, ”Take… take me to Shen Family Manor…”

”Oh, right, right, let’s head to Shen Family Manor!” Black Bear quickly carried Ye Qing onto the car. White Wolf and the others followed, driving toward Shen Family Manor without delay.

In truth, Ye Qing wasn’t suffering from the effects of the Twin Life Gu, but rather he had exhausted every last ounce of strength with his previous strike. For reasons unknown, the seven stars on the sword hilt had rapidly absorbed nearly all of the inner strength in Ye Qing’s arms, unleashing a terrifyingly powerful blow.

Truth be told, Ye Qing’s current abilities were far inferior to Cui Yulong’s. However, the strike he delivered earlier surpassed anything Cui Yulong could muster thanks to the abnormal shift in the Seven-Star Ancient Sword. Despite wielding the sword for quite some time, Ye Qing had never encountered anything like this. It was clear that the Seven-Star Ancient Sword held many untold secrets, standing on par with the Ink Pattern Black Gold Blade!

Shen Family Manor was now within reach, and with no obstacles in their way, Black Bear reached the manor gates in under fifteen minutes.

The gates of Shen Family Manor were sealed tight, and the Stone Bagua Formation, which had previously been placed at the outskirts, was now stationed at the entrance. If not for White Wolf’s warning, Black Bear might have driven straight into the formation.

Unfamiliar with the formation’s power, Black Bear didn’t understand its significance, but White Wolf, having visited several times, knew full well—once inside the Stone Bagua Formation, leaving would be no easy task. Luckily, White Wolf’s timely reminder avoided unnecessary trouble.

As their vehicle pulled up beside Shen Family Manor, members of the Shen Family hurried out to meet them. Recognizing White Wolf in the car, they knew this wasn’t an attack and dropped their guard. However, the sight of an almost unconscious Ye Qing left them stunned, prompting them to quickly lift him into the manor.

Black Bear and White Wolf followed closely. As they rushed into the hall, Shen Da arrived hurriedly with several family members.

”Where’s Ye Qing?” Shen Da asked anxiously. ”What happened? What’s going on? How did this happen?”

The majority of the Shen Family were deeply concerned. Last time, Ye Qing had nearly sacrificed his life saving the Shen Family at the manor, so most of the family held profound gratitude toward him. Learning of his injuries, they wasted no time running out to assist.

Black Bear stepped forward and hurriedly explained the situation surrounding the Twin Life Gu to Shen Da. Shen Da was stunned upon hearing it.

”Twin Life Gu?” Shen Da frowned deeply. ”How could such an evil Gu still exist? Are you sure… you’re sure it’s the Twin Life Gu?”

Black Bear scratched his head, not being an expert in such matters. He couldn’t confirm its authenticity.

”That’s what the enemy claimed. I don’t know whether it’s true or not,” Black Bear replied.

Shen Er, standing nearby, spoke with a low voice, ”Impossible. No one in the Miao Borderlands can create the Twin Life Gu anymore. How could Wang Tian’an have accomplished it? To craft such a Gu, the death toll would be unimaginable!”

”If it’s not the Twin Life Gu, then what could it be?” Shen Si said. ”Ye Qing is immune to almost all poisons. Apart from a handful of the most malevolent Gu insects from the Miao Borderlands, nothing should be able to harm him.”

”Enough! Stop arguing about this now!” Shen Da interrupted sternly. ”Quickly call Father; he’ll be able to tell at a glance whether it’s the Twin Life Gu or not!”

The mention of the Twin Life Gu prompted a flurry of activity among the Shen Family. Shen Da’s words resonated as a reminder, and Shen Er immediately rushed off to find Shen Tianjun.

The remaining family members wasted no time lifting Ye Qing into an inner chamber, placing him on the bed to let him rest.

In Shen Tianjun’s secluded courtyard, Shen Qingyi and Shen Lingwei were chatting leisurely. Both girls were ethereal and refined, resembling a pair of lotus blossoms blooming side by side—so pure and beautiful that one couldn’t bear to look away for long.

In the courtyard, Huangfu Ziyu was practicing a blade technique. The blade she wielded was the Cold Moon Blade, gifted to her by Ye Qing. Huangfu Ziyu had now made Xi Hang her main focus. To rebuild the Huangfu Household, she needed to secure more territory in Xi Hang. While White Wolf and Tianfu handled matters outside, most of her time was spent at Shen Family Manor training with Shen Tianjun.

The Huangfu Household was a prominent family and a Martial Arts Family twenty years ago. In order to restore the clan’s land, wealth, and strength, Huangfu Ziyu needed to elevate her personal abilities swiftly. As chaos loomed over the martial arts world, if she couldn’t strengthen herself before rivals challenged the Huangfu Household, what could she rely on to rebuild her family’s legacy?

Inside the house sat Shen Tianjun, who hadn’t left Shen Family Manor since his return. To prevent the Shen Family from being embroiled in the impending turmoil, he honored his prior vow, ensuring that no Shen Family member left the manor or engaged with external affairs.

As long as the Shen Family remained detached from outside entanglements, no one dared to trouble Shen Family Manor, especially with Shen Tianjun there to oversee it. As one of the preeminent figures in the martial arts world for decades, few individuals could rival him, and even fewer would dare provoke him.

While Shen Tianjun was quietly reading in his study, the sound of hurried footsteps reached his ears. He frowned slightly and stood to walk into the courtyard.

”Master?” Huangfu Ziyu glanced at him in surprise. Unsure of his intent, she asked hesitantly, ”Did I make a mistake in my practice?”

”No.” Shen Tianjun’s expression was calm as he stood silently, gazing toward the courtyard gate.

Huangfu Ziyu, puzzled by his behavior, turned to look as well.

After about half a minute, the gate swung open, and Shen Er rushed in, panting from his swift journey. He had not taken his time in reaching the secluded courtyard.