Urban Martial Saint

Tama writhed on the ground, screaming miserably, her voice extremely piercing, as the poisonous insects quickly crawled over her entire body. However, at this moment, no one paid attention to her anymore because everyone’s gaze was fixed on Grand Master Nai Kun, or rather, on Grand Master Nai Kun’s head.

Grand Master Nai Kun emerged from the white mist, and the screaming finally subsided slightly. However, his head was no longer intact, blood and flesh were mangled, and his facial skin and scalp seemed to have been torn off completely, with no skin left. On the left side of his face, there was even a hole where you could clearly see the teeth inside from the outside. His nose bridge was completely gone, with the nasal bone exposed, and some white maggots were crawling in and out of his nasal bone. His eye sockets were damaged, with the left eye reduced to a hollow, and the right eye’s eyeball dangled out, connected by a thread of flesh, as if it could fall at any moment.

Upon seeing his appearance, everyone around drew a sharp breath. No wonder Tama was so terrified earlier; Grand Master Nai Kun’s current appearance was even more terrifying than a ghost — it would be strange if Tama wasn’t terrified.

”Senior Brother! Senior Brother! Save me! Save me!”

Tama’s voice was almost out of strength; her body was covered with various poisonous insects, and her skin turned blue-black, a result of severe poisoning. Although she was also a Southeast Asian Sorcerer, the Ten Thousand Insects Curse was cultivated by Grand Master Nai Kun, and the toxicity of each poisonous creature was extremely potent, far beyond her ability to withstand. Entangled by these poisonous insects, she didn’t even have the strength to stand. If Grand Master Nai Kun didn’t save her, she would surely die!

However, Grand Master Nai Kun seemed not to hear her calls for help; he lifted his head, aiming his empty eye sockets at Shen Tianjun, and said in a deep voice, ”Shen Tianjun, what...what demon art is this of yours?”

Due to severe injuries, his voice had changed, now sounding extremely sharp, like the piercing sound of a steel brush scraping a steel plate. Just hearing this sound made everyone’s skin crawl and filled them with an indescribable discomfort.

The surrounding sorcerers also looked toward Shen Tianjun. They had clearly seen what happened earlier, but none of them knew exactly what had occurred. Obviously, that handful of Bone-Attaching Maggots was thrown at Shen Tianjun, but Grand Master Nai Kun suddenly turned his hand and threw it at himself? Could it be that Shen Tianjun really used some kind of demon art?

”This technique is called Karmic Retribution...” Shen Tianjun said calmly and aloud, ”This is an ultimate technique left by Patriarch Bodhidharma, capable of returning your technique onto yourself. Good begets good, evil begets evil. If you strike without killing intent, with mercy, the backlash will not be too severe. But if you strike cruelly, you will inevitably face cruel retribution.”

A stir went through the crowd, no one had imagined there was such miraculous martial arts. And now it seemed, Grand Master Nai Kun truly brought it upon himself. If he hadn’t used the Bone-Attaching Maggots but some ordinary poison, he wouldn’t have been so grievously injured. With the use of Bone-Attaching Maggots, he lost half his life, truly affirming Shen Tianjun’s words: good begets good, evil begets evil!

Ye Qing was even more astonished, realizing that this technique, Karmic Retribution, was also an ultimate technique left by Patriarch Bodhidharma. By now, he had seen three ultimate techniques left by Bodhidharma. Helian Tiehua’s A Stone’s Throw Away, the Purple Robe Lama’s Crossing the River with a Reed, and Shen Tianjun’s Karmic Retribution were all extremely exquisite techniques, far surpassing ordinary martial arts. Compared to the Bajiquan and Wing Chun Fist he had learned, the martial arts left by Patriarch Bodhidharma were in a completely higher league. These techniques were not merely moves to be executed; their intricacy far exceeded any techniques he had learned. The ultimate techniques of Patriarch Bodhidharma were indeed extraordinary!

But how many such extraordinary techniques did Patriarch Bodhidharma leave behind? Helian Tiehua’s A Stone’s Throw Away, the Purple Robe Lama’s Crossing the River with a Reed, and Shen Tianjun’s Karmic Retribution were all exceptionally exquisite techniques. Could there be other techniques left? If so, what kind of exquisite techniques could they be? Furthermore, who might have learned these techniques?

Ye Qing was filled with questions and even more astonishment. Having previously witnessed Helian Tiehua’s A Stone’s Throw Away, which enabled him to defeat Yin Xianzi and Ding Lianshun single-handedly, he believed Helian Tiehua should be the foremost among the Five Unmatches of the World. Later, after witnessing the Purple Robe Lama’s Crossing the River with a Reed, his perspective shifted—at least the Purple Robe Lama could contend with Helian Tiehua. And now, seeing Shen Tianjun’s Karmic Retribution, he was even more excited; the strength of Southern Fist King Shen Tianjun was enough to stand on equal footing with these two.

Among the Five Unmatches of the World, three have learned Bodhidharma’s ultimate techniques, elevating their strength to a new level. However, do the other two among the Five Unmatches of the World have such fortune? The deceased Northern Fist King Li Changqing could be disregarded, but what about the ambitious Prince Nalan of the Capital? Might he now be the weakest among the Five Unmatches of the World? Or is he, too, concealing his strength, possibly having learned Bodhidharma’s ultimate techniques?

”Karmic Retribution!” Grand Master Nai Kun repeated these four words slowly. Without his facial skin or eyes, no one could discern his current expression. Did he regret striking so harshly after hearing the name of this technique?

”Senior Brother, save me... save me...”

Behind Nai Kun, Tama’s voice continued to echo, but by now it had completely turned into a low murmur. The current state of Tama was not much better than that of Grand Master Nai Kun; her skin had already turned black, and her body was crawling with various poisonous insects. Poisonous creatures constantly entered and exited her mouth, nose, and ears. Her body seemed to have become a dwelling place for these insects, looking extremely horrifying.

Grand Master Nai Kun completely ignored her. After a long silence, he suddenly raised his head and shouted, ”Shen Tianjun, even if you have this move of Karmic Retribution, so what? Do you think you can kill me? Hahaha, I, Nai Kun, am undying! Undying!”

Grand Master Nai Kun, as if mad, roared upwards continually. Suddenly, he grasped his almost-detached right eye and tore it out. With a howl, he threw the eyeball into the swarm of insects in front, and at the same time, he howled, twisted off his left arm, and tossed it out too, with blood spilling all over the scene, turning himself into a blood-soaked man.

This scene made the sorcerers nearby filled with alarm; the sight was truly too terrifying. Grand Master Nai Kun was really going all out!

As Grand Master Nai Kun’s flesh and blood splattered out, the insects and vermin on the ground around seemed to be spurred by some encouragement. Each became more restless, and even at Shen Tianjun’s feet, some poisonous creatures dared to test crawling towards him.

”Blood Curse! This is a Blood Curse!” a sorcerer suddenly shouted in panic.

Shen Tianjun frowned tightly, although the Ten Thousand Insects Curse was formidable, it had no effect on him. Grand Master Nai Kun, using the Blood Curse at this time without resorting to his strongest sorcery, instead imbuing the Blood Curse onto these poisonous creatures, Shen Tianjun had basically guessed Nai Kun’s intentions.

”Come back to me!” shouted Shen Tianjun, leaping into the air, like an eagle pouncing on a rabbit, charging towards Grand Master Nai Kun.

Grand Master Nai Kun did not flee; instead, he laughed. He waved his hand, releasing another handful of Bone-Attaching Maggot powder. However, this time the powder was not cast towards Shen Tianjun but directly onto himself, and the white mist immediately enveloped his entire being.

Ye Qing widened his eyes; was Grand Master Nai Kun preparing to commit suicide? He was already tortured like that by the Bone-Attaching Maggots earlier, and now he was using them again? And casting them on himself, no less. Was he insane?

The toxic smoke of the Bone-Attaching Maggots enveloped Grand Master Nai Kun. Even with Shen Tianjun’s strength, he dared not touch those maggots. So, just as he was about to pounce on Grand Master Nai Kun, Shen Tianjun suddenly executed a Thousand Jin Drop, landing directly on the ground to stand firm. Watching Grand Master Nai Kun cloaked in white smoke, he was momentarily at a loss.

”Shen Tianjun, you can’t kill me! You can’t kill me! Hahaha...” Grand Master Nai Kun laughed continuously, while occasionally emitting whistling sounds. Following his whistles, the poisonous insects immediately seemed to receive orders, rushing toward surrounding people, biting whomever they encountered.

The sorcerers surrounded by these insects had no ability to fight back at this moment. Almost instantly, as the insects acted, two people were bitten. As for the others, they desperately dodged, yet trapped amidst so many insects, how far could they escape?

”I will kill you all! I will kill you all!” Grand Master Nai Kun continued to roar, yet he didn’t remain there but turned and ran. Still enveloped in the white smoke of the Bone-Attaching Maggots, Shen Tianjun couldn’t possibly catch him!

”Shen Tianjun, if you pursue me, these poisonous insects will spread, and no one in this town will survive. If all these insects spread out, not only will the town, but even the city won’t have any survivors!” Grand Master Nai Kun laughed while running: ”Now, I want to see if you will chase me or save the people of this city. Hahaha, Shen Tianjun, what will you choose? What will you choose?”

Upon hearing this, Ye Qing finally understood Grand Master Nai Kun’s true intention. He spread the Bone-Attaching Maggots on himself precisely to protect himself because Shen Tianjun couldn’t break through the poisonous mist of the Bone-Attaching Maggots!