Urban Martial Saint

Upon learning from Handsome Fatty Wang that the Gate of Life was sealed, Ye Qing naturally wouldn’t choose to leave through it anymore. According to Handsome Fatty Wang, the major forces outside are currently doing their utmost to excavate the exit of the Gate of Life.

At this point, even if Ye Qing managed to reach the exit of the Gate of Life, he definitely couldn’t get out. Moreover, even if Ye Qing could get out, it might still be troublesome. After all, Ye Qing came out from the Tomb of Ghost Valley Master, so surely many would want to question him about what exactly was inside. Being surrounded by those people would be a real hassle.

Fortunately, encountering Handsome Fatty Wang here was a stroke of luck. Not only did he learn about the situation outside, Handsome Fatty Wang also provided him with another route, which was actually more convenient for Ye Qing. The path dug by Handsome Fatty Wang and his team not only allowed them to leave conveniently but also avoided being besieged by people, achieving two goals at once.

”Is the tunnel you guys dug easy to get out from?” Ye Qing asked.

”Of course it’s easy.” Old Wang Ba replied, ”The only obstacle was those Water Monsters, but now that you’ve dealt with them, getting out is a piece of cake!”

”Alright then, let’s take the route you dug,” Ye Qing took a deep breath and said, ”You guys wait here a bit while I go and get a few others over!”

After speaking, Ye Qing dove directly into the water. With those Water Monsters gone, it was almost like a regular underground river. Ye Qing was familiar with the route, and he continued diving through the stone cave, until he left the stone cave and surfaced upward. By his calculations, the place he surfaced under was where the arched bridge was located.

The underwater distance wasn’t short, but it was no big deal for Ye Qing. However, as he neared the surface, Ye Qing didn’t directly rush out. He still remembered being nearly chopped by those with Handsome Fatty Wang earlier, and didn’t want to be mistaken as a Water Monster by Fu Qingping. Therefore, he paused slightly before charging out forcefully. Just after breaking the surface, he opened his mouth to shout. But before he could call out, a wave rushed over, filling his mouth with water and causing him to choke, preventing any words from escaping. Additionally, the strong water flow continuously pushed Ye Qing back, giving him no opportunity to speak or climb ashore.

Just as Ye Qing was in a fluster preparing to dive back underwater to hide, suddenly, a hand reached out, grabbed his collar, and pulled him out of the water.

Finally up on the shore, Ye Qing wiped the water off his face, and only then did he see clearly that the person who saved him was Fu Qingping.

Fu Qingping now showed no signs of injury at all. Instead, he seemed full of energy, looking even better than before he was injured.

”Master Ancestor, your injury…” Ye Qing was taken aback.

”Fully healed!” Fu Qingping smiled slightly, waving the Tianzhu Sword in his hand. The longsword sliced through the air with a sharp noise, and although there weren’t many fluctuations of power, it was enough to show Fu Qingping’s formidable strength. Undoubtedly, Fu Qingping’s injuries were indeed healed, and his strength restored to its peak!

Ye Qing was delighted, for Fu Qingping’s return to peak strength at this time was crucial. Thus, even if they were targeted by those peak masters after going out, Fu Qingping could suppress everyone.

Of course, Ye Qing was also puzzled, wondering why Fu Qingping’s strength had suddenly recovered. Previously, Fu Qingping estimated it would take over a dozen hours to gradually circulate his Inner Strength throughout his body and fully restore his strength. However, it had been less than two hours since Ye Qing left, and Fu Qingping already regained all his strength. What exactly happened?

”Master Ancestor, didn’t you say it would take a day to recover?” Ye Qing asked, voicing his doubts.

Fu Qingping shook his Tianzhu Sword and replied, ”I thought it would also take a day initially, but just now, as I held the Tianzhu Sword, a surge of power rushed into my body, breaking open my blocked meridians. With my meridians clear, my Inner Strength naturally circulated throughout, fully restoring me!”

Looking at the Tianzhu Sword, Ye Qing was even more astonished. He knew that the Tianzhu Sword contained a sealed, powerful force. This force was most of the Duwang Sect Master’s power from back then. Because of its presence, the Tianzhu Sword became an object that all heroes strived for, even The Immortal Lord who had surpassed the Pinnacle Realm tried to acquire the Tianzhu Sword, demonstrating its immense allure. Before obtaining the Tianzhu Sword, Ye Qing also acquired the Tianzhu Sword Technique inside the Tomb of the Duwang Sect Master. According to the Duwang Sect Master’s message, only by using the Tianzhu Sword Technique, could one control the Tianzhu Sword, wielding its internal power.

Ye Qing had wanted to teach Fu Qingping the Tianzhu Sword Technique earlier, but Fu Qingping had refused because he was on the brink of surpassing the Pinnacle Realm, and the Tianzhu Sword wasn’t of great use to him. In other words, Fu Qingping didn’t know the Tianzhu Sword Technique, so how did the Tianzhu Sword’s power suddenly break through Fu Qingping’s blocked meridians?

Seeing Fu Qingping, Ye Qing didn’t voice this question because he could tell Fu Qingping himself wasn’t sure of the situation. Truth be told, only the Duwang Sect Master could possibly explain this phenomenon.

The power stored in the Tianzhu Sword was most of the Duwang Sect Master’s strength. The Duwang Sect Master’s cultivation was from the Cultivation Techniques of Heaven, Earth, and Man, specifically the Innate Skill of the Taoist Sect. In essence, the power inside the Tianzhu Sword was the power of the Innate Skill. Recently, Fu Qingping practiced the Innate Nine Diagrams, his Inner Strength was gradually transforming into the Innate Skill’s power, which was from the same origin as the power inside the Tianzhu Sword. The Tianzhu Sword Technique left by the Duwang Sect Master was actually the cultivation law decree for the Innate Skill. Since Fu Qingping used the same Innate Skill power, he naturally could activate the power within the Tianzhu Sword. That’s why he couldn’t activate the power within the Tianzhu Sword before practicing the Innate Nine Diagrams.

While Ye Qing had also practiced the Innate Nine Diagrams, gaining the power of the Innate Skill, without internal meridians, the power of the Innate Skill only existed within him, unable to channel into the Tianzhu Sword, and therefore incapable of tapping the power within it. Thus, even though Ye Qing practiced the Innate Skill, the Tianzhu Sword had little use in his hands.

Unable to comprehend the reason, Ye Qing didn’t dwell on it too much, since Fu Qingping’s restored strength was a good thing. During the time Fu Qingping regained his power, he had slain six man-like Water Monsters here, saving Seventh Elder and Old Chen’s lives. At this moment, Seventh Elder and Old Chen were hiding far away, too scared to approach the underground riverbank.

”Seventh Elder, Old Chen, come over!” Ye Qing waved at them and said, ”It’s time for us to leave!”

”If it’s time to go, why go over there?” Old Chen, clearly scared of those Water Monsters, was reluctant to come over and pointed to the caves behind, saying, ”If we’re leaving, shouldn’t we exit through those caves?”

”Those caves are impassable now!” Ye Qing quickly briefed him on the sealed exits due to explosions, deliberately mentioning the Wanyan Family to Seventh Elder. He wanted to inform Seventh Elder that the Wanyan Family was also their enemy, hoping to direct a few enemies toward them.

Unbeknownst to Ye Qing, Seventh Elder was actually a member of the Wanyan Family. Upon hearing it was the Wanyan Family who blew up the entrance and exit, trapping everyone in the Tomb of Ghost Valley Master, his face instantly turned extremely pale, and his expression froze. In that instant, only one word remained in his mind: why. Why did his family blow up the entrance and exit, knowing he was in the Tomb of Ghost Valley Master? Why did his family want him dead too?

”You mean…” Old Chen, gazing at the rushing water of the underground river, said with lingering fear, ”We have to jump into this underground river, dive deep to another cave to exit here?”

”If you don’t want to leave, you can stay here. We’re leaving!” Ye Qing said, turning to Seventh Elder, ”Seventh Elder, come with me, I’ll take you across!”

”But…” Old Chen quickly protested, ”There are water ghosts in this underground river. If we go down and they grab our feet, we’ll drown in there! Young Ye, are you deliberately trying to trick us?”

Ye Qing, unwilling to waste time arguing with him, simply turned to Seventh Elder, ”Seventh Elder, let’s go first.”

Seventh Elder remained in a state of shock, feeling deeply betrayed by his family’s actions. He was filled with grief and indignation, unable to fathom why his family treated him this way after all he had done. Was it simply because he was a collateral descendant, not a direct heir? Was a collateral descendant just a tool to be discarded at will by the family? Unwilling to accept such a fate, he felt deeply wronged and indignant. Throughout the years of humiliation, he had infiltrated the Iga-ryu for the family’s grand plan. With all the achievements he made, to be abandoned and betrayed like this by his family—who could accept such an outcome?

”Seventh Elder, let’s go?” Ye Qing called out again, puzzled by Seventh Elder’s sudden behavior, unaware that Seventh Elder was drowning in endless grief.