Martial Cultivator

Since the old man had made up his mind to teach this young martial artist a lesson, he opened with a full stance. The qi currents within his body flowed unceasingly, like slender rivers, constantly converging and finally merging at the center of his chest, then flowing outward from his heart toward all directions.

A cultivator’s cultivation relied entirely on manipulating daoist techniques through the control of qi currents. Apart from proficiency with daoist techniques, whether one’s qi currents were pure or not was also the foundation of a cultivator’s strength.

The old man before them, having cultivated diligently for so many years, had long since refined his qi to a state of purity. Within the Nepenthe Realm, though he was not among the absolute top few, he believed that against a young martial artist like Chen Chao, there was no way he would fall into disadvantage.

Besides, just how strong could this young man before him possibly be? Was he stronger than Chen Wannian?

But he was probably only stronger to a certain extent.

As for Chen Chao, he had not thought that much to begin with. Looking at the old man before him, he smiled without saying a word. His body, still covered in injuries, had been healing day and night up to this point, but had only recovered seventy to eighty percent. It was far from complete recovery. But since the opponent was not someone like the Glazed Temple’s temple master, who stood at the end of Nepenthe, then there was nothing to worry about.

An ordinary Nepenthe, what the hell is that even!

Thinking of this, even Chen Chao himself could not help but laugh. In just a few short years, he had already gone from a young boy fighting little demons in the mountains to someone whom few in the world dared to look down on.

Sometimes when he looked back, it all felt like a dream.

But while Chen Chao was lost in thought, the old man saw the smile on his face and naturally took it as the young man’s contempt. No longer hesitating, a black Go piece instantly flew from his fingers, trailing a streak of black brilliance.

Chen Chao stood where he was, paying no attention to the black Go piece, letting it slam into his chest. With a bang, the Go piece struck his chest and then shattered, falling to the ground.

Feeling a bit of pain, Chen Chao laughed and said, “Old bastard, is that all you’ve got?”

The old man was a bit surprised. Although that black Go piece of him was just a probe, should not have been something Chen Chao could ignore.

After a moment’s thought, several more Go pieces flew out, black and white, each containing countless marks that crisscrossed mid-air.

Chen Chao gripped the hilt of his saber, then let go again. He simply punched forward, and the fist force directly shattered several black and white Go pieces nearby. After they shattered, the radiance attached to them also disintegrated in an instant.

Chen Chao did not give the old man any chance for follow-up moves. A few punches in, and he crushed the Go pieces. Though a few of them still landed on him, he did not care. Then, with one broad sweep of his hand, he grabbed several Go pieces and crushed them to powder with a forceful squeeze.

After that, Chen Chao began striding up the mountain path with large steps.

The old man furrowed his brow. His hands moved without pause, and streaks of radiance spread from his fingertips. The crisscrossing chessboard appeared once again on the mountain path, trying to stop Chen Chao with it.

But what he did not know was that Chen Chao was not Chen Wannian.

Though the two were both martial artists, their realms were different, their paths were different, and even their temperaments were different.

Chen Chao directly charged forward, the body he had tempered over many years suddenly crashing through the chessboard before him. He was now less than several dozen feet away from the old man.

The old man tapped the tip of his foot, about to retreat from the mountain path.

Though this was also a martial artist, he had indeed felt from Chen Chao a completely different aura than Chen Wannian’s.

Hence, he instinctively wanted to leave this place.

Do not tangle with this young martial artist in close combat.

That was the only thought filling the old man’s mind now.

But just as half his figure had dissipated, Chen Chao had already arrived in front of him, throwing a punch out unreasonably. It instantly shattered the remaining half of the figure that had not yet disappeared.

The old man reappeared not far away, but his form had yet to fully materialize when Chen Chao was already upon him, throwing another punch.

The terrifying fist force howled, shaking the surrounding trees and rustling their leaves.

Countless leaves fluttered down.

The old man raised a hand to block the punch, but was struck back several dozen feet by the terrifying fist force. His long robe emitted a piercing tearing sound as his qi overflowed violently, like mercury spilling out.

Chen Chao mocked, “Is that all you’ve got?”

Then he closed the distance again and threw another punch. The terrifying fist force tore at the old man’s face, blowing the wrinkles on his face into waves, layer after layer rippling outward.

Feeling that overbearing force, the old man also understood one truth at this moment, that in front of this young man, even Chen Wannian probably would not last long.

Though the two were both Nepenthe Realm martial artists, they were worlds apart.

How could this be?

Though the old man had not descended the mountain in many years, he knew that this young man before him had only risen to fame in recent years. From the time he began cultivating until now, even if he had by some stroke of luck stepped into the Nepenthe Realm, he still should not possess this level of killing power.

The old man was somewhat puzzled.

But just as confusion filled his mind, the Chen Chao opposite him had once again drawn near.

The old man flicked a finger, and a white Go piece burst forth from his fingertip, instantly shooting out toward Chen Chao’s chest.

Chen Chao reached out, caught the Go piece, and then casually flung it back. The piece struck the old man right between the brows, forcing his head to snap back.

Immediately after, Chen Chao smashed a punch straight at the old man’s face.

The qi coursing through his entire body locked down the old man’s retreat, not allowing him to escape again.

The old man was still expressionless, but within his murky eyes, his emotions were no longer calm, growing increasingly complicated.

There was some confusion, but even more, there was anger.

Yet only a moment later, the old man had no energy left to think about any of it, it was because Chen Chao’s fists had already rained down like a storm.

Only these were no raindrops, but fists.

After struggling for a quarter of an hour, the old man finally found an opening to pull away, appearing at the end of the mountain path, panting heavily.

Chen Chao stood with hands behind his back, saying nothing.

Merely exhaling a mouthful of turbid air, Chen Chao continued pressing forward.

The old man chose to abandon the main peak in somewhat of a panic and fled toward Lonely Moon Peak.

Chen Chao chased relentlessly.

This scene left the Chief Enforcer watching with his heart pounding in terror. This young martial artist was truly domineering. Among those of the same realm, he was actually beating the other down without the slightest mercy.

If this was how it was, then that Infatuation Daoist Temple cultivator who died in the Divine Capital had truly died without injustice.