I Grind to Martial Saint

Amidst the dust and smoke.

Han Yuan was slightly surprised. ”So strong... Interesting!”

The next moment.

The Demon Exterminator’s corpse appeared before Han Yuan, a claw swiping viciously at his neck.

Han Yuan countered directly, smashing out with a Giant Spirit Monument-Opening Hand!

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The two clashed wildly within the swirling dust.

It was a pure contest of brute force, with no superfluous techniques.

Visible shockwaves rippled outward continuously.

The ground trembled violently, and the dust cloud grew ever thicker.

Standing in the distance, Ding Zihu’s eyes were wide as he stared toward the spreading dust cloud.

His gaze naturally couldn’t penetrate the dust, so he could only make out two figures clashing wildly within it.

Just then.

He heard a tremendous crash, like a meteorite striking the earth.

A figure was violently flung out from the dust cloud.

Ding Zihu focused his eyes and saw that it was the Demon Exterminator’s corpse.

Both of its arms were bent at grotesque angles, and its head had been beaten into a bloody pulp.

Yet even with such injuries, the Demon Exterminator’s corpse still staggered unsteadily to its feet.

But before it could fully stand, a figure burst from the dust cloud and landed a thunderous punch on the Demon Exterminator’s chest.

BAM!

The Demon Exterminator’s corpse let out a wail as its entire chest was punched clean through.

Han Yuan calmly withdrew his arm and said coolly, ”Have a safe trip.”

With that,

he struck out again with a Giant Spirit Monument-Opening Hand.

BANG!

The creature’s head exploded into a shower of blood and gore.

After the body fell to the ground, it rapidly dissipated into black smoke.

SWISH!

Just then.

Two withered black branches suddenly shot up from the ground, wrapping around Ding Zihu’s legs and trying to drag him underground.

Ding Zihu was quick-witted enough that the moment he sensed something was wrong, he grabbed the Eight Trigrams Mirror from his chest and aimed its light at the withered black branches!

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

A beam of golden light shot out, incinerating the withered black branch wrapped around his right ankle to ash.

But the next second,

even more withered black branches emerged from deep underground, coiling tightly around Ding Zihu’s ankles.

Moreover, these withered black branches possessed immense strength. With a sudden yank, Ding Zihu was pulled to the ground, unable to even use his Eight Trigrams Mirror.

”Han Yuan, save me!”

Ding Zihu was terrified.

Just as Han Yuan was about to help Ding Zihu, branches silently shot out from the ground where he stood, snaring his ankles as well.

”Damn it!”

Han Yuan’s knees bent, and in an instant, he unleashed a terrifying burst of power, leaping up as if launched by a rocket.

The ground shook violently.

SNAP!

The branches around his ankles couldn’t withstand the explosive force and shattered instantly.

However, Han Yuan didn’t rush to save Ding Zihu.

Instead, he charged toward the withered black tree.

In his eyes, this withered black tree was the true culprit.

As long as he dealt with this tree, all their problems would be solved.

SWOOSH!

While still in mid-air, Han Yuan drew the Dragon Sparrow Cloud-Splitting Saber from his back.

SCREEECH!!!!

A deep, tyrannical Great Demon Gang Essence spread from his body, coalescing into the phantom of a black bird that shot toward the withered black tree.

Thousand Falcons Streaming Light Sky Slash!

At that moment, the withered black tree began to tremble.

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

Beams of black light shot out from the withered black tree, flying toward Han Yuan like lightning.

They were, in fact, branches.

But these branches had become exceptionally sharp, covered in thorns, and were suffused with a bizarre aura.

Han Yuan snorted coldly, fully activating the Innate Great Demon Scripture and pouring its power into the Dragon Sparrow Cloud-Splitting Saber.

A baleful, murderous aura began to fill the air.

The savage saber light descended with unstoppable force!

The incoming branches were instantly cleaved apart by Han Yuan’s single slash.

Nothing could stop this attack.

”KILL!!!”

Han Yuan roared.

The black bird phantom behind him grew more substantial.

Finally,

the Dragon Sparrow Cloud-Splitting Saber transformed into a bolt of cold light and struck the withered black tree viciously.

CRUNCH!

The Dragon Sparrow Cloud-Splitting Saber cleaved down from the top, but got stuck halfway through the withered black tree.

Several more beams of black light suddenly shot out from the tree, lashing viciously toward Han Yuan!

The force was so great that Han Yuan could hear the sound of the air itself being whipped apart.

”Bring it on!”

”I’ll let you hit me!”

Han Yuan roared, activating the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill and allowing the withered black branches to lash viciously against his body.

THWAP! THWAP! THWAP!

A series of dull thuds.

The withered black branches instantly shredded Han Yuan’s clothes to tatters.

But for Han Yuan, the lashing of these branches could only leave small red marks on his body.

He let go of the Dragon Sparrow Cloud-Splitting Saber and unleashed a flurry of strikes with both hands!

This time,

the Giant Spirit Monument-Opening Hand became the Giant Spirit Tree-Breaking Hand.

Han Yuan’s hands seemed to transform into a giant axe, crazily smashing into the withered black tree.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

An utterly terrifying, frenzied bombardment!

He hammered it so hard the bark of the withered black tree flew off in splintered chunks.

Han Yuan had gone completely berserk.

He completely ignored the withered branches whipping his body, his muscles bulging grotesquely, veins popping, and wreathed in black qi, looking utterly ferocious and malevolent!

”Giant Spirit—Gang Splitting Slash!”

Han Yuan roared, clapping his hands together and striking out viciously!

A terrifying black light, powerful enough to rip a vacuum, brutally chopped into the withered black tree.

CRACK!

The Gang Splitting Slash was itself an incomparably fierce and terrifying technique. Compounded with the explosive power of the Great Demon Gang Essence, it directly snapped the withered black tree in half!

Han Yuan smoothly pulled out the Dragon Sparrow Cloud-Splitting Saber and began explosively hacking at the lower half of the tree still rooted in the ground.

THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!

A series of dull thuds sounded.

The withered black tree was hacked into countless wood chips, leaving only a ragged stump.

But Han Yuan wasn’t about to let it go.

As the old saying goes,

”To cut the grass, you must pull out the roots!”

He plunged his Dragon Sparrow Cloud-Splitting Saber into the dirt, grabbed the stump with both hands, and pulled with all his might!

RUMBLE!!!

The ground trembled violently.

Han Yuan brutally ripped the stump, along with its roots, from deep underground.

However, Han Yuan’s brow soon furrowed.

The roots of the withered black tree were all connected to grotesque human heads.

Han Yuan had never seen anything like it. He viciously slammed the stump onto the ground.

It caused another massive tremor.

Now that Han Yuan had dealt with the withered black tree, Ding Zihu was no longer entangled by the branches. He hurried over to check the situation.

”Have you ever seen anything like this?”

Han Yuan asked with a frown.

”To be honest... I haven’t.”

”No wonder this tree was so demonic... So it was nourished by human heads.”

Ding Zihu gasped when he saw the grotesque human heads connected to the root tendrils.

The heads were a grayish-white color, their faces contorted in horrific, savage expressions.

”They haven’t turned to bare bones after all these years?”

Han Yuan was also shocked and suspicious.

”These heads are nourished by demonic qi and Yin Qi. They won’t rot.”

Ding Zihu explained.

”Then let’s burn these heads.”

”So they don’t remain here to harm people.”

Han Yuan said calmly.

”Mm... Leave this job to me.”

Ding Zihu said.

This withered black tree had already been all but demolished by Han Yuan.

The remaining heads couldn’t stir up any more trouble.

He raised the Eight Trigrams Mirror in his hand and aimed it directly at the grayish-white heads.

SIZZLE! SIZZLE! SIZZLE!

Bathed in the golden light, the grayish-white heads immediately began to burn, their faces quickly contorting into various savage expressions as they let out miserable screams.

After a dozen or so breaths, the grayish-white heads were completely reduced to ash by the flames.

Meanwhile, Han Yuan turned his gaze toward the gloomy Stone Hall in the distance.

”Ding Zihu, do you see anything mysterious about this Stone Hall?”

Ding Zihu narrowed his eyes and shook his head. ”I can’t see anything special about it for now.”

”But with a demonic tree guarding the entrance... I’m afraid there might be something even more terrifying inside.”

Han Yuan said calmly, ”But perhaps it’s also hiding some kind of secret.”

Ding Zihu had to agree on that point.

Because this gloomy Stone Hall was the most well-preserved building he had seen since entering the ruins of this ancient city.

”Maybe inside, we’ll be able to find out the origin of these ancient city ruins.”

Ding Zihu said excitedly.

”Then let’s go take a look.”

Han Yuan was also very interested in the gloomy Stone Hall.

Having reached an agreement, the two of them started walking toward the gloomy Stone Hall.

Of course, they followed the usual arrangement: Han Yuan walked in front, and Ding Zihu followed behind.