I Grind to Martial Saint

Hearing Nie Jing’s words, Cui Jiushan smiled faintly. "Having the Director preside over the Observatory is enough. A carefree wanderer like me wouldn’t be of much use here."

Nie Jing shook his head. "Vice Director Cui, you’re mistaken. The Observatory needs a pillar of support like you to hold the fort."

Cui Jiushan hurriedly waved his hand. "Director Nie, *you* are the Observatory’s true pillar of support."

"Haha, let’s dispense with the flattery."

"The real reason I asked you to come today, Vice Director Cui, is to discuss a matter of great importance."

Nie Jing said softly.

"Please, Director, go ahead."

"I will do everything in my power to accomplish it!"

Cui Jiushan said, cupping his fist.

"It’s simple... Yesterday, the Blood River Gang at the Cangshui Pier was annihilated."

"That gang was utterly depraved. They specialized in terrorizing the good people at the pier and frequently extorted exorbitant tolls from passing merchant ships. Their actions were an outrage to all!"

"So, I was thinking of joining forces with several of you Noble Families to reorganize the management of the Cangshui Pier."

"What do you think, Vice Director Cui?"

Nie Jing asked softly.

Upon hearing this, Cui Jiushan’s brow furrowed. "Have the other families already agreed?"

"Of course... We’re just waiting on your Cui Family," Nie Jing said with a nod.

Cui Jiushan fell silent.

He hadn’t expected Nie Jing to be so ruthless, willing to go as far as to divide the profits of the Cangshui Pier among the other families.

He was even capable of such a spiteful act.

But this method struck right at Cui Jiushan’s weak spot.

Once the Cangshui Pier was carved up by the other families, getting it back would be next to impossible.

Nie Jing was forcing him to compromise.

Seeing Cui Jiushan’s state, Nie Jing said no more and simply waited in silence.

"Director Nie, there’s no need to trouble the other families with this matter."

"I can handle it myself."

Cui Jiushan finally spoke.

"Are you sure?" Nie Jing asked, a hint of a smirk on his face.

"Rest assured, Director. A small matter like this is still within my capabilities."

"Speaking of which, how are the bandit suppression operations you mentioned before progressing, Director?"

Cui Jiushan asked.

Clearly, he had compromised.

Whether it was Miao Yan being beheaded in the Cui Mansion in the middle of the night, or the plan to unite the other families to carve up the Cangshui Pier.

All of these actions demonstrated the Observatory’s resolve.

’If I continue to resist, I’m afraid the losses will only be greater.’

"That matter is proceeding quite smoothly."

"I plan to wait a few more days. Once the Cangshui County Soldiers have assembled and finished their training, they can march on Sheep Head Mountain to eliminate the bandits."

Nie Jing said with a slight smile.

"Then if there is any need for assistance, my Cui Family will certainly give our full support!"

Cui Jiushan said in a deep voice.

...

Han Yuan, of course, knew nothing of the situation at the Observatory.

For him, nothing was more important right now than the Innate Great Demon Skill.

After receiving his Contribution Points, he immediately went to the Martial Arts Pavilion to redeem the Innate Great Demon Skill.

He exchanged the remaining several hundred Contribution Points for Spirit Yang Pills, then returned directly to his courtyard to enter secluded Cultivation.

’I finally got my hands on it.’

Filled with anticipation, Han Yuan opened the Innate Great Demon Skill.

The meridian pathways involved in this Innate Great Demon Skill were extremely complex.

It even involved some of the meridians in the brain.

The head, after all, is a vital and exceptionally fragile part of the human body.

Generally speaking, the meridians in the head are more delicate and slender than ordinary ones and are intertwined with countless nerves. If even the slightest mistake were to occur, one would likely become an imbecile.

’This Innate Great Demon Skill is truly as demonic as its name suggests.’

’So extreme... I wonder how many people would dare to cultivate it.’

Even Han Yuan felt his heart pound with trepidation as he read through it.

But he, of course, would not shrink back.

This was a Cultivation Technique he had spent nine thousand Contribution Points to acquire.

Besides, generally speaking, the greater the risk, the stronger the Cultivation Technique’s power.

Of course, Han Yuan did not rush to start cultivating this technique. Instead, he calmed his mind and focused on studying it, memorizing every single meridian pathway of the Innate Great Demon Skill.

He had Copper Skin and Iron Bones.

If something went wrong with the meridian circulation in his body, his constitution could probably withstand it.

But his head was different; it was extremely fragile.

Therefore, he could not afford to make a single mistake.

Otherwise, the lightest consequence would likely be turning into an imbecile.

This was the Innate Great Demon Scripture.

It was just that extreme and terrifying.

It treated its Cultivator as something less than human.

...

「Tongming County Town.」

This was a County Town located on the very edge of Jianghe Province.

Tonight, a heavy snow was falling.

The soldiers on duty were all huddled in a corner, warming themselves by a fire.

"Come to think of it... this winter seems a bit longer than usual."

"Yeah... I hear a lot of people have frozen to death on the streets these past few days."

"This world... when will it ever get better?"

The soldiers lamented the hardships of the times.

Even for them, who lived off the state’s grain, it was a struggle just to get enough to eat.

WOO WOO WOO~~~

Suddenly, a strange sound drifted in from outside.

It sounded like a mournful wail, yet also like some kind of whisper.

It was enough to give anyone goosebumps.

"What kind of weird noise is that... in the middle of the night?"

"Probably just the wind. Don’t worry about it."

But a captain couldn’t shake his unease. He stood up and said softly, "Come with me and let’s check it out."

Once their leader had spoken, the soldiers had no choice but to get up and follow him out of the city gate.

WOO WOO WOO~~~

The strange sound seemed to grow louder, so intense it felt like it would split their skulls.

Many of them clutched their heads.

The captain gazed into the depths of the wilderness.

It was pitch-black; there was nothing to be seen.

But suddenly, he saw two globes of yellow light appear in the sky.

Illuminated by the two yellow globes, a massive silhouette faintly emerged.

"What is that thing?!"

The captain’s gaze gradually filled with horror, and even a touch of fear.

The others were so terrified their scalps went numb.

On the main road crossing the dark wilderness, a massive figure, like a ghost or a god, appeared before their eyes.

It was a uniform dark yellow, over ten meters tall, and wore a lotus-flower cap. Its hands were formed into a strange, esoteric Hand Seal. It sat cross-legged on a lotus throne, its expression both solemn and merciful.

Flanking it, dozens of strongmen acted as Protectors, holding large yellow banners.

"No... it’s a statue!"

The captain saw it a little more clearly.

Below the figure were dozens of strongmen in yellow robes, carrying the dark yellow statue.

"But why do I get the feeling it’s alive?"

"Yeah, I think I saw it smile at me!"

"Impossible, it’s clearly expressionless!"

The other soldiers argued amongst themselves.

"Shut up!"

The captain turned around.

But the next sight scared the soul right out of him.

He saw that his men’s eyes were streaming with blood.

Yet they seemed completely unaware.

’Impossible... could it be that I am too...’

The captain wiped his own face with his hand, then looked.

To his horror, it too was covered in blood.

"Yellow Springs Saint Mother, deliver me from the sea of suffering."

"Yellow Springs Saint Mother, deliver me from the sea of suffering."

As the bizarre statue drew closer, the captain could finally make out what the strange whispers were.

He looked into the distance again.

Behind the statue of the Yellow Springs Saint Mother, a dense crowd of people had appeared.

There were men and women, old and young, holding hoes and sickles, roaring with fanatical expressions on their faces.

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