I Grind to Martial Saint

For that City Lord to have been able to rule a domain during the Chaotic Ancient Era, his power must have been ridiculously immense, even if he wasn't one of those legendary figures.

"I have a feeling... you'll get to see it."

Han Yuan said with a smile.

Hearing this, Ding Zihu sighed. "If I'd known, I never would have come to this Spiritual Land... then none of this would have happened."

"Since we're here, we must accept it."

"Stop overthinking it. Let's just get out of here for now,"

Han Yuan said calmly.

Just as the two were about to leave the gloomy Stone Hall, a set of footsteps suddenly echoed from outside.

Five or six figures, holding torches and wearing wary expressions, walked in, coming face-to-face with Han Yuan and Ding Zihu.

'Cao Ru, Hong Kui, Dong Feng, Dong Yun... Sun Jianbai... and...'

Han Yuan silently recited their names, but his eyes narrowed as if he had noticed something amiss.

Cao Ru and her companions were also on high alert when they saw Han Yuan and Ding Zihu.

In a place like this, they had to be careful.

There was no telling if one of them was an Evil Spirit in disguise.

Both groups watched each other warily.

Ding Zihu's mouth moved.

But when he saw Han Yuan remain silent, he kept his own mouth shut.

The two groups stood in silence for a moment.

Finally, Han Yuan broke the silence. "Sun Jianbai, who is that next to you?"

Sun Jianbai frowned. "Isn't he one of the Demon Exterminators from your Observatory?"

Han Yuan smiled faintly. "Perhaps. But the man next to you... I already smashed his head in with a single punch just a moment ago."

The moment he spoke,

Cao Ru, Hong Kui, and the Dong Brothers were startled.

They hurriedly looked back.

A bizarre smile suddenly twisted the Demon Exterminator's face. His fingernails shot out, growing wildly as he lunged, stabbing viciously at Sun Jianbai.

Having heard Han Yuan's warning, Sun Jianbai was already on high alert. The instant he heard the whistle of air, he forgot all about his pride and threw himself into a forward roll.

The move was clumsy, but effective. It allowed Sun Jianbai to evade the fatal blow.

"Courting death!"

Hong Kui roared, lashing out with his thick palm.

The force of his strike was so immense it seemed to move the very air in the Stone Hall.

With a loud THUD!

The Demon Exterminator was struck squarely on the forehead and dissipated into a cloud of black smoke.

"To think it fooled all of us."

Dong Feng frowned.

Without Han Yuan's warning, there's no telling what that Evil Spirit disguised as a Demon Exterminator might have done.

"Thank you, Director Han!"

Dong Yun cupped his fists in thanks.

Cao Ru, Hong Kui, and the others followed suit, cupping their fists to express their gratitude.

At last, they finally lowered their guard around Han Yuan.

Han Yuan waved his hand. "This is no time for formalities. How did you all end up together?"

The answers from Cao Ru and the others were all more or less the same.

Basically, they had all fallen through a dark tunnel, followed a dry riverbed until they found this abandoned Ancient Ruins City, and then met up with each other.

"I wonder how the others are doing..."

Cao Ru said in a low voice.

"They're likely dead or worse..."

"This Ancient Ruins City is no simple place."

Ding Zihu said, shaking his head.

"Let's keep searching."

"There's nothing for us here, anyway."

Han Yuan suggested.

Everyone acknowledged Han Yuan's strength, so they naturally deferred to him. No one raised any objections.

They quickly left the gloomy Stone Hall and resumed their search of the Ancient Ruins City.

Along the way, the group was stunned to hear Ding Zihu's theory.

"Brother Ding, are you sure this is really a ruin from the Chaotic Ancient Era?"

Dong Feng couldn't help but ask.

"I'm almost certain..."

"The question is whether we can get out of here alive to tell anyone."

Ding Zihu said.

"That's true... Getting out alive is the most important thing."

"Otherwise, we'll just be like this ancient city, forever buried in the depths of the Spiritual Land."

Cao Ru nodded.

They resumed their exploration of the Ancient Ruins City.

ROAR ROAR ROAR~~~

Just then,

a terrifying roar echoed over the ruins of the ancient city.

The roar was like that of a crazed beast—savage, frenzied, and enough to make one's skin crawl.

As the sound spread, a black fog rapidly billowed out from the city ruins, flooding the streets and alleys.

"What's going on?" Sun Jianbai asked, his expression uneasy.

"Everyone, be on your guard!" Even Han Yuan couldn't make sense of the situation.

They all gathered back-to-back, cautiously scanning their surroundings.

「A short while later.」

The strange roar finally stopped.

But the black fog did not dissipate.

"Looks like this city is getting stranger and stranger."

"Let's get out of the city first."

Sun Jianbai, the wily old fox, was already looking for a way out.

Ding Zihu immediately dashed his hopes. "I'm afraid we're trapped."

As he spoke, he pulled out a Compass.

Just as he'd suspected, the Compass needle was spinning wildly, completely unable to settle.

In other words, not even the Compass could find a cardinal direction.

"Let's keep moving and see what happens."

For a moment, Han Yuan couldn't make up his mind either.

「Before they had gone far.」

A strange, cold wind suddenly gusted past, raising goosebumps on their skin.

WHOOSH!

A mass of black light shot out from the shadows, hurtling straight for Han Yuan and his group.

"Courting death!"

Han Yuan growled, putting his full strength into his right leg and snapping out a vicious whip kick.

The air thrummed with the force of the blow.

BANG!

The shadow was sent flying by his kick, smashing through a nearby wall.

But the dark figure merely shook its head and quickly got back to its feet.

"Old Shi..."

Sun Jianbai cried out in horror as he got a clear look at the figure.

"That's the previous Patriarch of the Shi Family, Shi Yuekong."

"He had a Gang Essence Cultivation... to think he was killed too."

Dong Feng said quickly.

The moment he finished speaking,

several more black figures slowly emerged from the nearby shadows.

They were all the missing Demon Exterminators, Government Office experts, and Martial Artists from the various Sects...

"So everyone's here now..."

Han Yuan said lightly.

His gaze fell on a figure to his front left.

Zhao Ming.

The very same Demon Exterminator he had helped just moments ago, now twisted into an Evil Spirit with a grotesque smile.

"Perfect. We can take care of them all at once."

Hong Kui took a deep breath.

"Kill!"

Han Yuan charged directly toward Shi Yuekong and another old crone with deathly pale skin.

Both of them had possessed a Gang Essence Cultivation before they died. Now as Evil Spirits, they were even more formidable. Only he could handle them.

He moved like lightning, appearing before Shi Yuekong in an instant and slamming his palm down on the man's head.

He had to end this quickly and put these two Evil Spirits down for good.

BAM.

A grotesque smile on his face, Shi Yuekong thrust his hands forward, aiming to gouge out Han Yuan's eyes.

As an Evil Spirit, it had no fear of death and was more than willing to fight recklessly against Han Yuan.

But Han Yuan suddenly switched tactics. His descending hand caught his opponent's wrist, and he viciously swung the man backward.

BANG!

He smashed Shi Yuekong right into the old crone attacking from behind.

The collision was like a meteor striking the earth.

A sickening crunch of bone and sinew erupted from both of them.

The old crone, in particular, was sent flying.

But Shi Yuekong was just as vicious. His left hand flashed out like a blade—

not at Han Yuan, but at his own arm!

CRACK!

The moment the arm snapped, Shi Yuekong tore free from Han Yuan's grip and retreated.

"Hmph!"

Han Yuan tossed the severed arm to the ground.

Meanwhile,

Cao Ru, Hong Kui, and the others had engaged the other Evil Spirits. The scene devolved into a chaotic melee, the fighting fierce and perilous.

Han Yuan had no time to worry about them.

Now, in front of him was Shi Yuekong.

Behind him was Old Yue.

The two of them, one in front and one behind, had him surrounded.

"You think this will work?"

Han Yuan shook his head.

He grinned, then pushed off with his legs, his entire body blurring into an afterimage.

Shi Yuekong roared and became a blur of black shadow himself, slamming into Han Yuan.

BAM!

In a contest of pure explosive force, Shi Yuekong was completely overwhelmed, sent flying by Han Yuan's impact.

At the same time, Han Yuan drew his Dragon Sparrow Cloud-Splitting Saber with both hands and unleashed an Eight Extremes Mountain Shattering Slash!

SQUELCH!

Shi Yuekong's head was unnaturally tough. It felt like Han Yuan was striking the withered black tree from before; the blade only sank halfway through.

Just then, he heard the whistle of a fierce wind from behind.

Han Yuan blasted Shi Yuekong back with a punch, simultaneously twisting his body to deliver a Kuixing Kick Head.

BANG!

It landed squarely on the old crone's chin.

Flesh and blood exploded!

The lower half of her face was completely shattered by Han Yuan's kick!

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