We're practicing all martial arts, so why did you switch to easy mode?

Chapter 221 Yuan Shi Pill, Shi Realm Martial Artist, Treasure Map (10,000 words)

"Oh, I know."

With a swift chop, accompanied by Su Chen's indifferent voice, the tall young man's life came to an end.

"you……"

The tall young man looked up in astonishment, finding it hard to believe that Su Chen had attacked without asking a single question.

Bang!
The lifeless body fell, making intimate contact with the ground, kicking up a little dust.

It was at this moment that the tall man revealed his previously unseen killing move.

Su Chen glanced at the corpse briefly before turning his gaze away and stepping forward to touch it.

The tall man did indeed have a disciple's token from the Ziyang Sect, so it seemed he wasn't lying.

"Although the Ziyang Sect encourages its disciples to gain experience, it does not encourage them to impersonate robbers to kill and rob. This person has chosen a narrow path!"

Su Chen initially thought this person was using the guise of a Ziyang Sect disciple to commit evil deeds, never imagining that the other party was actually a Ziyang Sect disciple.

If the other party had revealed his identity token beforehand, Su Chen might have given him a chance to leave his last words, but now it's no use saying anything.

He only has himself to blame for showing murderous intent towards Su Chen.

The two sides were vastly different in strength, and Su Chen attacked immediately upon sensing the opponent's killing intent.

Given the tall man's strength, he was naturally killed without any resistance.

Ignoring the disciple's token, Su Chen searched the tall man for a while, but didn't gain much, only a hundred or so Spirit Essence Pills.

Looking at the Spirit Essence Pill covered in the words "poverty," Su Chen finally understood why he had taken the risk of murder and robbery.

Shaking his head, Su Chen accepted the Spirit Essence Pill and then walked towards the gray-clad giant.

There is no such thing as the poorest; there is only the poorest.

The gray-clad giant didn't even have ten Spirit Essence Pills on him, but he did have some Spirit Stones. However, they weren't of much use to Su Chen, so he didn't put them in his bag to take up space.

"These guards and the previous army should all be from the Great Desert Dynasty."

Looking at the guards' corpses, Su Chen thought to himself that the words "Desert" were engraved on the guards' clothes.

The Ziyang Sect has many dynasties. When these dynasties move between each other, they display their unique symbols to show their identity and avoid conflicts. This place is not within the territory of the Great Desert Dynasty, so the Great Desert Dynasty only hangs its flag when it passes by.

After looting the corpse, Su Chen got up to leave, but after taking a few steps, he stopped.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from not far away, accompanied by a familiar voice.

"Third Uncle, it's just ahead. Those bastards not only stole my Spirit Essence Pill, but they also stole my Yuan Power Pill."

The speaker was the same richly dressed man who had run away earlier. His tone had completely changed; he no longer had the timid demeanor he had shown before and now appeared full of confidence.

Not long after he finished speaking, an old figure stepped through the air at great speed, covering hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye and arriving at the battlefield.

"Are there any survivors?"

The aged figure's gaze was sharp as lightning, scanning the entire area before quickly noticing Su Chen standing upright not far away.

"Martial artist at the Momentum Realm".

Thanks to the power of the divine weapon, Su Chen is also quite sensitive to the power of Yuan energy.

The moment the old man appeared, he sensed the faint yet genuine aura of Yuan energy emanating from him.

This old man is a martial artist at the Power Realm!
"Third Uncle, the Yuan Shi Dan is on him."

At this moment, the man in fine clothes pointed at Su Chen and said in an extremely angry tone, making it seem as if Su Chen had stolen his Yuan Shi Pill.

The old man nodded upon hearing this, his cold eyes falling on Su Chen, his narrow eyes slightly narrowed, releasing a dangerous aura.

However, his gaze did not linger on Su Chen for long before he noticed the tall man's corpse.

To be precise, it was the token of the Ziyang Sect disciple next to the tall man's corpse.

The old man's pupils contracted, and a hint of surprise appeared between his brows. He looked at Su Chen and said in a deep voice, "Hand over the Yuan Shi Pill and surrender obediently, and I will spare your life."

After hearing this, Su Chen replied silently, "The Yuan Shi Pill was obtained through a transaction between me and this person. Why should I give it to you?"

"You're talking nonsense! You clearly took the Yuan Shi Dan from me!" the richly dressed young man said angrily, meeting the old man's questioning gaze.

The old man said, "I don't care how you obtained the Yuan Shi Pill, it's not something you can have. I'll only say this once, don't make me repeat myself."

As soon as he finished speaking, a sharp aura emanated from the old man and enveloped Su Chen.

Seemingly worried that Su Chen would escape, they blocked all his escape routes.

"So domineering?" Su Chen raised an eyebrow, sensing the old man's unyielding aura, and his eyes gradually turned cold.

He ignored the old man's words, glanced at the richly dressed man, and said, "If you want me to return the Yuan Shi Pill, no problem, but use his life as payment."

As he spoke, Su Chen tossed out the Yuan Shi Pill in his hand. Upon seeing this, the man in fine clothes quickly exclaimed, "Yuan Shi Pill!"

The old man raised his arm, his Yuan energy transforming into a palm, and swiftly grabbed at the flying Yuan Power Pill.

Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Su Chen use his palm as a blade, and an extremely sharp arc-shaped blade of light detached from his palm, hurtling towards the man in fine clothes with lightning speed.

The man in fine clothes also saw the blade's edge, but his eyes showed no fear whatsoever.

In his view, staying by his second great-uncle's side was the safest place, as no one could harm him at his second great-uncle's hands.

until--

The old man's anxious voice rang out: "Get out of the way!"

"what?"

The man in fine clothes was taken aback when he heard the voice, and then his face showed shock and disbelief.

As he expected, the old man did try to stop Su Chen's attack immediately, but unfortunately, he failed.

He witnessed firsthand how the old man's unstoppable attack crumbled instantly, as fragile as paper, under the blade's edge.

The blade's edge, after shattering the old man's attack, still retained its momentum.

The hidden sharpness beneath the ordinary offensive instantly revealed its gleaming fangs, attacking the finely dressed man with bloodlust and slaughter.

The blade, which even the old man couldn't stop, pierced through the body of the richly dressed man before he could even react.

With a loud thud, the man in fine clothes was ripped apart, and blood, mixed with the smell of blood, spurted everywhere.

Upon seeing this, the old man's expression changed drastically, and the moment he caught the Yuan Shi Pill, a torrent of killing intent surged forth.

He glared at Su Chen, gritting his teeth as he said, "You're asking for death!"

The killing intent erupted like an uncontrollable volcano, and the old man unleashed his Yuan Power without reservation, causing a desolate desert to rise from behind him.

The endless yellow sand, the raging storm, and the rapidly spreading desolate atmosphere inevitably evoke a sense of sorrow.

The next moment, the storm swept up yellow sand and roared in with devastating force, leaving nothing but razed ground in its wake.

The storm, which was over ten meters high, resembled a yellow dragon, swirling with a terrifying aura of death.

"A desolate landscape!"

The old man let out a low shout, and the moment his Yuan Power was unleashed, Su Chen felt the whole world dim down a bit.

It was as if I was in a desert, with no one to accompany me, no food to eat, no water to drink, and the world was vast and desolate, with only a lonely figure remaining.

A sense of sorrow enveloped me; though my heart was unwilling to die, my body had already accepted it.

buzzing.

The Heaven-Severing Blade emitted a slight tremor, suddenly rousing Su Chen from his desolate aura.

Su Chen gripped the Heaven-Severing Blade tightly in his hand, pursed his lips and gritted his teeth, trying to dispel the desolate aura within him.

With the help of the Heaven-Severing Blade, Su Chen broke free from the old man's desolate aura. He let out a soft shout, and the blade flowed out like water, gliding lightly across the surface.

Faced with such a terrifying desolation, he dared not hold back and went all out.

Fourth level: Annihilation Sword Drawing Technique!
This strike was no ordinary strike; the divine power contained within it seemed to overflow.

The old man felt a terrifying aura that could cleave the heavens and the earth the moment he swung his sword.

His face was filled with horror: "The power of a divine weapon!"

Before long, the blade flashed across the sky, piercing through the void, and instantly landed on the desert of Yuan Power that the old man had gathered.

There was no earth-shattering event as I had imagined; it was like a knife slicing through wood, making a faint sound before the wood split in two.

The desolation is like this, and so is the Yuanli Desert.

The moment the divine weapon's power destroyed the desolate landscape, the Yuan Power Desert shattered like glass, and the colors of the world reappeared before Su Chen's eyes.

Then, with unabated momentum, it hurtled straight toward the old man whose face was already filled with horror.

"No!"

Sensing the overwhelming, violent aura, the old man was filled with terror and screamed.

His internal energy was completely suppressed and difficult to circulate. He wanted to escape, but his feet seemed to be rooted to the ground and he could not move an inch.

Before the blade even arrived, the old man's heart sank, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

In an instant, the blade's edge was about to strike. Under the force of this divine weapon, the old man's Yuan Power dissipated, and his clothes fell away.

With a blinding flash of light, the old man's body exploded.

Bang!
Minced meat and fresh blood splattered all around, silently nourishing everything.

"what is this?"

Under such a terrifying attack, a parchment scroll suddenly floated down from the old man's body. Su Chen reached out and grabbed it.

Upon opening it, I found a treasure map.

"Qingyang City and Qingyang Mountain".

Su Chen read out the words on the treasure map and was slightly surprised.

After looking at it for a moment, Su Chen put away the treasure map and went to the corpses of the old man and the man in fine clothes.

All that remained of the old man was this treasure map; all the spiritual pills he possessed had been shattered under the attack of the divine weapon.

"You'll have to be more careful next time."

When Su Chen unleashed the full power of his divine weapon for the first time, he failed to control himself.

Once a martial artist who has mastered the power of Yuan energy is called a "Power Realm Martial Artist," their offensive power will be greatly enhanced.

This was exactly what happened this time; the old man's Yuan Power was so powerful that he was truly taken aback and almost suffered a loss.

It's no wonder that it's said that once a Qi Gathering Realm martial artist encounters a Qi Power Realm martial artist, they are utterly powerless to resist.

Even he, without resorting to divine weapons, might not be a match for the old man.

Although the old man might not be able to kill him, he would have to pay a huge price to escape alive.

This is enough to show how terrifying a martial artist at the Power Realm is.

After this time, no one else appeared after they had searched the body.

But Su Chen did not leave. Instead, he stood in front of the old man's corpse, recalling the Yuan Power Desert that the old man had just condensed.

"I think I can also condense that Yuan Power desert."

A thought popped into Su Chen's mind, and he was somewhat surprised.

After a slight hesitation, he unleashed his Yuan Power and began to refine it according to the images in his memory.

Before long, a rudimentary Yuanli Desert appeared above Su Chen.

In the desert, there are thorns, camels, storms, and solitary figures.

"As expected, it can be condensed, but to reach the level of the old man, one still needs to practice hard."

Su Chen's eyes lit up with joy, confirming his guess.

At the same time, he was a little puzzled, wondering how he could condense a desert of elemental energy after only one fight with the old man.

It should be understood that any seemingly simple form of elemental energy has its own secrets. Without a complete understanding and learning, it is difficult to condense it, let alone someone like Su Chen who can condense it to a high degree after only one exchange.

"I always felt that this Yuanli Desert was similar to the sand and gravel of the Xuanxin Wanmiao Style."

Su Chen quickly figured out the reason and attributed it to the Myriad Wonders of the Profound Heart Style.

It was precisely because he had learned the seven thousand two hundred forms of elemental power in the sand-like category of the Myriad Wonders of the Profound Heart Style that he was able to achieve this.

"It seems that the Myriad Wonders of the Profound Heart Technique is even more profound than I imagined!"

Su Chen murmured to himself, his resolve to obtain the Myriad Forces Technique growing stronger.

Shaking his head, Su Chen turned to the richly dressed young man, whose body was relatively well-preserved compared to the old man.

"Huh, there's another parchment scroll?"

While touching the body of the richly dressed man, Su Chen saw another parchment scroll. Upon opening it, he found it to be exactly the same as the one the old man had.

However, the man in the fine clothes also had a line of small characters engraved on his body: "The Yuan Shi Diagram of the Venerable Wan Hua!"

Su Chen was startled upon seeing this: "Could this be the treasure map of the Myriad Wonders Master's Yuan Shi Diagram?"

By connecting all the writing on the treasure map, Su Chen quickly came to a conclusion.

That is, the Yuan Shi Diagram of Master Wan Miao is located near Qingyang Mountain in Qingyang City, and this treasure map contains the path to obtain the Yuan Shi Diagram.

What puzzled him was why there were two treasure maps.
After thinking it over and over but still not figuring it out, Su Chen stopped dwelling on it and hurried off to Qingyang City.

three days later.

Weary from his journey, Su Chen arrived at an inn near the Ascending Dragon Road.

"A first-class room costs 100 yuan stones per night, a superior room costs 70 yuan stones per night, a mid-class room costs 40 yuan stones per night, and a low-class room costs 10 yuan stones per night. Which would you like, sir?"

The waiter sized up Su Chen, estimating his worth and guessing that the man would likely choose a lower-class room.

"A superior room, please."

After hesitating for a moment, Su Chen said that it wasn't that he didn't want to stay in the VIP room, but that he was about to run out of Spirit Essence Pills and needed to save money.

After three days of taking the drug, the progress on the panel is almost full. If he takes another Spirit Essence Pill tonight, he will be able to advance his cultivation level.

After checking into the inn, Su Chen asked the waiter to bring up some of the inn's signature dishes.

Since breaking through to the Gathering Yuan stage, Su Chen no longer needs to eat every day. This action was merely to satisfy his appetite.

After all, different dynasties have different specialty dishes, so since we're passing by, we might as well give them a try.

After eating and drinking his fill, Su Chen rested for a while and swallowed a Spirit Essence Pill. As the pill went down his throat, a cool sensation welled up in his heart.

"Panel, activate simple mode." Su Chen communicated with the panel through his mind.

The panel quickly replied: [Easy Mode Activated: Bath in warm water for four hours to reach the twelfth level of the Vajra Iron Shirt skill.]

Four hours later, the bath was complete, and both the panel and the body underwent changes simultaneously.

As if summoned, the external Yuan energy poured into Su Chen's body, nourishing his Xuan Meridian and tempering his physique.

Only the Vajra Iron Shirt technique has this effect; it can enhance physical strength while focusing on cultivating Yuan energy, and the effect is considerable.

This state lasted for a full half hour before slowly dissipating. After examining his inner self, Su Chen discovered that upon breaking through to the twelfth level of the Vajra Iron Shirt technique, the powerful Yuan energy within his dantian had been compressed, becoming viscous and even more potent.

A feeling even stronger than before arose spontaneously.

"After breaking through, the chances of escaping from a martial artist at the Momentum Realm are much greater without using the power of divine weapons." Su Chen chuckled to himself. Even after breaking through, he still wasn't confident in fighting against a martial artist at the Momentum Realm, but he wasn't discouraged. He would be able to do it sooner or later.

After a moment's thought, Su Chen took out the Yuan Shi Pill he had obtained from the man in fine clothes.

The Yuan Shi Dan is entirely black and looks unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, one can vaguely discern the mysterious wisps flowing within it.

"Try it and see what it tastes like."

Su Chen put the Yuan Shi Dan in his mouth and chewed it carefully. Immediately, a unique fragrance of nature permeated his heart and lungs, rushing straight to his brain.

In just half a second, Su Chen felt his consciousness becoming hazy.

He knew the medicine was taking effect, so he quickly closed his eyes and tried to sense the power of the Yuan energy within the Yuan Shi Dan.

Similar to a crimson corridor, the moment Su Chen closed his eyes, it was as if an alternative world was implanted in his mind.

In this world, the power of elemental energy is visible.

Sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, flowers, trees, spring, summer, autumn, winter, wind, thunder, rain, lightning, swords, spears, clubs, birds, and beasts...

All sorts of scenes come together to create a complex yet harmonious natural landscape.

The overall momentum flowing through these scenes seemed very faint, but Su Chen, who was experiencing it for the first time, had a clear feeling about it.

Of course, that's all.

Even after he finished his comprehension, Su Chen still hadn't grasped any new insights.

Because he had no idea what he should be trying to understand.

When others take the Yuan Shi Dan, they condense their Yuan Power body and stride forward on the path to materialization, already having a direction in mind.

In contrast, Su Chen, although he had condensed a Yuan Power body, did not know where to go, as if he were stuck at a crossroads.

While others might only have one or two forks in the road, Su Chen has hundreds or thousands.

It's simply impossible to make a choice.

Su Chen himself seemed unwilling to make a choice, letting the various forces of Yuan energy flow through his mind.

It wasn't without its advantages. At least next time Su Chen encountered a martial artist at the Momentum Realm, he wouldn't be so passive and trapped in the opponent's overwhelming momentum. "The Yuan Momentum Pill is so miraculous, it can help Yuan Gathering martial artists comprehend the momentum of Yuan Power. If I obtain enough Yuan Momentum Pills, can I comprehend all the Yuan Power momentum within them?"

A bold idea popped into Su Chen's mind, but it quickly vanished.

According to the rune information, the Yuan Shi Dan is most effective the first time, and the effect will be less and less effective with each subsequent use; taking it more often is useless.

Moreover, each Yuan Shi Dan is different, and the amount and depth of understanding of the Yuan power contained within them vary. Trying to comprehend more Yuan power through this is nothing short of wishful thinking.

"Never mind, let's go to sleep."

The next morning, Su Chen woke up refreshed and continued on his journey.

Following the Ascending Dragon Road, Su Chen hadn't gone far when he suddenly saw a team of armored warriors standing in front of him, blocking the road.

"Halt! No passage ahead."

The pedestrians were all crowded together. The armored warriors did not question the crowd, but instead blocked them and prevented anyone from moving forward.

"Does your Qin Dynasty intend to provoke a conflict between the two countries? Why won't you let us into the city?"

“We are a merchant caravan of the Great Han Dynasty, delivering special fruits to royalty and nobility. If we are late, can you take responsibility?”

"Even locals of Daqin City are not allowed to enter?"

"..."

As more and more pedestrians passed by, the noise grew louder and louder.

The armored warrior at the head of the group glanced at the noisy crowd and snorted coldly, "Shut up! No one is allowed to pass through this area. Anyone who violates this rule will be arrested and sent to prison!"

A terrifying aura emanated from the leading armored warrior, suppressing the discontent of the crowd.

“There are Yuan Demons lurking ahead. We are sending troops to hunt them down. If any of you have the strength, you can join us in eliminating the demons. If we succeed, you will be richly rewarded.” At this moment, a middle-aged man dressed in refined manner stepped forward and said to the crowd.

"Yuan Demon!"

Upon hearing that it was a Yuan Demon, most of the people present changed their expressions drastically, and their previous impatience vanished.

"When will the ban be lifted?" someone asked.

The refined middle-aged man replied, "The Yuan Demon is very cunning. We are currently short-handed. It could take one or three days. If any of you are capable and willing to lend a hand, I am willing to pay two thousand Spirit Yuan Pills as a reward."

The number of two thousand Spirit Essence Pills caused quite a stir as soon as it was mentioned; for them, it was a considerable sum of money.

But they knew that even if they got the money, it might not be enough to save their lives.

"May I ask if Yuan Yao possesses demonic arts?" Among the many Yuan Qi cultivators present, some with ulterior motives asked.

The refined-looking middle-aged man hesitated for a moment before nodding and saying, "I know a little."

This is why he sought help from passersby. A Yuan Yao who knows demonic arts is equivalent to a martial artist who has comprehended the power of Yuan energy, and their strength is far beyond what ordinary Yuan Yao can match.

The Great Qin City was merely a lower-middle-ranking city within the Great Qin Dynasty. Although it had a martial artist at the Power Realm in charge, at the same level, demons were generally stronger than human martial artists, so they were naturally no match for them.

He has already sought help from the county seat, but it will take time for the county seat to send out experts.

To prevent the Yuan Demon from causing trouble, he had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure, hoping to find a capable person to help eliminate the Yuan Demon.

After hearing the middle-aged man's words, the scene fell silent for a few seconds.

Those who were interested in gathering Yuan energy gave up reluctantly, as a Yuan demon who knew a little bit of demonic magic was not something they could resist.

Seeing the deathly silence at the scene, the middle-aged man felt helpless; he had anticipated this situation.

"Could you let me through?"

Just then, a figure stepped out from the crowd, came up to him, and said something in a calm voice.

"Do you have a way to exorcise the demon?" the middle-aged man asked suspiciously after examining him for a moment.

"No," Su Chen replied.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man shook his head and said, "The Yuan Demon is currently trapped on the mountain ahead; you cannot pass through this route."

"What if I insist on going there?" Su Chen glanced at the distant green mountains, where a sense of impending doom seemed to be hidden.

The middle-aged man didn't speak, but took half a step back. The armored warriors around him immediately stomped their feet, and the ground trembled.

An overwhelming aura emanated from the armored warrior, instantly making the atmosphere tense and volatile.

Sensing this overwhelming and chilling aura, everyone's expression changed, and they involuntarily took a half step back.

In contrast, Su Chen, surrounded by the powerful aura of hundreds of armored warriors, remained as immovable as a pine tree.

She stared directly at the middle-aged man for a long time, her gaze showing no sign of wavering.

Su Chen didn't speak, but instead took out the unique identity token of the Ziyang Sect disciples from his pocket.

"A disciple of the Ziyang Sect!" The middle-aged man was stunned for a moment when the token appeared, and then his expression became serious.

He waved his hand, and the overwhelming aura that had enveloped Su Chen vanished instantly, as if it had never existed.

The middle-aged man stepped forward, his face beaming with smiles, and bowed, saying, "So you are a lord from the Ziyang Sect!"

"May I go over now?" Su Chen ignored the middle-aged man's arrogant yet obsequious attitude.

He knew this was the Ziyang Sect's way of intimidating the surrounding dynasties. The closer a dynasty was to the Ziyang Sect, the less it dared to ignore the identity of a peak sect disciple.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man hesitated for a moment before nodding and saying, "Of course, I am willing to accompany you, sir."

Su Chen did not refuse, and the middle-aged man willingly bowed his head and led Su Chen across the mountain path.

Su Chen didn't say much along the way.

Most of the people present were middle-aged men introducing the local customs and culture of Daqin City, and warmly inviting Su Chen to come to Daqin City to take charge.

Even when Su Chen refused, he did not show the slightest dissatisfaction. His attitude was extremely humble, making it impossible for anyone to feel any disgust towards him.

"Okay, just send it here."

The journey was smooth and there were no monsters to be seen. Half an hour later, the two arrived at the foot of the mountain, where Su Chen stopped and said.

The middle-aged man bowed and nodded, then took out a stack of pill notes from his pocket: "It is a blessing for Great Qin City and Great Qin that you have come to Great Qin City. This is just a small token of my appreciation. Please do not find it offensive."

Su Chen glanced at it briefly; each pill ticket was worth a hundred spirit essence pills, and there were probably more than ten of them in this stack.

He hadn't expected the middle-aged man to give out so many pill tickets at once.

Seeing that Su Chen did not move, the middle-aged man continued, "It's a pity that you have important matters to attend to, otherwise you could rest for a while and experience the splendor of our Great Qin."

Su Chen didn't speak, but took the pill tickets and counted them carefully. There were a total of thirty pill tickets and three thousand spirit pills.

He looked at the middle-aged man with slight surprise and said, "You're quite generous."

Hiring someone to exorcise the demon only costs two thousand spirit pills, but giving him a gift costs three thousand spirit pills.

The middle-aged man smiled gently upon hearing this.

"Tell me about the information of that troublesome Yuan Demon," Su Chen said, accepting the pill ticket without leaving.

If the middle-aged man only offers a few hundred spirit pills, he will accept them without hesitation as an apology.

But one cannot accept a reward without merit; Su Chen felt ashamed to receive three thousand pills for no reason.

However, he was indeed short of Spirit Essence Pills recently. Since he had accepted them, he would help the other party solve their problem, treating it as a transaction.

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man paused for a moment, then said with a delighted expression, "Reporting to Your Excellency, that Yuan Demon is a blood-red tiger demon. Half a month ago, it caused chaos in Daqin City, was injured by the city lord, and escaped. After recovering from its injuries, it took revenge on Daqin City. However, because it was extremely fast and difficult to find, it succeeded many times. The city lord had no choice but to trap it on this mountain."

"How strong is the tiger demon?" Su Chen asked again.

The middle-aged man replied, "The tiger demon is a Yuan demon. Although its cultivation level is only at the Lesser Completion of the Gathering Yuan Realm, it possesses demonic arts. With its swift speed, even a martial artist at the Perfection of the Gathering Yuan Realm might not be able to capture it."

With the middle-aged man's introduction, Su Chen gained a basic understanding of the tiger demon.

The tiger demon is at the Lesser Completion of the Gathering Yuan Realm. It possesses a unique escape technique, often transforming into a gust of wind and disappearing without a trace.

The city lord is a martial artist who has reached the Great Completion of Yuan Qi and has also comprehended the Lesser Completion of Yuan Qi. Although he is stronger than the tiger demon, the tiger demon has escaped from him many times.

Left with no other choice, they had to trap the tiger demon, send people to the county town to find help, and at the same time block passersby to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

Su Chen hesitated for a moment, then, seeing the middle-aged man's uneasy expression, asked, "Where is the tiger demon trapped now?"

“It’s on the mountain. I can take you there, sir,” the middle-aged man replied immediately.

Su Chen nodded: "Then take me there."

"Yes!"

The mountain peaks are not high, and the dense forests on the summit block out the sunlight, giving them a gloomy and eerie atmosphere.

Above the dense forest, a thin film of elemental energy shrouded the area, and any slight movement of the wind or grass could attract the attention of this elemental energy barrier.

Even so, the area around the Yuanli barrier was heavily guarded to prevent the tiger demon from escaping.

A burly man, his face somewhat pale, sat inside the tent, recovering the energy he had depleted.

"Lord of the city, Mr. Gongsun requests an audience."

At that moment, a voice came from outside the tent. The burly man opened his bright eyes and said softly, "Come in."

The middle-aged man, Mr. Gongsun, entered the tent and bowed, saying, "Greetings, City Lord."

"Gongsun, have you found any help?" The city lord saw through Gongsun's purpose in a single sentence.

Mr. Gongsun nodded: "Reporting to the city lord, a disciple of the Ziyang Sect's peak sect was passing through this area and learned of the tiger demon causing trouble. He accepted the invitation to help and is now waiting outside the camp."

“A disciple of the Peak Sect?” the city lord murmured, then stood up and said, “Come with me to see him.”

He didn't have high hopes. The disciples of the Peak Sect varied in strength, with some as strong as He Hai, whom he had encountered before, who had already achieved mastery of Qi at a young age.

Some of the weaker disciples of the peak sect may not be stronger than him.

"Lord Yang, this is the city lord of Great Qin City," Mr. Gongsun introduced.

The city lord remained silent, scrutinizing Su Chen with his gaze, before his brows furrowed slightly.

As a martial artist specializing in the Condensation of Qi, he did not detect any trace of the aura of Yuan Qi on Su Chen. In other words, although this person was a disciple of the Peak Sect, he may not have comprehended the aura of Yuan Qi.

However, what caught the city lord's attention was the steel sword hanging on Su Chen's body, which faintly carried the aura unique to divine weapons.

"City Lord."

"Young Master Yang."

The two exchanged a brief greeting.
Su Chen didn't waste any words and went straight to the point: "May I ask where the tiger demon is, City Lord?"

"Young Master Yang, come with me." The city lord led Su Chen and his companion forward, arriving outside the Yuan Power Barrier.

He pointed to the black mist spreading out from the Yuanli barrier and said, "To be honest, Young Master Yang, the tiger demon is inside this black mist and refuses to come out."

"Don't you want to come out?" Su Chen murmured upon hearing this.

He didn't have much time to wait for the tiger demon to come out, so he took a step forward, intending to enter the barrier.

Seeing this, the city lord was about to speak to stop Su Chen.

Unexpectedly, the originally solid Yuan energy barrier did not react at all and allowed Su Chen to enter.

This scene caused his pupils to shrink slightly; even when he entered the Yuan Power Barrier, it would cause a slight sense of repulsion.

Su Chen entered without any obstruction. Could it be that this person was hiding his strength?
Without time to think, Su Chen, who had entered the Yuan Power Barrier, raised his palm and instantly condensed a dazzling blazing sun.

The blazing sun dispels the darkness, illuminating the earth and releasing its scorching heat, completely banishing the darkness.

"How can it be!"

Soon, the black fog dissipated, revealing the entire dense forest.

To the city lord's surprise, there was no trace of the tiger demon inside; apart from a mass of pitch-black blood, there was nothing else.

"When did the tiger demon escape?"

The city lord's face was rather grim. He never expected that the tiger demon had already escaped and disappeared without a trace after all the hard work he had put into setting up this barrier.

After a moment of silence, Su Chen looked at the city lord and asked, "Is it still possible to find it?"

The city lord remained silent, his meaning clear.

He shook his head, his expression shifting, and finally bowed and thanked him, saying, "I'm sorry to have troubled you with this matter today, Young Master Yang."

He learned from Mr. Gongsun that Su Chen had important business to attend to and had taken time out of his busy schedule to come and exorcise the demon.

Now that the tiger demon has escaped, he has no way to find it in a short time and has no choice but to give up.

"It's nothing. Since that's the case, I won't bother you any longer." Su Chen didn't mind and took his leave.

"Let me see Young Master Yang off," the city lord said.

The two men, one on each side, escorted Su Chen out of the Great Qin City.

"Young Master Yang, if you ever have the chance to pass through Daqin City, please inform me so that I can extend my hospitality," the city lord said with a cupped-hand salute and a smile.

Su Chen replied politely, "Definitely."

Upon hearing this, the city lord took out another stack of pill notes and said, "I am grateful for Young Master Yang's help this time. This is just a small gift to express my gratitude. Please accept it."

"No need. I'm just doing my job." This time, Su Chen refused.

Immediately, Su Chen walked away under their gazes, his figure quickly disappearing from their sight.

"This young master Yang is truly a man of principle."

The city lord sighed, thinking that if it were any other disciple of the Ziyang Sect, they would probably have accepted it politely.

"Yes!" Mr. Gongsun nodded in agreement. When Su Chen accepted the pill ticket earlier, he thought Su Chen was no different from other disciples of the Ziyang Sect.

Now it seems he misjudged Su Chen; at least Su Chen was genuinely doing his job for money.

Fifty miles outside the city of Daqin, a dark figure sped recklessly through the forest like a ghost.

"Who exactly is this guy, and why does he give me such a terrifying feeling?"

The shadowy figure muttered to itself, its voice filled with boundless fear, glancing back every now and then as if someone were chasing it.

"Damn Qin Zheng, if I hadn't reacted quickly, you might have actually succeeded. I never thought you could find such a powerful accomplice."

The dark figure was the tiger demon that Mr. Gongsun had mentioned. It was filled with fear, but also burst forth with anger.

The so-called Yuan Power Barrier did not trap him at all. After his injuries recovered, he planned to attack Qin Zheng, but unexpectedly, Qin Zheng had hired a helper.

It lurked in the shadows, waiting for its chance to strike, not caring that Su Chen was another one who would die.

Looking back now, it's fortunate that he didn't intervene; otherwise, he would have been the one to die.

The moment Su Chen made his move, it immediately sensed the aura of divine weapon emanating from Su Chen's waist, which gave him an even stronger sense of danger than Qin Zheng.

If he had made a move then, surrounded by Su Chen and Qin Zheng, he probably wouldn't have been able to escape.

What surprised it even more was that Su Chen's senses were exceptionally sharp. When his gaze swept across the dense forest, it made it, hiding in the shadows, tremble with fear, lest it be discovered.

Fortunately, his ability to conceal his presence was so strong that he was not discovered by the two of them.

Even so, it gave him quite a fright. After Su Chen and Qin Zheng left, he didn't dare to delay for a moment and immediately ran away.

He even ran fifty kilometers in one go because he was afraid of being tracked down by Su Chen.

After running for a while, the tiger demon gradually slowed down. After resting for a bit, its aura returned to normal.

"Hmph, I'll let you go this time, but once I return from Qingyang City, it will be your death day, Qin Zheng!"

The tiger demon snorted coldly, its hatred for Qin Zheng not diminishing at all, but rather intensifying because of its humiliating escape.

It glanced around, discerned its direction, and, relying on the unique aura between demons, arrived at the agreed-upon place.

"Blood Tiger, you're too late."

It was a swampy area. Not long after they arrived, a purple figure appeared and spoke calmly.

"Something came up and I was held up," Blood Tiger said, opening his mouth to explain.

It paused, then looked at the purple figure and asked, "Purple Lion, how is Brother Heavenly Python doing?"

"The treasure map has already been spread. Some people don't believe it, some people do, and most people are watching and waiting. However, there are many martial artists going to Qingyang City, which should be enough to meet the number of martial artists for this blood sacrifice. Brother Mang sent us a message to tell us to meet with him as soon as possible, as the plan is about to begin."

"In that case, let's not delay and rendezvous with it as soon as possible," Blood Tiger urged.

Purple Lion shook his head and said, "No rush, let's eat first."

"it is good!"

……

While countless martial artists flocked to Qingyang City, some went against the grain and fled the city.

"Something's not right, something's fishy, ​​there must be a trap!"

A handsome and honest young man, slightly overweight but with a broad body and a thin face, squeezed out of Qingyang City against the flow of people, carrying large and small bags on his back.

Judging from his clothes, he looked rather rustic.

Each package was wrapped in ugly burlap, nothing unusual.

He kept muttering strange words, and his cautious gaze made people want to keep their distance from him.

"I buried my grandfather's body myself; there was no treasure at all."

The fact that the treasure map showed the treasure was on Qingyang Mountain suggests there must be some unspeakable secret behind it.

Recently, too many martial artists have flocked to the vicinity of Qingyang Mountain, and many of them are stronger than me. If a fight breaks out, wouldn't I be implicated?
"No, it's too dangerous here. I need to leave Qingyang City!"

(End of this chapter)