Chapter 64: The Duan Clan! Bizarre!
Seeing Cheng Lingsu glance at him, waiting for his decision, Fang Han thought for a moment before replying: “Let’s wait a few days before deciding.”
For now, he had once again stored inner energy in his chest acupoint and needed to refine it carefully, to further strengthen his Beiming Zhenqi.
As for possible attackers, Fang Han was honestly not too concerned.
If I am willing to fight you with martial skill, then that is my choice. But if I am not, I can simply set poison. If you have the ability, come—once you come, you kneel!
In truth, Fang Han almost hoped they would come. By leveraging his foreknowledge, he might even seize the chance to obtain another peerless skill.
Hearing this, little Zhong Ling nodded happily, thinking to herself that if she brought her good friends home, her mother surely would not object.
As for her father…
No matter. Big Brother had saved her life—how could she not invite him home? What sense would that make?
Surely, if she reasoned with him sincerely, he would agree.
Thinking of this, Zhong Ling smiled with her eyes curved like crescent moons.
Over the next two days, nothing happened.
Perhaps Duan Yanqing had not imagined that Yun Zhonghe and Ye Erniang were already dead.
Fang Han did not mind. He calmly refined the inner force he had absorbed from them, and his Beiming Zhenqi grew much stronger!
Meanwhile, Cheng Lingsu tended to Mu Wanqing’s wounds while also preparing various medicines in case of emergencies.
As for Zhong Ling, she spent her days cheerfully, bright and innocent as ever.
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A few days later, in Ten-Thousand Calamities Valley (Wanjie Gu).
Because of the schemes between Zhong Wanqiu and Duan Yanqing, chaos erupted everywhere.
The commotion was immense.
Duan Yanqing’s face was dark as iron.
In his heart, he began to harbor killing intent toward Ye Erniang and Yun Zhonghe!
Leaving without return, ruining my grand plan!
Were it not for this, his side would not now be so weak.
How could he know that the two were already long dead?
Seeing his forces faltering and Yue Laosan barely holding on, Duan Yanqing was forced to strike his crutch against the ground, seize a young man in blue, and leap away.
Whoosh!
Though crippled in the legs, with his crutch striking the ground, and even while carrying another person, he soared into the air with ease, his profound martial arts on full display!
He fled several li, reaching the edge of the valley.
“Yu’er!”
A middle-aged man in purple robes, handsome and dignified with a trace of kingly aura, rushed up in haste. Seeing this, his face turned from shock to rage, and he immediately unleashed a Yi Yang Zhi (One Yang Finger), thrusting straight ahead.
The finger force penetrated three-tenths into the air!
Whoosh!
A pitch-black iron crutch shot forth like a shadow, colliding instantly.
Clang!
The purple-robed man staggered back four or five steps before he could stop himself.
He felt a surge of overwhelming power from the crutch, while his fingertip was racked with sharp pain.
His face changed drastically, staring at the man before him.
It was not merely that the man’s martial arts surpassed his own, but rather…
“Yi Yang Zhi force? Who are you!?”
The power on that crutch was clearly the Yi Yang Zhi of the Duan clan!
Though merged into crutch techniques, the foundation was unmistakable—it was indeed Yi Yang Zhi!
How could the Duan clan’s Yi Yang Zhi have ever been taught outside? And yet this man in blue seemed to have mastered it, even to an incredibly profound level!
Perhaps…
Already in the Third Grade!
The Yi Yang Zhi had nine grades, First Grade being the highest and Ninth Grade the lowest. An ordinary man could train for a lifetime and still never reach beyond the Fourth Grade.
Third Grade was already an extraordinary achievement. Even within Tianlong Temple, apart from Master Ku Rong, likely no other monk had attained such a level.
As for him, Duan Zhengchun, he was in the Fifth Grade.
In just that one clash of Yi Yang Zhi, he had instantly been defeated.
Who exactly was this man!?
Duan Yanqing fixed his cold gaze upon Duan Zhengchun, his eerie ventriloquous voice rasping: “You are Duan Zhengchun? Did Duan Zhengming not come?”
Hearing the tone in which he addressed his elder brother—with no trace of respect, as though speaking from a lofty height—Duan Zhengchun’s face grew solemn:
“Yes, I am. May I ask who you truly are, and what you intend!?”
Yet his eyes could not help but glance at the young man in blue lying on the ground, anxiety evident.
Duan Yanqing gave a cold laugh: “What a pity! What a pity!”
Duan Zhengchun was secretly puzzled: What pity?
But Duan Yanqing gave no answer. He only raised his crutch slightly, pointing at the trembling young man in blue who had fallen to the ground. At the tip of the crutch, the air seemed to ripple faintly, force ready to burst forth.
“Yu’er!”
Duan Zhengchun turned pale with fright: “Please, show mercy!”
Earlier, in just a brief clash, he had already realized his own martial arts could not compare to this man’s. Now, seeing him aim his crutch at Yu’er, even if he gave his all, he might not be able to stop it.
“You want to save him? That can be done. Only if…”
Duan Zhengchun strained to hear his conditions. But when he heard them fully, his heart was shocked, his expression turning furious: “You want my elder brother to abdicate!? Impossible! Who are you!?”
Duan Yanqing stared coldly, and using ventriloquism, he slowly revealed his identity.
At once, Duan Zhengchun’s furious expression froze, staring in disbelief at Duan Yanqing:
The Crown Prince Yanqing!?
Hadn’t he long since been murdered by treacherous officials?
How could he…
Duan Yanqing’s voice was icy and rigid: “The throne of Dali should have been mine. You two brothers, traitors, usurped it while I fell. After all these years, it is time for things to be returned!”
Saying this, he flicked his crutch, striking a bloody hole into Duan Yu’s body. With a threatening tone he said: “Will you agree or not? If you refuse, I will kill this boy right now!”
Duan Zhengchun was torn inside, but since the imperial foundation had already passed to their line, there was no way to hand it back.
Moreover, he could not betray his elder brother.
Looking at Duan Yu, his eyes filled with sorrow, yet he could only grit his teeth and say: “Even if you kill my son, do not indulge such delusions! And you—Yu’er—you are a son of the Duan clan of Dali! Do not let others laugh at you!”
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