Promise!

Chapter 203, Obtaining the Treasure

The next day, in the west of the city, at the headquarters of the Medicine King Gang.

"Prefect Mu Yuantu is acting as a middleman, hosting a banquet to invite me to negotiate peace with Shen Xianhong? After the eldest son of the Shen family, Shen Xuhong, failed in his breakthrough and died suddenly, and Zhuang Jin's fleet was intercepted, has the Shen family finally become restless?"

Shi Yong looked at the invitation and scoffed.

Since the bloody conflict between the Shen family and the Medicine King Gang in the south of the city, the Medicine King Gang's Qingyuan Liquid supply became scarce. They then launched a surprise attack on the county town that was paying tribute to the medicines in the middle of the year, which temporarily alleviated the situation. Later, the two sides attacked each other's medicinal fields... Now, the Medicine King Gang members are facing difficulties in supplying their cultivation resources, and it is almost impossible to maintain their operations.

The Shen family is also not having an easy time, but they have a deep foundation and can still hold on. However, the eldest son, Shen Xuhong, failed to break through and died suddenly. Zhuang Jin's fleet was also intercepted and killed. Under these consecutive shocks, it is very reasonable for Shen Xianhong to want to negotiate and suspend the war.

This wasn't the first time Mu Yuantu had acted as a mediator. Previously, when the Shen family and the Medicine King Gang fought over the north of the city, when they looted the county's medicinal herbs, and when Sikong Rui died... it was Prefect Mu Yuantu who mediated on several occasions.

In Shi Yong's view, this time was no different from the previous times.

In fact, given the current situation, without Zhuang Jin, Shen Xianhong would indeed have made the same choice... But Zhuang Jin's breakthrough to the Innate Realm provided an additional prerequisite, which led Shen Xianhong to make a completely different decision. And without knowing this, Shi Yong would have drawn a completely wrong and absurd conclusions.

Shi Yong was not stupid; on the contrary, he was very shrewd. However, he did not expect that Zhuang Jin would break through to the Innate Realm. Just as Shi Jie thought, even Shen Xuhong, the eldest son of the Shen family, failed to break through. How could Zhuang Jin, a martial artist who climbed up from the bottom, not know all kinds of secrets and taboos, possibly succeed?

He was well aware of the difficulty of breaking through the innate level!
In addition, there is a lot of information to support this: Zhuang Jin received the message and returned, and Shi Jie's attempt to intercept the fleet failed. If Zhuang Jin had already broken through to the Innate Realm, how could he have avoided it?

Last night, the Shen family also held a banquet to welcome Zhuang Jin and celebrate his breakthrough to the eighth meridian and promotion to Purple Robe Attendant...

All the information suggests that Zhuang Jin has only recently broken through to the Eighth Meridian.

It can only be said that Zhuang Jin's talent is a bug. There are no bottlenecks, and he did not rely on the Shen family to achieve a breakthrough in Linji County. This is something that not only Shi Yong did not expect, but Shen Xianhong did not expect either. Mu Yuantu was also greatly shocked when he saw it last night.

Without considering Zhuang Jin's influence, Shi Yong still held the old view: there were only three innate martial artists in the prefecture city. Even if Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu joined forces, he could easily injure one of them, let alone take one down with him. Those two wouldn't be so unwise.

"The location is chosen at the government office? That shows some sincerity. Someone... prepare the sedan chair!"

……

Government office.

The gatekeeper came out to greet them: "Master Shen has arrived, and the Prefect is entertaining him. Chief Shi, please follow me."

Shi Yong sensed that Shen Xianhong was indeed inside. He nodded slightly, presented a courtesy gift, and was led inside by the gatekeeper.

He didn't think there would be any surprises, given that it was a government office, a place that represented the face of the imperial court.

Halfway there, a slight stinging pain appeared between his eyebrows, a warning from his martial arts intuition.

next moment.

boom!
The 30,000 jin of explosives buried underground were ignited and exploded. Amidst the deafening sound, the blazing flames expanded and shot into the sky, transforming into a small mushroom cloud.

Shi Yong darted away, avoiding the center of the explosion, and used a three-foot-high air barrier to withstand the subsequent explosions, flames, and flying sand and metal fragments.

After a while.

The ground was turned upside down, almost as if it had been plowed.

Shi Yong was also fighting against the explosion and entered a battle state. He used the "Golden Body Indestructible Skill" that he had been hiding for a long time. His entire body and hair turned golden, like a small golden man. His innate true energy also permeated the surrounding heaven and earth energy. Within three zhang, countless golden rays of light appeared.

At this moment, his outer robe was also torn, revealing a golden dragon-patterned inner armor, which shimmered with golden light, making him look like a golden-armored god.

—This is the Dragon Pattern Golden Armor, the battle armor of Chu Yun, a master of innate martial arts five hundred years ago. It is made by extracting one tael of refined gold from ten thousand taels of gold, and mixing it with various rare materials such as meteorite iron, golden silkworm silk, amethyst sand, and red gold stone. It is relatively lightweight and can be worn close to the body by innate martial artists. Especially when combined with the "Golden Body Indestructible Technique", its defensive power is astonishing.

At that moment, a voice boomed like thunder in mid-air: "Bold Shi Yong, I kindly mediated between you and the Shen family, but your Medicine King Gang dared to attack the government office, intending to harm me. Your crime... deserves death!"

Shi Yong: ? ? ?
Originally, Shi Yong hadn't even settled scores after the bombing attack, but now Mu Yuantu was turning the tables and pinning the blame on him, making him feel disgusted and aggrieved as if he had eaten excrement. However, he also instantly realized that Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu had joined forces to take action against him.

'But how could these two have the guts? Aren't they afraid I'll retaliate when I'm on my deathbed?'

The question had barely crossed his mind when Shi Yong understood it the next moment.

"A third Innate Martial Artist?! This is... Zhuang Jin?! How is this possible?!"

He had remained calm when faced with the explosion of 30,000 jin of explosives, but now his expression changed drastically.

'When did Zhuang Jin break through? In the county town below? Impossible! How could a county town below have the resources to allow someone to break through to the Innate Realm? Moreover, if this person broke through in the county town below, why did Zhuang Jin try to avoid being intercepted yesterday?'

'Could it be that the Shen family provided resources for my breakthrough last night? But that doesn't make sense. At the moment of successfully breaking through to the Innate Realm, there's an uncontrollable, fleeting, yet intense, sense of presence. I didn't feel it last night!'

Various thoughts flashed through Shi Yong's mind, but no matter how unbelievable it was, Zhuang Jin's innate realm was an undeniable fact that he had to face.

……

Zhuang Jin had no intention of kindly answering Shi Yong's questions. At this moment, he had already joined forces with Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu to launch an attack.

The three-foot-long sword in Shen Xianhong's hand, infused with the innate true energy of the "Wind and Thunder Shocking Skill," transformed into a cyan-purple light sword. As he moved away, under the influence of the innate true energy, within a three-zhang radius around him, cyan wind blades danced and purple electric arcs flashed, as if forming a wind and thunder domain.

Mu Yuantu flanked from the other side, wielding a ring-pommel sword with many small rings on its back. Enhanced by his innate true qi, it resembled a sword with special effects. This person's cultivation technique should be fire-attribute, as his innate true qi made his entire body appear fiery red, like the burning clouds in the evening sky.

'In battles between innate martial artists, if they use their innate true energy to infuse the surrounding天地元气 (heaven and earth's primordial energy) and form a domain-like effect, can this enhance the power of their techniques?'

Real combat is the best teacher. Zhuang Jin's heart stirred. His innate true energy influenced the primordial energy of heaven and earth. Within three zhang, specks of silver-white light resembled falling snowflakes, cold and murderous. With a palm strike, a silver dragon shadow seemed to fly out from the ice and snow.

boom!
The silver dragon phantom broke through the three-foot qi wall, and Shi Yong's chest trembled as the silver dragon phantom shattered. Then, his innate true qi surged, and the three-foot qi wall was restored to its original state in an instant.

At this moment, Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu also launched their attacks, slashing left and right with a knife and a sword, breaking through the three-foot-high wall of energy like red-hot knives cutting into butter. Shi Yong could only raise his arms to block with his wrist guards.

—This banquet, ostensibly a peace talk and truce, not a fight, is obviously not a gathering for Shi Yong to bring his Purple Gold Twin Hammers. What would that look like? Imagine Shi Yong arriving with his Purple Gold Twin Hammers, sitting down to eat, one hammer in one hand, picking up food and drinking wine with the other, and standing on another hammer? The image is simply unbearable to watch!
when! when!
Shi Yong's arms trembled violently, and he managed to block it. *Swoosh!*

At this moment, Shen Xianhong twirled his longsword, and large arcs of purple and blue electricity shot out, enveloping Shi Yong's figure and paralyzing him.

Mu Yuantu and Mu Yuantu worked in perfect harmony, instantly increasing the output of their true energy. The copper rings on the back of the ring-pommel sword in their hands jingled, and the blade shone with a bright red light, as if it were burning.

boom!
Under the immense force of this strike, Shi Yong's feet scraped against the ground, creating two deep furrows. His body shimmered with golden light, and he was almost forced out of his golden protective state.

Before Shi Yong could catch his breath, another silver dragon shadow flew from below, bypassing the man's dragon-patterned golden armor. The dragon raised its head, and Shi Yong had no choice but to roll over to dodge it. He also picked up two wooden legs from the ground and faced the swords and blades of Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu who were chasing after him.

When innate masters clash, it is difficult for ordinary people to even see clearly. All that can be seen is the collision of three tornadoes in mid-air: cyan-purple, fiery red, and crimson gold. A silver-white tornado floats outside, from time to time sending out silver dragon shadows that fly into it.

Wherever the four men went on the battlefield, houses collapsed with a rumbling sound, as if an earthquake had struck.

The broken table leg that Shi Yong picked up was no match for swords and blades, and it was quickly cut off, leaving him bare-handed again.

Zhuang Jin moved around the enemy lines, unleashing a series of dragon shadows. Although the damage output was not high, it repeatedly disrupted Shi Yong's rhythm, creating opportunities for Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu. Soon, Shi Yong was covered in wounds.

boom!
After dozens of moves, the golden tornado shattered, and Shi Yong was sent flying backward.

At this moment, all that could be seen outside his chest and back, on the parts of his body that the dragon-patterned golden armor could not protect, such as his arms and legs, were deep, inch-deep, sword wounds that revealed the bone, and blood was flowing out in a torrent.

—At his peak, Shi Yong, wielding the "Indestructible Golden Body Technique" and the Purple-Gold Twin Hammers, was actually slightly stronger than Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu individually. However, at this moment, he was unarmed and attacked from three opponents of the same realm. The fact that he was not killed was due to the strong vitality of the Innate True Qi Realm, the formidable defensive power of the "Indestructible Golden Body Technique," and the dragon-patterned golden armor he wore.

Swish!Swish!
Shi Yong knew he couldn't continue like this. This time, facing the sword and the blade, he gritted his teeth and took the blows with both palms. The price was that his hands were almost severed, and his tendons and bones were clearly visible. At this moment, disregarding his injuries, he used the secret technique of exploding meridians. With the burst of energy, he forced back Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu. With a step, he took off into the air, obviously wanting to escape.

"Go back!"

Zhuang Jin, who was supporting the battle, had been keeping an eye on the opponent. At this moment, he blocked the way and used the innate martial art "Yin Yang Two Elements Palm". As he pushed his hands together, a Tai Chi Yin Yang fish pattern appeared. Using the force of the attack, he spun around and threw Shi Yong back at an even faster speed.

How could Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu let such an opportunity slip by?

"Double Strike of Wind and Thunder!"

Shen Xianhong flashed, activating the Lesser Completion level of the Wind and Thunder Sword Technique, seemingly creating a clone... no, this was a truly lifelike clone of light and shadow.

"Overlord Blade - Godslayer Slash!"

Mu Yuantu also fully activated the "Overlord Blade" sword technique, using its ultimate skill. A streak of blood appeared on the blade, exuding a chilling aura, and it pierced through the air.

Swish!Swish!
At the moment when Shi Yong was thrown down by Zhuang Jin and his true energy was difficult to revive, Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu entered his body from the left and right sides through his shoulders. Immediately afterward, the swords spun and the true energy was transmitted and exploded.

At this moment, Shi Yong's innate true energy offered no resistance or suppression. He let out a desperate laugh and took the initiative to go with the flow, detonating the innate true energy in his dantian.

boom!
Shi Yong deliberately self-destructed, unleashing a torrent of innate true energy that drew upon the primordial energy of heaven and earth, forming a golden mushroom cloud that rapidly expanded outwards.

Zhuang Jin was already on the outer edge, and with a series of quick movements, he had already avoided the area with the greatest potential for damage. He was able to withstand the aftershocks with a three-foot-high wall of energy, and was completely unharmed.

Shen Xianhong used his sword light to defend himself, leaving no room for error, but he was still affected by the golden light of the explosion. After the three-foot-high air wall neutralized the attack, his face turned slightly pale.

As Mu Yuantu retreated swiftly, he slashed out with his sword, splitting the surging golden energy wave toward him in two. He then used a three-foot-high wall of energy to block the remaining waves in batches, a trace of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

A few breaths later, amidst the rain of blood, Zhuang Jin looked at the two men: "Patriarch, Prefect Mu, are you both alright?"

"It's alright, it just took a lot of energy."

"He suffered some minor injuries."

Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu both shook their heads. To them, this price was nothing to worry about and was not worth mentioning. On the contrary, it was a victory. They looked at the blood raining down in the sky. Although they were mentally prepared, they still had a sense of unreality and disorientation: the leader of the Medicine King Gang and the innate master Shi Yong were dead, killed by them.
From the start of the battle to the end of Shi Yong's self-destruction, only twenty or thirty breaths passed. Shi Yong didn't even have time to leave a last word!

"He is indeed dead." Zhuang Jin nodded affirmatively, not surprised at all.

Just as high-level business warfare is often unpretentious, involving pulling the plug and pouring boiling water on the money tree; high-level coups involve luring someone into the palace and then deploying executioners...

In reality, there are often not so many ingenious back-and-forth schemes and plots, because the more complex something is, the easier it is to make mistakes. On the contrary, the simpler something is, the more difficult it is to break!

For example, today, under the guise of peace talks, Shi Yong was invited, and the three of them surrounded and killed him, outnumbering him and beheading the Medicine King Gang. It's that simple.

"Zhuang Sheng contributed greatly to this battle and has not requested the Qingyuan Pot. I suggest that this dragon-patterned golden armor be given to Zhuang Sheng. What does Prefect Mu think?"

"I think it's a good idea to give it to our future son-in-law!"

The dragon-patterned golden armor offers considerable protection to innate martial artists. Neither Shen Xianhong nor Mu Yuantu wanted it to fall into the other's hands and disrupt the balance. Giving it to Zhuang Jin, who was relatively the weakest, would be acceptable, and it would also do Zhuang Jin a favor.

"Then I would be disrespectful."

Zhuang Jin didn't stand on ceremony and took it. With a single turn of his innate true energy, it was as good as new. This thing hadn't been damaged at all under the swords of Shen Xianhong and Mu Yuantu, or even during Shi Yong's self-destruction. It was clearly a good treasure that could greatly enhance one's ability to survive.

"With Shi Yong dead, the Medicine King Gang will be nothing more than a piece of our pie. We should act without delay and go get the Medicine King Gang's Azure Origin Pot to nip this in the bud. What do you say?"

"Can!"

"good!"

The three reached an agreement and headed straight for the Medicine King Gang in the west of the city without stopping.

……

(End of this chapter)