Quickly conquer the martial arts world, and let your fists dominate the heavens!

Chapter 283 Innate Upper Realm!

The autumn wind swirled withered leaves, darting through the woods, its rustling sound carrying a chilling cold.

The cold wind is blowing.

It is already late autumn, and winter will soon follow.

Three hundred Imperial Guards formed a square formation, crossbows cocked, and embroidered spring knives unsheathed.

Shen Tong reined in his horse and stood still, his embroidered spring knife at his waist pointing diagonally at the ground, staring intently at the forest in front of him. He dared to take action to arrest people not only because of the three hundred Jinyiwei brothers behind him, but also because he had other support.

Otherwise, with his acquired martial arts skills, King Yama might not be able to save people from among hundreds of people, but he would still be confident of killing him.

"Commander Shen has a good eye."

A calm yet imposing voice came from the forest. Before the voice had even finished speaking, three figures floated out like ghosts and landed in the middle of the road.

The leader was dressed in a black brocade robe, with a hood covering most of his face, revealing only his thin lips and two tufts of beard on his pale chin. He was none other than the Black Stone Wheel King.

To his left was the water-splitting sword, Xi Yu, dressed in a green robe, the long sword in his hand gleaming with a deep blue hue, the water droplets on the scabbard still not completely dry.

On his right, Ghost Sword Xie Wuchang was dressed in black, wearing a hideous ghost mask, with his Wuchang sword slung diagonally over his shoulder, its sword aura chilling.

King Yama's gaze swept over Lei Bin and the opera singer, who were bound in the prison cart. His voice was calm and even: "Leave the people here. Commander Shen, take your men and leave. Black Stone will let bygones be bygones for today's events."

The Wheel King's voice wasn't loud, but his aura was overwhelming, and his voice, accompanied by the sound of a tight wind, reached everyone's ears.

Even Jin Yichuan and Shen Lian, who were at the very back of the group of three hundred people, could hear it clearly.

This kind of deterrent effect is very strong.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards all practiced the martial arts within the Zhenfu Division. Even those who hadn't developed internal strength knew about the two realms of Acquired and Innate, and almost all of them had seen Zhenfu Envoy Pei Qian make a move.

Knowing the difference between acquired and innate factors
Moreover, these martial artists who haven't developed internal strength have to risk their lives to save them.

"Let bygones be bygones?"

Shen Tong sneered and spurred his horse forward two steps: "Black Stone assassinated the Grand Secretary, kidnapped a high-ranking official, and slaughtered my brothers in the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Every single one of these acts constitutes a capital crime punishable by death. You say you'll let bygones be bygones?"

He raised his hand and waved it, and three hundred Imperial Guards simultaneously aimed their crossbows at the three men, the arrows flashing coldly, dense as a forest.

"King of Wheels, although you are a master of the Innate Realm, there are three hundred Imperial Guards here, all of whom are veterans of countless battles. Even if you are a master of the Innate Realm, you may not be able to escape unscathed!"

In Shen Tong's view, although innate masters are powerful, they are still human after all. Blocking a dense rain of arrows will inevitably deplete their internal energy.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard had conducted internal drills, and it was clear that Commander Pei Qian alone could not break through their defenses.

Moreover, in this situation, the more timid and fearful you are, the more likely you are to expose weaknesses that Blackstone will seize upon.

Upon hearing this, King Yama slowly raised his head, his gaze beneath his hood as sharp as a cold star as he swept over the neatly arrayed Imperial Guards: "You are right, but there are also differences in innate abilities."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly moved.

No one saw how he took his steps; they only saw a blur before their eyes, and his dark figure had already turned into a blur, heading straight for Lei Bin and his companion who were wearing shackles.

The speed was so fast that the air whistled sharply, and the strong wind it generated sent the withered leaves on the ground flying everywhere.

"Release the arrows!" Shen Tong shouted sternly.

"Whoosh whoosh—"

Three hundred arrows were fired simultaneously, like dark clouds pressing down on King Yama, the sound of arrows piercing the air deafening, covering all his evasive routes.

This is the arrow formation that the Embroidered Uniform Guard is most skilled at—dense, precise, and ruthless. Even a master of innate skill would have to avoid its sharp edge.

But King Yama did not flinch.

He gently raised his right hand, and a faint golden light emanated from his palm as his inner strength, at the Innate Realm, erupted without reservation.

The internal force was not released outwards, but rather condensed and did not disperse, forming a pale golden barrier in front of him.

When the arrows approached, they were blocked by this barrier. The crisp clanging sounds were endless. None of the three hundred arrows could break through the thin layer of golden light. They all flew away, and some were even shaken into two pieces.

"This!" Shen Tong's pupils shrank sharply, and the confidence on his face froze instantly.

He had seen masters of the Innate Realm and knew that they could project their internal energy outwards, but even though Pei Qian's Innate Realm internal energy was strong, he couldn't do it with such ease.
Shen Tong had never seen internal energy with color before!
When a master of innate talent manifests their inner strength, it can indeed be concentrated around their body, whether as palm strikes or weapon attacks, but it is almost entirely devoid of substance and color, resembling a palm wind.

With the intervention of the Wheel King, the pale golden internal energy manifested and solidified, its texture and color resembling a miracle.

"Innate Supreme Realm!"

The four realms of innate energy are each a step up. The upper realm condenses into a tangible substance, while the ultimate realm allows one to unleash palm strikes like dragons, with internal energy as if it were a living thing!
Some of the Imperial Guards were so startled that they forgot to continue firing arrows.

"Keep shooting!"

Shen Tong's words startled everyone, but King Yama had already entered the crowd. His palm strike missed its mark, and he instantly knocked down more than ten people.

He rushed in front of Lei Bin and his companion, who were in shackles, and made a claw-like grabbing motion in the air with his left hand.

The iron chains binding Lei Bin and the opera singer broke inch by inch, as if made of paper.

With a flick of his right hand, he channeled two streams of internal energy into the two men, releasing their pressure points.

He said in a deep voice, "Let's go."

Lei Bin and the magician kept their heads down and remained unmoved until King Yama thought they had been acupunctured and unable to move.

But as soon as the internal energy entered, it was immediately discovered that something was wrong; the technique was incorrect!
"Huh? You're not!!!" The two people who had been looking down suddenly looked up and jumped up.
It turned out to be Lu Jianxing and Shen Lian in disguise. They had switched places somewhere and were impersonating Lei Bin and Xicaishi.

"Hiss!!~"

The two men concealed short blades at their waists, and since they were too close to King Yama, they slashed upwards with their blades.

Using all the strength he had in his life, a white streak of light flashed out, and King Yama didn't have time to gather his inner strength before he reached out with both hands to grab the blade.

"Kakaka~"

The two men's short swords actually made a sound when they struck the Wheel King, as if they were cutting into a piece of fine iron.

"This sound!"

The two quickly drew their swords and retreated.

The blade grazed King Yama's hands, leaving a trail of blood. As the two retreated, they could see blood spurting out, and three fingers flying horizontally.

Three severed fingers lay on the ground!

Shen Lian and Lu Jianxing actually managed to cut off three of King Yama's fingers!
King Yama stared at his bleeding right hand, blood gushing from the base of his fingers like a spring. The three severed fingers bounced twice on the ground and rolled to Shen Lian's feet.

For the first time, a clear ferocity appeared on his face beneath his hood. His pupils contracted to pinpoints, and his previously calm aura suddenly turned violent. The pressure of the Innate Realm swept out like a tsunami, causing the surrounding fallen leaves to fly backward. The Imperial Guards felt a tightness in their chests from the pressure of this aura, making it difficult for them to even breathe.

"Very good, a good plan!" King Yama's voice seemed very calm, each word as if squeezed out from between his teeth.

He slammed his left hand into the ground, and his inner strength, at the Innate Realm, surged into the earth like magma. With a "bang," several spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the ground, and a powerful energy rushed straight towards Shen Lian and Lu Jianxing.

The two had only retreated three steps when they were thrown back by the force of the energy, crashing heavily into the tree trunk behind them, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and their short blades flew out of their hands.

King Yama reached down from his waist and a long, slender, emerald-green sword appeared in his hand.

Jade Serpent Soft Sword!

"Did Master Biyuan of Hengshan die at your hands?" Lu Jianxing uttered a question.

The Jade Serpent Soft Sword belonged to Abbess Biyuan of the Hengshan Sect. She was killed five years ago, and the sword disappeared without a trace. Unexpectedly, it was King Yama who killed her.

"Fine Rain! Xie Wuchang! Kill that commander!" King Zhuanlun shouted fiercely, his voice piercing through the sounds of battle and reaching the dense forest.

Two figures moved in response.

As the drizzle fell, her green robes billowed, and her longsword transformed into a streak of dark blue lightning, piercing straight for Shen Tong's throat. Her sword strike was fierce; she was naturally adept at swift kills, and seeing King Yama injured, she was even more eager to make a contribution.

Ghost Sword Xie Wuchang's Wuchang Sword, imbued with a chilling ghostly aura, charged into the ranks of the Imperial Guards, its blade sweeping across with insidious and ruthless moves.

Shen Tong had just recovered from his shock when he saw the two attacking from both sides. Naturally, he dared not be careless, as both of them were innate masters, while he was only at the acquired realm.

They dared not be negligent; the blade flashed like a wall, blocking the sharp edge of the drizzling rain.

With a loud clang, sparks flew everywhere. Shen Tong felt his arm go numb and used the force to hide among the Imperial Guards.

Shen Tong gritted his teeth and spun around, parrying with his Embroidered Spring Blade. With a "crack," the blade was slashed with a deep groove by the Impermanence Sword, and he roared:

"Brothers, form ranks!"

The Imperial Guards were also seasoned veterans, and they wouldn't back down at the sight of a master of innate skill. They gathered together, nocked their crossbows again, and quickly formed a sword formation.

As soon as the sword formation was completed, Xie Wuchang, relying on his ghostly movements and fierce swordsmanship, charged into the formation.

Then a sharp "swoosh" was heard, and a condensed blade of light, as swift as a bolt of lightning, suddenly burst forth from the depths of the Imperial Guard formation. It was extremely fast, and with a piercing whistle, it went straight for Ghost Sword Xie Wuchang's lower back!
Xie Wuchang was severing the necks of two Imperial Guards with his sword, the stench of blood filling his nostrils, when he suddenly sensed a deadly threat.

Having walked the path of the uncanny for many years, his intuition far surpassed that of ordinary people. Without a second thought, he spun around and retreated hastily, swinging the Impermanence Sword behind him with a backhand motion, its shadowy blade flashing as he attempted to parry the sneak attack.

But the blade was too fast; it was so fast that the moment he turned around, the blade was already in front of him.

"Zhao Lie!"

A deep shout made people's eardrums vibrate. The attacker was burly. As the blade flashed, the clothes of the Imperial Guard's rank-and-file officer on his body burst open, revealing the official robes of the Commander-in-Chief. The thick-backed long sword in his hand gleamed with a cold light.

However, it was Zhao Lie, the pacification commissioner of the Southern Garrison.

When Shen Tong went to invite people, he had already made a plan. In order not to alert the enemy, he would hide among the Embroidered Uniform Guards and not let the garrison commander show up directly.

If the pacification commissioner were leading the team, King Zhuanlun might not have made a move. After all, with a master of innate level and three hundred Imperial Guards working in perfect harmony, he might have simply abandoned Lei Bin and his companion.

But it's different when Shen Tong, a commander at the Acquired Realm, leads the team.

The pacification commissioner could instead launch a surprise attack from the shadows.

Although the protective internal energy of a master with innate abilities is strong, their aura can dissipate when they charge at full power, making it the perfect opportunity for a sneak attack!
"Pfft-"

The thick-backed longsword pierced Xie Wuchang's waist without any resistance.

The blade entered from the left abdomen and exited from the right back, bringing out a large piece of scalding hot flesh and blood, along with the severed internal organs.

Xie Wuchang's pupils contracted sharply, his ghostly face contorted in agony, and he emitted a strange "hoarse" sound.
With a twist of his wrist, Zhao Lie swung his long sword, instantly tearing Xie Wuchang's abdominal cavity to shreds.

He suddenly drew his sword, and blood gushed out like a fountain, splattering all the Imperial Guards around him.

Xie Wuchang's innate internal energy instantly became chaotic, and he didn't even have the strength to hold his sword. The Wuchang Sword crashed to the ground with a "clang." His massive body swayed, then slammed heavily to the ground, twitched twice, and then died. The fierce light in his eyes was completely extinguished.

one move!
With a single sneak attack, he killed a master at the early stage of the Innate Realm!
(End of this chapter)