A Martial Saint in Chaotic Times: Starting with Grinding Proficiency

Zhou Yuan's figure transformed into a blur as he rushed straight toward the west gate.

His blood and qi boiled due to the breakthrough in the Dragon Elephant Prajna Skill, and burned even more fiercely due to the overwhelming rage. With each step he took, he left a shallow mark on the hard bluestone slab.

The West City Patrol Office was deathly silent.

Zhou Yuanchong entered the office, but it was empty.

He grabbed a cowering soldier at the door, his chilling killing intent making the man tremble.

"Where are they?! Where's the carriage that just left?"

"We have...we have official business documents issued by the government...we dare not stop them..." The soldier's voice trembled.

Official documents?

Zhou Yuan's heart sank. The violent aura grew stronger, and the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

Just then, a sarcastic voice rang out.

"Who do we have here? It's Zhou, the constable from the North City Patrol Office. What an arrogant official! Coming all the way to my West City to reprimand my men?"

Xu Yan, the West City Inspector, came out from the inner hall. He already had a bad impression of people from the Qingyang Martial Arts School because of his old grudge against Zhu Xiaowen. Seeing Zhou Yuan so arrogant now, he was even more furious.

Zhou Yuan slowly turned his head, saying nothing, but staring intently at him with his bloodshot eyes.

Xu Yan felt a chill run down his spine from that gaze, a feeling akin to being stared at by a prehistoric beast, which instantly sent shivers down his spine, and the words he was about to say got stuck in his throat.

Suddenly, a series of rhythmic and heavy clanging sounds of armor clashing came from afar.

Xue Renjie, a centurion of the patrol battalion, led a team of armored soldiers to the scene, among whom was Li Tong, who had been temporarily conscripted.

Li Tong was also taken aback when he saw Zhou Yuan there.

Xue Renjie strode in, glanced at the scene, and asked in a deep voice, "Did anyone leave the city just now?"

The poisonous smoke was quite troublesome, and by the time they realized what was happening, Xu Qingyi had already disappeared.

It wasn't until the inner city's embroidered tower was attacked that he realized the bandits were heading towards the west gate.

The garrison soldier quickly reported that the bandits had left the city with a document.

"Useless trash!" Xue Renjie roared in anger, kicking the man, who staggered and dared not utter a word of complaint.

After reprimanding his subordinates, Xue Renjie's gaze fell on Zhou Yuan, with a condescending scrutiny.

"There are experts at the Yi Jin Realm among the bandits, not someone you, at the Duan Gu Realm, can handle. Return to the North City Patrol Office immediately and do not abandon your post!"

Zhou Yuan seemed not to hear him. He turned and walked towards the heavy city gate, coldly uttering three words to the soldier beside him.

"Open the gate."

The soldiers looked at each other, then instinctively glanced at Xue Renjie, not daring to make a move.

Seeing that he was being openly ignored, Xue Renjie felt a surge of anger.

He, a dignified centurion of the patrol battalion and a master of the Yi Jin Jing, was treated so disrespectfully by a mere constable from an outer city martial arts school.

"I'll give you five breaths to disappear from here."

Seeing this, Li Tong quickly stepped forward to persuade him, "Brother Zhou Yuan, don't be impulsive. Commander Xue is only doing this for your own good..."

"five."

Xue Renjie ignored him completely and started counting, instantly making the atmosphere around him extremely tense.

"Four."

Zhou Yuan remained unmoved, simply placing his hand on the cold iron and wooden gate.

"three."

"two."

Xue Renjie's patience had run out, and the pressure of his Yi Jin Realm cultivation began to spread. He was ready to make his move and give this arrogant brat a lesson he would never forget.

The word "one" was about to be uttered.

Zhou Yuan made a move.

He bent over, his right arm muscles bulging, veins popping out like a coiled dragon.

A suppressed growl burst from his throat.

"rise!"

Crunch!

The heavy gate, which required the combined strength of several strong men or the assistance of a winch to slowly rise, was lifted inch by inch by his single arm, groaning under the strain.

This horrifying scene left everyone frozen in place.

Xue Renjie's action, which was about to be made, froze in mid-air. The word "one" that was about to be uttered seemed to be tightly gripped by an invisible hand.

Xu Yan's legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.

Li Tong and the soldiers and armored men around him all gaped open, as if an egg could fit inside.

What terrifying force this is!

Under the horrified gazes of the crowd, Zhou Yuan held up the gate with one arm, making way for himself.

In the next instant, his figure flashed, transforming into an arrow released from a bow, instantly rushing out of the city gate and disappearing into the morning mist at the end of the official road.

He didn't look at Xue Renjie even once more.

……

At this moment, beside the official road leading to Black Wind Mountain, in front of a deserted temple.

Xu Qingyi and her group finally stopped.

After repeated escapes, not only were the men and horses exhausted, but even the strong horses pulling the cart began to foam at the mouth.

"Vice Chief Xu, the brothers are too exhausted to run any further. Let's rest here," a bandit pleaded, panting heavily. "We're already quite far from Luochuan City."

"No," Xu Qingyi refused decisively. "We'll reach Black Wind Mountain in another hour. Resting here would be too risky."

"Brother Xu." The carriage curtain was lifted, and Zhao Shanshui poked his head out, saying nonchalantly, "In this desolate wilderness, those useless government officials shouldn't be able to find us. I think the brothers are indeed exhausted."

Seeing that the young master had spoken, Xu Qingyi had no choice but to nod in agreement.

The group entered the abandoned temple and started a fire to roast meat.

After a hearty meal, Zhao Shanshui wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth, his sinister eyes involuntarily glancing at the two unconscious women in the carriage.

"Brother Xu, why are we going to Feiyun Embroidery Tower?"

Xu Qingyi revealed her entire scheme with the Wei family.

"That woman is Liu Wenju's daughter?" Upon hearing this, Zhao Shanshui was first taken aback, then a twisted look of pleasure appeared on his face.

He suffered greatly in the patrol camp's prison and harbored deep hatred for County Magistrate Liu Wenju.

A surge of anger mixed with hatred rose from the depths of his heart; he hadn't touched a woman in a long time.

Zhao Shanshui stood up and walked straight to the carriage, preparing to carry Liu Rong down.

"Young Master, you mustn't!" Xu Qingyi stepped in front of him, blocking his way. "This woman is meant to keep Liu Wenju in check. If you defile her, it will surely provoke Liu Wenju's furious revenge and ruin everything!"

"So what!" Zhao Shanshui was somewhat driven by lust at this moment. "Do you think we, Black Wind Mountain, are afraid of a mere county magistrate?"

Seeing Zhao Shanshui's stubbornness, Xu Qingyi finally backed down and pointed to another figure in the car.

"If the young master is truly in a hurry, then proceed with her."

Zhao Shanshui looked in the direction he was pointing and saw Zhou Ting. He knew that Xu Qingyi held a high position in the village and didn't want to offend him too much, so he could only nod reluctantly.

He boarded the carriage, hoisted the unconscious Zhou Ting onto his shoulder, and strode into the depths of the deserted temple.

Xu Qingyi shook her head slightly, found an open space, closed her eyes, sat cross-legged, and began to regulate her breathing to recover.

However, only a dozen or so breaths had passed.

He suddenly opened his eyes, a chilling sensation rising from his back.

At the entrance of the deserted temple, a figure appeared silently at some unknown time.

The figure at the entrance of the deserted temple was alone, yet carried with it a chilling aura of wind and snow.

The bandits were initially on guard, but when they realized that there was only one person and that his aura was only at the Bone Forging Realm, their tense nerves immediately relaxed.

He's just a mere Bone Forging Realm martial artist; what waves can he possibly make?

Zhou Yuan ignored the small fry; all his attention was focused on the scholar in blue robes leisurely playing with a throwing knife on the stone bench.

Xu Qingyi.

It was him.

Zhou Yuan's heart sank slightly, but the murderous aura around him, which was almost solidified, did not diminish in the slightest.

He got straight to the point, his voice devoid of any warmth.

"Where is the woman you kidnapped?"

Xu Qingyi did not answer, but instead looked at Zhou Yuan with great interest.

How dare someone at the Bone Forging Realm question him with such a tone?

A bandit with a pockmarked face glanced into the depths of the deserted temple before revealing a lewd and malicious grin.

"They're having a good time inside. If you had come any later, you might have heard a noise..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

boom!

An overwhelming aura suddenly erupted!

......