A Martial Saint in Chaotic Times: Starting with Grinding Proficiency

Chapter 92 Body Tempering Third Realm - Yi Jin

During the plum rain season, the sky over Luochuan County is always gray and hazy.

The fine rain continued incessantly, pattering on the bluestone slabs and splashing up tiny water droplets.

Inside a private room on the second floor of a restaurant opposite the North City Patrol Office.

Several pairs of gloomy eyes were fixed on the heavily guarded government office across the street.

"Is Zhou Yuan a tortoise? Why does he just stay inside and not come out!"

A cold voice shattered the tranquility of the room, filled with barely suppressed irritation.

"What's the rush?" A shorter figure slowly poured a cup of tea. "He killed the only son of the Wei family. The head of the Wei family wishes he could eat his flesh and sleep on his skin. If he comes out now, isn't he just courting death?"

"So we're just going to sit here and wait? I think we should just storm in, tie him up, and leave!" The burly man who had spoken earlier, codenamed Fifth Brother, slammed his hand on the table.

"A surprise attack on the patrol station? Fifth Brother, have you lost your mind?"

A woman with an extremely feminine voice snorted coldly, with a hint of mockery.

"Although there are no top-notch experts in the patrol station, it was originally built to defend against mountain bandits attacking the city. It is filled with powerful bows and crossbows, and there are no fewer than a hundred soldiers. If we fail to achieve a successful attack in one go, the smoke signals on the watchtower will be lit, and the patrol battalion will arrive in an instant. At that time, we will have no way to escape."

The people in the room were the five members of the Dark Abyss Gang from the Prince's Mansion, who were there to capture Zhou Yuan.

"What should we do then? The day of the martial arts competition is not far away. If we delay Mr. Yi's grand plan, neither of us can bear the responsibility." The fifth brother grunted, withdrew his gaze, and sat heavily back in his chair.

"Fifth Brother's concerns are not without merit." The shorter figure also looked thoughtful. "If he really doesn't come out, we can only go back and report to the head of the family to see if we can find a replacement."

"Change people?" The effeminate woman scoffed. "The requirements for Silver Corpse cultivators are incredibly stringent. They need high talent and their cultivation must be at the Bone Forging Realm; otherwise, they're extremely difficult to control once refined. Where in Luochuan City can we find another Zhou Yuan?"

"I just remembered someone."

The slender man, who had been leaning against the window, suddenly spoke.

"Who?" The fifth brother immediately perked up.

"Do you all remember that the monk Wuxin from the Boundless Buddha Sect visited my Luochuan City a few years ago?"

"Of course I remember." The fifth brother looked reminiscing. "The Boundless Buddhist Sect is one of the six major sects in Qingzhou. That monk Wuxin is said to be a very important figure in the sect. He came here to hunt down some Thousand Illusion Demon Lord."

"Not bad." The thin man nodded. "Although they didn't catch that demon in the end, Monk Wuxin discovered a martial artist with extraordinary talent in the city and wanted to take him as a disciple, but the man refused."

"As far as I know, this person is Lü Chong, the current inspector of the South City Patrol Office."

"Lü Chong?"

The shorter person fell into thought.

Back then, this incident was quite a topic of conversation in Luochuan City, and he had naturally heard about it.

His talent is undeniable, given that he was valued by the eminent monks of the Boundless Buddha Sect. However, for some reason, Lü Chong's cultivation has stagnated in recent years, and he has become just another ordinary person.

"Then what are we waiting for! Isn't Lü Chong easier to capture than Zhou Yuan? Let's go back and inform the patriarch and Mr. Yi right now!" The fifth brother stood up impatiently.

But at that moment, the old figure who had been sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed and whose breathing was the longest suddenly opened his eyes.

"Someone's coming."

Upon hearing this, the other four were startled and looked out the window.

Suddenly, a squad of heavily armed patrol soldiers appeared outside the patrol office.

Before the armored soldiers, a beautiful woman with a graceful figure sat upright on a magnificent chestnut horse.

The woman dismounted nimbly and walked straight towards the gate of the patrol office.

It was none other than Xue Min, one of the Three Heroes of Luochuan and a centurion of the patrol battalion.

As soon as Xue Min stepped into the main hall of the patrol office, she frowned slightly.

The dignified North City Patrol Office was completely deserted. Not only was the patrol inspector absent, but there wasn't even a single officer on duty to be seen.

"So it's Commander Xue! I'm so sorry for not greeting you sooner!"

Upon hearing the news, Li Tong jogged over from the back room, his face beaming with smiles.

"Where are your inspectors?" Xue Min didn't bother with pleasantries and went straight to the point.

"Uh—" Li Tong's smile froze. "Our inspector is handling official business in the signing room. He was instructed not to disturb him unless it's urgent. If you have any important matters, please feel free to give me your orders."

"you?"

Xue Min snorted coldly, and an aura belonging to a master of the Yi Jin Realm instantly spread out.

"You're not qualified."

Li Tong was only at the Refining Skin Realm, but under this pressure, he felt a tightness in his chest, difficulty breathing, and his forehead was instantly covered in cold sweat.

"Now, take me to him."

"Yes—yes—"

Li Tong dared not utter another word and could only lead the way, trembling as he went.

A moment later, the signing room was in sight.

Li Tong dared not step forward, but stood a few steps away and respectfully reported.

"Sir, Xue, the Hundred-Household Commander of the Patrol Battalion, has come to visit."

Several breaths passed, and there was no sound from inside the room.

Li Tong was sweating profusely with anxiety. Just as he was about to speak again, Xue Min pushed him away.

"Your Inspector Zhou has quite the airs of an official."

A slight anger rose in Xue Min's heart.

Zhou Yuan's reputation has recently soared. He defeated two masters of the Yi Jin Realm with his Bone Forging Body, which has indeed impressed her.

But that doesn't mean that Xue Min is inferior to Zhou Yuan.

As one of the Three Heroes of Luochuan, she had long been famous and held an official position one rank higher than Zhou Yuan. Now that she had personally come to his door, the other party dared to be so disrespectful, which was simply arrogant.

Thinking of this, Xue Min no longer hesitated, stepped forward, and reached out to push the tightly closed door.

But just as her fingertips were about to touch the door panel...

boom!

An incredibly powerful aura suddenly rose from the floor of the room without warning!

That aura was domineering and powerful, overwhelming and unstoppable. Faintly, the roar of dragons and elephants could be heard booming in one's ears!

That momentum?!

Xue Min was shocked, as if struck by lightning, and instinctively took a step back.

"Squeak—"

—

The door was slowly opened from the inside.

A tall, upright figure appeared at the doorway.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Commander Xue."

Zhou Yuan cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to her, a hint of apology on his face.

At such close range, Xue Min could clearly feel the new and powerful aura emanating from Zhou Yuan.

That's a power that no one in the Bone Forging Realm could possess!

"You... have broken through to the Yi Jin Realm?"

"I recently went into seclusion for a few days and just broke through."

Zhou Yuan remained calm and responded in a deep voice.

Upon hearing this, Xue Min's expression froze.

Not long ago, this person was only at the Bone Forging Realm.

Despite his impressive record, he was still stuck at the second stage of Body Tempering.

But how long has it been?

He actually stepped into the Yi Jin Realm without anyone noticing!

What alarmed her even more was that, despite both being at the Yi Jin Jing level, she felt an unfathomable sense of oppression emanating from Zhou Yuan.

This feeling only arises when facing those battle-hardened commanders in the camp.

What kind of monster is this guy?

Xue Min's heart was in turmoil. The slight anger she had felt at the other party's neglect had long since vanished, replaced by deep shock and fear.

"Commander Xue?"

Seeing that she was standing there in a daze, Zhou Yuan asked her another question.

"May I ask what brings you here today?"

"The county magistrate requests your presence."

Xue Min snapped out of her daze, quickly composed herself, and regained her capable demeanor as a centurion of the patrol battalion.

"Let the two of us go see him immediately."

Are you suggesting that I go with her to see the county magistrate?

Zhou Yuan's heart stirred slightly.

Logically speaking, if the county magistrate had something to attend to, he should have summoned either Chief Inspector Xie Hongwu or the commander of the patrol battalion, Xue Wantong.

Summoning them directly, bypassing their rank, is somewhat against protocol.

"Do you know what it is?"

"It seems to be related to the recent mysterious disappearances of several Bone Forging Realm martial artists in the city," Xue Min replied in a deep voice.

......