Becoming a Saint Starting with the Chasing Wind Leg Technique

Chapter 179 Unexpected Change, Enemy at the Gates (Please Subscribe and Give Monthly Tickets)

The news that Song Jing had broken through to the mid-stage of Bone Forging, as well as the good news that Zhou Xingyun, Song Yi, and others had also broken through their realms, spread like a spring breeze within Tianshui City, giving the city, which was shrouded in the shadow of the Blood Lotus Sect, a rare boost of excitement.

However, this excitement did not last long. An urgent secret letter from the front lines, stained with the dust and blood of war, was quietly delivered to Song Jing by a trusted confidant of the Commandant's Office.

The letter was written in the handwriting of Commandant Chen Yanzhou.

The handwriting was still strong and powerful, but the writing conveyed a different kind of solemnity and expectation than before, and even a hint of barely concealed urgency.

"Dear Nephew Jing, may I meet you again?"

See the word as the face.

The battle at the front is at a stalemate. The Blood Lotus Demon is cunning and ruthless, but the overall situation is still under control. I will be able to return in triumph soon, and at that time I will surely restore a bright and clear world to Tianshui.

This letter contains three things that you should keep in mind.

Firstly, I know you are exceptionally talented, especially in the art of the spear. If you manage to return to the capital safely, I will introduce you to a true master of the spear.

This man is a close friend of mine for many years. He is aloof and has lived in seclusion for a long time, but his marksmanship has reached a level of perfection that surpasses even Lu Jiutian's.

He possesses a unique skill called "The Fleeting Shadow Spear," a top-tier spear technique of the lower grade of rare quality, which may complement and reinforce your Wildfire Spear Technique.

However, this person had extremely strict conditions for accepting apprentices and teaching skills.

Secondly, there are the conditions.

To inherit its legacy, one must first pass its tests.

The test involved him personally demonstrating the three opening moves of the "Fleeting Glimpse of the Spear" technique: "A Glimpse of the Spear," "A Fleeting Shadow," and "No Regrets in Strike."

Although these three techniques are the foundation, they contain the essential principles of spear fighting and are infinitely varied.

He will only demonstrate it once. If you can learn its form and understand its meaning on the spot, even if you only grasp one or two parts of its essence, he will recognize your talent in the art of the gun and be willing to teach you everything he knows.

This is an immense opportunity, but also a difficult test.

You need to prepare early and practice diligently, only then will there be a glimmer of hope.

Thirdly, I have tied down the main force of the cult on the outskirts of Pinggu County. I will launch a general offensive soon, aiming to settle the matter in one battle.

I am 90% confident that I can defeat them.

However, the battlefield is ever-changing, and you must also be vigilant and especially careful in the rear.

If things do not go smoothly, or if an insurmountable danger arises, one may return to the prefectural city along the official road.

We'll discuss this further when I return.

Remember to take care of yourself and practice diligently.

The road ahead lies beneath your feet, and also in the tip of your gun.

I look forward to meeting you again in the city soon so we can celebrate our victory together.

At the end of Chen Yanzhou's handwritten letter, besides the familiar water ripple pattern, there was an extremely subtle mark, as if left by a fleeting glimpse.

After reading the letter, Song Jing was filled with emotion.

A rare, lower-tier spear technique!

Master of the Art of the Spear!

This was undoubtedly a shortcut to success paved for him by Captain Chen Yanzhou!

If one can obtain this spear technique, and combine it with the Five Elements Dao Spear and one's own water and fire foundation, one's combat power will surely soar once again!

However, the demanding condition of "learning on the spot after one demonstration" also put him under immense pressure.

Even the three basic forms of a rare martial arts technique are by no means ordinary.

This tests not only comprehension, but also the most fundamental understanding and accumulation of the art of gunplay.

"The Shadowless Spear—" Song Jing murmured the name, his eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit.

No matter how difficult it is, we must try!

How could we possibly miss such an opportunity?

He carefully put the letter away and turned his gaze northward, as if he could see through the city walls and into the smoke of war outside Pinggu County.

Commander Chen said he had the overall situation under control and was 90% confident—hoping everything would go smoothly.

However, the day did not fulfill everyone's wish.

Or rather, the greed and baseness of the human heart are often more deadly than evil spirits and heretics.

On the eve of the day Chen Yanzhou said in his letter that "a general offensive will be launched soon," outside Pinggu County, on the edge of the battlefield where the two armies were facing off, the atmosphere was heavy in a temporary central command tent.

Besides Chen Yanzhou, whose aura was profound and whose authority was imposing even without anger, there were also several officials and martial arts leaders from surrounding counties who had been ordered to come and assist in the battle.

One of them, with a fair complexion, three long wisps of beard, and gleaming eyes, was Sheng Huaixu, the county magistrate of Tianshui City, who had clashed with Song Jing but no one knew that he was deeply connected with the Zhou family.

This person's cultivation had reached the early stage of the Refining Realm. At this moment, he was standing with his hands at his sides, seemingly respectful, but his fingertips were unconsciously twitching slightly.

Chen Yanzhou was deploying the overall offensive strategy. Although he was only at the late stage of the Refining Realm, his murderous aura and the imposing presence of someone who had long held a high position made the several deputy generals in the Flesh Refining Realm in the tent obey his orders with awe.

"—The Blood Lotus Sect has gathered three mid-stage Refining Realm leaders, all of whom are among the Ten Great Evils," ruthless figures under Li Wuxie's command, as well as five early-stage Refining Realm experts.

However, Li Wuxie, who is at the late stage of the Refining Realm, did not come. He is the most powerful expert and has been held back by the Refining Realm experts from the sect's branch! At the same time, the experts from the sect's branch cannot come to our aid either!

"I, the Commandant, will personally deal with those three mid-stage cultivators. Magistrate Sheng, you, along with Deputy General Liu and Colonel Wang, must hold off at least two early-stage Refining cultivators. Once I've dealt with the three mid-stage cultivators, we can achieve victory in one fell swoop!"

After the meeting, Sheng Huaixu returned to his military tent.

Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the tent, and a guard rushed in with a joyful expression, kneeling on one knee: "Report!"

"Your Excellency, the Zhou family has sent you supplies, saying they are in gratitude for your service in defending the territory, and have specially allocated one hundred Crimson Blood Pills and forty Bone Strengthening Pills! These will help Your Excellency improve your cultivation so you can better serve the country!"

Upon hearing this, the rest of Sheng Huaixu's trusted subordinates in the tent were all taken aback, and then their expressions varied.

At this critical juncture, the Zhou family's move is perhaps a little too "enthusiastic" and "timely".

Moreover, this "generous gift" is enough to make any martial artist in the Refining Realm tempted or even go crazy.

Sheng Huaixu's body trembled almost imperceptibly. He glanced quickly at the envoy, then lowered his head again, forcing a grateful smile on his face: "The Zhou family's kindness is deeply appreciated by this humble official."

He frowned almost imperceptibly, his gaze sharp as he swept over the others, then looked at the envoy outside the tent who was clearly a confidant of the Zhou family. A hint of doubt flashed through his mind, but with a major battle imminent, it was not advisable to create unnecessary complications. He simply said calmly, "The Zhou family is very kind. I will certainly make good use of this opportunity and live up to the expectations of the court and the Zhou family."

"Yes, Your Excellency will do your utmost!" Sheng Huaixu bowed hurriedly, but the angle of his bow seemed to be lower than before, concealing the struggle that flashed in his eyes and the ruthlessness that was gradually being replaced by greed.

Just a few hours ago, in a secluded place, the cold yet alluring words of the Zhou family envoy still echoed in his ears: "Lord Sheng, the Zhou family has treated you well, hasn't it? Who helped you get the position of county magistrate? Your old grievances—suppressing the Zhuifeng Martial Arts School, embezzling river repair funds, setting up private prisons and driving people to their deaths—the evidence is still there."

"Now there's an opportunity to do something for the Zhou family. Not only will all past debts be wiped clean, but these pills are just a deposit. After the deed is done, there will be an even greater reward, guaranteeing you a breakthrough to the mid or late stages of the Refining Realm, and even reaching the Marrow Refining Realm in the future is not impossible!"

"The target is Song Jing. But to take him down, we must first get rid of his biggest backer—Chen Yanzhou!"

In tomorrow's battle, you only need to "contribute a little" at the crucial moment. You don't need to risk your life; just cooperate and let Captain Chen suffer an "accidental" injury. The rest will be handled by the Blood Lotus Cult friends.

It goes unnoticed by gods and ghosts.

You remain the meritorious Magistrate of Sheng County, and may even become the new Commandant of Tianshui!

On one hand, there was the threat of utter disgrace and a dead end; on the other hand, there was the allure of immense wealth and a meteoric rise in cultivation, along with a lingering jealousy towards that brat Song Jing—the scales in Sheng Huaixu's heart had already tipped.

The decisive battle broke out the following day.

On the battlefield, a murderous aura filled the sky.

Chen Yanzhou took the lead, wielding a long iron sword, and fought alone against three fierce leaders of the Blood Lotus Sect who were at the mid-stage of the Refining Realm.

His swordsmanship was expansive and powerful, steady as a mountain yet swift as lightning. With his late-stage Refining Realm cultivation, he suppressed three skilled opponents of the same level, forcing them to retreat step by step. He was beginning to gain the upper hand and was about to cut one of them down.

On the other side, Sheng Huaixu, along with Vice General Liu and Colonel Wang, joined forces to entangle two early-stage leaders of the Blood Lotus Sect.

The battle seemed to be at a stalemate, but according to the plan, as long as Chen Yanzhou's side broke the deadlock, this side could quickly win.

However, just as Chen Yanzhou had repelled three mid-stage leaders with a single shot, his momentum unstoppable, and was preparing to deliver the decisive blow to take one of their lives—

A sudden change has occurred!

Liu, the deputy general who was fighting alongside Sheng Huaixu, suddenly let out a shrill scream as he was slashed in the shoulder by the Blood Lotus Sect leader and staggered backward.

Sheng Huaixu, who should have immediately stepped in to provide support, had a strange glint in his eyes. Instead of stepping forward, he paused slightly to the side and back. His long sword seemed to be aimed at the enemy, but the tip of the sword deviated almost imperceptibly. A sinister and ruthless sword aura, which had been planned for a long time, was not aimed at the leader of the Blood Lotus Sect, but silently attacked Chen Yanzhou's unsuspecting back!

"Be careful, sir!" Captain Wang, standing some distance away, roared in a bloodshot voice, but it was too late to come to his aid.

Chen Yanzhou's entire focus was on the three formidable enemies ahead, never expecting that his "colleagues" fighting alongside him would suddenly launch such a vicious attack from behind! By the time he realized that the chilling sword energy was touching his body, it was already too late!

"Pfft!"

The sword energy pierced through his body! Chen Yanzhou's body trembled violently, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood. His once invincible aura instantly weakened by more than half! He turned around abruptly, looking at Sheng Huaixu, his eyes filled with disbelief, anger, and bone-chilling coldness: "You—!"

"Hahaha! Chen Yanzhou, you've finally met your match!" The three mid-stage leaders of the Blood Lotus Sect, who were being suppressed and struggling to breathe, laughed wildly and their attacks suddenly became frenzied.

Sheng Huaixu's face was no longer submissive, only ferocity and smugness remained. He shrieked, "Chen Yanzhou colluded with a cult and betrayed us in battle! I have seen through his deception! Gentlemen, follow me to kill this scoundrel!"

"Bullshit! Sheng Huaixu, you traitor!" Captain Wang's eyes were bloodshot as he desperately tried to rush over, but he was held back by another Blood Lotus Sect leader.

Chen Yanzhou knew he had fallen into a trap. Severely wounded, he had no chance of winning against the combined attack of three ruthless mid-level leaders and the traitor Sheng Huaixu.

A resolute glint flashed in his eyes. He bit his tongue sharply, spitting out a mouthful of blood essence onto the iron longsword. The spear instantly glowed with an eerie blood-red light!

"Lone Goose Shadow Blade, Final Form—Blood Battle in All Directions! Open for me!"

He let out a roar like a wounded lion, and disregarding his severely injured body, he forcibly activated a secret technique that consumed a great deal of energy. His strength surged briefly, and with a single sweep of his blade, he forced the four attackers to retreat temporarily.

But he also coughed up another mouthful of blood, his face turned ashen, and his breath rapidly declined.

Taking advantage of that brief moment of opening, Chen Yanzhou didn't hesitate. His figure transformed into a streak of blood-red light, and he fled madly towards Tianshui City! His speed far exceeded his usual speed, clearly indicating that he had paid a heavy price.

"Chase him! We can't let him escape back to Tianshui City!" the Blood Lotus Sect leader shouted sternly.

However, Chen Yanzhou's escape technique, honed by burning his life essence, was extremely fast, and his familiarity with the terrain allowed him to disappear into the dense forest at the edge of the battlefield in just a few leaps. Sheng Huaixu and the others were unable to catch up.

"Hmph, having been struck by my Bone-Corroding Yin Qi Sword Qi and forcibly activated a secret technique, he won't get far. Even if he returns to Tianshui City, he'll be a cripple!" Sheng Huaixu said sinisterly, looking in the direction Chen Yanzhou had disappeared. He then turned to the Blood Lotus Sect leader, adopting a fawning expression, "My lords, Chen Yanzhou has escaped with serious injuries. Tianshui City is leaderless; it's the perfect opportunity to launch a major attack and take the city in one fell swoop!"

There are still tens of thousands of civilians and thousands of soldiers and warriors in the city. If they can all be refined into the Blood Lotus Secret Pill, it will be a great achievement!

Perhaps—even Elder Li Wujiu of your sect can use this to break through to the Marrow Refining Realm!

The Blood Lotus Sect's mid-stage leader, his eyes gleaming with greed and excitement, licked his lips: "Good! Magistrate Sheng, you've done well! Once we take Tianshui City, refine the Blood Pill, and report to the Ten Elders, you'll surely reap enormous rewards! Issue the order to gather the sect members; three days later, we'll massacre Tianshui City! Leave no one alive!"

"Roar!" The surrounding Blood Lotus cult members roared with bloodlust.

Chen Yanzhou, who had retreated back to Tianshui City, barely managed to stay upright by holding on to his last bit of inner energy.

He did not return to the Commandant's Mansion. Instead, with the last vestige of his consciousness, he followed a premonition and, despite his severe injuries, made his way to the small courtyard where Song Jing was temporarily staying. Unable to hold on any longer, he broke down the gate.

"Thump!"

Song Jing was practicing his marksmanship in the courtyard when he heard the noise and was shocked. He saw Chen Yanzhou covered in blood, his breath extremely weak, and a hideous wound on his chest emanating a chilling black aura. He was staggering and falling to the ground.

"Commander!" Song Jing rushed forward and supported Chen Yanzhou, his hand feeling the icy coldness of the medicine. His heart sank to the bottom. He quickly took out the best healing pills he had on him, and without caring whether they were suitable for the condition, fed them to Chen Yanzhou. He then used his own pure Xuan Yuan True Qi to help the medicine work and stabilize his heart.

Chen Yanzhou slowly opened his eyes. Seeing Song Jing, a hint of relief flashed in his eyes, which quickly turned into endless anxiety and gravity. He gripped Song Jing's hand tightly and, with all his might, said intermittently, "Song—Jing—quickly—beg Tianmen! Sheng.Xu.—betrayed—himself—to join Xuelian—was ambushed—and seriously injured—"

With every few words he spoke, he coughed up a mouthful of black blood, his breath growing weaker and weaker.

"The Blood Lotus Sect—gathering its main force—will massacre Tianshui City in three days! I—I am powerless to fight—at most—I can only hold off a mid-stage Refining Realm cultivator for you—"

"The city—the lives of the people within—the lives of the martial artists—and—your chance—it all depends on you—"

""

"Take—my—token—and—this letter—and go—to find—"

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Yanzhou could no longer hold on. He closed his eyes and fainted, but he still tightly gripped his captain's token and the blood-stained letter he had written to Song Jing.

Song Jing supported the unconscious and weak Chen Yanzhou, feeling the coldness of the token in his palm and the undried bloodstains on the letter. He recalled the bold words in the letter, "I will soon return in triumph," and looked at the miserable state of his mentor and friend, who had been betrayed and was seriously injured. A surge of overwhelming anger and icy killing intent erupted from the deepest part of his heart!

Preface to Sheng Huai!

The Zhou family!

Blood Lotus Cult!

He gently settled Chen Yanzhou on the bed inside the room and covered him with a blanket.

Then, he walked into the courtyard and picked up the Five Elements Dao Spear, which was quietly leaning against the wall.

Under the moonlight, the gun barrel shimmered with a cold, five-colored light, reflecting in Song Jing's eyes, which were chilling to the bone yet burning with a fierce flame.

"Three days—a bloodbath in Tianshui City?"

He muttered to himself, his voice eerily calm.

"Then see, it is your blood that first stains this land red."

"With my gun, I'll first pluck out your heads!"

Without further hesitation, he carefully kept Chen Yanzhou's token and the bloodstained letter close to his body, slung the Five Elements Dao Spear over his shoulder, took one last look at the unconscious Chen Yanzhou and the familiar city, resolutely turned around, and headed towards the outer gate of Pingtian Gate. He pushed the Perfected Chasing Wind Leg Technique and the Limit-Breaking Wind and Thunder Leg Technique to their limits, and his figure sped away like lightning tearing through the night sky!

There are only three days left.