A Martial Saint Among Men: From Joining a Martial Arts School

Chapter 198 The Water Is Too Deep

The worst thing is when the air suddenly goes quiet —

At this moment, Zhou Huai'an and Zhao Jingshan were like ants on a hot pan, their hearts filled with utter shock.

The True Essence expert who attacked last night didn't escape, but was killed by Chu Xuan?!

Doesn't this mean—

Chu Xuan wasn't at the Gang Jin level at all, but at the True Yuan Realm!

Otherwise, with just the spiritual weapon in his hand, he would definitely not be able to kill a True Essence expert.

Do you know why I need to "recover" from my injuries?

Seeing that the two remained silent, Chu Xuan continued, "Because I know you two definitely have something going on, but it doesn't matter. Who doesn't have their own selfish motives? As long as you don't affect me, I can pretend I don't see your little tricks."

I thought that my display of my spiritual weapon last night would be enough to intimidate you.

"You planned to make up for the deficit while I was recovering. But I never imagined you'd actually plan to burn down the warehouse."

o

Zhou Huai'an and Zhao Jingshan were both deathly pale and speechless.

They've been caught red-handed, what else can be said?

Chu Xuan looked at Zhao Jingshan: "Senior Brother Zhao, do you remember? I saved your life."

"I----"

Zhao Jingshan opened his mouth, feeling utterly ashamed.

"Junior Brother Chu, I—I know I was wrong!" Zhao Jingshan said with difficulty.

Chu Xuan shook his head: "You don't just know you were wrong! You know you're going to die! I gave you a chance, but you wanted my life!"

His eyes gleamed with a chilling killing intent.

Compared to Zhou Huai'an, Zhao Jingshan undoubtedly angered him more.

Back then, he personally saved Zhao Jingshan from the clutches of the Heart-Eating Water Demon.

But Zhao Jingshan, instead of being grateful, actually conspired with Zhou Huai'an to frame him.

"puff----"

Suddenly, Zhao Jingshan, who had been looking ashamed, suddenly sprang up and threw a handful of highly corrosive, pungent powder at Chu Xuan.

He himself took the opportunity to turn around and flee into the depths of the forest.

*Sizzle!*

A piercing corrosive sound rang out, and the air quickly ignited upon contact with the powder, producing a crackling sound.

In an instant, a pungent stench filled the air, and the surrounding vegetation turned charred black at a visible speed.

"A mere trick like this, yet you dare to show off your meager skills before an expert?"

Chu Xuan sneered, and with the surge of his true essence, he instantly shut out the medicinal powder.

The powder, of course, was no match for Chu Xuan, but it bought Zhao Jingshan time to escape.

In the blink of an eye, Zhao Jingshan had already escaped to a distance of ten zhang.

Chu Xuan did not pursue, but instead raised his hand and struck out with a palm.

Boom!

As true essence surged, an enormous true essence hand instantly condensed in mid-air, transforming into a true essence handprint with a diameter of ten feet, crushing through the void and slapping towards Zhao Jingshan's back.

Rumble!

Wherever the giant handprint passed, even the air was compressed and deformed, emitting a series of buzzing sounds.

Zhao Jingshan's fleeing figure suddenly stopped, as if a huge mountain was pressing down on him from behind, making it difficult for him to move.

There's no way to escape!

"Stop them! Stop them!"

Zhao Jingshan's face was contorted with rage as he channeled all his inner energy into the semi-spiritual weapon in his hand, attempting to withstand the attack!

He was, after all, a martial artist who had reached the pinnacle of internal energy, and he also possessed a semi-spiritual weapon.

I refuse to believe that I can't even withstand Chu Xuan's attack!

Boom!

In an instant, Zhao Jingshan slashed out with his sword, a crimson blade aura over ten feet long, heading straight for the giant handprint.

Click!

A devastating sound rang out.

The blade energy that Zhao Jingshan unleashed shattered instantly before this giant handprint, like an egg hitting a rock.

The True Essence Handprint, however, continued its relentless momentum, crushing towards Zhao Jingshan.

"No----"

Zhao Jingshan let out a fierce shout and desperately swung his knife to resist!

A loud bang rang out, followed by a violent collision.

Like a dragonfly trying to shake a pillar, the semi-spiritual soldier was instantly sent flying backward, while Zhao Jingshan's body was struck by the giant handprint and exploded into a cloud of blood mist, leaving not even a trace behind.

Chu Xuan withdrew his gaze and looked at Zhou Huai'an, who was now pale with fright: "Why didn't you run?"

run?

Zhou Huai'an's face was full of bitterness.

He wanted to run, but could he actually escape?

Previously, he had some doubts about Chu Xuan killing that True Essence expert, but now the facts are right in front of him.

Chu Xuan wasn't at the Gang Jin level at all, but at the True Yuan Realm!

How can he run away?

If he really ran, his fate would probably be the same as Zhao Jingshan's—he would be killed with a single palm strike.

On the contrary, staying might offer a glimmer of hope.

Since Chu Xuan didn't kill him immediately, it means there's still a chance for things to turn around.

Zhou Huai'an knelt directly in front of Chu Xuan and said, "Manager Chu, spare my life! If you're willing to spare my life, I'm willing to serve you like a slave and obey your every command from now on!"

"Hmph, you are clever, but not much!" Chu Xuan sneered.

He did have other plans for keeping Zhou Huai'an.

Upon hearing Chu Xuan's words, Zhou Huai'an immediately understood what he meant and said with a mournful face, "Manager Chu, it's not that we don't want to make up for the deficit! It's just that the deficit is too big to be covered. The bulk of it was taken by your predecessor. He left when his term expired, leaving us with this mess. We can't fill this gap even if we sell everything we own."

Chu Xuan sneered, "So, you lured the Heart-Devouring Water Demon here, hoping to force me away, or simply die at its hands?"

"no!"

Zhou Huai'an quickly shook his head, "The Heart-Eating Water Demon was an accident, it has nothing to do with us."

"You didn't do it?" Chu Xuan asked, somewhat surprised.

Zhou Huai'an said with a wry smile, "Even if we were stupid, we wouldn't do something like this on your very first day here. Besides, the Heart-Eating Water Demon is stronger than all of us. How could we dare to lure it here? A slight mistake would be like playing with fire and getting burned."

Chu Xuan frowned slightly.

If it wasn't Zhou Huai'an and his companion who did it, then who was it?

He was certain that the appearance of the Heart-Eating Water Demon was not an accident, but rather that someone had used the Soul-Gathering Dew Grass to lure it.

"Is Ma Chenglu not one of your accomplices?" Chu Xuan asked.

"No!" Zhou Huai'an shook his head. "Ma Chenglu is older than us and has long lost his ambition. He just wants to live a peaceful life at the fish farm and never gets involved in these things. We invited him before, but he refused. It couldn't have been him who did the Heart-Eating Water Demon."

It wasn't that either!

Who could it be?

It seems there are still people he doesn't know hiding in this fishing ground.

Chu Xuan asked, "Tell me, who did you secretly sell the fish from the fishing grounds to?"

This was the key reason why he kept Zhou Huai'an.

"Many! Almost all the top-tier forces in Lingxiao City have made purchases. However, most of them make purchases occasionally, with only the Wen, Meng, Zhou, Qian, and Song families being long-term buyers," Zhou Huai'an stated truthfully.

The Song family!

Chu Xuan's eyes lit up, and he felt a surge of excitement.

Just as he expected.

Zhou Huai'an and others were guilty of a serious crime for illegally selling their catch.

However, the Song family and other families secretly buying fish from the fishing grounds at low prices is also tantamount to stealing assets from the Xuan Yang Sect.

If the Xuan Yang Sect finds out, they won't get away with it either.

However, he cannot be the one to reveal this.

Otherwise, if these families are in a state of chaos, he will become the target of everyone's criticism.

"What about the Situ family?" Chu Xuan asked.

Zhou Huai'an nodded and said, "The Situ family also has some. However, the Situ family is only a second-rate family, and their strength is far less than that of first-rate families. They have only bought from them a few times."

"That's good!" Chu Xuan nodded. "You want to live, right? I'll give you a chance: turn yourself in!"

"Huh? Me?"

Zhou Huai'an deflated like a punctured balloon, and said bitterly, "Manager Chu, you might as well just kill me! Being killed by you..."

"At worst, I'll die! But if word gets out, those families will skin me alive, and my entire family will be executed along with me!"

Chu Xuan was taken aback.

This is really troublesome. Judging from Zhou Huai'an's tone, he's not joking; he'd rather die than expose it.

"but----"

Zhou Huai'an then changed the subject, saying, "I also have an account book that records all the transactions I've had with these families over the years."

"If Supervisor Chu is willing to make an exception and let me leave with my family, I'm willing to hand over the account books."

"Ledger?"

Chu Xuan narrowed his eyes, surprised that the old man had such a trick up his sleeve. "Where is the account book now?"

"Please spare my life, Manager Chu!" Zhou Huai'an pleaded.

Chu Xuan nodded and said, "Alright! As long as the account book you mentioned is true, I can let you go. I can even wait until you leave with your family before handing over the account book. Now you can tell me, right?"

With the ledger, he could do many things even without Zhou Huai'an.

Zhou Huai'an was overjoyed and quickly said, "Thank you, Manager Chu, the account book is right here—"

The thin mist around us suddenly thickened.

Just as Zhou Huai'an was about to reveal the location of the account book, a thin, almost transparent thread, as fine as a hair, silently emerged from the mist and quickly wrapped around Zhou Huai'an's neck.

"Ugh—"

Zhou Huai'an screamed in agony, his eyes bulging out.

"not good!"

Chu Xuan's expression changed.

Click!

Before he could make a move, a faint cracking sound was heard.

His body swayed for a moment before crashing to the ground.

Blood gushed from his neck, the cut was very clean, as if it had been cut with a knife.

Chu Xuan then saw clearly that there was a nearly transparent gilded thread in mid-air. If it hadn't been stained with blood, even he wouldn't have noticed it.

Chu Xuan turned around abruptly and saw a figure slowly walking out from the mist not far away.

The newcomer was a young man in his thirties with a sinister face.

Most importantly, he was wearing the attire of an inner disciple of the Xuan Yang Sect.

Chu Xuan had already recognized his identity!

Meng Shaobai, an inner disciple of the Xuan Yang Sect!

He also has another identity: the young master of the Meng family, a first-class family in Lingxiao City.

Meng Shaobai glanced at Zhou Huai'an's lifeless head, then stomped on it, crushing it. Only then did he say slowly, "Junior Brother Chu, some secrets should never be known. By forcing the truth out of you, you have broken a taboo."

"Who do we have here? It's Senior Brother Meng!"

Chu Xuan suddenly realized, "So, you're the one who summoned the Heart-Eating Water Demon?"

"It's me!"

Meng Shaobai nodded, "I just wanted to remind you, junior brother, that the waters of this Canglan Marsh are a bit deep, and you might not be able to handle them. I never expected that you, junior brother, would not only be proficient in the art of external cultivation, but have also broken through to the True Essence realm! Tsk tsk, even Luo Yun, who is ranked number one on the Wind and Cloud Ranking, is not as monstrous as you."

"What a pity! You've learned things you shouldn't have. Today, I have no choice but to kill you as well, to prevent future troubles!"

Chu Xuan frowned and said, "Just for this little bit of treasure fish? Senior Brother Meng is going to kill me?"

Meng Shaobai shook his head: "I told you, the waters of Canglan Marsh are too murky! It's not just about smuggling a little bit of fish here! Our Meng family alone earns millions of contribution points from here every year! Did you hear me clearly? Every year! Do you still think it's just a little bit?"

Chu Xuan was speechless upon hearing this.

He had initially thought these families were just rats in the granary, but now it seemed he had underestimated them.

This water is indeed very deep!

Meng Shaobai continued, "Of course, the main reason is that you, Junior Brother Chu, are too outstanding! Since we already have a grudge, we must nip it in the bud. Otherwise, if you grow up in a few years, I will be the one who suffers. Therefore, I have no other choice, and I hope Junior Brother Chu can understand."

"understand!"

Chu Xuan nodded. "Actually, Senior Brother Meng, you have another option."

"You mean—kill me?" Meng Shaobai chuckled when he saw the murderous intent in Chu Xuan's eyes.

"You got it right!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Blade of Slaying Karma was drawn from its sheath.

With the Overlord Blade Technique activated, a sharp golden blade light suddenly flew out from the Karma-Slaying Blade and slashed straight at Meng Shaobai.

"Spirit Weapon—"

Meng Shaobai immediately screamed, his face changing drastically.

The next instant, strands of gilded silk threads that had appeared earlier suddenly condensed in front of him, intertwining densely and instantly forming a large net of true essence.

*Sizzle!*

A sound like tearing cloth rang out.

The giant net, woven from fine threads of true essence, was severed in an instant by a single strike.

boom!

The next instant, the blade flashed and slashed towards Meng Shaobai.

"How is this possible?"

Meng Shaobai screamed again, his face turning completely pale.

He was using the Meng family's ultimate technique, "Thousand Machines Guide," which used his own true essence as a guide to condense thousands of threads as fine as hair and as strong as refined steel. Once woven into a net, it was not much inferior to a spiritual weapon.

Bang!

After a loud bang, the blade struck Meng Shaobai's crossed arms hard.

His arms were frozen for only a moment before they exploded with a bang.

Immediately afterwards, the blade struck his chest.

"puff----"

Meng Shaobai spat out a mouthful of blood, his body flying backward like a cannonball for more than ten feet before crashing to the ground with a thud, creating a crater.

Chu Xuan strode over and saw Meng Shaobai lying in the pit, blood constantly spilling from his mouth. Both arms were gone, and there was a foot-long wound on his chest, three inches deep, clearly exposing his internal organs.

"I thought you were so strong, all arrogant? Turns out you're just a fraud!"

Chu Xuan was somewhat speechless.

Although Meng Shaobai in front of me is also an inner disciple, he is far inferior to Su Jingyang. He hasn't even reached the minor completion stage of True Essence!

He jumped next to Meng Shaobai and then quickly began to explore.

Soon, he pulled out a bag.

"The Meng family will not let you get away with this!" Meng Shaobai coughed up blood, glared at Chu Xuan, and spoke with difficulty.

"What does this have to do with me?!"

Chu Xuan looked furious, as if he'd been framed. "What's a little more strength? You, a mere inner disciple at the True Essence Realm, do you think you can die at my mere罡劲 (罡劲 is a type of internal energy cultivation)?"

"Shameless—Pfft—"

Meng Shaobai spat out a mouthful of blood and then died completely.

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