The Martial Saint rose to power starting as a substitute bridegroom.

Behind the high wall lies the other side of the alley.

Liang Bai was fighting to the death with two Abyss cultists.

The two were clearly no less skilled than Ming Jin, and when they joined forces, even Liang Bai, who was at the peak of Ming Jin, was unable to defeat them for a time.

In the corner against the wall, five or six girls dressed in academy robes were squatting, their hands and feet bound with hemp rope, and their mouths stuffed with cloth, so they could not make a sound.

It was clear that Liang Bai had noticed the two sneaky Abyss Cultists' suspicious behavior and followed them all the way, which led to the confrontation between the two sides.

The handsome young man who had already fled far away had no choice but to turn back.

Just as the two sides were locked in a stalemate, a sinister voice rang out.

"You two are utterly useless! You can't even handle this simple matter properly, and you've let them track you all the way here!"

Liang Bai forced back the two men's attacks, then suddenly leaped into the air, his blood and qi surging to their peak, and threw a heavy punch at the sinister-speaking, jade-faced youth.

Twenty years of accumulating and refining Ming Jin (a martial arts technique) had long since allowed him to manipulate Qi and blood at will. This punch had brought the power of the "Shattering Void Fist" to its near limit.

Bang!

In the instant their fists and feet clashed, Liang Bai's body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the thick, high wall behind him with a dull thud.

The moment he landed, Liang Bai slapped the ground with one palm, and his figure transformed into a sharp arrow once again, rushing towards the jade-faced youth opposite him.

However, unsurprisingly, he was knocked away once again.

This time, the opponent simply placed a light palm strike on Liang Bai's chest.

boom!

This time, Liang Bai crashed solidly into the stone wall. After landing, he clutched his chest and spat out a cloud of blood.

Wow! Absolutely incredible!

Even when facing a master of internal strength back then, Liang Bai had never been defeated so quickly and so miserably.

The opponent's strength was terrifying, completely beyond human capability.

The jade-faced youth curled a sinister smile at the corner of his mouth and slowly approached Liang Bai. His palm suddenly opened, transforming into a claw, and grew thicker and thicker at a visible speed, sprouting gray hair, exactly the same as the hairy giant claw he had seen at the riverbank dock that day.

Liang Bai's pupils suddenly contracted, and an immense fear gripped his heart.

If such a claw strike landed on a person's chest... he would be the culprit behind the recent series of bloody incidents in Linjiang City!

Liang Bai glanced at the women in the other corner, and his heart sank to the bottom.

The girls were unable to speak, but their bodies were already trembling like leaves.

The terror in their eyes was truly indescribable.

"Although I'm getting old and have lost some of my charm, let's start with you today!" The jade-faced youth's sinister laughter echoed in the narrow alley, sending chills down one's spine.

Bang!

Just then, Li Yuan leaped down from the top of the high wall and kicked the jade-faced youth hard in the chest.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye, so fast that it took no time to think.

However, Li Yuan's heart sank quickly.

Because of that kick, it felt like kicking a steel plate.

The moment their eyes met, Li Yuan read a hint of disdain and mockery in the other person's eyes.

"Now, I'll send you on your way!"

The handsome young man's face contorted with murderous intent. His eyes widened suddenly, and his expression became ferocious and terrifying. He lashed out with his right claw, its five fingers like hooks, aiming straight for Li Yuan's ankle.

At that moment, he seemed to see the other person being held in his palm like a little chick, being kneaded and played with at will.

Then, bit by bit, he tore the other person to pieces. He could almost hear the crisp, pleasant sound of bones shattering.

To his astonishment, however, his claw struck nothing.

Just as his right claw was about to touch Li Yuan's ankle, Li Yuan moved. He suddenly flipped over, and the instant he landed, his body shot out like an arrow, both fists striking straight at his opponent's chest.

It is a move called "Tiger Tail Sweep" from the Tiger Form Boxing style.

The perfect level of "Tiger Style Fist" may seem ordinary, but the speed and power it unleashes in that instant perfectly avoids the opponent's fierce attack.

"I was careless; I didn't expect you to have some skills!"

The sleeves of the gray-black cloak fluttered rapidly, and the jade-faced youth's other hand shot out swiftly, precisely blocking the pair of fists.

Its reaction speed and ability, which are close to the level of hidden strength, are far superior to those of manifest strength.

Just like that guy who used the "Shattering Void Fist" before, although he was at the peak of Ming Jin cultivation, he was still as naive as a child in his eyes.

Bang!

Li Yuan's fists instantly transformed into palms, which he used to grab the other man's thick arms and pull them forcefully.

Not moving.

The opponent's lips curled up slightly, as if intentionally revealing this opening, and his right claw flashed out like lightning, striking straight at Li Yuan's chest.

The next second, Li Yuan pushed off with his feet, his figure retreating swiftly like a fleeting shadow, instantly retreating several feet away.

Only now did the few people present dare to breathe a sigh of relief. The moment Li Yuan clashed with his opponent, everyone held their breath, cold sweat pouring down their backs.

"you……"

The young man with the jade-like face suddenly frowned, then grabbed his left arm with his right hand and stumbled back several steps.

No one could see clearly what had happened.

Just as everyone was completely bewildered, the jade-faced youth's expression changed drastically. With a crisp crack, he ripped off his entire left arm.

Everyone present was stunned and speechless.

What... what exactly is going on?

That assailant clearly had the upper hand!

The severed arm was thrown to the ground, where it quickly became covered in frost. With a violent tremor, it burst into dozens of gray-black "smoke clouds" that scattered and flew away as if fleeing for their lives.

Upon closer inspection, what appeared to be a plume of smoke was clearly dozens of fat rats!

It sent chills down one's spine.

Li Yuan was also taken aback, never expecting the other party to be like this... Even now, he was still in shock.

Beneath that delicate face, that imposing, mountain-like body was actually pieced together from countless rats, head to tail.

What kind of monster is this?!

Li Yuan's worldview was violently impacted at this moment.

Fortunately, the rats ran slower and slower, and before they had gone far, they all straightened up and fell to the ground, instantly stiffening and motionless.

Those around them were confused and had no idea what had happened.

Only Li Yuan himself knew that from the moment he engaged the jade-faced youth "Abyss Messenger," the mysterious aura within his body suddenly became incredibly sharp. He could manipulate it with ease, and it condensed into the palms of his hands effortlessly.

The instant the arm was gripped, the Xuan Sha Cold Poison poured into the opponent's body like a flood bursting its banks.

[Yuan Sha Gong Level 1 (Beginner): 10/100]

A tiny amount of cold poison, the size of a millet grain, is enough to kill a wild rabbit, which is much larger than a mouse, on the spot.

If it were a stream of cold poison... the outcome would be predictable.

"You...you...you're not human!"

The jade-faced youth's expression was pained and ferocious as he pointed at Li Yuan and let out a terrified scream. Even though he had decisively severed his own arm, he still suffered considerable backlash.

Li Yuan moved like the wind, instantly closing in on the jade-faced youth. The remaining Xuan Sha Qi within his body suddenly converged towards his right fist.

The handsome young man felt a blur before his eyes.

boom!

As if struck hard in the chest by a giant hammer, the young man's left chest instantly caved in, revealing a hole the size of a large bowl.

At the same time, he grimaced in pain, his eyes bulging out, and the handsome face covering his features shattered into pieces, revealing his true appearance underneath—an enormous, fat rat's head.

Ferocity, terror, doubt, resentment...

But it was clear that he wouldn't survive.

"Why are you swearing?" Li Yuan blurted out.

Wow!

The rat demon suddenly shuddered and transformed into thousands of gray-black rats, which scattered in all directions like a tidal wave.

Some dashed off and disappeared in the blink of an eye; others ran halfway, but suddenly stiffened and froze on the spot.

Li Yuan stepped forward, his back to the crowd, and shook off the rat carcasses hanging on the gray-black cloak. With a casual flick of his wrist, he pulled out a thick envelope.

He was overjoyed.

If it were filled with silver notes, then one would never have to worry about food, clothing, or daily necessities for the rest of one's life.

When no one was looking, he quietly slipped the envelope into his pocket.

Just then, wisps of barely perceptible malevolent energy rose from the corpses of the dead gray-black rats, converging towards Li Yuan...

【元煞功第一层（入门）：10/100】——＞【元煞功第一层（入门）：11/100】——＞【元煞功第一层（入门）：12/100】……

The numbers in that small space before my eyes began to jump rapidly, like the ticking of a water clock in milliseconds.

[Yuan Sha Gong Level 1 (Beginner): 99/100] --> [Yuan Sha Gong Level 1 (Beginner): 100/100]

[Yuan Sha Gong Level 1 (Minor Success): 0/100]

A breakthrough?!

After a few breaths, the beating suddenly stopped.

[Yuan Sha Gong Level 1 (Minor Success): 37/100]

Li Yuan looked at his hands in disbelief.

No wonder the mysterious evil energy within the rat demon emitted an incredible hiss when it was nearby, appearing greedy and bloodthirsty.

It turns out that absorbing the evil energy from demons can actually strengthen one's own Xuan Sha Qi!

At the same time, it also indirectly improved the progress of the "Yuan Sha Gong"!

At the same time, Li Yuan clearly sensed that the Xuan Sha Qi within his body, which had been nearly depleted, was becoming restless again. As strands of Sha Qi flowed in, the Xuan Sha Qi grew stronger at a visible speed.

Originally only as thick as a thin hemp rope, it is now as thick as a little finger and has become more powerful and robust.

The Xuan Sha Qi surged excitedly throughout his meridians, and even the fatigue and discomfort he felt seemed to subside somewhat.

While Li Yuan was excited, he couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

"Most of those rats escaped. If we can wipe them all out, my 'Yuan Sha Gong' technique will likely advance by more than one level!"

But what's done is done, there's no going back.

He could only shake his head and sigh softly.

call--

Liang Bai let out a long breath and slumped to the ground.

He gazed at the figure in the distance that was both familiar and somewhat unfamiliar, his emotions a complex mix.

For a moment, countless thoughts surged through my mind.

Even though they were both martial artists at the Ming Jin level, they couldn't protect themselves even when they tried their best.

In just a few simple rounds, he effortlessly defeated his opponent, reducing him to his original form.

Although I've lived to this age, this is the first time I've ever seen something evil with my own eyes. But what's most shocking is the performance of the young man I've been trying my best to take care of.

A huge wave of turmoil surged within Liang Bai, yet his face remained stiff, almost twitching. He remained frozen for a long, long time before finally managing to squeeze out a sound from deep within his throat:

"Yuan-ge'er..."

"Brother Liang, quickly untie them!" Li Yuan was completely unaware of these changes.

He was squatting on the ground, carefully examining the rat carcasses, hoping to find some clues.

Liang Bai nodded blankly.

……

Among the group of female students, Song Ziwei realized that because her body had been tense for too long, every inch of her muscles and bones ached unbearably, and her whole body felt like it was falling apart.

What had just taken the time it takes to drink a cup of tea felt to her like an eternity of sixty years.

When her gaze fell upon the figure of the boy, who wasn't particularly tall but exuded an extraordinary sense of security, she suddenly snapped out of her daze and nudged the girl beside her, who was also dressed in a moon-white short-sleeved shirt, an indigo knee-length skirt, and white socks, with her shoulder.

"Wake up, Zhiwei, Zhiwei, look! It's Li Yuan! His name is Li Yuan, he saved us..."

The slightly disheveled girl who had just fainted from fright reached out and brushed aside the messy hair on her forehead, revealing a bright and youthful face.

"Yes, I saw it."

Even now, she still didn't fully understand why the rat demon had been defeated. In her view, the demon seemed to have "self-harmed."

"I've realized... I'm starting to fall in love with him," Song Ziwei murmured, her heart pounding.

"What?" Shen Zhiwei didn't hear clearly.

Song Ziwei coughed twice, then asked again to confirm, "Who wouldn't like a man like that?"

......

Li Yuan was oblivious to the girls' thoughts; he was focused on examining the dead rats on the ground, muttering to himself:

"It seems... to be a water rat..."

The water rat, also known as the "river rat," is a type of rodent that lives in the Blackwater River. This creature is highly intelligent and extremely agile, especially in water, where its speed is lightning fast, even surpassing its speed on land.

These river rats are generally active in deep water, feeding on fish and shrimp, and rarely appear on land.

It's just unknown what kind of secret technique the Abyss Cult used to bring them together in one place and transform them into that form.

"Did you find anything?" Liang Bai leaned closer and asked in a low voice.

"No...it's nothing," Li Yuan said. "I think this wave isn't over yet; they'll definitely come back again."

Liang Bai also realized the seriousness of the situation and nodded, saying, "Yes. Thank you so much for today."

Li Yuan waved his hand.

A series of hurried and disordered footsteps came from afar.

Fatty Sun arrived with a group of men. Seeing the ground littered with rat carcasses, his eyelids twitched violently, and he couldn't help but gasp.

"Could it be... a rat demon?" He frowned deeply.

The scene before him was not unfamiliar to him.

More than a decade ago, when he was still working in the prefectural city, he had fought against the rat demon.