CHAPTER 178: I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY

Clang!

The longsword clattered to the ground with a crisp, metallic ring, then the green-robed middle-aged man punched the young woman hard in the shoulder.

Bang!

She immediately collapsed, her body going limp under the blow. She was completely subdued.

“You little tramp! Dare to fight me over a magical artifact? Looks like you’ve got a death wish!” the man growled viciously.

He followed up with another heavy punch to her waist, folding her up in pain. It was a brutal, underworld-style move without mercy.

The woman lay crumpled on the ground, as if all the strength had been drained from her. She was too weak to resist.

Shhhk! Shhhk!

Suddenly, the green-robed man tore open the back of her clothes, his eyes burning with a lecherous light.

“Time to teach this filthy bitch a lesson! Let’s see how you like it when I get serious!”

He thrust his nine-ring broadsword into the ground and began yanking at her clothing. With that, the young woman pleaded weakly, her voice trembling with fear.

At last, Li Yanchu could no longer remain silent. He rose to his feet and said in a low, steady voice, “Stop. Get lost!”

The man glared at him fiercely. “Filthy Daoist priest, don’t you dare ruin my fun!”

Just then, the woman suddenly burst forth with a desperate surge of strength and broke free from his grip. But she only managed a few staggering steps before collapsing, right at Li Yanchu’s feet.

All he needed to do was reach out, and he could catch her.

Bang!

She fell heavily to the ground, her face twisted in pain.

Her gaze toward Li Yanchu was full of fragile sorrow, almost pitiful. She was like a helpless girl adrift in the world, as if begging silently for protection. It was the kind of scene that could stir anyone’s heart.

Li Yanchu chuckled and said, “I’m not trying to meddle. It’s just... your acting is too stiff. As a Daoist, I can’t bear to watch.”

“You son of a bitch! You talking shit again?!” The green-robed man exploded with killing intent, yanking his broadsword from the ground with a murderous glare.

But Li Yanchu smiled lightly and said, “In a dangerous and unpredictable ruin like this, where would you find such a delicate, helpless woman just wandering around? And just now, instead of immediately grabbing the artifact from her, you let your lust take over and tried to assault her? That makes no sense. Anyone who can get into a place like this must have some skill. Who would be so defenseless, especially in front of a complete stranger like me? Not worried I might jump in and ambush you?”

Li Yanchu shook his head with a sigh. “You can’t be like this. If you’re going to con someone, at least be professional.”

A heavy silence filled the hall.

Then, the young woman lying on the ground suddenly began to giggle. She let out a clear, melodious laugh and slowly rose to her feet.

“The Daoist is right. We’ll do better next time.”

Though her clothes were disheveled, there was now an unmistakable grace in her bearing. She had the natural allure of a refined woman, which made her even more captivating by the lingering illusion of vulnerability.

The green-robed man suddenly gave a cold chuckle.

The crude, brutish look on his face vanished without a trace, and was soon replaced by an ominous, calculating expression.

“Darling, who would've thought we’d end up being mocked by this young Daoist today,” the woman said softly.

Darling... Li Yanchu glanced at the green-robed man, his expression calm.

Well, the guy does look like a villain, but at least he’s generous enough to play along.

The green-robed man said in a low, grim voice, “Enough nonsense. The Bone-Eating Poison should have taken effect by now. Rip out that Daoist’s tongue, take his eyes too!”

When the two of them had entered the hall and begun fighting, they had secretly scattered Bone-Eating Poison in the air.

This poison was colorless and tasteless, yet deadly even to cultivators. Once poisoned, a victim’s bones would turn soft and brittle, and they would die a slow and excruciating death.

The young woman smiled faintly and stepped toward Li Yanchu, ready to pull out the handsome Daoist’s tongue.

Smack!

Li Yanchu struck her across the face with a clean, sharp slap, sending her flying to the ground.

“Did you think I was dead or something?” Li Yanchu sneered coldly.

The young woman stared at him in disbelief. One side of her face was swollen and bruised, and a purplish-blue hue began to show. She was completely disfigured.

“Impossible! Why aren’t you affected?”

Her voice rose to a sharp pitch, her body instinctively retreating several steps in panic.

You don’t know about the Plague-Dispelling Talisman? Li Yanchu thought.

Then he said aloud, “Getting a jade fragment wasn’t easy. Gaining entry into this Blissful Land is a stroke of fortune, so why would you waste it like this?”

The green-robed man’s gaze turned ice cold. His muscles suddenly bulged, and his eyes flooded with blood-red light. Veins and markings in shades of dark purple began crawling over his skin.

Shing! With a roar, he slashed his nine-ring broadsword toward Li Yanchu with crushing force!

He practiced the witchcraft and parasite techniques of the Southern Regions, keeping a life-bound parasite inside his body that gave him immense strength.

At the same time, the young woman opened her mouth wide, and a swarm of tiny black insects burst forth like a cloud of darkness, engulfing Li Yanchu!

Her life-bound parasite specialized in venomous insects, raised with flesh and blood, saturated in deadly toxins. Though they looked like common rogue martial artists, they were, in fact, skilled practitioners of Southern witchcraft.

And the moment they attacked, they went for the kill!

Clang!

A formless shield of energy flared up around Li Yanchu.

Primordial Chaos Technique!

The green-robed man’s fierce broadsword shattered the moment it struck the protective aura, sending him flying backward as if struck by lightning.

The swarm of insects from the young woman were likewise obliterated, instantly incinerated by a sudden burst of flame.

With Li Yanchu’s current mastery of the Primordial Chaos Technique, the inner energy it released was powerful enough to counterattack any foe.

Its pure, blazing yang energy was a direct nemesis to venomous insects like these. Combined with the Plague-Repelling Talisman, there was simply no way those two could harm him in the slightest.

The sinister husband-and-wife pair were violently repelled, coughing up blood as they suffered intense backlash.

Li Yanchu was quite satisfied with the defensive strength of the Primordial Chaos Technique. It was a true peerless martial art worthy of its reputation. Even just this one manual alone was enough for him to dominate the jianghu

.

The green-robed man stared blankly at the broken hilt of his nine-ring broadsword, and a deep, bone-chilling dread welled up inside him.

“Retreat!” he roared, shooting toward the outside of the hall at top speed.

The two of them had trained extensively in Gu witchcraft, and were highly experienced in killing both rogue martial artists and Daoist cultivators. But today, they had clearly met an unbeatable opponent.

Bang! Li Yanchu’s gaze turned icy as he struck out with his palm at the fleeing man’s back.

Divine Astral Hands, Void-Splitting Palm!

The green-robed man instantly felt an unstoppable force slam into his back, and blood sprayed from his mouth.

Crack!

His spine and ribs were shattered completely with a sickening crunch!

Bang!

His body crashed to the ground like a sack of stones.

At the same time, the young woman, trained in poisonous Gu, had nearly escaped the grand hall as well.

Li Yanchu spread his fingers, his palm generating a powerful suction force.

With a sudden pull...

Whoosh! Her body was forcibly yanked back mid-air by an invisible force!

Boom!

She too slammed into the ground with a heavy thud, her bones nearly snapping apart.

“Don’t kill me! Don’t kill me! I’ll do anything you want!” the young woman screamed hoarsely.

This time, she was truly begging from the heart.

To her, this young Daoist was terrifying beyond belief, and survival was her only hope now.

“There are several powerful factions inside this Blissful Land. Keep me alive, I can be useful to you!” she said urgently.

Li Yanchu’s raised palm paused in mid-air, not striking down immediately.

The beautiful woman was trembling with tension, and she felt as if her heart might leap out of her chest.