Chapter 78

Wilderness, Crush Their Bones and Scatter Their Ashes 2

Translator: 549690339

“What on earth is happening in the Border Wastes!”

Xue Wuxin felt extremely frustrated. At this moment, he felt as if he had made a long and fruitless journey to the Border Wastes, only to face death!

Li Xuan looked at Xue Wuxin on the ground, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. Who was this martial artist and why did he attack Meng Chong? Could it be what Meng Chong said, that he was sent by the Emperor of Wu?

If he was a martial artist sent by the Emperor of Wu, his strength should not be weaker than Qi Country’s, which was on par with Wu Country. And there should be other martial artists present; otherwise, they would have been swallowed up by Wu Country long ago.

However, Xu Yan had been causing a ruckus in Qi Country for a while, and no martial artists had appeared.

No, it’s not right! Xu Yan has fought with someone. Could it be that Emperor Qi finally made a move and invited a martial artist to come?”

All along, Qi Country’s martial strength has been very low.

From various indications, there seem to be no martial artists. Otherwise, Xu Yan wouldn’t have been mocked for being a fool, seeking mentors everywhere, wanting to cultivate true martial arts.

Just as Li Xuan was about to have Meng Chong inquire about Xue Wuxin’s background and where his strength ranked in the martial arts world, he saw Xu Yan swooping in.

His brow raised slightly, and he began to understand. Could this person that Xu Yan had been battling be the one before him?

Following the direction that Xue Wuxin had fled, Xu Yan had pursued him all the way. Outside Yunshan County, he saw a golden dragon disappear in a flash. Shocked, he thought, “Could it be that Master has made a move?”

Xu Yan hurried over and indeed saw Xue Wuxin collapsed on the ground, with a golden dragon wrapping him up and binding him tightly.

“Master!”

Xu Yan paid his respectful greetings.

He then saw the wound on Meng Chong’s hand and was shocked. “Junior Brother, did he do this to you?”

“Yes, Senior Brother, if Master hadn’t come back, I’d be dead.”

Meng Chong said with lingering fear.

“This guy. The Emperor of Wu may have sent him to kill me!”

Meng Chong clenched his teeth and said angrily.

“That’s not likely.”

Xu Yan paused. Meng Chong had misunderstood.

“You’ve fought him. Tell us about it.”

Li Xuan looked at Xu Yan and asked.

“Yes, Master!”

Xu Yan nodded, and then he recounted the events in detail.

He spoke of going to the capital to investigate the source of the corpse and initially thinking that it was the work of a legendary ghoul. However, after finding it was not, he intended to return and ask Master what kind of monster was harming people.

But at a station a hundred miles away, he found that all the station officials had been killed, their bodies drained of blood. He encountered Xue Wuxin’s attack and after a big fight, Xue Wuxin, not being able to sustain the battle, fled.

Li Xuan was shocked to hear this. Was this a demonic cultivator?

Eating other people’s blood, if not a demonic cultivator, what could it be?

Where did this demonic cultivator come from?

He finally understood why the other party had attacked Meng Chong. It must be because he saw Meng Chong’s vigorous vitality and thick essence blood containing a vast power of essence blood.

It could help him recover from his injuries and improve his strength.

But he had underestimated Meng Chong’s physical prowess and was careless both times.

It was lucky he was careless; otherwise, by the time he returned, Meng Chong would already be dead!

“Speak, where are you from and what are you up to?’

ii

Li Xuan slightly loosened the golden dragon binding Xue Wuxin, allowing him to speak.

This was a perfect opportunity to gather some information about the martial arts world of this realm.

How strong were the martial artists of this world, and where did his current strength rank?

“Speak quickly!”

Meng Chong clenched his fists, glaring angrily at Xue Wuxin.

“Tell the truth, or I’ll kill you!”

He almost died. Right now, Meng Chong was furious.

Xue Wuxin felt his heart sinking. He looked at Li Xuan and felt an aura of mystery and profound strength from him that was far beyond any Great Grandmaster. There was no chance of escaping. He had to try to save his own life.

“Senior, please forgive me. I, Xue Wuxin, come from the Inner Domain. I was pursued by an enemy, so 1 fled to the Border Wastes.”

Xue Wuxin said carefully.

Inner Domain!

Border Wastes!

Li Xuan understood. Qi Country and Wu Country were located in the Border Wastes. Beyond the endless mountains was the Inner Domain!

The Inner Domain had martial artists!

Xue Wuxin must have been a demonic martial artist from the Inner Domain, wounded and hunted down, so he escaped to the Border Wastes.

What level was the other party’s strength in the Inner Domain?

What was the martial arts style of the Inner Domain?

Despite Xue Wuxin possessing “True Qi”, its quality seemed somewhat poor. Was it because of the cultivation technique he practiced, or due to differences in the martial arts system?

These questions, as a secluded master, Li Xuan wouldn’t ask aloud.

As a master, he ought to have a thorough understanding of this world.

If he were to openly ask like this, wouldn’t it make him, a supposed expert, appear ignorant about the martial arts world?

Moreover, there’s no need for him to speak up.

Xu Yan was already enthusiastically asking questions.

Where is the Inner Domain?

Could it be where the Martial Arts World is located?

His master always responded with a mysterious smile and refused to discuss the Martial Arts World, implying that everything would be clear once they were strong enough.

Now is the perfect opportunity to understand more about the Martial Worlds!

“What is the Inner Domain? Is it the Martial Arts World? Why is here called the Border Wilderness?”

Xu Yan asked eagerly.

Shock washed over Xue Wuxin as he looked at Xu Yan with disbelief. Does he not know about the Inner Domain?

Does he not know of the Border Wilderness?

Turning his gaze toward Li Xuan, the figure of a mysterious powerhouse effortlessly relaxed in his chair, seemingly unperturbed by it all.

“This is an expert!

“An expert from the Inner Domain? Living secluded in the Border Wilderness.

“Is he hiding from his enemies, or is there another reason? He has taken on two disciples but never mentioned anything about the Inner Domain, so…”

Xue Wuxin ventured a daring guess.

“The Inner Domain is over the vast mountains. This place is referred to as the Border Wilderness because the Heavenly Earth Lingji has vanished, the spiritual energy is turbulent, and there’s no resonance with Lingji, no accumulation of spiritual energy, hence, Martial Artists cannot be born…”

Xu Yan and Meng Chong listened with knitted brows. The Border Wilderness, where the Heavenly Earth Lingji had vanished and Martial Artists can’t be born?

How could this be possible?

Li Xuan also felt amazed inside: “I can manipulate nature’s spiritual energy to cultivate… There must be something about the Martial Arts that I’ve created. No wonder I feel that this spiritual energy is not gentle enough.”

Finally, he understood why the spiritual energy wasn’t gentle; it was because the Heavenly Earth Lingji had vanished.

“That is because of the Heavenly Bridge, which acts as a connection to heaven and earth, so even without the Heavenly Earth Lingji, cultivation is still possible.”

Li Xuan made the realization.

“Continue speaking, disclose everything you know. How powerful is the Inner

Realm Martial Arts? Are you in the Innate Realm? What’s your level?”

Xu Yan continued to ask.

Innate Realm?

Xue Wuxin was slightly dazed. What kind of realm is the Innate Realm?

Is this lad in the Innate Realm?

“Martial Arts is divided into nine grades. Breaking through each grade, you become a Grandmaster of Qi Cultivation, a Great Grandmaster of Qi Cultivation… I am an Inner Qi Martial Artist at the Grandmaster level. 1 sense the Heavenly Earth Lingji and induce spiritual energy into my body, transforming it into martial Inner Qi…”

Upon hearing this, Xu Yan and Meng Chong were both confused. What’s this about nine grades, a Grandmaster of Qi Cultivation, and a Great Grandmaster of Qi Cultivation?

The other party actually was a Grandmaster level martial artist. A Great Grandmaster is the pinnacle of the Inner Domain.

Li Xuan listened in silence. From Xue Wuxin’s words, he understood that the Innate Realm compared to the Grandmaster level was inferior to the strength of an Inner Realm Grandmaster by quite a margin.

As for his current strength, it is comparable to a Great Grandmaster!

Perhaps even stronger.

Upon this thought, he felt a sense of relief. With his current strength, he would be among the top individuals in the Inner Domain. It wouldn’t be long before Xu Yan breaks through to the Innate Realm.

His strength, definitely surpasses the Great Grandmaster!

“I’ve said everything that I know.”

After Xue Wuxin had exhaustively recounted everything he knew, he sincerely added: “Under chaos and fear of being hunted down, 1 didn’t intend to kill. 1 implore Elder…”

It was now time to beg for mercy!

However, Li Xuan moved slightly, and the Golden Giant Dragon exploded out with intense pressure.

Bang!

Xue Wuxin abruptly shattered into dozens of pieces, and then the Golden Giant Dragon released a blindingly white flame which incinerated the remnants of his body, turning them into ash. A gust of wind blew and whisked the ash away.

No trace was left behind.

Only a bag and a knife fell to the ground.

The giant dragon retracted itself, the knife and the bag falling into Li Xuan’s hand.

Xu Yan and Meng Chong were stunned. Just like that, he killed him?

“Master, this is…”

Xu Yan asked in confusion.

Li Xuan stood up with a stern expression. It was time to teach his disciples.

“My disciples, remember this well: do not show mercy to those of unknown origin who carry ill intentions and hostility. Grind them to dust, scatter their ashes, and annihilate their souls, leaving no trace and nothing to follow.

“This way, we can avoid a lot of unnecessary complications, such as killing the young only to have the old come after us, eliminate one person just to have their sect come knocking at the door, and so on.

“Grind their bones into dust, scatter their ashes, annihilate their souls, and leave no trace.

“As long as there is no one who knows that we did it, then it has nothing to do with us!”

Xu Yan and Meng Chong listened attentively. This was their Master imparting the experiences of the Martial Arts World!

“Grind to dust, scatter ashes, extinguish souls? As long as nobody knows 1 did it, then it has nothing to do with me!”

Xu Yan murmured to himself.. He felt like he had gained enlightenment!