Had this not been a beast-carriage station within Fuxue City where violence was forbidden, he would have already struck at Yun Chen.
As for the little girl, he had sold her for several spirit stones last time. If he sold her to the slave market again, he would net another fortune—to him, this was a business with zero risk and massive returns.
"Deacon Huang!"
At that moment, the man’s eyes brightened as he looked toward a round-faced man not far away.
The round-faced man, possessing a powerful aura and flanked by two personal guards, was patrolling the station.
The man had been contemplating how to lure Yun Chen and the girl away, and seeing Deacon Huang gave him an immediate plan. He stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Deacon Huang, long time no see!"
"Cui Yanwang!" Deacon Huang’s expression changed instantly upon seeing the triangular-eyed man, and he huffed coldly. "You aren't planning to cause trouble at our station again, are you?"
The man before him was nicknamed "Poison-Hand Yanwang," a notoriously difficult character. Even Deacon Huang preferred not to offend him too deeply. A lone wolf who thrived on illicit deals and heartless cruelty, almost no one who fell into his hands met a good end.
"Deacon Huang, you joke. How could I cause trouble at the station?" Cui Yanwang smiled quickly. "However, Deacon Huang, I have some history with a fellow inside. Surely you wouldn't stop me from taking him away?"
"This is a Peiyuan Pill. It can help you consolidate your foundations and boost your cultivation—perhaps even take you to the next level." As he spoke, Cui Yanwang pulled a jade bottle from his belt.
His belt was a spatial treasure—a storage belt crafted by a master blacksmith, worth over a million gold coins.
Hearing this, Deacon Huang discreetly took the bottle and stashed it away, then said coldly, "Remember, violence is strictly forbidden inside my station!" With that, he turned and left.
Cui Yanwang understood perfectly. He turned and stared at Yun Chen and the girl, fearing they might escape. To his relief, neither had moved.
Nearby, Yun Chen saw Cui Yanwang walking toward them and sneered inwardly. It seemed the man had struck a deal with Deacon Huang.
"Let’s go." Yun Chen pulled Yun Xiaoya and left the station.
The station was not far from the city gate, so once they exited, Yun Chen headed straight out of Fuxue City.
Seeing them leave the city, Cui Yanwang was overjoyed. He had been fretting over how to lure them out, yet these fools had walked out on their own. Did they think they were safe once outside the city walls? If so, they were incredibly naive.
Within the city, he would have had to find a secluded spot to attack, but outside? He had no such qualms.
"That's Cui Yanwang. Is he following that waste Yun Feiyang?" Yun Ziyue happened to catch sight of Cui Yanwang’s back and was surprised.
Cui Yanwang was a well-known figure in Fuxue City. Because he was a ruthless killer with vicious methods, he had earned the nickname "Poison-Hand Yanwang," and few dared to provoke him.
"Heh, it looks like that Yun Feiyang is a dead man." Yun Ziyue didn't give it another thought and walked away.
Once outside Fuxue City, Yun Chen’s pace accelerated.
Yun Xiaoya grew tense. "Brother, why did we leave the city? That guy wouldn't have dared to act inside Fuxue City."
"To kill, of course." A cold light flashed in Yun Chen’s eyes.
Yun Xiaoya was slightly stunned. "Kill? Kill whom?"
"Those who deserve to die." As he spoke, Yun Chen stopped walking. They were already more than three kilometers away from the city.
"Hahaha, run! Why stop running? Idiots! If you had stayed in Fuxue City, I might not have dared to act openly, but I never imagined you would be stupid enough to leave the city voluntarily!"
Cui Yanwang’s voice rang out. He stood looking at them with a playful smirk.
Yun Xiaoya subconsciously tightened her grip on Yun Chen’s hand, gripped by nerves.
Yun Chen smiled. "Who told you I was running?"
"Hmm?" The remark caught Cui Yanwang off guard. It was true—if they were fleeing, they would have kept running. They had left the city quickly, but not with the urgency of a desperate escape; rather, it was as if they were intentionally leading him here.
Did this guy have some sort of reliance? He scanned the surroundings immediately.
Yun Chen seemed to read his thoughts and said indifferently, "Don't bother looking. It’s just us two."
"You aren't afraid of me?" Cui Yanwang asked, puzzled.
Yun Chen countered, "Why should I be afraid? If you hadn't followed, I would have had trouble finding a way to deal with you. But now? This place shall be your burial ground."
***
**Chapter 21: Battling Cui Yanwang**
Hearing Yun Chen, Cui Yanwang burst into laughter. "My burial ground? Hahahaha! Kid, I have to say, you are certainly arrogant. Don't you know you are merely in the Spirit-Guiding Realm, while I am a Peak Qi Condensation Realm cultivator? There is a gap of two whole major realms between us! You and I are as far apart as heaven and earth, yet you say this is my burial ground? Do you know how ridiculous you sound?"
"Less talk. Let's fight!"
Yun Chen drew the long saber from his back. It was already battered, showing numerous hairline fractures—a result of the last time he killed Lin Tao, as the blade couldn't withstand the force of his internal power. He realized that after reaching Dayan Mountain, he would need to find a more suitable weapon.
Seeing Yun Chen dare to draw a weapon, Cui Yanwang’s face darkened completely. For a mere Spirit-Guiding Realm ant to show off a weapon before a Qi Condensation expert was an insult.
"Go to hell!"
He raised his hand, his spiritual energy surging, and his palm glowed with a fiery red light. With a flash, he appeared before Yun Chen like a streak of light, slamming his palm down toward the crown of Yun Chen’s head.
An icy chill of murderous intent permeated the air, causing Yun Chen’s pupils to contract. Yet his reaction was not slow. Instead of dodging, he swept his saber horizontally, aiming to cut Cui Yanwang in half.
Cui Yanwang was a peak Qi Condensation expert, stronger than Lin Tao, but Yun Chen was no simple soul. Though his cultivation was only at the Spirit-Guiding Realm, he was far from an ordinary one.
His speed exceeded Cui Yanwang’s expectations. Feeling a chill at his waist, Cui Yanwang’s expression changed drastically. Abandoning his attack, he stomped hard on the ground and tilted his body backward, barely dodging the blow.
Seeing his opponent evade, Yun Chen gripped his saber with both hands and slashed downward. A blade-light stretching several yards ripped forward, smashing toward Cui Yanwang.
With a harsh tearing sound, a long gash was carved into the ground.
Having narrowly dodged the attack, Cui Yanwang looked disheveled, soaked in cold sweat.
"Earth-Shattering Explosion!"
He slammed his foot into the ground, and a surge of spiritual energy tunneled through the earth toward Yun Chen, causing the soil to churn violently. This was a low-grade Earth-tier technique. It required compressing spiritual energy into a single point, channeling it through the soles, and detonating it at the enemy’s location.
It looked simple, but it was incredibly difficult to master. First, one had to control spiritual energy with absolute precision. Second, one had to be at least in the Qi Condensation Realm; otherwise, one couldn't even release spiritual energy outside the body.
"Slash again!"
The brilliant saber light flashed like lightning, and in the next second, he drove his blade deep into the ground.
*Boom!* A massive spray of dirt exploded.
"Blazing Palm!"
Cui Yanwang was a veteran of many battles. The moment Yun Chen neutralized his technique, he lunged forward, his palm covered in flames, slamming into Yun Chen’s chest.
Yun Chen reflexively brought his saber up to block, but it was useless. A searing heat flooded the area, followed by a loud *bang*. The already fractured saber shattered completely, and the flaming palm struck Yun Chen’s chest, sending him flying backward.
He spat out a mouthful of blood, digging his heels into the ground to halt his momentum, leaving small craters in the earth. His chest burned with intense pain; his clothes were incinerated, and his skin was smoldering. If the attack had been any stronger, his chest would have been pierced through.
"Brother!" Yun Xiaoya cried out.
"Hahaha! Kid, do you know now how great the gap is between the Spirit-Guiding and Qi Condensation realms?"
Cui Yanwang laughed wildly, pouncing forward and throwing a punch at Yun Chen’s chest, intent on finishing him once and for all.
*Boom!* The punch landed with the sound of rolling thunder. His fist was wrapped in flames, carrying the weight of heaven-toppling destruction.
Cui Yanwang’s nickname was well-earned; his methods were far superior to the average person. Earth-tier techniques, which most struggled to cultivate, were second nature to him. This technique was called the "Thunderbolt Fist," carrying the tyrannical and destructive power of a thunderstorm.
"Thunderbolt Fist? I know that too!"
The Thunderbolt Fist was also a low-grade Earth-tier technique. Yun Chen had learned it as a reward from a mission.
***
**Chapter 22: Transcending Heaven and Earth**
*BOOM!*
The moment Yun Chen threw his punch, the air itself roared. Not only that, but the Thunder Pearl deep within his body trembled slightly, releasing a massive amount of blue electrical discharge mixed with his spiritual energy. As he struck, it formed a massive, crackling blue energy-fist.
Seeing the blue energy-fist, Cui Yanwang was stunned, his hair standing on end. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
Energy-force (Gangqi) was something only Origin Opening Realm experts could mobilize! He could release spiritual energy, but he had never formed true energy-force. How could Yun Chen unleash a punch laced with it?
*Crack! Bang!*
Two muffled thuds sounded. First, Cui Yanwang’s arm disintegrated, and then his chest was punched through by the blue energy-force. A look of disbelief frozen on his face, he collapsed, dead before he could even utter a word.
The blue energy-fist continued for quite some distance after punching through his chest before dissipating.
Yun Chen stared at the gaping hole in the man's chest, momentarily dumbfounded, but he soon regained his composure.
"The power wasn't this high when I used other techniques. That means only when I use Thunder-element techniques does the Primordial Divine Thunder Pearl react. Lightning excels in destruction and offensive power—it is the most rigid and yang force in the world. It seems I should prioritize Thunder-element techniques in the future."
"They say there is a Thunder Peak at Dayan Mountain, and its master possesses the legendary Heaven-Spirit Root—a pure Lightning-Spirit Root."
With this thought, his resolve to join Dayan Mountain only hardened. Previously he had just wanted to join, but now, he was determined to become a disciple of Thunder Peak. Only then could he master the Peak Master’s techniques.
"A storage belt. Good stuff!"
Yun Chen took the belt from Cui Yanwang and strapped it on. He already had a storage treasure from Lin Tao, but space treasures were rare and valuable; he wouldn't let one go to waste. Besides, his current ring was a low-grade spirit treasure, while this belt was at least middle-grade.
Focusing his mind, his consciousness entered the belt. Inside, he found a battle blade, several bottles of medicinal pills, over a hundred spirit stones, and several technique and cultivation jade slips, as well as a primer on alchemy.
"No wonder so many love making illicit deals; this guy was quite wealthy!" Yun Chen was overjoyed. After securing the belt, he walked toward the stunned Yun Xiaoya.
As for the corpse, he couldn't care less. They weren't far from Fuxue City. While there were no massive monsters here, there were plenty of wild beasts and smaller beasts; the body would be gone in no time.
"Brother!" Yun Xiaoya finally snapped out of her trance. Her brother had actually killed Cui Yanwang.
"Let’s go, Xiaoya. We'll head back to Fuxue City and find an inn."
Upon returning, Yun Chen immediately went into seclusion. His injuries were easily healed with a Qinglin Pill. With three days until their departure for Dayan Mountain, he had to increase his strength.
He wondered if these hundred-plus spirit stones could push him into the Qi Cyclone Realm.
He began circulating the *Primordial Divine Thunder Canon*. The spirit stones in his hand transformed into pure energy, surging into his body.
Eighteenth level of the Spirit-Guiding Realm. The next step: the Qi Cyclone Realm.
As the stones turned to dust, Yun Chen continued to draw from them, accelerating his cultivation. Finally, after exhausting fifty stones, he felt the bottleneck. Once shattered, a cyclone would form in his dantian.
*Crack!*
Something broke inside him. Spiritual energy from the heavens and earth rushed into the room, forming a small vortex within his body. The vortex was dark gold, flecked with electric sparks, wrapping around the Thunder Pearl.
Yun Chen didn't hesitate; he emptied the rest of the spirit stones from the belt onto the bed and began to absorb them.
The cyclone grew denser. Only when every stone was spent did he stop. He opened his eyes, and two flickers of lightning seemed to vanish from his gaze.
"Qi Cyclone Realm!"
Though he was only at the first level, he knew that with his current power, he wouldn't fear any Origin Opening Realm expert.
"Lin Yuchu, the Lin family, Tianyang Sect... wait for me. One day, I will show you that even if I were stripped of my cultivation and started over, I can still stand above you—above the Tianyang Sect, above Daxia Nation, and even above the heavens and earth themselves!"
***
**Chapter 23: Deacon Huang’s Surprise**
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
Yun Chen had remained in his room, his cultivation advancing from the Spirit-Guiding Realm to the Qi Cyclone Realm. In less than a month, he had restored his dantian and reached this level. His talent was truly monstrous, though he knew the Primordial Divine Thunder Pearl played a massive role.
He let out a breath and opened his door to the morning sun.
He saw Yun Xiaoya immediately; she had likely been waiting there for a long time. Her formerly sallow hair had turned dark, and her skin was clear and translucent. Compared to the gaunt girl from a few days ago, she was now radiant.
"Brother, you’re finally out! If you hadn't come out, I was about to knock. The beast-carriage is about to leave!" Seeing him, she felt a wave of relief. She had only her brother left in this world; if anything happened to him, she wouldn't know how to carry on.
"Let’s go." Yun Chen fondly ruffled her hair.
She blushed and pouted. "Brother, I’m not a child anymore, stop that." Yet, she felt as sweet as if she had tasted honey. Who didn't want the doting care of a loving brother?
As they stepped out of the inn, they bumped into some acquaintances—none other than Yun Ziyue and his group.
Seeing that both were fine, Yun Ziyue asked instinctively, "You’re actually alright?" He had seen Cui Yanwang follow them out of the city. By all logic, they should have been dead.
"We are. Did you want something bad to happen to us?" Yun Chen scoffed, greeted Yun Mengchen, and headed straight for the station.
"Brother Ziyue, what’s wrong?" Yun Zhongfei asked, noticing Ziyue's strange expression. Ziyue shook his head slightly.
At the station, a massive carriage stood before the gate. It was the size of two or three houses, pulled by four gargantuan Flying Tigers. Flying Tigers were Tier 3 monsters, comparable to Qi Condensation experts in strength.
Yun Chen had never seen such a grand carriage and couldn't help but look on in amazement. Since joining the Tianyang Sect, the "original" Yun Feiyang rarely went out, so his social experience was even poorer than his own.
"Hey, kid. You’re actually not dead?"
As Yun Chen studied the carriage, a voice filled with surprise sounded beside him.