Chapter 33: Graceful Swan Treading Waves Slash, Jingang

Inside the Zhu Family Manor, Zhu Chengzu gathered more than ten retainers and called upon the consecrated Uncle Zhou. They swaggered out of the Zhu Family and began searching every street to see if anyone matching Chen Yuan’s appearance had arrived in Gushan City.

After asking only a few people, they found out that Chen Yuan was currently sitting on Guanri Peak at the highest point of Gushan City.

Zhu Chengzu was stunned. Was this fellow too arrogant?

He had killed members of the Zhu Family, yet he didn’t even hide his tracks and was waiting for them there so openly?

“Seeking death!”

Zhu Chengzu sneered, waved his hand, and led his men directly toward Guanri Peak.

At the top of Guanri Peak.

Chen Yuan stood with a long saber at his waist and his arms crossed, watching the scenery below where waves crashed against the shore.

Guanri Peak was the highest point of Gushan City, and below it was the North Sea coast. The view of the sunrise from here was truly unparalleled.

Chen Yuan chose to wait for the Zhu Family here because this place allowed for both an easy advance and a solid defense.

The difficulty of one man destroying a whole Sect did not lie in whether Chen Yuan could defeat everyone in the Zhu Family.

It lay in whether the Zhu Family members would scatter and flee in all directions.

Attacking the Zhu Family directly was naturally out of the question. Chen Yuan chose to lure the snake out of its hole and defeat them one by one.

By the time he reached the end, even if the Zhu Family wanted to flee, they would have no chance.

This first wave would depend on whether the Zhu Family members were cautious enough.

If many came, Chen Yuan would kill more; if few came, it didn’t matter if he killed fewer.

Of course, there was a slight possibility that the Zhu Family would come out in full force, but that was extremely unlikely.

Even if that were the case, the path up Guanri Peak was narrow, allowing only one or two people to pass at a time. No matter how many people there were, they could only crowd behind and could not swarm him all at once.

In such an environment, numbers were not an advantage; instead, it was more suitable for Chen Yuan to display his skills.

Half an hour later, Zhu Chengzu and Uncle Zhou arrived at Guanri Peak with more than ten retainers.

Seeing Chen Yuan standing at the top of Guanri Peak, Zhu Chengzu said coldly, “Are you the madman who claimed he would destroy my Zhu Family? Who exactly are you? Do you know that my fifth brother is a direct Disciple of the Huangji Sect!”

Although Zhu Chengzu had an impulsive personality, he was not a complete idiot.

Before coming, Zhu Chengan had also instructed him to first probe the other party’s background.

If he was just a madman without any backing, they would simply kill him.

If he came from a major Sect, they would have to weigh the other party’s significance.

“Just because your fifth brother is a Disciple of the Huangji Sect, it means your entire Zhu Family can ascend to the heavens?”

The corners of Chen Yuan’s mouth curled into a mocking smile. “The Huangji Sect is separated from Youzhou by several provinces. By the time I destroy your Zhu Family and grass grows on your graves, your fifth brother might not even know about it.”

“Seeking death! Kill him!”

Seeing Chen Yuan’s attitude, Zhu Chengzu shouted in anger. A golden longsword at his waist unsheathed, and he charged straight at Chen Yuan.

The Zhu Family’s consecrated Uncle Zhou was already over seventy years old with white hair and beard, but his vitality had not yet withered. He held a Fine Iron Coiled Dragon Staff and stayed close to Zhu Chengzu’s side.

Chen Yuan observed Zhu Chengzu’s sword momentum and was slightly surprised.

Zhu Chengzu’s sword technique was cold and sharp, overflowing with killing intent, and the momentum was continuous. His martial arts Foundation was actually very solid, even stronger than that of Sect Disciples at the level of the Iron Clad Gate.

The Zhu Family’s Foundation was too shallow, and their Cultivation Techniques were actually somewhat mixed.

One part came from various techniques Zhu Chaofeng had acquired while traveling, and another part consisted of techniques Zhu Chengzhong brought back to the Family after joining the Huangji Sect.

Of course, these were not the secret techniques of the Huangji Sect, but rather ordinary techniques that the Huangji Sect looked down upon, intended for subordinate forces and Outer Sect Disciples.

However, for the Zhu Family, these ordinary techniques that the Huangji Sect didn’t value were like precious treasures.

Currently, the Zhu Family primarily practiced one sword, one palm, and one formula.

The sword was the Green Peak Cloud-Connecting Sword, the palm was the Black Fiery Cloud Palm, and the formula was the Heavenly Water Qi Condensation Technique.

All three Cultivation Techniques were of the Profound Grade, but their attributes were different. However, these few members of the Zhu Family had good martial talent, and once practiced to a deep level, their power was not weak.

At this moment, Zhu Chengzu’s sword momentum had already reached him, but Chen Yuan seemed dazed and had not even drawn his saber.

Zhu Chengzu was slightly stunned. Did this guy not want to live?

But he didn’t think much of it. His sword momentum was already set and could not be retracted now. The cold blade was already piercing toward Chen Yuan’s throat.

Right at that moment, a flash of bright saber light suddenly appeared.

Startled by that saber light, Zhu Chengzu subconsciously narrowed his eyes.

“Young Master, be careful!”

Uncle Zhou’s voice suddenly rang out from beside Zhu Chengzu.

In the next instant, the saber light appeared before his eyes. Accompanied by a metallic explosion, the longsword in his hand instantly shattered.

The released Saber Qi also tore his hands until they were dripping with blood, and in the next moment, it was about to cut him in two!

With Chen Yuan’s current strength and Foundation, the powerful explosive force brought by the Surging Waves and Flowing Clouds Technique, plus the extreme sharpness of the Azure Dragon Blood Drink, a Martial Artist in the Blood Moving Realm had almost no power to fight back before him and could be killed with a single strike.

Just then, Uncle Zhou’s Fine Iron Coiled Dragon Staff slammed diagonally between Zhu Chengzu and Chen Yuan, and a misty grey True Qi erupted from the staff.

With another explosion, Uncle Zhou was forced back three steps, also pushing Zhu Chengzu off the mountain path.

“Young Master, run! He is a Foundation Establishment Realm expert!”

Uncle Zhou blocked the mountain path with his staff, his expression solemn.

His staff technique was heavy and powerful, yet he had been forced back three steps by Chen Yuan’s single strike.

This young man before him was far more powerful than him in terms of strength.

Zhu Chengzu’s hands were dripping with blood and were still trembling uncontrollably.

He didn’t need Uncle Zhou’s reminder to know just how terrifying the person before him was!

If Uncle Zhou hadn’t acted in time, the opponent would have killed him with one strike!

“Uncle Zhou, hold on! I’ll go call Father and Eldest Brother for support!”

Zhu Chengzu decisively turned and retreated, while simultaneously kicking the retainers blocking his way.

“Get out of the way! Why are you standing here dazed!?”

The mountain path was narrow, and those retainers could at most go down the mountain in two rows, which slowed them down, making Zhu Chengzu regret his decision immensely.

If he had known earlier, he would have let these retainers charge in front. Why did he charge so far ahead himself?

At this time, Uncle Zhou stared at Chen Yuan and said in a deep voice, “May I ask which Sect you hail from, young hero? What exactly do you want? Where has my Zhu Family offended you? You could have spoken directly with the Family Head; why resort to killing as soon as you arrived?”

Uncle Zhou was a veteran of the Jianghu; he could tell at a glance that the person before him was definitely not an ordinary low-level Martial Artist.

The opponent had a deep Foundation of strength, his saber techniques were unusual, and even the saber in his hand was a Profound Grade treasure. How could such a person be one of those miserable low-level Martial Artists?

“You talk too much. I said I would exterminate the entire Zhu Family, and that’s exactly what I’ll do. What else is there to ask?”

Chen Yuan shook his head impatiently. In the next moment, his Surging Waves Internal Energy suddenly erupted. The saber momentum was like surging giant waves, slashing toward Uncle Zhou as if to cover the sky.

Treading Waves Slash!

Uncle Zhou gave a low shout, and the Fine Iron Coiled Dragon Staff in his hand began to dance. Misty grey True Qi swirled around the long staff as it smashed down toward Chen Yuan like a mad demon.

Although the Fine Iron Coiled Dragon Staff in his hand was not a Mystic Weapon, it was forged from high-quality refined iron. As it swung with great force, many of the stone walls around the small mountain path were shattered and fell down the cliff.

Accompanied by a series of metallic clangs, the Fine Iron Coiled Dragon Staff in Uncle Zhou’s hands was already covered in deep saber marks, but it could still block Chen Yuan’s saber momentum.

“The Mad Demon Staff Technique of the Vajra Prajna Temple? Were you a monk before?”

Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly.

The Vajra Prajna Temple was a major Buddhist Sect in the Central Plains.

The reason Chen Yuan could recognize Uncle Zhou’s staff technique at a glance was that in the original plot, novice players who took the Buddhist path started outside the Vajra Prajna Temple.

“I was before, but now I have returned to secular life. Although my heart is toward the Buddha’s teachings, I no longer have any connection with the Vajra Prajna Temple.”

A shadow of gloom appeared in Uncle Zhou’s eyes.

He said he had returned to secular life, but looking at his state, it was more likely that he had been expelled from the Vajra Prajna Temple for breaking certain precepts.

“Since your heart is toward the Buddha, why do you help the wicked and act as a lackey for the Zhu Family?”

Chen Yuan sneered. “Don’t tell me you don’t know about the things the Zhu Family has done. Which of their actions doesn’t deserve extermination?”

“You say your heart is toward the Buddha; is this how you show it? No wonder the Vajra Prajna Temple expelled you from the Sect. You deserve it!”

“Nonsense!”

As if his sore spot had been poked, Uncle Zhou roared. The Fine Iron Coiled Dragon Staff in his hand became even more like a mad demon, dancing into a sky full of afterimages as it smashed down toward Chen Yuan’s head!

The Mad Demon Staff Technique of the Vajra Prajna Temple seemed to have no pattern, as if it were being swung wildly and randomly.

But in reality, it used overwhelming force to suppress the opponent, with order hidden within the chaos.

The violent staff shadows covered the sky and smashed down. A Martial Artist of the same level would easily be beaten into a daze.

Chen Yuan, however, met attack with attack. The powerful Internal Energy Foundation of the Surging Waves and Flowing Clouds Technique suddenly erupted. Pale red True Qi coiled around the Azure Dragon Blood Drink in his hand, the saber light flickering as he slashed out countless cold saber shadows in an instant.

Autumn Wind Slash!

The sky full of staff shadows and saber shadows intertwined, and the metallic clangs of their collision echoed incessantly on Guanri Peak.

Under this confrontation of extreme strength, Uncle Zhou retreated step by step. The skin between his thumbs and index fingers split open, and blood instantly stained both his sleeves.

Putting aside the saying that the young surpass the old, even in his youthful Peak, his strength would still not have matched Chen Yuan’s.

The Fine Iron Coiled Dragon Staff was already covered in saber marks, even being hacked until it looked like a spiked club; it might snap at any moment.

Just then, Uncle Zhou suddenly let go of the Fine Iron Coiled Dragon Staff. Using his momentum, he lunged in front of Chen Yuan and formed a hand seal, a golden True Qi appearing within the fist seal.

A secret transmission of the Vajra Prajna Temple, the Fearless Vajra Seal!

Chen Yuan’s left hand reached out, using Spirit Snake Silk-Wrapping. Within the release of soft power, he neutralized the Vajra’s massive force.

Then, the Jade-Shattering Hard Strength erupted like a giant python’s constriction, instantly snapping Uncle Zhou’s hand completely!

Uncle Zhou let out a miserable scream and roared toward the bottom of the mountain, “Young Master, run! Run quickly!”

As his voice fell, Uncle Zhou even tried to ram his head into Chen Yuan to delay him for a little more time for Zhu Chengzu.

He naturally knew that the things the Zhu Family had done over the years were indeed excessively cruel.

But Zhu Chaofeng had saved his life, so he could only do his best to work for the Zhu Family.

Now that he was dying for Zhu Chengzu, his debt of gratitude from back then could be considered repaid, right?

But in the next moment, Chen Yuan’s saber blade fell, directly severing Uncle Zhou’s head.

As the head rolled to the ground, a look of liberation appeared in Uncle Zhou’s eyes.