Ancient Strengthening Technique

AST 398 - A Debt of Twenty Years, The Death of Yan Haozheng

Qing You felt hot-blooded as he witnessed Qing Shui’s massacre. He knew the humiliation that the Qing Clan had to endure. In Qing Shui’s words, Qing You had so much animosity towards the rich, especially those that were like the Yan Clan.

“Qing Qing!”

At this moment, a young man with a limp walked towards them. He was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, and although he could not be considered handsome, he was pleasing to the eyes. He had a pair of quiet eyes which made him appear quite level-headed.

The young man looked at Qing Qing with some adoration and patience. Qing Shui intuitively knew who the man was. He had never seen him before, but he remembered his name.

Guo Polu!

Qing Shui remembered him as he knew that Polu had cared for Qing Qing.

“Did Yan Clan do this to you?” Qing Qing asked with a cold expression.

The young man gave a pained smile.

“You have suffered because of me. Thank you. I have already found my family.” A tiny expression rippled on Qing Qing’s face, but it was so slight that it was almost indiscernible.

Guo Polu felt a slight bitterness in his heart. She had found her family, so he should be happy. However, he would not have any chance to see her or be close to her in the future.

“Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

Guo Polu smiled bitterly as he turned to leave.

“Please wait!” Qing Shui could see that there was a vague emotion in Qing Qing’s eyes. Qing Shui did not know what she was feeling, but he did not want her to regret this in the future. It was alright if he misunderstood her, as he wanted to thank Guo Polu anyway. Considering Qing Qing’s personality, she would not mutter a word even if she harbored any feelings for the other party, so Qing Shui felt obliged to create an opportunity for her.

If they were still unable to make any progress in their relationship, then they really did not have Fate on their side.

Guo Polu turned his head and looked at Qing Shui curiously. Facing the good-looking man with unrivalled talent, he knew that Qing Clan would steadily rise riding on Qing Shui’s coattails of success. Their clan was definitely not inferior to his own.

“Thank you. I've heard about what you've done for my sister. When all of this has been settled, we can have a conversation together. What do you think about that?” Qing Shui asked in a friendly tone.

“Sure! Please come to the Guo Residence so that I can properly host all of you. You definitely have to come…”

At that very moment, there were some commotion from the crowd in front.

“Move aside. Members of the Yan Clan are arriving.”

“Members of the Yan Clan’s sixth branch have arrived.”

“That is Qing Qing’s paternal grandfather by blood.”

“He is also Qing Shui’s paternal grandfather, it seems!”

“There'll be a good show.”

“The Yan family’s main branch sure is wicked. They actually got the members of the Yan Clan’s sixth branch to come over to intercept them.”

…………

Qing Shui saw a stream of people approaching. There were just over twenty people in the group. They were led by a thin old man and about 80% of the group were women.

Amidst the group, Qing Shui spotted a familiar face.

Yan Ling'er!

She was the lady who called him Big Brother Qing Shui.

Both parties were about ten meters apart. Qing Shui stared at the desiccated old man with razor sharp eyes devoid of any emotion.

"Big Brother Qing Shui!"

Yan Ling'er knew that Qing Shui was younger than her. However, she was too accustomed to calling him Big Brother Qing Shui.

"I told you that you'd regret it," Qing Shui said dryly.

"Can you.."

"Well, I don't have time. Can you get out of the way," Qing Shui aridly interrupted Yan Ling'er.

The corners of Yan Ling'er's eyes turned red with humiliation.

"Qing Shui, he is your paternal grandfather. We are your brothers and sisters. How could you speak to us like this?" A handsome youth with low voice muttered out.

"If Qing Qing had not pleaded for mercy for this branch, do you think that you will still be alive? Get lost!" Qing Shui's aura abruptly gushed forward, forcing them to back away. Even the youth was pushed back a few steps and fell backwards on the roadside, blood leaking from his lips.

This time, Qing Shui had really stunned all the members from the Yan family. Even the surrounding bystanders who had circled to watch the scene fell silent; it was a piece of cake for Qing Shui to dispose of them if he wanted to.

For a second, not even a single comment was uttered.

Then, another group of men on horses appeared, accompanied a burst of loud shouting.

“All irrelevant people get out of here in fifteen minutes or face the consequences!”

…………

“Members of the Yan Clan are here. Let’s leave, let’s leave!”

“Why are you still here?”

“Are you courting death?!”

“The Yan Clan are a bunch of degenerates, you are all going to die!” Someone cursed out.

……

The surrounding crowd of bystanders scrambled to leave and before long there was nobody left. Qing Shui could not imagine that Yan Clan could do such a thing in Yan City; it seemed that such occurrences were not rare.

This was nothing. They even had over two thousand armored warriors riding on battle horses to drive out people from the surrounding the area. There was now a swath of emptiness in the usually bustling main street.

Qing Shui could not help but shake his head. Yan Clan's action was too outrageous. Even if he did not touch Yan Clan today, they probably would not last much longer.

At this time, another hundred people appeared. Qing Shui knew that the true clan head had arrived. His eyes were locked on the elder man who was leading. He was an old man who looked similar to Yan Haoran.

His name was Yan Haozheng. However, the difference was that this old man was actually strong. He was a top Grade 7 Martial King. Qing Shui remembered Lai Chusong telling him that Yan Clan’s strongest person was their previous Head. It seemed that there was a high possibility that the rumors about Yan Haozheng having collaborated with Xiao Clan to force his paternal grandfather down from his position were true.

After all, Yan Haozheng did have the ability.

“Sixth Brother, so there is a genius in your branch. Too bad he is just a bastard. He looks like Zhongyue, so he’s probably a bastard from your family.” Despite looking like a cultured man, Yan Haozheng spoke in an uncouth manner.

“Your talk is full of shit. Why would you even care when you are already at your deathbed?” Qing Shui said with disdain.

“You are a disgrace. Is that how you speak to your elders?!”

This rebuke was exceptionally strict, so much so that the others could not tell if Yan Haozheng was acting or being serious.

Qing Shui laughed out loud maniacally in response.

“Elder?! Who do you think you are? All my elders’ surname are Qing. Old dog, don’t tell me your name is Qing Haozheng? Unfortunately, you are not even worth the surname.” Qing Shui looked at Yan Haozheng unwaveringly.

“You… You…”

“In the past, when your Yan Clan threatened my maternal grandfather with a sword to his neck, did you think that you’d see this day? When you snatched my older sister, how did you treat her? Twenty years. Twenty years! I, Qing Shui, will be the one to collect this debt.”

As he finished saying all of this, Qing Shui gave Yan Haozheng a piercing glare.

“Haha. How arrogant! You think someone like you can touch the Yan Clan?”

“You’ll see.” Qing Shui slowly pulled out his Big Dipper Sword!

There was commotion in the back. Then, over ten warriors appeared, each holding a civilian, some were children and some were women, each with a sword held to their necks.

A child of about two or three years old started crying and screaming that he wanted his mother.

“Yan Haozheng, are you still human?!” Yan Haoran said furiously.

“I’ll kill you!” An angry sturdy young man behind Yan Haoran howled angrily.

“Yigang, come back!” Yan Haoran held back the young man.

“But that’s my child..”

“You people from the sixth branch caused this trouble. Now you want the first branch to clean up your mess. This is your wishful thinking, Sixth Brother. I told you to bring me Qing Shui’s head to exchange for all this, but you failed. So I am bring them to exchange for his directly,” Yan Haozheng said impassively.

“You monster!”

“You’re worse than a beast!”

……

“Stop doing all these unnecessary things. I don’t care about a single person in Yan Clan.” As he completed his sentence, Qing Shui started to take action.

Using the impetus of Divine Feet Clearing with the core Qi method of the “Black Armored Jumping King”, with the addition to the effective moves of Perfection Stage Soaring Crane Steps, he was so fast that it almost appeared as if he had disappeared in front of the crowd.

The fistful of rocks in his left hand were once again shot out just like heavenly maidens scattering flowers.

Pu! Pu! Pu!

Qing Shui’s intentions were unknown, but ten odd warriors who were holding the women and children as hostages were all killed. The remaining stones flew towards Yan Haozheng with a sharp whistling sound.

A cold blaze rose in Yan Haozheng’s eyes. It was only now that he knew how formidable Qing Shui was. Previously, he knew that Qing Shui was a genius, but still underestimated him. With a heavy stomp, his own clan members surrounding him were pushed aside by the force. He raised the massive sword in his hands to block Qing Shui’s forceful cleaving strike.

Art of Pursuing!

Immovable Mountains!

BOOM!

Both of them took a step back at the same time!

Qing Shui did not use his full strength. If he had used his strength of over 8 million, he could have wounded him badly, but Qing Shui did not want to alert his opponent prematurely.

Qing Shui wanted the person from Xiao Clan to appear. That person must die!

“You’re good but I can’t let you live. Yan Clan could have had a genius like you.” Yan Haozheng looked at Qing Shui with a complex expression.

The reply he got was Qing Shui’s sword hacking down. It was an intolerably tyrannic stroke.

This time, Qing Shui used more strength! Yan Haozheng’s speed was down 10% and his burdened weight was up by 10% under the effects of Qing Shui’s Art of Pursuing. 10% was not a small amount for people at their level.

Clash!

Qing Shui added even more strength to his attack!

And sped up a little! He slowly widened the gap between their capabilities.

……

When they crossed swords again, Qing Shui used a considerably larger amount of strength. However, in everyone else’s eyes, it looked as if Yan Haozheng did not have enough endurance. As if the old feared the young. At the point when Yan Haozheng was jolted backwards by the force…

Qing Shui increased his speed again! It was time to end this!

Basic Sword Techniques!

Piercing Sword!

It was a fast piercing thrust. It hit like a spark and everyone could see it so clearly yet it was so quick, so direct!

Pu!

The sword thrust through Haozheng’s chest!

No one could believe their eyes. It was such a direct and clear stroke. Even though the style was uncommon, it was unimposing, unsophisticated and had profound casualness that was incomprehensible.

But that was the precise reason why most of the people could not accept the outcome. That thrust was simply Piercing Sword from the Basic Sword Techniques, how could a Martial King level martial artist be killed by a move from Basic Sword Techniques?

……

“Father!”

“Father!”

……

Momentarily, cries could be heard. Yan Haozheng was the pillar of Yan Clan’s main branch. Now that he was dead, Yan Clan fell into disorder, even to the point that it was on the brink of total collapse.

Qing Shui knew that that person was in the vicinity. If he did not appear before him, Qing Shui decided that he will take an extreme route. Anyway, he had to use this method.

He would massacre everyone in Xiao Clan. That way, that man would show himself.

But now, he had to kill Yan Zhongzheng and that woman from Xiao Clan!