Chapter 174 - 170: Innate Divine Weapon

Chapter 174: Chapter 170: Innate Divine Weapon

Xu Jichuan was splayed out on the ground, his mouth working a few times as he tried to say something defiant to save face.

But no matter how he tried, the defiant words simply wouldn’t come out.

’How can a Marrow Refining Realm Martial Artist be this monstrous?’

This question echoed endlessly in Xu Jichuan’s mind. He had personally seen Martial Artists in the Marrow Refining Realm who could defy their level and defeat opponents in the Refining Organ Realm.

But he had never seen a Marrow Refining Realm Martial Artist crush a Refining Organ Realm opponent with such overwhelming force in a direct confrontation.

’And those last two strikes... they actually contained Sword Intent.’

As this thought crossed Xu Jichuan’s mind, his feelings grew even more complicated.

Sword Intent. That was something countless Refining Organ Realm Martial Artists could spend their entire lives striving for and never attain.

It required more than just arduous training and Talent; it demanded a profound comprehension of Saber Technique, of combat, of life and death itself.

Yet this young man, a mere Marrow Refining Realm Martial Artist, not only possessed Sword Intent, but his was so powerful it could slash directly into his Sea of Consciousness and disrupt his Heart Spirit.

If not for that Sword Intent, Xu Jichuan wouldn’t have been defeated so quickly.

"A misunderstanding! It’s all a misunderstanding! Senior Brother, don’t be impulsive!"

Si Kouyan’s voice, high and urgent, rang out from the other side of the courtyard, laced with obvious panic.

The switch from calling him "Junior Brother" to "Senior Brother" perfectly reflected Si Kouyan’s current state of mind.

He was terrified that Chen Yue would be merciless.

If that happened, with Chen Yue’s power, not a single person here would escape.

He, Si Kouyan, had just happened to be in the area and was invited over for some fun by Xu Jichuan. He didn’t have a thing to do with the Xu Family’s old grudges.

It would be a terrible injustice to die for something like this.

After speaking, Si Kouyan immediately rushed over to Shen Dujiang, crouched down, and frantically undid the Restrictions on his hands.

He then took Shen Dujiang by the shoulders and helped him to his feet.

Shen Dujiang swayed for a moment after being helped up, but he quickly found his balance.

Dried blood caked the corner of his mouth, his left eye was swollen nearly shut, and the wound on his chest was still seeping blood, but his gaze was firm.

He looked at Xu Hanjiang and slowly walked toward him.

One step. Two. Three.

Xu Hanjiang stood rooted to the spot, his body trembling slightly, his face a mask of warring emotions.

His lips trembled as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately, no words came out.

Their gazes met mid-air, and in that single instant, all the years of grievances and entanglements between them seemed to converge in that one shared look.

Shen Dujiang stopped in front of Xu Hanjiang. He raised his right arm and clenched his fist, his knuckles cracking from the strain.

Then, he threw a punch.

PTHOO!

Xu Hanjiang sprayed a mouthful of blood, which misted in the air as he was sent flying backward. He slammed heavily onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

The courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Shen Dujiang retracted his fist, letting his arm fall to his side. He looked down at Xu Hanjiang, who was on the ground clutching his chest and coughing violently.

"That was for the punch you threw all those years ago!"

His gaze left Xu Hanjiang and shifted to the distant night sky as he slowly exhaled.

"From now on, we’ll stay out of each other’s way. We’ll have nothing more to do with one another for the rest of our lives."

He said this calmly, with no anger, no resentment, not even a trace of any other emotion.

Xu Hanjiang struggled to his feet, his movements labored.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand. Looking at Shen Dujiang, he nodded.

"Agreed. Thank you for sparing me."

With that, Xu Hanjiang turned and walked toward his son.

His steps were unsteady, but he didn’t dare to linger. Every additional moment he spent in this courtyard increased his peril.

Si Kouyan had already rushed to Xu Jichuan’s side. He bent down, put his hands under Xu Jichuan’s arms, and carefully helped him up.

Xu Jichuan’s left arm hung limply at his side, swaying uselessly as he moved. The broken bone grated beneath skin and muscle, making a faint, sickening sound.

His face was pale as a sheet, his forehead beaded with cold sweat, and his lips trembled from the pain, but he gritted his teeth and remained silent.

Just as Xu Hanjiang and Si Kouyan were helping Xu Jichuan and preparing to leave, Hu Shaoyu suddenly spoke up.

"Stop!"

Xu Hanjiang froze. He turned around stiffly, forcing a smile that was uglier than a grimace. "Is... is there something else?"

Hu Shaoyu glanced at him, then at Xu Jichuan. "You know the rules of the Jianghu, don’t you?"

Xu Jichuan froze for a second before understanding dawned. His expression soured even further.

He took the ring off his left hand—it was his Storage Spirit Soldier.

He then cast a reluctant glance at the long saber lying a short distance away. It was a Spirit Soldier he had used for several years, one he had paid a hefty price to acquire.

But rules were rules. When you lose a fight, your Spirit Soldier becomes the victor’s prize.

Chen Yue hadn’t taken it, but that was his prerogative. If Xu Jichuan tried to retrieve it, it would be a provocation.

Si Kouyan breathed a sigh of relief. He fumbled at his waist for a coin pouch, emptied the Broken Silver inside onto the stone table in the courtyard.

He didn’t have a Storage Spirit Soldier and wasn’t carrying much money; otherwise, his losses today would have been far greater.

Following his lead, Xu Hanjiang also quickly took out his Broken Silver and placed it on the stone table.

He then turned and, along with Si Kouyan, dragged their two unconscious men up from the ground.

The sound of their footsteps faded into the distance, eventually swallowed by the night wind.

The oppressive tension in the courtyard finally broke. The air began to circulate again, carrying the cool whisper of the night.