Chapter 175: Chapter 175: Tower Holder
A gentle breeze stirred as clouds obscured the moon, and the night grew deep.
A fire was crackling in a dilapidated temple beside the main road.
As the firewood CRACKLED, the flames leaped and danced, illuminating the scene inside the dilapidated temple.
Fang Rui sat in the seat of honor, perched on a soft stool a servant had brought along. Fang Shicheng stood to the side, waiting on him attentively.
Two other men, broad-shouldered and powerfully built, stood guard on either side of Fang Rui, their faces alert as they scanned the area.
Beyond them, a man stood at the temple entrance, watching the road outside.
In Fang Rui’s party of five, everyone aside from Fang Shicheng was a Guard. As the legitimate son of a Noble Family, Fang Rui was naturally surrounded by ample security for his trip out of the city.
The three Guards were all powerful martial artists, experts at the Qi Blood Sixth Layer!
They could even hold their own for a time against an expert from the Inner Qi Realm.
"Young Master, a man of your stature shouldn’t put himself in harm’s way. You can rest easy and wait for news here. Tower Holder Ding Tong will take care of everything!"
Fang Shicheng had a fawning smile on his face.
Fang Rui raised his head and glanced at Fang Shicheng.
"You told Ding Tong everything he needs to know, right?"
Fang Shicheng said obsequiously, "Yes, just as you instructed, it’s all been arranged. He’s not to kill that Chen Ping’an easily. He must bring him to you alive!"
Fang Rui lowered his head, his face dark and cruel. "Good. Once Ding Tong brings him here alive, I’ll make him beg for death. I’ll let him get a taste of what I endured in that cell!"
The firelight danced across Fang Rui’s face, casting flickering, uncertain shadows.
...
"The inn is just ahead. Just hang on a little longer!"
Chen Ping’an held the reins, driving the carriage, and spoke to the two people inside.
"Alright, Brother. Don’t rush, take your time. A journey by night has a certain charm to it!"
Inside the carriage, Chen Erya said with a smile.
For her, this was truly a rare experience.
Beneath the moonlight, their carriage rolled down the road, tree shadows dancing and flower silhouettes swaying. It was incredibly romantic.
’This is just like the nightscapes described in the books!’
’Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles!’
She hadn’t read ten thousand books yet, but the ten thousand-mile journey was already underway.
Inns were situated at regular intervals along the main road, providing rest for passing travelers.
Chen Ping’an had looked at the map. At his current speed, he estimated he could reach the inn in about another quarter of an hour.
A flurry of urgent hoofbeats sounded from behind the carriage.
Hm?
Chen Ping’an turned his head to look back.
He saw a black figure on a fast horse, galloping quickly in his direction.
The sound of hoofbeats grew clearer as the horse behind him drew closer and closer.
’Inner Qi Realm?’
’Purity and Turbulence Return to the Origin Perfection?’
Chen Ping’an clearly sensed the other person’s Martial Arts Realm.
’Trouble.’
Chen Ping’an’s brow furrowed slightly.
The horse closed in rapidly. When it was less than thirty feet away, the dark figure on its back suddenly launched into the air, pouncing toward Chen Ping’an.
This pounce was like a black bear attacking its prey, relentless and unstoppable!
At the apex of his leap, Ding Tong looked down on the young man in the driver’s seat. The young man turned his head but just stared, as if frozen in fear.
’Rookie!’
Ding Tong sneered.
He had been dispatched by Ding Rui to capture Chen Ping’an alive. Naturally, he had made thorough preparations and had done detailed research on Chen Ping’an.
Chen Ping’an’s cultivation history showed a smooth, predictable progression from the Qi Blood Realm to the Inner Qi Realm. It was an unremarkable, step-by-step process, meaning he was severely lacking in real combat experience.
’Against someone like this, you can’t give them a moment to react. You have to shatter their will with overwhelming Killing Intent and crush them utterly with the Power of Slaughter.’
’I, Ding Tong, have been in the Inner Qi Realm for over twenty years. My fame is long-established! And it wasn’t handed to me. I clawed my way to this reputation through mountains of corpses and a sea of blood!’
’With my superior Martial Arts Realm, if I can’t even take down a rookie like Chen Ping’an, I might as well just quit!’
’This job is almost too easy!’
Ding Tong mused.
He was already swooping down. In another moment, he would have Chen Ping’an in his grasp.
Thinking of the rewards the Fang Family would give him afterward, Ding Tong’s heart burned with excitement.
"You’re mine!"
Ding Tong’s hands descended like bear claws, aiming to crush Chen Ping’an’s shoulder blades.
The name Tower Holder signified his incredible skill in hand-to-hand combat. Once he broke through an opponent’s guard, forget someone supposedly at the First Stage of Inner Qi; even an expert at the second stage of the same realm would be in for a world of hurt.
’Just crush his shoulder blades, dislocate his legs, shatter his Dantian Qi Sea, and scatter his Qi Blood. Then he’ll be mine to take, alive.’
Just when Ding Tong was sure of his victory, Chen Ping’an moved.
"Great Vajra Palm!"
Chen Ping’an thrust out both palms, striking directly at Ding Tong’s hands.
"You’re overestimating yourself!"
Ding Tong sneered.
’To think he’d dare to meet me head-on! He’s courting death!’
BAM!
A massive boom echoed as Ding Tong felt an immense force surge from his opponent’s palms. In that instant, the immense power and heavy momentum he prided himself on felt as weak as cotton.
CRACK! SNAP!
Ding Tong’s body shuddered violently. The Inner Qi he had refined to its peak was shattered in an instant. His radius and ulna bones broke, and he was sent flying backward, spewing blood.
"This... how is this possible!"
Ding Tong’s face was full of disbelief.
In Chen Ping’an’s palms, the surging Inner Qi was even purer than his own!
’The Third Stage of Inner Qi, Celestial Rain Falling on the Crown!’
Ding Tong cried out in shock.
But before his shock could fully register, Chen Ping’an had already closed the distance, driving a knee toward his chest.
’Eight Steps Chasing Cicada! Eight-Step Illusory Leg!’
Ding Tong’s arms were nearly useless, but at this critical moment, he still managed to cross them in front of his chest.
CRACK!
Chen Ping’an’s knee strike was even more terrifying than Ding Tong had imagined. The immense force and blasting Inner Qi instantly rendered his arms useless, and his chest caved in violently.
"Pfft!"
With his organs crushed, Ding Tong violently spat out a mouthful of blood.
’Celestial Rain Descending Realm Perfection!’
Only at this moment did Ding Tong truly feel Chen Ping’an’s might.
He kicked out viciously, trying to create some space for himself and win a sliver of a chance at survival.
Although he was known as the Tower Holder, it didn’t mean he was clueless about leg techniques. In fact, he had also diligently cultivated a superior Leg Technique. Although he hadn’t mastered it to perfection, this kick was still shockingly powerful.
But...
CLANG!
Ding Tong felt as if he had kicked a lump of solid metal.
"Hard Qigong!"
Seeing Chen Ping’an take the kick without any reaction, Ding Tong cried out in horror.
’What kind of monster is this!’
’First, he reveals his Martial Arts Realm is at Celestial Rain Descending Realm Perfection, and now he shows off such a terrifying Horizontal Training Skill! And the most crucial part... how old is he?!’
’If my intelligence is correct, he’s only in his early twenties!’
’Celestial Rain Descending Realm Perfection in his early twenties!’
’An achievement like that...’
’Even Liu Ziming of the Liu Family, known as the number one prodigy of Weishui, hasn’t reached that level!’
’With such talent, what realm will he reach in time!’
In the moments before his death, a thousand thoughts raced through Ding Tong’s mind.
’The Fang Family!’
’They’ve provoked someone they can’t afford to offend!’
At that moment, Chen Ping’an’s hand was already resting on top of Ding Tong’s head.
"Who sent you?"
Ding Tong remained silent, his expression defiant as he faced death.
Chen Ping’an glanced at Ding Tong, channeled his Inner Qi, and power pulsed from his palm.
"Not talking? Then you can die!"
Ding Tong’s heart meridians shattered, and blood flowed from his seven orifices.
Tower Holder, Ding Tong, was dead!
The ability to dispatch an expert of this Martial Arts Realm, combined with the existing grudge... it was self-evident who had sent him.
Even if Ding Tong didn’t speak, Chen Ping’an knew perfectly well!
’Fang Rui!’
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