I Can Strengthen Infinitely

Chapter 547: Chapter 314: Northward from the Central Plains, Pointing Straight at Chang’an (Part 2)

As experts at the Eighth Layer of the Inner Power Realm, Fu and Chang naturally carried their own pride.

Countless armies meant nothing to masters like them; the real trouble lay in whether there were powerful Inner Strength experts among the enemy ranks.

At this moment, sudden plumes of wolf smoke rose from the Yuan Army’s encampment. An imposing, densely packed force poured out of the tents, forming ranks and marching straight for Yangzhou Prefecture.

Sanhuang’s body tensed instantly—this fight, after all, was inevitable.

Within the enemy formations, the armored Wen Dian appeared, robed in violet-gold armor, tiger-headed helm atop, dual golden hammers in hand, riding astride a gigantic black bear.

Riding such an Exotic Beast—even with their great skill, this was the first time Fu and Chang had ever seen such a sight.

Usually, most found horses to be the best-suited mount.

"Brazen rebels! Today, the Grand General of the South is here in person. Are you not going to open the gates wide and surrender willingly? Otherwise, when your gates are breached, your heads will be rolling all over the ground!"

Wen Dian’s voice boomed, echoing clearly into Yangzhou Prefecture, so that those standing atop the walls could hear every word without fail.

Changqing’s eyes lit up. "A true expert—let me face him myself."

Sanhuang, unsure of Changqing’s strength, couldn’t help but worry. "Hero Chang, why not let our troops take the lead and try their strength first?"

Changqing waved him off. "My King, that’s unnecessary. Let me go out and slaughter them until they piss their pants and run!"

Not giving Sanhuang a chance to reply, Changqing stepped atop the city wall and leaped off it, soaring out of the city with a single bound.

This move instantly drew the attention of everyone present. No one would have guessed that, at such a moment, someone would dare to face the enemy alone.

Before even landing, Changqing drew his sword in a flash—the slender blade slicing from its scabbard and stabbing straight for Wen Dian.

Wen Dian, a valorous general who relished single combat with enemy commanders, was delighted by such initiative. He clamped his legs on the black bear and charged straight for Changqing.

He wielded both hammers, striking out to collide head-on with Changqing’s Sword Qi.

In an instant, the Sword Qi shattered, scattering in broken currents in all directions, pitting the earth with craters.

As Changqing landed, he punched forth—a surge of pure Inner Strength roaring out like a fierce tiger.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The tiger raced along the ground, barreling toward Wen Dian’s black bear mount.

This bear was no ordinary creature. It thrust its palm out with force, colliding head-on with the ’tiger.’

Wen Dian vaulted off its back, escaping the bear, and with twin hammers crashed down upon Changqing. Changqing met the blow with his sword, and the tiger joined the melee as man and beast clashed fiercely together.

The duo exchanged ferocious blows, an intense fight. Wen Dian’s battle spirit blazed at first, growing bolder with each exchange—until eight white rings appeared behind Changqing, and Wen Dian’s face changed instantly.

In these Jiangnan rebel ranks, there was actually an Eighth Layer Inner Power Realm expert!

This was an impressive depth of strength indeed.

An Eighth Layer Inner Power Realm expert alone was enough to match an army—an army might be common, but that level of mastery was anything but.

After dozens of rounds, Wen Dian failed to react in time—Changqing’s sword found his back. This sword was no ordinary weapon: it pierced easily into Wen Dian’s body and churned with brutal force.

Roaring with pain, Wen Dian spun and hurled a hammer, throwing it as a hidden weapon.

But Changqing’s mastery was extraordinary. With a surge of Inner Strength, he caught the golden hammer and, dispersing its force, tossed it easily aside.

It slammed into the ground, leaving a deep pit where it landed.

Then, with a flick of his right hand, Changqing drove the sword several more inches into Wen Dian’s body. The strike was ruthless, sure to damage the heart and lungs—Wen Dian coughed blood mixed with chunks of flesh.

"Today I take your head as a warning to others," Changqing barked coldly, kicking hard. Though Wen Dian’s body faltered, he still tried to block the blow.

But this was just a feint—Changqing had expected this response. In an instant, the muscles of his left arm coiled tight, bulging like compressed springs.

Everything happened in a flash. Before Wen Dian could react, Changqing struck.

His left arm shot forward like a spring-loaded bayonet—the speed was shocking, a streak of light across the sky.

Splat!

Wen Dian’s eyes bulged wide, as Changqing’s five knife-like fingers stabbed right into his throat.

"Guh... guh..." Unable to speak, Wen Dian stared at him in disbelief, and at last collapsed in a heap.

Since coming south from the Central Plains, Changqing had been developing his own unique moves. This charged strike was an early product of his experiment—a technique that could, unseen, fatally wound vital points in real combat.

Today’s use proved its devastating effect.

The moment Wen Dian fell, a great commotion rose among the Yuan Huangzhong forces. No one could believe that the renowned first tiger general under Yuan Huangzhong had died so easily—

—and so suddenly, leaving all completely unprepared.

No one was hit harder than Yuan Huangzhong himself, who heard the report from a trembling attendant.

When he heard the news, he collapsed limply into his seat, his expression stunned.

He knew Wen Dian’s caliber well—Sixth Layer of the Inner Power Realm.

If even such an expert could die within just a few dozen moves, the implication was grave indeed.

"General, sir—the one who killed General Wen left a message: if we don’t withdraw, he’ll march through the ranks and take your head with his own hands," a terrified attendant reported, kneeling before Yuan Huangzhong.

Yuan Huangzhong, stunned at first, flew into a rage upon hearing these words: "Such arrogance! Inner Strength experts are said to match an army, but the court is prepared for them and has devised ways to counter their kind. If he dares come, I’ll let him taste the might of my Divine Thunder Crossbow!"

"Then General, now that General Wen is dead, what should we...?"

Gritting his teeth, Yuan Huangzhong choked back his anger: "Today the troops’ morale is shaken, our forces exhausted. It’s unwise to keep fighting. Sound the gong and withdraw. We’ll fight another day."

"Yes, sir!"

...

Qin Yuesheng had no idea what was happening in Jiangnan just then. He had poured his heart and soul into the Martial God Atlas.

As more martial arts manuals filled it, the Martial God Atlas became ever more complete, now three-fifths finished, but the pace of fusion had slowed to a crawl, consuming much of Qin Yuesheng’s time.

During all this time, he stayed in the Octagonal Tower, never stepping outside, wholly absorbed in breaking down martial arts manuals and adding them to the Martial God Atlas.

Perhaps it was the Atlas’s effect—during this period, his understanding of the divine skills he’d learned deepened greatly, his insight and experience growing, his technique ever smoother and more fluid.

But the massive consumption of manuals—the vast trove Bai Ningxuan’s people had gathered—dwindled to less than a quarter.

At this rate, even if he absorbed all the remaining manuals, he still might not push the Martial God Atlas any further to four-fifths.

Slowly opening his eyes, Qin Yuesheng’s pupils seemed to show floating characters—a blink later, all was as before.

"That’s about it—there’s no point in staying here any longer. Time to set out north for Chang’an." Rising, Qin Yuesheng packed the remaining martial arts manuals into his storage pouch, intending to break them down along the way.

"The White Lotus Celestial Pavilion is a considerable asset. Those remaining Holy Envoys, Saintesses, and followers can all be used. It’d be a waste to abandon them—I’ll have Bai Ningxuan stay here for now and manage them for me." So thinking, Qin Yuesheng leapt out through the open window.