txolops Chapter 43 The Frustrated Shangguan Family
Chapter 43 The Frustrated Shangguan Family
Standing up, "Shangguan Shichuan" looked at the figure rolling on the ground not far away, still staring in astonishment at his own identical face.
I couldn't help but smile faintly.
She grabbed a white silk handkerchief from the side and first wiped the blood splattered on her face.
Then, Shangguan Shichuan wiped the blood off the longsword he had just swung.
"You little beast, you little bastard, you call me that so sweetly."
He spat at the headless corpse in front of him, turned around and swung his sword to knock over the burning oil lamp, before striding out the door.
During the day, he had basically figured out where the guards lived, which he had memorized in the morning.
He then went to resolve them one by one.
In just one day, he had witnessed the actions of the elders and guards of the Shangguan family, and not a single one of them was a good person.
This is quite normal, after all, the Shangguan family is practically a king or local emperor in Yunzhou City.
Apart from the Lin family and the city lord's mansion, the Shangguan family doesn't take anyone else seriously at all.
In the brightly lit Shangguan mansion, a faint smell of blood could be smelled from time to time.
corner.
The burly Shangguan Shichuan was heading towards his residence when he encountered two figures hurrying along.
They were clearly two ninth-rank household guards.
"Why are you running? What happened?"
The two men immediately stopped when they saw Shangguan Shichuan.
"Elder Ishikawa, something terrible has happened! Elder Honghe has been murdered in his room just now..."
"What?"
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Shichuan's expression immediately changed drastically.
"Quick, let's go..."
Without any hesitation, Shangguan Shichuan turned around and quickly led the two of them toward the small courtyard where Shangguan Honghe lived.
When the three arrived, the courtyard was already filled with thick smoke, and the clan's servants were rushing back and forth to put out the fire.
Upon seeing Shangguan Shichuan, the elders who had already arrived quickly stepped forward.
Upon seeing this, Shangguan Shichuan immediately stepped forward.
"This... how could this be? I was drinking with Elder Honghe not long ago, how could things have changed so much in the blink of an eye..."
"Elder Ishikawa, don't go. Elder Honghe's body has already been brought out, but... his head has been burned off."
"This... Damn it, it must be that Li Xiuyuan! I must avenge Elder Honghe!"
As he spoke, Shangguan Shichuan clenched his fists, his eyes filled with anger.
Seeing this scene, everyone present was deeply moved by Elder Ishikawa's character.
"Oh no... the front yard is on fire, over there..."
"explain!"
"Shangguan Shichuan" stepped forward and grabbed the panicked guard, roaring angrily.
"The front yard caught fire, and six people died, while more than a dozen others remain unconscious."
Upon hearing this, the group exchanged glances and quickly darted towards the front yard.
Soon the group arrived at the front yard, with the elders leading the way.
They approached the unconscious guards.
"These people have had their power drained and have become ordinary people."
At this moment, Shangguan Shichuan clenched his fists and immediately grabbed a guard who had just been awakened by the thick smoke, asking:
"What happened? Tell me!"
The guard dared not hide anything and recounted his ordeal in detail.
"You said you only saw a dark shadow, then everything went black, you lost consciousness, and when you woke up, this was how it was?"
The man nodded quickly. At this moment, the unconscious people opened their eyes one after another, but as soon as they opened their eyes, they trembled all over.
"My internal energy..."
"Ah, I..."
There was an immediate chorus of wails, followed by tearful recounting of their experience, exactly as the guard had described.
Just before this, the head of the family, Shangguan Rulin, dressed in fine clothes, also arrived at the front yard. After learning the details, his eyes practically spit fire.
"Li Xiuyuan..."
"Search! No one is allowed to rest tonight. Search every inch of the clan's territory!"
"Yes……"
Immediately, countless guards and elders scattered like birds and beasts, and began searching the entire Shangguan Mansion.
At this moment, Shangguan Shichuan, who was standing to the side, did not leave, but stepped forward and said:
"Patriarch, Li Xiuyuan was able to kill Elder Honghe silently. Based on the intelligence we obtained before, this boy is probably already a seventh-rank expert."
Moreover, judging from the guards whose power was drained last night and tonight, it's clear that he also possesses a powerful acupressure technique.
He's in the shadows, we're in the light; finding him by ordinary means is simply impossible!
Standing to the side, Shangguan Hongtao immediately nodded and said:
"Patriarch, Elder Ishikawa is right. This Li Xiuyuan doesn't dare to attack us. He infiltrates the family and specifically targets the ninth and eighth-rank guards."
And today, they even attacked Elder Honghe. It's obvious that Li Xiuyuan might still be hiding within the family, or at least in Yunzhou City.
Shangguan Rulin nodded.
Looking at the corpses on the ground, several people died last night, and several more died today, including an elder of the clan.
If this continues, not only will the Shangguan family be filled with anxiety, but they will also lose all face.
Therefore, he had to find a way to counter it, and of course, the best thing would be to find this Li Xiuyuan!
"Hong Tao, is there still no news from Yingge?"
Shangguan Hongtao nodded.
"Go again and tell him that as long as we can find Li Xiuyuan, our Shangguan family will meet his demands, but he must be found within three days."
"Within three days?"
Shangguan Rulin nodded.
"Because Qingyun will be back in three days. Once he gets involved, even if he wants to act in a way that benefits the Shangguan family, things will become very complicated!"
"Master, I understand. I will take care of this matter first thing tomorrow morning."
Once I catch that little beast, I'll cripple him myself!
A cold glint flashed in the eyes of "Shangguan Shichuan" who was standing to the side.
But in his heart he was thinking, "Shangguan Qingyun will be back in three days?"
He had thoroughly investigated Shangguan Qingyun and found out that he was backed by the Great Li Dynasty.
This Shangguan Qingyun held an important position in the Zhenwu Hall of the Dali Dynasty.
It seems that Monk Suixin was right; there are also certain people in the imperial court who covet this "Absorption Technique".
However, Li Xiuyuan was currently concerned about whether the Shadow Pavilion would release those shadow birds again to search for him.
If the Shadowbirds are released again, I'm afraid I'll be discovered even if I disguise myself as someone else.
After all, this shadow bird can lock onto its target by its aura.
No matter how much you change your appearance, it's very difficult to change your aura.
Staring at Shangguan Hongtao, who was holding a long sword, Li Xiuyuan couldn't help but feel a dull pain in his chest again. This man had just dared to curse him.
The day I master the Great Absorption Technique, I will kill this person first!
"Alright, next, intensify the search for Li Xiuyuan in Yunzhou City, and with the addition of the Shadow Pavilion, I don't believe that this little bastard can just disappear into thin air."
Shangguan Rulin clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with a cold light.
What he didn't know was that the burly "Shangguan Shichuan" standing to the side was looking at him with eyes full of cold killing intent!
The Shangguan family was bustling all night, with lights shining brightly.
The next day.
Shangguan Shichuan stood in his own courtyard, stomped his feet hard on the ground, and gathered all his internal energy into his legs.
"Crack!" The ground beneath their feet shattered into a spiderweb-like pattern.
[Level cap conditions have been met; "Thousand-Pound Drop" is currently at max level...]
Ok?
Is that all?
This manual, "Thousand-Pound Drop," was obtained by Li Xiuyuan during his raid on the Li family's Xuanzhen Pavilion in Yunzhou City.
They also received Eagle Claw Kung Fu, Iron Sand Palm, Crushing Fist, and Heart Piercing Kick.
Although they were all ninth-grade martial arts, Li Xiuyuan had entered them all into the max-level panel in the past few days.
Since Li Xiuyuan has now reached the seventh rank, it has become very easy for him to meet the maximum requirements for mastering these ninth-rank techniques.
For example, the "Thousand-Pound Drop" technique can be mastered by circulating the internal energy through this technique a hundred times.
The Eagle Claw Technique only requires killing ten ninth-rank martial artists.
Similar examples include "Crushing Fist", "Iron Sand Palm", and "Heart Piercing Leg".
Based on the number of eighth- and ninth-rank martial artists killed in the past two days, the previous eighth-rank martial art, "Mighty Vajra Palm," has reached its maximum level.
Iron Palm is only two ranks short of the ninth grade.
The Eagle Claw Technique, the Crushing Fist, and the Heart-Piercing Kick can all be maxed out by killing a total of thirty Rank 9 martial artists using the corresponding techniques.
At this moment, Li Xiuyuan exerted force with both feet again.
A series of loud "crack" and "hum" sounds.
The ground in the courtyard collapsed, forming a small pit about ten feet in diameter.
Li Xiuyuan didn't care at all about the soil and rocks that splashed around him.
With one step, he was already inside the room.
He picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip.
Then he looked at the panel in front of him and swiped it.
[The Absorption Technique has been successfully entered. Max level requirements:]
1. Master at least ten different cultivation techniques (regardless of grade) and reach the maximum level. (Completed)
2. Absorbed the internal energy of at least one hundred people. (Completed)
3. Emerging talent, gaining a reputation in a small area, and establishing a certain level of prestige in the martial arts world! (Completion progress 96%)
Looking at the third condition, Li Xiuyuan couldn't help but notice that the completion progress had only increased by one percent.
Based on Li Xiuyuan's current understanding, he should have made enough of a commotion in Yunzhou City.
Why is the progress so slow at the end?
He tried to communicate with the system, but to no avail. His system was just a cold, fully-leveled machine that could not communicate with him at all.
Actually, this percentage point had already been added in last night after the commotion at the Shangguan family's residence.
At that time, Li Xiuyuan was thinking that if he continued tonight, he could increase the number of cases. In that case, he would only need to make a fuss at the Shangguan family's house for four consecutive days to perfectly resolve the issue.
But now it seems that's not the case!
So how exactly does the system determine this reputation?
We don't know for sure; we can only try to find out.
How about we go to the Lin family's residence or the city lord's mansion tonight?
While thinking, Li Xiuyuan waved his hand again:
[The "Disguise and Incarnation Technique" has been successfully entered. Max level requirements:]
1. Possess thorough knowledge of the human skeleton and meridians, and understand at least ten different personality types and characteristics. (Completed)
2. Able to skillfully control the internal energy throughout the body, and can freely control the changes in every muscle, bone, and skin. (50% complete)
3. Disguise oneself as at least twenty people and perfectly deceive everyone around. (2/20)
This "Disguise and Incarnation Technique" is a sixth-grade martial art.
Although the first condition has been met with the help of Monk Suixin in the past few days, and even the third condition can be met in a short time.
However, the second condition requires cultivating true qi, circulating it throughout the body, and using internal strength to control every bone and flesh of the body again before it can be truly completed.
I swiped again and saw that the conditions for reaching the maximum level of "Golden Bell Cover" were also impossible to complete in a short period of time.
However, after mastering the basics, Li Xiuyuan's strength was significantly improved.
The most important thing is that his dantian and meridians are constantly being expanded. Li Xiuyuan even found that after each time he absorbed the power of others with the Absorption Technique, he always felt that there would be more traces of other cultivation techniques in his mind.
However, these traces quickly faded away, leaving only a blurry mess.
However, once the pure internal energy entered the body, it gradually expanded the meridians and filled the dantian.
It can be said that in just a few days, Li Xiuyuan has already reached the mid-stage of the seventh rank. He even feels that as long as he continues to absorb the power of more people and his dantian meridians expand and grow again, once he condenses and compresses it into true qi, he will be able to kill ordinary sixth-rank people as soon as he starts!
After all, Li Xiuyuan now possesses maxed-out Iron Shirt and beginner-level Golden Bell Shield, along with a vast and powerful internal force. If he were to face Shangguan Hongtao again, Li Xiuyuan felt that he would definitely not be in such a sorry state.
However, Li Xiuyuan only thought about it.
If you are outmatched, retreat; if you are weak, hide and bide your time, waiting for the enemy to become stronger before striking again.
This time, Li Xiuyuan will wait until he has mastered his divine skills and broken through his cultivation before he will truly go all out against the Lin family and the Shangguan family.
Right now, this little trouble is just an appetizer!
"Uncle, everything I could find out about what you asked me to investigate is here."
Just as Li Xiuyuan was pondering, a young man in his early twenties strode into the room, handing Li Xiuyuan the things he had tidied up as he spoke.
Li Xiuyuan took the character relationship diagram that was filled with several pages, as well as introductions of some key characters, and even the martial arts they practiced were described in great detail.
"Great job, dog!"
"Uncle, aren't we investigating Li Xiuyuan everywhere right now? Why do you want me to investigate the Lin family?"
"And didn't you already know all this?"
Li Xiuyuan frowned and glanced at the young man in front of him.
This person is none other than Shangguan Shichuan's nephew, who usually idles away his time and bullies men and women!
Relying on Shangguan Shichuan, he has ruined many respectable women.
"No one else knows about this, right?"
The young man quickly shook his head.
"Then why don't you come here?"
"Now everyone in the clan has been deployed to search for Li Xiuyuan throughout Yunzhou City. I came here secretly..."
"That's good!"
"Uncle, I just don't understand..."
Just as the young man opened his mouth, he felt his head being grabbed. Turning his head, he saw his uncle looking at him with a cold smile.
However, his face was changing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Finally, the entire face was revealed to the young man.
"you……"
The young man's face was filled with extreme terror!
But he could no longer say anything else, because at that moment, the internal energy he had cultivated for more than ten years was instantly drained.
The severed head was split open like an eggshell...