Immortality: Grinding Experience Starting as a Paper Craftsman

Chapter 5 Paper Dolls Drink Blood, Iron Bones Rampage

Ma San was stunned.

He seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world; his fleshy face contorted into a grotesque, maniacal laugh.

Flower fertilizer?

Has this apprentice, who usually doesn't even dare to breathe loudly, gone mad with fright?

"Go! Cripple him! Don't kill him, leave him alive to take back and report."

Ma San waved his hand impatiently.

The two gang members behind him, who were already getting impatient from the cold, were eager to find a place to vent their shivering.

Hearing this, he grinned maliciously, rubbed his hands together, and pounced on Gu Yan from both sides behind the counter.

"Kid, watch your eyes next time."

The man on the left with a pockmarked face was the fastest. He strode to the counter in a few steps and reached out to grab Gu Yan's collar.

Gu Yan sat on the bench without even lifting his eyelids.

He simply moved his fingers slightly.

sand.

In the darkness, a very faint scraping sound suddenly rang out, like dry paper scraping across a table.

Immediately following was a sharp, piercing sound of wind breaking through the air.

Before the pockmarked man's hand could even touch Gu Yan's clothes, a huge black shadow suddenly rose up from the shadows beside him without warning.

"What is it?"

The pockmarked man felt a blur before his eyes, and a strong smell of tung oil mixed with the stench of blood hit him.

Before he could react, a cold, hard, and ridiculously large hand had already gripped his face tightly.

"Pfft."

Five sharpened iron-wire fingernails, gripped with immense force, pierced his flesh as easily as inserting tofu, embedding themselves deep into his skull.

Before the pockmarked man could even scream, he was lifted into the air by the immense force. His legs kicked weakly a couple of times before he fell silent.

Fresh blood dripped down the grotesque, dark yellow hand, splashing up red plum blossoms.

"Second brother!"

Another man, who had just rushed halfway, was so frightened that he stopped abruptly, his legs went weak, and he almost knelt on the ground.

By the light of the snow outside the door, Ma San finally saw clearly what was standing next to Gu Yan.

It was a burly monster that was at least two meters tall.

It wore a bright red vest, and its whole body was a dark yellow color like dried, cured meat. Its pale face, with its upside-down triangular eyes painted on it, was splattered with warm blood, making it look even more ferocious and terrifying.

This is evil magic!

Ma San felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head, and he sobered up considerably.

Having spent so many years in the martial arts world, he had heard of some unorthodox sorcerers who could exorcise ghosts and control spirits, but he never expected that this seemingly useless apprentice would also possess such abilities.

You should have said so earlier if you had such methods! I could have just found another target!

Ma San wanted to cry but had no tears.

After a long silence, Gu Yan slowly raised his head, his eyes shining frighteningly in the darkness.

"kill."

There is only one word.

As soon as Gu Yan had a thought, the paper figure named Tie Sha suddenly swung its arm, throwing the pockmarked corpse against the corner of the wall like trash.

Then, it strides forward with its legs, which are nothing but bones and thick paper, stiffly but swiftly charging toward the remaining man.

"Help! Third Master, save me!"

The man was terrified and turned to run out the door.

But how could he outrun the tireless paper figures?

Tie Sha took a step forward, and his large hand, like an iron clamp, reached out from behind and grabbed the man by the back of the neck.

"Click."

A sharp, teeth-grinding crack.

The man's head drooped down at an odd angle, and his body slid limply to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, two lives were lost.

The shop reeked of blood, which, combined with the oppressive atmosphere, was nauseating.

In his panic, Ma San retreated to the doorway, but he didn't run away.

Having witnessed the death of his companion, he understood that turning his back on this monster would only hasten his own demise.

"You're playing tricks! I'll chop up this piece of trash!"

In dire straits, Ma San unleashed his inherent ferocity.

He roared, his blood surging, and the muscles in his arms bulged, stretching his sheepskin coat taut.

He had practiced hard kung fu for several years. Although he was just a third-rate martial artist, he had a strength of at least several hundred kilograms. Ordinary three or five people could not get close to him.

Just then, the paper figure rushed in front of him. Ma San gripped the short axe with both hands and, with all his might, chopped down hard on the paper figure's shoulder.

This axe strike, accompanied by a whistling wind, was powerful and heavy.

Gu Yan sat at a distance, his eyes narrowing.

Although he had confidence in Tie Sha, it was his first real battle, and he wasn't sure if he could withstand the real weapons of martial artists.

"when!"

A dull thud sounded, but it wasn't the sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh. Instead, it sounded like an axe striking tough cowhide, sending sparks flying.

Ma San felt a tingling numbness in his hand, and the short axe in his hand felt like it had struck a block of iron, and was actually bounced back several inches.

On the paper figure's shoulder, only the outer two layers of hemp paper had been torn open, revealing the even harder and denser inner core.

Nine layers of oiled paper armor, each layer as tough as iron.

This is the result of Gu Yan's tireless efforts and dedication.

It's blocked!

How is that possible?!

Ma San stared wide-eyed at the small chip that had appeared on the axe blade, and despair set in.

Even an axe can't cut through it, how can we fight it?

While he was still in a daze, Tie Sha didn't give him a second chance to strike.

Those large hands with iron spikes suddenly reached out, like two iron hoops, and locked Ma San's arms tightly.

"what!"

Ma San let out a piercing scream. His arm bones groaned under the immense pressure of the grip, the iron spikes digging deep into his flesh, blood gushing out.

The paper figure's upturned triangular eyes seemed to have truly come to life, greedily gazing at the vibrant, living person before it.

Its head drooped on Ma San's shoulder and neck, its toothless mouth open, looking as if it was about to bite.

"stop."

Gu Yan stood up and walked over.

The paper figure immediately stopped moving, but still held Ma San firmly in place, preventing him from moving.

Gu Yan picked up the short axe that had fallen to the ground and weighed it in his hand.

It's a bit heavy, but it's easy to handle.

"Hero, Father, Grandfather, please don't kill me!"

Ma San finally broke down when he saw the boy walking towards him.

His knees buckled, and he knelt on the ground, his face covered in snot, tears, and blood.

"Master Gu! Ancestor Gu! I was blind to your greatness! If you release me, I'll give you my fifty taels of silver and this martial arts manual! They're all yours!"

Gu Yan looked at him expressionlessly.

"Foolish me, even if I kill you, the stuff will still be mine."

The boy said softly.

His tone was neither sarcastic nor angry; it was as if he were stating the logic of being hungry and needing to eat.

"you……"

Ma San wanted to say something more, but Gu Yan was too lazy to waste words with him and had already raised the short axe in his hand high.

"puff."

With a swift movement, the axe fell.

The world is quiet now.

As Ma San's body fell to the ground, the light screen in front of Gu Yan began to flicker wildly again.

[One mediocre martial artist and two ordinary people were killed.]

[By absorbing the remnants of Qi and Blood, the Iron-Boned Ferocious God (Premium) has been strengthened.]

[Paper-making skill experience +150!]

Current progress: 486/500

He is only one step away from mastering the art of paper-making.

Gu Yan didn't rush to look at the panel. Instead, he skillfully squatted down and began to search the three corpses.

A moment later, a pile of things appeared in front of him.

A few dozen taels of loose silver, a few blood-stained banknotes, and a token from the Black Dragon Gang.

There was also a small booklet wrapped in oilcloth.

Gu Yan wiped the blood off his hands and opened the booklet.

By the dim light of the sky, three large, crooked characters could be seen written on the cover:

Iron Palm.

A slight smile finally appeared on Gu Yan's lips.

This is the foundation upon which he established himself in this chaotic world.

No matter how skilled you are, it's ultimately external; only inner strength is true strength.

He didn't want to be a mage who would be instantly killed once someone got close.

At the very least, he needs to be able to hold out for a while.

"Da da da".

A series of hurried and frantic footsteps came from the backyard.

Old Xu came running out, carrying an oil lamp, his face ashen.

"Gu boy! I heard a noise up ahead, is it the cellar...?"

His voice abruptly stopped.

The old man stared blankly at the blood and corpses on the ground, then glanced at the boy standing among the corpses, covered in blood yet calm as still water, and at the terrifyingly tall paper figure.

The oil lamp in his hand wobbled and almost fell to the ground.