I Grind to Martial Saint

After a moment's thought, he simply headed forward.

The Demon Suppression Tower was massive, covering a vast area. It wasn't until Han Yuan ventured deeper inside that he began to see rows of prison cells.

The cells were unlit and shrouded in darkness, making it impossible to see what lay within.

But Han Yuan could feel a deep, pervasive malice emanating from them.

"I can't believe it's not one of those old baldies this time."

"What's the meaning of sending a young kid like this?"

"Hey, little fella, come over here! I'm going to eat you!"

With Han Yuan's arrival, some of the beings trapped deep within the cells began to stir.

Filthy, disheveled figures materialized in the cells, their eyes fixed on Han Yuan with terrifying intensity.

'They're actually human...'

Han Yuan paused, taken aback.

He had assumed the Demon Suppression Tower was used to imprison demons and monsters.

He never expected to find humans here.

But judging by their expressions, they were clearly not good people.

On second thought, he realized that anyone imprisoned here had to be either an Evil Cultivator or a vicious monster who had committed horrific massacres.

Common outlaws from the Martial World likely wouldn't even qualify for a cell in this place.

Han Yuan paid their stares no mind and continued toward the deeper part of the prison.

Just then, an arm shot out from between the bars of a cell, reaching for Han Yuan.

The other prisoners who saw this broke into sinister smiles.

They could already picture Han Yuan being torn to shreds by the arm's owner.

The prisoner in that cell was known in the Martial World as Blood Claw. He was bloodthirsty by nature and had once massacred hundreds of people in a single town overnight.

His methods were exceptionally vicious; he would tear his victims into a bloody pulp.

A high-ranking monk from the Great Vajra Temple had eventually captured him, and he had been imprisoned in the Demon Suppression Tower ever since.

But in the next moment, they saw Han Yuan suddenly move. He grabbed the outstretched hand and yanked with tremendous force!

SQUELCH!

Han Yuan had torn the man's arm clean off.

Han Yuan casually tossed it to the floor. Then, with a slight smile, he kicked the cell's iron bars.

BANG!

The bars, forged from Profound Iron, shattered from the force of the blow.

"What do you think you're doing?!"

Missing an arm, Blood Claw trembled all over as he watched Han Yuan slowly enter the cell, and he scrambled back into a corner.

"What am I doing..."

"Killing you, of course!"

Han Yuan grinned and threw a vicious punch!

BOOM!!

The explosive force of the punch was immense.

Blood Claw felt a violent rush of air slam into him.

Then, he lost consciousness completely.

The prisoner in the opposite cell had watched Han Yuan's fist obliterate Blood Claw's head.

In an instant, all the malicious glares from the cells vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed.

These men knew Han Yuan was someone they could not afford to provoke.

Provoking the monks from the Vajra Temple was one thing.

Those monks didn't kill. At worst, you'd have to endure their nagging and listen to them chant scriptures for a few days and nights.

But this young man who had just shown up at the Vajra Temple was completely different.

His ruthless and domineering style made it clear he was a vicious character they absolutely could not afford to cross.

"Why so quiet? I believe you were the one shouting the loudest just now."

Han Yuan stopped in front of another cell, a smile on his face.

"It wasn't me! Sir, you must have misheard!"

A voice, clearly begging for mercy, called out from the cell.

Han Yuan sneered. He didn't waste any more time on the man and headed for the very back of the prison.

An old monk sat there cross-legged, an oil lamp before him. He was as motionless as a stone statue, seemingly oblivious to the recent commotion.

"Greetings, Master."

Han Yuan said softly.

As if roused by Han Yuan's voice, the old monk slowly came to.

"And you are?"

The old monk asked, his eyes filled with surprise and suspicion as he looked at Han Yuan.

"My name is Han Yuan. I wish to retrieve a saber from the Demon Suppression Tower."

Han Yuan explained.

"I see."

The old monk nodded and reached for the oil lamp in front of him.

CREAK~~

With a faint tremor, the wall behind the old monk slowly slid apart, revealing a stone staircase leading up.

"Please, Benefactor, go on ahead."

After speaking, the old monk closed his eyes again, returning to his meditative state.

Han Yuan nodded and walked toward the stone staircase.

But just as he was about to set foot on the first step, he stopped.

He turned to look at the old monk and said coolly, "Master, aren't you afraid I might be an evil being?"

The old monk opened his eyes again. "Benefactor, your vitality is so vigorous. How could you possibly be an evil being?"

"Is that so..." Han Yuan turned back completely to face the monk, a smile playing on his lips. "But from what I can see, Master, your own vitality doesn't seem nearly as robust."

The old monk replied calmly, "I am old. It is only natural for one's vitality to wane with age."

But Han Yuan shook his head. "Not this abnormal..."

As he spoke, he pushed off his feet and lunged at the old monk, his hand chopping down toward the man's skull with savage fury!

But the old monk simply gave a strange smile. His right index finger shot out like a bolt of lightning, aiming for Han Yuan's throat.

"I knew you were no good!"

Han Yuan snorted, his right hand suddenly changing its trajectory to slap the monk's finger aside.

SMACK!

The old monk was sent flying back more than ten meters by the force of the blow.

"Such ferocious Qi Power, Benefactor!"

"If I drink your blood, I imagine I could recover a great deal of my youth."

The old monk said with a smile.

His face was now covered in blue-black demonic markings, giving him an exceptionally sinister appearance.

This monk's origins were not simple. His name was the Withered Bone Monk, a Seven Spirits Abnormal People who had committed countless evils. He was eventually captured by Xu Hai and imprisoned in the Demon Suppression Tower.

It was unclear how he had escaped his iron cell to ambush Han Yuan, but his attempt had clearly failed.

Hearing the Withered Bone Monk's words, Han Yuan smiled. "I've lost count of how many people have wanted to drink my blood."

"In the end, I tore every single one of them to shreds."

The Withered Bone Monk laughed heartily. "Then let's see if I have what it takes!"

As he spoke, he pressed his palms together and began to chant a strange sutra.

In an instant, Han Yuan's vision blurred. It was as if a giant Skeleton Ghost King, wielding a Serrated Saber, was slashing down at him.

'Interesting...'

Han Yuan smiled to himself.

It was neither an illusion nor a physical entity.

In Han Yuan's estimation, it had to be some kind of sonic attack.

Most people in this situation would assume they were under an Illusion Technique and choose to ignore it.

But in reality, the Withered Bone Monk was exploiting that very assumption.

Ignoring it would leave one vulnerable to the sonic attack, potentially resulting in severe injury.

So, with a low roar, Han Yuan threw a heavy punch!

BANG!

The black-boned Skeleton Ghost King instantly shattered!

But the instant it dispersed, a horrifyingly sharp screech erupted!

This was the Withered Bone Monk's second move!

Even Han Yuan fell for it, his mind going blank for a split second.

The Withered Bone Monk had been waiting for this exact moment.

His Dharma Artifact was, of course, no longer in his possession, so he could only rely on a Magic Technique to kill Han Yuan.

The Withered Bone Monk's hands flew through a series of seals. A spectral skull wreathed in black mist materialized, opened its massive jaws, and lunged viciously at the seemingly unconscious Han Yuan.

BANG!

And then... an Iron Fist smashed the ghastly skull to pieces!

"How is that possible!"

The Withered Bone Monk's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Just messing with you."

"Did you really think I fell for it?"

Han Yuan said with a wide grin.

He had sealed his ears with Great Demon Qi in advance.

Thus, all of the Withered Bone Monk's efforts were for nothing.

The Withered Bone Monk's face fell.

But in the next second, Han Yuan was already upon him.

It went without saying what it meant for a Martial Artist to get in close to an Abnormal People.

THUD THUD THUD~~

It took Han Yuan little effort to smash the Withered Bone Monk's head to pieces with a single punch!

After finishing him off, Han Yuan turned to look again.

The stone staircase that had been hidden behind the wall was now a pitch-black cage.

If Han Yuan had stepped inside just now, the Withered Bone Monk would have cast a spell to trap him.