My Martial Dao Has No Bottlenecks

Ye Zhiqiu frowned. With a flick of his blade, he blocked the black smoke, and a pulse of his True Essence scattered it completely.

By the time the black smoke cleared, the old man had already grabbed Scarface and fled dozens of yards away.

"Stay."

Ye Zhiqiu whispered. A Sword Aura shot from his longsword, transforming into a silent, gleaming rainbow that pierced the mist and precisely sank into Scarface’s back, right through his heart.

As the blade emerged from his chest, it carried a string of frozen blood droplets. Scarface stared down at the sword tip, his eyes filled with disbelief, and collapsed.

The old man was terrified out of his wits. Biting the tip of his tongue, he spat out a mouthful of Essence Blood. His body transformed into a crimson shadow and fled frantically, vanishing into the valley’s depths in an instant.

Ye Zhiqiu turned to Liang Cheng. "We can’t catch him. That was the Blood Burning Escape Technique. It doubles one’s speed, but it severely damages their foundation. He probably won’t recover for at least three years."

Leaning on his saber and gasping for breath, Liang Cheng felt the wound on his left shoulder tear open again, staining half his clothes red. He surveyed the carnage on the ground, a vicious glint flashing in his eyes.

"The Treasure Pavilion’s Medicine Collection Team... Junior Brother, when did you get on their bad side?"

Ye Zhiqiu asked as he squatted down and pulled an Identity Token from one of the bodies.

"It’s a long story. I’ll explain later, Senior Brother. But how did you end up here?"

"Master was worried about you, so he sent me to follow you. I didn’t expect someone would actually try to kill you. We can’t stay here. The Li Family and the Treasure Pavilion will likely hear about this soon."

Liang Cheng nodded. He secured the Yin Marrow Pearl and the Demon Core, and the two of them quickly departed the blood-soaked valley.

...

「Yunhai City, Third Floor of the Treasure Pavilion.」

The black-robed elder from the Medicine Collection Team looked drained, his face pale. As Qian Wanjing listened to his report, the smile on his own plump face vanished completely.

"Ye Zhiqiu..."

"To think that Chen Xuanfeng would send a Direct Disciple to secretly protect Liang Cheng."

He tapped his fingers on the table, a cold glint in his eyes. "Things being what they are, the Treasure Pavilion’s assassination attempt on a Main Courtyard disciple must not be exposed."

"Steward Qian, Liang Cheng and Ye Zhiqiu must have found evidence on the bodies of the Medicine Collection Team..."

"Then we’ll just have to make sure they never get the chance to present it."

Qian Wanjing cut him off, a smile returning to his face. "Elder Ye, isn’t Li Feng dead? He makes the perfect scapegoat."

He then summoned a trusted subordinate and ordered in a low voice, "Go and spread the news. Tell everyone that Young Master Li Feng of the Li Family killed the Mountain-Devouring Ghost Ape in Black Wind Abyss and obtained the Yin Marrow Pearl, only to be ambushed and killed by the Main Courtyard disciple, Liang Cheng, who then stole the treasure."

Elder Ye heard this and hesitated. "Will the Li Family believe it?"

"The fact is, Li Feng is dead. And it’s also a fact that Liang Cheng has the Yin Marrow Pearl."

Qian Wanjing sneered. "That old bastard Li Kuangtao is hot-headed to begin with. In the throes of grief over his son, do you think he’ll investigate carefully? He’ll only want the murderer to pay with their life."

"But the Main Courtyard..."

"The Li Family also has an old ancestor, one who doesn’t have much time left. I doubt the Main Courtyard wants to go crazy along with a desperate old madman."

"In that case, the Main Courtyard will also have to demand evidence."

Qian Wanjing picked up a teacup and handed it to the black-robed elder.

"All of our people are dead, so there’s no one to testify against us. As for Li Feng, Liang Cheng really did kill him. Regarding the assassination, we’ll claim we were eyewitnesses and that Ye Zhiqiu and Liang Cheng tried to kill us to silence us."

"This way, we muddy the waters, and no one’s hands are clean. Furthermore, I’ll report to the Tower Lord immediately. Our Treasure Pavilion must also play its part convincingly."

He paused. "I’ll just have to trouble you, Elder Ye, to accompany me to the Martial Arts Academy when the time comes."

Elder Ye pondered for a moment before nodding. "Fine!"

After Elder Ye left, Qian Wanjing sighed. He then went to report to Yun Yizhou, the lord of the Treasure Pavilion’s Four Islands Alliance Sub-Branch.

When Qian Wanjing emerged from the room, his expression was grave.

’I shouldn’t have been so impulsive, letting the Medicine Collection Team make a move. Now I’m riding a tiger and can’t get off. I have no choice but to see this through to the bitter end.’

...

「Main Courtyard, Foreign Affairs Hall.」

Liang Cheng submitted the Tier Three Demon Core of the Mountain-Devouring Ghost Ape. A Steward Disciple verified it and presented the reward: three bottles of Jade Marrow Condensing True Pills and a portion of Earth Core Marrow Tempering Milk.

Just as he was about to leave, a sudden uproar erupted outside the Foreign Affairs Hall.

A group of people in Li Family attire stormed in. At their head was a red-robed elder with fierce, round eyes and a bristling beard—it was the Li Family Patriarch, Li Kuangtao, a True Gang Realm cultivator!

Following him were two Li Family Elders, both experts at the True Essence Late Stage Realm. They carried a sedan chair upon which sat a gaunt, white-haired elder.

"Main Courtyard, I demand justice! My son was treacherously murdered by Liang Cheng! Please, grant me justice!"

Li Kuangtao’s voice boomed like thunder, causing the entire hall to tremble.

A Steward from the Foreign Affairs Hall frowned and stepped forward. "Patriarch Li, this is the Foreign Affairs Hall of the Main Courtyard. Please..."

"My heir, the eldest son of the Li Family, is dead!"

Li Kuangtao then took a step forward and dropped to his knees. The Steward scrambled back, his expression changing drastically. A quick-witted disciple beside him immediately struck the Golden Bell of the Foreign Affairs Hall.

"Main Courtyard, grant me justice!"

At that moment, someone behind Li Kuangtao pointed at Liang Cheng and whispered in his ear. Li Kuangtao’s eyes went bloodshot. He shot to his feet, took a single step, and his right palm, glowing red-hot like a branding iron, slammed down toward the top of Liang Cheng’s head, imbued with his furious True Gang!

The palm strike was filled with rage, and the full might of his True Gang Realm cultivation erupted. The surrounding disciples found it hard to breathe, unable to move an inch.

Liang Cheng’s pupils contracted. He instantly pushed his Mixed Element Gang Body to its absolute limit, yet he still felt as if a mountain were crashing down on him. At his side, Ye Zhiqiu shoved him with all his strength.

But they were still within the palm’s range. In the instant the attack was about to land, a cyan figure appeared before Liang Cheng like a phantom and flicked a sleeve.

"Patriarch Li, cease your insolence!"

THUMP!

The palm and sleeve collided with a dull thud. Li Kuangtao was sent flying backward, crashing to the floor.

Chen Xuanfeng stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression serene.

"Elder Chen!"

Li Kuangtao’s expression changed. He glanced at the ancestor behind him, then gritted his teeth in fury.