Chapter 32: Tyrant Blade

Realizing his brain was no longer functional, Chen Luo began examining the remaining traces on the corpse.

This skill came from his training as a grave digger under Third Uncle, allowing him to deduce numerous details from a body, such as how the person was killed, the approximate strength of their assailant, and the martial arts they specialized in.

Grave digging was considered a lowly occupation, often looked down upon by many. However, every profession has its unique aspects. Despite not knowing any martial arts, Third Uncle had spent most of his life as a grave digger, becoming highly proficient in studying corpses. Few in Qingya County could match his expertise. Chen Luo, having assisted his uncle for several years, had already mastered these skills.

‘A single fatal strike; brute force alone couldn’t achieve this.’

Chen Luo examined the wound closely, discerning some clues from the cut’s edge.

The killer possessed remarkably strong inner qi, complemented by a heavy blade that seemed nearly unstoppable. If encountered, engaging head-on with such an enemy would be unwise.

After inspecting this corpse, Chen Luo continued moving forward.

As Chen Luo approached the river, he discovered another corpse nearby. This one was even more gruesome, with only half of its body remaining. The wound showed signs of a heavy blade, but this time, the attacker had made a sweeping cut, leaving behind only the lower half.

Presumably, the upper portion fell into the river and was swept away.

“Even black iron armor couldn’t withstand it?” Chen Luo halted, his expression turning slightly grave.

Although only the lower half of the corpse remained, the armor was still intact. Even General Fan’s armor from their encounter in the courtyard could not compare to this exquisite set. Considering that such high-quality armor was cleaved in two, the force exerted by the assailant must have been terrifyingly immense.

Chen Luo carefully detached a piece of iron from the armor and attempted to crush it with his hand.

Infusing inner qi and exerting maximum effort, he managed to leave only a faint mark on the iron fragment. At his current stage, having just entered Bone Tempering, he was unable to split it as effortlessly as the assailant had done.

This realization heightened Chen Luo’s vigilance.

The hidden adversary was far more brutal than he anticipated, and judging by the military-like discipline of those surrounding him, there were additional players involved.

‘Someone else has targeted the spirit mine!’

Chen Luo tossed the metal fragment to the roadside and swiftly disappeared into the darkness.

He had already discovered the location of the mines during his reconnaissance over the past few days.

Initially, very few were involved, and it was only through probing General Fan’s memories that he found this place. Normally, aside from himself, no one else should have known about it. However, its exposure indicated that someone, besides General Fan, harbored secret intentions towards the spirit mine, even managing to deceive General Fan’s surveillance.

Indeed, Chen Luo wasn’t the only one dissatisfied with mediocrity; Prince Ning’s influence alone couldn’t suppress the ambition inherent in human nature.

After crossing the river, Chen Luo continued onward but at a significantly slower pace.

Having sensed such a formidable presence lurking nearby, caution could never be excessive.

Not long after, he heard the sounds of combat again, now unmistakably clear. Judging by the distance, they were no more than five hundred meters away.

Spotting a crooked tree ahead in a mountain crevice, Chen Luo leaped effortlessly onto it. Like a nocturnal predator blending seamlessly with the night, he became one with the darkness.

Peering down from the tree branch, he spotted a shallow canyon below. A group of individuals were engaged in fierce combat, with numerous fallen torches scattered nearby, igniting dead trees and wagons. The flames illuminated the entire area.

“A caravan?” Chen Luo’s eyes flickered.

He hadn’t anticipated that the caravan would get ahead of him.

Considering the time lost at the riverbank and the detour taken, it made sense—after all, the caravan had traveled straight along their route.

On one side stood figures clad in coarse linen garments, while on the other were the caravan guards. Surprisingly, there were no armored soldiers as expected; perhaps they had already been slaughtered. Both factions clashed intensely, locked in a deadlock battle.

At the center, a burly man wielding a golden bladed ring saber dominated, leaving a three-meter radius devoid of any living opponents. None of the caravan members dared to approach him, helplessly watching as the giant shouldered his massive blade and steadily advanced towards the protected carriage.

The night wind blew gently.

Suddenly, with a loud explosion, the carriage burst open. A figure shot out like an arrow released from its bow, aiming directly for the burly man’s throat.

“Bring it on!” Despite being slower, the man reacted swiftly, blocking the strike flawlessly with his golden bladed ring saber held horizontally before him.

Their inner qi clashed violently in mid-air, generating fierce gusts that made flames flicker wildly and flattened swathes of wild grass like falling wheat. The weaker caravan guards were swept away, while the mountain bandits scattered to avoid the area of their confrontation.

“How powerful!”

The intense gales reached even the outskirts, affecting Chen Luo hidden among the treetops, who felt the immense pressure.

Such terrifying inner qi strength; even ten of him combined would not stand a chance against these warriors.

Both individuals below clearly hailed from extraordinary backgrounds, undoubtedly top-tier geniuses trained since childhood. Even Cripple Ma at his peak likely wouldn’t have qualified to challenge them, as they operated on a completely different level.

“The concentration of their inner qi suggests they may no longer be in the Bone Tempering Realm.”

With just a moment’s thought, Chen Luo deduced the realm of the combatants below.

They must undoubtedly be beyond Bone Tempering - Zongshi Masters!

Cripple Ma had briefly mentioned the Zongshi realm before, but he himself had never witnessed it firsthand, relying mostly on conjecture when describing it. Consequently, Chen Luo lacked direct understanding until now. With one glance, he confirmed their realms, for the Bone Tempering Realm could never achieve such might.

While Chen Luo pondered, the two figures below engaged fully in battle.

Sword and blade glimmers flashed incessantly; sword strikes swift as thunderbolts, while the blade’s presence immovable as a mountain. Both combatants displayed remarkably exquisite techniques, yet even with Chen Luo’s current realm, he could barely comprehend three layers of their moves, let alone anyone else present.

After a fierce clash, the sword-wielding man flew backward, eventually landing atop the overturned carriage. In contrast, the burly knife wielder stood firm like a celestial deity, not budging an inch.

The disparity between them was evident at first glance.

“Not bad. I’ll give you a chance—hand over the goods, and I might spare your life.” The burly man grinned confidently, seeming assured of his victory.

“It’s too soon to decide who dies today.”

The sword-wielding man reached into his robe, retrieved a pill, and swiftly consumed it. As the pill settled within him, his fluctuating aura stabilized.

“You’re pushing your luck.”

The expression on the burly man’s face darkened, and he raised his massive blade, pointing its tip directly at the sword-wielder.

“Don’t tell me you still think those hidden guards will save you? Let me enlighten you for free: those lackeys you’re waiting for have already been chopped by yours truly!” His voice boomed like thunder, and as the words echoed, the burly man charged forward.

In a blink, akin to teleportation, before the sword-wielder could react, the burly figure loomed above him.

With both arms raised high, the golden-hilted ring-blade gleamed brightly under the night’s firelight.

Mountain-Cleaving Strike!

The sword-wielder’s face paled, instinctively attempting to flee, but it was too late.

Just like the man himself, the strike from the burly warrior was overwhelmingly ruthless.