Great Li Martial God

The molten gold vortexes lit up once more in Murong Xiaoya’s eyes, and in the next instant she drove a palm strike upward into the roof of the cavern above her.

The vast martial True Qi within her body and the raging flames around her condensed into an enormous palm of golden fire that shot skyward, and in a single moment blasted straight through the entire cavern from underground to the surface above.

The ruins of the buildings covering the ground above were lifted by the terrifying heat wave and sent flying into the air.

The wing-shadows folded and dissolved. Murong Xiaoya, trailing threads of red-gold fire from her entire body, pierced through the darkness and rose from the depths of the cavern, reaching the airspace above the Murong estate, now reduced to a field of rubble, in an instant.

In that moment she stood suspended in the air, her slender figure cutting against the night sky, both eyes blazing with golden light, burning like a great sun against the pitch-black heavens above.

Then she reached down toward the ruins below with a casual grab. An invisible phantom of True Qi seized a black robe from among the wreckage and sent it flying up to her.

At the same time, the red-gold flames wreathing her body vanished in an instant, and she wrapped the robe around herself.

With all of this done, Murong Xiaoya looked down at the ruins of the entire Murong estate spread below her. Her face held no expression, but killing intent rolled off her in waves.

In the next instant, her figure moved and vanished from the air without a trace.

...At the same time, having failed to find Murong Xiaoya, Hu Rui’an and the others, already some distance from the Murong estate, suddenly spun around and looked back toward the ruins behind them.

In an instant, every face in the group wore an expression of profound shock.

”What is this terrifying aura, and who carries such killing intent?”

Hu Rui’an’s brow creased tightly. The staggering aura that had radiated from the direction of the Murong estate a moment ago had been enough to make even him shudder involuntarily, sending a cold sensation crawling up his spine as though a blade were pressed against his back.

The others around him, including Cao Gaoshan and Shen Anran, felt the same.

Yet their martial cultivation fell short of Hu Rui’an’s, and even at such a distance they had been subdued by that aura and killing intent, a thread of fear and unease rising in each of their hearts that none could suppress.

They exchanged glances with bewildered, startled expressions, and in the end every one of them, Hu Rui’an included, turned to look toward Li Musheng inside the carriage.

Li Musheng reached up and lifted the curtain, his gaze turning toward the direction of the Murong estate. His expression was thoughtful as he said, ”That was Miss Murong’s aura. But she is no longer the same Miss Murong as before.”

Hearing this, Hu Rui’an and the others all froze, then looked at him with faces full of confusion.

”Your Highness, Miss Murong’s martial cultivation was no higher than Grandmaster. Yet the aura just now was stronger than Murong Hong by a margin I cannot begin to measure.”

Hu Rui’an found it almost impossible to believe. How much time had passed?

Even if she had consumed a divine martial pill and received a direct transfer of power from a peak-level martial artist, the change between before and after should not have been this vast.

Li Musheng glanced at Hu Rui’an and raised an eyebrow, saying, ”You ask me, and I cannot tell you either. But Miss Murong is certainly not who she was.”

As he spoke, Li Musheng’s gaze swept across the ruins of the Murong estate, and he let out a quiet sigh.

The brutality of conflict between martial world factions was no less than war itself.

If he was being honest, this was the first time he had witnessed a scene this cruel. He only felt that the world was far too chaotic, and that human life was worth truly nothing, no more than blades of grass.

The others who had heard Li Musheng’s words now wore expressions stranger still, their shock even greater than before.

After all, they knew Li Musheng had no reason to deceive them. Yet accepting that Murong Xiaoya had come to possess such overwhelming strength in so short a time was too fantastical, too far beyond the bounds of what any of them understood as possible. It seemed none of them could quite bring themselves to accept it.

At that point Li Musheng rubbed his chin, his gaze still fixed on the direction of the Murong estate, and said with a thoughtful air, ”No ordinary method could raise one’s strength this quickly. Miss Murong certainly carries a great secret. And beyond that, the aura she is giving off now gives me a vague feeling of familiarity...”

Hearing this, something shifted in Hu Rui’an’s expression. He considered for a brief moment, then asked, ”Your Highness, should I still follow Miss Murong?”

Li Musheng looked at him and raised an eyebrow, saying, ”Commissioner Hu, her strength now is beyond yours by who knows how much. Do you think there is still any point in following her? Though of course, if you wish to follow, I will not stop you.”

Hu Rui’an thought it over and supposed that was true enough. He glanced back once toward the Murong estate, then said no more on the matter.

Li Musheng sighed, and turned to Hu Rui’an, saying, ”The Murong estate is naturally no place to stay now. In that case, let me accompany all of you to the Tianjin Guards branch office tonight. We can shelter there for the night, and take the opportunity to see what this matter of the ghost is actually about.”

Plans had a way of not surviving contact with events. Li Musheng had originally had no intention of involving himself in anything related to some ghost, but with nowhere else to go he might as well look into the Tianjin Guards branch office.

Besides, while Li Musheng had no fear of any ghost, being attached to something inexplicable like this still felt somewhat irritating regardless.

The moment those words left his mouth, both Hu Rui’an and Wu Shang’s faces lit up with undisguised relief and gratitude.

Though the ghost at the Tianjin Guards branch office had not acted today, and with Li Musheng present they had no need to fear it in any case, having Li Musheng willing to personally resolve the situation and eliminate this threat hanging over them was naturally more than welcome. Both felt deeply grateful.

They answered at once without hesitation, then immediately drove the carriage forward in the direction of the Tianjin Guards branch office.

...

At the same time, among the ruins of the Murong estate.

The elderly man in the brocade robe led disciples from the four great families in a thorough search of the grounds, leaving no corner unchecked, determined not to let a single survivor escape. Every last member of the Murong household was to be wiped out without trace.

”Elder, we have searched the entirety of the Murong estate. We can confirm there are no survivors. Those requiring a finishing blow have all been dealt with. Except...”

A young man from the Zhu family began his report, then paused midway and looked up at the elderly man in the brocade robe before him.

The old man waved a hand with complete indifference, saying, ”I am already aware that Murong Hong’s youngest daughter has not been dealt with. I will explain the matter to the family head myself. You need not concern your...”

But before he could finish, the elderly man’s eyes suddenly narrowed sharply as he snapped his gaze upward toward a figure that had leaped out from among the ruins ahead.

Murong Xiaoya was clad in black robes. Charred timber and broken beams crumbled beneath her feet, and as her hem swept through embers that had not yet gone cold, scattered sparks flared back to life and grey ash and smoke rolled upward in her wake.

The moment the elderly man in the brocade robe caught sight of her, he immediately scanned the surrounding area. Seeing that neither Hu Rui’an nor any of the others were following at her side, a flash of killing intent crossed his aged face and he said, ”Miss Murong, rather than staying hidden you have come out to find your own death?”

Even as he spoke, the elderly man in the brocade robe was already striking with the force of thunder, condensing a True Qi palm strike through the air and driving it down toward Murong Xiaoya.