I Grind to Martial Saint

”This thing’s head is really tough...”

Han Yuan panted, catching his breath.

This Wu Lian was certainly worthy of the name Blood Soul Evil.

She had him on the ropes for almost the entire fight. If he hadn’t mastered the Vajra Indestructible Divine Skill, which had greatly enhanced his physical strength, he might not have held out.

In the end, he resorted to a desperate, gambling attack to disrupt Wu Lian’s rhythm, then immediately unleashed his Transformed Whale State and completely obliterated her.

To be honest, the battle had been incredibly perilous.

”It’s not over... Be careful!”

But just then, Zhang Cang cried out.

In the next instant.

Wu Lian’s headless corpse suddenly dissolved into black ash.

Yet, the red dress she wore flew into the air, radiating a bizarre aura. It spread out like a great net, about to envelop Han Yuan!

Fortunately, warned by Zhang Cang, Han Yuan was prepared and shot backward in a flash.

”This red dress... the evil aura is so strong!”

Old Yan exclaimed in horror.

”This is the source that turned Wu Lian into an Evil Spirit.”

”Back then, Wu Lian’s corpse was thrown into the Cangjiang River by Luo Bing.”

”But as it happened, a piece of Evil Clothing was buried in the mud and sand at the bottom of the Cangjiang River.”

”The Evil Clothing must have sensed Wu Lian’s resentment and attached itself to her. That’s what allowed her to so quickly transform into a Blood Soul Evil, even gaining the power to influence the weather.”

Zhang Cang said in a low voice.

FWOOSH~~

Just then.

The red dress floated eerily into the air again, its two sleeves lashing out to coil around Han Yuan’s neck.

Han Yuan rolled aside, grabbing his Dragon Sparrow Cloud-Splitting Saber and swinging it wildly.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The Violent Blade Evil clashed relentlessly with the bizarre aura emanating from the dress’s sleeves.

”Fellow Daoist Zhang, do you have a plan?”

Old Yan asked hurriedly.

After that huge battle, Han Yuan had used up too much of his Qi Power. He clearly couldn’t hold on for much longer.

”Don’t worry... Without a host, the Evil Clothing is at its weakest!”

”But this body’s Magical Power is insufficient.”

”Fellow Daoist, I need to borrow your body!”

As Zhang Cang spoke, a ball of purple light shot from his body and flew into Old Yan.

Zhang Cang’s body immediately collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

When Old Yan opened his eyes again, they flashed with purple lightning. His entire demeanor had become solemn and profound.

While Han Yuan was still occupied with the red dress, Old Yan quickly knelt and pulled a small Peach Wood Sword from Zhang Cang’s robes.

”Old friend... help me one last time.”

Old Yan gazed at the small Wooden Sword, a flicker of sentiment in his eyes.

The Peach Wood Sword seemed to respond, faint patterns of lightning appearing on its ancient blade.

He quickly stood up, his hands forming an ancient and mysterious Dharma Seal.

”Thunder of heaven and earth, manifest your divine might!”

”Lei Gong, aid me!”

After reciting the Spell, Old Yan bit the tip of his tongue and spat a mouthful of Essence Blood onto the small Peach Wood Sword.

VMMMM~~~

Empowered by the Essence Blood, the small Peach Wood Sword instantly transformed into a bolt of purple lightning and shot forth!

The red dress seemed to sense the danger and tried to dodge.

But a vicious bolt of purple lightning descended upon it!

The instant the purple lightning touched the red dress.

KABOOM!!!

It was as if Divine Thunder had descended from the heavens!

A furious, deafening thunderclap suddenly erupted.

Even Han Yuan felt his ears ringing.

Then, a ball of purple lightning detonated!

The entire underwater cave was filled with crackling arcs of electricity.

The force of the explosion sent Han Yuan flying, slamming him hard against the cave wall.

After a moment.

He groggily shook his head and climbed to his feet.

He saw that the bizarre Evil Clothing had been utterly annihilated, turned to dust.

Old Yan picked up the Peach Wood Sword that had fallen to the ground.

The small Peach Wood Sword was now covered in cracks, clearly on the verge of destruction.

Old Yan couldn’t help but sigh heavily.

RUMBLE...

The underwater cave, having sustained a terrifying amount of force, began to shake violently.

”We need to go. Now.”

”This cave is about to collapse!”

Old Yan said in a deep voice.

Han Yuan nodded.

He hoisted the unconscious Zhang Cang onto his back and followed Old Yan out of the dark, underwater cave.

Not long after they escaped the grotto, they heard a tremendous crash.

The entire underwater cave had collapsed. The river’s current grew more turbulent as countless tons of mud and sand churned, turning the water completely opaque.

Han Yuan and Old Yan swam rapidly upward, breaking the surface a few moments later.

They didn’t rest, and continued to swim towards the shore.

When they finally dragged themselves ashore, soaking wet, they found themselves on an unfamiliar stretch of sand.

Clearly... this was not the place where they had initially entered the water.

”Senior... thank you for your help.”

Han Yuan collapsed onto the sand and said with a smile.

In truth, he had already noticed a change in Zhang Cang’s aura back at the Wind and Thunder Temple, but had chosen to keep his observations to himself.

”This was a disaster left brewing for over a hundred years... Resolving it now has finally put my lingering will to rest.”

Master Xuanye shook his head.

”Over a hundred years ago, to stop a flood from drowning Cangshui County Town... I entered the Cangjiang River alone, intending to destroy Wu Lian.”

”At that time, I faced Wu Lian at the height of her power.”

”We fought a great battle, and I came just shy of destroying her corpse.”

”Only by destroying the host could the Evil Clothing be truly defeated.”

”Back then, I only had one final attack left.”

”That one attack would have been enough to destroy Wu Lian.”

”But it would have cost me my life.”

”And the Evil Clothing would have remained, free to wreak havoc upon the world.”

”So, I did not make that final strike. Instead, I sealed Wu Lian away along with the Evil Clothing, and left behind a sliver of my own will.”

”And so I waited for over a hundred years.”

”Over a hundred years later, when you killed the greatly weakened Wu Lian, I finally found the opportunity to unleash that attack.”

”Senior... why did you choose Zhang Cang?”

Seizing the moment, Han Yuan voiced the question that had been on his mind.

”Because he has a Thunder Spirit Root. A talent like that is one in a hundred million...”

”I chose him... simply to pass on my legacy.”

Master Xuanye said softly.

”A Thunder Spirit Root?! So that guy Zhang Cang actually has the legendary Celestial Spirit Root?”

Han Yuan was astonished.

He had heard before that among Abnormal People, there was an extremely rare talent called the Celestial Spirit Root.

He never imagined Zhang Cang possessed such a gift.

”Correct... but it is a latent Thunder Spirit Root... If not for its perfect compatibility with my own teachings... even this sliver of my will wouldn’t have been able to sense it.”

Master Xuanye said.

Understanding dawned on Han Yuan.

He thought for a moment, then asked again: ”Senior, that Evil Clothing just now, what was it?”

Master Xuanye’s expression grew grim. ”That Evil Clothing must have been severely contaminated by an Evil Demon Seed. That’s the only way it could possess such bizarre power.”

Han Yuan frowned. ”An Evil Demon Seed again?!”

’I had my suspicions when I was fighting that red dress earlier.’

”Director Han, Wu Lian was able to break my seal not just by using the resentment of the drowned, but also because of the recent changes in the world. As for the specifics of that mystery, even I cannot say.”

”But the Evil Demon Seed is terrifying and inauspicious... Now that it has re-emerged, I fear the world is destined for another catastrophe.”

”Unfortunately, I can no longer slay demons and banish evil.”

After Master Xuanye finished speaking, he couldn’t help but let out a long sigh.

While his will had been residing within Zhang Cang, he had learned about the current state of the world through his host’s memories.

”Don’t worry, Senior.”

”From what I know of Zhang Cang...”

”He won’t let you down.”

Han Yuan said in a deep voice.