Chapter 24: Cai Jin Jian

"In that case, so be it."

"Does that mean you agree, sir?"

Su Ling turned around, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. Seeing Qi Jingchun nod with a faint smile, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

As for why he was so persistent about resisting the three-thousand-year-old wrath of Heaven accumulated in this small town, it was exactly as he had just said—he intended to use it to forge his physical body.

To put it bluntly, while the wrath of Heaven was viewed as a terrifying force by ordinary people and even by those with great supernatural powers, to him, it was merely a rare and exceptional training ground. Bathing in the flames of Heaven’s fury would accelerate his mastery of martial arts faster than ever before.

In other words, just as people die for wealth and birds perish for food, even though he possessed a "limit-breaking" device that could be called invincible, he still needed a goal; otherwise, he would truly become as dull-eyed and vacant as Saitama.

Moreover, this was not a suicide mission. He had genuine confidence that he could withstand the wrath of Heaven without dying; otherwise, he would never have risked confronting a power capable of destroying all things.

However, in the eyes of outsiders—even to Qi Jingchun and the hidden masters within the town—he was simply throwing his life away, and in a particularly foolish manner at that. After all, his true strength had yet to be revealed to the world. Even his master, Ruan Qiong, of whom he was so proud, could not fathom the full extent of his power.

Su Ling had only exposed the tip of the iceberg, leading outsiders to misjudge his true capabilities. The world only knew he had the potential of a Martial God, but they did not understand just how terrifying his strength had become.

After three years of unremitting persistence, his strength and physique had fully reached the level of Saitama. After all, the horrific scenes of splitting the Earth with a single punch or shattering a cosmic tyrant with a serious blow were concepts the natives of this world simply could not grasp. In the near future, his name would resound throughout this vast world, firmly establishing his legend as the Martial God. Even though his martial path had not yet reached the realm of a Martial God, it did not stop him from possessing the strength and physique comparable to one.

"When the town begins to collapse, you need only call my name, and you will be exposed to the wrath of Heaven. If you go back on your word..."

"A man of honor keeps his word! Once spoken, it cannot be retracted even by a team of four horses!" Su Ling declared with grand spirit, his voice ringing out with strength and resolve.

Hearing this, Qi Jingchun’s brow relaxed, a smile gracing his lips. To Su Ling’s astonishment, Qi Jingchun actually bowed to him.

"Then, Qi Jingchun offers his gratitude to the future Martial God."

***

Hearing this, Su Ling was momentarily stunned, but he quickly understood. Indeed, while his personal power might be insignificant in the face of Heaven’s wrath, he was nonetheless helping to resist the force that was set to destroy the town.

Although Qi Jingchun possessed wisdom as vast as the sea, in this matter concerning the lives of over six thousand residents, he had been forced to make the most painful of choices. Su Ling’s appearance served as a gesture; though his starting point was perhaps too pragmatic, in the end, he was a fellow traveler on the same path as Qi Jingchun.

"You are too kind, sir," Su Ling replied with a fist-and-palm salute, not considering himself a saint with the virtue to care for the entire world.

When the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally find a way. Regarding this, there was no doubt. After a brief discussion with Qi Jingchun, Su Ling bid farewell to the saint who was sacrificing his life to redeem the town’s inhabitants.

Walking down the mountain, his heart’s desire fulfilled, Su Ling moved with a spring in his step. However, this joy vanished the moment he stepped into Mud Bottle Alley.

The sky was growing dark. Despite it being near noon, thick, heavy clouds blotted out the sun, making the town below appear somber and gloomy. From a distance, Su Ling saw a slender figure on the dirt road near Chen Pingan’s home, seemingly in a standoff with the boy.

The figure belonged to a natural-born beauty; she had a fiery physique, a slender waist, and legs that were fair and slim, exposed beneath her gilded silk robes. She was dressed in opulent, regal attire, her hands clasped gracefully in front of her like a lady of high standing. Though he could not see her fully, a fleeting glance at her profile revealed a captivating, delicate charm, and she carried an aura of an ethereal immortal that could not be ignored.

However, her furrowed brows suggested that the woman was currently consumed by rage. She was not the only one there; beside her stood a young man in grey robes, carrying himself with an air of distinction, appearing much like a pampered young master.

Seeing this scene, Su Ling pondered for a moment and immediately recalled the plot from the original story. The two people confronting Chen Pingan were, on one hand, the daughter of the Master of Cloud Glow Mountain, who had come in search of future opportunities, and on the other, Fu Nanhua, the young master of Old Dragon City, who had come alongside her.

Cai Jinjian was narrow-minded; for some trivial reason, she had harbored a grudge against Chen Pingan, whom she dismissed as nothing more than a "mud-legged" piece of trash. At this moment, she seemed bewildered, her eyes flashing with murderous intent, ready to step forward and kill the innocent Chen Pingan just to be rid of the eyesore.

***

"Hmph, you damned mud-legged brat, how dare you make this immortal step in dog filth!"

"You deserve to die a thousand deaths!"

Chen Pingan frowned, wondering how this person could be so unreasonable. Because of a mere accidental collision, she was spewing insults and openly threatening to grind his bones into dust.

"You little bastard, you still dare to stare at me!"

Cai Jinjian was infuriated. With a cold snort, rage ignited within her. She gathered her internal magical energy into her palm, and with a sudden burst of speed, she lunged at Chen Pingan like a swift, ferocious leopard.

Beside her, Fu Nanhua showed no intention of intervening, as if the tragedy about to unfold before him was nothing more than drifting smoke, not worth a second thought.

Cai Jinjian’s speed was blinding, invisible to the naked eye. Although Chen Pingan was a martial artist of the Mud Embryo stage, he could not react in time. His pupils constricted; before he could even move, the ferocious-looking Cai Jinjian was already right in front of him.

However, just as her palm, filled with murderous intent, pressed against Chen Pingan’s chest, ready to shatter the "Bridge of Longevity" within his body, Cai Jinjian suddenly felt a sharp, searing pain in her arm.

In the next instant, a burly figure appeared beside her, grabbing the arm she had pressed against Chen Pingan with one hand.

"What a vicious woman."

Su Ling’s undisguised reprimand reached the ears of Cai Jinjian, who was now grimacing in pain. Overwhelmed by a double dose of frustration, she instantly flew into a rage.

"Where did you crawl out from, you dog bastard? How dare you interfere in my affairs!"

"How bold!"

Su Ling could not help but shout, his sharp, piercing gaze as bloodthirsty as a wild beast, instantly extinguishing more than half of Cai Jinjian’s arrogance.

Cai Jinjian felt a surge of fear precisely because he was no longer suppressing his overwhelming aura. It felt as if she were facing the most savage and brutal beast from the ancient world. Her hands and feet turned cold, and she was plunged into a state of panic.