Chapter 68: Value

He watched the severed head soar through the air.

Lü San and the other Government Officials were so terrified their hearts pounded and their scalps went numb.

’So in this world, you can knock a head clean off a body with just your hands, not just by beheading?’

"So he was just a petty thief after all."

Han Yuan hadn’t expected him to die so easily and muttered to himself.

He searched the man’s corpse and quickly found some silver and two silver hairpins.

These were all stolen goods. Han Yuan couldn’t be bothered with such a small sum, so he left it.

Lü San, ever the quick-witted one, hurried to the Government Office to get help.

Soon, a few more Government Officials arrived to carry away the thief’s body, while Han Yuan and his men continued their patrol.

After this incident, Lü San and the other Government Officials held Han Yuan in even greater awe, terrified of misspeaking in his presence.

「Another hour passed.」

Han Yuan noticed Lü San and his men were growing tired and decided to find a place for them to rest.

Just then,

a figure suddenly darted across the rooftops in front of them, heading into the distance.

Upon seeing the dark figure, Han Yuan immediately shouted, "Thief! Where do you think you’re going!"

He leaped into the air, landing on the rooftop and giving chase.

In the blink of an eye,

Han Yuan’s figure vanished from the sight of Lü San and the other Government Officials.

"Old Lü... what do we do?"

One of the Government Officials was dumbfounded.

No one had expected Han Yuan to be so impulsive, chasing after the dark figure the moment he saw it.

"What else can we do?"

"We have to at least pretend to give chase."

Lü San said with a wry smile.

The other Government Officials all nodded and hurried off in the direction Han Yuan had disappeared.

....

SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH~~~

Two figures were rapidly leaping across the rooftops.

Han Yuan’s eyes were fixed on the dark figure as he pursued it relentlessly.

He had thought that with his Sky-Breaking Divine Power and the explosive burst of his Seven Stars Step, he could easily catch his target.

But to his surprise, the other person’s Body Technique was also impressive; they moved with the light and agile grace of a Spirit Cat.

"You there."

"Why do you keep chasing me?!"

The figure in front suddenly called out.

Han Yuan froze.

’Wasn’t this guy trying to lure me here on purpose?’

He sneered, "If you’ve got a clear conscience, then why are you running?"

"Obviously! If I get caught by you people from the Government Office..."

"...then even someone with a clear conscience will be made out to be a criminal."

The dark figure seemed to have a deep mistrust of the Government Office.

The next moment,

the figure in black suddenly spun around, flicking their wrist.

SWISH!

Dozens of faint, cold glints shot toward Han Yuan like a sudden downpour.

Han Yuan frowned, drew his Cold Blade with his right hand, and slashed forward.

The flash of his blade instantly whipped up a fierce torrent of air, scattering the cold glints.

CLANG CLANG CLANG~

Han Yuan glanced down. They were Silver Needles.

But that brief delay was all it took.

The dark figure had vanished without a trace.

"This guy... he’s fast."

Han Yuan muttered, not bothering to give chase any longer.

’I guess I really did chase the wrong person tonight,’ he thought.

Han Yuan leaped down from the roof, planning to regroup with Lü San and the others.

The chase had led him to an extremely remote street with no homes in sight.

But as he reached the end of the street, a strange smile touched his lips.

Ahead on the street, a brawny monk appeared before him. He was dressed in a pitch-black kasaya, his face covered with the tattoo of a vicious demon.

The monk wielded a Crescent Shovel and glared at Han Yuan with a savage gaze.

"Judging by your appearance, you must be Yan Xuan, the Tattooed Monk. Ranked seventieth on the Black List, Inner Breath Realm cultivation."

Han Yuan chuckled lightly.

This Tattooed Monk, Yan Xuan, was a rogue monk. No one knew where he had learned his martial arts, but he was known for his violent temperament, committing murder and arson, and acting with impunity.

He was called the Tattooed Monk because his face was covered in tattoos.

"That is I."

"Yesterday, I dreamt of the Buddha. He told me you are a demon star descended to the mortal realm."

"To prevent you from bringing calamity to the world, I have come tonight to personally send you to your final rest."

Yan Xuan put his palms together.

"Then you’ve made a mistake."

"Back in Qingshui County, they called me the Star of Slaughter Incarnate, not some demon star."

Han Yuan laughed.

"It doesn’t matter."

"They’re both malevolent stars, after all."

Yan Xuan said casually.

He was just looking for an excuse to kill Han Yuan.

"Yan Xuan, I have one more question for you."

Han Yuan asked seriously.

"Please, ask."

Yan Xuan wasn’t in a hurry to make his move.

’He’s just a Martial Artist in the Body Tempering Realm. There’s no way he can escape my grasp.’

"This head of mine... how much is it worth now?"

Han Yuan pointed to his own head.

"Your head, benefactor, is currently worth five thousand taels of silver!"

The moment Yan Xuan finished speaking, he attacked. The Crescent Shovel in his hand swung in a great arc, cleaving straight for Han Yuan’s head.

"What!"

"I’m only worth five thousand taels of silver?"

Han Yuan was getting angry.

He had thought that by now, his head would be worth at least ten thousand taels.

And Yan Xuan had taken the job for a mere five thousand taels!

As the Crescent Shovel descended like a streak of white lightning, Han Yuan violently drew his Cold Blade.

Eight Extremes·Shattering Wind Slash!

His Qi Power was astounding. Combined with the Shattering Wind Slash, it created a terrifying force that seemed capable of tearing through the very air.

CLANG!

Yan Xuan’s expression changed in shock, his bloodshot eyes looking as if they might burst from their sockets. His feet carved deep grooves into the ground as he was driven back five or six meters.

"The Tattooed Monk?"

"You don’t seem like much."

Han Yuan sneered, blade in hand.

"Your Qi Power is truly formidable, benefactor."

"But if I were to channel my Inner Breath, how would you possibly respond?"

Yan Xuan let out a low roar.

He circulated his Inner Breath. His muscles swelled rapidly, and the demon tattoo on his face seemed to come alive, faintly wreathed in black qi.

The next moment,

he swung his Crescent Shovel again, aiming a horizontal sweep at Han Yuan’s waist.

"Now this is more like it!"

Han Yuan grew excited. His muscles tensed, and with a flick of his wrist, the Cold Blade slashed out!

CLANG!!!

CLANG CLANG CLANG!!!

The two figures clashed madly in the dark alley.

Yan Xuan’s techniques were all grand, sweeping movements, and he continuously met the Cold Blade in a head-on collision!

But after more than ten clashes, the webbing between Yan Xuan’s thumbs and forefingers split open, bleeding from the immense force of the impacts.

"How is this possible!"

"Why is your Qi Power so terrifying!"

Yan Xuan exclaimed in shock.

He truly felt as if he were fighting a humanoid beast.

Even with his Inner Breath circulating, he still couldn’t match the other man’s monstrous strength!

"It’s because you’re too weak!"

"My true power... you have yet to witness it!"

Han Yuan’s wrist suddenly erupted with force. The instant he knocked the Crescent Shovel aside, he lunged forward.

Black Whale Sea-Covering Qi, erupt!!!!

BOOM!

In that instant, the muscles on Han Yuan’s entire left arm bulged grotesquely, the veins standing out like coiled serpents, a truly ferocious sight.

Mountain-Breaking Fist!

The punch shot forward with unstoppable force, as if it could shatter mountains.

Yan Xuan’s heart seized with terror. With a roar, he frantically channeled his Inner Breath to his chest.

BANG!

Han Yuan’s arm tore through Yan Xuan’s Inner Qi like it was paper, obliterating his muscles and bones, and sent him flying with a single punch.

Yan Xuan flew more than twenty meters. His entire chest was caved in, and he lay on the ground, continuously coughing up blood.

Han Yuan walked over to Yan Xuan’s side, his expression impassive. "Monk," he asked calmly, "this head of mine... what is it worth now?"

"Cough, cough, cough..."

"Now it should... be worth thirty thousand taels..."

Yan Xuan laughed as he coughed up blood.