Chapter 79 - 76: Cheng Shan’s Death, The Mysterious Woman’s Concealment

Initially, Xu Guang assumed Duan Jue wouldn’t ask him to intervene again. To his surprise, Li Xiao brought a group to find him that very afternoon.

Li Xiao said in a solemn voice, "Marshal Xu, something’s happened.

"Ever since Feiyun City went into lockdown yesterday, the remnants of the Han and Liu Families have had nowhere to run. Driven to desperation, they are now indiscriminately slaughtering the younger generation of the Three Guards within the city. The other marshals are tied up with their own missions, so Lord City Guardian requests that you step in and escort the young ones scattered across the Outer City back safely."

Xu Guang looked a bit dazed. Without realizing it, he had outgrown the "younger generation" in Feiyun City and had become one of the "older generation." The thought amused him. However, he didn’t agree immediately. Instead, he asked in a deep voice, "What does Lord City Guardian say about the matters outside the city?"

Li Xiao’s expression turned peculiar as he hesitated. "Lord City Guardian said to ignore it. Zhang Qing is currently busy with other matters and will not enter the city."

Zhang Qing was busy with other matters and wouldn’t enter the city?

Surprised, Xu Guang waited for Li Xiao to leave before summoning Song Tao to carefully inquire about the appearance of the tombstone outside the city. As Song Tao described it, Xu Guang cross-referenced the information with what he had found using the Searcher at noon. Suddenly, something clicked in his mind.

The Yellow Heaven Sect’s goal had never been Feiyun City—it was that stele!

Steles served many purposes, mostly to commemorate people or events. Was the Celestial Stele outside the city used for sacrifices, was it a tombstone, or was it meant for observation? If it was a tombstone... who would use such an earth-shattering method to bury someone? And who exactly was buried there?

A barrage of questions surfaced in his mind. Unable to figure it out, Xu Guang simply left it all to the Searcher. Just as he expected, both the stele’s origins and the time required for the search exceeded his expectations. It would take at least ten years!

Clearly, the secrets held within were far beyond what someone with a Refining Viscera Cultivation could know.

What could it be? Nevertheless, his current mission was to head to the Outer City and bring the younger generation back. Along the way, he also had a few personal matters to settle.

Upon leaving the Inner City, Xu Guang once again felt the sensation of being watched.

He ordered Li Xiao and the others to wait where they were. Then, he casually strolled into an alley, his face as calm as still water.

"Come out, Elder Cheng!"

The wind blew gently, lifting the dust stirred up by the continuous battles over the past few days into the sky, casting a hazy gray veil over the alley. As the wind died down, a figure slowly stepped out. It was indeed Cheng Shan.

Xu Guang’s gaze was indifferent. He just watched Cheng Shan quietly, the Big Spear in his hand vibrating with a soft HUMMING sound.

"Xu Guang, I will ask you one more time. Did you kill Pang Hong?!" Cheng Shan demanded, his hair and beard flaring out wildly, making him look like a frenzied demon.

Xu Guang shook his head decisively. "No."

"How can you prove it?"

"How am I supposed to prove a negative? Why doesn’t Elder Cheng prove that I *did* kill him?" Xu Guang laughed out of sheer anger.

Cheng Shan fell silent, a powerful killing intent erupting from his body. Without another word, both men charged at each other with perfect, deadly synchronization.

Cheng Shan considered himself a veteran Refining Viscera expert. Yang Sha was only famous because he founded the black market outside the city, but his cultivation was merely at the One Viscera Realm. In his eyes, Xu Guang had only broken through by a stroke of luck, and killing Yang Sha was purely due to the power of his Martial Intent. But Cheng Shan possessed Martial Intent too!

[Cheng Shan (Human). Combat Power: Elite Level Training Refining Viscera Realm]

The wind surged.

The Big Spear quivered like a roaring dragon. Cheng Shan finally drew his own weapons: a pair of Eight-sided Maces.

Cheng Shan spoke softly, displaying traditional martial courtesy. "Thunderbolt Skill, Cheng Shan!"

Xu Guang remained silent. Ever since Cheng Shan fired an arrow at him yesterday, he had completely abandoned any notion of playing by some bullshit martial arts honor code with this man.

The Big Spear thrust forward, accompanied by howling winds that continuously pierced through the surrounding walls. The twin maces in Cheng Shan’s hands moved like raging thunderbolts, clashing endlessly with the spear in mid-air.

"Enough! There’s no need for these probing attacks. Unleash your Martial Intent!" Cheng Shan shouted. His aura abruptly transformed. The Qi Mechanism around him stagnated, sealing the space like a Treasure Bottle, as his killing intent slowly materialized into a tangible force.

Xu Guang’s expression remained placid. He merely extended his arm, gripping the very end of the spear. The Big Spear trembled, transforming into a sweeping dragon as it let out continuous roaring cries.

"Once I capture you, if it truly wasn’t your doing, I’ll spare your life!"

With an explosive shout from Cheng Shan, the ground beneath his feet instantly shattered. He blurred into a phantom, spinning multiple times in mid-air. Like Celestial Thunder descending from the sky, he plummeted toward Xu Guang, carrying a deafening rumble of thunder.

The twin maces danced through the air, transforming into two golden dragons that radiated a terrifying presence.

Xu Guang kicked the center of the Big Spear. The weapon vibrated wildly. Power surged through his arms and converged into the Long Spear, causing specks of golden light to manifest at the tip.

CLANG!

The weapons met in mid-air, releasing a horrifying, explosive sound. The walls on both sides of the alley instantly collapsed outward.

Dust billowed everywhere.

Their silhouettes were swallowed by the debris, leaving only the relentless sounds of clashing weapons echoing from within.

BOOM!

An earth-shaking collision rang out, followed immediately by rippling shockwaves blasting outward in concentric circles.

Cheng Shan stood with one arm forward and the other pulled back, his twin maces speckled with blood. Xu Guang gripped the Big Spear, resting the tail end on the ground to support his slightly swaying, unsteady body.

"If this is all you have, you are no match for me!

"I ask you again, did you kill Pang Hong?! Were you the one who leaked the Eight Desolates Invincible Scripture?!" He roared, his hair bristling like a maddened lion.

Xu Guang still shook his head. "It really wasn’t me."

"Since you refuse to do this the easy way, we’ll do it the hard way!" Cheng Shan took a heavy step forward.

What followed was an endless barrage of strikes raining down.

CLANG CLANG CLANG!

The two exchanged blows at lightning speed. Weapons clashed, and fists and kicks met in a blur of motion.

In just a few short breaths, they exchanged dozens of moves. Utilizing a bizarre Body Technique, Cheng Shan vanished in a flash and reappeared on Xu Guang’s left, swinging his Golden Mace viciously toward Xu Guang’s waist. In another flash, he dodged Xu Guang’s Big Spear, appearing on his right side and whipping out his Golden Mace once more.

Through the intense vibrations of the clashing weapons, wave after wave of formidable Power continuously penetrated into Xu Guang’s body.