54: Chapter 54 Make a fortune

"Die!"

Hai Tongtian let out a sharp howl and charged forward!

He threw both fists, the evil flood dragon phantom coiling around them as his Protective Aura tore through the air with an ear-piercing shriek!

The power of this punch far surpassed Luo Qi and the others, already touching the threshold of the half-step Dragon Elephant!

Jiang Hanzhou neither dodged nor avoided it. His right hand clenched into a fist as pale gold blood and Qi circulated, meeting the punch head-on!

"Dragon Subduing and Tiger Taming Skill" — Tiger Taming Mountain Collapse!

"Boom—!!!"

The fists collided like two mountains crashing into each other!

A violent shockwave exploded, blowing away all the wooden house debris and corpses in the vicinity!

The sinister grin on Hai Tongtian's face suddenly froze.

He felt as if his fist force had struck an erupting volcano!

That power was incomparably fierce, layered and endless!

"Crack, crack—!"

His arm bones let out a groan of being overwhelmed!

"Pfft—!"

Hai Tongtian spat out blood and was sent flying backward, smashing through the main stronghold gate before rolling onto the ground.

He struggled to prop up his upper body, staring at his twisted and deformed arms with eyes full of unbelievable horror.

"You... who exactly are you?!"

Jiang Hanzhou walked over slowly, looking down at him from above.

"A dying man has no need to ask so many questions."

A flash of madness crossed Hai Tongtian's eyes as he suddenly bit the tip of his tongue and spat out a mouthful of essence blood!

"Evil Flood Dragon Blood Burst!!"

He roared as his blood and Qi burned frantically. The evil flood dragon phantom suddenly expanded, transforming into a fifty-foot-long blood-colored evil flood dragon that opened its massive maw and lunged at Jiang Hanzhou!

This was a life-risking secret technique from the "Evil Flood Dragon Wave Surfing Art," burning blood and Qi in exchange for a momentary burst of power sufficient to severely wound someone of the same rank!

Jiang Hanzhou's eyes narrowed slightly.

He let go of the ghost head saber, pressed his palms together, and then slowly pulled them apart.

Between his palms, pale gold blood and Qi gathered, with phantoms of a dragon and tiger faintly circling.

"Dragon Subduing and Tiger Taming Skill" ultimate move — Dragon Subduing Sea Suppression!

He pushed out a palm.

A pale gold palm print shot out, expanding as it met the wind into a giant palm phantom about ten feet wide. dragon patterns faintly appeared on the palm, radiating a majesty that suppressed the four seas!

The blood-colored evil flood dragon and the pale gold giant palm collided with a bang!

"Rumble—!!!"

A blinding light exploded, illuminating the entire Snake Island!

The blood-colored evil flood dragon wailed and shattered, turning into a rain of blood that filled the sky.

The giant palm's momentum remained as it slammed hard into Hai Tongtian's chest.

"Pfft—!"

Hai Tongtian's chest collapsed, and a bloody hole burst through his back; his heart had already been shattered.

He stared wide-eyed at Jiang Hanzhou, his throat making a wheezing "he-he" sound before his head finally slumped, and he drew his last breath.

All seven chiefs of the Evil Ghost Bandits had been executed.

Jiang Hanzhou slowly retracted his stance and exhaled a breath of turbid air.

He looked around.

Inside the camp, there were no survivors except for a few scattered servants and women hiding in corners and trembling.

Most of the small leaders in the Iron Bone Realm had been knocked unconscious by the first tiger roar, and the few who woke up were finished off by his casual strikes.

From this day forth, the Evil Ghost Bandits were wiped out.

Jiang Hanzhou delayed no longer and turned to enter the main stronghold.

The furnishings inside were crude, but many boxes were piled in the corners.

He opened them one by one.

Gold, silver, jewelry, antique jade, silk, medicinal herbs... they were of considerable value.

The innermost iron chest was heavily locked.

Jiang Hanzhou condensed blood and Qi at his fingertips and gave a light swipe.

"Chiss—"

The lock snapped apart at the sound.

Upon opening the chest, banknotes were neatly stacked inside.

He quickly counted them.

Great Qi Tongbao banknotes in denominations of one hundred, five hundred, and one thousand taels.

Totaling... one hundred and three thousand seven hundred taels.

Additionally, there were several Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals: "Evil Flood Dragon Wave Surfing Art" (Fragment), "Mist Concealment Art," "Water-Dividing Thorn Technique," and "Ghost Head Saber Art," all ranging from Yellow Rank Medium Grade to High Grade.

Jiang Hanzhou put away all the banknotes and, after a brief flip through the manuals, tucked them into his robe as well.

Although these techniques were not of a high rank, the "Martial Arts Comprehension" contained within them would still benefit his progress in accumulating his fate.

He searched the stronghold further and found some scattered gold and silver, Medicinal Pills, and weapons worth about two or three thousand taels, packing them all together.

Finally, he walked to the corpses of Hai Tongtian and the other six, pulled out a short blade, cut off their heads one by one, and wrapped them in oilcloth.

Having finished all this, Jiang Hanzhou picked up the bundle and walked out of the main stronghold.

The horizon was already turning the color of a fish's belly.

He found a light fast boat at the pier, untied the ropes, and raised the sail.

With the sea breeze brushing his face, the morning sun was about to leap from the sea on the eastern horizon.

The fast boat cut through the waves, speeding toward Donghai Prefecture.

...

Two hours later.

At the south pier of Donghai Prefecture City, the morning mist had not yet dispersed.

A fast boat docked silently.

Jiang Hanzhou jumped off the boat, casually tied the rope to a wooden post, picked up the oilcloth bundle, and walked toward the Prefectural Governor's Mansion Yamen.

The commoners rising early had already begun their busy day, and steam rose from the breakfast stalls along the street.

No one noticed this ordinary man in black carrying a bundle.

Arriving at the Yamen square in the faint morning light, the gate-guarding bailiffs were yawning as they changed shifts.

Jiang Hanzhou walked to the bulletin board, placed the oilcloth bundle on the ground, and unwrapped it.

Seven bloody heads rolled out, lining up on the bluestone slabs.

They were exactly the seven chiefs of the Evil Ghost Bandits!

Seeing this, the gate-guarding bailiff jolted in fear, nearly falling to the ground.

"You... who are you?!"

Jiang Hanzhou did not answer.

He simply took out the bounty warrant from his robe and placed it gently beside the heads.

The bailiff stared dumbfoundedly at the heads and the bounty warrant on the ground, only reacting after a moment to scramble into the Yamen and report.

...

An hour later.

Jiang Hanzhou pushed open the door of his small courtyard and bolted it behind him.

In the kitchen, the firewood under the clay pot had burned out, but residual heat remained.

He lifted the lid.

The fish soup was just right, the milky white broth bubbling slightly with a fresh, fragrant aroma.

Jiang Hanzhou scooped a bowl, sat on a small stool in front of the stove, and began to drink slowly.

The soup was rich, the fish meat melted in his mouth, and the medicinal power was gentle, flowing down his throat into his belly and transforming into a warm current to nourish his blood and Qi.

While drinking the soup, he calculated in his mind.

With the hundred thousand taels in banknotes, his previous savings, and the thirty thousand taels from the bounty, he now had about one hundred and forty-five thousand taels on him.

When the Dragon Abyss Palace opened its doors to recruit disciples in half a year, this money should be enough for initial expenses.

But that was a matter for the future.

The urgent task was to digest the gains from this trip, continue cultivating, and strive to improve his strength further before the entrance examination.

After finishing the fish soup and washing the dishes, Jiang Hanzhou walked back to his bedroom.

He took out the Secret Manuals from his robe and flipped through them one by one.

"Mist Concealment Art" was somewhat interesting; a Profound Rank High Grade technique, once mastered, it allowed one to turn into mist and hide their tracks, which was quite practical for stealth and assassination.

"Water-Dividing Thorn Technique" and "Ghost Head Saber Art" were both water combat Martial Skills. Though not of a high rank, the water-attribute Concept within them was enlightening for perfecting his own martial path.

He put the manuals away and sat cross-legged on the bed.

His mind sank inward, and the panel silently emerged:

[host: Jiang Hanzhou]

[fate: Late Bloomer (Rank 4)]

[Cultivation Technique: Dragon Subduing and Tiger Taming Skill (Major Achievement), Evil Flood Dragon Wave Surfing Art (Minor Achievement)]

[Martial Skill: Tidal Shadow Thousand Hands (Perfection), Dragons Roar and Tigers Howl (Major Achievement), Evil Flood Dragon Wave (Major Achievement), Tidal Surge Leg (Perfection), Heavenly Fire Saber (Perfection), Taizu Long Fist (Perfection), Spirit Cat Steps (Perfection), Layered Wave Palm (Perfection), Breath Concealment Method (Perfection)...]

[Current Martial Arts Comprehension Accumulation: 1527 years / 3000 years]

A night of slaughter had increased his comprehension by 27 years.

The progress was acceptable.

Jiang Hanzhou closed his eyes and began to circulate the "Dragon Subduing and Tiger Taming Skill," digesting the medicinal power of the fish soup and nourishing his blood and Qi.

Outside the courtyard, the morning light grew brighter.

Sounds of people gradually emerged in the streets and alleys.

Meanwhile, the Donghai Prefecture Yamen had already exploded into an uproar.

The news that the heads of the seven chiefs of the Evil Ghost Bandits were hung high at the Yamen spread through the city as if it had wings.

"Have you heard? The Evil Ghost Bandits have been wiped out! Seven heads are displayed right at the Yamen entrance!"

"My god! Who did it? Did the Naval Yamen dispatch a large army?"

"It wasn't an army! I heard it was a single person with a single blade who took down Snake Island overnight!"

"A single person? You've got to be joking! The Evil Ghost Bandits had seven in the Viscera Burning Realm!"

"It's absolutely true! Constable Wang from the Yamen said it himself; those seven heads are Hai Tongtian and the others!"

"Hiss... which deity has descended to earth?"

Teahouses, restaurants, piers, streets... everywhere people were discussing it.

Meanwhile, the culprit was currently cultivating quietly in his small courtyard, as if the outside clamor had absolutely nothing to do with him.