64: Chapter 64 Murder and Arson: The Golden Belt

The moment Jiang Hanzhou's voice fell, the aura around his body shifted abruptly!

His blood and Qi, originally as restrained as a deep pool, boiled and burned in an instant.

Beneath his skin, a phantom image of pale gold flames rose, emitting a heart-palpitating heat and explosive aura.

Thirteen Transformations of Heavenly Fire, First Transformation!

The incomplete Thirteen Transformations of Heavenly Fire had ten layers in total, corresponding to these ten transformations.

After four days of bitter cultivation in the deep sea, using water pressure and freezing cold for tempering, he had pushed this incomplete amplification secret technique to Minor Achievement, having already mastered up to the Fourth Transformation!

With a thought, the first layer of Heavenly Fire Jin was superimposed onto his arms.

Almost at the same time his aura changed, he slammed his feet against the ground!

Boom!

The deck shattered, and wood chips flew everywhere!

Using the recoil, his body shot like a cannonball toward the densest group of guards on the ship's rail, his right hand spreading its fingers and pressing forward into the void—

The Major Achievement secret technique, Dragons Roar and Tigers Howl, reappeared in the world!

Only this time, he deliberately controlled its range and power, concentrating the sonic attack on a fan-shaped area in front of him, primarily using the Divine Soul-deterring 'Dragon's Roar'!

Ang—Yin—!!!

A clear, high-pitched Dragon's Roar that pierced straight through the Divine Soul exploded on the deck without warning!

The Silver Wing Family guards, who were shouting as they closed in—most at the Iron Bone Realm and a few newly entered into the Burning Viscera Realm—saw the ferocity and killing intent on their faces freeze the moment they heard the Dragon's Roar.

It was as if an invisible giant hammer had slammed hard into the depths of each of their Seas of Consciousness!

Buzz—!!!

Their minds went blank, their vision went dark, and their blood and Qi fell into a state of frantic chaos!

Thud! Thud! Thud—!

Like harvested stalks of wheat, the seven or eight guards charging at the front didn't even have time to scream before blood seeped from their seven orifices simultaneously. Their eyes instantly glazed over, and they fell straight onto the deck, devoid of any breath!

Five or six people slightly further away, though not directly shaken to death, clutched their heads and let out shrill, miserable wails. Blood overflowed from their ears and noses as they collapsed onto the deck, losing all combat capability.

With the power of a single roar, half the deck was cleared!

“De... Demon!”

“What kind of Demonic Technique is this?!”

“Retreat! Quick, retreat!”

The remaining guards, who were lucky enough not to be in the primary direction of the attack, were scared out of their wits. They screamed in terror and retreated repeatedly, crowding together and looking at Jiang Hanzhou as if they were looking at an Asura climbed out of Hell!

The knight training and Bloodline glory they had received since childhood were as fragile as paper in the face of such an inconceivable, soul-eradicating method.

A large area of the deck was instantly emptied, leaving only Jiang Hanzhou standing alone in the center, and Solon, whose face was as pale as paper, leaning against the mainmast nearby.

Solon's heart was nearly jumping out of his chest!

He had seen with his own eyes the battle-hardened guards carefully cultivated by the Family fall in swaths like clay chickens and pottery dogs under a single roar from that Eastern commoner!

What kind of eerie and overbearing power was this?!

Fear, like a cold venomous snake, tightly coiled around his heart once more—more intense and desperate than it had been back at the rocky beach.

But soon, this fear was swallowed by an even stronger surge of humiliation and rage!

He was a direct descendant of the Silver Wing Family! He possessed the noble Sky Bloodline!

How could he be trampled upon like this by an Eastern commoner?!

“Ah—!!!”

Solon let out a beast-like roar, his eyes instantly turning blood-red!

He violently tore open the tattered leather armor on his upper body, revealing a lean and strong chest.

On his chest, arms, and even his neck, those previously dim and damaged pale silver Bloodline patterns suddenly erupted with a blinding silver light, as if molten magma had been injected into them.

“Despicable insect! Let me show you what true noble Bloodline is!”

He hissed, his arms snapping open!

Crack! Crack-crack—!

The dense sound of bones shattering and reorganizing was enough to make one's teeth ache!

Within the silver light, Solon's body began to undergo a terrifying mutation!

His skull elongated and deformed, his nose and mouth protruding to become a sharp beak covered in fine silver plumage!

His eyes moved to the sides, his pupils contracting into cold, avian vertical slits that flickered with a violent silver light.

His arm muscles bulged, skin tearing as they extended into longer, thicker wing-like structures covered in silver-gray hard feathers, while his fingers turned into sharp talons glinting with a metallic cold light.

Two bloody holes burst open at his shoulder blades, and two massive wings of light, woven from silver energy and real feathers, unfurled with a 'shua' sound. The wingspan was a full two zhang across, and with a slight flap, they kicked up a chilling gale!

In the blink of an eye, Solon had transformed from a human Martial Artist into a hideous and terrifying half-human, half-bird monster.

Bird head, human body, silver wings, and sharp claws—his entire being radiated a violent, chaotic, and powerful aura!

Full Bloodline Combustion: Silver Wing Battle Form!

This was the Silver Wing Family's trump card life-risking secret technique. Once used, it could provide power and speed far beyond normal for a short time, but the drain on the Bloodline Origin was immense, and it would inevitably lead to severe backlash afterward, possibly even permanently losing the potential to advance.

Solon had been pushed to a dead end. Hatred and fear had overwhelmed his reason, and he would do whatever it took to tear this Eastern Martial Artist, who had brought him endless shame, into pieces!

“Die!!!”

The beak opened and closed, letting out a garbled but even sharper and more ear-piercing roar!

Silver light exploded as Solon's wings flapped violently.

Swoosh—!

Leaving a faint silver afterimage in place, his true body appeared like a ghost above Jiang Hanzhou's left side. His right wing, like a massive blade, slashed down fiercely with a shrill sound of breaking air!

At the same time, his left claw spread wide, its five talons glinting with an eerie blue cold light as they lunged straight for Jiang Hanzhou's crown!

The speed was terrifyingly fast, and the attack was ruthless and cunning, completely sealing off any space for evasion!

A trace of solemnity finally flashed in Jiang Hanzhou's eyes.

In this bird-man form, Solon's speed and power had already surpassed the scope of an ordinary Late Stage Burning Viscera Realm, approaching the Peak and even touching upon a hint of the Half-step Dragon Elephant level!

But he did not panic.

His steps shifted, his body moving like a fish in water. At the critical moment, he slid sideways by a hair's breadth, dodging the wing-blade strike.

At the same time, he clenched his right hand into a fist. His pale gold blood and Qi, mixed with that wisp of Heavenly Dipper Precious Qi, surged forth. The crimson-gold flame phantom beneath his skin rose another notch!

Thirteen Transformations of Heavenly Fire, Second Transformation!

Second layer of Heavenly Fire Jin superimposed!

Bang!!

Fist and claw collided!

Pale gold and silver-blue lights exploded against each other, and airwaves rolled!

Jiang Hanzhou's figure swayed slightly, and the deck beneath his feet cracked further.

Solon was shaken back several feet in mid-air, his left claw slightly numb. The shock and anger in his eyes grew even stronger.

The hot, fierce, and layered force transmitted from the opponent's fist was actually even more overbearing than during their previous exchange!

“I want to see how many layers of force you can stack!” Solon shrieked, his wings dancing wildly. His figure carved eerie arcs in the air as he launched a torrential storm of pounces from different angles!

Wing blades sliced, talons tore, and he even occasionally spat out several condensed silver Qi arrows from his beak, specifically targeting vital points!

Jiang Hanzhou dodged and moved on the narrow deck, neutralizing most of the attacks.

But he did not merely defend.

He was observing, adapting, and looking for the best moment to counterattack.

The stacking of force in the Thirteen Transformations of Heavenly Fire required a brief moment to recover breath and for the Meridians to adapt; it could not be done indefinitely.

During his four days in the deep sea, he could stably stack three layers at most. The fourth layer was a bit of a stretch and would place a burden on his Meridians.

At this moment, he only activated the second layer of force during key collisions to save on consumption.

In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged over a dozen rounds.

The deck was riddled with holes, and wood chips and broken feathers flew everywhere.

The more Solon fought, the more alarmed and frantic he became.

The power he had gained by burning his Bloodline was actually failing to take down this Eastern Martial Artist, who still seemed to have plenty of strength to spare!

The opponent's ghost-like movement, precise parries, and the terrifying stacked force that occasionally erupted from his fists and palms gave Solon a frustrating feeling of hitting cotton with all his might, yet occasionally slamming into an iron plate.

“I can't drag this on any longer!” A ruthless look flashed in Solon's eyes.

He suddenly retreated several zhang, temporarily disengaging from the fight. His right claw reached into his robes like lightning and pulled out a pigeon-egg-sized bead that was pitch black but had a hazy, multicolored halo swirling on its surface.

Secret Treasure: Soul-Snatching Bead!

This was one of the life-saving trump cards bestowed upon him by his Family. It could instantly release a powerful Divine Soul impact, leaving an opponent's consciousness blank for a short time, making them easy prey!

However, with each use, the bead would grow a bit dimmer. It could only be used three times at most.

Originally, he was reluctant to use it lightly, but now, he only wanted to see this Eastern commoner's Divine Soul shattered, kneeling and wailing on the ground immediately!

“Go to Hell...” Solon grinned savagely, frantically pouring his remaining Bloodline Power into the Soul-Snatching Bead, about to activate it—

However—

At the very moment he took out the bead and concentrated all his focus on activating the secret treasure!

The cold light in Jiang Hanzhou's eyes, who had been maintaining a certain rhythm and distance, suddenly exploded!

What he had been waiting for was this perfect opportunity when the old strength was spent and new strength had not yet arisen, and a gap had appeared in the opponent's focus!

Thirteen Transformations of Heavenly Fire, Third Transformation: Explosive Flame Piercing the Sun!

The third layer of Heavenly Fire Jin, without reservation, was fully superimposed!

The Blood Core in his Dantian spun frantically, the dao bone glowed with a misty light, and that wisp of White-Gold Precious Qi was fully mobilized for the first time, condensing at the tips of his right index and middle fingers!

The deck beneath his feet exploded violently, and his figure turned into a pale gold meteor tearing through the air, his speed more than doubling compared to before!

Shrinking the Earth to an Inch, he appeared instantly in front of Solon!

Solon's savage grin was still frozen on his bird face. His pupils only reflected that single point—the fingers condensing crimson-gold flame and white-gold brilliance rapidly enlarging before his eyes!

Fast! Too fast!

He had no time to make any reaction at all; he couldn't even manage to roll his eyes!

Those fingers, like a falling star from beyond the heavens, carrying the will to incinerate the eight directions and pierce through everything, lightly tapped the center of his brow—right on the Soul-Snatching Bead that had just begun to glow with a faint multicolored light.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

“Pop.”

A slight, almost inaudible crisp sound.

The multicolored halo on the Soul-Snatching Bead's surface vanished instantly. Countless fine cracks appeared on the bead's body, and then with a 'pffft', it turned into powder.

Immediately following—

Solon's hard bird beak and skull, covered in silver plumage, exploded as if ignited by an invisible force from within!

Red and white matter mixed with shattered bone and silver feathers sprayed back several feet!

The headless bird-man body stiffened for a moment, its wings drooping weakly, and then with a 'thud', it slammed heavily onto the deck. After a couple of slight twitches, it was completely devoid of life.

Solon, a direct descendant of the Silver Wing Family, was dead.

Jiang Hanzhou slowly retracted his fingers and let out a breath that carried a faint scent of blood and heat.

Successively stacking three layers of Heavenly Fire Jin and then fully activating his Precious Qi for a strike was no small burden for him either; his Meridians felt a faint, throbbing pain.

But his gaze remained calm. He didn't even look at Solon's corpse, his eyes sweeping over the remaining Silver Wing Family guards and sailors on the deck, who were already scared witless and slumped on the ground.

“Jump into the sea yourselves, or I will send you on your way.”

His voice was indifferent, yet it was more chilling than the cold sea breeze.

The guards and sailors who could still move—how could they dare to hesitate for a second?

Crying for their parents, they scrambled to the ship's rail, vying to be the first to jump into the cold seawater, swimming desperately away from the ship for fear that being a step slower would mean following in Solon's footsteps.

Jiang Hanzhou paid them no more attention.

He began to methodically loot the spoils of war.

First, from Solon's headless corpse, he found a silver wing emblem token similar to the one he had crushed before, and an exquisite leather wallet containing several hundred taels in gold notes and some Western coins, as well as a few gemstones containing decent energy fluctuations.

Next, he walked into the cabin.

This fast ship was a vessel used by the Silver Wing Family for the travel of important figures. The interior decoration was not extravagant, but the materials used were refined.

Jiang Hanzhou quickly found the captain's quarters and the cargo hold.

In a cabinet in the captain's quarters, an iron box was locked.

He directly crushed the lock to open it, and inside were neatly stacked thick piles of silver notes.

There were both Great Qi currency and exchange notes from the Storm Kingdom's 'Golden Lion Bank'. A rough estimate put the amount at nearly 150,000 taels!

Clearly, this was the remaining Family funds after Sandro had paid the fine to the Water Mansion, as well as the operational funds they might have been carrying for this trip.

In addition, there were several bottles of potions labeled with Western script, two parchment scrolls recording the cultivation insights of some Silver Wing Family secret technique, as well as some nautical charts and letters.

In the cargo hold, there were piles of supplies, spare weapons, and several crates of specialty goods from the Storm Kingdom, such as high-quality woolens, spices, and liquors, which were also of considerable value.

Jiang Hanzhou put the silver notes, precious gemstones, potions, parchment scrolls, and some of the fine spare weapons all into his sumeru pouch.

The bulkier goods were inconvenient to carry, so he only picked a small crate of the highest-grade spices and two barrels of good wine to take with him.

Having done all this, he returned to the deck, threw all the corpses on the ship into the sea, and then inspected the vessel.

The fast ship was exquisitely constructed and quite fast, but it was too large a target and likely had special markings of the Silver Wing Family, making it unsuitable for use.

He walked to the stern, where a small sampan used for emergencies and landings was tied. It was about two zhang long, with a simple sail and a pair of oars.

Jiang Hanzhou untied the ropes, lowered the sampan into the water, brought along the small amount of goods and supplies he had selected, and leaped into the sampan.

Finally, he glanced at the fast ship floating on the sea—its deck a mess and completely deserted. He raised his hand and struck a pale gold palm wind near the ship's waterline.

Crack!

The hull planks shattered, and seawater began to pour in.

Jiang Hanzhou did not linger. He raised the small sail on the sampan, adjusted the direction, and steered slowly toward the southeast.

Behind him, the fast ship slowly tilted, sank, and finally disappeared beneath the blue surface of the sea, leaving only a few floating bits of debris that were soon swallowed by the waves.

The sun set in the west, dyeing the sea and sky a golden red.

The sampan rose and fell gently with the waves. Jiang Hanzhou sat cross-legged in the boat, counting his harvest from this trip.

“150,000 taels in silver notes—adding that to what was left before, my cash on hand exceeds 170,000 taels. Plus these gemstones and goods...” He calculated in his heart, “More importantly, I've verified the power of combining the Thirteen Transformations of Heavenly Fire with the Heavenly Dipper Precious Qi. Solon's strength after burning his Bloodline was close to the Peak of the Burning Viscera Realm, yet he was still killed with a single finger.”

He looked toward the setting sun as it gradually sank below the horizon, his gaze deep.

“The Dragon Abyss Palace's opening is imminent. This money should be enough to support me for a while. Next, I will continue my secluded cultivation to completely master the Thirteen Transformations of Heavenly Fire and search for a second treasure suitable for the Heavenly Dipper Treasure Refining Art...”

The sampan drifted further and further away, merging into the twilight.