24: mastering movement techniques

Lin Jingyu stepped over Yin Jiuyou's shriveled corpse, heading directly for the Zhao Residence in the east of the city!

The Zhao Residence was brightly lit, yet it exuded a dead silence filled with unease.

The gates were tightly shut, and on the high walls, the cold glint of reflected blades and bows was faintly visible.

The air was thick with oppressive fear, like the calm before a storm.

"Boom—!!!"

A deafening roar tore through the false tranquility!

The two heavy gates of the Zhao Residence, crafted from century-old ironwood and wrapped in thick copper plating, groaned under the immense pressure, shattering inch by inch! The iron bolts, as thick as bowls, bent and snapped like noodles!

Wood splinters and copper shards shot backward like a downpour! Smoke and dust billowed into the sky!

Amidst the swirling dust, Lin Jingyu stepped into the front courtyard of the Zhao Residence!

"Enemy attack—!!"

"Stop him!!"

After a brief moment of dead silence, the guards let out hysterical roars!

Dozens of Zhao family guards, clad in leather armor and wielding sharp blades, rushed forward from all directions, led by several captains, their eyes red like hyenas driven to a dead end! Blade lights flashed, and spear shadows were like a forest!

"ants!" Lin Jingyu's eyes were cold, without the slightest pause. He charged fiercely into the crowd!

"Bang!"

He threw a punch! The three guards charging head-on, along with their blades, were struck as if by a rampaging giant elephant. Their chests instantly caved in, blood spewed from their mouths, and they flew backward, knocking down a swath of others!

"Crack!"

An elbow strike in reverse! The head of a guard who ambushed him from the side exploded like a watermelon!

"Hiss!"

Sky-Piercing Finger force shot out! A guard in the distance, about to draw his bow, had his glabella instantly pierced!

He was like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, no, a prehistoric Tyrannosaurus Rex charging into an ant hill!

Every attack was inevitably accompanied by the crisp sound of shattering bones and a sudden, abrupt shriek!

Swords and blades hacked at his dark-gold shimmering skin, only sparking a trail of fire and leaving shallow white marks! Long spears pierced his bulging abdomen, their shafts bending to the limit before snapping with a "snap"!

[Ding! Killed a Meridian Opening Realm First Stage guard! evolution points +30!]

[Ding! Killed a Meridian Opening Realm Fifth Stage guard captain! evolution points +50!]

...The cold System notifications furiously scrolled! The evolution points rapidly jumped!

Lin Jingyu walked through the flashing blades and shadows with the ease of a stroll in a garden! Wherever he passed, severed limbs flew, and blood splattered, quickly staining the luxurious front courtyard of the Zhao Residence into a crimson Hell!

"Monster! He's a monster!" A young guard, witnessing his comrade being punched into a meat paste, had his psychological defenses completely collapse. He dropped his weapon and turned to flee for his life.

Panic spread like a plague! The remaining guards completely lost their fighting spirit, crying and scattering in all directions.

Lin Jingyu ignored those terrified small fries.

He finally locked onto the direction of the main hall, which was the most brightly lit and most heavily defended.

He stepped, walking towards the main hall.

His footsteps in the viscous blood made a "splish-splosh" sound, like the footsteps of death.

The main hall's door was tightly shut, but behind the crack, several hurried breaths and uncontrollable tremors of fear clearly reached Lin Jingyu's ears.

"Bang!"

He casually kicked out!

The heavy wooden door, along with the bolts behind it, exploded inward into splinters like rotten wood!

Inside the hall, the lights were bright, and the decorations were luxurious.

Second Master Zhao Tiande's face was ashen, his fat body trembling like a sieve, protected by several equally pale confidants. He clutched a gem-encrusted short sword tightly in his hand, his knuckles white, his eyes filled with extreme fear and venom.

"Lin... Lin Jingyu! You... you dare!" Zhao Tiande shrieked, his voice distorted by fear, "This is the Zhao Residence! A noble family of Black Stone City! You... you've killed so many people, the City Lord's Mansion won't let you go! The Dynasty's laws won't let you go!"

"Laws?" Lin Jingyu's lips curled into an icy, chilling arc, like carved ice, "When the entire Lin family was wiped out, where were the laws? When the Blood Wolf Stockade massacred villages, where were the laws? When you sent that old dog Yin Jiuyou to kill me, where were the laws then?"

He took a step into the hall... Zhao Tiande trembled violently, the short sword clanging to the ground. He looked in horror at the figure approaching like a demon god: "Spare... spare my life! I have money! Lots of money! All of the Zhao family's assets are yours! Just let me live!"

"Money?" Lin Jingyu's eyes were devoid of emotion, only a cold killing intent, "Your life, and the lives of all those in the Zhao family who are stained with the Lin family's blood, are my resources!"

"No—!" Zhao Tiande let out a desperate roar, a flash of madness and ruthlessness suddenly appearing in his eyes! "You forced my hand! Let's die together!" He suddenly pulled out a palm-sized black wooden box from his Huai, engraved with strange, twisted runes, and fiercely crushed it!

"Buzz—!"

A demonic evil Qi, far denser and purer than Yin Jiuyou's, carrying a Soul-shaking chaos and madness, instantly erupted from the shattered wooden box!

Thick, inky black Qi frantically poured into Zhao Tiande's mouth, nose, and seven orifices... "Ah—!!!" Zhao Tiande let out an inhuman scream of pain! His fat body swelled violently like a balloon, his skin tore, revealing rapidly growing, metallic-lustered black scales beneath! His head twisted and deformed, fangs protruded from his forehead, and his eyes were replaced by pure, mad blood-red! An aura several times more violent than when Yin Jiuyou demonized descended with a roar!

[Warning! High concentration of demonic essence blood detected! Target (Zhao Tiande) demonized mutation! Energy level: Tendon Changing Realm Early Stage! Threat level: High!] The System notification sounded urgently!

"Roar—! Die! All of you die!" The demonized Zhao Tiande let out an incoherent roar, his body swelling to nearly four meters, covered in hideous black scales. His enormous claws, with a sharp whistle that tore through the air, grabbed directly at Lin Jingyu! Before the claw wind even arrived, the foul, demonic evil Qi and terrifying oppressive force had already shattered the tables, chairs, and furnishings in the hall!

Facing this sudden, even stronger demonization, Lin Jingyu's Battle Intent burned to its peak! Far from retreating, he stepped forward, meeting the giant claw head-on!

"Indestructible Vajra! Activate!"

Buzz! The dark-gold flowing light instantly surged, covering his entire body, its texture as profound as divine metal!

"Dragon Elephant Suppressing Prison! Shatter the Heavens and Split the Earth!"

Over 250,000 catties of giant strength within him erupted like a dormant volcano! Dragon-Elephant phantoms intertwined with dark-gold Qi and blood, solidifying into destructive power at his fist's edge! The air was compressed to its extreme, emitting a deafening boom!

Fist and claw clashed again!

"Rumble—!!!!"

A terrifying roar, even louder than before, exploded in the main hall of the Zhao Residence! The violent shockwave swept through like a tsunami! The carved wooden pillars, glazed lamps, and precious porcelain in the hall instantly turned to dust! Roof tiles fell like heavy rain! The entire hall shook violently, as if it could collapse at any moment!

"Crack-crackle-crackle—!"

A dense, horrifying sound of bones cracking rang out! The giant claw of the demonized Zhao Tiande, covered in black scales, shattered the instant it met Lin Jingyu's iron fist. Scales flew off, bones splintered inch by inch, and twisted out of shape! An irresistible, terrifying giant force violently surged back through his arm!

"Awooo—!!" The demonic monster let out a distorted, mournful shriek, its massive body, as if struck by a trebuchet, flew backward uncontrollably, smashing heavily into the back wall of the main hall!

"Boom!"

A huge crater was smashed into the hard bluestone wall, and spiderweb-like cracks spread out!

Dust billowed... In the dust, Lin Jingyu's figure only retreated half a step. On his dark-gold shimmering fist, a few shallow white marks quickly disappeared.

His eyes were sharp as lightning, locking onto the frantically beating, intensely evil black heart of the demonic monster—that was the core of the demonic essence blood!

"Die!" Lin Jingyu gave the opponent no chance to breathe! Phantom Step activated, leaving an afterimage in place. His robust body, carrying a sonic boom that tore through the air, instantly rushed before the demonic monster!

"Sky-Piercing Finger! Heart Shatter!"

Fingers together like a sword! A silver glow, condensed to its extreme and entwined with dark-gold demon-expelling Qi and blood, like a meteor tearing through the night sky, shot with unparalleled precision at the frantically beating black demonic heart, at a speed that surpassed vision!

The demonic monster sensed a fatal threat. Its remaining left claw instinctively grabbed at the finger light, and it spewed viscous black demonic flames from its mouth, attempting to block it!

"Hiss—!"

The silver glow ignored the demonic flames, piercing through the tough black scales instantly, like a red-hot steel needle through thin ice!

"Puff!"

A dull, soft sound!

The finger light precisely penetrated the beating black demonic heart!

Time seemed to freeze.

The demonic monster's massive body suddenly stiffened, its blood-red eyes instantly losing all vitality, leaving only boundless emptiness. The black scales covering its entire body rapidly lost their luster, becoming withered and fragile. The violent, bloodthirsty demonic aura dissipated like a receding tide.

"Rumble!"

The demonized body collapsed with a crash. As it fell, its scales peeled off, and its flesh withered, reverting to Zhao Tiande's original corpse—fat, with a finger-hole in his glabella, his eyes wide open in death.

[Ding! Killed a Peak Bone Forging Realm evil cultivator (Demonized · Tendon Changing Realm Early Stage)! evolution points +950!]

[Ding! Indestructible Vajra Divine Art experience +120! Defense greatly increased!]

[Ding! Dragon Tendon Tiger Bone Art experience +70! Strength slightly increased!]

[Current evolution points: 2895 + 950 = 3845!] (Including points from killing guards in the front courtyard)

The cold System notification announced the end of the Zhao family's core.

Lin Jingyu slowly withdrew his finger, his gaze sweeping over the ravaged main hall of the Zhao Residence, which looked as if it had been hit by a hurricane. Zhao Tiande's confidants had already been pulverized into meat paste by the shockwave. He walked towards Zhao Tiande's corpse and fumbled within his torn brocade robe.

[Obtained: Zhao Family Treasury Key (crafted from Profound Iron)]

[Obtained: Fragment of Yin Corpse Sect Secret Letter (records partial transaction information and a vague warning of "great changes in Black Stone City")]

[Obtained: Several gold notes (mundane wealth)]

He put away the key and the fragment of the secret letter, his gaze turning to the heavy, Profound Iron gate carved with Pixiu patterns at the back of the hall—the Zhao Family Treasury!

Boom!

He threw a punch! His iron fist, imbued with Dragon-Elephant Giant Strength, slammed heavily onto the Profound Iron gate!

Clang—!!!

A deafening clang of metal rang out! The gate vibrated violently, a clear fist print left on its surface, but it did not open.

"Hmm?" Lin Jingyu frowned slightly; this Profound Iron gate was sturdier than expected. He took a deep breath, stepped back half a pace, and dark-gold Qi and blood condensed on his right fist. The Dragon-Elephant phantom reappeared!

"Rumble!!!"

An even more violent punch struck the center of the fist print!

"Crack-crackle-crackle!"

Centered on the fist print, spiderweb-like cracks instantly covered the Profound Iron gate! The next moment, the entire gate collapsed inward with a roar! Dust billowed!

Inside the treasury, jewels glittered! Boxes of gold and silver ingots, precious jewelry and jade artifacts, brocade boxes emitting medicinal fragrance, and several gleaming weapons. But Lin Jingyu's gaze was instantly drawn to an inconspicuous zitan wood box in the corner! The System sent a strong sensation!

He opened the wooden box. Inside, there was no gold, silver, or jewels, only three thin booklets.

"Zhao Clan Basic Sword Art," "Primordial Qi Refining Art (Incomplete)," and "Wind Chasing Steps"!

Lin Jingyu's gaze instantly locked onto the "Wind Chasing Steps"! This was precisely the movement Cultivation Technique he currently lacked the most!

[Discovered martial art: "Wind Chasing Steps" (Yellow Rank Medium Grade Movement Technique)]

[Do you wish to record it into the System?]

"Record!" With a thought, the text and graphics on the booklet seemed to come alive, instantly imprinting themselves into the System.

[Ding! "Wind Chasing Steps" successfully recorded!]

[Cultivation Technique/Movement Technique list updated: Wind Chasing Steps (Not Initiated 0/100)]

Without hesitation!

"evolution points, add points!"

[Consumed 100 evolution points! Wind Chasing Steps upgraded to Initiated (0/200)!]

[Consumed 200 evolution points! Wind Chasing Steps upgraded to Proficient (0/400)!]

[Consumed 400 evolution points! Wind Chasing Steps upgraded to Minor Achievement (0/800)!]

In a brief moment, 900 evolution points were burned! Countless insights into footwork, Qi and blood circulation, leveraging force, and speed bursts surged into Lin Jingyu's mind, transforming into bodily instincts! He felt the major tendons in his legs stretch like bowstrings of a strong bow, filled with explosive power! His body felt several times lighter, and his perception of airflow changes also became much more acute!

With a slight thought, Qi and blood flowed under his feet.

Whoosh!

His figure vanished from its spot like a ghost, appearing in another corner of the treasury the next moment! His speed was several times faster than when he used basic footwork! The gust of wind he created stirred the gold ingots on the ground!

"Good!" A hint of satisfaction flashed in Lin Jingyu's eyes. This was just Minor Achievement, yet it already had such an effect!

He no longer delayed, with a wave of his hand, he swept all the energy-containing medicinal herbs, Ore, and those few decent weapons in the treasury into his System space! The gold and silver wealth was also completely emptied!

[Ding! Absorbed energy from century-old Blood Ginseng, evolution points +150!]

[Ding! Absorbed metal essence Qi from Cold Iron Ore (5 pieces), evolution points +250!]

[Ding! Absorbed...]

[Current evolution points: 3845 - 900 + absorbed gains ≈ 3400 points!]

After completing all this, Lin Jingyu turned and walked out of the treasury. Inside the Zhao Residence, the surviving servants had long since fled, leaving it utterly silent.

"The Lin family's blood debt, a portion of the interest is collected today." He murmured to himself, his voice cold.

He raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the Zhao Residence's courtyard walls, looking towards the direction of the wilderness outside the city.

On the System panel, the words "Wind Chasing Steps (Minor Achievement)" were clearly visible.

"With my movement technique initially formed, it's time to meet the true demons." He muttered, recalling the vague warning on the fragment of the Yin Corpse Sect's secret letter—"Black Stone City will undergo great changes."

He no longer lingered. His robust figure activated the newly mastered Minor Achievement Wind Chasing Steps, transforming into a swift dark-gold stream of light, and in a few bounds, he vanished beyond the Zhao Residence, speeding towards the city gate!

His speed was so great that only a faint afterimage was left in the night.