6: Blackrock City

"Poof—!!!"

The dark red palm print, like a red-hot branding iron, accurately stamped onto the rotten head of the pouncing Corpse Puppet!

There was no dull thud, but a sickening, tearing sound that made one's scalp tingle!

Time seemed to freeze for an instant... the next second!

Hiss—!

The headless, mangled corpse stumbled backward two steps from the residual palm force, then collapsed softly. Its severed neck was charred and messy; not even a drop of foul blood had time to flow out before being evaporated by the scorching palm force!

[Ding! Killed a Low-Tier Corpse Puppet! evolution points +5!]

[Current evolution points: 65!]

The cold System prompt sounded like a death tally.

Lin Jingyu didn't even glance at the smoking remains at his feet, his steps unwavering... His burly figure, like an armored tank charging into a wheat field, crashed into the shuffling Corpse Puppets with an unstoppable Aura!

"Get lost!"

His roar was like thunder!

Facing three Corpse Puppets pouncing from his left, baring their fangs and claws, the muscles on his right arm bulged and flexed, his bones hummed, and a dark red giant palm, carrying a scorching shriek that tore through the air, swung horizontally!

Whoosh—!

Where the palm wind passed, the air twisted!

Puff! Puff! Puff!

Three heads, each with a different degree of decay, exploded almost simultaneously like rotten persimmons hit by a heavy hammer! Red, white, black, viscous, and charred filth splattered everywhere! The three headless corpses were swept away by the violent palm force, knocking down a whole group behind them!

[evolution points +5! +5! +5!]

[evolution points: 80!]

On his right, a skeletal arm reached for his ribs!

Lin Jingyu didn't even bother to block. His powerful Physical Body, with all its bones humming in unison, combined with the circulating dark golden glow of the Vajra Shield, took the blow head-on!

"Rip!" The bone-like claws only left a few white marks on his coarse outer garment, not even breaking the skin!

"Die!" Lin Jingyu's left fist shot out like lightning, striking the chest cavity of the skeletal Corpse Puppet!

Crack crack crack!

The entire ribcage, along with the shriveled internal organs behind it, instantly shattered and collapsed! The corpse scattered to the ground as if all its support had been removed!

[evolution points +5!]

[evolution points: 85!]

He was like a demon god plowing through a swamp of decaying flesh!

In front of this group of slow-moving Low-Tier Corpse Puppets, he displayed overwhelming destructive power!

One palm strike, and a head would surely explode!

One punch, and a torso would certainly collapse!

One leg sweep, and severed limbs would fly!

No enemy could withstand a single blow! There was no obstacle!

Wherever he passed, it was as if an invisible storm had swept through!

[Ding! Killed a Low-Tier Corpse Puppet! evolution points +5!]

[Ding! Killed a Low-Tier Corpse Puppet! evolution points +5!]

...The cold System prompts rang out like dense drumbeats in Lin Jingyu's mind! The number of evolution points soared!

In just a dozen breaths, at least a dozen Corpse Puppets had turned to dust under his palms!

[Current evolution points: 150!] (Estimated to have killed about 13 Corpse Puppets)

"Roar!!!"

Behind him, the Demonic Wolf King's furious roar shook the heavens and earth!

It was clearly enraged by Lin Jingyu's disregard for the wolf pack and his wanton slaughter of the Corpse Puppets!

Or perhaps it was wary that once the Corpse Puppet group was completely cleared, it would become the sole target!

"Awoo—!"

Accompanying the Wolf King's murderous command, the wolf pack moved... pouncing fiercely towards Lin Jingyu, who was about to break out of the Corpse Puppet encirclement! Their speed was extremely fast!

Especially the Wolf King, its massive body transforming into a black gust of wind flying close to the ground, the foul wind instantly pressing behind Lin Jingyu... attacked from front and back! A true killing trap!

Lin Jingyu's eyes flared with ferocity! He had just shattered the chest of the last tall Corpse Puppet blocking his direct path with a single palm strike.

[evolution points +5! Current: 155!]

The path ahead suddenly cleared! It was the perfect moment to break out of the encirclement!

"Want to stop me?"

Lin Jingyu roared in his heart, without the slightest hesitation!

All his bones vibrated with their strongest hum, his muscles tensed like steel cables!

"Vajra Shield!" His thoughts were pushed to the extreme!

Buzz—!

A layer of faint golden Aura, even more solid and substantial than before, instantly covered his entire body. The dark golden glow flowed beneath his skin, making him appear as if he was clad in a flowing liquid metal armor!

He didn't look back! He didn't dodge! He completely exposed his back to the pouncing wolf pack! He only channeled power into his legs, stomping fiercely on the ground towards the empty space ahead!

Bang! A shallow pit exploded in the ground!

Like an arrow released from a bowstring, he sprinted with all his might towards the darkness on the outskirts of the desolate village! His speed reached its limit under the pressure of life and death!

"Roar!!" Behind him, the Wolf King's huge black shadow had already pounced from mid-air! Its foul saliva almost dripped onto Lin Jingyu's nape! Two giant claws, glinting with dark light and carrying terrifying power capable of tearing through refined steel, fiercely grabbed at his back! The claw wind was sharp, and the air emitted a piercing shriek!

Several other fastest Demonic Wolves also pounced simultaneously, their fangs and sharp claws biting at his hamstrings and ribs respectively!

A moment of extreme peril!

"Clang clang clang—!!!"

A series of incredibly harsh metallic clangs, like the striking of iron, exploded densely behind Lin Jingyu! Sparks flew like fireworks!

The Wolf King's claws, capable of shattering stone monuments, firmly struck Lin Jingyu's back! The Vajra Shield's Aura intensely fluctuated, humming under the immense pressure like water struck by a huge rock! The enormous impact caused Lin Jingyu's forward momentum to falter violently, his blood and Qi churning fiercely, a sweet taste rising in his throat!

But he gritted his teeth and endured! Using this impact, his speed increased instead of decreasing!

Puff! Puff!

"Scram!" Lin Jingyu, using his forward momentum, twisted his waist sharply, his right elbow, imbued with Iron Sand Palm force, swept backward like a battering ram!

Bang!

A Demonic Wolf biting at his hamstring was precisely struck on the bridge of its nose by his elbow!

Accompanied by the crisp sound of bone shattering and a mournful howl, it flew backward.

Using the recoil from that elbow strike, Lin Jingyu's burly figure, like a fierce tiger breaking free from its restraints, saw his speed surge again!

With a few large strides, he completely broke out of the pincer attack range of the Corpse Puppets and wolf pack, plunging headfirst into the denser darkness outside the village!

"Awoo—!!!" Behind him, the Wolf King's enraged roar, mixed with the unconscious growls of the Corpse Puppets, was filled with unwillingness and fury.

But they seemed to be wary of leaving the desolate village's boundaries, only pacing and roaring at the edge of the village entrance, not pursuing him.

Lin Jingyu ran several hundred meters in the darkness, and after confirming there were no pursuers, he abruptly stopped, leaning against a cold boulder, panting heavily.

"That was close! That Wolf King... definitely has Body Refining Ninth Realm strength!" He felt lingering fear.

[Current evolution points: 155!]

Looking at the number on the System panel, a flicker of fervor flashed in Lin Jingyu's eyes.

155 points! Enough to do many things!

He endured the pain and oriented himself.

Under the pale moonlight, a trampled path leading into the distance was faintly visible.

By the roadside, a partially buried boundary marker had Vague characters carved on it: Black Stone City, thirty li.

"Black Stone City..." Lin Jingyu murmured, a glimmer of hope igniting in his eyes.

A city! It meant more people, order, trade, and perhaps... even more martial arts!

He tore off a strip of his tattered clothes and simply bandaged the wound on his ribs.

The internal injuries on his back could only be slowly healed by the powerful recovery ability brought by the Vajra Shield.

Having done all this, he no longer lingered. He followed the small path, taking large strides towards Black Stone City.

The sky was faintly brightening, with the white belly of a fish appearing in the east.

The outline of a city built from huge black stones appeared on the horizon.

The city walls were not very tall, only five or six meters, with obvious signs of repair in many places, covered in dried, blackened bloodstains and claw marks, silently narrating the cruelty this frontier town had endured.

The city gate was wide open, and a few soldiers in tattered leather armor, holding rusty spears, leaned lazily in the shadow of the gate, their eyes numb yet vigilant as they scanned the few pedestrians entering and exiting the city.

These pedestrians were mostly sallow and emaciated, their expressions fearful, carrying simple bundles, and hurrying along as if devils were chasing them.

Lin Jingyu's tall, burly figure, covered in blood and rippling with muscles, appeared at the city gate, immediately attracting everyone's attention.

The guarding soldiers instantly tensed their bodies, their spears instinctively raised, pointing at Lin Jingyu.

The leader, a small captain with a scar on his face, shouted sharply: "Stop! Who are you? Where are you from? Why are you covered in so much blood?!"

Lin Jingyu stopped, his gaze calmly sweeping over the nervous soldiers, and spoke hoarsely: "Desolate Village, escaped from there." His voice carried an undeniable cold hardness.

"Desolate Village?" The scarred captain's pupils constricted. He clearly knew the dangers of that place, scanning Lin Jingyu up and down, especially lingering on his explosive muscles and bandaged wounds for a moment. "Only you? Where are the others?"

"Dead." Lin Jingyu said concisely, his tone completely flat.

The soldiers gasped.

To emerge alone from a place like the Desolate Village, and with injuries... this person was definitely a tough nut to crack!

The scarred captain's throat bobbed, and the words of trouble he was about to utter were swallowed back. He waved his hand dryly: "...Enter the city. It's not peaceful lately, so don't cause trouble!"

Lin Jingyu ignored them, striding through the gate and entering Black Stone City.

A murky scent, a mixture of cheap tobacco, sweat, animal feces, and a faint hint of blood, assaulted him. The streets were narrow and dirty, with unknown sewage flowing in the pockmarked road.

On both sides were low, dilapidated mud huts and wooden shacks, with an occasional slightly more orderly stone house.

Most pedestrians were hurrying, their faces sallow, their eyes wary.

A few ragged beggars huddled in corners, like withered statues.

"Did you hear? Old Zhang Tou's family in the west city... had their hearts and livers dug out again last night! Claw marks were left on the wall, it was a Demonic Wolf!"

"Sigh, these cursed days... The City Lord's Mansion's taxes have increased again, they say it's to reinforce the city walls..."

"Those good-for-nothings in the City Guard, what else can they do besides bully us? If they have the guts, go kill some demons!"

"Lower your voice! Do you want to die?"

Fragmented discussions reached Lin Jingyu's ears, painting a desperate picture of this frontier town.

Lin Jingyu walked expressionlessly, his keen gaze sweeping the sides of the street. He needed information, and even more... martial arts!

Soon, his gaze was drawn to an inconspicuous stall at the street corner.

The stall owner was an old man with a broken leg, leaning against the wall. A tattered cloth was spread in front of him, on which a few broken items were haphazardly placed—a rusty dagger, a broken beast bone, a few dull-colored Ores... and a few thin booklets bound with coarse hemp string, stained with grime.

Lin Jingyu walked over and squatted down.

His gaze directly locked onto one of the booklets. On its cover, three characters were scrawled in charcoal: 'Iron Cloth Shirt'! Next to it was another one that read 'Savage Bull Strength'!

"Elder, how much are these two booklets?" Lin Jingyu picked up 'Iron Cloth Shirt' and 'Savage Bull Strength', his voice deep.

Zhang Quezi raised his cloudy old eyes, sizing up Lin Jingyu's burly figure and bloodstains. A flicker of understanding passed through his murky eyes, and he said hoarsely: "Strong man, you must be new to Black Stone City? Want to practice martial arts for self-defense? Ah... these two are just the most basic Mortal practices for tempering skin and flesh and increasing strength, not worth much. Both together, five copper coins, or... a piece of dry food to fill your stomach will do."

His tone carried the numbness and advice of someone who had been through it: "But old man, let me advise you, if you have connections, save some money and find a way to learn some real skills at the 'Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall' or 'Wang Family'. These crude techniques, even if practiced to the end, only make you a bit stronger and tougher-skinned than ordinary people. Against true demons and evil spirits... they're useless! A waste of effort."

As expected! Lin Jingyu understood in his heart.

Iron Cloth Shirt, Savage Bull Strength, in the eyes of the Martial Artists of this world, were indeed trash that couldn't be brought to the table!

They were the helpless choices of Mortals struggling at the bottom! No wonder that Old Li Si would hide this 'Iron Cloth Shirt' under his bed like an ancestral treasure.

He got up to leave... He had only walked a few steps when he heard the sneers of two men in grey martial attire, with a simple tiger head emblem embroidered on their chests (Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall Disciples), coming from the entrance of a nearby weapon shop.

"Hmph, another fool who thinks he can turn his life around with 'Iron Cloth Shirt' and 'Savage Bull Strength'!" A pockmarked man folded his arms, his face full of disdain.

"Exactly, that old cripple Zhang only knows how to trick these new, ignorant bumpkins from out of town!" Another tall, thin man echoed, his eyes contemptuously sweeping over Lin Jingyu's bulging muscles. "What's the use of training a body of dead muscle? Can it withstand a single grab from Instructor Wang's Eagle Claw Technique? Can it block Senior Brother Li's Wind Chasing Steps from behind? A waste of effort!"

"Look at that big oaf, he probably just has brute strength and isn't very smart. This kind of guy wouldn't survive three days outside the city!" Pockmarked Wang deliberately raised his voice, full of provocation.

Lin Jingyu's steps paused, but he didn't turn back.

Trash? Mortal techniques? A waste of effort?

A faint, cold arc appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Just wait.

He ignored the chatter behind him and strode towards the relatively bustling area within the city.

The most urgent task was to find a place to settle down... [System opens panel]

[host: Lin Jingyu]

[Realm: Body Refining Seventh Realm]

[Iron Sand Palm → (Iron Sand Palm · Three Hundred Years of Skill: Mastered) Evolvable path: Iron Sand Palm → Stone Splitting Hand → Earth Cracking Palm → Overturning Sea Seal → Sky Overturning Seal →...]

[Vajra Shield Current State: Early Stage (0/100 evolution points to evolve to 'Initial Glimpse'). Evolvable path: Iron Cloth Shirt → Vajra Shield → Indestructible Vajra Divine Art → ...]

[Savage Bull Strength Current State: Early Stage (0/100 evolution points to evolve to 'Initial Glimpse'). Evolvable path: Savage Bull Strength → Great Strength Bull Demon Fist → Dragon Elephant Suppressing Prison Technique → ...]

[evolution points: 155]

Looking at the two newly appeared Cultivation Techniques and their tempting evolution paths on the System panel, a cold glint flashed in Lin Jingyu's eyes.

Trash? Soon, he would let the people of this city know that in his hands, trash could also become an iron fist that crushed everything!

He needed a place to digest the power brought by these 155 evolution points!

And the words of those two noisy Martial Arts Hall Disciples behind him also provided him with a piece of information—Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall!

"Perhaps... there's better 'trash' there?" he muttered to himself, his figure merging into the bustling yet desperate morning crowd of Black Stone City.