Free Web NovelChapter 31: Chapter 31: Breakthrough
Han Yuan felt as if he were looking at a desperate gambler at the end of his rope. With bloodshot eyes, he was putting down all his chips for what might be the last gamble of his life.
"I’m sick of being a puppet."
"This time, I’m betting everything on you!"
Zheng Heda’s eyes glinted with madness.
"What if I don’t believe you?"
"If I tell Gao Yuan about this, even if you are the County Magistrate, I’m afraid you’ll die a quiet death in Qingshui County."
Han Yuan retorted.
"Constable Han, we’re not fools."
"I considered this before coming. The worst-case scenario is that you don’t believe either side."
"But at the very least, you won’t side with Gao Yuan."
Zhang Hu said with a faint smile.
"As expected of Steward Zhang... Your guess is spot on."
Han Yuan smiled.
He had suspected Gao Yuan for a while.
Now, hearing that Han Jiudao had met his end because he was investigating the case of the disappearing prison inmates...
Combined with seeing Zhang Fang sneakily going to see Gao Yuan last night...
’The truth... is likely just as Zheng Heda described.’
Hearing Han Yuan’s words, a flash of excitement crossed Zheng Heda’s eyes.
He knew Han Yuan had chosen to believe him.
"Han Yuan, I’ve seen your talent with my own eyes."
"As long as you lay low and wait until your Cultivation reaches the Body Tempering Realm, we can then plot against Gao Yuan."
Zheng Heda said with a faint smile.
Given Han Yuan’s current strength, he was indeed still a bit lacking when it came to dealing with Gao Yuan.
"An opportunity will present itself soon... Last night, Gao Yuan came to me about something..."
Han Yuan recounted his conversation with Gao Yuan from the previous night.
"What a venomous scheme."
"Not only did this Gao Yuan plot against your brother, but he even wants to turn you into a weapon in his hands."
Zhang Hu scoffed after hearing the story.
"However... Han Yuan, you must do this."
"Only by doing this can you gain Gao Yuan’s trust, which will make it easier for us to avenge your brother later."
Zheng Heda said seriously.
"His Excellency is right."
"Constable Han, a gentleman can wait ten years for his revenge."
"We just need to be a little more patient."
Zhang Hu added, trying to persuade him.
"There’s no need to wait."
"This is the perfect opportunity!"
Han Yuan shook his head.
"But Gao Yuan is a Martial Artist at Body Tempering Great Success. Ordinary blades can hardly harm him."
"Even if we have the element of surprise, I’m afraid it would still be difficult to assassinate him."
Zhang Hu said with a frown.
"That’s why I need Magistrate Zheng and Steward Zhang to get me a good saber."
Han Yuan said softly.
........
「An hour later.」
The small boat quietly pulled up to the bank.
Han Yuan quickly disembarked and returned home. freeweɓnovel.cøm
He took almost no rest. After grabbing a quick bite to eat, he began his Cultivation of the Arhat Iron Cloth Shirt.
If he wanted revenge, the first thing he had to do was increase his strength and break through to the Body Tempering Realm.
Otherwise, he would be no match for Gao Yuan at all.
THUD THUD THUD~~~
Iron balls repeatedly smashed against his body, making dull thuds.
Patches of purple and red bruises constantly appeared on his body, accelerating the circulation of his qi and blood.
This time, Han Yuan was unusually frenzied. Even though the iron balls battered his body until it was bruised and bloody, his flesh mangled and bones feeling like they were about to crack, he didn’t stop to rest.
At most, he would only apply some medicinal wine and ointment before continuing his Cultivation.
As a result, his proficiency in the Arhat Iron Cloth Shirt naturally skyrocketed.
88...
89...
90....
He cultivated until the sun began to set.
By this point, Han Yuan’s consciousness was already fading. His physical and mental states had reached their absolute limits, and he was pushing through on sheer willpower alone.
As the last rays of the blood-red sunset fell upon Han Yuan...
BUZZ~~
Han Yuan suddenly felt a scorching hot current surge through his entire body.
It was his blood...
It felt as if it were boiling, frantically searing his body.
His skin turned bright red, and white steam even began to rise from it.
The searing pain instantly jolted the nearly unconscious Han Yuan awake, and he howled in agony on the ground.
The scalding blood continuously tempered his organs, bones, skin, and every part of his body.
「After a long while.」
Han Yuan shakily got to his feet.
He discovered some black impurities on the surface of his skin, like a layer of grime, emitting a strange odor.
Unable to bear the stench, Han Yuan grimaced and ran to wash himself off.
Once he had changed into a fresh set of clothes... freewёbnoνel.com
Han Yuan noticed that the contours of his muscles had become slightly smaller.
This didn’t mean his strength had weakened.
Rather, his muscle density had increased, making his strength and explosive power even more terrifying.
In addition, Han Yuan found that his skin had become tougher. Whenever he tensed his muscles, it became as hard as iron and stone.
This was the Body Tempering effect of the Arhat Iron Cloth Shirt.
It could make one’s skin as tough as an iron tunic.
Even though he had only just reached the entry level, the effects were already impressive.
Han Yuan even went to the kitchen and found a kitchen knife to test it out.
He found that as long as he tensed his muscles, a forceful slash from the knife only left a shallow, bloody scratch, unable to cut deep into the muscle.
"From now on, ordinary blades won’t be so fatal to me."
Han Yuan grinned.
Soon after, however, he was struck by an incredible sense of hunger.
After devouring all the meat and noodles in the kitchen, he still felt only half-full. He had to go to a nearby restaurant and eat several large bowls of noodles and a whole roast goose before he finally felt sated.
After all that, it was time to go stand guard at the County Yamen’s storehouse again.
Han Yuan changed his clothes, grabbed his long saber, and walked to the County Yamen.
Only on the way did he have a moment to check his system panel.
Host: Han Yuan
Arhat Iron Cloth Shirt: Entry (0/500)
Thousand Falcons Blade Technique: Perfection (Breaking the Sky)
Mountain-Breaking Fist: Minor Success (1161/1200)
’After reaching the Entry level in Arhat Iron Cloth Shirt, I actually need 500 proficiency points to break through.’
’These Body Tempering Martial Arts are really not that simple. The proficiency needed later will probably be even more terrifying.’
Han Yuan muttered to himself inwardly.
As his Cultivation level increased, the difficulty of training would naturally skyrocket as well.
He needed to grind even more frantically!
However, Han Yuan didn’t plan to continue grinding the Arhat Iron Cloth Shirt.
He wanted to cultivate the Mountain-Breaking Fist to Perfection.
Since he didn’t know when Gao Yuan would make his move, Han Yuan could only choose the Martial Art that would give him the biggest boost in combat power in the shortest amount of time.
As long as he cultivated the Mountain-Breaking Fist to Perfection, it would give birth to a Divine Power.
This Martial Art might become his trump card.
Arriving at the County Yamen’s storehouse, he instructed Wang Dahua to brew some blood-replenishing herbs for him.
Then, Han Yuan once again threw himself into his Cultivation.
Having broken through to the Body Tempering Realm, he felt an all-around improvement.
Speed, strength, reflexes...
...were all on a completely different level from Gathering Power.
It was as if his entire body was surging with explosive force.
However, this also made him even more wary of Gao Yuan.
He had only just broken through to Body Tempering, yet he already possessed such power.
Gao Yuan, on the other hand, was at Body Tempering Great Success... his qi and blood were terrifyingly potent.
To deal with him, he had to push everything to the absolute limit.
BANG~
When Han Yuan finished one round of practicing Mountain-Breaking Fist, he found that it took much less time than before.
This was because the speed of his punches had increased dramatically.
’Besides the efficiency of my Cultivation, my stamina has also improved significantly. I can save more time for grinding.’
’At this rate, the Mountain-Breaking Fist should reach Great Success soon.’
’Gao Yuan... let’s see if you can escape death this time!’
Han Yuan grinned.
