“They were killed by someone else,” chided Old Man Li, “so the loot belongs to them. Don’t you know the rules?”
Fang Ping said sheepishly, “Just wanted to take a look. I haven’t seen a Rank-7 powerhouse’s treasure before...”
“Rank-7s are all poor schmuck.”
Old Man Li curled his lips, saying, “Only a handful of them use weapons. Unless they’ve been nurtured for many years, the prospects are better to fight unarmed. As for pills... typical pills don’t do much for them, and advanced-level pills are too expensive to use.”
“That might not be true. Instructor. Come on, let’s go and take a look. Just to take a look...”
Old Man Li could not hide his suspicion at those words. It was like a couple insisting they would not do anything more than cuddle.
Unable to persuade Fang Ping, Old Man Li flew him toward the place where Tian Mu was fighting earlier.
...
“Him!”
When he saw the corpse on the ground whose chest had been penetrated, Old Man Li frowned slightly.
Fang Ping looked at him, asking in a whisper, “You know him?”
“Met him a few times. I thought he was dead. Can’t believe he’s still alive and has broken through too.”
Old Man Li frowned. “Tiannan Martial Arts University’s ex-deputy vice-chancellor...”
Fang Ping was slightly stunned, speaking softly, “Then, regarding Tiannan Catacombs...”
Old Man Li’s head was throbbing a little. He muttered, “I’m not sure. I’ll check it out next time. He’s already dead. However, his identity has been exposed. TMAU might find themselves in a bit of a sticky situation.”
“I still have a few classmates at TMAU.”
“It’s fine. If I’m not mistaken, right now, some problematic people from TMAU would have taken their leave.”
After causing such a big ruckus, some cults higher-ups must have figured out that they fell into a trap. The fighting powerhouses had perished. Those who were related to them would either leave or be killed to silence them.
Fang Ping said no more. Bending over, he knocked on the other party’s torso. A series of banging sounds were heard.
“He has just achieved Rank-7 and hasn’t formed his golden body. His fatal point is not the chest, but his Mentality, which has been obliterated.”
Old Man Li continued, “If it’s a Rank-8 powerhouse, one with a golden body is the most valuable. If the golden body is not obliterated, you can carry it back and worship it like the Gods. Perhaps it might resurrect hundreds and thousands of years later.”
Fang Ping was stunned. “Instructor, this is a cult martial artist. If he revives, wouldn’t he kill me at first sight?”
As he said those words, Fang Ping added, “Rank-8 golden body powerhouse can resurrect?”
“In theory, there is a possibility.” Old Man Li spoke softly. “In a Rank-8 golden body state, as long as one is not killed by an even more powerful enemy, one may live a long life. The golden body is already within reach of immortality.
“Therefore... We predict that perhaps a few ancient ghosts are hidden within the sects.”
Fang Ping gulped, lowering down his voice as well. “People of hundreds and thousands of years ago?”
“Maybe.” Old Man Li had always been responsible for predicting; not responsible for verifying. He grinned. “Although based on the circumstances in those days, it was difficult to achieve Rank-8. Anyone who did must be extraordinarily talented. If they had attained golden bodies back then, it won’t be impossible for them to stay alive until now.
“However, in recent years, there hasn’t been anyone like that emerging in the sects. Or perhaps they’ve really died. Or they’ve never appeared before.”
Fang Ping did not think too much about it. Whilst groping the corpse, he said softly, “Instructor, you’re also half a golden body, does that mean...”
“What I have is a fake.” Old Man Li shook his head, saying. “I didn’t hone my skull. If I die, I die. More than ten years later, maybe parts of my golden body could still be preserved, though my head will definitely be rotten to the point that only my skeleton remains. Do you think a skeleton can resurrect?”
Fang Ping said no more. Instead, he cursed under his breath, “This poor bastard!”
He had just finished cursed when Fang Ping’s eyes lit up all of a sudden, yanking the other party’s boots off quickly, exerting some force and tore at it. His face lit up with delight instantly. “Instructor, look, is this made out of high-rank beast hide?”
Old Man Li was speechless. He took it and inspected it. After examining for a moment, he mumbled, “This is not good.”
“Why? Not a high-rank?”
“Shut up!” Old Man Li snapped.
He spoke softly, “It’s made out of a high-rank being’s beast hide alright. The main point is that these things are strictly controlled by the government. MCMAU included. No one can keep any high-ranked creatures’ skin and fur without permission.
“If they’re not obtained from the government, it means that the cult powerhouses can enter the Catacombs!
“Which Catacombs did they enter from?
“Did they blend in, or are they secretly controlling a Catacombs entrance?
“We need to get to the bottom of this.”
“They can control the Catacombs entrance in secret?”
Fang Ping was extremely shocked. Old Man Li replied mildly, “It’s possible. Regarding the opening of the Catacombs entrance, we will naturally be aware if there are new entrances.
“What about the ones that existed hundreds of years ago?
“Who can verify that the Xishan entrance is the first one?
“Who can also guarantee that after Xishan, the following entrances that appeared had all been discovered by us?
“The cult powerhouses have been killing repeatedly in recent years. This is also not the first time that these things have been discovered. Despite that, we don’t have the qualification to take part in killing the high ranks last time.
“The government might know something. It’s still possible that the cults are controlling an entrance.
“Of course, we’re not too sure. Otherwise, we’d have busted the other party a long time ago.”
Fang Ping nodded, saying, “It makes sense. Otherwise, where did the cults find so many high ranks? Unless the companies like the pill companies are working with them, otherwise, I don’t think that they have the resources to nurture martial artists.
“Even if they purchase stuff from the pill companies, their huge transactions would be easily traced.
“Take me for example. I’ve sold so many pills that the pill company has me on their watch list.
“Two possibilities: Number one, someone from the higher-ups has offered them support.
“Number two, they have their own production line.
“I think that the probability for the first one isn’t high. The possibility of getting exposed is too high. For this reason, the possibility of the second one is still higher.
“I’m such a genius. I can even deduce these things...”
Before Fang Ping could finish his sentence, Old Man Li snarled, “Shut up. If you give me any more crap, I’ll kick you to death!”
‘Motherf*cker. That was my deduction. How did it become yours now?’
Fang Ping zipped his mouth instantly. However, in no time, he asked, “Instructor, are these boots valuable?”
“Yes. But they are not yours. I’ll take it for now.”
Fang Ping was disappointed at once. This poor bastard had nothing. It was only his pair of boots that were slightly redeeming. What was Old Man Li doing?
Old Man Li chuckled. “You definitely don’t deserve the boots, but you can carry the corpse home.”
“He’s not even a golden body powerhouse...”
“Idiot!”
Old Man Li was exasperated. “Even if it’s for research, a Rank-7 powerhouse’s corpse is invaluable too.
“If you carry it back, you can definitely sell it for a buttload of money. Make some dead people’s money.”
“So disgusting.”
Fang Ping shook his head. Corpse looting was fine. He would never carry a body back.
Thinking for a moment, Fang Ping felt around his own body, fishing out his phone. He did not care what time it was, dialing a number, and said, “Send some guys to the outskirts of Peace Bridge City. Quickly. Carry a corpse back... Maybe a few corpses.”
“I’ll keep the corpses hidden later. You just have to come here and dig it out.”
“Yes. That’s it. Don’t worry. It’s not against the law.”
“...”
After he hung up, Old Man Li asked, “Guys from the Martial Arts Society?”
“No. It’s someone from Distance.”
Old Man Li was speechless. ‘You, kid, are really something.’
...
Without examining much further, both of them came to the second corpse.
This one was awful. Unlike how Tian Mu obliterated the first man’s Mentality with a punch, this one had his head smashed before he died.
Rank-7 guys like Liu Polu could only do this to finish him off. Taking advantage of the other party not having attained the golden body, smashing his brain was the only way to kill him.
His head was all smashed up, so they could not identify the person.
Feeling sick to his stomach, Fang Ping groped for a moment. His eyes flashed with joy for a moment, then he became composed. He stood up, shaking his head. “Another poor bastard.”
Old Man Li let out a faint smile, shooting him a glance. “Are you going to take Old Liu’s things too?”
“When did I?”
“What’s in your sleeve?”
“My own things.”
“Your own? Kid, look me in the eye. Is it really yours?”
“One hundred percent sure it’s mine!”
Old Man Li was completely speechless. This kid was lying through his teeth.
Shooting him a glare, Old Man Li ordered, “Cut the crap. Show me what’s that!”
Fang Ping was helpless and could only pull out a small bottle. Old Man Li opened the crystal bottle and took a look. Then, his complexion changed. “They have this too?”
“Instructor, what medicine is this? Is it valuable?”
“It’s not medicine.”
“Not medicine?”
Fang Ping was startled. If it was not medicine, then what was it?
“It’s a heart essence!”
Old Man Li frowned. “Heart essence. You can understand it as the heart core energy source. You’re not at that level yet, so you can’t feel it. This thing is a pain to extract. Regardless of whether it’s from humans or monsters, they’re all equally difficult to extract.
“Even MCMAU can’t do it. Can you understand what I’m saying?”
Fang Ping shook his head. The other party had very advanced technology?
“This means that the other party has Rank-9 powerhouses.”
Old Man Li wore a grim expression. “In recent years, we’ve not discovered Rank-9 powerhouses in the cults. Of course, we have our predictions, though they are only predictions. Right now, it has been verified.
“If they’re born and bred amongst them, then it’s fine. We’re just worried that...”
“Worried that there are members of the cults amongst the current known Rank-9?”
“Yes.” Old Man Li thought for a while, shaking his head. “Forget it. This is out of our control, neither do we have the right. Others might have guessed it somehow.”
“Then, does this belong to a human or a Catacombs martial artist? Or a monster’s?”
“I don’t know.”
Fang Ping was speechless, asking again, “What’s the use of this?”
“A typical pill doesn’t work for high-ranked powerhouses. This is beneficial for their skull-honing. Extracting powerhouses’ heart essence to cultivate their own bodies can aid in skull cultivation, making it much easier.”
“Is it valuable?”
“Valuable because extracting it is a tedious job. Anyone below Rank-9 would not be able to do it. Can you imagine how much you’d have to pay to ask a Rank-9 to do it?
“MCMAU doesn’t sell this. We can’t sell it either. Honestly, high-ranked powerhouses very rarely perform transactions for these things too.
“If it is for sale, it would be at least 50 million.”
“Meh. I thought it would be several hundred million.”
Fang Ping claimed that it was average, though he continued drily, “Instructor, this is really mine. Jiao gave it to me...”
Old Man Li spared him a look but ignored him.
Fang Ping sighed helplessly. He yanked out the other party’s boots again.
Two pairs of boots and a heart essence were all that he had looted.
No weapons.
However, the loot had been taken away by Old Man Li. Fang Ping was depressed. Did this mean that he had been groping for nothing?
...
More than ten minutes later.
The midair battle had ended.
Under the siege of four great powerhouses, the other party was fighting alone. Unable to escape, he let out a raging roar of despair, finally sinking into silence.
At this time, Fang Ping and Old Man Li had arrived at the scene.
The ground had been reduced to a deep crater a long time ago. A gigantic crack stretched as far out as thousands of meters away.
The highway had disappeared too.
In front, they could vaguely make it out, but there seemed to be members of the Department of Investigation Services and the Military Department sealing off the road, preventing anyone from coming in.
Fang Ping looked around him and did not hurry to search for the golden body powerhouse’s corpse. He yelled instead, “Big Brother Zhang?”
“Are you still there?”
He shouted for some time. Dead silence.
Tian Mu was currently soaked in blood. Shaking his head, he said, “He’s not around, maybe he has run away.”
“He didn’t die?”
“I don’t know.”
Tian Mu said it like it did not matter. “It’s the same whether he dies or not. Nanjiang wants to lure a snake out of its hiding. A Rank-5 for three high ranks. Zhang Dingnan wouldn’t mind. Since they’ve come this far, then they must be prepared to die.”
“I’m not ready to die.”
Fang Ping mumbled. ‘Zhang Yuqiang did not die, I hope?’
He remembered that Zhang Yuqiang did not run too slow. Later, the Rank-7 martial artist, who had been killed by Tian Mu afterward, came chasing after Fang Ping instead of Zhang Yuqiang.
If he still died like that, how tough could his luck be?
While he was thinking about it, Zhang Yuqiang yelled from afar, “Grandmasters, can we go there?”
Tian Mu took a quick glance at Fang Ping, sneering. “See? He’s still alive. These fellows from the political circles are great at surviving. Might have gone searching for the local Military Department earlier. When you encounter any fellows from the political circles in danger again next time, ignore them if you’re not capable enough. Those with average combat strength would typically have good survival skills.”
“Cough, cough!”
Kou Bianjiang let out a deep cough. ‘Just shut up. Must you offend everyone?’
Not looking at Tian Mu any longer, Kou Bianjiang said, “Come here.”
Very quickly, Zhang Yuqiang led a militant and a man clad in the Department of Investigation Services’ uniform toward them.
When they saw the crowd, all of them looked on with deep admiration, asking whether they needed any assistance without delay.
“Where’s the local commander?” Tian Mu asked.
The Peace Bridge Minister of the Department of Investigation Services answered quickly, “The commander is pacifying the citizens. I’ll give the commander a call this instant...”
“There’s no need for that. It’s better that way. He needs to calm down the masses and avoid trouble. Seal this place. You go do your thing,” Kou Bianjiang said a few sentences before sending the other party away.
Fang Ping butted in hurriedly, “We want to bring these corpses back. Don’t let anyone touch them. My people will come and take them away immediately.”
While he was still speaking, Tian Mu had already heaved the golden powerhouse’s corpse. Seeing this, Fang Ping looked upset. ‘Could you not save it for me?’
Tian Mu could not care less about him. He did not plan to stay either. He said quickly, “We’ve killed them, so we’ll be making a move now. Little Fang, do less of these things next time. We have no objection to killing cult powerhouses, but that’s our problem. You, a puny Rank-4 martial artist, should meddle less in these affairs.
“Zhang Dingnan is up to no good either. Did he really think that we have no idea what’s going on in his head?
“Despite that, it is precisely because this is an issue about the cults that we’re intervening. Otherwise, he can speak to ghosts for all we care.
“It’s not that we’re unwilling to help. But we can’t. The Catacombs still needs us to stand guard and watch, so we can’t go out as we wish. If anything happens, it’ll lead to greater problems.
“Besides, cult martial artists are very tough to kill sometimes. Unless as a last resort, we won’t fight for no reason. Take this time for example. If this fellow had run into the city, how many would have to die?
“Rather than letting these lunatics kill common folk, it’s better to let the other party fight when the Catacombs is open. At that time, it’ll be a fight between martial artists.
“Zhang Dingnan doesn’t want too many Nanjiang people dying. But, has it never crossed his mind that if other people have died in other areas, would he not feel guilty for that?
“Everyone knows about the cults. Zhang Dingnan will be in hot water this time for nearly destroying Peace Bridge. I wouldn’t be surprised if Nanhu’s commander goes all out to teach him a lesson.
“We’re leaving now. Let them bash up Zhang Dingnan and his party, as they’re responsible!”
When he said those words, Tian Mu seemed to have no apprehension for the people around him.
Rather, he was directing those words at them.
If Nanhu’s commander wanted to pick a fight, do not look for us, look for Zhang Dingnan.
This was all Zhang Dingnan’s responsibility.
Zhang Yuqiang did not utter a word, neither did the two higher-ups of Peace Bridge. They would most certainly report this incident.
Something big happened today. Seven to eight high-ranked powerhouses had a great war here in Peace Bridge. Now, Nanhu’s commander was already making his way here. He would arrive very soon.
Tian Mu cared nothing for it. After saying those words, he carried the corpse and soared into the sky.
Kou Bianjiang smiled at the crowd, leaving as well.
Chen Yaoting was still carrying some injuries at this moment. Darting a look at Fang Ping, he gave a faint smile, saying, “Fang Ping, it’s time for Yunxi to return to MCMAU now. Nanhu’s commander is coming, it’s inappropriate for me to stay any longer. The next time you meet them, you’ll have to watch out for yourself!”
Having said that, Chen Yaoting executed the Midair Step and left too.
Fang Ping looked embarrassed. Worst comes to worst, he would have to avoid South Capital from now on. He would have to be a Grandmaster before he went there again. Only then would it be a level playing field.
These powerhouses came and left without a trace. Right now, in order to avoid trouble, they had run away one after another.
Even Liu Polu said hurriedly, “I’m leaving too. Don’t worry. The next journey will be a smooth one. All powerhouses are watching closely now!”
The great war had already captured the attention of powerhouses from various places. The number of cult powerhouses that emerged now would be the same amount that would die. Unless they were really tired of living and were willing to exchange their lives for Fang Ping’s.
After saying this, Liu Polu bolted away as quickly as possible too.
They had devastated Peace Bridge into this state without the slightest bit of warning. Even if this was an issue about the cults, they had no intention of standing up for Zhang Dingnan.
Seeing the situation unfold in front of his eyes, Fang Ping was suddenly aware of trouble. In no hurry to escape, he thought for a while, asking, “Brother Zhang, the driver earlier...”
Zhang Yuqiang shook his head, saying, “Old Chen was already sick before this. Terminal illness. He knows about this as I’ve told him before. Don’t worry. I’ll handle his funeral arrangements and family affairs.”
Fang Ping did not know what to say either. After all, he was not someone close to him. Fang Ping said nothing else.
When he sensed an enormous energy wave approaching him, Fang Ping said in a hurry, “Brother Zhang, bring me my saber after this. I’m going back now as well.”
“Go back?”
Zhang Yuqiang was dumbfounded. “Where... where are you going back to?”
“MCMAU.”
“This... Old Brother Fang, this...”
“The issue has been resolved, right? Three high ranks have been killed. I’m sure you’ve ferreted out the ones you’re looking for, no? There’s no use for me to go anyway.”
“But... regarding MCMAU...”
“Cough, cough. We’ll talk about that next time. It hasn’t opened yet, right? I’m leaving now. Do remember to send my saber in earlier. Otherwise, I’ll bring Brother Tian and the guys to get it from you!”
After saying those words, Fang Ping dragged Old Man Li who was still watching the fun and bolted.
This old man must be crazy, right?
He was even watching the fun. If he continued watching, Nanhu’s commander would chop them into pieces.
On the contrary, Old Man Li did not mind. He was not too satisfied. “Why are you running? We’re not the ones who did this. Now that you’ve mentioned it, I’m the one who has saved Peace Bridge. I would like to see if Zhang Dingnan would fight with the other guy. It must be great fun to watch two high commanders fighting.”
“Zhang Dingnan is not here.”
“Who said so?”
Old Man Li sneered. “He came just now and is hiding.”
“The more we should run then. Two High Grandmasters fighting, why should we watch the fun?”
Fang Ping would not stay. If it happened, he would not be able to run.
Of course, that was not the main point!
The main point was that none of the Grandmasters wanted their loot. Fang Ping was secretly rejoicing. The Grandmasters bolted quickly enough, none of them remembered.
Did this not mean that it was a steal for him?
Although the things were with Old Man Li, he might not be so bold as to covet his loot, right?