landbeastnovel Chapter 76 This world may be cruel, but it also has a rare moment of peace.
Chapter 76 This world may be cruel, but it also has a rare moment of peace.
Chapter 76 This world may be cruel, but it also has a rare peace.
Zhang Yuan landed, lightly touching the back of another fish demon that was trying to leap up and attack with his toes. Using the momentum, he spun around and swung his long sword back!
"Whoosh!"
Another flash of light, and the fish demon was completely ripped open from its abdomen, its internal organs mixed with foul blood spilling out!
【Ding! 】
[Slaying the Demon-Transformed Azure Shuttle (low-level demon) increases lifespan by seven years!]
Zhang Yuan landed steadily back on the deck of the fishing boat, his breathing calm, and his clothes were spotless.
He felt the lifespan increasing in his sea of consciousness, his gaze calmly sweeping across the churning water, searching for his next target.
Each strike was precise and efficient in slaying these low-level demons, with no unnecessary movements, as if the most sophisticated killing machine was in operation.
Looking at Zhang Yuan's clean and efficient figure, Zheng Chaoyang's dejection seemed to fade slightly, replaced by a barely perceptible sense of relief.
This young man is of the highest caliber in terms of temperament, talent, and methods. Perhaps—he can truly go further than I have?
This thought stirred a slight ripple in Zheng Chaoyang's heart, which had been dormant for many years.
As the sun sets, a cool breeze blows along the river, and fishing boats slowly approach the shore.
The soldiers dragged the fish demons they had killed that day ashore, where a pharmacist who had been waiting stepped forward and skillfully skinned, deboned, and sorted them.
The flesh and blood of the fish demon contain a trace of demonic power, which is a material for refining certain wound medicines or nourishing medicinal dishes for martial artists, and should not be wasted.
Zhang Yuan and Wang Ziteng sat side by side on the wooden stakes at the edge of the pier, watching the shimmering river surface turn golden red by the setting sun.
In the process of capturing the demon, Zhang Yuan gained nearly two hundred years of lifespan, and his blood and energy had not yet recovered.
Wang Ziteng nudged Zhang Yuan with his shoulder and grinned, "You should be heading to the prefectural city in a few days, right?"
The Ranking List—tsk tsk, if you can really make it onto that list, you'll truly rise to the top in one step!
His dark face was filled with undisguised envy, and his eyes gleamed.
"Yes, both my teacher and master have this intention, wanting me to broaden my horizons." Zhang Yuan nodded, his voice calm.
"Hey, what a coincidence!" Wang Ziteng slapped his thigh. "Master He and the gang leader said that in a few days, one of our Guzhu Gang's caravans will be going to the prefectural city to deliver a batch of goods." He paused, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice, "They told me privately to try and curry favor with you, this future big shot on the Qingyun Ranking."
"To put it bluntly, this trip was specifically arranged for me to come with you."
Zhang Yuan turned his head, his gaze falling on Wang Ziteng's sincere face. He frowned slightly, shook his head, and said, "You and I are brothers who have risked our lives for each other. What's this talk of flattery?"
Seeing Zhang Yuan's serious expression, Wang Ziteng suddenly grinned and patted him hard on the shoulder: "Why can't I flatter you? Once you've really made your mark on the Qingyun Ranking and become a big shot, I'll go out and brag to people that Zhang Qingyang on the Qingyun Ranking is my brother, Wang Ziteng's brother!"
"Hey, how impressive is that? Who wouldn't think highly of me?" His eyes gleamed with a cunning yet eager light.
Zhang Yuan was amused by his straightforward "utilitarianism" and patted Wang Ziteng's sturdy shoulder heavily: "Alright! It's a deal. Once I'm on the Qingyun Ranking, I'll tell everyone I meet that I, Zhang Qingyang, am a pillar of strength..."
My brother, who's been through thick and thin with me, is named Wang Ziteng!
The two looked at each other and burst into laughter in the afterglow of the setting sun. The river breeze carried the boy's hearty laughter far away.
As night fell, the small courtyard where Xiao Yang lived was brightly lit.
In one of the side rooms, Zhang Shi, Zhang Zhu, and several other younger children were lying on the table, meticulously copying characters stroke by stroke by the light of an oil lamp, their little faces tense.
The air was filled with a faint scent of ink.
In the center of the courtyard, however, a completely different scene unfolds.
Zhang Jian's only remaining left hand gripped an unsharpened short sword, while Zhang Jiumei held a lighter dagger.
Zhang Yuan stood before them, his posture as upright as a pine tree, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's.
"The art of assassination emphasizes three key elements: speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness!"
Zhang Yuan's voice was deep and clear, carrying a penetrating power in the quiet night.
"Swift as a viper's flick, moving like lightning, giving the opponent no chance to react!"
With a flick of his wrist, the Hidden Killer in his hand instantly transformed into an almost invisible afterimage, silently piercing the illusory figure in front of him with a soft "hiss" sound, as if the air itself had been torn apart.
"Accuracy requires keen observation and focused attention, striking directly at the vital points! Throat, heart, back of the neck, temples!"
Zhang Yuan's figure shifted like a ghost, the broken sword's blade tracing a cold arc in the moonlight, precisely...
The "point" targets the imagined enemy's fatal spot with extremely simple movements, without any fancy or redundant actions.
"Ruthless!" Zhang Yuan's voice suddenly took on a chilling killing intent. "Once the strike is launched, there is no chance of survival! Single-minded focus, all power concentrated at the tip of the sword!"
He suddenly ducked and lunged forward, the broken sword swung upward with a resolute and ruthless force, simulating a fatal blow that pierced through the jaw and went straight to the skull!
The ruthless aura emanating from his thin frame, accumulated from countless life-or-death battles, sent shivers down the spines of onlookers.
Zhang Jian pursed his lips, his eyes fierce, and imitated Zhang Yuan's moves, carrying a desperate, reckless spirit, with every move aimed at vital points.
Zhang Jiumei's movements appeared even more "gentle" and elusive, her steps like a cat's, but her eyes were even colder and more focused.
Each thrust and retraction of the dagger carried a chilling, sinister feeling, like a venomous spider lurking in the darkness.
In the small courtyard, only the whooshing sound of wind breaking through the air could be heard.
When Zhang Yuan walked from the center of the courtyard to the door of the side room to watch Zhang Shi and the others write, the fierce killing intent he had displayed while practicing assassination swordsmanship had completely vanished.
The dim light illuminated his calm face, his eyes gentle. At this moment, he exuded a restrained scholarly air, completely different from the ruthlessness he had shown just moments before, revealing a rare elegance in a young man.
"Cousin, guess how much silver we've made at the East City Wharf alone in the last ten days?"
Xiao Yang walked into the study with a thick stack of account books in his arms, his face beaming, his tone filled with barely suppressed excitement and pride.
"Those Black Tiger Gang used to be begging while sitting right next to a gold mine! Such a prime location, with excellent waterways, and they only operated three shipping routes—what a waste!"
He placed the account book on the table and exclaimed in amazement, "I must say, your maternal uncle Wang Quanfu, although he seems a bit greedy and calculating on the surface, has a truly extraordinary vision and courage."
"He actually went to great lengths to expand the dock berths and dredge the silted-up waterways!"
"We've done the calculations carefully. As long as we can open three more new shipping routes as planned, I guarantee that within five years, this port in Fengming County will definitely become the premier cargo distribution and trading center for the surrounding counties!"
Zhang Yuan sat behind his desk, listening to Xiao Yang's report. He smiled faintly, nodded, and didn't say anything more.
Everything before my eyes, just like this early summer night, is full of vitality and upward hope.
Although this world is cruel, it also has a rare peace.