I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1085 - Chapter 1085 Chapter Three Hundred and Seventy-Nine The

Chapter 1085: Chapter Three Hundred and Seventy-Nine: The Little Year is Difficult Chapter 1085: Chapter Three Hundred and Seventy-Nine: The Little Year is Difficult “`

With the formula sold, the small courtyard was relieved of its financial crisis, and with the support of money, the diet of the two changed dramatically.

Gone were the days of eating corn stalks and stubs; instead, they feasted on large chunks of braised meat and new rice, not to mention the occasional indulgence in Spiritual Food and Spirit Liquid.

Brother Tian, who had been famished for a long time, similarly benefited. Boiling water was only to demonstrate the effects of medicinal liquid, but for a warrior of unity of spirit and intent like him, boiling water alone couldn’t satisfy the energy demands of a warrior’s physique.

The small courtyard regained its tranquility after overcoming the financial crisis. Tang Luo no longer had to endure the stench of boiling water or hunger and devoted much of his time to repairing his meridians.

As the year-end approached, Tang Luo had repaired the meridians in his upper body, and his hands had regained sensation; he no longer had to lie stiff in bed like a wooden log.

Moving beyond the status of a living dead, he took a significant step forward and joined the ranks of the paralyzed.

If all went well, by April 1986, he would be able to get out of bed and walk on his own; for now, he still relied on a wheelchair and crutches to move about.

The first thing Tang Luo did upon regaining the use of his hands was to ask Brother Tian for paper and pen.

Although he had been bedridden for this period, he had gained a lot of time for thought, and his work repairing his meridians led to new understandings of the human body’s mysteries.

He had so many insights he needed to record, for relying solely on memory would inevitably lead to omissions. Being able to write them down before the year-end was indeed a great advantage.

Although Brother Tian didn’t appreciate this practice, thinking it a waste of time, Tang Luo knew clearly that once he finished repairing his meridians and reforge the Undying Battle Body Divine Array, with the continuous washing of Innate Qi, his body would surely return to its former condition; he was full of confidence in himself.

…

Longzhou Calendar, 1785

Twilight of the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month

The year-end was approaching, and even a city that never slept like Chaochang was entering a period of recuperation.

Workers and merchants who had been busy all year, if able, would return home to prepare for the New Year, and even the fighters in the martial arts halls tempered their aggressiveness.

As usual, Brother Tian was nowhere to be found, and Tang Luo, now accustomed to this, wrote and sketched in the dark, not even bothering to light a lamp.

If nothing unexpected happened, the small courtyard’s New Year’s Eve would pass quietly. Tomorrow morning, or perhaps in the evening, Brother Tian would return through the Spirit World Passage, and without needing to speak, they would greet each other by nodding their heads. After chatting about some trivial family matters, they would continue to be busy with their own affairs.

But the hustle and bustle from the Upper City District completely shattered the silence of the New Year’s Eve.

Once again, the Ghost Assassin atop the wanted list had emerged–and his target this time was a council member of the Yun Clan Conference!

“`

Yun Hong and Yun Yi, the two councilors, along with over a dozen members of their families, were all slaughtered. The city lord, Yun Xiu, gave the order once again to lockdown the Upper City District and mobilized the Xiang Family Army to guard all key thoroughfares, determined to capture the brazen Ghost Assassin!

However, the thunderous maneuver did nothing to stop Brother Tian, who possessed a Spirit World Passage, and the supposedly deceased councilors and their families were, in fact, walking steadily through the Spirit World Passage, with Yun Hong and Yun Yi leading the group, trembling with excitement.

Following the Spirit World Passage southward, Brother Tian stopped with his back to everyone and said indifferently, “That’s enough. Once you get to the front, you’ll be at the port. From the South Sea, you can head anywhere–Zhongzhou, the southern skies, Yuanzhou–it’s all fine. Just don’t come back to Longzhou. Be cautious on your way. If the people from the Xiang Family discover you, they’ll surely confirm the rumors!”

The nearly fifty-year-old Yun Hong and Yun Yi exchanged glances, took a step forward filled with emotion, and said, “Great Young Master, the Yun Clan is the favored choice of the Chaochang people. Since you are still alive, why not return to Chaochang? With just a call to arms from you, many would rally to your cause. You could then reveal the Xiang Family’s conspiracy and overthrow that ‘demoness’ from the position of city lord, revitalizing our Yun Clan!

“I am not Yun Ji,” Brother Tian said flatly, dispelling all their fantasies. “To lose land but retain people is a small loss, but to lose people and land both is total defeat. For the Yun Clan right now, whether or not they can return to Chaochang is not what’s important. What matters is if they can preserve the lives of the Yun Clan members. Only if you survive will there be a chance for the Yun Clan to make a comeback. If you perish, even retaking Chaochang would be meaningless.”

“The Spirit World Passage has been open too long and may soon be detected. Hurry and lead your people out of here!”

With a silent sigh, the two councilors bowed to Brother Tian and led their people away, vanishing into the passage. Brother Tian watched everyone disappear into the Spirit World Passage for a while before silently departing.

He had hoped to rescue several councilors and their families during the eve of the Chinese New Year, yet the Xiang Family had anticipated this and took great precautions, managing to rescue only two households.

This action had surely enraged the Xiang Family, who now knew the location of the Spirit World Passage. Accompanying the Xiang Family Army into the city were also many formation masters.

Their purpose in guarding the various key points of the Upper City District was to plant Formation Stakes. Once these stakes were planted, the entire Upper City District would become a Spirit Realm restricted area, and to activate the Spirit World Passage again would require tearing open the array covering the whole Upper City District.

By then, rescuing anyone would be an almost impossible task.

The only plan now was to rescue more clan members before the Formation Stakes were fully deployed. The Xiang Family would never expect that, even with the whole city under martial law, he would dare to strike back once more!

Having made up his mind, Brother Tian slipped back into the Upper City District through the Spirit World Passage. He materialized in a dark alley, and with Cloud Veil Body Painting, he blended into the night and quietly approached the heart of the Upper City District.

The once bustling and noisy streets were now silent and deserted. All the doors along the way were tightly shut, and the residents of the Upper City District were hiding in their houses. The only people on the streets were patrolling Xiang Family Army warriors and wandering martial artists.

And their goal was clear: to find the Ghost Assassin and claim the biggest bounty in Chaochang.

But for these people to notice Brother Tian, who was blending into the night with Cloud Veil Body Painting, was rather difficult.

Approaching Yun Huan’s residence without incident, Brother Tian was about to scale the wall when he felt a sudden premonition. He promptly stopped all movement and leaned against the wall, listening intently to the sounds coming from the courtyard.

Inside, a brutal interrogation was taking place. All the men and women of Yun Huan’s family were dragged out of the house and forced to kneel in the yard, and Yun Huan himself, the chairman of the Yun Council, was being trampled under the foot of Xiang Longteng, his face covered in blood.

The surrounding soldiers of the Xiang Family Army held spears and shields, their expressions cold and detached, as if accustomed to such scenes.

“You old fool,” Xiang Longteng said viciously, stepping on Yun Huan’s chest. “Without the Xiang Family, you would have been nothing more than a stray dog of the Yun Family. How could you have enjoyed today’s glory? This luxurious mansion in the Upper City District, the tens of millions in business, and the high seat in the Yun Council–all of these are graces bestowed upon you by the Family Head. Yet you dared to plot your escape and betrayal!?”