Chapter 44

*Content Warning: Mentioned blood; human trafficking.*

“What do you want to say?”

He Chuan’s expression was calm.

The smile on the old man’s face disappeared and he became expressionless.

“I have cultivated the most sacred secret technique to extend my life. It has been more than two hundred years now and I have saved countless people. Now, whether it is a merit or a fault, whether it is right or wrong, it is not up to you, a little child, to question me!”

“Putting on airs?” He Chuan waved his saber, “Since when did seniority speak for itself in the world of martial artists? Be straightforward. Were you the one who did it? If you don’t say it, then let’s fight.”

“Young man, you are indeed a little too arrogant.”

The old man shook his head and sighed softly, “I am well aware that the path of martial arts is full of hardships. Seeing that you have such a cultivation at such a young age, I don’t want you to lose your life in vain, what a pity.”

As he spoke, his gaze suddenly became unusually fierce, “You must be overestimating yourself!”

“Looks like it really is you.” He Chuan frowned, “You are already the ruler of a country. Why would you do such a thing and harm your own people?”

“These questions will be left for you to ask after you go to hell.”

The old man no longer said anything and suddenly attacked.

He struck out with his palm, and surging inner qi swept over.

[You channeled your Qi to resist, but you were possessed by the Yang Flames contained within and were severely injured.]

So there was a trick within!

He Chuan’s aura became heavier. He stepped on the ground with one foot and leaped up with the force of the recoil, landing on the roof of the Scripture Pavilion.

The old man’s speed was not slow either. In the next second, he landed on his back and struck out with his palm again.

However, He Chuan was already prepared this time.

After dodging sideways, he immediately returned the blow.

At first, the old man did not mind. He casually wanted to use the inner qi at his fingertip to deflect the blade.

As a result!

Instead, half of his palm was cut off by the terrifying inner qi attached to it!

“Ah!!!”

He cried out in pain. He already had the intention to kill. At that moment, he no longer held back and used all his strength to attack.

However, He Chuan’s strength was far beyond the old man’s expectations.

This young martial artist, who was only in his twenties, actually possessed an inner qi strength that was not inferior to his!

What was even more terrifying was that his physical fitness was shockingly strong. He did not look like an inner cultivator at all, and his reaction speed was also faster than an ordinary person’s.

After several rounds of confrontation, not only did he not get any benefits, he even fell into a disadvantageous position!

Could it be that after more than two hundred years of cultivation, he was going to fall at the hands of such a little child today?

The old man roared angrily.

His eyes suddenly glowed red, as if he had gone berserk. His entire aura had increased by quite a bit.

However, He Chuan still had a calm expression.

Even though this was the only opponent he had encountered since he came to this world that was worthy of being taken seriously, under the situation where the deduction system was fully activated, the pressure was still not very great.

Unfortunately, he was unable to defeat this old man in a short period of time.

Hence.

On the summit of the Forbidden City.

It was a life and death duel between top martial artists!

This battle lasted for three days and three nights before the victor was determined!

Half of the imperial palace was destroyed in an instant.

Amidst the ruins.

He Chuan was covered in injuries as he stepped on the dying Emperor’s chest.

He clenched his fists and looked at the old man’s almost withered face. In the end, he did not attack again.

“Why do you do human trafficking? Do you know how many families you have destroyed?”

“Hehe…”

The old man laughed hoarsely, “One hundred and fifty years ago, This Emperor’s heart was exhausted. After the imperial physician checked my pulse, he said that my foundation had been damaged due to overwork and I would not live more than two years.”

“This Emperor has worked for the country and the people for more than a hundred years. I created such a great career, but in the end, I ended up exhausted to death. If it were you, would you be willing?”

He Chuan was silent, “So? What does this have to do with you selling human beings?”

The old man did not speak. The light in his eyes gradually dimmed, as if he was going to die at any moment.

He Chuan quickly saved him. He took out a bottle of medicinal powder and fed it to the old man.

The old man was in a trance.

“I didn’t expect you to have such medical skills.”

“Forget it, since I’m about to die, I’ll tell you this secret.”

“When I killed the evil cultivator’s soul hall, I accidentally obtained a Peerless Secret Manual.”

“The cultivation method described in it is very marvelous. Not only can it prolong one’s life, but it can also break through the first tier and step into the innate realm, stepping into the realm of heaven and man as one.”

“However, there is a drawback that can not be replaced.”

“One must drink the blood of young boys and girls regularly to maintain one’s cultivation.”

“Otherwise, one’s cultivation will disperse and they will die!”

“In order to survive and see this dynasty continue for thousands of years, this emperor had no other choice…”

He Chuan shuddered when he heard this.

“So, you established such a human traffic chain. Not only can it maintain the relationship between the courtiers and you, but it can also capture the children of those young women who were born by accident and let you drink their blood to practice your cultivation?”

The old man nodded slowly, “That’s right.”

He Chuan’s eyes were filled with fury, “What a good plan. The courtiers won’t betray you, and you won’t be stabbed in the spine by the common people if you hide in the dark. They only think that bandits are vicious, profligate, and despicable and that the officials are corrupt. Who would have thought that all of this was done by a high and mighty Emperor like you?”

“This is not the result that I want.”

The old man sighed softly, “Originally, what I wanted was for the group of officials under me to continue serving the country and the people, to regularly clean up the bandits and profligate families in the region. After those women were captured for a few years, they would look for an opportunity to be found by the government and put back to stabilize the overall situation, but I didn’t expect… Sigh.”

“But I didn’t expect that those people were so corrupt that they would do anything for money?”

He Chuan sneered, “You think you have control over people’s hearts, it’s really… really…”

He raised the saber in his hand!

It went straight into the other party’s brain.

“It’s really not enough to die!”

He Chuan suddenly felt that his bottle of medicine was really wasted.

In order to survive, he was willing to sacrifice the lives of others.

It was something that happened for more than a hundred years!

God knows how many people died during this period.

It was probably an astronomical figure.

He shook his head. There was nothing to be nostalgic about, so he left the palace.

Not long after, explosive news came from the palace. It shocked the entire capital.

The Emperor had passed away!