Longevity by Grinding Skills-Chapter 53: Robbing Without Money

The old crone’s eyes widened in fury; she knew instantly that she was in trouble. Her feet scrabbled, trying to turn and flee. Just as she was about to scatter the poison sand hidden in her sleeve, she saw Xu Yunfan pull back his hammer and reach for her.

His blood-gorged, fan-sized hand clamped down on the head of the staff. The old crone felt an agonizing pain shoot through the web of her hand as his five fingers crushed cracks into the century-old Ironwood Staff.

The coiled muscles on Xu Yunfan’s arm contracted sharply, and he swung the old crone’s entire body, slamming her into the rock face. The sickening crack of her skull hitting stone had barely faded when a whip-like kick snapped her left wrist, the one she’d been about to use for her poison.

Enduring the searing pain, the old crone coughed up blood and swung her staff in a circle to shield her face. But the Ironwood Staff couldn’t withstand the immense force of the Heavy Hammer that came right after. With a SNAP, it shattered into four pieces.

Xu Yunfan spun and kicked a piece of the broken staff off the ground. The three-foot splinter pierced the old crone’s chest, pinning her to a cypress tree with a spray of bloody foam.

There was no way she would live.

Knowing he couldn’t outrun Xu Yunfan and that escape meant certain death, the Iron-faced Man’s left-hand Judge’s Pen suddenly exploded. Twelve Bone-Piercing Awls shot out in a wide, flowery spray.

"Again?"

Xu Yunfan’s laugh was so loud it shook pine needles from the trees. His skin took on a bronze sheen as he charged straight at the Hidden Weapons without dodging or evading.

The Bone-Piercing Awls struck his bronze body, creating a shower of sparks. His massive feet stomped on the frozen earth, cracking it, as he plowed across the snowfield like a war chariot.

On the eighth step of the Iron-faced Man’s frantic retreat, Xu Yunfan’s Heavy Hammer shattered his Heart Protection Mirror. The residual force turned his internal organs to mush, and his body was flung far into the distance, where it lay motionless.

The linen-robed youth had already started his mad dash down the mountain back when the Iron-faced Man had his finger broken. His Deer Hide Boots skated in a chaotic pattern across the ice.

Xu Yunfan took a deep breath. As he pushed his Copper Body Skill to its limit, the blood and qi within him roiled like boiling water, and a cloud of steam-like white mist rose from his body.

He took one step forward. An immense power surged up from the ground through the heel of his back foot. It advanced in waves, rippling through his muscles until it reached his arms.

The Heavy Hammer tore through the air with a thunderclap. The Drumming Jar Golden Hammer shot forward like a bolt from a heavy crossbow, shearing through three birch trees without slowing.

Hearing the vicious wind at the back of his neck, the linen-robed youth’s soul nearly fled his body. In the instant he dove-clumsily to the ground, the two-hundred-and-twenty-jin Fine Steel Heavy Hammer grazed his topknot and flew past, obliterating a nearby ox-shaped boulder into fine powder.

"Grandfather, spare me!"

The youth lay paralyzed in a snowdrift, wailing as a foul-smelling stain spread across his crotch.

Xu Yunfan slowly closed in, stepping through the deep snow. Each footstep left an inch-deep print in the thick blanket.

He lifted the Heavy Hammer with a single hand. Half a bloody lung was still hanging from the Wolf Fang Nails on its head.

With a slight flick of his wrist, he sent a tremor through the Fine Steel Heavy Hammer, making it vibrate like a spring. The bits of flesh on the Wolf Fang Nails were flung away.

"You’re a fast runner."

The hammer’s shaft suddenly swept out, instantly shattering the youth’s kneecaps.

Amidst his agonized screams, Xu Yunfan stomped on his thigh. The new wave of pain made the linen-robed youth’s cries turn into the bloodcurdling shriek of a wild beast.

"Keep screaming, and you’ll really die."

Upon hearing this, the youth’s agonized screams stopped abruptly. Even as the pain made his whole body tremble, he gritted his teeth and remained silent.

Xu Yunfan’s expression was placid. He pulled the Bone Training Secret Technique for the Iron Bridge Pass from his robes.

"This... is it real?"

"It’s real! Realer than gold!" the linen-robed youth stammered through trembling lips, enduring the agony. "We from Bei Mang Mountain dug it out of the ruins of the Iron Armor Sect. It was chaotic, and I only managed to snatch this one fragment."

Seeing Xu Yunfan’s gaze turn cold, he said frantically, "Sir, Grandfather! I have another important clue! They say the Iron Armor Sect was wiped out overnight, but a cunning rabbit has three burrows—they had another secret stronghold! And I know where it is, I know it!"

Xu Yunfan said, "Let’s hear it. If I’m satisfied, I might let you live."

The linen-robed youth didn’t dare hesitate. He was sure that with the slightest delay, the Heavy Hammer hanging over his head would come crashing down.

"On the far side of Qingzhou Iron Mountain, there’s a cliff. Sixty meters down, there’s a circular platform. That’s where the Iron Armor Sect’s true foundation is hidden! The complete manual for the Iron Bridge Pass secret technique is definitely there, and maybe even the vast fortune the Iron Armor Sect accumulated over the years!"

"Does anyone else know?"

"No one! Absolutely no one!"

The linen-robed youth forced a smile that looked worse than crying.

"I found the clue while digging through the ruins at the Iron Armor Sect’s old site. It came from a partially burned journal left behind by Yuan Zheng, one of the sect’s True Disciples."

"My original plan was to make a stop at the Black Market here in Beiye City, and then head back to Bei Mang Mountain to tell the others so we could all go investigate."

At this, the youth seemed to realize he’d misspoken and hastily added, "But now that a great hero like you knows, I naturally wouldn’t do something so redundant. This humble servant is one of the Hawk Gate People from Bei Mang Mountain, an expert on all kinds of Ancient Tomb Mechanisms and clues. If you spare my life, sir, I guarantee it will be a profitable investment for you."

Xu Yunfan appeared thoughtful. He slowly moved the Drumming Jar Golden Hammer away from the youth’s head.

Seeing this, the youth couldn’t help but feel a wave of relief.

’As long as I can survive... As long as I survive, I’ll send word to my master immediately!’

He kept his eyes downcast, not daring to look up, terrified Xu Yunfan would see the look in them.

"I’ll go take a look when I have the time."

Hearing Xu Yunfan’s utterly emotionless voice, followed by the sound of tearing air, the linen-robed youth couldn’t help but look up. He was horrified to see the Heavy Hammer, which he thought had been moved away, now descending like a cannonball.

THUD!

The linen-robed youth’s head exploded on impact.

As Xu Yunfan tore open the youth’s bloodstained jacket, his brow furrowed.

’Where are the Silver Notes I gave him?’

After a thorough search turned up nothing useful, Xu Yunfan straightened up and couldn’t help but sigh.

’A thousand taels down the drain tonight.’

’For some reason, that really stings.’

’Shouldn’t have given him that much.’

’Still too naive!’

’That hunchbacked old man provoked me earlier, and I got emotional.’

’That’s a huge mistake. I’ll have to be more careful from now on.’

’A Honey Trap like this can happen once, but never again.’

Xu Yunfan sighed to himself. After confirming no one else was around, he quickly returned to the scene of the fight and thoroughly searched the bodies of the Iron-faced Man and the others.

However, just like with the linen-robed youth, he found nothing on them.

’Coming out to rob people without carrying anything on them... They deserved to be killed!’ 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Xu Yunfan grumbled to himself for a moment before acting. He hastily scrubbed the filth off his Jar Gold Hammer with a handful of snow, then picked up the black cloth and wrapped it again.

Then, with long, quick strides, he rapidly departed the battlefield.

...

...

"Miss, we’ve arrived. This is Beiye City!"

A party of twenty to thirty people stood quietly at the foot of the Beiye City gates.

From a nearby sedan chair, a fair, slender hand lifted the curtain. The occupant gazed out at Beiye City, which loomed in the darkness like a great crouching beast, silent and immense upon the land.

Standing beside the sedan chair, a stalwart man bundled in a thick jacket, a saber at his hip, looked up at the city walls ahead and remarked with a sigh.

"No matter how many times I see it, it always looks a little terrifying at night."

Nearby, a lean youth stood with steps so light he seemed to move like a cat, making not a single sound. His every movement was fluid and agile.