“I… I… I…” Fang Xue’s throat felt as though it were being throttled, rendering her incapable of uttering a single word. However, the blood rain cascading before her only intensified her terror, shattering her resolve and leaving her with nothing but a desperate plea for survival: “Please, don’t kill me. I promise I’ll never dare to do this again! Please…”
Qin Nan’s expression remained impassive, devoid of any emotion.
Fang Xue’s fear grew increasingly acute. In a frantic rush, she said, “Qin Nan, I am the eldest daughter of the Fang family. You mustn’t kill me. If you do… my father will make trouble for you. And my brother… my brother has awakened a sixth-grade Yellow Soul. If you kill me… he will surely seek revenge!”
Qin Nan’s brows furrowed.
Naturally, Qin Nan knew Fang Xue’s brother, Fang Rulong, who was the son of the Fang family’s head. They had met several times before, but their interactions were not particularly profound.
What surprised Qin Nan was the revelation that Fang Rulong had awakened a sixth-grade Yellow Soul.
This made Qin Nan keenly sense that something was amiss. Typically, such a significant event would be publicly announced and celebrated with great fanfare, as a sixth-grade Yellow Soul was a rare occurrence in the history of Linshui City, appearing only once in a decade.
Although Qin Nan felt a pang of confusion, he did not dwell on it. He simply sneered at Fang Xue and said, “Fang Xue, you are quite amusing. Even now, you dare to threaten me. We are in the Longhu Mountains; if I were to kill you, who would know?”
Fang Xue’s expression changed instantly, her mouth agape in shock, unable to utter a single word.
In that moment, a flash of cold light from a blade severed Fang Xue’s life force. In her final moments, her eyes widened with a lingering hint of confusion, clearly unable to understand why she was dying.
Qin Nan looked at her lifeless body with an unreadable expression and said, “And by the way, I should mention that I’m not afraid of your father because my father is also the head of the Qin family. Moreover, I’m not afraid of your brother either, for in my eyes, he is no match for me.”
After speaking, Qin Nan turned to leave but immediately retraced his steps. He retrieved more than twenty Body Tempering Pills and an ancient map from Fang Xue’s waist.
“This woman was quite wealthy,” Qin Nan mused, examining the ancient map.
With Qin Nan’s sharp vision, it was evident that the map was quite old.
“From Fang Xue’s earlier conversation with her guards, this ancient map led to a cave, though it seemed dilapidated and unlikely to hold any treasures. Now that I have some free time, it would be worth checking out to see if there’s anything of interest…”
Determined, Qin Nan resolved to investigate the cave. With a day left before returning to the Qin family, he had ample time and wouldn’t be delayed. He proceeded to follow the map.
Soon, a cave emerged before him.
The cave, nestled among a grove of trees, stood about as tall as two people. Surrounding the entrance was a tangle of weeds, appearing quite ordinary with no distinguishing features.
As Qin Nan entered the cave, his face betrayed a hint of disappointment. Inside, the cave was only a few meters deep, and he could see the bottom immediately. Apart from a patch of weeds, there were only some uneven marks, lacking any notable features.
“It seems this ancient map was indeed misleading,” Qin Nan murmured, preparing to leave.
Just as he turned to go, he suddenly noticed a handprint deeply embedded in the stone wall. The imprint was clear and emanated a subtle, chilling aura.
“Interesting,” Qin Nan’s eyes sharpened, sensing that this handprint was unusual.
He approached the handprint, scrutinizing it closely and even used his black iron knife to test it. However, he soon shook his head, realizing that the handprint was not a mechanism but likely a remnant of a past battle or cultivation.
At that moment, Qin Nan felt a tremor throughout his body as his War God Soul suddenly surged from his back, emitting an enigmatic aura.
“Why is the War God Soul reacting on its own…”
Startled, Qin Nan had no time to ponder further as the seemingly ordinary handprint on the stone wall erupted with a fierce, domineering energy, akin to an apocalyptic force.
“This is…” Qin Nan’s heart was shaken. The energy released from the handprint, if not for the protection of the War God Soul, would have torn him apart given his current cultivation level.
Realizing that the handprint was not an ordinary imprint but a remnant left by a powerful individual, Qin Nan saw that its aura was persistent and indomitable.
“It appears the treasure mentioned in the ancient map refers to this handprint. The others must have been too weak to sense the will contained within it. Without the War God Soul, I too would have remained oblivious!”
Qin Nan took a deep breath, his face showing a trace of excitement as he regarded the terrifying handprint.
With the War God Soul shielding him, he had no fear of the handprint’s will harming him. Instead, he could study and comprehend it to enhance himself.
In the martial world, all techniques are derived from one’s own will. The stronger the will, the greater the power.
A handprint imbued with such will was ideal for cultivation and comprehension.
Qin Nan wasted no time. He sat cross-legged before the stone wall, his eyes fixed on the handprint, his mind fully concentrated.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In that instant, explosive sounds reverberated in Qin Nan’s mind.
In a mystical realm, a massive hand imbued with terrifying power descended from the heavens, seemingly aiming to crush Qin Nan. At this moment, the War God Soul, taking on a human form, appeared to tilt its head slightly, halting the incoming cataclysmic hand, which now hovered within Qin Nan’s consciousness.
Qin Nan settled his mind, wholly immersed in feeling the will of the handprint.
“This handprint embodies an extremely overbearing will. One strike from it would annihilate and destroy everything…” Qin Nan pondered, experiencing a profound internal enlightenment.
The hours passed slowly as Qin Nan remained before the handprint, sitting for an entire day.
At this moment, Qin Nan sat before the stone wall, his aura completely suppressed, his breathing nearly imperceptible, resembling a statue.
In the next instant, his eyes snapped open, and a piercingly cold and fierce gaze shot forth from them, as if turning into a tangible force that struck the stone wall.
The aura emanating from Qin Nan now exerted a formidable pressure, far surpassing the oppression of the fifth level of Body Tempering.
“This day of comprehension has been highly rewarding. Unfortunately, my current cultivation level is too low, and I could only grasp a fraction of the handprint’s essence.”
Qin Nan shook his head, nearly certain that this handprint was left by a Martial King.
The will wielded by a Martial King was beyond Qin Nan’s current reach, only grasped in its most superficial form. Without the War God Soul, he would likely have been injured by this Martial King’s will.
“Now… time to test my Thunderclap Sword Technique!”
Qin Nan’s expression grew serious as he drew his black iron sword and slowly closed his eyes. After a period of contemplation, his eyes opened suddenly, and the black iron sword slashed forth in an instant.
Boom!
A thunderous roar erupted.
A chilling blade light, imbued with a domineering aura, seemed to merge with Qin Nan’s entire being as it cleaved into the stone wall. In that moment, the once solid wall was marred with a deep cut.
“This strike already feels connected with my intent. I’m likely on the verge of achieving the realm of unity between man and sword! Moreover, this strike could potentially overwhelm even a typical fifth level of Body Tempering!”
Qin Nan’s face brightened with joy.
The gains from this cave were immense. Without this handprint’s assistance, Qin Nan might not have begun to enter the realm of unity between man and sword.
“Alright, I have spent a full five days in the Longhu Mountains. By now, my father should have prepared everything. It’s time to return to the Qin family…” Qin Nan’s gaze flickered as he exited the cave and made his way down the mountain.
At this moment, in Linshui City, the Qin family was convening their monthly family meeting.
