Overdraw the future and become a peerless martial god

Chapter 213 Return to Qingyang
His bare upper body was sculpted with the lines of a knife and axe, his chest was bulging and his shoulders were as broad as mountains, making him look like an ancient war god who had emerged from a volcano.

Her short, fiery red hair stood upright, each strand seemingly burning with demonic flames, forming a blazing crown that danced in the wind, radiating a dual aura of nobility and wildness in the firelight.

That face was imposing and heroic, with sharp features and piercing brows. Especially striking were his golden pupils—fiery and clear, burning with an untamed flame, yet deep within them lay a composure and clarity he had never possessed before.

His arms were covered with dark golden demonic patterns, as if lava was flowing beneath his skin. Each pattern shimmered with the light of ancient and mysterious runes, rising and falling with his aura, like thunder and demonic energy surging.

It was no longer the imprisoned beast lying low in the deep valley of flames, but a true "Ten-Turn Demon King"—a transformed true form after its soul shed its shell and its blood pulse broke free of its shackles.

He lowered his head, looking at his "human" hands—the knuckles were distinct, the lines clear, and his fingertips trembled slightly. He slowly opened and closed his fist, feeling an unprecedented sense of exhilaration and vastness within him, as if the shackles that had once bound his soul had been completely burned away.

For a moment, he was even somewhat dazed:
Is this a dream?

He had toiled day and night for a thousand years, and even breaking through the first level of blood limit required a price of life-or-death struggle. But now, the power he possessed, the clear sea of ​​consciousness, the complete spiritual veins... were the future he had dreamed of countless times but never dared to truly hope for.

"This is freedom..." he murmured, a fiery shock and relief flashing in his golden eyes.

Then, he slowly raised his head and looked at the figure who was still standing quietly in front of the monument, whose soul lock had not yet dissipated—Chu Ning.

I have never seen such a person in my life.

Not for personal gain, nor for worldly fame, but solely for a rebellious token, he was willing to defy the law with his soul and break the monument to save him.

He is neither a god nor a king, yet he possesses a will and responsibility that even a god-king would not dare to bear.

The next moment, Chi Yan—no longer "Chi Yan Tiger," but "Chi Yan" with a real name and will—suddenly knelt on one knee.

The sound was like thunder, resonating throughout the entire Burning Flame Valley. The rocks trembled, the lava surged, and the wind and fire roared together.

His right fist, heavy as iron, slammed into his own chest, producing a continuous, dull, booming sound, like a drum beating in battle, like a soul bell tolling.

His head was bowed so low that his forehead almost touched the ground, yet his voice was like a tiger's roar, resounding and powerful:
"The remnants of the Crimson Flame have been reborn by the Lord!"

"From this day forward, this body and this soul shall be devoted to my lord!"

"Through mountains of knives and seas of fire, through the deepest hells and the most hellish springs, I would gladly die ten thousand deaths to serve you!"

"This oath is sworn by heaven and earth, and shall be slain by all demons and gods!"

The moment the vow was uttered, the world changed dramatically.

At the summit of Burning Flame Valley, deep within the long-silent sky, the phantom of a blazing celestial tiger faintly appeared, its head raised and roaring, circling around the crimson flames.

That was the testimony of the ancestral soul from the demon realm, and also the recognition of the oath by heaven and earth when the ancient blood was reshaped.

Chi Yan slowly rose, his body, now engulfed in flames, no longer bound by its former constraints. He looked down at his palms, as if still trying to confirm whether he had truly broken free from the shackles of fate.

Before Chu Ning could speak, a rapid surge of demonic energy suddenly emanated from the depths of the rock strata in the southeast of Burning Flame Valley.

"He's taken human form... he's actually taken human form?!"

A hoarse, terrified demonic voice rang out, followed by several demonic figures bursting out from the fiery rock crevices. They were all remnants of the Crimson Flame Clan who had once enslaved them.

The leader was the Blood Scorpion King, who was once famous in the border region of the demon realm for his "Three Blades of Flame Hell". He was a ruthless demon at the peak of the ninth level of the demon race. For decades, he had been in charge of the outer sealing of the Burning Flame Valley and the Soul Chain Ritual. Half of the suffering that Chi Yan had endured was caused by him.

The Blood Scorpion King was towering and imposing, with arms like knives, and his face contorted with terror.

He intended to flee, but when he saw Chu Ning's calm and composed expression, his steps faltered slightly—this human's soul fire was too pure, unlike an "outsider," and more like the master of this blood flame.

The next moment, a deep, thunderous roar reverberated throughout the Burning Flame Valley.

"You...do you even deserve to leave?"

Chi Yan's voice was deep and thunderous, and his golden pupils burned in the firelight, as if they would scorch through mountains and rivers.

As he took a step, the air suddenly exploded, the ground was struck as if by a thousand-pound weight, the entire Burning Flame Valley trembled violently, and waves of fire rose three zhang high.

Blood Scorpion King's expression changed drastically, and he tried to turn around and flee. However, the next moment, a blazing red palm shadow fell from the sky, carrying an unstoppable tenth-level demonic power, and slammed down.

"boom--!!"

The power of crimson flames cleaved through the clouds with the blade.

With a single palm strike, he forcibly suppressed the Blood Scorpion King and the two Rank 8 Demon Kings back into the valley and plunged them into the fiery hell.

The ground collapsed three zhang deep, and the three demons crawled in it like insects, their bodies twisted and unable to move.

"You once bound my soul chains, eroded my divine consciousness, stripped me of my true name, and used me as a weapon—forcing me to devour demonic flames for ten years, all to help you break through to higher realms as a sacrifice..."

Crimson Flame approached step by step, flames erupting from its shoulder blades, its blood surging like thunder.

"Today, it's time to settle accounts."

The Blood Scorpion King roared in terror, "Crimson Flame, you are now free, why do you have to kill us all?"

"Freedom?" Chi Yan sneered, a laugh filled with ten years of suppressed hatred and anger. "When you cut out my heart and marrow, burned my bones and refined my meridians that day, did you show any mercy?"

"If I don't kill you, how can I face the 973 comrades whose souls were burned?!"

He suddenly opened his mouth, and a raging torrent of flames, as if the gates of hell had been opened, spewed from his throat.

The flames surged like a tide, red tinged with black, each wisp imbued with his soul blood and the power of his rebellious bones! This was—"Reverse Flame: Soul Burning Heaven".

The fire surged and engulfed the three demons.

The Blood Scorpion King roared and struggled, spreading its bony wings on its back as if to fly away. However, under the suppression of the Reverse Bone Decree, its soul was torn apart, and its protective demonic arts were as fragile as paper.

The other two demons didn't even have the strength to resist and were directly scorched through by the fire waves.

The three demons screamed in agony, their souls twisted, their scales shattered, and their bodies convulsed, dissolved, and turned to ash in the flames.

The Blood Scorpion King howled in the flames, "No—I am a descendant of the Crimson Gu God, you cannot—"

The crimson flames gazed down calmly, their voices like inscriptions carved on a monument:

"Those who burn me, shall die."

Those who insult me ​​will be destroyed.

"Those who take away my freedom—may never be reincarnated."

The flames exploded at his fingertips in a final wave, like a volcanic eruption, engulfing the three demons.

Click! Click!
After a few barely perceptible crackling sounds, the world fell silent. The flames above Burning Flame Valley seemed to quiet down for a moment because of this blood debt reckoning.

Upon seeing this, the remaining demons in the valley were terrified and fled into the densely packed tombs deep within the Burning Flame Valley, never daring to show themselves again.

Chu Ning stood calmly at the valley entrance, his expression unmoved. He neither made a move nor stopped them.

This is Chi Yan's revenge, the final step in his rebirth.

It was not just a massacre, but a lament for the past and a welcome to freedom.

As the flames subsided and the smoke dissipated, Chi Yan slowly turned around, his steps steady. His body was still bathed in the undying demonic fire, yet his expression was serene and peaceful.

“My lord,” he said in a low voice, his voice no longer as fierce as a knife, but instead revealing a sense of relief he had never felt before, “I have cleared up the past.”

"From this day forward, I have no worries." Chu Ning nodded slightly, his eyes filled with an indescribable respect.

He knew that some debts could only be truly settled by himself, and only then could he achieve true freedom.

"Okay." Chu Ning turned around and looked at the distant northern sky, where the demonic flames had not yet subsided.

"Then come with me."

"The road ahead is even more treacherous—but you and I will no longer walk alone."

Chi Yan nodded emphatically, and flames rose up, condensing into a crimson-gold tiger shadow behind him, spiraling upwards like a battle flag fluttering in the wind.

—The flames of war have died down, but the flames of oath have been lit anew.

As the wind rises, the vast sky above the mountain peaks is rising in the east.

Chu Ning stood atop a peak outside the Burning Flame Valley, his robes fluttering in the wind.

Chi Yan stood solemnly beside him, the two of them silently observing the southern land.

That was the road back they were about to embark on.

“It’s only a hundred li from Burning Flame Valley to Qingyang County,” Chu Ning said softly, “but this hundred li is the slowest I’ve ever traveled in my life.”

Chi Yan looked at him and asked in a low voice, "Are you... afraid to see that city?"

Chu Ning was silent for a moment.

"Afraid?" he murmured to himself, then suddenly smiled, his gaze turning slightly cold. "No, it's that I dare not meet him lightly."

“I once cleaved the Wang family with a single strike, my soul lamp half-burned, and walked out of that river of blood alone. But now I return, carrying with me the power to suppress the world.”

"This weight must not disturb their peace."

Chi Yan nodded slowly, but there was some confusion in his eyes.

Chu Ning reached out and gently stroked the rock wall at the entrance of Burning Flame Valley.

There is a small mark there, which was left on the stone when Qingli flicked her tail back then. Now it has been eroded by wind and rain and is almost invisible.

"This mark is the starting point of our destiny."

With a wave of his long sleeves, he concealed his spiritual aura and stepped onto the mountain path.

"Let's go."

The two embarked on their journey home. The mountain breeze, carrying the lingering heat of the fire, brushed past them, as if their old lives had come to an end and new aspirations were being ignited.

In Qingyang County, the spring breeze is just beginning to blow, and the landscape is like a painting.

The dilapidated official road of yesteryear has long been rebuilt, with smooth stone slabs and a brand-new look to the streets and alleys. Children chase and play under the old elm trees, vendors shout their wares along the street, and laughter fills the air.

The sorrow and silence of the Wang family's tyrannical rule are no longer seen.

Chu Ning and Chi Yan walked side by side to the entrance of the county town. No one recognized him as the master of the First Rank Pavilion. They only saw him dressed in green, his aura as ordinary as an ordinary person.

Chi Yan had his hair tied up and wore armor. Although he looked like a young man, a dark, demonic flame lurked around him, making the surrounding air scorch slightly.

Chu Ning walked slowly forward, looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar street scene, and whispered:

“Back then, I wiped out the Wang family with a single blow. As for the confiscated gold and silver, I established the ‘Qingyang Relief Office’ and ordered the county government to distribute it back to the people. Now, this street is no longer silent.”

Chi Yan tilted his head to look at him, his nostrils flaring slightly as if he could sense the joyful laughter of the children in the city. He suddenly asked, "Why does the Pavilion Master care so much about the kindness of mortals?"

Chu Ning replied calmly, "Because I, too, am a mortal."

He turned his gaze to the south of the city and said, "Come, let's go to the Relief Department."

In the past, the Wang family had the deepest roots in the area around the South Gate of Qingyang County, especially the "Wang Family Pawnshop," which was notorious for lending money at high interest rates, forcing debtors to seize houses, and was feared by the people.

But now, when you stand in front of the old site, you will see that the original black plaque has been removed and replaced by two three-courtyard buildings with white walls and black tiles. Each gate has a plaque that reads "Qingli Yishu" and "Ningshu Xuefang".

The children's clear, melodious voices reciting their lessons drifted from the courtyard, their voices innocent yet orderly.

Chu Ning paused, her eyes flickering slightly. Chi Yan looked at the two plaques, a hint of doubt in her eyes: "Was this name given to you?"

Chu Ning looked at the group of young apprentices at the door reciting "The Art of Self-Cultivation," remained silent for a moment, and then slowly nodded.

He remembered clearly that year, when he led his men to confiscate the Wang family's gold and silver and delivered it to the county government, he only left one sentence:

“This money should not have been in the Wang family’s treasury, but should have been in the people’s bowls, books, and destiny.”

County Magistrate Feng Tonghai exclaimed, "The young man surnamed Chu, with his soul imprint newly forged, wields thunder to slay evil; Qingyang has a righteous man."

He smiled faintly: "Now it seems—they listened."

He did not disturb the students in the free school, but quietly walked into the former site of the Relief Office.

The courtyard has been renovated and is now adorned with swaying bamboo shadows, and the front hall is clean and tidy. In front of the hall hangs a plaque that reads "Qingyang Relief Office," with the four characters written by County Magistrate Feng Tonghai himself.

Upon hearing footsteps, a man emerged from the inner hall. He was dressed in a blue official robe, appeared to be around forty years old, had a slightly dark complexion, and clear eyes.

It was Feng Tonghai.

Back then, he was an incompetent official who both feared the Wang family and coveted their wealth. However, after the Wang family was wiped out by Chu Ning, he hesitated for a long time before the sum of money Chu Ning left behind. In the end, he used it to repair roads, support schools, and provide relief to the poor, earning him the title of "Upright Official Feng" from the people.

“This young master—” Feng Tonghai did not recognize him at first, but saw that he was dressed in extraordinary clothes, had a lifeless left eye and a missing right arm, but his soul was unfathomable. He immediately cupped his hands and said, “I did not know that you would come to Qingyang. I am sorry for not welcoming you properly.”

Chu Ning smiled and said gently, "Magistrate Feng, don't you recognize me?"

Feng Tonghai was taken aback, his eyes scanning the man's face for a few moments before he suddenly gasped and stumbled, "You are... that guy from the Benlei Martial Arts School... the one who killed the Wang family that year..."

Chu Ning nodded and whispered, "Chu Ning."

Feng Tonghai said excitedly, "May Heaven bless Qingyang! You are still alive... All these years I have been thinking... If you hadn't exposed the cancer in Qingyang back then, I would have lost my life and my official hat long ago."

He spoke sincerely, even bowing slightly: "What you saved was not just money, but the spirit of an entire city."

Chu Ning shook his head: "I was just following the will of Heaven and the will of the people. It was you who walked that path to the end."

Feng Tonghai's expression was complicated: "Back then, I feared the Wang family like a tiger, and I was greedy for merit and wealth by any means necessary. It was your knife that woke me up from the mud. Later, you disappeared, and I always felt indebted... So I thought that if I really wanted to atone for my sins, I would start with the people of Qingyang County."

Chu Ning entered the hall and saw that the walls were covered with "Relief Registers," which recorded accounts of the people receiving assistance, the construction of free schools, and the distribution of winter clothing, organized by year and village. The handwriting was clear and meticulous.

He walked to the iron incense burner in front of the hall, silently lit an incense stick, and the smoke rose.

"I never thought I would be able to come back."

The hall was filled with the smoke of incense.

Looking at the densely packed list of relief recipients on the wall, Chu Ning suddenly asked in a deep voice:

"Magistrate Feng, are martial artists these days... easy to govern?"

(End of this chapter)