After paying the three spirit stones for entry at the city gate guards, Wu Tao disembarked from the flying artifact and began to walk through Sky Fortress City.
Sky Fortress City belonged to the territory of the "Cold Water True Spirit Sect," the sole ruler of the boundless sea, stretching for billions of miles in the East Sea.
Due to its importance, a great master of the Nascent Soul stage was always stationed here.
Sky Fortress City's special geographical location, connecting Qingzhou and the East Sea, and thus the immortal cultivation worlds both within and beyond the sea, led to it being divided into four zones.
The first zone was the trading district, regularly patrolled by disciples of the Cold Water True Spirit Sect, making it extremely safe. Cultivators from various immortal realms could conduct transactions here without worrying about their personal safety.
The second zone was the core area, the essence of Sky Fortress City, accessible only to cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage or higher.
The third zone was the mortal area, primarily inhabited by ordinary people. Disciples of the Cold Water True Spirit Sect were stationed here, ensuring the safety of its residents.
The fourth zone was a chaotic, lawless area, a melting pot of all sorts of individuals. Death, assassination, poisoning, and similar incidents were commonplace, with hundreds of cold corpses appearing daily, and no one cared.
...
Naturally, Wu Tao paid no mind to these matters. His sole purpose for being here was to slay the Butcher with the Stone Hammer, sever his head, and then leave this place swiftly.
In the center of the chaotic zone stood a five-story inn. Perhaps in this lawless, no-man's-land, this was the most bustling place, filled with clamor and the sounds of carts and horses.
Third floor.
By a window sat a burly man.
He wore earth-yellow clothing, his wild long hair cascaded over his shoulders, and his hand, gripping a wine cup, had thick knuckles calloused and hardened like stone, slightly darkened.
His face was terrifying, crisscrossed with scars that almost disfigured him, leaving only a pair of eyes that gleamed with sharp light, radiating an aura of brutality, slaughter, and bloodlust.
After eating a few pieces of meat from a sea monster and drinking a cup of "cheap" spirit wine, the burly man turned and asked the green-robed youth at a nearby table, "Kid, who are you? You've been staring at me for a while. Is there something you need?"
The green-robed youth, upon hearing this, put down his chopsticks and retorted coldly with immense arrogance, "Are you the so-called Butcher with the Stone Hammer?"
"Heh heh, that's right, kid. I, your grandpa, am the Butcher with the Stone Hammer!" the scarred, burly man said slowly, licking his lips.
"Your reputation is quite grand, but you don't look like much. Will you end yourself, or shall I personally tear you to shreds? Choose one," the green-robed youth said haughtily.
Hearing this, the Butcher with the Stone Hammer burst into laughter, slapping the table. "A mere outer disciple dares to speak such nonsense? You underestimate me, the Butcher with the Stone Hammer, too much. Looking at your clothes, you must be a disciple of Qingyang Sect, a top sect in Qingzhou! A pity, you're just an insignificant outer disciple."
...
The Butcher with the Stone Hammer was a wicked and utterly depraved individual. He delighted in robbing cultivators weaker than himself, was a ruthless killer, and often disregarded the unwritten rules of the cultivation world, killing numerous mortals for his amusement.
This was why he had appeared on the kill lists of major righteous sects, becoming a whetstone for outer disciples of various sects who often hunted him.
However, relying on his sheer luck, considerable combat skills, and cunning mind, the Butcher with the Stone Hammer had always managed to survive without major incident. Of course, there were a few times when he nearly lost his life.
The scars on his face and the wounds on his body were the results of dozens, if not hundreds, of battles.
...
The green-robed youth's heart burned with anger. He slowly stood up and said in a deep voice, "I've eaten my fill and drunk enough. Since you are obstinate, do not blame me for being ruthless and sending you on your way."
"I forgot to tell you, my name is Yu Zhipeng. I'm here to collect your head for a reward."
"Heh heh." The Butcher with the Stone Hammer chuckled again, not replying, his eyes fixed on a point behind Yu Zhipeng, as if someone there commanded his attention.
Yu Zhipeng frowned, then turned to look, but saw nothing.
"Kid, you're still too green. Die!" Seeing this, the Butcher with the Stone Hammer roared with triumphant laughter. He retrieved his signature top-grade artifact, the "Primordial Earth Heavy Hammer," from his storage bag. Earthy light swirled around it, emitting a not-weak spiritual energy.
The next moment, with a whoosh, a massive hammerhead slammed down towards Yu Zhipeng.
Only as he reacted did Yu Zhipeng become enraged and exclaim, "Despicable!"
He then swiftly drew an upper-grade artifact, the Lingjin Spear, from his storage bag and blocked the attack.
*Boom!*
The powerful spiritual energy shockwave swept in all directions. The tables and chairs on the third floor were all shattered, but fortunately, the patrons on this floor were all cultivators, so no casualties occurred.
...
After the loud noise, Yu Zhipeng was blasted out of the third floor, stumbling onto the pockmarked street, his clothes in tatters, his face pale.
The next moment.
Seizing the opportunity to strike a fallen foe, the seasoned Butcher with the Stone Hammer pursued, swinging his great hammer again.
He roared, "Mountain Splitter!"
Spiritual energy surged into the Primordial Earth Heavy Hammer, which transformed into a colossal rock hammer in mid-air, descending upon Yu Zhipeng. This caused Yu Zhipeng's spiritual energy and blood to stagnate, his expression turning dazed.
At this critical moment, Yu Zhipeng bit his tongue and took out a rare auxiliary talisman, the "Spirit Aid Talisman," from his storage bag. He raised the Lingjin Spear once more to meet the attack.
"Spear thrust like a flood dragon!"
With the aid of the talisman, Yu Zhipeng's spiritual power temporarily surged. The tip of the Lingjin Spear suddenly manifested a fearsome, coiling flood dragon.
As the colossal rock hammer collided with the golden flood dragon, the air violently distorted, followed by a blinding golden light. The flood dragon attempted to shatter the giant rock hammer.
However, the massive rock hammer was incredibly solid and dense. The moment the flood dragon touched it, it dissolved like spring snow under a scorching sun. It did not last long before it crumbled into pieces.
*Pfft!*
Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Yu Zhipeng was once again sent flying backward, disbelief etched on his face.
The experienced Butcher with the Stone Hammer would not let such a prime opportunity slip away. The moment Yu Zhipeng's feet touched the ground, the Butcher immediately pursued.
The Butcher with the Stone Hammer declared with arrogant laughter, "My Primordial Earth Heavy Hammer is a top-grade artifact, specifically an offensive one. Moreover, I struck first and heavily injured you. How can you possibly be my opponent now? Surrender and die!"
"Butcher with the Stone Hammer, do you truly think I am a fish on a chopping board, ripe for slaughter?" Yu Zhipeng's face contorted with ferocity. He flicked out several low-grade Five Elements talismans to block the ferocious advance of the Butcher with the Stone Hammer.
Yu Zhipeng reached into his storage bag and retrieved a pill.
The pill was finger-sized, its surface crystal green, containing a hint of flame-like red light that pulsed within.
Without hesitation, he swallowed the pill and let out a low shout. In the next instant, his internal spiritual energy surged, and his green robe billowed as if caught in a gale.
The Butcher with the Stone Hammer was greatly astonished, "Qingyang Pill? No, it's a Minor Qingyang Pill!"
*Crack!*
The ground beneath his feet shattered as Yu Zhipeng halted his retreat. A faint green light enveloped him, and an astonishing aura erupted, even stronger than before his injury.
"To deal with a petty person like you, I don't even need a Qingyang Pill. A Minor Qingyang Pill is enough."
...
Qingyang Pills were extremely rare medicinal substances that could temporarily boost spiritual energy. For cultivators below the Core Formation stage, they could temporarily enhance their combat power by a minor realm.
While Minor Qingyang Pills were not as potent as Qingyang Pills,
swallowing a Minor Qingyang Pill would cause the entire body's spiritual energy to boil for three minutes, temporarily making one stronger than before, and also suppress severe injuries.
As Yu Zhipeng spoke, he did not cease his actions, casting several more low-grade talismans.
At this moment, quite a crowd had gathered to watch, including many cultivators. Wu Tao's figure was among them.
"I didn't expect an outer disciple of Qingyang Sect to get ahead of me. This is somewhat troublesome. However, it's fortunate that this Butcher with the Stone Hammer is not an easy opponent. I might just be able to snatch a great bargain this time," Wu Tao mused, standing at the back of the crowd, his mind racing with various thoughts.