Mountain Patrol Military Officer

Someone was waiting here specifically for them, which means their movements have been completely exposed. The visitor seemed unfriendly, and it's likely the journey ahead won't be peaceful.

"Who are you?" Gou Yue demanded, eyebrows raised, his presence overwhelming.

"An old man with a floating name, here to greet you, sirs." The old boatman smiled, revealing yellowed teeth, his voice hoarse.

"The person in the carriage is the Nine Colonels of Shu, isn't it?"

The old boatman's gaze pierced the curtain, seemingly locking eyes with the person in the carriage, colliding from afar.

"Speak, what do you want?" Chen Yuan's voice came from the carriage.

The old boatman chuckled, a sound like drumbeats, echoing through the air.

"Someone doesn't want the Colonel to enter the capital. They offered benefits too tempting to refuse, asking this old fellow half-buried in the earth to wait here specifically, to meet the master."

"If I can harm you, they promise me ten years of life. If I can kill you, hehe."

His laughter was piercing, carrying a chill.

"Who is it? The Huangfu family? The Gongyang family, or the Meng family? Or is it the Sky Patrol Department?" In the carriage, Chen Yuan's voice turned cold, "What if I insist on entering the capital?"

"It depends on whether the master goes standing or lying down this time!"

"Anyway, this old bag of bones doesn't have many good years left."

The old boatman grinned with yellow teeth.

As soon as he finished, a terrifying murderous aura burst from the high sky.

Then, with a "boom," the carriage roof exploded.

A streak of light shot out like a meteor, heading straight for the great river.

"Haha"

"Come, let this old man see if your recent fame in the Divine Capital is deserved or if it's empty glory."

The old boatman laughed heartily, standing up straight with a crackling sound, his body suddenly towering. Stepping forward, the boat remained intact, yet below, the river surface surged with waves.

"Boom"

"Boom"

"Boom"

A series of towering waves exploded on the river surface behind the little black boat, as the old boatman suddenly soared into the sky, raising his hands. The exploded waves whipped upward, transforming into a fierce rainstorm with sharp chills, shooting towards the descending light.

Among them, droplets swallowed the sharpness, holding a water-blue color, carrying immense might.

These droplets were no ordinary water droplets but Xuanming Heavy Water, each one condensed from a stream, bearing tremendous destructive power.

And in the sky, the streak of light sharply tore through the air, a mass of flame blazing intensely, crashing into the empty waves with a roar.

The firelight broke through the wind and rain, sizzling loudly, revealing a dark three-pointed double-edged spear with fire patterns. The leaping flames clashed with the Xuanming Heavy Water, neutralizing each other.

Yet behind the three-pointed two-blade spear, no one was present!

As the old boatman stood bewildered, behind him, the white waves suddenly burst apart one by one.

Accompanied by screams of terror and agony.

The white waves fell onto the river, stained a glaring crimson by the blood.

A remnant shadow flashed like a fleeting specter, exploding through the waves; amidst the crashing waves, dismembered limbs flew.

In just a moment, the shadow smashed all the waves, and the screams abruptly ceased. Then the shadow shifted, appearing in midair, revealing Chen Yuan's figure.

At this time, he held nine blood-soaked heads aloft, with torn, ferocious wounds formed from being ripped off, and eyes that bulged with unwillingness and terror at the moment of death.

Moreover, after death, their faces began to twist and change, finally settling as if concealing their true appearance during life.

The erupted waves concealed people casting spells, secretly setting up a formation, intending to lure him in.

But everything was revealed under the Dharma Eye and was ruthlessly annihilated by Chen Yuan before the formation could even be set.

"You saw through it long ago?" The old boatman's pupils widened, his bark-like face twitched rapidly, the smile vanished, and his voice dropped.

Chen Yuan's eyes danced with fierce golden flames, looking condescendingly at him, a trace of blood surged at his eyes' corners, emanating a terrifyingly murderous aura.

"Just you?"

It was an extremely arrogant and disdainful tone.

As he finished, his body roared aflame, the space above his head rapidly swirling into a massive whirlpool of flame spreading outward. An overwhelming temperature swept through the void, swiftly forming into a Fire Domain.

Chen Yuan summoned the Southern Phoenix Heaven, although the Phoenix True Spirit was absent now.

Simultaneously, his body flickered, manifesting his Dharma Body, letting out a piercing cry, and pummeled his fists towards the old boatman below.

The Fire Domain howled, the Phoenix Divine Fire with its heaven-burning power crashed down upon the raging Xuanming Heavy Water, burning through directly.

The old boatman, somewhat prepared, saw Chen Yuan swiftly dispatching the others and crashing towards him. He let out a sharp cry, shaking both hands, as an aura of Divine Light burst forth, embodying a giant. Then, he combined his cultivated Xuanming Heavy Water into two blue feather knives, slashing at the Phoenix True Fire with force.

"Boom"

"Boom"

"Boom"

Several earth-shaking explosions rang out.

The Xuanming Heavy Water collided with the Phoenix True Fire, forcing the old boatman's Dharma Body into a swift retreat. The explosion's impact blasted the great river into towering waves.

Chen Yuan grabbed his spear, stepping on the Southern Heaven, moving at blazing speed in his domain. The long spear, bearing immense power with Phoenix True Fire, struck fiercely at the adversary, inciting continuous roars of rage.

After a deafening explosion, the old boatman was blasted down from the sky, landing on the river surface, skidding for miles, tracing a huge wave across the river.