Cultivation System: Stronger with Age

The Piaoxiang Tower, usually bustling with patrons, was now completely deserted. At the street corner, several hundred martial cultivators had gathered. Among these cultivators, a small portion were Yin Talisman Sect members, likely subordinates of Steward Hu Shuo; the larger portion consisted of hundreds of elite Black Tiger Gang members. Both sides had already drawn their swords and were facing off at the street corner.

At the center of the street corner, Sima Liuyun stood before five Black Tiger Gang stewards. A cold smile played at the corner of his lips. "Steward Hu Shuo, he's just an old man selling pancakes. Do you think the Black Tiger Gang can't capture him? Besides, with your Mid-grade Third Layer cultivation, do you really think you can stop me, Sima Liuyun?"

Hu Shuo's face turned crimson, his eye twitching, clearly a mix of shame and anger. "We both have Third Layer cultivation, who's afraid of whom? As for that old man selling leek pancakes, he's obviously just a commoner, without a shred of Martial Arts Cultivation. You're recklessly arresting people, stirring up widespread resentment in Great Marsh Prefecture! I can't control what happens elsewhere, but Yin Talisman Sect territory is no place for you to run wild!"

With that, Hu Shuo helped Old Zhang to his feet. "Old Zhang, don't worry," he said. "Since you've paid the street protection fee to the Yin Talisman Sect, you're safe! Hurry and leave this place!"

Old Zhang, the leek pancake seller, already pale with fright, trembled as he scrambled off into the distance.

But from behind him came Sima Liuyun's voice, "Safe and sound, you say? I'm curious to see if you have the ability to keep him safe!"

His words had barely faded when a loud shout echoed from the street corner.

"Sima Liuyun, you've got some nerve, causing trouble in Yin Talisman Sect territory! Do you still remember how I thrashed you until you were crying for your parents back then?!"

With the loud shout, a figure shot through the air, swiftly leaping to the street corner and landing beside Hu Shuo. It was Ma Jiang, who had already activated his Wandering Dragon Exorcism Hand.

Seeing Ma Jiang approach with a murderous glint in his eyes, having already activated his famously formidable Wandering Dragon Exorcism Hand, Sima Liuyun's face gradually darkened.

"It's been three years. Today is different from the past, Ma Jiang. This time, it will be you crying to your parents!"

He pressed down slightly with his feet, circulating his Qi Blood. The Dragon-Defying Boots on his feet transformed, completely encasing his legs and feet!

At the same time, Qi Blood surged within him, and his abdomen suddenly swelled to an incredible degree, making him look like a giant toad!

The expressions of the many elite Black Tiger Gang members behind Sima Liuyun shifted upon seeing this, and they quickly began circulating the Black Tiger Golden Claw Heart Method.

Opposite Sima Liuyun, Ma Jiang and Hu Shuo's expressions also changed upon seeing his state. They frantically circulated their Qi Blood.

Hu Shuo shouted to the more than three hundred Yin Talisman Sect disciples behind him, "He's mastered the Black Tiger Gang's Celestial Tiger Ferocious Roar Skill! Retreat quickly! Circulate your Qi Blood to protect your heads—"

Unfortunately, before he could finish speaking:

"ROAR~~~~"

A tremendous tiger roar erupted from Sima Liuyun's mouth.

In an instant, the terrifying roar from Sima Liuyun produced countless ripples in front of him. These soundwaves surged toward the more than two hundred Yin Talisman Sect disciples at terrifying speed!

All around, the countless buildings along the long street trembled slightly from the dreadful roar, and numerous screams echoed from within the many wooden structures!

In a blink, the more than two hundred Yin Talisman Sect disciples began to scream in agony. Blood flowed from each disciple's ears, and their eyes became bloodshot.

Dozens of Yin Talisman Sect disciples who hadn't even reached the First Layer of Transcendence collapsed to the ground, instantly knocked unconscious by the terrifying roar!

It wasn't that these disciples were weak; the Celestial Tiger Ferocious Roar Skill was simply too formidable. Even Steward Lin Jiao, at the Late Stage Second Layer, couldn't help but clutch his excruciatingly painful head and shout, "Damn you! Roaring so loud, you nearly shattered my head!"

Old Zhang, who had stumbled more than a hundred zhang away, didn't escape either. His body stiffened, and he fainted on the spot, blood trickling from his nose and mouth. Even at a distance of over a hundred zhang, he still sustained internal injuries!

It wasn't just within a hundred zhang. In the dozens of nearby alleyways, countless residents clutched their buzzing ears in pain.

Far off, even ten to twenty miles away, both commoners and martial cultivators heard the faint echoes of the roar and couldn't help but glance curiously in this direction!

With a single roar, hundreds, perhaps thousands, were injured. Even Late Stage Second Layer experts were in severe pain. The roar could be heard from twenty miles away; the Celestial Tiger Ferocious Roar Skill, one of the Black Tiger Three Techniques, was indeed devastatingly powerful!

At the street corner, only Ma Jiang and Hu Shuo fared slightly better.

Hu Shuo, his Qi Blood surging and his face grim, shouted to the disciples who hadn't fainted, "Quick! Take the unconscious disciples and retreat!"

Ma Jiang, protecting his body with his Qi Blood, endured his headache and bellowed, "What are you squawking about!"

He took a step, leaping several zhang, and swung his Wandering Dragon Exorcism Hand—wreathed in thumb-thick arcs of lightning—towards Sima Liuyun's face.

"ROAR! ROAR! ROAR!"

A cold sneer touched Sima Liuyun's lips as he retreated quickly. The tiger roars from his mouth were continuous, countless soundwaves battering Ma Jiang before spreading outwards.

Ma Jiang, at the forefront, circulated his Qi Blood to suppress the tremors in his organs and head as he pursued Sima Liuyun. However, despite his ferocious Yin Thunder Technique, Sima Liuyun gave him no opportunity to get close. This once-defeated opponent, Sima Liuyun, now relying on the Tiger Roar Technique, had actually gained the upper hand!

In the blink of an eye, under the relentless assault of the Tiger Roar Technique, Ma Jiang's ample Qi Blood was rapidly being depleted.

A flicker of anxiety crossed Ma Jiang's eyes. Sima Liuyun was kiting him with the Tiger Roar Technique. If this continued, not only would he be defeated, but who knew how many Yin Talisman Sect disciples and civilians in their territory would be killed!

The intermittent screams from the numerous wooden buildings surrounding the long street had significantly diminished. It was clear that most of the innocent, affected civilians had been knocked unconscious by Sima Liuyun's terrifying Tiger Roar Technique!

Oddly enough, the Black Tiger Gang members employing the Black Tiger Golden Claw Heart Method were completely unharmed.

The five Black Tiger Gang stewards watched the Yin Talisman Sect disciples writhing and clutching their heads in agony. They sneered, their faces filled with smug satisfaction.

The five stewards gestured in unison. The Black Tiger Leaders and Gang Members roared as one and charged toward the Yin Talisman Sect disciples. The face of every Black Tiger Leader and Gang Member was contorted with ferocity, triumph, and murderous intent!

A one-sided slaughter of the Yin Talisman Sect members was about to begin!

At that very moment, muffled sounds erupted one after another from the depths of the long street. A figure, treading upon the long street, rushed toward them at high speed. He was dressed in black, wearing a conical hat and a Ghost Face Mask, and holding a Profound Iron Rod more than four feet long!

"Sima Liuyun, didn't you want to bring people to capture me? I'm here!!"

Before his voice faded, Lin Xuankong leaped up. Carrying the five-thousand-jin Profound Iron Rod, he crossed a distance of fifty to sixty zhang and landed heavily before the Black Tiger Gang members. His heavy stomp made the bluestone beneath his feet give way with a loud BANG! as it instantly shattered into countless pieces.

Conical Hat Guest!

The many Black Tiger Gang Leaders and Gang Members hurriedly dodged the flying stones, their faces changing dramatically. Of course, they had been following Sima Liuyun everywhere, searching for the Conical Hat Guest. But now, actually facing him, none of these hundreds of Black Tiger Gang members, these dozens of Black Tiger Leaders, these several dignified Black Tiger Stewards, dared to make a move!

Not only that, but of the hundreds of gang members who had looked so ferocious moments before, not one dared to stand their ground. They all scrambled back in retreat!

These hundreds of men, who had charged forward like man-eating demons, now retreated with faces full of fear, scurrying away like frightened dogs!

Just then, three figures suddenly flew out from a distant tavern, landing at the street corner. One had fierce, leopard-like eyes, his face full of viciousness. Another was eight feet tall and as round as a ball. The third stood nine feet tall, with a broad and powerful build!

The man with the leopard-like eyes stared at Lin Xuankong and sneered, "Vice Hall Master Li was right. The most likely hiding places for the Conical Hat Guest were the territories of the Huang Family and the Yin Talisman Sect—our Black Tiger Gang's adversaries! We just began searching this area, and you've already shown yourself!"

Among the Yin Talisman Sect disciples, the red-faced Steward Hu gasped when he saw these three. "Li Hu Wu Sanlang, Shihu Huqing, and Pang Hu Shan Xiong! With Sima Liuyun, the Black Tiger Gang has sent four Grand Chief Stewards!"

His expression flickered, his heart pounding like a drum. Li Hu Wu Sanlang reached the Early Stage of the Fourth Layer half a month ago! Shihu Huqing is at the Perfection of the Third Layer! Pang Hu Shan Xiong is at the Early Stage of the Fourth Layer! And Sima Liuyun is at the Perfection of the Third Layer! If I faced such a lineup, I'd be killed in an instant. Even against a single Early or Mid-grade Fourth Layer fighter, I'd be pushed into a corner, and the slightest mistake would lead to defeat and death... Because these four are notoriously formidable! Not only are they masters of the Black Tiger Shattering Golden Claw, but each also wields one of the powerful Black Tiger Three Techniques. Their combat prowess is far greater than that of ordinary cultivators at the Perfection of the Third Layer or Early Stage of the Fourth Layer!

Lin Xuankong merely raised an eyebrow. Just as I suspected, this is indeed a trap set for the 'Conical Hat Guest.' It's likely that each time Sima Liuyun conducted a search, the other three powerhouses were hiding nearby! So what? With the Manluo Demon Pearl in hand, even if the Black Tiger Gang's Liy Ruofeng or Zhao Renxiong were here, I could definitely control the situation, whether to fight or flee! As for these Four Great Stewards, they're a perfect opportunity to test the might of this world's number one Ruyi Battle Armor!

As Lin Xuankong pondered, the Yin Talisman Sect disciples, still clutching their heads in pain, quickly retreated. This included Hu Shuo and Lin Jiao; none dared to remain, fearing involvement in the battle between the Black Tiger Gang's Four Great Stewards and the Conical Hat Guest!

Even Ma Jiang, who had been chasing Sima Liuyun, quickly halted his pursuit and retreated dozens of zhang. He glanced at the overwhelmingly menacing aura of the Black Tiger Gang's Four Great Stewards, his expression changing slightly. He couldn't help but shout, "Conical Hat Guest, the Black Tiger Gang has strength in numbers! There's no need to clash with them head-on now that they're prepared!"

Li Hu Wu Sanlang, his leopard-like eyes glaring, shouted coldly, "Ma Jiang, do you intend to represent the Yin Talisman Sect and provoke another war with our Black Tiger Gang?!"

Ma Jiang's eyes hardened as he stared at Wu Sanlang.

Just then, Lin Xuankong circulated his Qi Blood, and his slightly raspy voice rang out, "Thank you for the warning, but this is a grudge between me and the Black Tiger Gang. The Yin Talisman Sect need not interfere!"

With that said, he inverted his grip on the Profound Iron Rod and walked towards Li Hu Wu Sanlang, step by step.

At this, Ma Jiang, Hu Shuo, and the numerous retreating Yin Talisman Sect members watched with changing expressions. As he continuously retreated, Hu Shuo kept shaking his head. "The Four Great Stewards of the Black Tiger Gang's Great Marsh Hall have been famous for a long time. They are all exceptionally talented and incredibly powerful top-tier experts in Great Marsh Prefecture. The Conical Hat Guest is in grave danger!"