Chapter 462: The Devoted Man
"You don't need to know that much? This is a transaction between me and Bu Qianfan. You just need to stay here obediently."
Zhang Ruochen ignored Orange Moon Star Envoy, clasped his hands together, and began cultivating the *Nine Heavens Bright Emperor Scripture* as if no one else was present.
"Hmph! You may have defeated me, but you cannot keep me here."
Orange Moon Star Envoy immediately mobilized her true qi, executing a movement technique in an attempt to escape the room.
"Uh!"
But the moment she began circulating her true qi, a piercing pain shot through her chest.
The true qi within her body started to flow in reverse.
Orange Moon Star Envoy, overwhelmed by agony, clutched her chest and crouched to the ground, gasping for breath.
Without opening his eyes, Zhang Ruochen said, "I sealed nine of your meridians. I only just unsealed one of them. You cannot circulate your true qi yet, or you will suffer the backlash of your own energy."
Orange Moon Star Envoy clenched her fingers tightly, glaring at Zhang Ruochen with eyes full of resentment.
At dusk, as the sun was about to set.
Before nightfall, Bu Qianfan arrived at the Martial Market Courier Station with the Source of Spirit Fire and handed it over to Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen took the Source of Spirit Fire, inspected it briefly, then closed the box containing it and said, "You may leave now."
This was merely a transaction. Zhang Ruochen did not bother with pleasantries with Bu Qianfan; each was simply taking what they needed.
Since Bu Qianfan had come to rescue someone, he must have made thorough preparations and undoubtedly had a way to leave with Orange Moon Star Envoy.
As for Xie Yun'an and the warriors of the Enforcement Hall waiting outside, they were far inferior to Bu Qianfan and Orange Moon Star Envoy and could not possibly detain them.
"Thank you once again."
Bu Qianfan clasped his hands and bowed to Zhang Ruochen.
Then, he took a golden metal mask from his sleeve and put it on his face, leaving only his eyes visible. He led Orange Moon Star Envoy, executing a movement technique, and flew out of the Martial Market Courier Station.
The metal mask on his face closely resembled the one worn by Di Yi.
"What a devoted man. It seems his martial path still has a flaw. As long as this flaw exists, he will never be a match for Di Yi." Zhang Ruochen shook his head and sighed.
"Boom!"
Fierce sounds of battle erupted outside the Martial Market Courier Station.
It did not last long before the fighting ceased. Soon after, Xie Yun'an and a group of injured Martial Market warriors rushed in, appearing before Zhang Ruochen.
Xie Yun'an's eyes were bloodshot, filled with rage, and he said coldly, "Zhang Ruochen, has Orange Moon Star Envoy been rescued?"
On his chest were three bloody claw marks, deep enough to reveal white ribs.
Zhang Ruochen sat on a stone bench in the courtyard, unhurriedly replying, "Weren't you already wounded by Orange Moon Star Envoy's Hell Ghost King Claw? Clearly, she has escaped."
With just one glance, Zhang Ruochen could tell that Xie Yun'an had been struck by the Hell Ghost King Claw.
"Why? Why did you let her go?" Xie Yun'an clenched his fists and roared.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at him and said flatly, "I didn't let her go. She was rescued by someone else. Besides, with your cultivation at the first transformation of the Fish-Dragon Realm and a large group of Enforcement Hall warriors, you still couldn't stop her. What's so strange about her escaping from me?"
Xie Yun'an looked down at the wound on his chest and said indignantly, "If it weren't for Di Yi's intervention, how could she have wounded me?"
Zhang Ruochen feigned ignorance and asked, "How do you know it was Di Yi?"
"He wore a metal mask and used the Black Market's ultimate technique, the Nether King Sword Art. Who else could it be but Di Yi?" Xie Yun'an said.
Zhang Ruochen knew that the man in the metal mask was not Di Yi but Bu Qianfan.
Of course, he did not expose this.
A martial artist who had reached the Great Perfection of the Earth Extreme Realm strode in quickly from outside, knelt on one knee before Xie Yun'an, and said, "Elder, the Enforcement Hall Master has arrived."
Hearing this, Xie Yun'an's expression changed.
If Orange Moon Star Envoy had not escaped, the arrival of the Enforcement Hall Master would have been a great achievement for him, earning rewards.
But now that Orange Moon Star Envoy had fled, Xie Yun'an would likely be charged with dereliction of duty.
No merit, only fault.
Moments later, Enforcement Hall Master Shen Fengtian, dressed in a dark black robe, strode in with an imposing presence.
"Greetings, Hall Master." Xie Yun'an immediately bowed deeply.
Out of fear, sweat kept beading on Xie Yun'an's face, and even the tips of his eyebrows were soaked.
The Martial Market Bank established an Enforcement Hall in every city district, and Shen Fengtian was the Hall Master of the Seventh District Enforcement Hall.
The Enforcement Hall and the Martial Market Academy were both affiliated with the Martial Market Bank.
The Martial Market Academy trained talents for the Martial Market Bank, from the Outer Palace to the Inner Palace and then to the Holy Academy, with a comprehensive teaching system from a young age.
Ultimately, those who graduated from the Holy Academy would become high-ranking members of the Martial Market Bank, wielding superior authority and vast resources.
The Enforcement Hall, on the other hand, recruited talents for the Martial Market Academy.
The entry threshold for the Enforcement Hall was lower than that of the Martial Market Academy, requiring less talent.
Any martial artist with considerable strength had a chance to join the Enforcement Hall.
Moreover, most people in the Enforcement Hall were not trained from childhood; the vast majority joined the Martial Market Bank only after achieving profound martial cultivation.
Another category consisted of those who lacked the qualifications to enter the Holy Academy and ultimately had to join the Enforcement Hall.
Because of this, the Martial Market Bank placed greater emphasis on the Martial Market Academy, allocating most resources to it.
Of course, the warriors of the Enforcement Hall also wielded significant power, handling many of the Martial Market Bank's shady affairs.
A scar ran across Shen Fengtian's face, and a cold, sinister aura emanated from him. He glanced at Xie Yun'an and asked in a voice devoid of emotion, "Where is Orange Moon Star Envoy?"
Xie Yun'an trembled all over and fell to his knees with a thud, saying, "She... she escaped. Hall Master, spare me, spare me... It's not my fault. She was let go by Zhang Ruochen."
Shen Fengtian's eyes turned green as he looked at Zhang Ruochen and said, "Did you let Orange Moon Star Envoy go?"
Shen Fengtian could terrify Xie Yun'an, a Fish-Dragon Realm cultivator, into kneeling, showing he was a formidable figure.
However, Zhang Ruochen showed no fear and calmly replied, "That's not true. Orange Moon Star Envoy was rescued by Di Yi. Elder Xie himself said so just now."
Shen Fengtian frowned, immediately turned to glare at Xie Yun'an, and said, "Di Yi was here?"
"Yes, it was he who rescued Orange Moon Star Envoy. I am certain of it." Xie Yun'an said.
"Bang!"
Shen Fengtian swung his arm, striking Xie Yun'an with a palm from a distance, sending him flying into a stone wall far away.
"Useless! You let both a Star Envoy and the Young Master of the Black Market First Class Hall escape. I'll deal with you properly when I return."
Though Shen Fengtian was scolding Xie Yun'an, his gaze was fixed on Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen showed no fear, meeting Shen Fengtian's eyes with a faint smile on his face.
Shen Fengtian snorted, flicked his sleeve, and swiftly left to pursue Di Yi and Orange Moon Star Envoy.
If he could capture Di Yi and Orange Moon Star Envoy, it would be a great achievement for him as well.
Zhang Ruochen glanced at the distant stone wall. Xie Yun'an crawled out of the rubble, spitting blood, and shot a cold glare at Zhang Ruochen before walking out of the Martial Market Courier Station.
Night fell, the air was crisp and cold, and a bright moon appeared in the sky.
As if nothing had happened, Zhang Ruochen held the Abyssal Ancient Sword and practiced swordsmanship in the courtyard, repeatedly drilling the move "Heavenly Heart Points the Way," pondering and striving to grasp its essence.
In the Seventh District, at a manor belonging to the Xu Holy Clan.
Orange Moon Star Envoy had returned to her true form, wearing an orange-yellow robe with a veil still covering her face. Her figure was graceful, and her bearing was extraordinary.
She seemed to tread on a cloud of mist, hovering in midair, and glanced at Bu Qianfan, saying, "I owe you for saving my life. I'll repay it someday."
"Whoosh!"
A radiance enveloped her delicate form as she flew out of the manor, vanishing into the night.
Bu Qianfan stood with his hands behind his back, his expression stern, staring at the direction Orange Moon Star Envoy had gone. He remained motionless for a long time, as if turned into a statue.
"Young Master, she is merely a seductress sent by Di Yi to disturb your state of mind. If you continue to indulge in this obsession, the next time you face Di Yi, you will still lose." A gaunt old man emerged from the shadows, his voice hoarse.
Bu Qianfan exhaled, withdrew his gaze, and said, "I understand."
"Didn't your last training trip to the Death Ruins Realm temper your will to a state of iron-blooded ruthlessness?" the old man asked.
Bu Qianfan was silent for a long time before saying, "Tenth Uncle, I want to go to the Death Ruins Realm again. This time, I will train there for half a year."
"Young Master... don't be impulsive. The Death Ruins Realm is too dangerous. One misstep and you could die. Last time you went to the Death Ruins Realm, you nearly..." the old man tried to dissuade him.
Bu Qianfan waved his hand and said, "I am not being impulsive. I know exactly what I am doing. I am not only cultivating the *Iron-Blood Martial Code* but also the Dual Spirit Treasure Body. Before breaking through to the Fish-Dragon Realm, I must master the Dual Spirit Treasure Body so that I can compete with Zhang Ruochen in the future."
The old man breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself, "Excellent! The young master has finally stopped being obsessed with that seductress. He is actually thinking about how to defeat Zhang Ruochen."
Today, Bu Qianfan had witnessed Zhang Ruochen and Orange Moon Star Envoy's fight, and he felt immense pressure.
Because Zhang Ruochen had defeated Orange Moon Star Envoy in just ten moves. When he fought Orange Moon Star Envoy, it took over a hundred moves to defeat her.
This showed that Zhang Ruochen was stronger than him.
Only by working harder than Zhang Ruochen could he ensure he would not lose to him in the future.