"You… you didn't die in the explosion!"
Seeing Chen Nan standing before him, the middle-aged ninja's face twisted into a ghostly expression. He simply couldn't believe that this young man possessed such terrifying power!
In truth, the reason Chen Nan only suffered minor injuries—aside from his immense inner strength—was due to one crucial factor:
His Iron Body, a physique as tough as bronze and steel.
Had it been any ordinary Fifth Heaven Martial Emperor, even if they hadn't been killed by the blast, they would've sustained devastating internal injuries.
"It was just a grenade. It could never kill me." Chen Nan sneered coldly, his gaze fixed on the ninja. "Now—where's the Sacred Seal? Summon it, and I'll give you a quick death."
The middle-aged ninja gave a mocking grin. With a flick of his wrist, he threw a small, egg-sized sphere onto the ground.
Boom!
Smoke exploded outward, billowing thickly as the ninja turned and fled.
Chen Nan's eyes narrowed. He stomped the ground hard, propelling himself seven or eight meters into the air—above the smoke. From there, he immediately spotted the ninja sprinting into the distance.
"I know where you're going!"
With his Seven-Step God-Killing Technique, Chen Nan's figure blurred like a shadow, flashing through the air in rapid pursuit.
"Star-Absorbing Demon Lord!"
When only ten meters remained between them, Chen Nan landed, thrusting his right hand forward. A powerful suction force erupted from his palm, instantly pulling the ninja back toward him.
"Damn it!"
The ninja cursed furiously.
Realizing he couldn't escape, he twisted around in desperation. The blade of his ninja sword flashed coldly as he slashed toward Chen Nan's chest.
"Break!"
A metallic clang rang out—Chen Nan had caught the blade with his bare hand.
The razor-sharp weapon was firmly trapped in his grip. No matter how the ninja struggled, he couldn't move it an inch—the difference in strength between them was simply too vast.
With a powerful twist, Chen Nan snatched the sword away, grabbing both the hilt and the edge. He twisted once more, and with a vibrating hum, the steel blade bent and coiled like a twisted rope.
The ninja still refused to submit. He swung a desperate punch—but Chen Nan's kick landed squarely in his gut, sending him flying backward and crashing heavily to the ground.
"You don't even know how to live or die."
Chen Nan stepped forward, pressing one foot onto the man's chest. He summoned the long sword fused with his left arm and slashed downward toward the ninja's face.
"Ahhh!"
A scream of agony filled the air as a deep, bloody gash split the man's cheek.
"When you're ready to tell me where Yu Xi is, just shout."
Chen Nan's voice was cold and emotionless—like a killing machine. The sword in his hand moved relentlessly, cutting the man again and again. Bloody lines crisscrossed the ninja's back like a fisherman's net, each wound shallow but excruciating.
The man's whole body trembled in pain, his screams echoing as sweat and blood poured down, soaking the ground red.
Chen Nan showed no mercy. Each stroke of his blade barely grazed flesh—never deep enough to kill, only to torture. Unless the man bled out from sheer exhaustion, he would remain alive through the pain.
After more than twenty lashes, the ninja's back was a mangled mess of blood and torn flesh. He could endure no more.
"I'll talk! I'll talk! Please—just kill me quickly!"
The man's voice cracked in desperation. The torment was simply unbearable.
Chen Nan struck two light taps on his pressure points to stop the bleeding—just enough to keep him alive. Then, grabbing his hair, he lifted his head and asked coldly, "Where is the Jade Seal?"
"It's… it's not on me," the ninja gasped, shaking violently from the pain. "We… we hid it… I'll take you there…"
"Which way?"
The man weakly raised his hand and pointed east. "That way… about six or seven li (three kilometers)."
"If you dare lie to me," Chen Nan warned, eyes icy cold, "I'll make you taste the greatest pain this world can offer."
Gripping his hair tightly, Chen Nan used his lightness skill to leap onto the treetops and sped toward the east.
Moments after they left, a new group of people arrived at the site, seeing only the blood-soaked grass where the ninja had fallen.
Though Chen Nan's power was immense, his body was heavier than most men—nearly twice the weight—so his movement was somewhat slower.
About ten minutes later, carrying the injured ninja, he reached a rocky valley. The terrain was rugged, barren except for a few stubborn plants sprouting between cracks.
The ninja pointed ahead at a massive boulder. "The Jade Seal is hidden under that rock."
Chen Nan dragged him forward. Beneath the boulder, there was indeed a wide crevice—and inside, a wooden box rested at the center.
Chen Nan struck the man's acupoints to prevent escape, then stepped up and retrieved the box.
But remembering his last encounter with a trap, he was more cautious this time. Surrounding himself with protective qi, he carefully opened it.
No explosion this time—inside lay a genuine Jade Seal, about four inches in diameter, engraved with five coiling dragon patterns.
Just as Chen Nan reached out to examine it more closely—
Whoosh!
A piercing sound tore through the air. Someone was attacking from behind!
Chen Nan quickly shut the box and dodged aside. A flash of cold light streaked by—shattering the massive boulder behind him into pieces.
A flying sword!
Chen Nan's brows furrowed. Could the ninja's allies have arrived?
According to intel, there had been three thieves at the Sky Eagle Hotel that night: one ninja, one cultivator, and one mage. Until now, he had only encountered the ninja—the other two hadn't appeared.
A voice called out arrogantly from the sky:"Since you're all Chinese, I'll be generous—hand over the Jade Seal, and I might spare your lives."
Three cultivators descended from above, each standing on a flying sword. They surrounded Chen Nan from three sides.
Chen Nan gave a cold laugh and pointed at them. "You three aren't even qualified to say that. Admit your mistake now—or don't blame me for what happens next."
He truly didn't regard these three Eighth Heaven Realm cultivators as a threat.
Likewise, they looked down on him, seeing only a mere Fifth Heaven warrior. One of them even burst out laughing:"Hah! A joke! A mere Fifth Heaven martial artist dares to challenge us? Just the two of us are enough! Senior brother, give me a moment—I'll kill him with a single sword!"
Before the words even faded, the man activated his flying sword, swinging it toward Chen Nan's neck, killing intent thick in the air.
"You're the one courting death."
Chen Nan shook his head and sighed softly.
Then, with a single palm strike—
Crack!
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