Chapter 135: My conduct throughout my life requires no explanation to others.

"What is so strange about a crow that speaks? Toads, snakes, and slugs can speak too. Don't make such a fuss." The white-eyed crow cast a look of divine disdain at Linghu Chong. "Enough nonsense. Look into my eyes."

Linghu Chong instinctively met the crow's white gaze. Suddenly, the crow burst apart, transforming into specks of starlight that flew directly into the space between Linghu Chong's eyebrows.

This was Yang Xin's reward for Linghu Chong. Seeing that this troublemaker had stirred up the pugilistic world quite effectively while still retaining compassion for the common people, Yang Xin felt that Linghu Chong was worth saving. Thus, he bestowed upon him the bloodline of the Hyuga branch family and boosted his strength to the level of an elite Chunin.

Of course, to disgust and control him, Yang Xin also placed the Caged Bird Seal upon Linghu Chong. In effect, Linghu Chong's life and death now rested in the hands of Yang Xin and Yue Buqun.

Linghu Chong, however, remained oblivious. At this moment, he was immersed in immense bliss. He finally understood why Yang Xin had been so indifferent toward Ren Woxing; it was because Ren Woxing was simply no match for Yang Xin, not even worthy of being considered an opponent. Had he not just beaten Ren Woxing until he vomited three liters of blood?

"Huh!" Linghu Chong blinked his white eyes at Heibazi, one of the Four Friends of Jiangnan. With a flick of his hand, he channeled the Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm and pulled Heibazi toward him. "You have a foreign entity lurking within your body. I used your power to escape my imprisonment, so I shall repay that karma now."

Linghu Chong examined Heibazi with his white eyes, then channeled chakra into his palm and struck Heibazi's abdomen. Heibazi felt an agonizing, churning pain in his gut, like a raging sea. With a loud retch, he vomited, spitting out three large corpse worms.

"These are the parasite worms of the Three-Corpse Brain-Spirit Pill!"

The crowd was shocked! Heibazi was stunned, then overjoyed. He struggled free from Linghu Chong's grasp and crushed the worms under his feet.

Ren Woxing's expression changed—it changed completely! The fact that Linghu Chong could neutralize the Three-Corpse Brain-Spirit Pill meant that the governing system of the Sun Moon Holy Cult was on the verge of total collapse.

Why did the underworld figures grovel before Linghu Chong at the mere word of Ren Yingying? Why did they exhaust their fortunes just to win a smile from him, gifting him their most prized treasures or even their own wives and daughters? Was it because Ren Yingying was the Holy Maiden or her father was Ren Woxing? No, it was because Ren Yingying held the antidote to the Three-Corpse Brain-Spirit Pill. The others were merely currying favor.

To sacrifice one's own wife and daughter to another—what profound sorrow, what utter helplessness! This was the fundamental reason for their subservience. And now, before Ren Woxing's very eyes, Linghu Chong had cured Heibazi of the poison—completely. If he could cure Heibazi, he could surely cure Tupi Weng and Dan Qing Sheng as well.

"Young Hero Linghu, you arrived just a little too late, otherwise my eldest brother, Huang Zhonggong, would not have died," Heibazi wept.

"I will see this through to the end and clear my karma with you completely." Linghu Chong reversed the Star-Sucking Great Skill, returning all the inner energy he had previously drained from Heibazi.

Linghu Chong possessed immense talent and disdained the chaotic, impure energy absorbed through the Star-Sucking Great Skill. After gaining the Hyuga bloodline and learning chakra refinement, he realized that the absorbed inner energy could not be converted into high-quality chakra.

Instead, he valued the Huashan inner cultivation method. Being Taoist, it was meant for health and longevity rather than combat, which was why the Huashan Sect was renowned for swordsmanship rather than internal power. But with the addition of chakra refinement, the combination created a synergy far greater than the sum of its parts. Thus, he abandoned the stolen energy and returned it to its owner.

Having fully recovered his power, Heibazi was overjoyed. He clung to Linghu Chong’s leg, kowtowing and pleading, "Great Hero Linghu, please have mercy and save my brothers!"

During his travels, Linghu Chong had seen the darkest side of the martial world. Even righteous sects like Shaolin were not as pristine as they seemed; they would wipe out entire families over grain disputes—something even the demonic cults would find excessive. Yet, Shaolin did so as if it were perfectly natural. In comparison, Heibazi, who was willing to discard his dignity to save his brothers, seemed almost endearing.

Knowing that medical skill alone could not save the Ming Dynasty—or rather, that heroics could not save the martial world—Linghu Chong realized he had to be ruthless when necessary. He activated his white eyes and struck Tupi Weng and Dan Qing Sheng, forcing the worms out of their bodies and curing them.

"To prevent Ren Woxing from seeking revenge, you three should go to the Xianyue Sect in the name of Linghu Chong, senior disciple of the Huashan Sect. Abandon the darkness for the light and seek our protection. If anyone asks, tell them the Xianyue Sect can cure the Three-Corpse Brain-Spirit Pill. Go!"

The three exchanged glances, hoisted Huang Zhonggong’s body, and fled, ignoring the livid expressions of Xiang Wentian and Ren Woxing.

How ruthless! Linghu Chong’s move was truly vicious. Not only had he pushed Ren Woxing back to square one, nearly causing his downfall before he had even begun, but he was also dismantling the Sun Moon Holy Cult at its roots.

"Xiang Wentian, you framed me and caused my imprisonment. I have struck your master, so our ties are severed from this day forward! The green hills remain, the waters flow; we shall not meet again." With that, Linghu Chong activated his Wind God Legs and vanished.

"Brother Linghu, Young Lady Ren is being held at Shaolin. Why not join us to rescue her?" Xiang Wentian urged.

"Xiang Wentian, you have framed me once; you will do it again. As for the young lady, she has shown me kindness; I shall rescue her myself."

"Join us. You are alone and it is unwise," Xiang Wentian advised.

"Hmph, whether my actions are wise or not is not for you to judge. Besides, why should I, Linghu Chong, explain my life to anyone? Farewell!" Linghu Chong vanished in a flash.

Linghu Chong’s departure was magnificent and overbearing, leaving Ren Woxing and Xiang Wentian enraged. Ren Woxing had intended to use Plum Villa as his base to reclaim his power and eventually challenge Dongfang Bubai, but his newly recruited allies had been spirited away.

However, Ren Woxing could not afford to be angry. He roared with difficulty, "Left Envoy Xiang, guard me!" He sat cross-legged and began to regulate his breath. It took half a day to purge the invasive chakra Linghu Chong had forced into his body, and another half-day to mend his damaged meridians and internal injuries.

By the next day, Ren Woxing finally caught his breath. His injuries were mended, but his internal energy was completely exhausted.

"Left Envoy Xiang," Ren Woxing asked, "are there any martial arts sects in the vicinity of Plum Villa?"