The Time-Standing July

Thousand Taoist was undoubtedly powerful, far surpassing the likes of Death Monk and Ghost Dwarf.

Hearing Chen Bing's words, Yan Zhi didn’t have time to think—instinctively, she unleashed the sixth stance of Dragon’s Descent!

Her whip lashed out like a furious dragon, sweeping through the air!

Yan Zhi leaped into the sky, the whip in her hand emitting sharp whistles, striking down like a dragon descending from the heavens.

Thousand Taoist cursed inwardly and hastily raised his horsetail whisk in defense.

But his arm moved too abruptly, aggravating an old injury. A searing pain shot through him, slowing his reaction by a fraction.

In the heat of battle, even a split-second delay could mean the difference between life and death!

Crack!

The whip’s shadow struck Thousand Taoist with a resounding snap.

The sheer force sent him flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground.

Yan Zhi panted slightly.

The sixth stance of Dragon’s Descent was immensely powerful, and she still struggled to control its full might.

Meanwhile, seeing Yan Zhi gain the upper hand, Chen Bing didn’t hesitate—he swung his sword in a swift arc.

Death Monk’s eyes bulged as a thin red line appeared across his neck. His head toppled, separating from his body.

Chen Bing couldn’t help but glance at An Yi, who was still fighting fiercely, his expression far from dismissive.

That guy might be shameless, but his strength was terrifying!

The memory of An Yi single-handedly slaying Thousand Taoist, Death Monk, and Ghost Dwarf was still fresh in his mind.

Thousand Taoist rose to his feet, his skin now ashen like withered wood.

Despite taking Yan Zhi’s Dragon’s Descent head-on, he remained standing, his power truly fearsome.

He glared at Chen Bing.

How did this brat know about his injured arm?

Noticing the unnatural hue of Thousand Taoist’s skin, An Yi raised an eyebrow.

This wasn’t the Withered Wood Technique! Did he have ties to Dark Taoist?

Seeing Death Monk and Ghost Dwarf already dead, Thousand Taoist realized their plan—to use the Jiangbei Enforcement Bureau as a blood sacrifice and send a message across the Great Xia—had failed.

If this fight continued, he too would die here!

"Night Emperor! We’ll settle our score another time!"

Thousand Taoist fixed An Yi with a cold stare before hurling his horsetail whisk toward the ground.

Then, in a flash, he retreated!

What was he doing?

Not only were An Yi and the others confused, but even the surviving rogue cultivators were baffled.

Was he surrendering by throwing away his weapon?

"Hide now! That whisk is a bomb!"

Chen Bing shouted as if foreseeing the danger.

An Yi reacted instantly, lunging forward to tackle Shen Muxuan, who was still frozen in place.

Yan Zhi, seizing the moment, conjured a barrier of condensed energy to shield herself.

A split second later—

The ground trembled as a blinding white light erupted!

The sky turned as bright as day!

A deafening explosion shook the heavens, sending clouds of dust billowing into the air.

When the smoke cleared, Yan Zhi’s face was icy as she surveyed the Enforcement Bureau’s ruined entrance.

The rogue cultivators closest to the blast were either dead or severely wounded, their bodies charred and bloodied.

Shen Muxuan, shielded beneath An Yi, was unharmed.

"An Yi, are you okay?" she asked, her voice trembling, eyes red.

An Yi winced. "My back’s a bit banged up. Guess I won’t be doing chores for a while."

Relieved that he wasn’t seriously hurt, Shen Muxuan let out a soft laugh despite her lingering fear.

"Fine. From now on, I’ll handle the cleaning, cooking, and laundry."

At the last moment, An Yi had used his Air Control Technique to erect a makeshift barrier behind him.

But against the bomb’s force, his half-baked defense was no match for Yan Zhi’s energy shield.

His back was still scraped and stinging.

The rogue cultivators near the blast weren’t so lucky—three were killed instantly, while the rest were gravely injured, unable to even crawl away.

Thousand Taoist was long gone.

The man was ruthless—he’d tossed the bomb toward his own allies to cover his escape.

Chen Bing emerged unscathed from a narrow alley beside the Enforcement Bureau.

An Yi rolled his eyes at the sight.

This bastard really did have foresight.

The moment Thousand Taoist threw the whisk, Chen Bing had bolted like a rabbit into cover.

The Enforcement Bureau was in ruins. Liu Wei and the other officers were either dead or unconscious, their fates uncertain.

Yan Zhi’s beautiful face darkened with fury.

Over twenty rogue cultivators had launched a coordinated assault on the Bureau—a blatant act of defiance!

For years, the Enforcement Bureau had hunted rogue cultivators like cats chasing mice.

These rats had always lurked in the shadows, stealing and killing in secret.

But now, they had banded together to strike back—even daring to attack the Bureau openly!

Yan Zhi knew something bigger was at play.

The winds of change were coming.

The Jiangbei Enforcement Bureau was just the spark.

With his back bruised and capillaries ruptured, An Yi had to lean on Shen Muxuan’s slender shoulders for support.

"Quick, let’s loot whatever valuables they have," he said excitedly, eyeing the fallen rogue cultivators.

A true warrior never missed a chance to scavenge after battle.

Hearing this, Yan Zhi shot him a puzzled look.

An Yi straightened with an air of righteousness. "We’re just confiscating their belongings for the state!"

Yan Zhi sighed. "Be careful. You’re their target now."

An Yi feigned confusion. "Why me? I’m not some rich heir. If they want money, they should go after the Qiu or Gu families—I can even give them addresses."

"You killed Gourd Immortal. The repercussions run deeper than you think," Yan Zhi warned.

"He deserved it," An Yi retorted coldly.

Gourd Immortal was, in a way, his fellow countryman.

Were the people connected to him also from the Ancient Continent?

This was a crucial lead for An Yi.

His stay in this world was temporary—he would return home one day.

But how? He had no clues… until now.

Gourd Immortal was his first solid lead.

Wait—that guy might know something too.

"Hey, Four-Eyes, who the hell are you?" An Yi demanded, staring at Chen Bing.

This guy was no ordinary man. His near-prophetic abilities were unsettling.

Did he know more than he let on?

Shen Muxuan suddenly gasped. "You’re that peeping Tom from the bathhouse!"

"No, that wasn’t me. You’ve got the wrong person," Chen Bing said flatly. "I’m Chen Bing, just an ordinary college student from Yunzhou City."

And he was indeed an ordinary student.

Except for one small detail—he had lived through twelve thousand Julys.

In other words, he had experienced a thousand years.