Wife, Don't Be Like This!

Chapter 43 - Immortal Art, Palm Thunder

The 'huozhezi' is a prop that often appears in wuxia novels, functioning similarly to a modern lighter.

This thing really existed, though of course it wasn't as convenient as depicted in the novels.

The real 'huozhezi' was actually called 'huorong' (tinder). There is a plant called Gerbera delavayi, which has a layer of fluff on the back of its leaves that is extremely flammable.

People would pick the fresh plants and, while they were still moist, peel the fluff from the back, dry it in the sun, then grind it into a ball and press it onto a flint. Then, with a light strike from an iron fire-striker, the resulting sparks could ignite the tinder.

This was the 'huozhezi'.

A gentle breeze was blowing by the river, stirring Gu Banxia's slender black hair.

Although she was usually gentle and weak, seeming to be just an ordinary handmaiden, at this moment, her expression also became solemn, and she silently stood protectively in front of Song Yan.

This situation, in the eyes of those assassins, was somewhat bizarre.

You must know, they were mountain bandits before. If they hadn't killed a hundred people, they had at least killed eighty. An ordinary person, facing them, would probably be terrified by a single glance, trembling all over. But what was the deal with these four people in front of them?

Why were those two sturdy men completely unconcerned, even showing bloodthirsty and cruel smiles on their faces, as if they were the hunters and we were the prey?

Why could that Song Yan also act so relaxed? He even had the mood to play with a fire starter.

Even a woman was bent at the waist, clearly prepared for battle.

Can't they see the disparity in numbers?

Can't they see the gleaming sabers in our hands?

This attitude of being almost completely ignored made the six assassins a little indignant. The leader gave a look, and the six assassins gripped their steel sabers and advanced on Song Yan's party of four in unison.

Just then, with a swish, the next instant, they saw Song Yan's arm suddenly raise, and an arm-thick, stick-shaped object flew straight towards the assassin leader.

Thrum!

This time, Song Yan used his internal force. The stick-shaped object was extremely fast, and in a flash, it traced an afterimage straight for the assassin leader's face.

As if to deliberately show off his strength, the assassin leader frowned, and his left hand suddenly shot out. With a thwack!, he firmly caught the hidden weapon just as it was about to smash into his nose.

This is a hidden weapon?

Which family's hidden weapons are this big?

Good heavens, isn't this thing almost as thick as my own arm?

One end of the hidden weapon even had a string attached, which was sputtering smoke.

This isn't a hidden weapon, it's... a firecracker?

The leader was slightly stunned. Even the other brothers beside him couldn't help but stop in their tracks. Even though they were in the middle of a serious task like murder, at this moment, the group of assassins really couldn't hold it in anymore. One by one, they couldn't help but laugh mockingly.

"Hey, you little brat, could you be planning to kill me with this firecracker?"

The leader was laughing so hard that tears were about to stream down. He didn't throw the thing away, but held it tightly in his hand. Isn't this the kind of thing you set off during New Year's, weddings, or funerals? It's loud, but its killing power... tsk tsk, besides scaring away chickens and ducks, it probably has no other use.

Although this firecracker was a bit strange, a little thicker than a normal one, and its exterior seemed to be ceramic. Speaking of which, can this thing really explode?

Sizzle...

The fuse was still burning, but it was drowned out by the snorting laughter. Their big brother was a Third-Rank martial artist! The first three ranks of martial artists mainly focused on tempering their muscles, bones, and flesh with internal force. When tempered to the extreme, blades would have a hard time injuring them. Let alone their big brother, even they, who had just entered the ranks, wouldn't care about something like a firecracker.

Faced with the mockery of the numerous assassins, Song Yan's expression was strange. Were all ancient people this brave?

Sizzle...

The fuse was about to burn out.

The leader suddenly felt a bit reluctant to kill Song Yan. A guy this adorably stupid was truly rare.

"Little brat, I'll give you a chance. If this firecracker of yours can blast off a piece of dead skin from my hand, I will spare..."

Before his words were even finished,

BOOM...

An arm, as if torn off by brute force, shot up into the sky.

Ah...

Puchi, puchi!

Grind, grind, grind…

Some kind of invisible, tyrannical force instantly shredded the assassin leader's palm and tore off his arm. That force, like a knife, cut open the side of the assassin leader's abdomen. His internal organs, before they even had a chance to gush out, were minced into a meat paste.

The ceramic shell exploded, and mixed with the rusty iron shards inside, it flew out in all directions, penetrating the bodies on the left and right, tearing open one bloody gash after another, and striking the saber blades, making clanging sounds.

It exploded.

It finally exploded.

The instant the explosion rang out, Gu Banxia's expression changed drastically. As if by pure instinct, although she was slightly shorter than Song Yan, she subconsciously lunged forward and hugged his body in her arms. Immediately after, she felt a violent shockwave surge from behind like a tidal wave. The hem of her skirt flew up uncontrollably, revealing her long, slender, and curvaceous calves wrapped in black stockings.

Zhang Long and Zhao Hu's reactions were even faster. Their bodies seemed to teleport, appearing out of thin air in front of Gu Banxia and Song Yan. The steel sabers in their hands danced wildly, like two shining screens of light appearing from nowhere.

The sounds of screams and clashing metal spread out like ripples.

Torn limbs, flying blood, and shattered metal fragments flew out in all directions. Even the ground under their feet trembled violently. Amidst the flying flesh and blood, the figures to the left and right of the assassin leader were directly blasted several meters away.

The pungent smell of gunpowder, the scorched smell of burning cloth, and the fragrant smell of searing flesh mixed together, spreading with the wind.

It was just a brief instant, but everyone stared with wide eyes. They saw it, but couldn't react at all, completely unclear on what had just happened.

Peng.

The severed arm that had flown high into the sky finally fell to the ground. After the shockwave dissipated, there was still rolling thick smoke. After a few more seconds, the thick smoke also gradually dispersed.

Ssss...

Immediately following was the sound of people sucking in a cold breath.

The assassin leader's body had already fallen to the ground. His abdomen, as if torn open by the sharp claws of some fierce beast, had a large hole in it. His scorched intestines and internal organs gushed out from the hole, emitting a nauseating stench.

Of the two martial artists on his left and right, one was directly blasted away, his head smashing against a giant rock, his skull splitting open, and his brains splattering all over the ground.

The other one was barely alive, but his body was covered in traces of being burned by fire. Iron shards and ceramic fragments were embedded in his flesh, and fresh blood continuously seeped out. Before long, the clothes on his body were completely soaked. It was clear he wouldn't live.

The bloody scene made Gu Banxia's face turn a little pale. Her long, slender neck moved continuously as she swallowed her saliva.

Isn't this the thing the Young Master-in-law has been making these past few days? How could it have such terrifying destructive power?

The Young Master-in-law was already a divine physician. Now he can even make this kind of terrifying object. Just how many more secrets does the Young Master-in-law have that she doesn't know about?

Zhang Long and Zhao Hu's expressions also changed drastically, their bodies trembling slightly. Even they wouldn't dare to say they could withstand the explosion just now.

Could this be the legendary immortal art, Palm Thunder?

On the other side, the three black-clothed men were also trembling all over. This, what is this power?

A youth who couldn't even be considered a martial artist threw a firecracker that directly blew up a Third-Rank martial artist and two First-Rank martial artists?

Since when were martial artists so fragile?

Everyone was shocked by the power of the hand grenade, but only Song Yan's expression was calm. He even sighed with some dissatisfaction.

The power was still a bit different from what he had imagined. Look, the crater blasted into the ground wasn't even that big. Even the iron shards and ceramic fragments sent flying by the explosion could be blocked by Zhang Long and Zhao Hu waving their steel sabers. This firepower was really too weak. Simply embarrassing.

Next time, I'll see if I can make it bigger and stuff as much gunpowder in as possible.

As a 'rabbit', sure enough, the pursuit is still for thicker, bigger, and longer.

Convenience doesn't matter; the main thing is that the crater it blasts has to be big enough.

If I made an iron casing, stuffed dozens of jin of gunpowder inside, and then launched it with a catapult, even if its power on the battlefield couldn't compare to modern artillery, in this era, it would probably be a dimensionality reduction strike.

Also, the fuse was too long. If that guy just now had thrown it away immediately, he wouldn't have ended up in such a state.

Sure enough, only after experiencing real combat does one know how to improve.

Thinking this, the three assassins behind him suddenly let out strange cries, turned, and ran. They had long since lost their will to fight and didn't even have the courage to stand behind Song Yan.

Monster.

This kid who looks harmless on the outside is definitely a monster. Otherwise, how could he use such terrifying sorcery?

"Aren't you going to chase them?" Song Yan blinked his eyes and asked, looking at Zhao Hu.

Zhao Hu's throat moved slightly. He said in a hoarse voice: "Young Master-in-law, please don't worry. They can't escape."

He didn't even notice that his tone when speaking to the Young Master-in-law had become exceptionally respectful.

Song Yan nodded and didn't say any more. He walked straight ahead, crouched down beside the corpse, completely unconcerned by the bloody and sticky sensation, and began to search it.

Looting corpses, this is a family craft. One cannot forget one's roots.

Before long, Song Yan was all smiles. A money pouch soaked in fresh blood was in his hand. Judging by the weight, it was probably a few dozen taels.

Not long after, he found a bank note that was mostly stained red with blood.

These assassins can afford to use bank notes?

He glanced at it casually, and his eyelids twitched. He saw a familiar name at the top of the bank note:

Yang Miaoqing!