Boom!
A warm current surged from within Vei Shaolong's body, rushing toward his limbs and organs, accompanied by experiences of practicing the Iron Cloth Technique, as if he had trained it for over a decade!
Moments later, the warm current disappeared.
[Host: Vei Shaolong]
[Cultivation: Peak Ninth Rank]
[Martial Arts: Muscle Tendon Changing Classic (5/100), Iron Cloth Technique (15/100), Fierce Wind Blade Technique (50/100), Jade Wave Palm (10/100), Black Tiger Fist (20/100)]
[Experience: 10]
"Ten points of experience, can't use that up?"
"Are the Iron Cloth Technique and Fierce Wind Blade Technique martial arts of the same level, both consuming 100 experience points to increase proficiency by five percent?"
Vei Shaolong muttered.
Seeing the dragon of torches below drawing closer, he frowned slightly and turned toward the depths of the forest.
He had killed so many people during the day, and feared that other Vei family experts might come.
His uncle was a seventh-rank expert. Even with his system, he couldn't kill that dog for now!
...
"Thud!"
After dispatching a fierce dog and a warrior,
[Experience +10!]
Vei Shaolong didn't even have time to collect the spoils before turning and fleeing deeper into the mountain.
"This can't continue. Sooner or later, they'll catch me."
Vei Shaolong's expression darkened.
He had underestimated this world's tracking methods. For three consecutive days, he had been caught up to numerous times.
Fortunately, he hadn't encountered any top experts. The strongest were just two ranked fighters from the Vei family, which he could easily handle with his highly proficient Fierce Wind Blade Technique.
These days of escape had resulted in numerous deaths at his hands.
His panel had changed to:
[Host: Vei Shaolong]
[Cultivation: Peak Ninth Rank]
[Martial Arts: Muscle Tendon Changing Classic (5/100), Iron Cloth Technique (15/100), Fierce Wind Blade Technique (50/100), Jade Wave Palm (10/100), Black Tiger Fist (20/100)]
[Experience: 340]
In these few days, two ninth-rank fighters had died at his hands, plus more than a dozen guards, bringing his experience points back to over three hundred.
During this time, he had come to appreciate the benefits of body-tempering martial arts in an encirclement. Those who hadn't reached a rank, even when wielding swords and blades, could only leave white marks on his body, allowing him to strike without concern.
Otherwise, even if he could kill those two ninth-rank fighters, it wouldn't have been so easy.
"Consume all experience points to improve the Iron Cloth Technique!"
Vei Shaolong spoke softly.
Boom!
Another warm current surged forth, bringing a pleasant sensation.
[Iron Cloth Technique (30/100)]
[Experience: 40]
...
"Young Master, spare me!"
"We were forced into this!"
One day later, deep in Mount Luoxia.
[Experience +10!]
[Experience +10!]
[Experience +100!]
[...]
More than a dozen bodies lay scattered on the ground while Vei Shaolong stood with his blade.
The Hundred-Forged Blade in his hand now had several notches.
His clothes were tattered, hardly better than a beggar's.
Thud!
Vei Shaolong's eyes were cold as two more bodies fell limply to the ground.
[Experience +10!]
[...]
[Experience: 550]
Vei Shaolong wiped the blood from the Hundred-Forged Blade with clothing from the corpses and spoke softly.
"Consume all experience points to improve the Iron Cloth Technique."
As Vei Shaolong's words fell.
His body heated up, countless experiences of practicing the Iron Cloth Technique flooding his mind.
Several breaths later.
The upgrade finished.
[Host: Vei Shaolong]
[Age: 17]
[Cultivation: Peak Ninth Rank]
[Martial Arts: Muscle Tendon Changing Classic (5/100), Fierce Wind Blade Technique (50/100), Iron Cloth Technique (55/100), Jade Wave Palm (10/100), Black Tiger Fist (20/100)]
Whew!
Vei Shaolong took a deep breath, his gaze concentrating:
"Now I'm basically surrounded by them."
"And the teams hunting me have more and more experts. If Vei Musheng really comes, I truly won't be able to escape!"
"I need to pick a direction and make a break for it."
...
"This person is improving so quickly!"
Lin Hai's face was gloomy.
After tracking all night, they had previously found many traces along the way.
But now the traces were becoming fewer and fewer.
At this rate, they would lose the trail.
"There are only traces of one person. Are you sure Vei Shaolong is an unranked waste?"
Lin Hai turned and asked.
He had seen Vei Shaolong in Lin'an Prefecture before, who indeed hadn't reached a rank. Could the life-and-death situation have triggered a breakthrough?
"Vei Shaolong was definitely unranked before."
A guard quickly replied.
"Ah!"
A scream rang out.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The sounds of combat came from not too far to the south.
"That's Steward Chen's group."
A Vei family guard exclaimed.
Lin Hai was already sprinting toward the fighting, leaving the guards far behind with just a few leaps.
"This..."
Upon reaching the battle, Lin Hai witnessed an astonishing scene.
Chen Zhong, at the peak of the ninth rank, was wielding a long sword against Vei Shaolong, but now had several long wounds, with blood soaking half his body.
"Young Master Lin, save me!"
Seeing Lin Hai, Chen Zhong was overjoyed. He blocked Vei Shaolong's blade with a sword thrust and shouted loudly.
"Good young fellow, you've been hiding your strength all along!"
"So young yet at the peak of the ninth rank, with such blade mastery—you cannot be allowed to live!"
Clang!
The long sword was unsheathed.
As an outer disciple of the Cangyuan Sword Sect, Lin Hai naturally practiced swordsmanship.
Even as just an outer disciple, Lin Hai's sword techniques were quite exquisite.
Whoosh!
The long sword sliced through the air with exceptional agility, thrusting directly at several vital points on Vei Shaolong's body.
"Come on!"
"So you're the dog who wants to kill me?"
A fierce light flashed in Vei Shaolong's eyes.
If not for this dog showing up, none of this would have happened.
Anyway, if he didn't kill this dog today, he'd find it hard to escape. Might as well go all out.
He unleashed the Fierce Wind Blade Technique with full force.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The sound of metal striking metal rang out.
Lin Hai's angry sword thrust was completely deflected by Vei Shaolong, which surprised him slightly. His technique changed, thrusting directly at Vei Shaolong's chest.
Clang!
Vei Shaolong blocked with his blade horizontally, his body advancing rather than retreating. His left hand formed a fist, aiming straight for Lin Hai's face.
"Take this!"
With Vei Shaolong's loud shout.
A fierce light also flashed in Lin Hai's eyes as he trapped Vei Shaolong's blade with a sword move and channeled internal energy into his left hand.
Bang!
Fist met palm.
Both men retreated several steps.
"An outer disciple is indeed just an outer disciple."
Vei Shaolong spoke coolly.
Although Lin Hai was eighth rank, stronger than him in power, the advantage was limited—not beyond what he could handle.
"Attack together!"
Lin Hai's face darkened as he shouted angrily.
Even if he was just an outer disciple of the Cangyuan Sword Sect, he couldn't be mocked by someone from a small family.
The remaining dozen or so Vei family guards and wandering fighters exchanged glances before charging at Vei Shaolong almost simultaneously.
Like a sudden storm.
Vei Shaolong's blade moved swiftly.
One slash, and two bodies fell.
[Experience +100!]
[Experience +10!]
The blade turned again, drawing more sprays of blood.
Among these guards, only one or two had reached a rank, with strength similar to Wang Hu. How could they be a match for the current Vei Shaolong?
"Young Master Lin!"
Someone, unable to control their fear yet not daring to flee, looked toward Lin Hai.
Clang!
Just as Vei Shaolong slashed out, finding himself overextended—
Lin Hai moved!
This sword thrust came from an extremely tricky angle, straight for Vei Shaolong's back.
"You dog!"
Vei Shaolong's expression changed slightly, but there was no way to avoid it now.
Thud!
A direct slash beheaded the last ninth-rank warrior among the guards.
[Experience +100.]
"If you want me dead, I won't let you off easily either!"
Turning, his tendons and bones creaking, Vei Shaolong's skin turned bluish-black, his muscles like cast iron.
He neither dodged nor evaded, with no fancy techniques.
The Hundred-Forged Blade raised high above his head, came down with the force of splitting a mountain.
Lin Hai's face showed a trace of mockery.
His sword had already reached Vei Shaolong's chest—wasn't it too late to resist now?
Clang!
The long sword struck Vei Shaolong's chest, producing a metallic sound. What should have been a fatal thrust was actually blocked.
Thud!
The blade energy surged.
Lin Hai's body was cleaved in half down the middle, blood spraying everywhere, intestines spilling onto the ground.
[Experience +500, Sixth Rank Golden Silk Armor +1]
"Run!"
"Flee quickly!"
The remaining Vei family guards could no longer hold their nerve. They threw down their weapons and turned to escape.
"Hmph!"
Vei Shaolong snorted coldly before leaping forward.
Thud!
Two heads flew up.
[Experience +10!]
[...]
Chen Zhong, seeing Vei Shaolong approaching, fell to his knees:
"Third Young Master, I watched you grow up. I only acted against you on the family head's orders. Please spare me..."
Even Lin Hai at early eighth rank had died at Vei Shaolong's hands. Now severely wounded, he couldn't even escape, let alone be a match for Vei Shaolong.
"Tell them in hell!"
Thud!
Before Chen Zhong could finish, Vei Shaolong struck. Chen Zhong's head, filled with unwillingness, flew into the air and fell into the nearby grass.
[Experience +100!]
Vei Shaolong pulled the sword embedded in his chest, bright red blood flowing out.
He took out some wound medicine from his body and applied it to the injury.
"I still underestimated the Iron Cloth Technique!"
Looking at the wound less than half an inch deep, Vei Shaolong spoke softly.
He had originally thought the Iron Cloth Technique was economical and, facing encirclement, upgrading it would make group fights safer.
Unexpectedly, at over fifty percent proficiency, the Iron Cloth Technique had blocked most of the force from an eighth-rank warrior's full strike, allowing him to successfully counterattack.
"From today onward, the ocean is wide for the fish to leap!"
"Cangyuan Sword Sect and the Vei family—wait for me!"
With that, Vei Shaolong plunged into the dense forest.