Wei Yi remained unaware of the profound shock that had overtaken Zhu Ling'er and Yang Qingqing.
His eyes were locked on the two remaining Blackwater Bandits, wary that they might attempt to flee.
And indeed, the two were on the verge of doing just that.
After all, even when several of their comrades had joined forces, they hadn't lasted a single exchange against Wei Yi. How could the two of them fare any better? They would stand no chance in direct combat.
Exchanging a glance, both men reached the same conclusion: they had to run.
Just then, a piercing shriek echoed from deep within the forest. Moments later, a tall, powerfully built man in close-fitting armor appeared atop the ridge.
At the sight of him, the two remaining bandits were overjoyed and shouted in unison, "Boss Hu! We've run into trouble—Er Gouzi and the others are down!"
Zhu Ling'er and Yang Qingqing, however, blanched in terror and cried out simultaneously, "Wei Yi, run! That's the leader of the Blackwater Bandits—he's already reached the Third Stage of Martial Warrior. He crushed both of us in an instant!"
Third-Stage Martial Warrior?
Wei Yi's eyes narrowed at their words, a sharp gleam flickering within.
Yet he didn't retreat. Instead, he raised his sword and charged at the two bandits without hesitation.
Panic overtook them. Their faces drained of color as they scrambled uphill, desperate to escape.
The Blackwater chief let out a furious roar. "You little brat! Courting death!"
With that, he barreled down the slope like a wild tiger, crossing several meters in the blink of an eye, a veritable gale rushing in his wake.
But no matter how swift he was, he could not outpace Wei Yi's sword.
Without a word, Wei Yi targeted the bandit on the left. The Qinggang Sword sliced through the air with ruthless precision. No hesitation. No mercy.
An ordinary blade couldn't withstand the Qinggang Sword—how could mere flesh and blood?
The bandit crumpled instantly, crimson blood soaking the earth.
The other bandit, struck with terror, tumbled down the slope in a frenzied retreat.
Wei Yi didn't bother pursuing him.
The quest was already complete.
"Ding! Player Wei Yi has slain a Blackwater Bandit. Cultivation EXP +84, Storm Sword Technique proficiency +69."
"Ding! Breakthrough quest progress: 5/5."
"Ding! Quest complete. Cultivation advanced to First-Stage Martial Warrior."
At last, the bottleneck shattered.
A surge of pure internal energy erupted within Wei Yi's dantian, coursing through his body and replenishing every ounce of strength and focus spent in battle. In an instant, he had returned to peak condition.
First-Stage Martial Warrior.
Though it was only the initial tier, it far surpassed the strength of a Tenth-Stage Martial Disciple.
Martial Disciples relied solely on brute force and could not fully wield the power of techniques. But Martial Warriors were different—internal energy now flowed within the dantian.
With internal energy fueling each technique, their might grew exponentially. Combat prowess soared.
"Die, you little bastard!"
The Blackwater chief had arrived, fury blazing in his eyes. His iron broadsword howled through the air with vicious momentum as it slashed toward Wei Yi.
Had this happened moments earlier, Wei Yi would have had no choice but to dodge.
But now? That was no longer necessary.
"We'll see who dies today."
He smirked coldly and charged forward.
The Qinggang Sword traced an elegant arc through the air, its tip aimed squarely at the bandit leader's arm.
Zhu Ling'er and Yang Qingqing gasped in horror.
To them, it seemed like Wei Yi had overestimated himself—surely he would be cut down. Their hearts raced with anxiety.
Part of them couldn't bear to watch him die—after all, he had saved their lives. Without him, they would have been doomed. Yet they knew they couldn't intervene. The bandit chief was far beyond their ability to challenge. Charging in would only mean death.
"What do we do? What do we do…"
They stood frozen, helpless.
Meanwhile, the two combatants had already clashed.
Their weapons collided with force. The chief's broadsword, forged of fine steel, didn't shatter under the Qinggang Sword's might—but he didn't gain any advantage either.
Both were pushed back by the impact.
The bandit chief scowled in frustration. Wei Yi, however, felt emboldened.
Zhu Ling'er and Yang Qingqing stood slack-jawed, eyes wide with disbelief, stunned into silence.
"Impossible…"
That single thought echoed through their minds.
The very opponent who had effortlessly defeated them both—Wei Yi was now evenly matched against him. Didn't that mean... they wouldn't last even a round against Wei Yi?
They had grossly underestimated him.
Though he had just broken through to First-Stage Martial Warrior, he wielded a Level 9 Storm Sword Technique, possessed sharp instincts, and had rich battle experience—all of which the bandit chief sorely lacked.
While the chief was technically a Third-Stage Warrior, both tiers still belonged to the early realm; the difference wasn't so vast. Not only did Wei Yi hold his own, he maintained a perfect balance of offense and defense.
With each clash, his confidence grew.
And with each exchange, the bandit leader's dread deepened.
This youth was far more formidable than expected. He fought with ruthless precision, showed no hesitation, and pressured the chief again and again, forcing him into increasingly dangerous situations.
"Who the hell are you!?" the bandit leader roared.
"You're not worthy of my name."
"If you truly wish to know, ask the King of Hell when you meet him."
Under Wei Yi's control, the Storm Sword Technique—a high-grade mortal-level martial skill—unleashed its full potential. His sword roared like a tempest, overwhelming the bandit chief with its sheer ferocity.
In an instant, the tide turned.
"Pft!"
Caught off guard, the chief took a blade to the chest, blood gushing from the wound as his face turned ghostly pale.
Wei Yi's gaze remained cold, devoid of pity.
"Die."
The Qinggang Sword sang once more, a blinding flash of steel.
"No—!"
"Don't!"
The bandit chief screamed in terror, attempting to flee.
Too late.
The blade cleaved through his neck. In a heartbeat, his head fell to the ground. His massive body soon followed, collapsing in a crimson pool.
"Ding! Player Wei Yi has slain the Blackwater Bandit Chief. Cultivation EXP +300, Storm Sword Technique proficiency +220."
"Ding! Player Wei Yi has experienced a breakthrough while using the Storm Sword Technique. Proficiency +1000."
"Ding! Storm Sword Technique has reached full proficiency. Upgrading to Level 10."
Wei Yi chuckled as the system notifications rang out.
He hadn't expected such fortune—his sword technique had leveled up to its maximum.
Even at Level 9, the Storm Sword Technique had been formidable. He could only imagine the devastating power of Level 10.
"Time to claim my spoils."
"Let's see what this bandit chief left behind."
Without hesitation, Wei Yi searched the corpse.
Beyond the fine steel broadsword, he discovered a handful of silver pieces and banknotes—amounting to just over a hundred taels.
But Wei Yi had spent days hunting beasts and selling them through the system's marketplace. His wealth had already surpassed 7,000 taels. A mere hundred held no appeal.
However, a manual hidden in the bandit chief's robe caught his attention.
Blackwater Steps.
A top-tier mortal-grade movement technique.
Not only was it a rare footwork skill—it even surpassed his Storm Sword Technique in rank. Purchasing such a scroll would cost at least 20,000 taels. This was the true prize.
Wei Yi didn't hesitate. He chose to learn it immediately.
"Ding! Player Wei Yi has learned top-grade mortal technique: Blackwater Steps. Current level: 1."
With a mere thought, he activated the technique.
His body moved like a flowing stream—graceful, swift, fluid. In the blink of an eye, he darted several meters forward.
Remarkable.
Wei Yi was thoroughly pleased.
"Are you two alright?"
At last, he turned toward Zhu Ling'er and Yang Qingqing.
Though some time had passed, both girls still wore expressions of stunned disbelief.
They looked at Wei Yi, exchanged a glance, and asked in unison:
"Are you really Wei Yi?"
"Uh…"
Wei Yi was momentarily speechless.