"CLANG!"
"CLANG!"
"CLANG!"
"..."
Lou Wei's Blade Intent was sweeping and expansive. The Wave-Treading Blade Technique in his hands was heavy, powerful, and utterly unstoppable.
After all, this Wave-Treading Saber was created by the previous dynasty's Upper Pillar and Duke Wei, Yu Kai.
When the Divine Martial Emperor of the current dynasty unified the world, this Duke of the previous dynasty served as the Yu Dynasty's Grand Commander of the Northern Border Military Way and Governor of the military affairs of seven states. He had repeatedly repelled the attacks of the current Emperor. He was originally a brave and fierce general, so naturally, there were many military killing moves within the Wave-Treading Saber.
Later, after his defeat, he committed suicide by slitting his throat, and his descendants surrendered to the current dynasty. However, being the descendants of a surrendered general, the Yu Family's status in the current dynasty was not very ideal.
After experiencing failure in the royal court, the Duke's legitimate grandson retired to his hometown. He settled in Haiyu County of the Pingzhang Commandery, no longer dedicating himself to the court, but instead turning to the Jianghu, where he founded the Vast Sea Sect.
This Saber Technique incorporated many established patterns of the Jianghu. As a result, some moves were sweeping and expansive, while others were highly intricate and adaptable. Those who practiced this Saber Technique mostly specialized in one style, and rarely could anyone combine the two.
Only by combining them could one step into the Perfection Realm.
Lou Wei had trained in the sweeping and expansive style! But right now, he was quite irritable.
The Wide-Backed Saber swept over with a howling gust. Every slash was executed with the intention of chopping Zheng Jun in half. However, Zheng Jun was extremely familiar with the Wave-Treading Saber, causing Lou Wei to miss time and time again.
Although Lou Wei had achieved Great Success in his Saber Technique, Zheng Jun could still spot the clues before every strike. As a result, Lou Wei narrowly missed chopping Zheng Jun every time. The blade would merely brush past his face, making Lou Wei grit his teeth in hatred!
"How does this little brat also know the Wave-Treading Saber? Could he also be from my sect?!" Lou Wei wondered.
He now fully understood that the only reason the other party could repeatedly escape from his blade was because he also possessed Mastery over this Wave-Treading Saber.
"No wonder his Saber Technique felt so familiar when I fought this little bastard earlier. It turns out it's the Wave-Treading Saber without a Wide-Backed Saber!" Lou Wei thought furiously. "Hateful, truly hateful! It's hateful that I only specialize in the Wave-Treading Saber and my other Saber Techniques are mediocre, barely at the entry level! It's hateful that I didn't wait to accumulate a breath of True Qi before coming. If I had a breath of True Qi here, this little brat would have been chopped in half long ago! It's hateful that this kid also knows the Wave-Treading Saber. Since we are from the same sect, why did he kill my apprentice?!"
Three great waves of hatred flared up in Lou Wei's heart, igniting his fury. He slashed again, sweeping Zheng Jun away with a forceful swing, and roared, "You are not getting away today!"
He believed that just as the brat could see through his Saber Technique, he could see through the brat's as well. The kid had exchanged three moves with him and was already injured. In just a moment, he would definitely emerge victorious! With this thought in mind, Lou Wei's Saber Technique became even more frenzied and tricky.
Meanwhile, Zheng Jun only felt his entire body go numb from the shock of the impacts. He was somewhat unable to withstand the force of this Qi Storage Martial Artist who had already completed Body Tempering.
"Is this a Qi Storage Martial Artist? Such immense strength! Fortunately, this guy seems to have just stepped into Qi Storage and hasn't had time to accumulate a breath of Qi yet. He can only attack using the physical strength of his Qi and Blood..." he thought. His internal organs churned like a stormy sea, leaving him feeling suffocated and suppressed.
At this moment, he didn't dare to slash casually. After all, the opponent's Wave-Treading Saber had reached Great Success. He could barely dodge the opponent's lethal strikes, but the opponent could not only dodge but also see through his flaws. If he took the initiative to attack, he would undoubtedly die!
For this reason, Zheng Jun had been avoiding direct clashes during this time. However, there were still three or four unavoidable head-on collisions, and each impact left him feeling terrible.
His hands were already soaked in blood. The Black Officials on the sidelines didn't dare to step forward at all; instead, some immediately ran off to deliver the news to the surroundings. Even Wang Lai, who had been shouting "protect the Squad Leader," was dumbfounded. He timidly stayed on the sidelines, trying to see if there was a chance to help Zheng Jun.
One Black Official thought he had found an opening. Wielding his Qimei Staff, he smashed it toward Lou Wei. Lou Wei simply found a split second to deliver a backhanded slash, cleaving the Black Official in half at the waist. Agonized screams echoed endlessly. Seeing this, the other Black Officials were even more terrified to step forward.
"This is a bit tricky. I still underestimated the abilities of a Qi Storage Martial Artist," Zheng Jun thought, his heart sinking. He felt that his hands were sticky—likely from the blood adhering to the saber's hilt. Several clashes had jolted him so much that he tasted rust rising in his throat, his mouth full of blood. "I need to stop clashing head-on and fight a guerrilla battle."
"Villain, face your execution!"
Just as Zheng Jun decided to change his tactics and flee, a deafening sound erupted by his ears. It was like a sudden thunderclap on level ground! Zheng Jun's eardrums vibrated, causing him extreme discomfort.
Lou Wei, who was swinging his saber in front of him, was even more astonished. He was actually intimidated by this airflow and rendered completely immobile. Even the stone walls on both sides of the alley rustled from the rolling shockwave!
The shockwave was like an arrow, shooting toward Lou Wei at breakneck speed. Concentric ripples undulated in the air, leaving a long, visible trail of white airflow. The current exploded, striking Lou Wei heavily.
"URGH!"
Caught off guard, Lou Wei was struck by the shockwave and sent flying several meters away like a kite with a broken string. He crashed into the stone wall by the road, collapsing it and stirring up a cloud of dust. Where the shockwave had struck his chest, blood poured out in a torrential stream, revealing the bone beneath.
Zheng Jun, his hands covered in blood, glanced back. At the end of the alley, he saw a tall figure on horseback. The person was wearing a full suit of armor and a helmet, their face obscured. However, an emaciated old man stood in front of the steed, holding the reins and securing the stirrups for the rider.
The shockwave from just a moment ago had clearly come from the armored figure. True Qi Manifestation.
"This is... an Outer Gang Martial Artist!"
Zheng Jun's heart ran cold, but in the next second, he immediately realized something. He stepped forward, snatched a Ceremonial Saber from the waist of a Black Official with the speed of lightning, and chased after Lou Wei, who had smashed through the stone wall!
Meanwhile, Lou Wei, who had been smashed into the rubble, coughed up blood. He struggled to his feet, his eyes filled with sheer terror. Abandoning the Wide-Backed Saber beside him, he intended to tread the waves and escape using his Lightweight Skill!
This was the Qi Arrow Technique, the unique signature skill of the Cai Family in Bozhou! The newly appointed County Captain of Black Mountain County was from the Cai Family!
He wondered how it could be such a coincidence. The man had just arrived today, and he happened to run into him? If it were some Ti Cavalry or County Magistrate, even if he wasn't their match, he would have had more than enough capability to escape. But he never expected his luck to be so terrible that he would encounter the newly arrived Outer Gang County Captain!
"Flee! I must flee! While this County Captain is still far away, there is still time to escape!" he thought frantically.
However, just as Lou Wei formed this thought, he saw the little brat—who was also frantically spurting blood from his mouth—charging at him with a Ceremonial Saber in hand!
He couldn't believe the kid wanted to kill him. Risking his life in a mutual destruction with this little brat wasn't worth it.
Zheng Jun couldn't care less. He had been brewing this slash in his mind for a long time. The violent urge that had been suppressed for so long poured out along with the vigorously burning Qi and Blood all over his body!
"Wave-Treading Saber, Sea-breaking Form! I will use your own Martial Arts to kill you!" he vowed inwardly.
The blade's gleam suddenly flared, and the Blade Intent condensed. The Ceremonial Saber, which originally seemed a world away, was suddenly right in front of him.
"Huh?!"
Lou Wei's hair instantly stood on end. A wave of bone-chilling coldness surged straight up from the soles of his feet, sending shivers down his spine as a tremendous sense of crisis engulfed him.
"No, I can't keep running. If I keep running, this saber will land on my head!" he realized.
Lou Wei reacted immediately. He abruptly turned around and threw a punch at Zheng Jun! Veins bulging, he wanted to beat Zheng Jun to death!
"SQUELCH!"
The Ceremonial Saber had arrived; the blade pierced through flesh!
"I didn't just kill Liang Fan; I'm killing you too!" Zheng Jun roared furiously, his murderous hostility erupting!
Zheng Jun's slash was like tearing paper. It sliced straight through the opponent's arm, cleaving the flesh and creating a massive gash that extended from the arm and shoulder all the way to the neck!
With a single, unbroken motion, a head the size of a bushel basket shot into the sky. Blood sprayed out like a pillar, cascading like a waterfall.
Flying through the air, Lou Wei felt a moment of daze. He had just stepped into Qi Storage five days ago. He was complacent and full of high spirits—so how was he slashed to death today? Moreover, to die just like this at the hands of a little brat who had only been practicing Martial Arts for a few months?
Shock, terror, and disbelief. But none of these emotions were of any use now.
A few breaths later, Lou Wei completely lost consciousness, plunging into pitch blackness. His head landed heavily on the ground, blood splattering everywhere.
After executing this slash, Zheng Jun also seemed to have exhausted all the strength in his body, collapsing to the ground. Before his eyes, small ink-wash characters swirled.
[There is great terror between life and death, born in the heart and manifested in the body! Fighting to the Death Together this time has evolved the Spiritual nature. You have comprehended the Wave-Treading Blade Intent. Gained Trait: Wave-Treading Blade Intent.]
[Defeating the strong as the weak, unmatched in the world. Repayment Progress +2000!]
[Current Repayment Progress: 2680/3000.]