Han Xiao was poised to unleash the final pair of lethal flying daggers, ready to end his opponent. But his face abruptly twisted in shock, robbing him of any chance to attack!
Bai Yunfei, seemingly off-balance, performed an unnatural twist of his body, appearing to abandon further evasion entirely. His right arm became a blur. A streak of azure light flashed—streaking directly for Han Xiao's throat!
It was fast. Unbelievably fast! So fast Han Xiao couldn't even react. The chilling thought of dodging had scarcely formed before the blue gleam was upon him!
At the precipice of life and death, Han Xiao marshaled his formidable reflexes. He wrenched his body violently to the left. A cold sensation pierced his right arm. He had avoided the throat strike, but his right shoulder now sported a bloody hole!
Though punctured clean through, surprisingly little blood flowed. The wound seemed instantly frozen. A wave of intense cold washed through his entire frame, nearly forcing a violent shiver. His entire right shoulder and arm went completely numb.
Staring at the hole in his shoulder, Han Xiao's eyes overflowed with boundless terror. He jerked his head up—only to be met by a wave of scorching heat.
A blinding sphere of crimson light filled his vision. He willed his body to move, to dodge… but his insides were icy sludge. He tried to evade… but it was far too late!
"Thuck!"
The spear tip erupted from the back of his neck. Blood coated the steel, causing the shimmering red light to take on an eerie, demonic cast.
Bai Yunfei yanked the spear free. The corpse crumpled backwards. Blood fountained from the ruined neck, painting the ground crimson.
The Stronghold Master of Heim Stronghold, a Soul Warrior realm Soul Master, had perished in bitter resentment!
With the deed done, Bai Yunfei suddenly felt utterly drained. He staggered backwards, swaying violently, until his legs finally gave way. He slumped against the wall, gasping for air like a drowning man.
"Thank goodness... The Frost Thorn dagger, thrown with almost my last drop of soul force, didn't fail me. Otherwise... I'd be the dead one. I must never fight so recklessly again. Luck like this doesn't strike twice..."
Gazing at the lifeless Han Xiao, Bai Yunfei finally allowed himself to relax, calming his pounding heart. He began the slow process of recovering his depleted spirit energy and physical stamina.
This battle had unfolded far beyond his expectations. He'd never imagined he could kill two Soul Masters, each at least as strong as him. The credit lay entirely with his enhanced gear. Especially the Frost Thorn dagger—its unexpected, devastating power of surprise assault had been pivotal.
Truthfully, Han Xiao shouldn't have fallen so easily or swiftly. For a regular Soul Apprentice, a Soul Warrior was nearly invincible. Because beyond controlling flesh and bone-blood, the Soul Warrior realm unlocked the third stage of somatic mastery: Control of the Meridian Points!
Meridian points were utterly profound aspects of the physical body. Unlike flesh and bone-blood, they possessed no tangible form, yet their existence was undeniable. Tiny, precise points, they held unimaginable power.
No one knew exactly how many meridian points existed within a human body. Even among the many already discovered, the functions of numerous points remained a mystery.
Martial artists cultivating external force often targeted specific acupoints to achieve unexpected effects. In medicine, practitioners used needles on these points to heal illnesses and injuries.
These methods merely used external stimuli to activate the points' functions. Soul Masters, however, could control them directly!
As spirit energy increased and somatic control deepened, reaching the Soul Warrior realm allowed one to sense the existence of various meridian points throughout the body. How many depended on individual talent and fortune. Beyond the most common points, cultivation methods for points possessing immense power or unique effects formed the foundation of potent Soul Techniques. These were incredibly rare treasures, utterly beyond the reach of ordinary Soul Masters.
Han Xiao's spirit energy level had reached the mid-stage Soul Apprentice realm, but his comprehension of meridian points was woefully lacking (otherwise, his sect wouldn't have relegated him to banditry in such a backwater). So far, he could only manipulate a few basic points in his legs and arms. Yet, even this limited control granted him speed and strength far surpassing that of any Soul Apprentice.
But… he had encountered the wrong opponent, at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and chosen the wrong battle tactics!
He had been preparing for the late-night reconnaissance Bai Yunfei anticipated, only to be preemptively attacked. From the very start, his mindset was disturbed. Then, witnessing Yang Tian's sudden death dealt him a significant blow.
Furthermore, an inexplicable 'fear' of Bai Yunfei's spear had taken root early on, preventing him from committing fully to close combat. After probing, he opted to use his signature flying daggers, planning to defeat his opponent at range.
What he hadn't anticipated was Bai Yunfei's own considerable skill with thrown blades! After their intense exchange, Bai Yunfei seemed to be faltering, his life hanging by a thread. But Han Xiao hadn't accounted for Bai Yunfei's trump card!
The Frost Thorn dagger! Its overwhelmingly powerful additional effect had almost supplanted its original purpose as a stabbing weapon, transforming it into a ranged assassin's tool in Bai Yunfei's hands. In every confrontation thus far, the Frost Thorn dagger had arguably played a more decisive role than the Fire-Tipped Spear!
This time was no exception!
Outside, the intermittent screams of bandits signaled Li Chengfeng's ongoing battle. Bai Yunfei, having recovered only a portion of his soul force, pushed himself off the wall and charged out to join the fray…
The battle ended in total victory! From this day forth, Heim Stronghold ceased to exist!
...
After the battle at Heim Stronghold, the two men spent two days helping the kidnapped women. They distributed all the loot taken from the bandit lair among them, allowing them to return to their ravaged villages.
Five days later, they arrived back at the village where Li Chengfeng now lived. Throughout the journey, Li Chengfeng seemed unburdened. He spoke incessantly of his Ling'er, consumed by thoughts of marrying her upon their return.
He wasted no time. The day after arriving, the village hosted a grand, bustling wedding feast. Joyous celebration filled the air; laughter and cheer echoed everywhere.
On the third day, Bai Yunfei bid farewell to everyone, preparing to return to Falling Stone City.
At the village entrance, Bai Yunfei noticed Li Chengfeng's hesitant expression.
"Well? Spit it out. A married man shouldn't be so wishy-washy," Bai Yunfei teased with a smile.
"Uh... heh heh," Li Chengfeng stammered, scratching his head. "Yunfei, are you sure you won't stay awhile longer? I'm on the verge of breaking through to the early Soul Apprentice stage! You haven't given me the technique scroll yet. Once you leave, I can't cultivate." He hesitated, looking slightly embarrassed.
Bai Yunfei chuckled knowingly. "That's not what you really want to say, is it? Don't worry. I'm only going back to settle some necessary affairs. Don't think about coming along to help me. Stay put and cherish your precious Ling'er—treat her right. After I finish that business, I plan to roam and train. But before I leave, I will return to give you the scroll."
"You... ah, alright," Li Chengfeng sighed, his worry evident. "Just... be careful. If you ever need help, come find me anytime. You are my savior, Li Chengfeng's savior, and my friend... I..."
"Enough," Bai Yunfei interrupted firmly, yet warmly. "If we're friends, no more needs saying. I will come back. No more fuss... I'm off."
He watched Bai Yunfei's figure gradually disappear down the path. A shadow of concern darkened Li Chengfeng's eyes as he murmured softly to the departing figure,
"Sigh... That flicker of hatred in your eyes when you spoke of returning to Falling Stone City... Did you think I wouldn't see it? I know that feeling intimately, far too well... Yunfei, please... come to no harm. I owe you too much. You must give me a chance to repay that debt."
Meanwhile, speeding down the forest path, Bai Yunfei's gaze grew distant, lost in turbulent memories. Waves of humiliation, rage, and profound sorrow washed over him in turn...
"Soon... Revenge is close at hand now, Zhang Yang. I am no longer that insignificant ant whose life or death you casually decided. For everything you did... you will pay!"
His eyes hardened, resolve crystallizing like glacial ice.
"The world is unjust. Evil goes unpunished. Since Heaven refuses to act... I will be the instrument of judgment for your crimes!"