A man and a woman stood on the deck of the tower ship, smiles on their faces.
They looked like ordinary travelers out sightseeing.
But upon hearing Liu Jinglan's words, the people on deck revealed shocked expressions and began discussing it.
"Autumn Water Sword Luo Changqing? It's actually him?"
"He's that handsome?"
"He's from the Luo family. Not only is he handsome, his martial arts are exceptional too."
Someone said sourly.
The Luo family was a thousand-year martial arts aristocratic family, renowned throughout the Great Yu Dynasty. Almost everyone had heard of them. Their current family head was even a figure on the Earth Ranking.
Every elder of the lineage was unfathomable.
This was an old-established family that could shake an entire region with a single stomp of the foot.
One of their heirs had actually made a move!
And blocked the path of this enormous ship everyone was riding?
What were they trying to do?
"Who's that black-robed man beside him? His aura is terrifying too. I almost couldn't breathe just now!"
"Me too. If that voice hadn't rung out, I might still be lying flat on the ground."
"Mountain Suppressing Spear Yan Henge, a terrifying expert ranked forty-eighth on the Black Ranking..."
"What? He's Yan Henge, with a bounty of eighteen thousand taels?"
"Hiss... It's that fierce, murderous demon!"
Everyone was utterly shocked. Mountain Suppressing Spear, Yan Henge.
Without question, another name that made countless people tremble in fear.
Everyone on the Black Ranking was utterly deranged.
The higher their ranking, the more ruthless their methods and the more people they had killed.
At this moment.
Luo Changqing's expression remained calm. He glanced at Yan Henge and said, "Even someone like you has been stirred into action. It seems the person behind you is in quite a hurry!"
"The feeling is mutual."
Yan Henge said calmly, "Did the Luo family only send the two of you? If so, you won't be able to stop me!"
"Heh."
Luo Changqing laughed outright.
The outside world thought he was merely sixty-fifth on the Kirin Ranking.
So they thought he was weak! Little did they know that he simply did not like showing off.
"You still can't take Cui Qingqing away."
Luo Changqing revealed a mocking smile.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
At that moment, black-clad figures suddenly emerged one after another from the cabin behind Yan Henge. Their gazes were cold, weapons in hand—at least a dozen of them.
"A bunch of trash."
Luo Changqing showed no courtesy. "No matter how many there are, they're still trash!"
"You go seize Cui Qingqing. Leave Luo Changqing to me!"
Yan Henge said indifferently.
The people behind him immediately threw out grappling hooks, swift as lightning, catching them directly onto the great ship where the others stood.
Figures leaped into the air one after another, racing over along the grappling hooks. Liu Jinglan's heart tightened. Gripping his sword, he said, "Miss Qingqing, retreat quickly!"
He shielded Cui Qingqing and hurriedly withdrew toward the ship's hall at the rear.
The others also descended into chaos.
Yet at that moment.
A black-haired man in black robes slowly stepped out from behind them. His expression was calm, and a black longblade hung at his waist as he walked toward the deck, step by step.
The instant Liu Jinglan saw him appear, the tension in his heart eased at once, and he quickly stopped.
"Young Hero Lu, be careful. A Kirin Ranking expert has appeared."
Liu Jinglan hurriedly said, "The man is Autumn Water Sword Luo Changqing, sixty-fifth on the Kirin Ranking... and Mountain Suppressing Spear Yan Henge, an expert ranked forty-eighth on the Black Ranking..."
Lu Chen said nothing and continued walking forward.
More than ten figures finally descended from the grappling hooks onto the deck of the ship.
The moment they landed, their pupils contracted as they saw the man approaching them.
"Heartless Blade Lu Chen!"
"We'll hold him back! Zhu Er, Zhao San, go seize Cui Qingqing!"
The group charged at Lu Chen before them at top speed, their hearts cold.
They knew he was an expert on the Kirin Ranking!
They also knew he had slain the Twin Evils of Yin Mountain with his blade!
But they had strength in numbers, and none of them were weak.
Holding him off for a few moves would be as easy as turning over one's hand.
Boom!
Suddenly, a dazzling radiance erupted, like the rising morning sun, drawing every eye and every mind toward it. Then everyone felt a stabbing pain in their eyes and cried out miserably.
Pfft, pfft, pfft, pfft...
Blood sprayed, and heads flew.
Zhu Er and Zhao San, who had been charging toward Cui Qingqing and Liu Jinglan, both changed expression. They sucked in cold breaths, terror filling their faces.
Were they seeing things?
One slash had killed ten people?
What kind of joke was this?
[You killed a Martial World villain with ill intent. Merit Points +110] [+120] [+100]...
Lines of text rapidly surfaced.
"Not good!"
"Run!" Zhu Er and Zhao San hurriedly turned to flee.
Pfft! Pfft!
Bodies flew through the air, crashing into the distance and splitting into two halves.
[You killed a Martial World villain with ill intent. Merit Points +100] [+100]
Lu Chen's clothes were unstained by blood, his expression calm, as though he had merely done something utterly ordinary.
From beginning to end, his steps had not paused in the slightest.
Everyone on the deck gasped, shock written across their faces.
Too terrifying!
Too frightening!
Even Luo Changqing and Yan Henge, who had been facing off, could not help but turn solemn and abruptly look toward Lu Chen.
But Luo Changqing quickly burst into laughter and began clapping his hands. "Good, good, good! Well killed."
He did not seem nervous in the slightest. Instead, he looked extraordinarily pleased as he laughed. "So this is the thrill of playing the pig to eat the tiger. So this is how it can be done. You've truly given me some inspiration. Do you know what I hate most? What I hate most is people like you, playing the pig to eat the tiger. You've only practiced martial arts for ten days, yet you slew the Twin Evils of Yin Mountain with one slash? The Twin Evils of Yin Mountain are nothing but shit!"
He suddenly looked at the young woman beside him and smiled. "Want to make a bet?"
"Bet on what?"
"Ten moves—no, within five moves, I'll make him kneel."
Luo Changqing said with a smile.
"Forget it. Who wants to bet with you?"
The young woman shook her head.
Others might not know your true strength, but how could I not?
Even if Lu Chen were only at the initial stage of Seventh Rank, he would not be your match. Only a fool would bet with you!
"How boring."
Luo Changqing shook his head. "Then forget it. Let's finish this early so we can take Cui Qingqing away and leave this place!"
Whoosh!
He shot into the air, moving with astonishing speed. Using peerless qinggong, he crossed through the sky and landed on the deck where Lu Chen stood.
Mountain Suppressing Spear Yan Henge narrowed his eyes slightly. He had originally intended to leap after him, but then another thought struck him. It would be better to let Luo Changqing battle this man first, while he sat back and reaped the fisherman's profit.
"Playing the pig to eat the tiger? Boy, I'll let you see what a real tiger looks like!"
Boom!
The instant he finished speaking, a terrifying blade light came head-on with a deafening roar, carrying the force of the blade.
In an instant, it crashed into the depths of his heart, causing it to quake. Combined with the absolute suppression of Lu Chen's Eighth Rank cultivation, his mind rang with a tremendous buzz, and he fell into an illusion.
River and sky blended into one hue.
A lone swan drifted through the mist.
Abandoned by heaven and earth.
Abandoned by all things.
It was as if the most desolate memories buried deep within his heart had been drawn out—as if his father were forcing him to practice swordsmanship day and night, with no end ever in sight. The slightest slackening would bring a frenzied beating...
Pfft!
Aah!
A scream rang out, and blood splashed.
Luo Changqing's body shot backward at even greater speed, smashing viciously onto the deck behind him. A bloody gash split his chest, nearly cleaving his entire body open on the spot.
The instant he hit the ground, he fainted. "A chaotic mess."
Lu Chen's voice was cold as his gaze swept toward Yan Henge, the man carrying a heavy spear.
Yan Henge's expression changed in shock.
What a fast blade!
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