Killing

Guo Huai's forehead was beaded with cold sweat. Looking at Wu Ming now, seeing that Wu Ming only pointed his long spear at him and didn't attack, his courage finally recovered a little. The alcohol's effect also wore off significantly. He stammered, "Don't, don't be rash, brother. You're... you're that guy, right? I accidentally injured your father before. We don't need to be like this. I can apologize to you."

Although he was usually overbearing, he also knew the principle of not fighting a losing battle. Especially now, feeling the chill in Wu Ming's eyes, like sharp thorns on his back, he didn't doubt that Wu Ming would really dare to kill him.

Blood Forging martial artists were inherently brave due to their blood energy. Even though Guo Huai had cursed Wu Ming's ancestors eighteen generations back in his mind, and was even thinking about how to seek revenge after this incident passed, he could only beg for mercy at this moment.

It was at this moment.

Lu Yuan also heard the commotion and rushed over with a few members of the Sandboat Gang. Upon seeing the situation, he was also greatly surprised. Although it was his first time seeing Wu Ming, he immediately guessed Wu Ming's identity and said, "You're Brother Wu Ming, aren't you? Let's talk this out properly. Don't be rash."

As Lu Yuan spoke, he stepped forward, intending to stop Wu Ming. But after only a few steps, his gaze met a cold glance from Wu Ming, and his heart chilled, causing him to halt.

Such a chilling gaze, such a pervasive killing intent – it was nothing like a young martial artist who hadn't even reached twenty. He looked like a violent killing star, as if he had just emerged from a fierce bloody battle. Even though he had been with the Sandboat Gang for many years and had experienced many battles, his gaze meeting Wu Ming's eyes involuntarily sent a chill through him, stirring a trace of fear.

At this moment, Lu Yuan had already cursed Guo Huai thoroughly in his stomach. It was one thing for Guo Huai to be a tyrant in the surrounding villages, but why did he have to provoke a martial artist? And where did this young man who had provoked him get such a bloodthirsty aura?

In this day and age, Background was certainly important, but personal strength was also crucial.

Someone like Guo Huai, who was ignorant and unskilled in combat, if he provoked other martial artists, and those martial artists became enraged, blood would splash five steps, and your life would be taken on the spot. Even if your brother had great abilities afterward, he couldn't bring you back from the dead. What good would avenging you do?

Wu Ming looked at Guo Huai indifferently, then his gaze suddenly shifted to the woman on the bed inside the room. His brow furrowed slightly. With his soul cultivation, he could sense that the woman's consciousness was already extremely faint, no different from a walking corpse. Looking at her exposed body, there were wounds all over, indicating how much torment she had endured.

"What's going on with that woman?"

Wu Ming turned to look at Guo Huai, finally speaking for the first time, his tone carrying a hint of coldness.

"This, this..."

Guo Huai stammered, unable to speak for a moment.

"Hmm?"

Wu Ming moved the body of his long spear forward. The icy, stinging sensation made Guo Huai tremble with fear. He finally said repeatedly, "She, she was picked up from outside by someone from the gang. It has nothing to do with me. I was just playing around..."

Lu Yuan watched this scene, and cold sweat dripped from his forehead. Seeing that the situation was not good, he immediately stepped forward and said, "Brother Wu Ming, our Sandboat Gang has never engaged in the business of forcibly abducting women. This woman was brought back by us to be cared for because she couldn't survive."

"Oh."

Wu Ming nodded, then thrust his spear forward.

Pfft.

In an instant, blood splattered.

Guo Huai clutched his throat and fell backward, his eyes still filled with terror and disbelief.

"You, how dare you kill someone!"

Lu Yuan's expression also changed drastically. His previously smiling face suddenly became extremely unpleasant.

Guo Huai was indeed a good-for-nothing, but dying in the territory of the Sandboat Gang, and dying in front of him, would cause him immense trouble. Especially with several of the leaders absent, he couldn't bear the wrath of Guo Xiang afterward!

"What use is such a useless person?"

Wu Ming slowly withdrew his long spear, speaking in a calm tone, as if what he had just killed was merely a stray dog by the roadside.

In this era, the areas outside Jingye City were basically lawless. If martial artists wantonly slaughtered civilians, and the situation was severe, the Cautious Punishment Division might intervene. However, if it was merely a conflict between martial artists, regardless of life or death, the Cautious Punishment Division in the city would not interfere. Moreover, Guo Huai had committed many evils and deserved to die long ago.

Lu Yuan's face was extremely grim. With a clang, he drew the short knife at his side and said, "Since that's the case, you can stay here too."

He had cursed Guo Huai countless times in his heart and Wu Ming hundreds of times. Guo Huai had died in his territory, and Wu Ming had chosen to kill here.

If it were outside, Wu Ming killing Guo Huai would have nothing to do with him. Afterward, no matter how furious Guo Xiang was, it wouldn't implicate him, and the revenge would only be sought from Wu Ming. But Guo Huai died here, right before his eyes, so he couldn't escape responsibility. Thinking of Guo Xiang, Lu Yuan was also filled with fear. Knowing that Wu Ming was not simple, he could only steel himself and draw his saber to advance.

"Surround him, don't let him leave!"

Lu Yuan shouted sternly, and the four or five Sandboat Gang members following him also revealed fierce looks in their eyes. They all drew their boat knives, closing in on Wu Ming.

Although these gang members were not martial artists, they had been working with the Sandboat Gang for many years and were all vicious individuals, most of whom had blood on their hands. Under Lu Yuan's leadership, even though they knew Wu Ming was a Blood Forging martial artist, they were not flustered.

Although Blood Forging martial artists were powerful, they were still flesh and blood. These boatmen had fought against Blood Forging martial artists before, and even when working together, they had killed genuine Blood Forging martial artists on their boats.

Now that Guo Huai was dead here, letting Wu Ming escape would be impossible to explain later.

"Attack!"

Lu Yuan charged forward with his saber. Seeing Wu Ming holding his long spear and walking towards the exit, ignoring their encirclement, he could no longer hold back. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and he gave the order.

At that very moment, the Sandboat Gang members surrounding Wu Ming revealed fierce looks in their eyes. They held their boat knives in one hand, and with the other, they suddenly reached into their chests, pulling out handfuls of quicklime and flinging it towards Wu Ming's head.

They were not Blood Forging martial artists, so they naturally didn't dare to confront a martial artist head-on. However, having sailed for many years, they had their own ways of dealing with martial artists. Relying on their numbers, they would use various means to ambush them. Quicklime was a very effective tool. Once thrown into the face and head on a boat, they could always splash another basin of river water, and even the most formidable Blood Forging martial artist couldn't withstand it.

However.

Facing the actions of the Sandboat Gang members, Wu Ming's gaze did not change at all.

In his perception, even the movements of Blood Forging martial artists were somewhat slow, let alone these ordinary gang members. Their seemingly rapid actions appeared like slow motion in his eyes, and he saw them all clearly.

Ching.

Everyone felt a flash of cold light.

A member of the Sandboat Gang couldn't even scream before the tip of the Crimson Serpent Spear pierced through his neck.

At the same time, Wu Ming put force into his right arm and pulled. Instead of withdrawing the spearhead, he violently flung the Sandboat Gang member's body forward, using it as a shield to block the handfuls of quicklime being thrown at him.

Swish! Swish! Swish!!

After blocking all the quicklime, Wu Ming stepped forward, flicked his spear, and a flash of cold light appeared in an instant.

Four members of the Sandboat Gang, having just thrown the quicklime and before they could make any other move, all had their necks impaled. The boat knives in their hands were useless as they widened their eyes, clutched their throats, and fell.

Whoosh.

As soon as the gang members made their move, Lu Yuan had also decisively acted. He immediately dodged, forcefully circling behind Wu Ming. He flicked his boat knife and ferociously swung it from behind, intending to finish Wu Ming while he was dealing with the other gang members.

However, even though he had circled behind and suppressed the sound of his swing, making it almost silent, Wu Ming seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, seeing everything clearly. He simply took a step forward, perfectly dodging the blade from behind.

Immediately after.

A point of cold light suddenly magnified in Lu Yuan's vision!

"Damn it."

Lu Yuan's pupils contracted violently. In his shock, he swung his blade to block and tried to dodge.

But the spear was too fast. It struck in the gap after his blade missed, and it was impossible to dodge. Even with his full effort to dodge, he was still directly pierced through the chest by the spear!

This was the 'Returning Leaf Stance' from the Falling Leaf Spear Technique, also known as 'Backstab' in spear techniques. When practiced to proficiency, the body would still be moving forward, but the spear in hand would have already coiled using waist strength to stab. It was as swift as lightning, and even with prior preparation, it was difficult to dodge. Not to mention Lu Yuan, who was caught completely off guard and naturally couldn't evade it.

"You..."

Lu Yuan was a Congealed Blood martial artist. Despite being hit in the vital chest area, he stumbled back a few steps and didn't fall immediately. Instead, he clutched the bleeding hole in his chest and stared intently at Wu Ming.

He spat out a bit of blood foam, along with a sentence filled with resentment and unwillingness:

"I'll be waiting for you..."

Wu Ming had killed Guo Huai, and this was within the territory of the Sandboat Gang. No matter how much they cleaned up, the traces would be impossible to erase, and he would inevitably face Guo Xiang's wrath afterward.

Although Wu Ming's spear techniques were exquisite and terrifying, based on their brief exchange, he had clearly judged Wu Ming's realm to be only at the first stage of Congealed Blood. Guo Xiang, as an inner disciple of the Black Fiend Sect, was someone Wu Ming could not possibly contend with.

Thump.

Lu Yuan's body finally fell into the pool of blood.