Killing

Cold sweat streamed down Guo Huai's forehead. Seeing that Wu Ming merely pointed the long spear at him without attacking, the courage in his heart finally recovered somewhat, and more than half of his drunken haze dissipated. He said in a trembling voice:

"Don't, don't be rash, brother. You're that... who was it again? I accidentally hurt your father before. There's no need for this between us. I can apologize to you."

Though he usually ran roughshod over others, he knew that a true man did not suffer immediate losses. Especially now, with the chill in Wu Ming's eyes making him feel as though blades were pressed against his back, he had no doubt that Wu Ming truly dared to kill him.

Blood Forging martial artists relied on the courage of their Blood Qi. Though Guo Huai had already cursed Wu Ming's ancestors for eighteen generations until they were drenched in dog's blood, and had even begun considering how to seek revenge once this was over, he could only beg for mercy now.

It was at this moment.

Lu Yuan also heard the commotion and arrived with several Sandboat Gang members. The instant he saw the scene, he was greatly startled. Though it was his first time meeting Wu Ming, he immediately guessed his identity and said at once:

"You must be Brother Wu Ming, right? Let's talk this over properly. Don't act rashly."

As Lu Yuan spoke, he stepped forward, intending to stop Wu Ming. But after only a few steps, Wu Ming cast him a cold glance. A chill immediately ran through Lu Yuan's heart, and his footsteps halted.

Such icy eyes, such pervasive Baleful Intent—how could this be a young martial artist who had not yet reached twenty? He was plainly like a violent star of slaughter, as though he had only just emerged from a brutal bloodbath. Though Lu Yuan had spent many years among the Sandboat Gang and had seen his share of battles, the moment his gaze met Wu Ming's, a chill still rose in his heart, along with a thread of fear.

By now, Lu Yuan had cursed Guo Huai until he was drenched in dog's blood. Throwing his weight around in the surrounding villages was one thing, but how had he gone and provoked a martial artist? And where had this young man gotten such a blood-soaked Baleful Intent?

In these times,

background was certainly important, but one's own strength was just as crucial.

Someone like Guo Huai, who had learned nothing and whose fists and kicks were rusty, could provoke another martial artist. Once that martial artist flew into a rage, blood would splash five paces away, and they could take his life on the spot. No matter how capable his brother might be afterward, he could not bring him back from the dead. What good would revenge be then?

Wu Ming looked indifferently at Guo Huai, then suddenly shifted his gaze toward the woman on the bed inside the room. His brows furrowed slightly. With the level of his divine soul, he could sense that the woman's consciousness was already so faint as to be nearly nonexistent. She was no different from a walking corpse. Her exposed body was covered in wounds; who knew how much torment she had endured.

"What's going on with that woman?"

Wu Ming turned to Guo Huai and spoke for the first time, a trace of chill in his voice.

"Th-this..."

Guo Huai stammered, unable to answer for a moment.

"Hmm?"

Wu Ming pushed the shaft of his spear forward. The icy stab of pain filled Guo Huai with terror, and he finally blurted out, "Sh-she was picked up from outside by people in the gang. It has nothing to do with me. I was just having some fun..."

Watching this, cold sweat immediately dripped from Lu Yuan's forehead. Seeing that things were going badly, he stepped forward and said, "Brother Wu Ming, our Sandboat Gang has never done business by forcibly seizing women from the people. This woman couldn't survive on her own, so we brought her back and kept her alive."

"Oh."

Wu Ming nodded, then thrust his spear.

Pfft.

In an instant, blood splattered everywhere.

Guo Huai clutched his throat and toppled backward, terror and disbelief still in his eyes.

"You... how dare you kill someone!"

Lu Yuan's expression changed abruptly. The smile he had been wearing instantly turned incomparably ugly.

Guo Huai was indeed useless, but dying on Sandboat Gang territory, right before Lu Yuan's eyes, would mean enormous trouble for him. Especially with the gang leaders absent, if Guo Xiang flew into a rage afterward, Lu Yuan could not bear the responsibility!

"What use was there in keeping such trash alive?"

Wu Ming slowly withdrew his spear and spoke calmly, as though he had merely killed a stray dog by the roadside.

These days, the area outside Jingye City was essentially a lawless zone beyond anyone's control. If martial artists slaughtered commoners wantonly and the circumstances were particularly vile, the Cautious Punishment Division might intervene. But if it was merely a conflict between martial artists, the Cautious Punishment Division within the city would not concern itself with life or death. Besides, Guo Huai had committed countless evils and deserved to die long ago.

Lu Yuan's face turned utterly grim. With a clang, he drew the short blade at his waist and said:

"If that's how it is, then you'll stay here too."

In his heart, he had cursed Guo Huai thousands upon thousands of times, and Wu Ming hundreds more. Guo Huai simply had to die on his turf, while Wu Ming simply had to kill someone here.

If Wu Ming had killed Guo Huai outside, it would have had nothing to do with Lu Yuan. No matter how furious Guo Xiang became afterward, it would not implicate him; Guo Xiang would naturally seek revenge only against Wu Ming. But Guo Huai had died here, right before his eyes, so Lu Yuan could not escape involvement. At the thought of Guo Xiang, fear filled Lu Yuan's heart. Though he knew Wu Ming was far from ordinary, he could only grit his teeth and draw his blade as he stepped forward.

"Surround him! Don't let him get away!"

Lu Yuan shouted sternly. The four or five Sandboat Gang members behind him all revealed fierce expressions, drawing their boat blades one after another and closing in around Wu Ming.

Though these gang members were not martial artists, they had worked with the Sandboat Gang year-round and were all vicious men. Nearly every one of them had blood on their hands. Led by Lu Yuan, they did not panic even knowing Wu Ming was a Blood Forging martial artist.

Though Blood Forging martial artists were formidable, they were still flesh and blood. These sailors had fought Blood Forging martial artists before. When several joined forces, they had even killed genuine Blood Forging martial artists aboard ships.

Now that Guo Huai had died here, if they let Wu Ming escape as well, there would be no way to explain themselves afterward.

"Attack!"

Lu Yuan advanced with his blade. Seeing Wu Ming holding his long spear and walking toward the exit, utterly ignoring their encirclement, he finally could not hold back any longer. A fierce gleam flashed in his eyes as he gave the command.

At that very instant, the Sandboat Gang members surrounding Wu Ming all showed savage looks. They held boat blades in one hand, while their other hands suddenly reached into their clothes and pulled out handfuls of quicklime, flinging it at Wu Ming's head.

They were not Blood Forging martial artists, so naturally they did not dare clash head-on with one. But after years of sailing, they had their own methods for dealing with martial artists. With superior numbers, they simply used every sort of underhanded trick. Quicklime was particularly useful: once it was thrown over someone's face and head aboard a ship, they could immediately douse them with a basin of river water. No matter how formidable a Blood Forging martial artist was, they could not withstand that.

However.

Wu Ming's expression did not change in the slightest as he faced the Sandboat Gang's actions.

In his perception, even Blood Forging martial artists moved somewhat slowly, much less these ordinary gang members. Their seemingly swift movements appeared like slow motion in his eyes, every detail crystal clear.

Swish.

The crowd only saw a point of cold light flash past.

One Sandboat Gang member could not even cry out before the tip of the Crimson Serpent Spear pierced through his neck.

At the same time, Wu Ming exerted force with his right arm and yanked. Rather than pulling out the spearhead, he violently flung that Sandboat Gang member's body into the air, using it to block the way and sweep aside all the quicklime raining down upon him.

Swish! Swish! Swish!!

After blocking all the quicklime, Wu Ming stepped forward and shook his long spear. In an instant, cold flashes streaked repeatedly.

The four Sandboat Gang members had only just scattered the lime and had no time for any further action before every one of them was struck in the neck. The boat blades in their hands were utterly useless. Their eyes widened as they clutched their throats and collapsed.

Whoosh.

The moment the gang members attacked, Lu Yuan had acted decisively as well. He flashed aside at once and forcibly circled behind Wu Ming. With a flick of his boat blade, he slashed fiercely from the rear, intending to seize the opening while Wu Ming dealt with the gang members and finish him.

Yet though he had clearly moved behind Wu Ming and even suppressed the sound of his swing until it was nearly a silent blade, Wu Ming seemed to have eyes on the back of his head. With just one step forward, he perfectly evaded the blade behind him.

Then.

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

Damn it.

Lu Yuan's pupils contracted sharply. In his shock, he swung his blade to block it while trying to dodge.

But the spear was too fast. It had stabbed suddenly during the gap after his blade missed, leaving him no way to evade it. Though he twisted away with all his strength, the spear still pierced straight through his chest!

This was the Returning Leaf Stance of the Falling Leaf Spear Technique, also called the Backstab among spear techniques. Once practiced to the point of complete mastery, even while the body continued forward, the long spear in one's hand could use the force of the waist to turn and stab back, swift as lightning. Even someone prepared in advance would find it exceedingly difficult to evade, much less Lu Yuan, who had been caught unprepared.

"You..."

Lu Yuan was a Blood Forging martial artist. Though his chest's vital spot had been pierced, he only staggered back several steps rather than immediately collapsing dead. He clutched the gaping wound in his chest as blood continuously sprayed from it, staring fixedly at Wu Ming.

He spat out a mouthful of bloody froth and spoke with resentment and unwillingness:

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

Wu Ming had killed Guo Huai on Sandboat Gang territory. No matter how thoroughly they cleaned up, they could not erase every trace; concealing the evidence was simply impossible. He would inevitably face Guo Xiang's wrath afterward.

Though Wu Ming's spear technique was exquisite and terrifying, Lu Yuan had clearly judged Wu Ming's cultivation during their brief exchange. He had only reached First Blood Forging, while Guo Xiang was an inner disciple of the Black Fiend Sect, far beyond what Wu Ming could withstand.

Thud.

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