The Black Wind Stronghold, a bandit faction, was but a drop in the ocean of the martial world, utterly beneath notice. Yet in just a few days, it had made quite a name for itself, causing many players to remember this inconspicuous faction. Naturally, it had also drawn the officials' attention.
The officials had always regarded the Comprehensive Martial World with curiosity and a desire to study it.
Even before the closed beta, they had already arranged for quite a few people to enter the Comprehensive Martial World in an attempt to control it.
But perhaps their progress had been poor, which was why they decided to open the Comprehensive Martial World to the entire world and let players enter it in the form of a game.
The Comprehensive Martial World, strange and full of wonders at every turn in the players' eyes, was not nearly so remarkable in the eyes of the officials' experts.
Especially a mere bandit force like this. The officials had once sent some experts to deal with such minor factions frequently, using them as their first whetstones.
Yet now, one such inconspicuous minor faction had suddenly risen to prominence, seemingly foreshadowing some special event.
At this moment.
Inside a tavern in Linxin City, Huizhou, three martial artists wearing conical hats sat at a table in the back, discussing the Black Wind Stronghold.
"In my opinion, the Black Wind Stronghold Master is only at the Inner Qi Realm and hasn't learned any particularly formidable martial arts. Though he's a minor boss and may have much more Qi and Blood, he won't be that hard to deal with. The three of us will go capture him directly this time and see whether we can trigger some special event."
A player in blue robes with a curved saber at his waist spoke calmly.
The yellow-clad woman beside him shook her head slightly. "Although all three of us are at the Inner Qi Realm, we don't hold the advantage of terrain. If we simply charge up the mountain, the Black Wind Stronghold has too many people. If we fail to take down the Black Wind Stronghold Master immediately, we'll fall into danger."
"Junior Sister Zuihua is right. I think we should outwit them. Isn't the Black Wind Stronghold recruiting people right now? We'll send some people in to join them, then strike from within and without after they've joined, taking down that Black Wind Stronghold Master."
A man wearing cowhide bracers said.
The young man with the curved saber nodded. "Brother Qingniu makes sense. But that will take more time, and we may miss Lu Xiaofeng, that famous hero."
"That doesn't matter. Lu Xiaofeng came to Huizhou to investigate the Green Robe Pavilion, and he hasn't arrived yet. We'll adapt when the time comes. For now, our main task is to fulfill our superiors' orders and thoroughly investigate the Black Wind Stronghold."
"Fine. Then let's set out now. We should also contact some newcomer brothers and have them join the Black Wind Stronghold first."
Two days later.
On a slope behind the Black Wind Stronghold.
More than a dozen bandits stood scattered around the area in fear, watching a man and a tiger confronting one another on the slope.
The man was built like an iron tower. He wore a tight martial outfit, and the bulging knots of muscle all over his body could not be concealed even by his clothes. His gaze was sharp and cold; anyone who met his eyes felt as though they had been scorched and unconsciously looked away.
The tiger was a huge adult beast, covered in yellow and black stripes.
It held its head high and prowled around the iron-tower-like man. It opened its great jaws, extended a blood-red tongue, and licked its blade-like fangs. Its white whiskers stood up like steel needles as it shook its body twice, its claws repeatedly scraping at the ground. It was gradually growing impatient.
"Come on! You sickly little cat!"
Under the fearful yet admiring gazes of the dozen or so bandits, Jiang Dali beckoned provocatively at the tiger and burst into hearty laughter.
The tiger seemed to sense his provocation. A greenish ferocity suddenly appeared in its eyes, and with a thunderous roar that made the entire slope seem to tremble violently, it pounced. Amid the cries of the bandits, it bared its fangs, raised its tail, and lunged fiercely at Jiang Dali.
In that instant, the ground shook, branches and leaves cracked beneath its paws, and a savage stench rushed straight at him.
Jiang Dali's eyes narrowed, and he laughed freely as he launched his attack.
In an instant, his body seemed to expand with a series of cracking sounds. The muscles all over him swelled and knotted, while his skin took on a faint golden sheen beneath its bluish tint.
He suddenly struck, curling the five fingers of his palm inward as if worshipping Buddha before slamming it toward the pouncing tiger.
Great Vajra Palm—Salute to the Buddha!
Bzz—
A wild and violent aura erupted at once as Jiang Dali's inner force poured out madly.
At that moment, however, the tiger's savage paw landed on him first. Its claws shot out with a rasp, each sharp nail faintly visible and a full ten centimeters long.
If an ordinary person had taken that tiger claw head-on, he would certainly have been disemboweled.
Yet when the tiger claw struck Jiang Dali's robust body with a bang, it merely staggered him. The claws seemed to rake hard wood, only tearing through the surface of his skin.
At the same time, Jiang Dali's palm slammed viciously into the tiger's head. The power of the Great Vajra Palm burst forth instantly, releasing an exceptionally fierce and unyielding force, its might incomparably savage.
A tiger's miserable howl immediately rang across the slope.
The tiger was left dazed by Jiang Dali's palm strike, and the force behind its second claw strike weakened considerably.
"Again!"
Jiang Dali laughed loudly, taking the tiger's second claw head-on as his right palm, Buddha's Mercy, thrust forward at chest level.
This strike sent inner force surging in and out, a direct blow even fiercer and more forceful than the last.
Buddha's Mercy shall deliver all lost souls and wandering ghosts!
The instant the palm shot out, the surrounding air seemed to flee madly in all directions.
Even the tiger felt as though a tremendous pressure had crashed into it. Unable to withstand it, it retreated, its tail lashing through the bushes with chaotic swishing sounds.
Bang!
Another miserable tiger howl rang out.
With its injuries, the tiger's eyes became even more ferocious. Great gusts of hot air burst from its nostrils. It opened its bloody maw and roared again, shaking the surrounding forest as echoes rippled out. Then it leaped up and pounced once more at Jiang Dali.
"Vajra Bow!"
Jiang Dali roared wildly, striking out with a palm in midair.
Boom—
It was as though a savage blast of air had suddenly exploded from nowhere, carrying the force of collapsing earth and shattering rocks, of monstrous waves sweeping the sky. Its power surged in every direction.
In an instant, all of Jiang Dali's inner qi was completely drained.
The pouncing tiger was struck by that powerful palm force and staggered to the ground with a miserable howl. Yet its vitality was astonishingly tenacious. As if its savagery had been fully roused, it roared and charged at Jiang Dali again.
Whoosh—
Its tail lashed out like a bronze whip.
"What powerful vitality. But you're still courting death!"
A sharp glint flashed through Jiang Dali's eyes. He drew his saber with his right hand, and a golden flash streaked out as the golden-backed nine-ring saber came slashing down.
Bzz, bzz—
The nine rings trembled softly.
The tiger's tail was severed in one stroke.
The tiger let out a shrill roar, rose onto its hind legs, and wildly swiped both forepaws at Jiang Dali.
"Die!"
Jiang Dali forcibly drew in a breath and swept, then slashed upward diagonally.
After several saber strikes.
The ground was already flooded with blood. The tiger lay dying, letting out whimpering sounds. Its abdomen rose and fell twice before it fell silent.
"Phew—"
Looking at the tiger's corpse on the ground, Jiang Dali breathed in nothing but the blood-soaked stench that seemed to fill the surroundings with murderous aura. The hot blood throughout his body grew even more restless, and he could not help laughing loudly as he took out the wineskin at his waist and drank deeply.
The dozen or so bandits around him were fired up by the sight. They were afraid yet reverent, and the hairs all over their bodies stood on end for a long while without settling.
Only after seeing that the tiger was dead did they dare creep over, showering Jiang Dali with flattery.
"Alright, this vicious tiger is dead. Consider it revenge for the brothers we lost before. Hoist up the tiger's corpse and bring it back. Tonight, we'll eat tiger meat and drink to celebrate!"
Jiang Dali waved a large hand as he gave the order, his attention focused on the two notifications he had just received.
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