The Battle Was Decided

Almost before Ghost Blade Ji Ming could arrive with his men, Jiang Dali had already easily dealt with Gu Sun, Ning Suan, and the other four Inner Qi Realm experts.

The price he paid was merely the complete exhaustion of his inner qi and a few negligible flesh wounds.

When Ghost Blade Ji Ming arrived and saw Gu Sun and the others lying dead in the field, his face turned iron-blue. His body even trembled uncontrollably with fear as he let out a blustering roar.

"Jiang Dali, you go too far! Today, I will kill you and use your blood to sacrifice to my second brother!"

Jiang Dali flicked the blood droplets from the Nine-Ringed Golden Saber, its tip aimed at Ji Ming as he sneered. "What's with all the nonsense? Come over and die."

Ji Ming's eyelids twitched. With a furious roar, he waved his hand. "Men, shoulder to shoulder! Take down this fiend together!"

The Tuoshui Mountain Stronghold bandits behind him were horrified at his words. Their faces went pale, and none of them dared move.

Jiang Dali gave a derisive laugh. "The underlings don't act like underlings, and the boss doesn't act like a boss.

Since none of you dare come up, this Stronghold Chief will personally send you on your way!"

Bzzzt!

The Nine-Ringed Golden Saber whirled wildly.

Jiang Dali's iron-tower-like figure charged out with savage force.

"Charge! Whoever dares retreat in battle dies!"

Ji Ming roared furiously and slashed at one underling who tried to shrink back.

At once, the Tuoshui Mountain Stronghold bandits had no choice but to grit their teeth and charge at Jiang Dali.

For a moment, short axes, short blades, iron clubs, and all manner of weapons came raining down on Jiang Dali.

Yet Jiang Dali was like an iron man forged of steel, making no effort whatsoever to evade the weapons as he crashed recklessly through them.

His golden-backed saber plunged into the crowd and came sweeping down with a whoosh. Like cutting rice stalks, one slash felled an entire swath!

In an instant, screams rose and fell without end.

Severed limbs and broken arms flew through the air.

In mere moments, within a twenty-zhang radius around Jiang Dali, heads rolled everywhere, like a cart full of watermelons overturned and sent them tumbling in every direction. Blood gushed onto the ground like raging fountains, leaving streaks so gruesome they seared the eyes.

The players watching this horrifying scene from afar were either pale as death or roaring with excitement, their bloodlust rising even higher.

"Jiang Dali, I want you dead!"

At that moment, Ghost Blade Ji Ming let out a savage roar, his face twisted as he suddenly drew his saber and charged at Jiang Dali, his expression filled with resolve and ferocity.

"Come on!"

Jiang Dali casually slashed out, colliding with the black saber Ghost Blade Ji Ming brought cleaving down.

Clang!

The instant the two blades met, the Nine-Ringed Golden Saber snapped in response, breaking into two pieces. One half fell to the ground, while the other remained in Jiang Dali's hand...

"What!?"

Jiang Dali was startled.

Clang!

A burst of searing pain came from his body.

Ghost Blade Ji Ming roared madly, his black saber cutting straight through the Golden Silk Armor and viciously into Jiang Dali's left shoulder. The blade nearly sank into the bone marrow.

Jiang Dali's Qi and Blood immediately plummeted by a large chunk. He struck out with a palm at once, his technique and angle profound and mysterious, smashing hard against the side of the black saber and forcibly driving Ji Ming back.

Almost at the same time, a large chunk of flesh flew from his body along with the blade and fell to the ground.

Sweat instantly beaded across Jiang Dali's forehead. He stared in astonishment at the black saber in Ji Ming's hand. "I never expected a treasured famed saber to exist in such a small place."

"You've got some eyesight."

Ji Ming burst into laughter, his expression smug and vicious. "Jiang Dali, do you think Ghost Blade's reputation is unearned?

Now that your weapon is destroyed and you're badly wounded, your inner strength must be completely spent too, right? What do you have left to fight me with?"

"Heh heh heh." A cold smile curled across Jiang Dali's lips. "Do you know how villains usually die?"

"What?" Ji Ming frowned.

"They die from talking too much."

With a cold snort, Jiang Dali suddenly spread his body and, like a great goose, advanced instead of retreating, charging straight at Ji Ming.

"Still struggling in a corner like a trapped beast? You're courting death!"

Ji Ming sneered mockingly as the razor-sharp saber in his hand swung out once more.

Just then, an incomparably fierce aura suddenly erupted from Jiang Dali's body, pressing down on Ji Ming until he could barely breathe.

"Outer Qi Realm?!"

Ji Ming cried out, his eyes widening in disbelief.

"Take my palm!"

Jiang Dali roared and struck out. The ground beneath his feet seemed to cave in and explode beneath the force of his legs as he surged forward. With one palm strike, thick waves of air erupted through the air, suffocating all who faced them.

Ji Ming's eyes hardened, and he immediately swung his blade down at the incoming palm.

Yet this palm came even faster and fiercer, striking the flat of the saber almost instantly.

With an explosive clang!

A peerlessly savage force erupted. Ji Ming screamed, his arm convulsing violently as his muscles and bones let out sounds of unbearable strain. The web between his thumb and forefinger split open, and his saber flew from his grasp.

Jiang Dali's imposing aura surged around him, as though a savage force of energy were erupting from within his body. Like a ferocious tiger descending the mountain, he charged at Ji Ming once more.

"Ah!!"

In the deadly crisis, Ji Ming let out a thunderous roar. He hastily raised his right hand and lunged forward, an extraordinarily powerful force wrapped around his palm with the sound of muffled thunder as it struck straight at Jiang Dali's chest. Its momentum was enough to shatter steles and split boulders.

"Trading palms with me? Is that little head of yours ripe enough?"

Jiang Dali sneered. His legs settled into a bow stance, his arms circled, and his upright palms came together as though a child worshipping Buddha before he suddenly thrust them out.

Buzz—

The air within a radius of three zhang seemed to be sucked dry in an instant. Within Jiang Dali's palms, a terrifying vortex of air seemed to be brewing—oppressive and fiercely forceful!

Vajra Bow!

Bang!!

Their palms collided.

Like a river wave crashing against a rock in midstream, the two currents of force slid apart along both sides of Jiang Dali, sweeping up flying sand and stones.

Ji Ming's eyes suddenly bulged wide, his facial skin flushing red as though engorged with blood. Then, with a "wah," he spat out a mouthful of blood. His arm snapped in half with a crack, pallid bone stabbing out from his elbow through sinew and flesh. It was as though a savage impact had erupted within his body, sending him flying backward to crash heavily onto the ground.

"Puh—you..."

The instant he hit the ground, Ji Ming spewed another mouthful of blood. Countless fragments of internal organs were mixed in the blood. His bulging, bloodshot eyes stared at Jiang Dali in terror, and then his breath ceased.

"Great Mountain Lord!"

The bandits of Tuoshui Mountain Stronghold around them were terrified beyond measure at the sight. Some were so frightened they nearly wet themselves as they fled for their lives.

"All of you, stop right there! Those who surrender will not be killed. Otherwise, there will be no mercy!"

Jiang Dali chased after them and casually slaughtered several more men before roaring out. His voice was like spring thunder shaking the four directions, instantly deterring many bandits who had intended to scatter and flee.

At this moment.

Neither side continued fighting.

Countless gazes fell upon Jiang Dali's tower-like, powerful body. There was fear in their eyes, worship, fanaticism, and bewilderment.

Jiang Dali looked toward the men of his Black Wind Stronghold.

When he had arrived, he had brought more than eighty men. Now, only a little over forty remained.

Of the more than fifty players, nearly half had died.

But now that the battle had been decided, such losses no longer amounted to anything.

Jiang Dali swept his gaze over everyone around him like a wolf surveying and an eagle glancing back, his eyes as sharp as steel blades. No one dared meet his stare.

He said coldly, "Those who surrender will not be killed. This Stronghold Lord attacked Tuoshui Mountain Stronghold only for wealth and fame, not for slaughter. I also need manpower to scheme great undertakings alongside me.

"Anyone willing to stay and follow this Stronghold Lord will be brothers from now on. Anyone unwilling to stay, leave behind your life-buying money and get lost!"

Thanks to the readers who gave rewards yesterday. Thanks as well to the readers who cast recommendation votes. If you like this book, keep throwing those recommendation votes my way. Some books in my category are still farming recommendation votes—I can't help laughing when I see it. Fortunately, I have you brothers constantly voting for me, keeping me at the top. Thank you for your autumn recommendation votes.