In the Reed Marsh, killing intent had already condensed into something tangible.
The fat on Wang Hai's face twitched, and a vicious gleam burst from his eyes.
Zhao Kang's aura was even more solid and heavy as iron. Gengjin True Qi circulated through his body as he clenched both fists, his joints cracking like frying beans. He was poised to strike.
Chen Qing tightened his grip on the Cold Flood Dragon Spear.
The night grew cooler, and only the river water lapped against the reeds with a rustling sound.
Time seemed to have frozen.
The next instant, Wang Hai's fat body suddenly shot forward, moving with a swiftness and slipperiness utterly at odds with his size.
He was a disciple of the Guishui Institute and deeply versed in the softness of Guishui. His footwork was like treading waves, leaving only shallow marks on the muddy ground.
The longsword at his waist flashed from its sheath like a streak of silk. His wrist trembled sharply, and the sword tip turned into several vicious, tricky arcs. Like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, they went straight for the tendons in Chen Qing's spear-holding wrist, his elbow joint, and beneath his arm.
The sword was coated in deep-blue Guishui True Qi, bone-piercingly cold and carrying a sticky, sluggish quality. Once that True Qi invaded an opponent's tendons, it would cling like maggots on the bone, greatly impairing the arm's ability to exert force.
This was Water Snake Entangling Tendons, an exceptionally sinister close-combat technique from the Thousand Wave Sword Art, specially meant to break long weapons such as spears and staves.
Almost the instant Wang Hai drew his sword, Zhao Kang moved as well.
He used no fancy footwork. Instead, he charged like a savage bull, driving off the ground as mud splashed