Complete Victory

This sudden ambush, if it had been any other twelve-year-old child, would have been absolutely impossible to detect.

However, Qin Fengming was no ordinary child. After consuming those two Vermillion Fruits in the deep mountains, his perception of his surroundings, as well as his eyesight and hearing, had become comparable to that of a seasoned martial arts master who had spent years honing their skills in the martial world.

"Snap!"

A crisp sound rang out, and an object was struck by Qin Fengming's sword sheath and fell into the grass.

Startled, Qin Fengming, following the falling object, didn't hesitate. He reached for his waist, and as he raised his hand, an object shot out, targeting a dense clump of bushes several yards away.

"Ah!~~~"

As Qin Fengming made his move, a scream erupted from within the bushes. This was followed by the sound of a heavy object landing amidst the foliage.

"Hmph, who's ambushing me here? Come out now."

Although Qin Fengming had already detected it, and the figure in the bushes had fallen to the ground, a careful scan revealed three small figures hiding beside the fallen individual.

"Ah, Fourth Brother, how are you?" Even before Qin Fengming could call out, the three figures had already stood up. Two of them immediately rushed towards the fallen person, and a young voice rang out.

"Ah, it's you guys. Yuan Kejian, I have no quarrel with you. Why did you bring people here to ambush me? Aren't you afraid the Hall Master will find out and sentence you to death?"

By now, the sky had brightened considerably. Although it was still somewhat dim, Qin Fengming could clearly make out the three people in front of him.

Qin Fengming recognized all three. The leader was Yuan Kejian, who, like himself, was favored by the Hall Master. The other two were Luo Shigui and Shi He. There was also one named Wu Kaishi, who, like Yuan Kejian, hailed from Haoyue City.

He figured the person lying on the ground must be Wu Kaishi.

"Hmph, kid, you're lucky. Our expensive crossbow bolt didn't kill you. But with the three of us, killing you shouldn't be too difficult. We have no enmity, but you've gained the Hall Master's favor. As long as you're around, I, Yuan Kejian, will never get ahead.

Only by eliminating you will the Hall Master look upon me favorably. As for the Hall Master finding out, you don't need to worry. We've already scouted thoroughly. You usually practice martial arts here alone, and no one else comes. As long as we kill you here, no one will discover a thing."

Yuan Kejian glared at Qin Fengming, his voice filled with hatred, as if he despised Qin Fengming to the bone.

Hearing Yuan Kejian's words, Qin Fengming finally understood why Yuan Kejian always had a glint of malice in his eyes whenever they met. The desire to eliminate him had existed since they were both chosen to be personally tutored by the Hall Master.

"Ah~ Brother Yuan, Fourth Brother is dead now. We must avenge him."

Just as Yuan Kejian and Qin Fengming were facing off, two cries of sorrow suddenly came from behind them.

"Ah, what? Wu Kaishi is dead? Good, good, we'll kill this brat now and avenge Fourth Brother."

Yuan Kejian said, and with a wave of his hand, the other two youths wiped away their tears, drew their weapons, and flew forward, encircling Qin Fengming.

Facing three youths of the same age, Qin Fengming had already calmed his mind.

He had a good opportunity to escape, but although Qin Fengming was young, he had sparred with his senior sister from time to time over the past year. He wasn't afraid of fighting others. He wanted to see what his current strength was.

Children's fights don't follow martial arts rules of one-on-one combat. At Yuan Kejian's shout, the three thirteen or fourteen-year-olds drew their weapons and attacked Qin Fengming.

Yuan Kejian wielded the Thunderous Saber Technique, his slashes accompanied by faint sounds of thunder. Luo Shigui used the Arhat Staff Technique, his powerful and imposing moves unleashed with great force. The last one, Shi He, employed the Eight Immortals Swordplay, his every move aimed at Qin Fengming's vital points.

Qin Fengming was not yet twelve years old, making him the youngest of the four. Facing the combined attack of three peers, it was natural for him to feel nervous, but he also had a desire to test his own strength.

He formed a hand seal and brandished the sharp sword bestowed upon him by his master, Hall Master Zhang. The Thirteen Forms of the Willow sword techniques poured forth.

Instantly, a white ball of light erupted, flickering and weaving, completely blocking the attacks of the three youths. For a moment, the fight was evenly matched.

The Thirteen Forms of the Willow was a martial art perfectly suited for group combat. Its greatest essence was to weave through countless willow branches without harm.

Thus, the moment they clashed, Yuan Kejian and the other two were greatly surprised.

They had never imagined that Qin Fengming, who was two years younger than them and rumored to be a child from the mountains, would be so formidable. They had started practicing martial arts at home from a young age.

But now, they saw that even with their combined strength, they only had a slight advantage. To defeat and kill their opponent would not be a quick victory.

Qin Fengming became more astonished as he fought. He had thought that his martial arts had advanced by leaps and bounds over the past year, and that no child his age could match him. But now, a hint of fear suddenly arose in his heart.

The three in front of him were no ordinary opponents, and the martial arts they used were all extremely powerful. Although he wasn't afraid of any one of them individually, with the three attacking him together, Qin Fengming could only rely on his profound sword techniques to fend them off. If this continued for too long, he would surely be defeated.

At this moment, Qin Fengming deeply regretted his decision. If he had turned and fled the moment he saw the three of them, his superior movement techniques would have made it impossible for them to catch him.

As the saying goes, a panicked person makes great mistakes. This was Qin Fengming's first life-or-death duel. While fully defending himself, he was overcome with panic. In his haste, he failed to dodge a stone, and his body lurched, causing him to fall down the hillside.

"Ah, kid, don't move."

Just as Qin Fengming was about to spring up, a sharp sword was pointed at his chest. Seeing this, Qin Fengming's mind went blank, and he miraculously didn't faint.

"Hahaha, kid, your martial arts are truly not bad. If it weren't for the three of us attacking together, it would have been difficult to capture you. Shi He, don't kill him yet, I have something to ask him."

Seeing that Qin Fengming was subdued by Shi He, Yuan Kejian's face lit up with joy. He stopped Shi He from attacking, sheathed his weapon, and approached Qin Fengming.

Qin Fengming had expected them to kill him without hesitation. He hadn't anticipated Yuan Kejian telling Shi He to stop. During this brief pause, Qin Fengming's mind raced. With a slight movement of his hand.

"Crack!" A sound rang out, and three black arrows shot out rapidly, flashing through the air and striking Shi He, who was holding the sword, in the chest.

This happened too suddenly. If it had been an experienced martial arts veteran, they would have immediately subdued Qin Fengming's pressure points before questioning him further. But Shi He was a child of thirteen or fourteen, how would he know such things?

He thought that holding the opponent with his sword was enough to secure victory. He never expected the opponent to have hidden weapons. Caught off guard, he collapsed to the ground without even a scream.

"Ah, not good, you ruthless brat." Yuan Kejian had been overjoyed at capturing the opponent, but before he could get close, his companion had already been injured and fallen.

Ignoring Shi He's injuries, Yuan Kejian and Luo Shigui once again brandished their weapons and launched a fierce attack on the now-standing Qin Fengming.

Without Shi He's assistance, the tide of the battle had turned. Under Qin Fengming's full deployment of the exquisite Thirteen Forms of the Willow swordplay, within a few exchanges, Luo Shigui was struck in the chest by Qin Fengming's sword.

With a cry, he dropped his weapon and fell into the bushes.

Seeing his companions fall one after another, Yuan Kejian was utterly terrified. He never imagined that their carefully laid plan for four people would not only fail to harm the opponent but would result in three of his companions being killed before his eyes.

Despite Yuan Kejian's malicious nature, at this moment, his young heart was filled with extreme fear.

"Stop, Elder Brother Qin, please stop! It was my own foolishness, I shouldn't have thought of harming you. I beg you, Elder Brother Qin, for the sake of our fellow disciples, spare my life."

Yuan Kejian knew his Qinggong was far inferior to Qin Fengming's, and escape was hopeless. With a clang, he threw his saber to the ground, knelt before Qin Fengming, and began to beg for mercy.

Seeing Yuan Kejian's state, Qin Fengming paused, his sword movements halting. He looked at Yuan Kejian, who was incessantly kowtowing and begging for mercy, and his mind began to race.

Sensing that Qin Fengming hadn't immediately struck him down, Yuan Kejian, though still bowing, felt a surge of joy. His left hand slowly moved towards his left ribs.

Tucked away there was a bamboo tube for concealed weapons. While not incredibly powerful, the distance to Qin Fengming was less than ten feet. If he could launch it, it would surely injure his opponent.

But just as Yuan Kejian's left hand was about to touch the bamboo tube, he suddenly heard a voice that sent chills down his spine: "Hmph, begging for mercy now is too late. You can die now."

As the voice spoke, a flash of sword light appeared. Yuan Kejian felt a chill at his neck, and then consciousness ceased to exist.