Cold-Blooded Strike

Cold-Blooded Strike

Thunder God Fist was a Profound Grade, First Rank martial skill, a full major realm above Lin Bai's Blood Weeping Swordplay.

Though Blood Weeping Swordplay was Yellow Grade, Ninth Rank, only one realm below Thunder God Fist, that single realm was the difference between heaven and earth.

Ninefold divine lightning descended, whipping up a storm of wind and thunder.

Standing amid the lightning, Qin Xiang resembled a Thunder God incarnate.

"Thunder God Fist is at least a Profound Grade martial skill, isn't it?"

"Fine. Since coming to the Azure Spirit Mountain Range, I haven't had a proper fight yet."

"We're both at the sixth level of martial cultivation. Today, I might as well reveal all my cards and fight at full force, to see whether I'm still that useless waste Lin Zier spoke of!"

Fighting spirit flared in Lin Bai's eyes as he circulated the true qi within his body.

Yet just as Lin Bai began to circulate his true qi, he realized it was no longer under his control. He could not draw it out from his Dantian at all!

"What's going on?" Lin Bai was startled.

"Hahaha!" Seeing the shock on Lin Bai's face, Qin Xiang burst into laughter instead. "Can't circulate your true qi, can you? I forgot to tell you—this young master's greatest skill isn't martial arts, but poison!"

"You've already been poisoned by my Carefree Powder. Not only will you be unable to circulate your true qi, but soon, you'll start seeing illusions!"

"Despicable!" Lin Bai cursed through gritted teeth.

Lin Bai strode forward and focused his gaze ahead, only to discover that he was no longer in the Azure Spirit Mountain Range.

Instead, he had returned to his childhood—to the days when he had lived with his father.

"Daddy, what swordplay are you practicing?" the young Lin Bai asked in a childish voice.

Lin Duo, his face full of heroic vigor, sheathed his sword and smiled. "This swordplay of Daddy's is truly remarkable. Once cultivated to its pinnacle, it can split heaven and earth, chase stars and snatch the moon; above, it can slay the gods of the nine heavens, and below, it can kill flood dragons of the deep sea!"

"Daddy's lying. If Daddy is so amazing, why would you still stay in Spirit Rhino City?" young Lin Bai said with a disbelieving look.

Lin Duo smiled. "Isn't it because of you? I wanted to give you a peaceful childhood. I didn't want you drawn into this conflict too early!"

"All right, Lin Bai, watch Daddy's sword movements carefully. This swordplay is called: Dragon Slaying!"

With Wan Xing beneath his feet, Lin Duo unfolded a profound and unfathomable swordplay before Lin Bai.

"Brother Lin Bai~"

At that moment, a young woman's delighted cry came from beyond the courtyard wall.

Lin Bai turned around. The instant he saw her, the innocence in his childlike eyes slowly transformed into fury that could burn the heavens. Through gritted teeth, he shouted, "Lin Zier!"

"Lin Zier!"

"Lin Zier!"

Smack—

The illusion shattered!

Tie Haitang, who had finally managed to use her tongue to push the cloth gag from her mouth, shouted at Lin Bai, "Young hero, watch out!"

"Hahaha, die!" Carrying the force of ninefold heavenly lightning, Qin Xiang threw a killing punch. It was as if this punch sought not merely to kill Lin Bai, but to flatten everything within a hundred meters and make all living things tremble beneath the Thunder God's wrath!

"Damn it!"

Lin Bai awoke from the illusion just in time.

His blood and qi surged, devouring every trace of poison in his blood.

True qi poured from Lin Bai's Dantian like a raging dragon.

As his true qi left his body, it became unstoppable!

Cold-Blooded Strike!

The fourth form of Blood Weeping Swordplay.

Whoosh—

At the instant Qin Xiang's invincible Thunder God punch came crashing down, Lin Bai's gaze sharpened. With a backhand swing, he thrust his sword straight upward!

The two attacks collided in midair!

Bang!

Lin Bai was sent flying more than ten meters by Qin Xiang's punch. He snapped a great tree in half at the waist, then landed on the ground with blood spilling from his mouth and his face pale as paper.

Qin Xiang landed as well, his face filled with astonishment. Looking down at his chest, he saw that Lin Bai's sword had pierced straight through and shattered his heart. A bloody hole the size of a fist gaped in his chest, blood gushing wildly from it.

"How is this possible?!"

Before dying, Qin Xiang uttered those words in utter disbelief.

He had used Carefree Powder to befuddle Lin Bai's mind and drag him into an illusion, then unleashed the Profound Grade, First Rank Thunder God Fist. Yet under that double assault, Lin Bai had actually turned defeat into victory!

"Damn it, I nearly capsized in a gutter!" Lin Bai shook his head and rose from the ground, still shaken by the close call.

Bang!

Qin Xiang's body collapsed to the ground, devoid of any breath.

Lin Bai glanced at Qin Xiang's corpse, then walked over to Tie Haitang's side. The poison in her body had yet to be fully purged.

Lin Bai reached out and pressed a hand against her neck, circulating the power of her blood and qi to remove every trace of poison from her blood.

"Are you all right now?" Lin Bai asked with a smile after finishing.

Tie Haitang discovered in astonishment that the Rapture Powder, which could last an entire day, had been dispelled in an instant by the light press of the young man before her.

Tie Haitang flipped herself up from the ground and clasped her fists in thanks. "Many thanks for your assistance, young hero. Otherwise, I fear I would have fallen prey to that villain's evil hands today."

"No need to thank me. I simply couldn't stand seeing him use such despicable methods against a woman." Lin Bai shook his head. "Since you're fine now, you should leave quickly."

"The mountains stand high and the rivers run long. If fate allows, we shall meet again."

Lin Bai smiled and prepared to leave.

"Young hero, please leave your name behind. Tie Haitang will surely repay you generously someday," Tie Haitang called out unwillingly.

Lin Bai smiled. "My name is Lin Bai! Miss, until we meet again!"

"Lin Bai..." Tie Haitang watched his retreating back. When she looked at him now, her gaze was no longer quite so composed.

Such a plain, unremarkable name; such an incomparably sharp treasured sword. Within this seemingly ordinary, unexceptional young man lay a heart of chivalry.

In times like these, people deceived one another and chased profit above all else. The so-called code of honor had long been cast aside, and every martial artist measured everything by gain.

Martial artists like Lin Bai, who would save a strange woman he had never met and ask for nothing in return, were already few and far between.

As she watched Lin Bai's back, Tie Haitang seemed to have fallen for him just a little.

Tie Haitang had a fierce temperament and swore never to admit defeat, but she wanted to find a man stronger than herself to be her husband!

And it seemed that man had already appeared.

Under Tie Haitang's fangirl-like gaze, Lin Bai walked more than a dozen steps away, then suddenly turned and ran back at top speed.

Tie Haitang exclaimed in immense delight, "Lin Bai!"

"Miss, may I ask you something? Do you know how one can enter the Demon Slayer Alliance?" Lin Bai asked with a smile.

Lin Bai had only just started to leave when, after taking a few steps, he realized that he did not even know where the Demon Slayer Alliance was.

That was why he had turned back to ask Tie Haitang.

Tie Haitang asked curiously, "What do you want to do at the Demon Slayer Alliance?"

Lin Bai smiled. "I heard that the Demon Slayer Alliance has a detailed map of the Azure Spirit Mountain Range, marked with which mountains are dangerous, which mountains have demon beasts, and the ranks of those demon beasts. I want to go to the Demon Slayer Alliance and ask for a copy of that map."

"Do you know where the Demon Slayer Alliance is?" Lin Bai continued.

Tie Haitang said proudly, "Of course I do, because I am the daughter of the Demon Slayer Alliance's leader!"