"Boom!"
"Clang!"
Two thunderous crashes, utterly different yet both brimming with terrifying power, erupted. The hard rock beneath Golden Eagle Envoy Wang Zhen's feet was shattered by the force, and his whole body sank down a notch. A ring of shockwaves rapidly spread outward with the three men at its center.
The three men separated as soon as they clashed. Xiao Yunzhong unleashed his signature skill, Thunderclap Palm. One earth-shaking peal of thunder after another set the heart trembling as tremendous power surged forth and exploded. Terrifying forces collided and shattered, while the aftershocks smashed pits into the hard rocky ground all around them.
Lin Xiao was just as fierce. His rich inner force poured into the saber, vastly increasing the weapon's ability to withstand pressure. He unleashed the Three Rivers Saber, Dark Cloud Saber, and Riptide Saber Technique in turn—the three saber techniques he had cultivated to perfection. Although the techniques themselves were only average in might, driven by his abundant inner force, every move carried power that could not be underestimated. If he were struck by even one of his saber blows, even a first-rate martial artist of the jianghu would meet with bitter regret.
Several hundred meters from the battlefield, more than twenty Descenders gathered together and watched. After a long silence, He Qiu said:
"The situation isn't looking good. No matter which side wins, our chance to fish in troubled waters won't be great."
"Then we'll muddy the waters."
"How?"
"We'll charge the convoy ourselves. No one can snatch the goods while they're in Dushan Fortress's hands, but if the goods are taken, then who gets them will be decided by ability."
"But I feel that Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng is in the Golden Eagle Envoy's hands."
"There's no need to rush. With Thunderclap Palm and... that man attacking him together, Golden Eagle Envoy Wang Zhen can't break free. Once his subordinates are defeated, he'll be left all alone. He won't be able to turn the heavens upside down."
"Then let's do it!"
Soon, a sudden shout rang through the valley:
"What are you all waiting for? With Wang Zhen tied down by Senior Thunderclap Palm, now is the perfect time for us to strike. Otherwise, we might not get another chance!"
Everyone's attention was drawn to the man who stepped forward. Even the three people currently fighting were no exception. Lin Xiao deliberately spared a glance and saw that it was the leader of the Descenders who had tried to recruit him before. Seeing that he had attracted everyone's attention, the man shouted again:
"I'm no great talent, but I'm willing to be the vanguard!"
With that, he drew his treasured sword with a clang, leaped out from his hiding place, and charged toward the convoy below.
Once someone took the lead, there were always bold and impulsive martial artists among those already itching to act who would follow. This forced the others to join in as well. In the blink of an eye, a great battle erupted. The Thirteen Riders of Saibei and the experts of Dushan Fortress scattered to repel the martial artists charging down from both sides of the river valley.
The melee did not affect the three combatants. Even Golden Eagle Envoy Wang Zhen remained utterly calm, as though he had not been affected in the slightest. However, his expression looked rather strange.
It was not because of the battle situation. Rather, he kept casting strange looks at Lin Xiao, as if he had noticed something but did not quite dare to confirm it.
The fight along the riverbank raged fiercely. More than a hundred martial artists of considerable skill charged out, and the convoy of the Thirteen Riders of Saibei was instantly scattered into disarray. The battlefield was split into a complete mess. He Qiu's voice echoed constantly across the field, reminding martial artists who had gone berserk with bloodlust to watch their positions and repeatedly warning them not to covet wealth—kill their opponents first, then worry about everything else. He looked every inch a commander.
Thunderclap Palm Xiao Yunzhong struck out with one palm, and with a booming crash, he and Golden Eagle Envoy Wang Zhen retreated several steps at the same time. He glanced around and said:
"Your subordinates are about to lose."
Wang Zhen's gaze did not move in the slightest as he said coldly:
"No need to trouble yourself."
With that, he turned to look at Lin Xiao. The strange expression on his face grew more pronounced, and he suddenly asked:
"Young man, what relationship do you have with Great River Gang?"
Lin Xiao's eyes flickered faintly. His face expressionless, he said:
"If you want to fight, then fight. Why are you so long-winded?"
Wang Zhen did not get angry. He suddenly reached out and made a grasping motion. A saber flew from the hands of a corpse more than ten meters away and landed in his grip. He faced Lin Xiao and began with the opening stance of the Three Rivers Saber, Surging Waves. Acting on instinct, Lin Xiao answered with a move called Surging Waves as well. Wang Zhen then slashed four times in a single breath, using the next four moves of the Three Rivers Saber in succession. The exquisite techniques surprised Lin Xiao greatly. This Golden Eagle Envoy was not only formidable with his fists and feet—his saber skills were impressive too.
Wang Zhen cycled through the Three Rivers Saber several times in one breath. He and Lin Xiao, who was likewise repeating the same few moves, clashed with a continuous din of clanging metal that grated on the ears. After ten exchanges, Wang Zhen withdrew and stood back, asking:
"How does it feel?"
Lin Xiao praised him sincerely:
"I never expected the Golden Eagle Envoy to possess not only peerless martial skill with his fists and feet, but also such remarkable attainments in saber techniques. I'm truly impressed."
Wang Zhen froze for a moment, then hurriedly said:
"Don't you think our saber techniques are the same?"
"So what if they are?"
Lin Xiao's expression was utterly calm as he said:
"My background is ordinary, and the few saber techniques I know are neither profound nor secret arts passed down exclusively within a sect. Senior is Dushan Fortress's Golden Eagle Envoy, second only to one person and above countless others within Dushan Fortress. It's hardly strange that you know this saber technique."
The corner of Wang Zhen's mouth twitched. He was about to speak again, but Thunderclap Palm Xiao Yunzhong, who was beside them, seemed to have noticed something and sensed that matters were going awry. He stamped his foot, blasting the rocks beneath him apart as he shot forward, shouting:
"Old fool, take my palm!"
Wang Zhen could not continue speaking. He swung his saber backward, his rich inner force pouring into the blade and making it shine with dazzling saber light. The ordinary fine-steel saber in his hand now seemed like a divine weapon as it cleaved out a brilliant blade of light three feet long. Lin Xiao's eyes lit up at the sight.
In terms of saber attainments, this Golden Eagle Envoy was indeed stronger than him. After all, even when he unleashed his full power, Lin Xiao could only produce a saber ray a little over one foot seven inches, not quite reaching two feet. Compared to his opponent, he fell short by a considerable margin.
But this was also because his cultivation was lacking. He knew too few saber techniques. If he used a saber technique of two stars or higher to drive his power, he could at least produce a saber ray more than two feet long.
After that, the Golden Eagle Envoy seemed to deliberately display his saber techniques before Lin Xiao. Strangely, he only used the Three Rivers Saber, Dark Cloud Saber, and Riptide Saber Technique. The three techniques were exactly the same as the ones Lin Xiao had cycled through more than a dozen times. If Thunderclap Palm Xiao Yunzhong were removed from the equation, it would have felt like two fellow disciples from the same sect were fighting.
No—it was more like a master teaching a disciple. This Golden Eagle Envoy's attainments in saber techniques far surpassed Lin Xiao's. Even though they used the same three techniques, his understanding of them was a level deeper. Moreover, he had shown no killing intent at all while fighting Lin Xiao, as though they were merely engaged in an ordinary spar.
The more Lin Xiao fought, the more something felt wrong. Finally, after both sides used a saber technique at the same time, he suddenly leaped out of the battle and asked:
"Junior greatly admires Senior's understanding of these three saber techniques. May I ask what relationship Senior has with Great River Gang?"
"Hahaha!"
Wang Zhen forced Thunderclap Palm back with a saber strike and laughed loudly:
"Young man, answer this old man's question first. What relationship do you have with Great River Gang?"
Lin Xiao hesitated for a moment before replying:
"I'm currently the Hall Master of the Sixth Branch Hall of Great River Hall, under Great River Gang."
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