Bloodstained Jianghu

"Quicksand Technique!"

A whirlpool appeared out of thin air on the ground, swallowing a wild wolf within. The wolf struggled with all its might, but could only watch helplessly as the quicksand swallowed it whole.

"Fireball Technique!"

With a thunderous boom, a great tree was blasted into countless fragments, its branches and leaves devoured by raging flames.

"Wind-Riding Art!"

The black-clad youth's body suddenly became light as a swallow, darting swiftly through the forest. Like a rabbit springing up and a falcon swooping down, he crossed two or three zhang in a single step, swift as a ghost.

When vital energy flowed, Heaven and Earth stood firm; when creation unfolded, all things found use.

Pfft!

The black-clad youth seemed to hear a faint sound within his body, as though a membrane had been pierced. Immediately afterward, newly born vital energy poured continuously from his dantian and circulated through his meridians.

His vital energy had nearly doubled. Having consumed all five Qi-Gathering Pills obtained from the golden-robed youth and spent another half year, he had finally entered the Second Layer of Qi Refining.

Lu Xiaotian opened his eyes. In exchange for the Qi-Gathering Pill formula, he had given the black-robed old man the spiritual energy from two pills, and had split half of the remaining three with him as well. He himself had truly used only one and a half pills. Thinking of how great an advantage the black-robed old man had taken, his heart ached terribly.

"We've stayed in these desolate mountains and wild ridges for over half a year. When are we finally getting out of here?" A woman in a red dress emerged from behind a large tree and complained to Lu Xiaotian.

"If you want to leave, then leave. Your legs are attached to your own body. I never stopped you," Lu Xiaotian said blandly.

"Liang Province is far too remote. In more than half a year, we only found one Spirit Stone. I truly regret coming here. You happen to be heading to Moonwatch Immortal City too, so let's travel together. We can look after each other on the way."

Lü Bifeng did not become angry at Lu Xiaotian's words. Instead, she broke into a smile. Though Lu Xiaotian was several years younger than she was, she did not dare underestimate him in the slightest. To remain in the wilderness for half a year, cultivating day after day with nothing else to do—even adults rarely possessed such patience.

"It's time to leave. Let's go."

Situ Yong had lost his son, and over the past half year, he had mobilized the martial sects of the jianghu to hunt frantically for Lu Xiaotian's whereabouts. Going out would inevitably carry some risk. Previously, Lu Xiaotian had known nothing about spells, but during the past half year, he had focused on cultivating several low-grade techniques and achieved modest success. Even without the leopard spirit beast, he now possessed a certain degree of combat strength.

More importantly, the Qi-Gathering Pills on him had run out again. To improve his cultivation further, he could only cultivate painstakingly step by step. He had estimated that at his current pace, without the aid of pills, reaching the Third Layer of Qi Refining would take at least six or seven years—perhaps even more than a decade.

After turning the matter over in his mind, Lu Xiaotian decided to head for Moonwatch Immortal City. In that place where cultivators gathered, it would also be easier to find Spirit Stones and spirit herbs.

He recalled the Shadow Ants he had been raising from the jade pool in the cave. After half a year of effort, he had raised more than twenty Shadow Ants. Added to the original ones, there were now over thirty. With his current Second Layer of Qi Refining strength, he could originally command only twenty in battle at once. However, Lü Bifeng had told him that Shadow Ants could be raised into a Head Ant, which could command no more than twenty of its kind to attack enemies at the same time. Although their effectiveness was inferior to his direct command, it freed his hands to cast spells against enemies, so his combat strength rose rather than fell.

Several days later, on the official road leading to Green Bamboo County, a bloated, dark-faced man and a middle-aged woman with several pockmarks on her face rode their horses at a light gallop.

"I really don't understand why a young man like you is so cautious. The Situ Clan only has Situ Yong at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining. Aside from Situ Yong, even if we encountered someone at the Third Layer of Qi Refining, with your current strength, you could still suppress him steadily. Liang Province has nearly a hundred counties. Could Situ Yong really set up defenses everywhere and block us at every turn?"

Lü Bifeng herself was a rather attractive woman, but after Lu Xiaotian's handiwork, her face had been covered in pockmarks made with medicinal herbs. Dressed in coarse hemp clothing like an ordinary mortal, she was no different from a common jianghu traveler, and she could not help grumbling resentfully.

"If you're confident, we can travel separately."

Lu Xiaotian gave her that reply. Previously, in Pingwu County Town, Lü Bifeng and Situ Jing had discovered and caught up to him. Had he not ambushed Lü Bifeng beforehand and subdued her, he would likely have been the one to die under the two of them attacking together. After that incident, he could not afford to act carelessly.

"You!"

Lü Bifeng choked on her anger, but soon could not help laughing again. She would never agree to traveling separately. In terms of cultivation, Lu Xiaotian was now at the same Second Layer of Qi Refining as she was, but he also had deadly weapons such as the leopard spirit beast and Shadow Ants. If she encountered a Third Layer of Qi Refining member of the Situ Clan alone, she would likely be in danger. Moonwatch Immortal City was far away, so it was safer to stay with Lu Xiaotian.

Clang! Clang!

Not far from Green Bamboo County Town, the sounds of blades and swords clashing, along with martial artists' battle cries, rang out without end. One or two screams occasionally pierced the air.

"Qian'er, Qingshan, go! Leave now!" At that moment, Zhou Lie, the Thunder Blade Sect's Hall Master of Punishment, led a group of sect members in holding off the siege of dozens of skilled fighters. His body was already drenched in blood, yet he still struggled to hold on.

"Master, if we leave, we leave together!" Shi Qingshan and another female disciple in white cried out sorrowfully.

"Remnants of the Thunder Blade Sect, stop struggling. Not one of you will escape today!" A one-eyed man atop a reddish-brown horse held a broadsword and roared arrogantly.

They had not fled far before martial artists pursuing from behind cut them off ahead and surrounded them tightly. Shi Qingshan desperately hacked down two men, only to be entangled by two more gray-clad men.

"Senior Brother Shi!" The girl in white cried out in grief and tried to rush over, but another young martial artist with a pale face and an iron fan stopped her.

Seeing the white-clad girl's beauty, the young man with the iron fan's eyes lit up, and a lecherous look appeared on his face. "This young lady is as lovely as a flower and beautiful as the moon. Even I cannot help but pity you. After today, the Thunder Blade Sect will cease to exist. A fine bird chooses the tree it roosts in. Why not submit to me? In the future, you will be the future sect leader's wife of the Five Yang Sect, with endless glory and riches to enjoy."

"Keep dreaming your spring and autumn dream. Even if I took a fancy to a toad, I would never take a fancy to you!" The girl in white trembled with rage.

"You don't know what's good for you. Once I catch you, after I've had my fill, I'll let the sect disciples humiliate you in every possible way." Hearing the white-clad girl's contempt, the iron-fan youth's face darkened. With a flick of his fan, the sharp blades at its edge swept toward her.

"Courting death!" Shi Qingshan forced back the two enemies with a slash, then chopped diagonally toward the iron-fan youth.

Sshhk! The two exchanged a powerful blow, neither gaining the upper hand. However, a gray-clad man cut Shi Qingshan across the back, leaving blood streaming down him.

Lu Xiaotian, who had been hurrying along the official road, happened to witness this scene. Shi Qingshan and another young martial artist around his age were protecting a girl in white as they fought their way out, while Zhou Lie, the Hall Master of Punishment, and a group of disciples were trapped in an encirclement several times larger than their own number.

Something had happened to the Thunder Blade Sect? How could that be? The Thunder Blade Sect was the largest gang in Green Bamboo County. Even across all of Liang Province, its strength was enough to rank among the top ten.

"Better to have one less trouble than one more. Let's go quickly," Lü Bifeng said to Lu Xiaotian. Near Moonwatch Immortal City, she had long grown accustomed to slaughter among cultivators. A fight between mortal martial artists could not stir the slightest interest in her.

"I've run into an acquaintance. Stay to the side for a moment. It'll be over soon." Lu Xiaotian drew the azure longsword he had taken from Situ Jing and leapt up from horseback.

"Brat, you think you can play the hero and save the beauty? Leave her alive. In a while, I'll humiliate this little bitch right in front of him," the iron-fan youth snarled.

"How dare you!" Thinking of that terrifying scene, Shi Qingshan's eyes filled with bloodshot veins as he prepared to fight the iron-fan youth to the death.

"Why wouldn't I dare?" The iron-fan youth laughed loudly, but his smile soon froze on his face.

Urgh. The iron-fan youth only felt a pain in his throat, and then he could no longer make a sound. A warm stream flowed down his chest, while air leaked through his throat.

"Who are you, sir, to dare meddle in the affairs of my Five Yang Sect? Take your life!" Seeing the iron-fan youth killed, the one-eyed man on horseback was shocked and enraged. The young sect leader had been slain. If he did not kill this enemy, how could he explain himself to the sect leader upon returning?

"This man is the Five Yang Sect's vice sect leader. He is a peerless martial artist, his blade techniques are fierce, and his strength is boundless. Be careful!"

Zhou Lie was already covered head to toe in blood, some belonging to his enemies and some to himself. Reinforcements arriving in such desperate straits brought joy to his heart, but after seeing the one-eyed man attack, his expression darkened again as he shouted a warning.

Clang! Blade and sword collided.

Lu Xiaotian's wrist went numb, and he was startled inwardly. It seemed peerless martial artists were not pushovers either. He had already reached the Second Layer of Qi Refining, yet in raw strength, he was still inferior by a measure.

"Nothing impressive!" the one-eyed man snorted coldly. Yet an incredulous look soon flashed through his eyes. His black steel treasured blade, which had accompanied him for years and could slice through iron like mud, had actually been severed by the other party's azure sword.

Pfft!

A huge head flew several feet into the air. The one-eyed man's eyes remained wide with disbelief, while his headless corpse crashed to the ground.

The Dark Azure Sword had been forged from a small amount of dark iron mixed with other ores. It could only be considered the lowest grade of spirit artifact, yet it had sliced through the treasured blade wielded by a peerless martial artist so easily. It seemed that between mortal martial artists and cultivators, the farther one advanced, the greater the difference became—like Heaven and Earth.

Having slain a peerless martial artist in one move, Lu Xiaotian's confidence surged. He pounced toward the remaining Five Yang Sect disciples. Everywhere he passed, no one could withstand a single exchange. In a short while, more than twenty men had been cut down.

The remaining Five Yang Sect disciples turned pale with terror and scattered in all directions. Lu Xiaotian wanted to leave none of them alive, but dozens of people fled in different directions at great speed. Though he wished to pursue them, he lacked the means.

"I am Zhou Lie of the Thunder Blade Sect. Thank you, brother, for lending us a hand. I am deeply grateful!" Zhou Lie, covered in blood, clasped his hands toward Lu Xiaotian.

"This isn't a place to talk. Let's find somewhere safe first," Lu Xiaotian said in a deep voice.