Shi Yong's home lay to the north of Black Mountain Village.
It was not far from Wang Xuan's home.
Wang Xuan left with his bow and arrows on his back, reaching Shi Yong's house in less than the time it took to burn an incense stick.
At that moment, inside Shi Yong's courtyard.
A faint candlelight burned, barely revealing a figure in the yard clumsily practicing saber techniques.
Wang Xuan looked over from afar and spotted Shi Yong. His brows immediately rose, his eyes filled with doubt.
"This guy is still awake in the middle of the night, and he's even practicing saber techniques in the yard?"
"No, this isn't an ordinary saber technique. Could it be... martial arts?"
Hearing the buzzing rumble of thunder in Shi Yong's saber movements, along with a faint golden glow, Wang Xuan first frowned, then realized something.
His eyes lit up at once!
"Martial arts! It must be!"
"His younger brother entered the martial arts school a few months ago. It would be normal for him to secretly teach it to him, but judging by the way he looks, he probably hasn't practiced it for long!"
"When sleepiness came, someone delivered a pillow. I've just reached the Iron Skin Realm. If I can obtain a martial art, perhaps I'll improve even faster!"
A glimmer of delight appeared in Wang Xuan's eyes.
"Keep practicing. Once you're tired, you'll be much easier to deal with!"
Wang Xuan did not act immediately.
If he simply shot Shi Yong dead now, the blood would flow everywhere and be difficult to clean up, easily arousing suspicion.
"This guy is an old hunter, and now he's even learned martial arts. I can't let my guard down when dealing with him. I should make some preparations first."
Wang Xuan watched for a while, then retreated into the night.
At that moment, inside the courtyard.
Shi Yong held a pudao and was vigorously demonstrating a saber art.
"I never expected martial arts to be so difficult to practice. I've trained for half a month, yet this Mountain Severing Saber Art still hasn't even reached the entry level!"
After performing one round of the Mountain Severing Saber Art, Shi Yong was already drenched in sweat, his face flushed red. He could not help stopping to catch his breath.
This Mountain Severing Saber Art was a Ninth-Rank Saber Art that his younger brother Shi Qian had learned at the martial arts school. Half a month ago, Shi Qian had secretly brought it back and taught it to him.
The martial arts school in town had rules. If someone privately taught outsiders, once discovered, their limbs would be severed and their martial arts crippled!
Therefore, Shi Yong only dared to practice when no one was around deep at night.
Though it was merely a Ninth-Rank Saber Art, it was still martial arts. Shi Yong had practiced for half a month and only learned a tiny bit of its superficial form.
"As long as I master this saber art, I can become a martial artist and completely cast off this hunter's identity!"
"Then I'll be able to join one of those great Lineages as a guard or something. That's far better than being a hunter!"
Shi Yong muttered, ambition gleaming in his eyes.
Though he was currently working for Zhou Bapi, the man had always regarded him as nothing more than a lackey and never valued him.
But!
Once he became a martial artist, things would be completely different!
Thinking of this, Shi Yong felt his entire body fill with strength, and he continued practicing.
Meanwhile.
Half an hour after leaving, Wang Xuan returned.
Seeing Shi Yong still practicing saber techniques in the courtyard, killing intent flashed through his eyes. He immediately raised his bow and aimed an arrow at Shi Yong's head.
Whoosh!
The sound of tearing air suddenly rang out, whistling through the night sky.
Shi Yong, who was practicing his saber art, suddenly felt a sense of danger rise in his heart!
"What was that sound?!"
He spun around abruptly.
Bang!
The arrow whistled past his head and struck into the door panel with a bang.
Looking at the arrow embedded in the door, Shi Yong broke out in cold sweat. He hurriedly looked toward where the sound had come from!
He immediately saw a figure in the darkness holding a bow, only forty or fifty meters away.
"Who?!"
Shi Yong's eyes bulged with fury!
He had been peacefully practicing his saber art here, yet someone actually wanted to kill him!
Seeing Shi Yong snap back to his senses, Wang Xuan did not linger. He immediately put on a panicked act, turned, and ran.
Under the faint moonlight, Shi Yong recognized Wang Xuan's figure. His expression changed drastically as killing intent surged in his heart!
"It's that brat from the Wang Family!"
"Damn little bastard, you actually dared to come and kill me!"
Shi Yong's pupils contracted as his killing intent soared!
"Damn little mongrel, the road to heaven was open and you refused to take it; the gates of hell were shut and you threw yourself in!"
"Good, good, good! Since you're in such a hurry to die, I'll send you on your way. I can use you to test my new saber art!"
Shi Yong roared, grabbing the pudao beside him and the saber art manual on the table before getting up to chase after him.
Wang Xuan fled toward the distant Blackwind Mountain with his bow and arrows on his back. Seeing Shi Yong pursue him, a smile appeared on his face.
He deliberately slowed down slightly as he fled toward Blackwind Mountain. Shi Yong followed closely behind him, and the two soon chased into the forest.
"Little bastard, where do you think you're running?!"
"You came to ambush me in the middle of the night. Today, I'll definitely kill you!"
Shi Yong's furious roar came from behind him.
As Wang Xuan ran, he mocked, "If I hadn't missed just now, you'd already be dead!"
"As for you, you actually dared to secretly learn martial arts from the town's martial arts school. I'll definitely go to town and report you to them!"
Hearing this, Shi Yong's killing intent surged wildly!
If the matter of the martial arts was exposed, he would undoubtedly die!
"Brat, you'll need to stay alive long enough to report it! Do you think learning to hunt for two days means you can kill me?"
"You're looking down on me too much!"
A savage smile spread across Shi Yong's face. He did not take Wang Xuan seriously at all.
As Wang Xuan ran, he kept provoking Shi Yong with words, enraging him until his lungs nearly exploded. The two quickly moved far away from the village and entered Blackwind Mountain.
You ran through the forest at full speed and obtained the skill: Sprint, entry progress 1/200 Effect obtained: Light as a Swallow (body like a flying swallow, ten meters in one step)
Just as Wang Xuan was running, the Crimson Panel's notification suddenly sounded.
"This works too?!"
Wang Xuan looked back at Shi Yong, who was already panting heavily. He could not help stopping and laughing. "Why are you already done after running only a few steps?"
"And you want to kill me like that? Save it!"
"Once I get to town tomorrow, you'll be dead for sure!"
Shi Yong had practiced saber techniques for two hours, and less than thirty percent of his stamina remained.
Now that he was chasing Wang Xuan, his stamina was even more severely depleted.
His face was pale as he panted and raged, "Brat, you... if you've got the guts, stop running! A real man fights me with real blades and real weapons!"
"What kind of man only knows how to run away?!"
Wang Xuan sneered. "Trash."
"You can't even catch me. Just wait for death."
"You!!!"
"Little beast, just you wait!"
"I'll definitely skin you alive!"
Shi Yong flew into a rage!
He charged desperately toward Wang Xuan.
However!
Wang Xuan did not move at all.
"Ah!!!"
A miserable scream suddenly rang out!
Shi Yong stepped into a trap.
The sole of his right foot was pierced straight through by bamboo!
Blood gushed out!
His entire body crashed to the ground!
Your trap injured an enemy. Basic Trapping experience +10. Minor Mastery progress 17/400.
"Little beast... you, when did you set up this trap?!"
Shi Yong instantly panicked.
With his foot pierced through, he had lost more than half his mobility. He definitely could not catch Wang Xuan now.
Though he was an old hunter, his stamina had been failing just now. On top of that, Wang Xuan had kept provoking him, so he had not observed his surroundings carefully at all!
Moreover, he had never expected Wang Xuan to set a trap in advance.
But before Shi Yong had finished speaking, he saw Wang Xuan raise his bow and aim it at him. His pupils suddenly contracted.
Whoosh!
The arrow shot forth explosively!
Shi Yong's expression changed drastically as he grabbed his pudao with his right hand!
Mountain Severing Saber Art!
The arrow was directly cut into two pieces with one slash!
Shi Yong raged, "Little beast, you actually still dare to attack!"
"Just you wait! Sooner or later, I'll kill you!"
He immediately stood up, chopped off the bamboo spike that had pierced his foot, then limped backward!
Wang Xuan was not disappointed that his arrow had failed to kill Shi Yong.
The other man had cultivated a martial saber art, so he would not be easy to deal with.
Without wasting words, he immediately fired a second arrow!
Shi Yong retreated again and again, using the Mountain Severing Saber Art to fend off the incoming arrows.
Wang Xuan fired five arrows in succession, but none hit.
Seeing this, Shi Yong could not help bursting into laughter.
"Little beast, save your strength!"
"My foot may be injured, but your three-legged-cat archery still can't kill me!"
However!
At those words, a cold smile appeared on Wang Xuan's lips!
"Is that so?!"
His expression suddenly darkened!
Archery effect, Triple Star Shot!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three arrows tore through the air, arriving in an instant like lightning!
Shi Yong's expression changed drastically as he cried out in horror, "Triple Star Shot? How is that possible?!"
He immediately used the Mountain Severing Saber Art to resist!
But the power of Triple Star Shot was not something his superficial saber art could withstand at all!
The first arrow was cut apart by him, while the second sent the pudao in his hand flying!
And the third!
It pierced straight through his shoulder, instantly leaving him incapable of resisting!
"Ah!!!"
Shi Yong fell to the ground screaming, blood gushing from his shoulder!
His face turned deathly pale!
You shot and injured an enemy. Basic Archery experience +10.
As the notification sounded, Wang Xuan raised his bow again.
Seeing Wang Xuan continue to aim his bow at him, the fear of death instantly shrouded Shi Yong's heart, making him hurriedly beg for mercy.
"Don't... Little Stone!"
"I was wrong. Don't kill me!"
"We're from the same village. You can't kill me. As long as you spare me, I'll tell you who ordered what happened last time!"
"And I'll tell you how your father and elder brother died!"
"Even... I can give you this martial art too!"
Before you continue