War

One strike, two kills.

Those who practiced the Heavenly Martial Killing Dao were formidable when they held back. But when they fought in earnest, the influence of their own killing intent made their strength difficult to control—especially for Liu Tian, who was still in the stage where that influence was at its strongest.

After taking a moment to steady his blood and energy, Liu Tian made only a cursory search of the body, then slung the sack over his back and left. He didn't want any possible accomplices—or anyone else—to discover the scene.

Thanks to all the running he'd done around the city, Liu Tian knew the urban area well. It didn't take long to find a dilapidated old building, where he set the sack down.

You should really be grateful for my kindness. There aren't many kind people like me these days.

As Liu Tian untied the sack, he silently muttered to himself. But the instant he opened it and prepared to let the person inside out, a familiar yet strange sense of alarm rose in his heart.

?!

Without even glancing at the person he'd rescued, Liu Tian threw his arms around the sack and rolled forward. Then, without looking at the person trapped inside, he used a deft push to roll it over beside him like a ball.

"Your reactions are quick, but you lack a certain ruthlessness." Though the newcomer had launched a sneak attack, strangely, he didn't take advantage of Liu Tian's lost initiative to press the assault. He merely offered a cool assessment. Drops of blood fell from the edge of his palm, and the round beads splashed onto the dust-covered ground, sending out tiny ripples. "The famed Tian Dao actually has a disciple as indecisive as you?"

Liu Tian reached back and, just as he'd expected, felt something wet and red. A faint coolness spread across the back of his head, as though the hair there had vanished along with the top layer of his scalp.

"Who are you?" Liu Tian took up a stance, watching for an opening as he asked, "Did you come for the woman over there?"

"If so, you can have her. I don't mind."

"A mere woman? Why would I, Mantis, bother to show up for her?" The newcomer spoke as if Liu Tian didn't even register, fearlessly revealing his identity. At the same time, he stepped away from the best position to attack and into the light.

He was a middle-aged man with golden hair and fair skin. A plain tank top did little to hide his muscular build. Heavy glasses obscured his eyes, and the corners of his mouth drooped, as if he could never feel joy.

But what caught Liu Tian's attention most were the newcomer's inhuman hands. Thin muscle clung to clearly defined bones, and the sharp edges of his palms gleamed in the moonlight, which had just broken through the clouds. They looked less like hands than blades sharper than steel.

Those were the hands that, despite Liu Tian's timely reaction, had sliced off his hair and a shallow layer of scalp with only the slightest contact.

Strong!

Of everyone I've ever seen, this man is second only to my master, Tian Dao, and my senior, Bai Cinan.

Liu Tian narrowed his eyes and shifted position with Mantis's every step. He didn't know why Mantis had given up the best spot to attack, but having been trained by Tian Dao, he would never throw away this advantage.

"Mantis? Never heard of you. Were you once an opponent of my master, Tian Dao?" Liu Tian tried to draw out more information. "Picking on someone younger than you isn't something a true expert would do."

"Hmph. Tian Dao?" Mantis gave a contemptuous snort, as though he deeply despised him. "He's just a decrepit old man who refused to embrace evolution and trapped himself in a fishpond. How could he ever be a match for me—for Mantis, who has already evolved?"

"Evolution? You mean those hands of yours? They do look pretty frightening." Liu Tian had no desire to fight someone far stronger than he was. He kept his killing intent in check and made one last attempt to defuse things. "Since we're not enemies, how about we go our separate ways? Let's call it a night."

"You think that's possible?" Mantis said. "Stop wasting your time probing me. I have only one purpose here—to kill you, or be killed by you."

"The true heir of the Heavenly Martial Killing Dao. Let's see if you're worthy of becoming prey."

Damn it, I just want to develop in peace!

Why are you forcing my hand?

Work harder. Give me more!

At the thought, Liu Tian spent two Origin Points. The Heavenly Martial Killing Dao's level rose, healing his injuries—and the first path of the Heavenly Martial Killing Dao, Heart Severing Path, which should have taken him months to master, instantly became second nature.

And that wasn't all. Liu Tian's body swelled in an instant. His strength and speed surged, and even his aura doubled.

Damn it, Heavenly Martial Killing Dao—Heart Severing Path!

Before the words had even left Mantis's mouth, Liu Tian knew there was no avoiding a fight. He stopped suppressing his killing intent and unleashed the strongest power he could currently muster in a single instant.

Greater strength. Greater speed. More surging killing intent.

The fruits of many days of effort erupted without restraint. Fueled by his killing intent, Liu Tian's power rose to one hundred and fifty percent of what it had been before.

There was no doubt that, with his overwhelming advantage now, Liu Tian could easily knock down the version of himself from a second earlier!

Could the mysterious Mantis withstand the sudden explosion of power from his enemy?

The answer was yes. Easily.

Greater speed, greater strength, and more experience.

His right hand shot out even faster than when he'd ambushed Liu Tian, striking first and intercepting Liu Tian's attack.

Though the martial art he practiced was inferior to the Heavenly Martial Killing Dao, Mantis was simply that powerful. He could easily suppress Liu Tian, even with his strength greatly increased.

And that wasn't all. His left hand, already poised to strike, swept out silently, aiming straight for Liu Tian's chest.

Given the sharpness Mantis had just demonstrated with his hands, if this blow landed cleanly, it would tear Liu Tian's chest open and expose the heart beating inside, the very organ that supplied his strength.

Not so fast! Heavenly Martial Great Shark Fist!

Liu Tian had long suspected that Mantis hadn't shown his full strength during the earlier attack. Now he held nothing back. His right fist, already primed, slammed into Mantis's left arm.

A powerful force rebounded through him. Mantis's arm looked thin, but it had far more defensive strength than its appearance suggested. Liu Tian felt as though he'd hit a steel plate rather than human bone. Not only had his blow failed to do any damage, but the rebound injured his right fist.

Even so, Liu Tian's punch had knocked Mantis's left arm aside, buying him a chance to retreat.

"You were holding back?" Mantis laughed wildly as he pressed the attack, even finding time to comment. "Too bad you're still too weak!"

"In fights between Martial Artists, getting the first strike only gives you a slight advantage. In the end, it comes down to strength, speed, skill, and tactics."

"And when you face someone far stronger and faster than you, that small advantage from striking first won't make up the difference."

"Martial arts are about using strength to bully the weak, standing above your opponent. When you face someone stronger than you, how can you not lose? How can you not die?"

"You've only got a few more years on me." Even in a verbal exchange, Liu Tian refused to give ground. He drew Mantis away from his original position through the complex terrain of the dilapidated building, counterattacking as he mocked him. "You've trained in martial arts for all those extra years, yet you still can't dominate me in pure physical ability. No wonder you don't dare fight my master."

"Why not give up martial arts? With hands that sharp, go back to a butcher shop and cut pork. You'll save them the cost of a cleaver."

"Martial arts are dangerous. You're old, too. Why not go home and retire?"

"Brat, you're asking to die!" Liu Tian hadn't used a single swear word, but one of his remarks seemed to hit a nerve. Mantis stopped holding back. The strength and speed that had already made Liu Tian struggle to keep up surged once more. At the same time, the two continued fighting, their clamor growing louder and the battlefield spreading wider...