"I'll handle this brat!"
Zhang Yuying pointed her longsword at Gu Chang'an, a flash of gloomy, chilling light crossing her eyes before she barked sharply:
"What are you lot still standing around for? Go after those people! Don't let a single one escape!"
A few Firewood Gang thugs exchanged glances. Seeing her icy gaze and the murderous intent permeating the air, how dared they disobey? They hurriedly nodded in assent, bolted out the door, and gave chase to Liu Wei and the others.
--Inside the room, only Gu Chang'an and Zhang Yuying remained.
Amidst the flying dust, the atmosphere froze instantly.
Gu Chang'an gazed at her with cold eyes, then suddenly took a step forward. His imposing aura surged abruptly, the longsword at his waist poised for action as violent winds swept around him.
"Fighting me... and you actually dared to let your mind wander?"
"Prepare to die!"
His shout was like thunder, and the next instant, he slashed out fiercely!
Blade Light surged furiously, resembling a collapsing mountain. With a single strike, it felt like ten thousand jun of thunder crashing to the ground, its momentum fierce and domineering!
--Mountain Shattering Saber Technique, Second Form Break!
The Blade Light was like a mountain, tearing down from a slant to press straight at Zhang Yuying's neck!
Zhang Yuying's expression shifted slightly. With a delicate cry, she swept her longsword in a coil, turning defense into offense.
Clang--!!
Metal clashed, sparks flew in all directions, and the force shook her back three steps, the blue bricks beneath her feet shattering inch by inch!
"Good brat!" Zhang Yuying knelt on one knee, raising her gaze to glare at him, her cold laugh mixed with astonishment: "So young, and you actually possess such saber technique... Are you really at the Ninth Rank?!"
Gu Chang'an did not answer. His gaze was like lightning as he pressed forward step by step.
Zhang Yuying leaped up, her longsword tracing an arc as her body spun, turning her sword into a storm. Her Sword Intent was soft yet unyielding, sinister and stealthy like a dancing snake!
As she forced Gu Chang'an back, she spoke, her tone abruptly turning mild:
"With a talent like yours, your future is destined to be boundless. Why bother serving the imperial court and being used like a dog? Better to join our Firewood Gang. We have wealth and power, so why be a miserable constable?"
"Plot a grand cause together, and in the future the pugilistic world will bear both our names. How about it?"
Gu Chang'an gave a cold smile, his footsteps steady. Every step seemed to crush the void itself, and the Shattering Mountain Blade Intent had already settled within his body!
"The Firewood Gang?"
"You heresy who refine pills with human lives and treat people as grass, are you even fit to speak of 'plotting a grand cause'?"
"Do you know how many innocent commoners' soul-blood is inside those Blood Pills?"
"If I were to join you--how would that differ from pigs and dogs?"
The corners of Zhang Yuying's eyes twitched violently, and her coldness soared instantly!
"Audacious!!"
She let out an angry shout, her sword light surging violently. With a stomp of her foot, her figure suddenly accelerated!
The longsword pierced the void, transforming into a silver beam that thrust straight for Gu Chang'an's glabella, actually executing the secret technique -- Plum Blossom Breaking Snow!
This sword strike was fast, ruthless, and precise, practically inescapable!
Yet Gu Chang'an's heart held not the slightest ripple, his gaze growing only more frigid. He abruptly twisted his wrist, angled his saber to meet it, and swept the longsword out in a tricky counter-cutting arc!
"Clang!!"
Blade and sword collided once more, shockwaves scattering as their figures crossed paths!
Gu Chang'an felt a pain in his left shoulder, but he forcefully steadied his stance, swung back with a ferocious slash, and the violent wind roared!
Before Zhang Yuying could steady herself, the Blade Stance had already reached her chest!
She crossed her footsteps, narrowly dodging, yet her collar was torn by the Blade Qi, leaving a bloody gash across her chest!
Her expression changed drastically as she stared at Gu Chang'an, a trace of terror bubbling up in her heart for the very first time--
This youth possessed not only terrifying talent and a formidable physique, but also resolute murderous intent and a pure saber technique!
Zhang Yuying's heart hammered wildly, the longsword in her grip growing somewhat unsteady for an instant.
"No... If this goes on, I really will die beneath this brat's saber!"
An indescribable fear clung to her heart like a venomous snake.
She bit down hard, flipped her wrist, and fished a black cloth-wrapped bundle from her waist.
With a soft slap, a dark red pill that pulsed faintly rolled into her palm--
Blood Pill.
Before the pill even entered her mouth, a potent metallic stench and a bizarre, bloody aura permeated the air, as if countless wronged souls were weeping and whispering.
Without a moment's hesitation, Zhang Yuying shoved the pill into her mouth and swallowed it whole!
Instantly, her complexion flushed crimson, her blood vessels surging wildly, and her bones emitting weird "crack-crack" sounds as a force like a burst mountain torrent exploded within her body!
She threw her head back and let out an inhuman cackle, her black hair flying upward, her eyes bloodshot, and her pupils contracting to pinpoints.
"Ahahaha--hahahaha!!!"
Her aura surged violently!
Gu Chang'an gazed closely--
[Zhang Yuying: Physique 360]
His expression shook violently, a monstrous upheaval churning in his heart:
"It actually surged to 360 all at once... The effect of the Blood Pill is truly this terrifying?!"
"No, her aura is... chaotic! She can't control it at all!"
At this moment, Zhang Yuying's expression was twisted. Even as she cackled, saliva dripped from her mouth, and her tone shifted erratically between high and low:
"I... I'm so strong, so strong hahaha! I'm going to skin you alive and refine your bones into pills, haha--hahahaha!!!"
BOOM!!
With a single step, the earth shattered, and her figure transformed into a red blur, pouncing forward with a deafening crash!
Gu Chang'an had no time for thought as he immediately crossed his blade to block!
Bang!!
The two forces collided, and Gu Chang'an felt a monstrous, overwhelming force pour down like a cascading mountain torrent. His arms went numb, and his entire body was forced back several steps, his heels dragging two deep gouges into the brick floor!
"This woman has gone mad; she's no longer human, she's a mad demon!"
"Still, this person has grown so much stronger..."
Laughing maniacally, Zhang Yuying charged again. Her longsword was like lightning, thrusting seven consecutive forms, each strike resembling a pit viper spitting its venom. Her Sword Intent was sinister and vicious, her speed reaching the absolute extreme as she enveloped him like a storm!
Gu Chang'an hurriedly raised his saber to parry, dodging left and right. The Shattering Mountain Blade Technique's third form, Falling Peak, erupted forcefully, slashing horizontally in a ring of rotating Blade Qi to check her onslaught!
Clang clang clang--!
Blade and sword clashed endlessly, sparks flying everywhere!
Zhang Yuying's figure abruptly paused, the corners of her mouth splitting to reveal white teeth:
"Hahaha... Are you scared? You're scared, right? Hahaha, hurry up and fall down!!"
"I still want to see your hands and feet broken! It's bound to look so good! Hahahaha--"
Laughing, she pounced once more, her Sword Stance like a raging tide and her killing intent like a tsunami!
Gu Chang'an let out a deep, low roar:
"Scared of you? You mad demon, you aren't worthy!"
His figure suddenly sank, and the Shattering Mountain Blade Technique's fifth form, Mountain Severing Slash, erupted with a boom!
A flash of crazed delight crossed Zhang Yuying's eyes, and she neither retreated nor evaded, charging straight ahead!
"I want to see if this saber of yours can chop me to death!"
Rumble--!!
Blade and sword collided head-on!
With a heaven-shaking roar, dust and sand soared into the air as both of them were sent flying back simultaneously!
Gu Chang'an tumbled to the ground, kneeling on one hand to catch his breath as sweetness rose in his throat and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Zhang Yuying was covered in blood and filth, her long hair long since soaked through and plastered across her face, making her look as terrifying as an evil spirit.
The diagonal gash across her chest was deep to the bone, practically splitting her from shoulder to abdomen with flesh rolled back and white bone exposed.
Yet she did not fall; instead, she threw her head back and laughed maniacally, the blood spilling from the corner of her mouth mixing with broken teeth to look bizarre and gruesome.
"Hahahaha... Is that all the skill you have? Not enough!--Come again!!"
Roaring, she stamped her foot and once more burst forward like a gale, her Sword Qi raging and dancing wildly.
Gu Chang'an knelt on one knee, leaning on his saber as he panted, cold sweat pouring down his forehead like rain.
"She won't last much longer..." Gu Chang'an muttered inwardly, "That Blood Pill... was not without a price."
The next instant, Zhang Yuying's body stiffened abruptly, her foot stumbling as she nearly toppled to the ground.
Her eyes bulged wide, her pupils contracting sharply as the blood on her face cracked and her skin bulged.
"Ah... My head... My head... It hurts... Ahahaha!!!"
She shrieked hysterically, as if ten thousand needles were piercing her brain.
Then, she swung her sword wildly, possessing boundless strength yet lacking any technique whatsoever. The blade scraped across the ground, sending stone chips flying, and she instantly carved a massive gash into the wall.
The killing intent in Gu Chang'an's eyes suddenly coalesced, and his longsword vibrated softly, emitting a ringing hum.
He hesitated no longer, his figure flashing like a ghost skimming past the storm-like sword shadows--
"Slash!"
A cold beam pierced the void, transforming into a silent flash of lightning that swept diagonally past Zhang Yuying's neck.
Time seemed to freeze for half a breath.
Zhang Yuying stared with wide eyes, blood bubbles welling in her throat while her hands still flailed blindly in the air.
Yet the next moment, blood spurted like a spring, and her head was severed by the sharp blade, tumbling to the ground with a trace of lingering laughter.
Her body stood for two breaths before finally collapsing heavily, crashing hard against the ground and stirring up dust and the lingering warmth of unspent killing intent.
Gu Chang'an put away his saber, standing amidst the pool of blood. After a long silence, he finally sighed softly:
"This Blood Pill... is heretical after all..."
Before you continue