Du'er Cha

Each of the fifty Iron Wolf Soldiers wielded a long saber half a man's height. As their horses charged, a single swing could cleave through human bodies as though they were made of paper, splitting them in two amid sprays of blood.

Those righteous martial artists all possessed Lightness Skills, but on level ground, they still could not outrun galloping horses. Suppressed by Du'er Cha's aura and the strange phenomenon around him, they had no will to fight. For a time, screams rang out without cease, and the casualties were devastating.

Had there not been too many of them for the fifty Iron Wolf Soldiers to slaughter in time, total annihilation might well have been possible.

The slaughter completely terrified the martial artists and snapped them awake. One after another, they fled toward the rugged terrain at the foot of the mountain, hoping to use the landscape to escape.

The Iron Wolf Soldiers' one-sided massacre was checked, and an ordinary pursuit began.

About a dozen Iron Wolf Soldiers had split off to kill their way toward the inn, and they happened to run headlong into Meng Qi and the others, who had intended to follow them into the temple.

A saber flashed with cold light as Meng Qi faced a horizontal slash. Borrowing the force of the horse, it was incomparably fierce, giving him the feeling that he could not rely on Iron Cloth Shirt to take it head-on.

Even if he would not be cut in two like the others, having his belly split open was probably unavoidable!

While running out of the inn, Meng Qi had been observing the finer details of how the Iron Wolf Soldiers pursued and killed others, constantly pondering how to evade and counterattack. Though he had no time to think now, the calculations in his heart had already translated into action.

He ducked low and rolled, evading the saber as if using Ground Stance Saber. Rolling beneath the horse's front, he spread his Monastic Blade and slashed directly at its hooves.

The fine horse neighed sharply and threw the Iron Wolf Soldier from its back. Meng Qi lunged forward with his whole body, executing Single Split Mount Hua.

Clang!

The saber struck squarely against the helmet with a crisp ring. Yet the Iron Wolf Soldier's full-body armor seemed forged from hundred-times-tempered steel, while Meng Qi's Monastic Blade was not especially sharp. Even with a full-power strike, he had merely cut a crack into it.

The Iron Wolf Soldier shook his head, seemingly somewhat dazed, but there was not the slightest emotional fluctuation in his scarlet eyes. He stepped forward and mechanically swung his saber down.

Meng Qi used Eight Steps of Divine Travel to dart to the right. The Iron Wolf Soldier moved sluggishly and failed to evade, allowing Meng Qi to slash his chest—yet all that could be heard was another crisp clash of metal.

Meanwhile, Meng Qi, having failed to land a decisive blow, was repaid with a slash from the Iron Wolf Soldier's saber across his left shoulder, leaving a shallow wound.

He feels even more like an Iron Cloth Shirt practitioner than I am! The thought flashed through Meng Qi's mind. He swiftly analyzed their respective situations, and the strategy Zhen Miao had chosen when sparring with him surfaced in his mind. So he fought steadily, making full use of Eight Steps of Divine Travel, seeking an opportunity to attack the Iron Wolf Soldier's only exposed point—his eyes.

With this, the Iron Wolf Soldier could scarcely touch Meng Qi again. He let out an angry roar, calling nearby companions over to form a battle formation.

Tempered through secret arts, they possessed immense strength, enough to bear the heavy hundred-times-tempered steel armor. Having lost both pain and fear, they naturally became instruments of slaughter. But their sluggish movements were a fatal flaw. Thus, Du'er Cha had devised battle formations of three to five men, using their combined strength to compensate for this weakness. The results were excellent; quite a few famed masters of Lightness Skills had been surrounded by such formations and hacked into pieces by a storm of sabers.

This time, however, the Iron Wolf Soldier's companions could not come to his aid. Jiang Zhiwei was moving gracefully through the Iron Wolf Soldiers' battle formation, and every carefree sweep of the longsword in her hand was followed by an Iron Wolf Soldier clutching his eye and falling. Zhang Yuanshan defended like an immovable rock, and whenever he counterattacked, an Iron Wolf Soldier would surely fall silently.

Qi Zhengyan fully displayed the traits of the Thirteen Forms of Ever-Changing Cloud and Mist. His longsword was misty and illusory, dotted with cold stars; from time to time, Iron Wolf Soldiers clutched their eyes and tumbled from their horses, rolling about on the ground.

The Iron Wolf Soldiers had another weakness—their eyes!

Meng Qi knew this perfectly well, but compared to the others' longswords, his Monastic Blade was truly lacking in the "skill" of stabbing eyes.

Suddenly, inspiration flashed through him. He turned his Monastic Blade around and struck with its back, clang, clang, clang, repeatedly hitting the helmet of the Iron Wolf Soldier before him.

After more than ten blows, the Iron Wolf Soldier abruptly stood there in a daze. The saber in his hand slipped weakly from his grasp, and threads of blood seeped from his eyes and the other gaps in his helmet before he crumpled limply to the ground.

I may not know the Piercing Art, but I know the Vibration Art! Meng Qi secretly basked in his triumph for a moment.

The "four-person squad" descended like tigers from the mountain and swiftly slaughtered every Iron Wolf Soldier charging toward the inn.

"Eh, where are Xiao Zi and Great Hero Wang?" Amid the chaos just now, Meng Qi had failed to notice that Wang Jin and Xiao Zi had vanished.

Without slowing her pace, Jiang Zhiwei said, "While we were drawing the Iron Wolf Soldiers' attention, Wang Jin entered the Mountain Gate. As for Xiao Zi, after leaving the inn, I don't know where she ran off to."

"Forget it." Qi Zhengyan spoke expressionlessly.

Meng Qi did not object. He simply had neither the time nor the ability to search for Xiao Zi; they had to enter the Mountain Gate at once.

When it came to protecting others, Meng Qi currently adhered to one principle: do his best and rest easy. And in this case, the main reason was that Xiao Zi had run around recklessly.

Everyone shared this Tacit Understanding. No one spoke again. Taking advantage of the other Iron Wolf Soldiers' pursuit of the martial artists, they slipped through the Mountain Gate and followed the mountain path toward the temple.

Enter Shaolin's bounds. Hold fast until the final moment. Do not leave Shaolin's actual territory or hide in the deep mountains. Enter the temple as quickly as possible.

Beside the road, fallen leaves danced and gathered into lines of words.

At the sight, Meng Qi quietly let out a breath of relief. Just now, in order to save time, he had truly felt as though he were racing against death.

As they traveled up the mountain road, corpses lay strewn everywhere—martial heroes, Shaolin monks, and very few Iron Wolf Soldiers.

The four did not delay. Soon, they spotted Dark Clouds shrouding the opposite slope, while fierce winds howled. Iron Wolf Soldiers surrounded Du'er Cha and butchered the Shaolin monks stationed there. The previously chaotic martial artists had dwindled to very few and were mixed in among the Iron Wolf Soldiers. Wei Wuji was among them.

"They seem to be spies..." Meng Qi narrowed his eyes and spoke in a low voice.

Before Jiang Zhiwei could answer, Du'er Cha suddenly turned his head and looked toward the mountain path. His black eyes were cold and devoid of emotion.

"There are Innate masters too," he said deeply. The howling wind carried his words clearly to them.

Jiang Zhiwei tightened her grip on her longsword, feeling a little fear, a little wariness, and a little excitement she could not conceal.

Just as Du'er Cha turned and took a step, a figure suddenly descended from the sky. A withered, thin hand clutched a string of Buddhist beads and struck toward Du'er Cha.

The palm was not large and faintly gleamed gold, yet to Meng Qi, it felt as though it filled his entire field of vision.

Layer upon layer of golden light rippled over the Buddhist beads, while faint Zen Chants sounded within his heart.

The Dark Clouds scattered and the fierce wind weakened. More than ten Iron Wolf Soldiers before Du'er Cha suddenly let out agonized screams and collapsed limply to the ground.

They had lost their sense of pain, yet they could actually scream in agony!

Du'er Cha gave a cold snort. The One-Legged Bronze Man in his right hand swept out, carrying a hurricane with it.

Smack!

A bolt of lightning tore through the sky, illuminating one corner of the world and allowing Meng Qi to see the withered hand strike squarely against the bronze man.

After the dull impact, clusters of Dark Clouds gathered once more. The wind howled, and raindrops fell in scattered bursts.

Was this a clash between peak Orifice Opening masters...? Meng Qi marveled inwardly.

"Your Great Strength Vajra Palm truly is extraordinary." Du'er Cha's voice rang out amid the roiling winds and clouds. "Unfortunately, you're old..."

"Amitabha Buddha, why not lay down your butcher's knife and become a Buddha where you stand?" Master Xinji's voice was aged and low.

Where the two fought, fierce winds burst in all directions, making the surrounding Iron Armor Soldiers sway on the verge of collapse, none daring to approach. The Iron Armor Soldiers closest to them had already all fallen, their armor filled with flesh and blood mashed into mud.

Jiang Zhiwei bit her pearly teeth and suddenly said, "I'll go help Master Xinji! If we can kill Du'er Cha, we'll definitely be able to complete the Main Quest."

This was an opportunity—they could not let it slip away!

If Du'er Cha killed Master Xinji, he would very likely set his sights on them. When that happened, they would not have even the slightest chance of victory!

Everyone understood this, so no one stopped Jiang Zhiwei. Instead, they followed her as she rushed over, helping her intercept the Iron Armor Soldiers in her path.

Meng Qi, now practiced through repetition, continuously used the Vibration Art against the Iron Armor Soldiers. Even if the accumulated force was insufficient, it would still leave them dizzy and unable to fight. Meanwhile, Qi Zhengyan unleashed the Thirteen Forms of Ever-Changing Cloud and Mist, weaving through the crowd, elusive and unfathomable.

Seeing Jiang Zhiwei join the battle and join forces with Master Xinji against Du'er Cha, Zhang Yuanshan hesitated for a moment before moving closer. Though he merely held the line, he was waiting for the right chance to strike.

"Eh, Wang Jin." In the midst of the fierce battle, Meng Qi spotted Wang Jin. He was dealing with Iron Armor Soldiers while trying to find an opportunity to slip into the temple.

Clang clang clang clang! Jiang Zhiwei's sword became a white rainbow, her moves exquisite and her edge fully revealed. Yet Du'er Cha overcame finesse with clumsiness; the enormous One-Legged Bronze Man completely sealed off Jiang Zhiwei's sword paths. Moreover, every time her longsword struck the bronze man, her body could not help but sway. Clearly, her cultivation was more than a notch inferior. Had Master Xinji not blocked most of Du'er Cha's attacks, she would have long since been crushed beneath the bronze man's unreasonable, tempest-like assault.

Most importantly, every one of Du'er Cha's attacks brought a gust of wild wind, severely disrupting Jiang Zhiwei and Master Xinji's sight and hearing. Even fighting two against one, they remained at an absolute disadvantage.

A flush suddenly rose on Master Xinji's face, as though he could no longer suppress his internal injuries. He let out a soft sigh, and the Buddhist beads in his palm abruptly burst apart, each bead exploding and transforming into an illusory Buddha.

"All appearances are no appearances; all sentient beings are no sentient beings."

The illusory Buddha statues chanted in unison, suppressing the rumbling thunder and drowning out the howling gale, as though a land of purity had formed.

Master Xinji's right palm turned entirely golden, as if cast from gold itself. With a gentle palm strike, he punched straight through the One-Legged Bronze Man.

For the first time, Du'er Cha's expression turned grave. He abandoned the bronze man and threw a single punch.

Crack!

A bolt of lightning descended from the sky, coiling around his fist.

Outer Scenery really had surpassed the realm of ordinary martial arts—it was almost like becoming an immortal... Meng Qi was startled by the sight, then thought that one day he too would reach such a point, and his heart grew a little heated.

The Dark Clouds scattered, the wild wind subsided, and the rain stopped. Their fist and palm met, and it was as if time had stopped, with only electric light dancing.

Then, fierce winds burst forth like dragons. Master Xinji spat blood, his palm scorched black as he was sent flying backward, while Du'er Cha's face turned pale and he staggered back two steps.

At this moment, a flash of sword light suddenly flared, like the Azure Nether beyond the heavens—coming without shadow and going without trace, beautiful beyond description.

"Sword Comes Without Self..." Meng Qi was slightly dazed, while everyone, including the Iron Armor Soldiers, froze for an instant.

This was a Dharma Body-level sword move, touching upon the laws between heaven and earth. Even if Jiang Zhiwei had only grasped a tiny fraction of it and could not display even one ten-thousandth of its power, it still carried the soul-stirring sense of heaven and earth's pivotal mechanisms shifting.

At this level of technique, movement techniques and footwork were useless. What one comprehended was the Dao; what one severed was principle!

And it was precisely because of this that those with exceptional comprehension could grasp a small part of it even at a low realm.

"Aah!" Du'er Cha's scream rang out like muffled thunder.

With that scream, a wild wind sprang up from level ground and swirled around Du'er Cha. His left hand was clamped tightly around Jiang Zhiwei's White Rainbow Piercing Sun Sword, blood streaming freely, yet it was like iron and stone, immovable as a mountain. The sword tip had already pierced into his eye, leaving him nowhere to retreat.

"Damn it!" He swept his right palm out, striking the side of the White Rainbow Piercing Sun Sword. The blade immediately bent, cracks spreading across it as it sprang free from his eye socket.

Jiang Zhiwei's tiger's mouth split open, yet she held tightly to her longsword and did not let it fly from her grasp. Blood spilled from the corner of her mouth, and her face was white as snow—she had clearly suffered serious injuries.

Dark red blood mixed with strange fluid slowly flowed from Du'er Cha's eye socket. His entire body seemed possessed by madness. With one step forward, he was about to kill Jiang Zhiwei beneath his palm.

Though Sword Comes Without Self was of an extremely high level, Jiang Zhiwei had only grasped a small part of it. She was still unable to defeat Du'er Cha, who was far stronger than herself.

Suddenly, another flash of sword light lit up, like hazy starlight in the night—ethereal and traceless, yet brimming with killing intent. It was Zhang Yuanshan, who had been waiting for the right opportunity.

Du'er Cha let out another strange cry. Darkness of Heaven and Earth had already pierced beneath his ribs. Summoning his ferocity, he swept his sleeve robe and sent Zhang Yuanshan flying.

Zhang Yuanshan spat blood, his chest caved in. He struggled for a long while before finally managing to stand, seemingly having lost all ability to fight.

Du'er Cha hated Jiang Zhiwei the most and swore to tear her to pieces. But just as he was about to attack, he saw Master Xinji return, both palms golden like a Buddha's.

"Hmph!" Assessing his injuries, he actually turned and left without the slightest hesitation, the Iron Armor Soldiers retreating like a tide.

"His injuries are not too severe. Once he stabilizes them, he will certainly return. Everyone, you would do best to disperse now," Master Xinji said in a deep voice.