Slaughter

"KILL!!!"

With Shen Yutang's command, over twenty armored guards immediately surged forward, blades and shadows engulfing the three in an instant.

The ever-silent Pei Qingyan struck first, his thumb pressing lightly against the hilt of his saber, pushing it forward.

"Clang--!"

A faint blade hum rang across the field.

The long saber [Frost Scar] had finally left its sheath!

A chilling white light flashed, and the three guards at the front stiffened abruptly, their expressions frozen in place.

The next moment, a hair-thin red line appeared across all three throats.

"Puff!"

Blood sprayed like a fountain! Three heads tumbled to the ground, and the headless bodies swayed twice before collapsing.

One slash, three lives!

Qin Jue narrowed his eyes, studying the long saber in Pei Qingyan's hand.

The blade was pitch-black, but the edge was coated in a faint layer of white frost, exuding a biting cold. The wounds on the three men were as smooth as a mirror, the blood even freezing for an instant before spurting out.

"Fine blade," he praised inwardly. "At least a mid-grade Mundane Artifact."

"Holy crap! Old Pei, you're way too fast! Leave some for me!"

Tang Xiaoman let out a strange yell, his usual playful grin twisting into a fierce snarl. His seemingly ordinary black leather boots stomped hard against the ground.

"Boom!"

Mountain Stomping Leg—[Shocking Mountain]!

The very earth seemed to tremble beneath that foot, the ground cracking and kicking up a ring of dust. Harnessing that terrifying rebound force, Tang Xiaoman shot forward like a ghost, twisting his body impossibly in midair as his legs lashed out like a storm!

The three guards rushing at him felt their feet go numb, and before they could steady themselves, a barrage of leg shadows descended upon them.

"Kneel for your young master!"

"Bam bam bam!"

Bones cracked. The three guards' chests caved in as they were sent flying backward, dead before they even hit the ground.

Almost simultaneously, Qin Jue moved.

Facing six long sabers coming from both sides, his expression remained calm. The Cold Iron Sword in his hand hadn't even left its sheath; he simply held it horizontally, sheath and all, and twisted his wrist like a darting fish.

Tide Rising Sword Technique—[Tide Rising Stance]!

This move was originally a sword art's opening stance, dense and pliable, but in his hands, it became like an invisible wall of water. The six sabers struck the sheath, their force instantly dissipated by a strange, vibrating energy, deflecting them involuntarily to the sides.

The moment their defenses were exposed.

"Humm--"

Qin Jue's sword slid out half an inch, then returned to its sheath.

Cicada Wing—[Flap Wings]!

A mist of blood burst from the necks of all six guards simultaneously, and they collapsed in unison.

Three breaths.

Of the twenty-plus guards who had charged in with murderous intent, half were already down!

The remaining guards, shaken by this thunderous slaughter, hesitated.

But this brief silence was shattered by a roar.

"Die!"

Liu San's eyes flashed with killing intent. His long saber whipped up a vicious gale as it came crashing down. Before the blade even arrived, the piercing Bone Penetrating Force had already locked onto Pei Qingyan's head.

"Clang--"

A blade light flashed across the air, vanishing in an instant.

That light wasn't dazzling, but it was fast—to the extreme!

Stream Breaking Saber First Form—[Stream Cutting]!

A soft sound rang out. Liu San's sure-kill strike froze midair, as if severed by an invisible force, unable to advance another inch.

Liu San's pupils contracted. Before he could react, the cold light reversed direction, turning defense into offense!

Second Form—[Stream Breaking]!

Liu San's eyes flew wide open, staring in horror at the swordsman before him. He tried to speak, but found his body unresponsive.

He lowered his head with difficulty, only to see a bone-deep gash across his chest, stretching from his left shoulder to his right abdomen. The wound was smooth, coated in a layer of white frost. The cold invaded his body, freezing his internal organs into a block of ice.

"Urgh..."

Liu San opened his mouth, but what came out was a mist of blood laced with ice crystals. The light in his eyes faded rapidly, and with a final "thud," he toppled over stiffly. To his last breath, he never understood how he died.

"Hundred Refinements Sixth Layer... Jade Bone peak!"

Liu Yun stared fixedly at the silent scarred face.

Pei Qingyan carried his blade, stepping toward Liu Yun one pace at a time, his gaze cold: "What, scared?"

Stared at by those eyes that looked at him like a dead man, Liu Yun felt only a chill rising from his back.

Shame and fear surged into his heart, twisting Liu Yun's features until they turned into madness.

"Scared? What a joke!"

He, Liu Yun, was a collateral disciple of the Ning Family—how imposing he usually was—and now he was being cowed by some mud-legged nobody who popped out of nowhere? This was the greatest insult!

"Jade Bone peak, so what!" Liu Yun's face darkened, a flicker of arrogance and killing intent in his eyes. "Do you even know that techniques and martial skills can be as different as clouds and mud? Today, I, Liu Yun, will let this frog at the bottom of the well see what real family heritage means! Killing you across a realm—what's so hard about that?"

"Pfft!"

The moment the words fell, Tang Xiaoman, not far away, couldn't help but burst out laughing. He kicked a guard flying, slapped his thigh theatrically, and pointed at Liu Yun while shouting to Pei Qingyan: "Old Pei, you hear that? This dumbass says he's gonna kill you across a realm! Oh my, are you scared? Hahahaha!"

Qin Jue stood to the side, calmly watching it all.

"The arrogance of a family scion..." he thought to himself. "Still, the gap in techniques and martial skills does exist. Just don't know if Liu Yun's confidence is real or fake."

His gaze shifted to Pei Qingyan, a hint of approval in his eyes.

"This man's blade art is simple, and ruthless—every move meant to kill, no wasted flourishes. This is skill honed between life and death, something these family disciples really can't match."

Liu Yun, enraged by Tang Xiaoman's mockery, let out a furious roar, his entire aura exploding outward.

"Today, this young master will show you what heritage means!"

Liu Yun flicked his wrist, and the long sword in his hand instantly turned into a flurry of sword blossoms, shifting like drifting clouds, impossible to tell real from fake.

Cloud Piercing Sword, Cloud Concealing Mist Wrapping.

This sword strike did have some skill—the sword light was hard to distinguish, covering all of Pei Qingyan's vital points, leaving no way to tell which strike was real and which was fake.

Facing this flashy sword technique, Pei Qingyan frowned slightly and spat out two words:

"Flashy."

Pei Qingyan gripped his blade with both hands. He couldn't be bothered to distinguish the sword shadows—he just swung one slash straight at the charging Liu Yun himself!

The black long blade carried a brutal momentum, forcibly splitting through the sea of sword shadows.

"Clang!" A deafening sound rang out. Liu Yun felt a massive force surge in, his tiger's mouth went numb, and he staggered backward, his originally airtight sword momentum shattered in an instant.

Meanwhile, Shen Yutang, seeing his men take heavy losses, was already furious.

"A Hundred Refinements Fifth Layer trash dares to act cocky in front of this young master!"

He led two guard captains, surrounding Tang Xiaoman in a triangular formation.

"Trash? Who are you calling trash? I think your whole damn family is trash!"

Tang Xiaoman cursed louder than anyone, but his body slid like a slippery loach. He stepped in a strange footwork pattern, constantly weaving, refusing to fight them head-on.

Suddenly, he seized an opening and stomped hard with his foot.

Mountain Stomping Leg First Form—Shocking Mountain!

"Boom!"

The ground exploded, rubble and dust flying up, instantly blocking the three men's vision.

"Despicable!" Shen Yutang shouted in shock and anger, hurriedly swinging his blade to guard himself.

Yet, in that dust, a black shadow shot up from below at an extremely tricky angle, aiming straight for his crotch.

It was Tang Xiaoman's Cloud Treading Boots—the toe had somehow popped out a three-inch blue hidden blade.

"Shameless!"

Shen Yutang's face went pale with fright. Forgetting all dignity, he leaped backward in a clumsy retreat, barely dodging that castrating kick. Even so, the inner thigh was slashed open by the hidden blade, blood instantly staining his expensive trousers.

"Hehe, this young master is despicable, shameless—what can you do about it?"

Tang Xiaoman, having landed his hit, pressed his advantage verbally. Amid his taunts, he spun his body, stacking force on his legs, and lashed out a fierce whip kick at a guard captain's waist.

Mountain Stomping Leg Second Form—Mountain Collapse!

"Crack!"

That guard captain didn't even have time to scream before his ribs were all broken, blood spraying from his mouth as he flew backward!

"You're asking for death!"

Shen Yutang roared in fury, his long blade whistling through the air as it slashed viciously at Tang Xiaoman's back!

But just then—

"Hummm—"

Shen Yutang's heart alarm bells rang wildly. He wanted to turn and block, but it was already too late!

Qin Jue had already appeared beside him, sword light like a thread, instantly slicing across Shen Yutang's throat!

Cicada Wing Second Form—Thousand Threads!

"Urgh..."

Shen Yutang's eyes bulged wide, the long saber in his hand drooping powerlessly. He clutched his spurting throat, trying to say something, but only gurgling sounds escaped.

"Thud!"

He staggered two steps, then collapsed limply to the ground, silent at last.

"Many thanks, Brother Qin!" Tang Xiaoman glanced back and grinned.

By now, Liu Yun had lost all his earlier arrogance.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The dense ringing of metal clashing rang without pause.

The soft sword in Liu Yun's hand had been forced to fully extend, turning into layers of silver Light Screen that desperately shielded his body.

But Pei Qingyan's assault was simple to the point of absurdity.

Chop! Hack! Slash!

He cycled through just these few saber moves, yet when he executed them, they seemed to possess the power to turn the mundane into the miraculous. Every strike was heavy and forceful, every cut landed with pinpoint accuracy on the weak points of Liu Yun's sword technique!

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Liu Yun's heart was so frustrated he wanted to vomit blood.

His Cloud Piercing Sword was clearly exquisite and unpredictable, yet before this expressionless face, it was like meeting its natural predator!

No matter how he changed his moves, the other party always responded with a single saber slash. That unreasonable force numbed his tiger's mouth, weakened his arms, and nearly made the soft sword slip from his grip several times.

"This is what you call foundation?"

Pei Qingyan's voice remained flat, carrying no trace of mockery, yet it stung more than any insult.

"If this is all you've got, then you can die."

The moment the words fell, Pei Qingyan's aura shifted again.

The frost on his long saber [Frost Scar] suddenly exploded, turning into a cloud of white mist.

At the same time, the deep, surging blood energy within him erupted violently!

Stream Breaking Saber Third Form—Absolute Stream!

This was Pei Qingyan's strongest killing move currently mastered!

Pouring all his blood energy into a single strike, leaving no retreat, seeking only a sure kill!

"Not good!"

Sensing the terrifying killing intent within that slash, Liu Yun's face turned deathly pale. The shadow of death loomed over his heart for the first time, so clear and sharp.

He smelled the scent of death!

"Bastard! You think you're worthy to kill me?!"

At the brink of life and death, a flash of madness lit Liu Yun's eyes. He bit the tip of his tongue, spraying a mouthful of blood onto the soft sword, while his left hand reached into his robe, pulling out a red pill and stuffing it into his mouth.

His aura, which had been weakening, suddenly surged explosively!

"Get lost!"

Liu Yun roared, the soft sword in his hand seeming to come alive, its blade instantly turning blood-red, carrying a nauseating stench of blood as it met the descending slash!

This was Liu Yun's life-saving secret technique—Blood Burning Sword!

Burning his own essence blood as a price for a brief burst of power!

Clang—!

Saber and sword collided!

A thunderous roar exploded across the Chaos Stone Forest, shockwaves sweeping outward from the two of them, kicking up a storm of dust and sand!

Rocks flew wildly, energy surged in all directions!

Qin Jue narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the center of the smoke.

He could sense that this clash had reached the very limit of the Jade Bone Realm!

"Cough, cough..."

The smoke cleared.

A figure staggered backward, each step leaving a deep crater in the ground, a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth.

It was Pei Qingyan.

His hand gripping the saber trembled slightly, blood seeping from his tiger's mouth, but his eyes remained as sharp as blades, fixed on the figure ahead.

And across from him.

Liu Yun still held his sword stance, standing motionless in place.

The fine steel soft sword in his hand was now only half its length.

"Ha... haha..."

A strange sound came from Liu Yun's throat. He lowered his head to stare at his empty left shoulder, his eyes filled with bewilderment and terror.

Where an arm should have been, now half a shoulder was gone along with it.

The wound was smooth as a mirror, frozen by the chill, not even a single drop of blood flowing.

"Aaaaahhh—!!!"

The searing pain finally struck. Liu Yun let out a wretched scream, collapsing limply to the ground, writhing in agony.

Defeated!

A disciple of the Ning Family from Skywind Martial City had his arm severed by a wild cultivator with no background at all, in a single slash!

"Aiyo, Old Pei, that was a ruthless cut!"

Not far away, Tang Xiaoman, who was tidying up the mess, let out a strange yell. He clicked his tongue as he looked at Liu Yun on the ground. "Tsk tsk, now Young Master Liu's become a one-armed hero. How's he going to wave a fan and put on airs from now on?"

Though his words were teasing, the look he cast at Pei Qingyan was full of gravity.

He knew Pei Qingyan too well.

That last slash—Pei Qingyan had truly intended to kill. If Liu Yun hadn't used some secret technique at the last moment to forcibly block it, what would be missing now wouldn't be an arm, but a head!

"He's not dead yet."

Pei Qingyan took a deep breath, calming the surging blood and qi within him, and strode step by step toward Liu Yun, blade in hand. "Weeds must be pulled out by the roots."

"Don't... don't kill me!"

Watching Pei Qingyan approach like the Grim Reaper, Liu Yun finally broke down.

Ignoring the excruciating pain of his severed arm, he scrambled backward on the ground, snot and tears streaming down his face. Not a trace of his earlier arrogance remained.

Pei Qingyan slowly raised his long blade. A cold gleam flickered at its edge. "Next life, remember to keep your eyes open wider."

Just as the blade was about to fall—

"Stop!!!"

A thunderous roar exploded from afar like a clap of thunder!

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