"I'd originally planned to wait until you let your guard down before dealing with you. I never expected you to come knocking on your own."
Gu Hualong looked at Liu Chu, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. His right hand gripped the long sword at his waist. "Since you've come, I'll cripple you today!"
"Once you're crippled, Senior Brother's last hope will be completely destroyed. He'll obediently hand over the technique!"
Gu Hualong's voice was cold. Though he said that, he was actually thinking of continuing to poison Liu Chu and using the antidote to threaten Yang Wenhuai!
Of course, he had no intention of actually crippling Liu Chu. That might only drive Yang Wenhuai to take them both down with him.
The older a wanderer in the martial world grew, the more timid he became!
Gu Hualong was happy enough to bully the younger generation, but if he had to fight someone of equal rank to the death, he would be extremely cautious!
"Come at me together!"
Gu Hualong swept his cold gaze over the group. There wasn't the slightest trace of fear in his eyes. To him, they were nothing but a rabble.
"You've misunderstood."
Liu Chu shook his head, his voice calm. "They're here to collect your corpse!"
He waved a hand, telling the others to stand back.
"Impudent brat!!"
Gu Hualong's pupils contracted, anger showing on his face. His long sword flashed from its sheath, its cold light glittering as he pointed it straight at Liu Chu. "You think the likes of you are fit to collect my corpse?"
"Master's blade wasn't fast enough, or ruthless enough!"
Liu Chu's expression remained calm as he looked at Gu Hualong. His voice was cold, as if he were simply stating a fact. "But I'm different!"
Whoosh!
The moment his words fell, killing intent erupted!
Liu Chu's figure blurred, whipping up a howling gale. The long saber at his waist left its sheath, its edge scraping against the iron scabbard and sending a string of sparks flying with a shrill, piercing ring!
His feet flashed across the ground like the wind. Like a fierce tiger breaking free from its cage, he pounced in front of Gu Hualong in the blink of an eye.
A dazzling blade light burst forth, cleaving through the air as it slashed toward Gu Hualong with the force of thunder!
"What incredible speed! No, he's been hiding his strength!"
Gu Hualong's vision blurred. His heart tightened, and for a moment he felt as though he were facing a Bone Refining Realm expert of equal rank. He could tell that this strike was far stronger than when he had seen Liu Chu at the martial arts school!
Clearly, Liu Chu had held back before!
This was his true strength!
"What a crafty brat!"
Gu Hualong's heart sank, and his expression turned grave. Daring not to be careless, he drew his long sword. Sword light flashed in an instant, blooming into a sharp, icy gleam as he struck back!
Clang—bang!!
Blade and sword collided, erupting in a ringing clash of metal. Both fighters felt a powerful force surge through their weapons and into their arms, leaving them slightly numb.
Thud, thud, thud!
Each of them retreated several steps. They were evenly matched!
"How is this possible!!"
Gu Hualong's eyes widened in disbelief.
He had never imagined that, as a Bone Refining Realm expert, he would be evenly matched with Liu Chu, a Tendon Refining Realm expert, in a head-on clash!
But Liu Chu gave him no time to be shocked. The muscles in his legs suddenly tensed, and his figure became a charging tiger once more. He rushed forward like a gust of wind, his long saber sweeping out in a succession of dazzling, icy flashes!
As Liu Chu's saber came slashing down, Gu Hualong suppressed his shock, focused his mind, and unleashed his swordsmanship, engaging Liu Chu in a fierce battle!
Clang, bang, clang, bang, clang, bang!
In the blink of an eye, they exchanged several moves. Blade and sword collided, sending sharp waves of force bursting outward and making the air shudder with a mournful shriek.
Liu Chu's saber technique was as swift as thunder, yet concealed a deftness beneath its force. At times it came like a raging storm; at others, like a gentle drizzle. His feints and real attacks shifted unpredictably, each move flowing seamlessly into the next.
His perfected saber technique, combined with another saber technique at the Minor Accomplishment Realm, gave him greater mastery than most saber users.
Gu Hualong, for example, had clearly not perfected his swordsmanship, and its intricacy fell short of Liu Chu's saber technique.
On top of that, his perfected Combat Technique let Liu Chu draw parallels and gain deeper insight, giving him a subtle edge even over ordinary perfected saber techniques.
As a result, after only a few exchanges, Gu Hualong realized his swordsmanship was inferior to Liu Chu's. He was slowly falling behind!
"Damn it! This brat has cultivated his saber technique to perfection!!"
A storm surged in Gu Hualong's heart. At last, he understood why Liu Chu had been able to meet his first strike on equal terms.
In truth, Liu Chu hadn't merely perfected his saber technique.
His Yanglian Technique had also reached perfection. Eight streams of Blood Vitality surged through his body like roaring, galloping crimson dragons, unleashing strength comparable to that of a Bone Refining Realm expert.
Combined with the force-generating techniques granted by his perfected saber technique, the speed and strength he could unleash had already reached the Bone Refining Realm!
"Still, the advantage that a perfected saber technique and Yanglian Technique give me over Bone Refining Realm martial artists is shrinking..."
Liu Chu's long saber swept through the air, its icy gleam bright as snow. Yet he recognized the limits of his advantage.
Before, he had been able to crush opponents of higher realms by relying on his mastery of his techniques. But plenty of Bone Refining Realm martial artists had cultivated their techniques to the Great Accomplishment Realm.
That was gradually eroding Liu Chu's advantage.
Of course, his advantage had only diminished; it hadn't disappeared!
After all, Liu Chu had perfected three techniques. Probably more than ninety percent of Bone Refining Realm martial artists couldn't do the same!
"This is bad. At this rate, I'll lose..."
After more than a dozen exchanges, Gu Hualong was clearly at a disadvantage and began retreating again and again. His sword flashed, but his attacks had grown fewer; he was mostly defending now.
He was already growing anxious.
Liu Chu's saber technique had exceeded his expectations. It was exquisite beyond compare. Every so often, Liu Chu would strike with a move that seemed to have exhausted its momentum, only for it to release a strange new burst of power, making it impossible to guard against!
Gu Hualong understood that this was the difference in technique brought by a perfected saber art—a level of skill he had never comprehended!
Gu Hualong was anxious, but Liu Chu saw right through him. His moves grew even fiercer, his blade flashing like a raging ocean as it completely engulfed and suppressed his opponent!
In the blink of an eye, they had exchanged more than thirty moves!
Gu Hualong felt a dull ache in the web between his thumb and forefinger. Fear had begun to creep into his heart.
The more his thoughts wavered, the more openings he gave his opponent!
Liu Chu seized on one opening. His long saber suddenly unleashed a force like a collapsing mountain, and he lunged forward like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey. Gu Hualong was sent reeling several steps, his guard wide open!
Whoosh—
A blade light flashed like a streak of lightning, too fast for the eye to follow!
"Not good!"
Gu Hualong hurriedly dodged, but the blade still struck his shoulder!
Pfft!
The sharp saber cut through flesh and severed bone. A spray of blood burst forth.
A scream rang out, and a severed arm sailed through the air.
Gu Hualong's face turned deathly pale, twisting in agony as he staggered back.
But Liu Chu charged after him, his long saber never pausing. One fierce blade flash after another kept the one-armed Gu Hualong pinned down completely!
Gu Hualong fought as he retreated. Wounded, he was doing no more than struggling on the brink of death. He didn't last long before Liu Chu beheaded him with a single strike!
Thump!
Gu Hualong's face was filled with resentment as his body hit the ground!
He had never imagined that he, with his Bone Refining Realm cultivation, would be killed by a Tendon Refining Realm martial artist!
"You exchanged more moves with me than anyone else so far. Rest in peace!"
Liu Chu spoke in an even voice.
"More moves than anyone else..."
Gu Hualong heard those words with the last traces of his consciousness. He couldn't tell whether he should feel glad or sad.
Liu Chu didn't spare him another glance. Instead, he looked toward the short-haired young man and said calmly, "I told you I'd collect your corpses. You can go in peace!"
Before you continue