Killing a Peak Third-Rank Martial Artist

The next day, August 21, Lu Hao began trying to temper his ribs. He soon discovered that they were harder to temper than the bones in his upper and lower limbs, which he had tempered before.

If tempering a bone in the lower limbs took 500 calories of Vital Blood, then tempering a rib took nearly a thousand.

Lu Hao currently had 480 calories of Vital Blood. He needed to leave about a quarter of it after each tempering session so it would recover faster. At that rate, he could temper roughly one rib every three days,

and Third Rank required tempering the torso bones, fifty-one in all. Without using Slaughter Points, it would take 153 days—five months—to finish tempering them and reach the high stage of Third Rank.

That didn't even include tempering his sinews, skin, and flesh to advance from the high stage to the peak. That would take even more time. Using Slaughter Points to temper his bones would cost around 100 points per bone, or 5,100 points for all fifty-one.

Lu Hao was looking forward to the start of school more and more. Once it began, he could apply to enter the Earth Cave, where he'd have plenty of Slaughter Points to use for cultivation.

After testing the process a little, Lu Hao stopped tempering his bones. He could do that before bed, when it would be most efficient.

Holding the Big Ring Blade, Lu Hao began practicing the Basic Blade Technique. He continued getting a feel for controlling his Vital Blood, hoping to first regain the level he'd had before breaking through, then find a way to improve until he could use a signature move.

On August 27, Lu Hao had tempered two ribs. Although ribs were difficult to temper, each completed rib increased his Vital Blood by about eight calories.

Once he finished tempering all his torso bones, he estimated his Vital Blood would increase by around 400 points. Combined with the overall improvement from completing the tempering and tempering his sinews, skin, and flesh, no wonder a peak Third-Rank martial artist could reach a thousand calories of Vital Blood.

For the past six days, Lu Hao had practiced the Basic Blade Technique nonstop, morning and afternoon. At last, he'd regained his former level of control over his Vital Blood.

From here on, it would take steady practice to improve his control and reach the level needed for a signature move. Once he did, he could call himself invincible among Third-Rank martial artists.

On August 28, Lu Hao was practicing his blade technique when his mother suddenly sent him a message. The Detective Bureau had just discovered an Evil Cult hideout containing several Third-Rank martial artists, one Fourth-Rank martial artist, and a group of First- and Second-Rank martial artists.

The Detective Bureau had put out a call for people to help take down the hideout. It would send a Fourth-Rank martial artist to fight the Evil Cult's Fourth-Rank martial artist; the rest of the operation was up to the volunteers.

Bai Qiuyao knew Lu Hao was now quite capable, and that most of the Evil Cult martial artists were Vital Blood martial artists. She decided to have him face a Third-Rank Evil Cult martial artist. It would be good practice before he entered the Earth Cave.

As soon as Lu Hao got the message, he grabbed his Big Ring Blade and headed for the Detective Bureau. He was desperately short on Slaughter Points, so this mission had come at just the right time. He was confident he could handle Vital Blood martial artists.

When Lu Hao arrived at the Detective Bureau, he found quite a few people already waiting there. Including him, there were five Third-Rank martial artists and five Second-Rank martial artists. He didn't see any First-Rank martial artists; the mission was rather dangerous for them.

Before long, a middle-aged man with a square face came downstairs. Lu Hao could sense a clear threat from him. He was probably the Fourth-Rank martial artist leading the mission.

"You all know the details of the mission. Just deal with opponents of the corresponding rank. I'll take on the strongest, the Fourth-Rank martial artist. I have nothing else to say. Every Evil Cult martial artist deserves to die."

"Move out!"

With the square-faced middle-aged man's order, the martial artists followed him toward the Evil Cult hideout. Lu Hao went with them.

They reached a bus. The square-faced man boarded first, followed by the others. They were heading straight to the Evil Cult's hideout, where they would attack as soon as they arrived.

Everyone remained quiet on the bus, making little conversation.

They soon reached their destination: a Leisure Villa.

"The Evil Cult hideout is inside. The area has already been secured, and there are no ordinary people inside—only members of the Evil Cult. Once we go in, kill anyone you encounter without hesitation."

At the middle-aged man's command, those carrying weapons drew them. Those without weapons put a Blood Vitality Pill in their mouths, ready to swallow it at a moment's notice.

"Move in!"

Everyone got off the bus and entered the villa.

The square-faced middle-aged man charged in first, and the others followed close behind. Lu Hao went in with them. After only a few steps, he saw the Evil Cult martial artists charging toward them.

Lu Hao slashed at one of the Third-Rank martial artists. His strike carried nearly a hundred calories of Vital Blood and landed squarely on the man rushing toward him.

The Evil Cult martial artist was knocked back several meters. When Lu Hao looked closer, he saw a small wound on the man's chest. The inner armor he wore had been pierced through by the Vital Blood, leaving a long gash.

Looks like I got lucky. If he came through that with only a minor injury, then he must have finished tempering his sinews, skin, and flesh. This is a peak Third-Rank martial artist.

But from the way he'd resisted the blow, Lu Hao could tell he was a Vital Blood martial artist. And now his life-saving armor was broken, which meant he could be killed.

Lu Hao thought it through in an instant. If his opponent was a Vital Blood martial artist, then there was no problem. He could kill him.

Lu Hao pressed forward with his blade, while his opponent panicked. He might have been a peak Third-Rank martial artist, but he'd never been in a fight before. Now, faced with a sudden, deadly attack, all he could do was dodge.

But Lu Hao's Void-Standing Realm Stance Technique was no joke. He blocked the man's escape route and brought his blade down. The Evil Cult martial artist couldn't dodge in time, so he raised both arms to defend himself.

Under Lu Hao's hundred-calorie burst, the blade cut to the bone, shattering much of it as well.

"Ah! Ah! I surrender!"

The Evil Cult martial artist collapsed to the ground in agony.

Lu Hao felt no pity. He unleashed another powerful strike, and this time he chopped the man's head clean off.

[Enemy killed. Slaughter Points +957]

Lu Hao's Slaughter Points shot up. Looking at the headless corpse, he couldn't help curling his lip. This Evil Cult martial artist was a true Vital Blood martial artist—the sort who'd never experienced a real fight.

Lu Hao had gotten an unbelievable bargain.

He looked toward the others. They were all locked in fierce struggles with their opponents. Not one of them had ended things as cleanly as Lu Hao had. When several First- and Second-Rank martial artists charged at him, he didn't even need to draw his blade.

One kick apiece was enough to kill them all. Lu Hao had nearly run out of Vital Blood, though. Those three strikes had cost him almost 300 calories, and killing the First- and Second-Rank martial artists had taken another hundred or so. He had less than a hundred calories left.

But Lu Hao wasn't worried at all. When you had money in your pocket, you could hold your head high. He now had nearly a thousand Slaughter Points, enough to restore almost ten thousand units of Vital Blood. He could fight Third- and Fourth-Rank martial artists, and even hold his own for quite a while against a Fifth-Rank martial artist who hadn't mastered Vital Blood.