Eagle Soars Nine Heavens

"Oh, you're quite clever, spotting me from so far away." A faint voice came from behind the large tree, and with a flicker of movement, a brocade-robed man stepped out carrying something in his hand. It was Wu Tong, the only Houtian Martial Artist among the Wu Family's pursuers.

Shi Mu's gaze swept over the object in his hand, and his expression shifted slightly.

In Wu Tong's grasp was the very Purple Steel Bow Shi Mu had discarded earlier!

It seemed this Houtian Martial Artist had not only arrived long ago but had also quietly circled around to retrieve the bow.

As for why he hadn't used the bow to ambush him directly, the reason was easy to understand.

First, the Purple Steel Bow required a strength of a thousand jin to draw, and second, aside from the few arrows Shi Mu had fired, the rest were still in the quiver on his back. Even if Wu Tong could barely activate the bow with his true qi, he had no arrows to use.

"Since you arrived so early, you just stood by and watched me kill your men for the sake of a bow?" Shi Mu tightened his grip on the Sun and Moon Blades and asked coldly.

"They're just servants. The Wu Family may not be some great noble clan, but we can hire as many of these lackeys as we want. What I never expected before coming was that you'd have a Purple Steel Bow and such skill with it! Even facing me directly, it would carry some risk. In that case, I think trading a few Martial Disciple servants for this bow is a great deal. Enough talk—will you drop your weapons and tie your own hands, or should I come over and snap your neck myself?" Wu Tong replied casually, holding the massive bow.

"I've long heard of the power of Houtian Martial Artists, that no Martial Disciple can stand against them. But it seems I have no choice but to test that myself today." Shi Mu stared at Wu Tong and spoke slowly.

"Haha, a mere Martial Disciple dares to say such things to me. I don't know whether to praise your courage or mock your ignorance. Fine, let me show you the terror of a Houtian Martial Artist." Wu Tong paused in surprise, then burst into laughter, tossing the massive bow high into the air.

With a "bang," the bow was hurled straight into a large tree, one end sinking a foot deep into the trunk while the exposed part hummed and trembled.

The next moment, the brocade-robed man reached for his waist and, with a "whoosh," drew a gleaming soft sword from his belt. With a single flick, the blade went rigid and straight.

Then, Wu Tong advanced toward Shi Mu with the sword in hand, swaggering confidently.

Shi Mu's pupils contracted slightly. The moment his opponent stepped within a few zhang, he swung the Sun and Moon Blades without hesitation, sending seven blade shadows flying out.

"Oh, Seven Slashes in One Breath! I didn't expect the rumors to be true—you've actually reached at least the minor mastery of the Wind-Galloping Blade Technique! But if you're trying to compete on speed, you've picked the wrong opponent."

Wu Tong let out a soft exclamation, then shook his longsword, unleashing seven sword shadows that shattered all the blade shadows. The sword shadows then merged into one, and a thick beam of sword light shot straight for Shi Mu's heart.

"Eight Swords in One Breath!"

Shi Mu's heart tightened. The Sun and Moon Blades spun swiftly in his hand, striking the incoming sword shadow head-on before it could reach him.

A loud "clang" rang out.

Shi Mu felt his hands shake as an indescribable energy surged through the opponent's sword, making his arms tremble and forcing him back half a step.

Across from him, Wu Tong was also jolted by the immense force in the blade, his body swaying slightly. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, but he immediately twisted his wrist. The front half of his longsword suddenly curved like a viper, bypassing the blade and stabbing straight for Shi Mu's throat.

The strike was blindingly fast—to an ordinary person, it would be nothing but a blur of cold light.

But Shi Mu's eyesight was sharp. Startled, he jerked his neck to the side as if it might snap.

The cold light grazed past his face, leaving a shallow cut.

Shi Mu roared in fury, spinning his body as his arms swung repeatedly, sending wave after wave of blade shadows slashing toward his opponent.

Wu Tong snorted coldly. Suddenly, a terrifying aura erupted from him. Gripping his sword with both hands, he hacked three times straight at the blade shadows, shouting:

"Three Mountain-Opening Slashes!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" Three thunderous sounds.

Three sword shadows, several times thicker than before, swept down, and the countless blade shadows instantly scattered and vanished.

Shi Mu stumbled backward three steps, the hand holding the Sun and Moon Blades now split at the tiger's mouth, blood streaming down.

In past fights, he had always relied on his immense strength to overpower others. Now, being suppressed by a similar method, his shock and fury were indescribable.

The energy within his opponent's sword must be the legendary true qi—truly mysterious and profound! If not for his own great strength, any ordinary martial artist would have been unable to withstand even a single strike.

Wu Tong was also slightly taken aback that these three slashes hadn't finished Shi Mu.

At that moment, though his hands gripping the sword weren't split like Shi Mu's, they were numb and aching, making it impossible to unleash such fierce attacks again anytime soon.

"I've long heard that the Stone Monkey Bloodline, while far inferior in cultivation speed after reaching the Houtian realm, strengthens the body at the Martial Disciple stage, granting a thousand jin of strength! Judging by your appearance, that rumor seems true. But if you think raw power alone can stand against a Houtian Martial Artist, you're gravely mistaken."

After a few cold words, Wu Tong's figure blurred. He suddenly leaped five or six zhang into the air, spread his arms in a circling motion, and then dove straight at Shi Mu like a massive eagle.

Shi Mu was startled for a moment, then without hesitation swung his long blade upward, sending a sheet of cold light surging.

With a "bang," Wu Tong's sword clashed with the Sun and Moon Blades. His body rebounded upward, circled once, and dove again.

Shi Mu naturally struck out once more.

In moments, the two fought—one in the air, one on the ground—exchanging seven or eight blows of blade and sword with a rapid clatter.

After each clash, Wu Tong's body rose again, as if weightless.

Shi Mu, however, felt each dive make the opponent's sword heavier, worsening the pain in his split tiger's mouth. Meanwhile, the pressure from above had driven his feet half a foot into the soil.

"Haha, boy, how do you like my minor mastery of the Eagle Soars Nine Heavens technique? How many more strikes can you take? Dying to this Houtian movement technique is a worthy end!"

Wu Tong's laughter rang out from above. The dark silhouette circled once more, then dove again with sword swinging. Before he even arrived, a cascade of sword shadows rained down.

(It's been freezing cold in Xuzhou these past few days—can't even go outside. In this bitter weather, Wang Yu is still working while sick, so brothers and sisters, don't forget to throw in a few more recommendation votes!)