As the Iron River Gang's Deacon was raising his knife to strike a fallen Guard, he suddenly felt a strong gust of wind coming from behind and quickly turned around to block it.
Although Lan Daoxing was seriously injured, his foundation First Grade martial artist remained intact.
"Click--"
With a single slash, the longsword in the Iron River Gang Deacon's hand snapped in two, the Sword Intent's momentum undiminished, leaving a deep gash in his chest.
The Iron River Gang's Deacon coughed up blood, flew backward, and crashed into a pile of rubble, never to rise again.
"Whoosh!"
Without stopping, Lan Daoxing lunged at another Iron River Gang disciple.
His intervention was like a stabilizing force, giving a much-needed boost to the morale of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion Guard and Guest Elder who were on the verge of collapse.
"Our reinforcements have arrived! Join forces with the Pavilion Master to drive back these treacherous villains!"
One of the Guest Elder from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion shouted and forced back an Elder of the Iron River Gang with a single slash, then launched a counterattack.
The two Guard, who were originally surrounded, stood back to back, cooperating with each other.
Seeing a glimmer of hope for survival, they erupted in fury, forcing the three Iron River Gang members who were attacking them to retreat repeatedly.
Although Lan Daoxing's arrival did not completely reverse the battle, it temporarily stabilized the precarious situation on the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's side.
In the center of the ruins, where the dust had not yet settled, two figures passed each other so quickly that only afterimages remained.
"Laugh--!"
The blade of the Cloudsplitter Sword swept past at a tricky angle. Qi Zhen tried his best to dodge, but the dark gold Brocade Robe on his left shoulder still tore open with a neat tear.
The wound wasn't deep, but a thin line of blood quickly appeared, lengthened, and eventually turned into a warm stream of blood that meandered down the arm.
Just three breaths later.
"Puff!"
The dark Qing Jianguang, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, transformed into a detached Sword Qi and suddenly pierced out.
Qi Zhen roared and twisted his body to dodge, but he couldn't avoid it. The Sword Qi pierced through his protective Internal Qi and grazed the outside of his right thigh.
He groaned and staggered backward.
A long, shallow wound appeared on my right thigh, and fresh blood was seeping from the wound.
The Cloudsplitter Sword transformed into an invisible wind in the night, omnipresent and all-pervasive, making it impossible to defend against.
Qi Zhen's body would frequently develop new wounds, one after another.
Although he avoided vital points and none of the injuries were serious, the cumulative effect of the numerous wounds still caused him to lose a lot of blood, resulting in a noticeable decline in his condition.
The dark golden Internal Qi that had once surged like a raging flame had now noticeably dimmed.
"Huff, huff--"
Qi Zhen's movements visibly became heavy and slow.
Each swing of his knife to parry was accompanied by heavy, bellows-like breathing, and cold sweat constantly rolled down his forehead.
His right hand, gripping the knife, trembled more and more violently, and the gaping wound between his thumb and forefinger was a bloody mess.
With each exertion, more blood gushed out, dripping down the hilt and guard, splashing into tiny blood flowers among the rubble and dust beneath their feet.
In contrast, Fang Han's offensive was like a rising tide, one wave stronger than the next.
The Wind Sword Intent permeated the arena, and his figure and the sword light almost merged into one.
As the Cloud -Cloudsplitter Sword was wielded, it was no longer a series of isolated, cold glints, but rather a dense, ever-flowing, pale blue rainbow.
The Sword Intent were fluid and sharp, compressing Qi Zhen's space for dodging layer by layer.
With mysterious footsteps, it always occupies the most advantageous position.
Forced to Qi Zhen again and again, the ruins beneath his feet creaked and crumbled under the weight of the pressure.
"Clang--!!!"
A straightforward, head-on clash without any fancy tricks.
The Cloudsplitter Sword struck the heavy blade, and this time, Qi Zhen was unable to completely dissipate the immense force and sharp, Hidden Force.
He shuddered violently, nearly dropping his longsword, and fell backward like a kite with a broken string.
Their feet dug deep trenches several meters long in the ground, sending stones flying and dust billowing wherever they went.
"Wow--!"
The Hidden Force penetrated his body, and before he could even stand up straight, a mouthful of blood gushed out uncontrollably, turning into a tragically beautiful blood mist in the air.
It was clear that he had suffered serious internal injuries.
His face turned deathly pale, as if it were made of gold paper. Only his bloodshot eyes were filled with extreme horror and disbelief.
Defeated?
How could he, the First Grade Late Stage Iron River Gang leader, a veteran of countless battles and a powerful figure in the region, be defeated by a junior who was only twenty years old and whose cultivation was merely at the early stage of the Second Grade?
He knew that Fang Han was a genius, the top of the Prodigy Ranking, and a sword prodigy that the Azure Profound Sect had not seen in hundreds of years.
He once scoffed at the idea that so-called geniuses, without being tempered by hardship, are ultimately hothouse flowers.
He never imagined that the sharpness of this "flower" could be so extreme.
It actually managed to cut countless nicks into his "battle blade," which he thought was indestructible, pushing him to the brink of despair.
Such talent, such combat prowess... it's simply superhuman!
"Huff... ho... huff..."
Qi Zhen used his knife to prop himself up with one hand, barely managing to keep his swaying body afloat.
His chest heaved violently like a broken bellows, and each breath aggravated his wounds, bringing excruciating, burning pain.
He struggled to lift his head, his vision blurred by sweat and blood, but he still stared intently ahead.
More than ten feet away, Fang Han stood holding his sword.
The Cloudsplitter Sword was pointed diagonally to his side, its Dark Cyan blade gleaming with inner light.
At the tip of the sword, a full drop of blood slowly condensed, stretched, and finally fell silently into the dust.
The night breeze ruffled the hem of his blue robe, causing it to flutter slightly.
His breathing was long and steady, and his expression was as calm as a deep well.
It was as if the fierce, storm-like attack that had just driven First Grade Late Stage first-grade expert to the brink of defeat was nothing more than a warm-up that he didn't need to care about.
This absolute control, this overwhelming composure, sent a chill down Qi Zhen's spine more deeply than any sharp sword move.
The firelight danced in his eyes, but it could no longer illuminate his heart, which had already sunk into the abyss.
"Boss!"
A hurried shout came from not far away.
Seeing that Qi Zhen was in a bad situation, Han Kui, the First Grade Elder of the Iron River Gang, forced Shen Cangsong back with a single slash and then rushed to Qi Zhen's side.
"Boss, what's wrong with your injuries?"
Han Kui's gaze swept over the wounds on Qi Zhen's body, and his pupils contracted slightly.
Qi Zhen took a deep breath and scanned the entire battlefield.
Although the Hundred Treasures Pavilion suffered more than half its casualties, Lan Daoxing had joined the battle, and the originally precarious defensive line had gradually stabilized.
On his side, he himself was seriously injured, and although the other Elder Deacon still had a numerical advantage, they no longer had the power to completely overwhelm him.
Most importantly, their side only had two First Grade combatants, while the opposing side had a full First Grade.
Although two of them were seriously injured, they still possessed considerable fighting ability.
If the fighting continues, the outcome may be the complete annihilation of the Iron River Gang's forces.
"Withdraw."
Qi Zhen's voice was low and deep, filled with barely suppressed resentment.
Han Kui was slightly taken aback, then nodded, turned around and shouted sharply:
"Everyone, retreat!"
Upon hearing the order, the Elder Deacon of the Iron River Gang forced back their respective opponents and gathered in the direction where Qi Zhen was.
Their movements were swift and orderly, clearly demonstrating their training; even during the retreat, they showed no signs of panic.
Lan Daoxing and Shen Cangsong did not give chase, nor did the Guard and Guest Elder of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
They were already at their limit; they had managed to hold on until now, and they had no strength left to pursue them.
Fang Han stood with his sword in hand, watching Qi Zhen lead the Iron River Gang out of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, without making a move to stop them.
The sect leader said there was no need to hold back, but the Iron River Gang was, after all, a force with a grandmaster in charge.
If Qi Zhen, the gang leader, were to be killed in broad daylight, a serious conflict between the two sides would inevitably erupt.
That's not what Azure Profound Sect wants to see, nor is it what he wants to see.
" Fang Han, I will remember what happened today."
Qi Zhen to the entrance of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, his steps pausing slightly.
He turned around, his gaze passing over the ruins and landing on Fang Han, his voice hoarse.
"..."
Fang Han stood holding his sword, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
This man already harbored a grudge against him, and if he didn't want to escalate the conflict between the Azure Profound Sect and the Iron River Gang, he wouldn't mind killing him on the spot.
However, even if they can't kill him on the spot, it doesn't mean there won't be opportunities later; they just need to be discreet enough.
Just like the death of Meng Zhao.
"Whoosh!"
Qi Zhen snorted coldly, turned around, and darted out of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
Hundreds of black figures followed closely behind, like a receding tide, and quickly disappeared into the night.
The footsteps faded into the distance, eventually swallowed by the night wind.
Around the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Zhang Yuanshan, the patriarch of the Zhang family in the county town, stood on the roof with his hands behind his back, gazing in the direction where the Iron River Gang had retreated, remaining silent for a long time.
On that rosy face, the initial surprise had not completely faded, and deep in her eyes lay a complex emotion that was difficult to describe.
"Father."
The middle-aged clansman beside him spoke in a low voice, his tone tinged with emotion.
" Fang Han has actually reached this level of strength. Even Qi Zhen, who First Grade Late Stage, is no match for him."
Zhang Yuanshan remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking:
"At twenty years old, at the early stage of the Second Grade, his combat strength is already enough to suppress the First Grade Late Stage... The Azure Profound Sect has truly produced an extraordinary figure."
He didn't say anything more, but took one last look at the figure in green robes in the ruins of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion before turning and leaping down from the rooftop.
Not far away, on the roof of another building, several figures were still whispering among themselves.
" Qi Zhen; the Iron River Gang has actually retreated."
"What can we do if we don't retreat? Even Qi Zhen is no match for Fang Han. If we continue fighting, the Iron River Gang's entire force on this trip is very likely to be wiped out!"
" Fang Han is truly... a prodigy."
"From now on, not only among the younger generation of Qingyang Prefecture, but even among the older generation, few can match this young man."
Amid the discussions, some shook their heads, some sighed, and some remained silent.
Those gazes fell upon the figure in the green robe amidst the ruins of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, their expressions varied, yet all carried the same emotion—shock.
Zhou Huaian stood with his hands behind his back on the top of the building, looking towards the direction of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
" Qi Zhen, First Grade Late Stage cultivator, is actually no match for Fang Han."
Yue Zhan's voice rang out beside him, tinged with barely suppressed surprise.
"This child's growth rate is truly beyond expectations."
Zhou Huaian gazed in that direction and remained silent for a long time.
He has seen many geniuses, and he has also seen many prodigies.
But he had never seen anyone like Fang Han, who could suppress First Grade Late Stage martial artist at the age of twenty.
"Within ten years, the Azure Profound Sect will surely produce another Grandmaster, at which point it will be a sect with two Grandmasters."
He spoke in a low voice, so softly it was as if he were talking to himself.
Yue Zhan didn't speak, he just nodded slightly.