A Cut Above

"Blood Blade Sect."

When Leng Yifeng introduced himself, Li Yun's heart tightened.

Wasn't that the sect causing trouble in Green Wind Prefecture?

Now that a member of the Blood Blade Sect had appeared here, had they taken over the entire area and set their sights on Crow Mountain City, or had he fled after being beaten?

Either way, it was bad news for Li Yun, who needed time to grow stronger.

"Your name sounds impressive enough, but you haven't told me what's in it for me."

Li Yun had no idea what drug the people on the ground had been poisoned with.

If he stalled for time, perhaps the drug would wear off a little and they would recover.

Besides, once the hour of the monkey had passed, the servants at the foot of the mountain would notice that their young lady hadn't returned.

Surely they would realize something had happened.

"What's in it for you?

There's plenty.

The sect's secret inner cultivation methods, killing techniques honed through countless trials, and cultivation resources gathered from every corner of the land.

Anyone who joins can share in them.

And fellow disciples are as close as brothers, standing together through thick and thin.

But shouting back and forth from this far apart is exhausting.

Why don't you come closer? Then we can talk like brothers and get to know each other better.

To show my sincerity, I'll let you choose any two of these three women to take with you. I'll keep just one to amuse me. How does that sound?"

On the ground, Huang Shengnan and Lin Biling frantically grappled with each other.

With no other choice, Leng Yifeng took out a pill.

He pinched it between his fingers, brought it to their lips, then gripped their chins and forced their mouths open to shove it inside.

A moment later, their struggles weakened. The pill had apparently suppressed the drug's effects for now.

He walked a few steps forward, gripping the long saber in his hand tightly, never letting his guard down.

"Get to know each other better?

Sure. First, throw away the saber behind your back.

Who gets close to someone else with a saber in hand?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Yun loosed another arrow.

Leng Yifeng didn't hesitate. He rolled aside, barely dodging the arrow.

He looked down at the arrow, buried more than halfway into the ground less than half a foot from his foot. A bone-chilling shiver ran through him.

His expression darkened instantly.

He sighed inwardly:

This kid's archery is terrifyingly accurate, and he's meticulous to the last detail. He won't fall for the slightest trick. Looks like there's no chance of talking him down today.

I'll have to take a desperate gamble.

Leng Yifeng whipped around. The veins stood out on his forearm as he grabbed an unconscious guard off the ground.

He hauled the man up like a shield and held him firmly in front of himself.

He drove his foot hard into the ground, then shot toward Li Yun like an arrow loosed from a bow.

Li Yun had seen Leng Yifeng's saber techniques clearly.

Swift as the wind, strange and vicious.

If he got close, death was certain.

He had to stop him.

As for the guard, Li Yun could only say he was sorry.

This was a matter of life and death. There was no room for mercy.

He lowered his waist, steadied his shoulders, nocked an arrow, raised the bow, and drew the string until it bent into a Half Moon.

He aimed and fired, his movements flowing as one.

One arrow after another.

The first arrow struck the guard in the waist. The force packed into the Bull Bow's Half Moon draw slammed into his body and jolted him violently.

The arrowhead pierced straight through him. Its force undiminished, it sank viciously into Leng Yifeng's side. It didn't penetrate deeply, but it still sent a string of hot blood droplets flying.

Leng Yifeng's charge abruptly faltered. He grunted.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

A continuous barrage of arrows screamed past. Leng Yifeng's heart lurched.

Ignoring the agony in his side, he chopped through an arrow, twisted his waist sharply, and rolled awkwardly behind a tangle of branches, barely managing to dodge.

The moment he had taken cover, several more arrows came flying in one after another.

The guard was shot full of holes.

Looking at the guard, who was well and truly dead, Leng Yifeng shouted at Li Yun:

"Damn, you've got the makings of a Blood Blade Sect disciple.

Fierce and decisive, ruthless and merciless.

When Master sees you, he'll be overjoyed and take you as his personal disciple."

"Oh?

Then tell me, who's my future master?"

Li Yun didn't believe a single word of Leng Yifeng's bullshit.

After saying this, he moved at once and rushed down the slope.

He circled clockwise.

He wanted to take advantage of Leng Yifeng being behind a tree and unable to see him, changing angles so he could keep shooting.

After all, an enemy who couldn't breathe was a good enemy.

Leng Yifeng didn't notice Li Yun changing his firing angle.

Leaning against the rough tree trunk, he pressed one hand against his bleeding side and reached with the other into the deerskin pouch at his waist. He took out a small, blackened porcelain jar.

He pulled out the stopper and shook the dark brown powder onto his wound.

The instant the powder touched his flesh, he grimaced in pain, the veins bulging at his temples.

Then an unnatural flush spread across his face, and his breathing grew abruptly heavier.

Within seconds, the wound began to scab over.

Only after recovering from the pain did he shout back to Li Yun, his tone full of flattery:

"Our master is the Great Elder of the Blood Blade Sect.

Here in Red Maple Prefecture, apart from the Clear Wood Sect,

who wouldn't show us some respect?"

Red Maple Prefecture. Clear Wood Sect.

Li Yun quietly committed the names to memory.

But he didn't stop moving. Soon, he reached an angle that let him avoid the branches.

Without hesitation,

he nocked an arrow and fired.

Leng Yifeng, hidden behind the tree, didn't notice a thing. He didn't dare stick his head out and expose himself.

He slowly extended his saber, angling the blade upward, hoping to use its reflection to catch sight of Li Yun.

Whoosh—

At that moment, the sound of an arrow tearing through the air suddenly exploded.

A bone-chilling dread shot from the base of Leng Yifeng's spine to the top of his head. Before he could even think, he twisted sharply and rolled forward in a desperate tumble.

But the forward roll was half a beat too slow. It was too late.

Thud—

The arrow sank viciously into his thigh.

The arrowhead pierced straight through with unstoppable force, making Leng Yifeng howl in pain.

"Ah!"

A shrill scream abruptly cut off, as if an invisible hand had clamped around his throat.

Because

the second arrow had already shot toward him like a streak of lightning, striking him squarely in the chest.

The tremendous force jolted his chest. He was sent rolling several feet, as if struck by a heavy hammer.

He crashed into another tree trunk, half his body exposed.

"Hm? Did it get stuck on a bone?"

Li Yun saw that the arrow in Leng Yifeng's chest had only sunk a few inches into the flesh.

He was a little surprised.

But it didn't matter.

Li Yun nocked his bow again and fired three arrows in succession.

After waiting several seconds and seeing that Leng Yifeng truly didn't react, he slowly walked over.

Still, he kept a spare arrow hooked between his fingers, wary of a trick.

As he drew closer, Li Yun saw blood all over the ground. Only then did he feel slightly reassured.

With that much blood loss, even a Bright Force martial artist couldn't possibly endure it.

Remembering that this man might be an expert in poison, Li Yun didn't let his guard down or approach him directly.

Instead, he turned the Bull Bow sideways and used its body to prod the corpse.

The instant Li Yun touched Leng Yifeng...

He moved!

Leng Yifeng had moved?!

His motionless body sprang up like a tiger poised to pounce, the arrow shaft jutting diagonally from his chest and still wobbling.

He ignored it completely. His fist, trailing a cloud of blood, smashed straight toward Li Yun's face.

In the sudden attack,

Li Yun had no time to draw an arrow and strike back. All he could do was instinctively cross his arms in front of him to block.

Bang!

A deep, heart-shaking thud rang out.

The fist slammed into Li Yun's arm bones like a heavy hammer.

Li Yun was sent flying several yards backward as if a cannonball had hit him.

Excruciating pain spread from his arms throughout his body.

Pfft—

Li Yun's throat turned sweet, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

It stained his face covering red.

Leng Yifeng took a blood-red pill from his pouch.

His face twisted with reluctance, but he swallowed it.

A sinister smile spread across his face.

"Kid, you're pretty good.

Too bad.

I still had the edge in the end.

Losing to my Bone Shifting Technique is nothing to be ashamed of."