Slay

Chapter 26: The Kill

Xia Xue no longer had the strength to even open her mouth. She could only watch helplessly as Cheng Dahu's claws slowly drew near, her heart filled with despair. Tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes. She swore that the moment she regained her strength, she would fight Cheng Dahu to the death; if she couldn't kill him, she would immediately take her own life.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, tsk. A beauty in tears—truly a pitiful sight. Such a top-tier woman is a rare find indeed. Are you thinking of killing yourself once you recover your strength? Don't worry, I won't let you ever have the strength to do so." Cheng Dahu seemed to see right through Xia Xue's thoughts, the smile on his face turning even more sinister, filling her heart with terror. If that were truly the case, it would be a fate worse than death. How she wished Chu Xiaotian would appear at this moment to drive these two beasts away; even though she knew his cultivation was inferior to theirs, it was still an instinctive reliance.

As if sensing her thoughts, the very moment they arose, a thunderous roar erupted from the valley entrance. "You two beasts, go to hell!" The sound, like a clap of thunder, caused Cheng Dahu, who was lost in his lewd fantasies, to shudder violently. Then, a blur of motion appeared before him. Instinctively, he threw a punch at the figure, and the opponent met him with a punch of his own.

With a loud "bang," a massive force pushed Cheng Dahu back more than ten steps, his fist throbbing with dull pain. The opponent's strength was clearly superior; he only retreated four steps before coming to a halt.

"It's you! Hahahaha! I was just looking for you, and you've delivered yourself to my doorstep." Seeing that the person who had forced him back was none other than the Chu Xiaotian he had been hunting, a flash of surprise crossed Cheng Dahu's eyes, but he immediately burst into laughter. A few days ago, Chu Xiaotian's strength had been far inferior to his, yet now, he could force him back. This growth in power was simply terrifying. One had to know that after suffering a heavy injury from Ba Dao, his own strength had not only remained unaffected but had surged forward into the Tenth-Stage Body Refining, a massive increase in power. For Chu Xiaotian to be able to push him back, his growth seemed even more monstrous.

This was not a good sign, but fortunately, both brothers were here. Dealing with this brat, who was only slightly stronger than himself, should not be a difficult task. After all, Cheng Erhu's current strength was even greater than his own.

Chu Xiaotian looked at the two men, their eyes filled with hatred, and felt a slight chill in his heart. From that single exchange, he could tell that this fellow, who had only been at the Eighth-Stage Body Refining last time, had, like himself, experienced a massive surge in power. As for the other one, he likely wasn't far behind.

"Brat, you crippled our third brother's hand. Today, we will cripple your hands and feet, and then slowly torture you and this little slut before you," Cheng Erhu said coldly, gripping the black iron rod in his hand, killing intent swirling in his eyes. As soon as he finished speaking, he charged forward like a tank. Cheng Dahu did not hesitate either, brandishing his greatsword as he lunged at Chu Xiaotian.

Chu Xiaotian glanced at Xia Xue, who lay on the ground with a look of worry, gave her a reassuring look, and turned to run toward the depths of the valley. A battle with these two would be intense; staying here might put Xia Xue in danger, which was the last thing he wanted.

"Brat, stop running! There's nowhere for you to go here. Prepare to suffer until you die!" Cheng Erhu let out a long howl, his speed suddenly doubling. The black iron rod whistled through the air with a sharp, piercing sound as he brought it down toward Chu Xiaotian's head. A flash of surprise crossed Chu Xiaotian's face; judging by the momentum of that strike, this fellow, whom he had assumed was weaker than Cheng Dahu, was definitely at least as strong, if not stronger. If Cheng Dahu had reached the Tenth-Stage Body Refining, this Cheng Erhu had likely already reached the Pulse-Opening Realm.

From the Eighth-Stage Body Refining a few days ago to one at the Tenth-Stage and one at the Pulse-Opening Realm—this exceeded Chu Xiaotian's expectations. It seemed he wasn't the only one with good fortune in this world. Chu Xiaotian muttered to himself, but his movements never faltered. He dodged the iron rod by shifting his body and lunged toward Cheng Dahu. Pick the softest persimmon first; between a strong one and a weak one, he had to take out the weaker one first.

Having opened the meridians in his limbs, he gathered Qi in his feet, greatly increasing his speed. The two brothers were not known for their agility, and Cheng Dahu did not expect Chu Xiaotian to suddenly turn back. By the time he realized it, it was too late to attack; he could only hold his sword horizontally across his chest, hoping to temporarily block Chu Xiaotian and wait for his brother's rescue.

However, he severely underestimated Chu Xiaotian's strength. With his meridians opened and his internal spiritual energy fully under control, Chu Xiaotian's power was no longer something a Body Refining practitioner could match. The cold Corpse Poison within him gathered beneath his fist, and he slammed it into Cheng Dahu's chest. With a muffled thud, Cheng Dahu's two-meter-tall frame was sent flying like a bundle of straw, crashing heavily to the ground. His throat grew hot, and he couldn't help but spray a mouthful of blood. His chest had visibly caved in; Chu Xiaotian's punch had shattered several of his ribs. However, the blow had landed on his right chest, and the broken bones had not pierced his heart; otherwise, Cheng Dahu would have died on the spot. Even so, his injuries were near-fatal. Chu Xiaotian's Corpse Poison was no simple matter; it surged into Cheng Dahu's body with that punch, wreaking havoc on his vitality. Cheng Dahu's face grew paler and paler, his breathing shallow, and it was clear he wouldn't last long.

"Big Brother!!! You brat, you hurt my brother again! I will make you suffer until you die!" Cheng Erhu's eyes were bloodshot. He hadn't expected Chu Xiaotian's strength to have grown so much; the move that injured his brother had been too fast for him to intervene. With a roar, Cheng Erhu went berserk and lunged at Chu Xiaotian, the iron rod in his hand whipping up a gale that stripped the turf from the ground.

Chu Xiaotian looked at this human tank, a glint in his eyes, and picked up Cheng Dahu's greatsword to engage him. Their cultivation levels differed, but their actual combat strength was similar—in a sense, Chu Xiaotian was even slightly stronger than this Qi Refining Realm practitioner. Chu Xiaotian had never used a sword before, but now, wielding it like a club against Cheng Erhu, he held his own.

The clanging of metal echoed through the valley as they fought from east to west, then from west to south, leaving the entire valley in ruins. After trading over a hundred blows, Cheng Erhu, despite his higher cultivation, had gained no advantage and was instead forced onto the defensive, unable to mount a counterattack. If not for the fact that the greatsword was not as heavy as the iron rod and risked snapping at any moment, he might have been crushed by Chu Xiaotian long ago.

The more they fought, the more excited Chu Xiaotian became, and the more fluid his movements grew. The initial awkwardness of their first clash had vanished completely. With every collision, he could feel his control over his internal spiritual energy strengthening. Realms were cultivated, but combat power was forged in battle. The more one fought, the more adept one became at controlling spiritual energy, and the stronger one grew. The reason for the disparity in strength within the same realm was largely due to combat experience and control. Chu Xiaotian hadn't fought many times, and having finally encountered someone of similar strength, he wouldn't let this opportunity slip. Thus, as the fight progressed, he simply discarded the greatsword and fought Cheng Erhu with his bare fists. Although he took a few heavy hits at first, he soon began finding openings in Cheng Erhu's defenses, slipping past the iron rod that whipped around like a storm and leaving punch marks all over Cheng Erhu's body.

Cheng Erhu grew increasingly alarmed and agitated. Not only was Chu Xiaotian injuring his body, but his talent—which far surpassed his own—was severely wounding his pride. A few days ago, the boy had been unable to fight back against him; now, despite his own massive surge in power, he was the one being beaten into submission. He went completely mad, the wind whipped up by his iron rod becoming even more terrifying. He abandoned all defense, focusing purely on offense. The ground and rocks trembled under his strikes, soil splattering and boulders rolling. He no longer harbored thoughts of defeating Chu Xiaotian—that was unrealistic. All he wanted now was to drag Chu Xiaotian down with him.

Cheng Erhu's attacks did not cause the damage he had hoped for. Under this suicidal style, Chu Xiaotian relied on his superior agility to dodge at the very last second, leaving Cheng Erhu so frustrated he wanted to vomit blood. After half an hour of fighting, Cheng Erhu realized he still couldn't land a blow on Chu Xiaotian, so he turned his gaze toward Xia Xue, who was still lying in the center of the valley.

"If I can't beat you, I'll kill this helpless little wench first!" A cold light flashed in Cheng Erhu's eyes. With no shred of mercy, he lunged toward Xia Xue, his iron rod swinging down.

"Hmph, I intended to let you live a little longer, but since you're seeking death, don't blame me." Chu Xiaotian had been guarding against this move all along; how could he let him succeed? He snorted coldly, his figure moving faster than the eye could follow. Before Cheng Erhu could strike Xia Xue, Chu Xiaotian's fist landed squarely on his back. His internal spiritual energy surged through his fist, easily shattering Cheng Erhu's heart meridians. The man froze in place, his iron rod clattered to the ground, and his arms hung limp at his sides.