A Little More Ruthless Than a Ruthless Man

"Damn, I should've gotten a horse in the county. How long am I supposed to cover hundreds of miles on two legs?"

Having traveled far from the village, Zhao Hong was sprinting along the edge of the wilderness when he suddenly slapped his forehead in frustration.

Judge's Office was at the edge of the Great Green Mountains' main range, on the eastern side of the endless wilderness.

Clear Creek Village, meanwhile, lay along the southwestern edge of a branch range.

Even in a straight line, the distance was one or two hundred miles. Going around the mountains from the edge would be even farther.

With a horse, he could have cut at least a third off the journey.

But he had already gone twenty or thirty miles. There was no point in returning to Stone Valley County now.

Looking at the rolling, winding mountains in the distance, he gave a helpless, bitter smile. Forget it.

He would just treat it as physical training.

He could sprint every now and then and use the opportunity to practice Cloud-Breaking Flash.

As he traveled, the trees along the wilderness's edge suffered terribly.

Some were riddled with holes, while others were smashed to pieces.

Bang!

A large tree's trunk was casually smashed apart by Zhao Hong as he passed. The upper half toppled backward, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Zhao Hong's feet paused slightly. From the sound of the falling tree, he detected a faint irregularity.

His eyes flashed, but he merely stumbled as though he had stepped on a pebble.

Several dozen breaths later.

There was a rustle in the canopy overhead, and a black shadow dropped from the sky.

The force of its palm was fierce, like a thousand-pound hammer crashing down.

Zhao Hong looked up and threw a punch toward the heavens.

"Bold brat!"

Seeing that Zhao Hong neither dodged nor evaded, but actually dared to counterattack, the black shadow shouted sharply.

Boom!

The black shadow seemed to have been struck by lightning. It smashed through a tree trunk and rolled across the ground, spitting blood with a howl, its face full of terror.

What the hell kind of monstrous strength was that?

One punch had shattered the muscles and bones in his entire arm. His skin split and blood sprayed, while the piercing pain left him unable to muster even a shred of strength.

"I thought you'd be stronger than that."

Zhao Hong flashed over, his gaze cold and sharp.

Only late Internal Force.

The man before him felt vaguely familiar.

It was an instinct.

"A few days ago in the mountains, you were the one spying on me."

The gaunt middle-aged man bared his teeth and snarled through the pain, "Damn it, I never thought I'd lose to a little brat whose hair hasn't even grown in yet."

"You're dead."

"Hm?"

Zhao Hong could not make sense of it. The man was at death's door, yet he still dared to be so arrogant?

The next instant, a whistling wind came from behind him.

Whoosh!

He stomped on the middle-aged man's chest like lightning.

With a crack, blood seeped out and stained the man's clothes red.

The middle-aged man's eyes nearly split open in rage.

Couldn't you have waited a little?

Zhao Hong did not even spare him a glance as he spun around with lightning speed.

The newcomer was dressed in black, his expression sinister and gloomy. A bizarre crimson snake was coiled around his arm.

Its head was raised, its body curled up, its tongue flicking as it hissed. The sight made one's hair stand on end.

Zhao Hong's heart tightened.

This man was several times stronger than the corpse on the ground.

The man in black swept his gaze over the corpse Zhao Hong had stomped to death, his expression darkening.

Yet he did not attack immediately.

Buzz!

A sinister, vicious aura burst from his body and rapidly spread through the forest.

His eyes resembled those of a savage beast as they locked onto Zhao Hong.

"I never expected a tiny mountain village to have a freak like you."

"Blood Refinement, yet you killed a late Internal Force cultivator in one move. What an eye-opener."

He was truly curious.

"What cultivation does the person hidden in your village have?"

At those words, Zhao Hong's heart jolted.

This guy had actually set his sights on Clear Creek Village long ago.

Fear lingered in his heart. It seemed the man had hidden himself deeply and acted with great caution, never daring to reveal himself.

Otherwise, Zhao Yang could not possibly have failed to notice him.

"Who are you?"

"The one who'll take your life."

The black-robed man grinned and suddenly flung his arm.

Whoosh!

The crimson snake turned into an arrow loosed from a bow and arrived in an instant.

A sharp, chilling presence rushed at him head-on.

Its tiny pointed mouth sent a chill down Zhao Hong's spine.

Those narrow snake eyes were crimson as flames, like flickering candlelight.

"A demon."

This was no ordinary beast.

At the critical moment.

Zhao Hong twisted aside and lashed out with his hand.

Smack!

With a hiss, the crimson snake shot sideways through the air.

It splatted onto the ground several yards away and twitched without stop.

"You little bastard! If anything happens to my treasure, I'll tear you to pieces!" The black-robed man was shocked and enraged as he vanished from where he stood like a ghost.

Whoosh!

The wilderness within dozens of yards seemed to be swept up by a violent gale, roaring in terror.

A huge palm tore through the air, carrying terrifying force.

Internal Force Completion!

Zhao Hong's expression hardened. His muscles and bones crackled as his blood and qi surged forth.

With the ferocity of a beast, he crossed more than a yard in a single step. A force of immense power erupted from him, transforming into a majestic bloom of blood-red radiance that collided with the palm in midair.

Boom!

The black-robed man's eyelids twitched wildly. The overwhelming force was like an avalanche and tsunami, leaving him barely able to steady himself as he staggered back in embarrassment.

He finally understood how the corpse on the ground had felt before dying.

This was not human at all.

How could a Blood Refinement brat store such terrifying power within his body?

Whoosh!

Zhao Hong attacked like lightning.

A frenzy of smashing blows.

"Damn it!"

The black-robed man's expression changed as he thrust out both palms.

Yet he had been caught off guard, and his strength was unstable. All he could see were afterimages hurtling toward him like flying stones.

After three exchanges, his arm spasmed, and he cried out in pain.

Strike while he was down and take his life.

Zhao Hong twisted fiercely to the side, his five fingers hooked like claws as they swept out viciously.

With a tearing sound.

Blood splashed everywhere, and a string of fresh flesh was ripped away.

"Ahhh!"

"I'll eat you alive!"

The black-robed man screamed miserably. He staggered back, planted one foot firmly, his face twisted in fury as he threw back his head and howled.

Awoo!

It was a wolf's howl.

Crack!

Bang!

Whoosh!

Amid a succession of strange sounds, a vast, ferocious aura surged into the sky.

Zhao Hong's eyes went wide as he stood frozen in shock.

"What the hell is this thing?"

He watched helplessly as the black-robed man's body twisted in agony. His muscles and bones seemed to break apart and reform, his body suddenly hunching over as his flesh rolled and fur sprouted everywhere.

He transformed on the spot into a massive gray wolf.

A werewolf?

A wolf demon?

But Zhao Hong had not sensed even the slightest demon aura before this.

And that grotesque, unbearable method of transformation did not resemble that of a normal demon at all.

Uncle, you never told me there were things like this outside.

Is this even a demon, or what?

Awoo!

Ferocious light blazed in the werewolf's eyes as it leaped up and charged at him savagely.

Its ferocity surged, and Zhao Hong's pressure immediately doubled.

"Fine."

"So we're risking our lives again."

Zhao Hong's face turned ruthless as he abruptly drew his saber.

Whoosh!

He stepped forward. Body and hands, hands and feet, feet and hips—the outer three harmonies brought his body into perfect coordination. He raised his saber with the motion, while the muscles, bones, and flesh inside him churned and roared, dragon and tiger emerging together.

The blade erupted in dazzling blood-red brilliance.

Clang!

Clang, clang!

One slash, two slashes, three slashes... Sparks flew everywhere.

The Six Harmonies Saber Art was not bound by fixed forms. Its key lay in the perfect coordination of body and intent, allowing one to unleash absolute power with ease.

Even at the entry level, its might was far from ordinary.

Yet Zhao Hong was forced back again and again by the giant wolf.

Both his arms went numb.

After transforming into a wolf, the opponent's strength had increased greatly.

Awoo!

A foul stench rushed at him, making him want to vomit.

Zhao Hong grunted and retreated several steps explosively, smashing through a tree trunk before rolling to the ground.

"Not good."

From the corner of his eye, he saw a huge black shadow pouncing toward him. Its sharp wolf claws descended like blades from the sky, making his scalp tingle.