Even If You Beg Me, I Won't Spare You

Whose head would roll first...

The moment he said this, everyone sensed the hidden killing intent. The guards who had been watching drew their blades one after another, and for a moment, the ringing of steel merged into one.

Huang Ling was also stunned. Then he reacted, and instead of becoming angry, he laughed. He suddenly shouted:

"Everyone, stop!"

The guards immediately halted, standing silently like an army obeying orders without question.

"Good!"

Huang Ling bared his teeth in a savage grin. "Let's see how you intend to take this head from my shoulders!"

His words still hung in the air, but his body had already shot forward again. His whip-like kick sliced across like a sharp axe, howling through the air!

Vicious, swift, and fierce!

That kick left an afterimage, making it impossible to see clearly.

Hmm?

Lu Li's gaze shifted. He sensed something unusual about the man's boots. Intransigent Qi surged through him as he raised an arm to block.

Screech!

Huang Ling's foot slammed viciously into Lu Li's crossed arms, producing a piercing tearing sound.

The sleeves on Lu Li's arms were ripped apart, leaving two pale, shallow marks on his skin. He looked toward the boots and saw cold light flashing from their toes, where sharp blades protruded.

Boot Blades!

If that strike had landed on an ordinary martial artist, even one a level stronger, they would have suffered badly.

"What a dirty trick..."

Lu Li's eyes flickered. If not for the Intransigent Qi protecting him, that attack might have broken both his arms.

Yet it had only torn his clothes and caused no real injury.

"What?!"

On the other side, Huang Ling felt as if he had kicked a slab of refined iron. The top of his foot went numb from the impact, and shock appeared in his eyes. "A body-tempering martial artist!"

Although he had entrenched himself in White Crow Town, he had once studied martial arts under a sect master and was far from inexperienced.

There were not many people in the martial world who practiced body-tempering arts, and even fewer who achieved anything in them.

It could be said that body-tempering was nearly the most talent-dependent kind of martial art. Even basic hard arts such as Golden Bell Shield required exceptionally sturdy bones and sinews just to reach the beginner level.

Auxiliary aids such as medicinal herbs were almost negligible in effect. In the end, it depended on one's innate gifts.

Body-tempering could easily leave one riddled with hidden injuries, but once mastered, it granted enormous advantages in fights against opponents of the same realm.

Huang Ling's expression became slightly more serious. He knew he had encountered a tough opponent. Anyone who could withstand one of his kicks without a scratch was no ordinary person.

But...

"Even better!"

A glint of excited madness flashed through Huang Ling's eyes. Since he had begun practicing martial arts, he had never killed a body-tempering martial artist before!

Lu Li noticed that Huang Ling's attacks had become even fiercer, carrying the air of a man fighting for his life. His legs were like venomous dragons bursting from their lairs, the blades in his boots gleaming coldly as killing intent overflowed.

"If risking your life were enough, then what would be the point of all my hard work cultivating the Demon Martial Path?"

A fierce wind howled, and the air seemed to burst like torn silk. Lu Li went all out, activating Poison Blood Hand as Essence-Eroding Internal Qi and Intransigent Qi surged wildly through him.

He was like a tireless war god, paying no heed to injury. Every movement was heavy and powerful, carrying overwhelming force.

Poisonous light gathered between his opening and closing fingers as they struck toward Huang Ling's vital points—his eyes, nose, mouth, throat, and groin.

"What? It's poisonous too!"

Huang Ling's face changed drastically. One section of his arm was grazed, and incomparable agony struck him. His features twisted as he forcibly severed half his forearm.

"You despicable bastard!"

Facing the furious rebuke, Lu Li said nothing. He merely continued gathering poisonous light, empowered by Intransigent Qi as he pressed in close for combat.

The pit was only a little over a zhang wide, and the terrain greatly favored him. Even though Huang Ling was agile, Lu Li still found plenty of openings.

"This poison... what poison is this?"

As time passed, Huang Ling gradually began to feel dizzy and disoriented. Weakness and exhaustion surged over him like a tide, filling his heart with terror.

Though he had decisively severed his arm, the lingering poison had still invaded his body. Even his Internal Qi could not suppress it.

As the two fought on, Huang Ling grew increasingly stifled. He discovered that his opponent's body-tempering defenses had virtually no weak points, and his skin was unnaturally tough.

The blades in his boots had been designed for sneak attacks, crafted thin and delicate, yet they could not break through Lu Li's defense at all!

Yet Lu Li possessed astonishing strength. Huang Ling had only taken a slight hit, but four of his bones had broken.

"Help me!"

Without realizing it, Huang Ling had been forced into a corner. With the Buddha statue at his back, he had nowhere to retreat, and he let out a loud roar.

Hmm?

Lu Li seemed to sense something. Weapon Lord responded on its own. A shrill sound tore through the air, and he twisted aside, narrowly evading the incoming thrust.

He saw two black-clad guards at the first level of Meridian Opening, each wielding a thick iron shield. Thick, sharp spikes protruded from the shields, each nearly a zhang long.

The two men had charged at him with their shields just now. Had he been impaled, they would have pierced straight through his body!

Though such an attack could not kill him outright, healing those wounds would inevitably consume blood. He had no intention of testing his own limits with his body.

Lu Li swept backward, and the two black-clad men charged past empty air with their shields.

Seeing this, Huang Ling's tense body relaxed. The shield-bearing men guarded him on either side, and the three formed a triangular formation with their backs against the Buddha statue.

"Your martial arts are indeed formidable, but in the martial world, it is difficult to accomplish anything through one-on-one fights."

Hiding behind them, Huang Ling showed a faint smile before his face twisted viciously.

"Kill him!"

As soon as the words fell, more black-clad guards gradually joined in with iron shields. The only difference was that those who came later were all strong ordinary men, not martial artists.

Six shields stood above the pit and two within it. Eight spiked iron shields gleamed with chilling light, closing in step by step like walls of thorns.

Lu Li's gaze swept around. He knew this iron-shield encirclement was not merely a method of group assault, but a military formation.

He had long known the Jing Dynasty was rotten, but only today did he realize the extent of it.

The Huang Household of a mere White Crow Town had somehow obtained military formation techniques, recruited martial artists, and maintained retainers and private soldiers.

From this glimpse, one could see how thoroughly the court had decayed. Aristocratic Clans and powerful local forces throughout the realm had likely been sharpening their blades for a long time.

"If you beg for mercy now, I can let you die more easily!"

Huang Ling's face was slightly pale as he glared fiercely at Lu Li. "As long as you hand over the antidote to that poison, I'll consider leaving your corpse intact."

"Heh... beg for mercy?"

Lu Li sneered at his words, his expression calm.

"You think a few useless fools working with a military formation can defeat me?"

"You're the one who should be begging for mercy..."

Lu Li erupted like a mad dragon, stirring up a howling gust. Under Huang Ling's horrified gaze, a burly man holding an iron shield was sent flying off the ground with a single blow.

The others rushed in to attack like turning gears, moving swiftly, but a gap had already appeared in the defensive line protecting Huang Ling.

As though a messenger from the underworld had descended, Huang Ling felt a chill rush straight to the crown of his head. Lu Li's faint voice reached him:

"Of course, even if you beg me, I won't spare you!"