Your Blade Is Too Slow

"Let's go!"

Zhou Qing headed out of the Black Market.

His five senses were far sharper than before. He could feel that the gazes fixed on him from behind had not vanished; they followed him all the way out of the Black Market.

But Zhou Qing had already been prepared before coming to the Black Market.

The Black Market was a mixed bag of dragons and snakes, and being targeted was a common occurrence. He showed not the slightest panic, merely continuing onward with calm composure.

After using all his Dao Source Points to improve the Hundred Refinements Golden Body Technique and breaking through to the Fifth Level of the Acquired Realm, his strength had undergone a qualitative leap.

At the Fifth Level of the Acquired Realm, with the Traceless Blade Technique and the Swallow Dips Water movement technique both at the perfected realm, he feared no one so long as he did not encounter a First-rate Martial Artist.

First-rate Martial Artists above the Seventh Level of the Acquired Realm were major figures even in the Prefecture City. If they wanted silver, landlords and wealthy merchants would eagerly deliver it to their doors. They would never stoop so low as robbing and killing travelers in the Black Market.

Outside the Black Market lay desolate mountains and wilderness.

The moment Zhou Qing left the Black Market, he quickened his pace, swiftly weaving through the rugged mountain paths. Yet to the dozen or so figures following behind him, this only made them think Zhou Qing was afraid and trying to escape.

"Follow him at once. Don't let this fat sheep get away."

At once, three figures circulated their internal force and employed movement techniques, erupting with terrifying speed as they pursued him closely.

"What speed!"

"That movement technique has at least reached the proficient level."

"The movement technique he is using is Swallow Dips Water. It is only suited for short-distance bursts and cannot be maintained for long."

"Come on, let's follow and take a look. We might be able to pick up a bargain."

More than a dozen figures followed behind Zhou Qing one after another.

Swallow Dips Water, Grass Skimming Flight, Land Galloping Technique, and the like were all third-rate movement techniques, essentially techniques commonly practiced by the masses.

Ordinary martial artists generally cultivated these few movement techniques.

Zhou Qing crossed several hilltops, then gradually slowed down. The three figures following behind quickly caught up.

"This is far enough!"

Seeing that they had already traveled several li away from the Black Market, Zhou Qing stopped.

Turning around, he stared expressionlessly at the three men only several zhang away and said, "Gentlemen, may I ask what business you have following me?"

The three stood in three separate directions, faintly forming an encirclement around Zhou Qing. One of them, the Bronze Masked Man, spoke. "Naturally, we saw that you are carrying quite a bit of silver and wish to borrow some to spend."

"Borrow some silver to spend? That certainly sounds nice." Zhou Qing said blandly. "But I'm afraid you don't have the ability to take it."

"Boy, don't refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit. Hand over the silver obediently, or don't blame us for being impolite."

Another man, holding a longsword, said coldly.

"Impolite?" A cold smile curled onto Zhou Qing's lips. "I'd like to see just how impolite you can be."

Before his words had faded, Zhou Qing's figure flashed. This time, he fully unleashed the Swallow Dips Water movement technique, which had reached the perfected realm.

Zhou Qing had reached the Fifth Level of the Acquired Realm, so even with the same Swallow Dips Water, the speed he erupted with now was even faster than it had been in Black Stone County.

The distance of several zhang was crossed in an instant.

"What?!"

The sword-wielding man's expression changed drastically.

He had never expected Zhou Qing's speed to be so fast.

The speed Zhou Qing had displayed earlier with Swallow Dips Water had merely reached the proficient level, but the speed he now unleashed had clearly reached the perfected realm.

He stared in terror, eyes wide. Though he had guarded against Zhou Qing's movements in his heart, his body simply could not react in time.

The long blade in Zhou Qing's hand slashed out soundlessly, tracing a bizarre arc through the air as it flashed past the sword-wielding man's neck.

With a thud.

The sword-wielding man's body collapsed limply to the ground. His eyes instantly turned hollow, and blood gushed from the wound in his neck, dyeing the ground red.

"Impossible!"

Seeing the sword-wielding man killed by Zhou Qing in a single strike, the Bronze Masked Man and the other man wearing a monkey mask both changed expression drastically.

The sword-wielding man was a martial artist at the Third Level of the Acquired Realm. He had cultivated the Chasing Wind Fast Sword for over a decade and had already reached the mastery realm.

His sword was like a gale; thirteen swords linked in succession, with only speed being unbreakable.

Yet before Zhou Qing, the sword-wielding man, who had cultivated the Chasing Wind Fast Sword, had not even been given the chance to draw his sword.

This proved that Zhou Qing's blade was faster than the sword-wielding man's sword.

"Kill!"

While the two were lost in thought, Zhou Qing moved like an arrow loosed from the bow, shooting toward the Bronze Masked Man.

"Blood Battle Eight Directions!"

The blade technique cultivated by the Bronze Masked Man was broad and forceful. With the momentum of sweeping through a thousand armies, he chopped toward Zhou Qing.

"Your blade is too slow!"

Zhou Qing's voice rang beside the Bronze Masked Man's ear.

He easily evaded the other's attack.

Immediately afterward, the Bronze Masked Man stood frozen in place, his eyes turning hollow and lifeless. Then his body went limp, and with a thud, he crashed to the ground.

At some unknown moment, he had already been struck by a blade.

Zhou Qing's blade was too fast, too bizarre, and utterly soundless, leaving no trace for anyone to detect. The Bronze Masked Man did not even know when he had been cut.

"Sky Full of Flower Rain!"

The other man in the monkey mask immediately raised his hand and scattered several dozen concealed weapons.

There were flying darts, bone-piercing nails, iron pellets, poisoned silver needles, and more.

The monkey-masked man's concealed weapon technique was cunning and vicious, and the several dozen concealed weapons all flew toward Zhou Qing's vital points.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Zhou Qing swung his blade to block them.

Most of the concealed weapons were knocked away. Even the few that struck his body merely tore through the clothes he wore before being sent flying by the rebounding force of the Hundred Refinements Golden Body Technique.

When these concealed weapons landed on him, let alone breaking his flesh, they did not even leave behind the slightest mark.

With the Hundred Refinements Golden Body Technique at the fifth layer, ordinary blades and swords could hardly injure him.

Only weapons reinforced with internal force could break through his defense, but among Second-rate Martial Artists, such people were considered experts.

Second-rate Martial Artists could unleash their internal force beyond their bodies to wound enemies from afar, but they could not infuse it into weapons to amplify their power.

Without special techniques, internal force would directly shatter the weapon in one's hand.

Therefore, even Second-rate Martial Artists above the Fourth Level of the Acquired Realm had to cultivate corresponding second-rate martial arts if they wished to infuse their internal force into weapons. Moreover, that second-rate martial art had to reach at least the proficient level.

In Zhou Qing's perception, the internal force auras erupted by these three men were only at the Third Level of the Acquired Realm. They were Peak Third-Rate Martial Artists.

Therefore, even if Zhou Qing had not blocked every concealed weapon, without internal force reinforcing them, those concealed weapons could never have broken through his defense.