Counterkill

The iron staff came crashing down.

Zhou Yan tilted his upper body half a foot aside.

The tip of the staff smashed into the rock wall, grazing his ear.

The Tiger-Subduing Staff was broad and forceful, relying entirely on the twisting power of the waist and hips.

Sweeping, chopping, smashing—every strike carried a howling gust of wind.

Zhou Yan did not dare take it head-on.

His legs sank with the motion. He ducked the horizontal sweep, leaped back to avoid the diagonal chop, and twisted aside from the overhead blow.

Cao Heng swung the staff five or six times in succession. His breathing grew heavier, and sweat from his forehead ran into his eyes.

He had already spent a round fighting the others, and the Tiger-Subduing Staff was heavy. He could not sustain such a fierce assault.

When the next strike swept over, its momentum was noticeably slower.

Zhou Yan sidestepped it, and the staff head slammed into a pile of rocks, wedged between two boulders.

The moment he tried to pull it free, his ribs were completely exposed.

Zhou Yan stepped forward.

Mountain-Breaking Fist, Stone-Rending!

His fist rose from below and struck Cao Heng's right ribs.

Cao Heng had barely opened his mouth when the second punch arrived, shooting straight into his temple.

Thud!

Cao Heng fell sideways to the ground, twitched twice, and went still.

Seeing this, Zhou Yan withdrew his fist.

On the other side of the ravine.

Lei Bao had just forced Zheng Tong against the cliff wall. He pushed the Iron Fiend Technique to its limit, held the Soul-Severing Ruler in a reverse grip, and was about to stab it into Zheng Tong's throat.

Something caught the corner of his eye, and he turned slightly.

He caught sight of the Mountain-Breaking Fist Zhou Yan had just used.

Lei Bao's pupils constricted.

He knew this fist technique all too well. The young gang leader had practiced the Mountain-Breaking Fist for two years, and Lei Bao had watched him countless times.

This farm boy's stance was exactly the same as the young gang leader's.

Mountain-Breaking Fist—and at the Minor Accomplishment level!

Half a year ago, the young gang leader had taken several brothers into the mountains and never returned.

The gang leader had sent out wave after wave of men to search for him, but they had found neither the living nor the dead.

This man's Mountain-Breaking Fist had reached Minor Accomplishment. The young gang leader had to be dead.

It felt as though something exploded in Lei Bao's mind.

"Mountain-Breaking Fist!" His voice thundered through the ravine. "Where did you learn it?!"

When Zhou Yan remained silent, Lei Bao no longer needed an answer.

"You killed him!"

With a furious roar, he swept his ruler sideways.

The iron ruler struck Zheng Tong's saber with a shriek of tearing wind. Zheng Tong's collarbone had already been shattered, and the blow numbed his entire right arm.

Lei Bao immediately turned, leveling the iron ruler at Zhou Yan.

The killing intent of the Body Tempering Peak crashed toward him like a sudden downpour, Zheng Tong's blood still dripping from the ruler's tip.

The iron ruler smashed down at his head.

The Iron Fiend Technique was driven to its limit, making the ruler hum and howl.

Zhou Yan raised his firewood cleaver crosswise.

With a loud clang, the web between his thumb and forefinger split open, blood seeping through his fingers.

The cleaver flew from his grasp and splashed into the stream beside them.

The Soul-Severing Ruler Technique specialized in close-range combat, its tip aimed specifically at joints.

Knees, shoulders, wrists—every move sought to cripple.

Zhou Yan hurriedly dodged. The ruler tip grazed his shoulder and ripped open a wound, exposing flesh as blood ran down his arm.

The next instant!

The iron ruler shot toward his throat!

Zhou Yan dropped halfway down and avoided the strike.

Mountain-Breaking Fist, Monument-Splitting!

His fist drove straight ahead and struck Lei Bao squarely in the chest.

Bang!

The punch felt like it had hit an iron plate, sending pain shooting through Zhou Yan's fist.

With the Iron Fiend Technique protecting him, Lei Bao only took half a step back. The iron hue on his chest turned pale. He looked down, then sneered. "An Early Body Tempering brat thinks he can break the Iron Fiend Technique?"

Just as he was about to draw back his ruler and attack again, a sharp flash of saber light appeared behind him.

Zheng Tong had crawled up from the streambank.

His right arm could no longer rise, but his left hand held a short saber.

The Drifting Cloud Saber Technique was light and agile in its movements, but it was actually a dual-saber art!

This was also the signature skill of White Cloud Martial Hall.

A long saber in the right hand and a short saber in the left had to work together to unleash the technique's full power.

He knew that if they did not join forces, Zhou Yan would die first, and then it would be his turn.

The saber tip stabbed toward Lei Bao's lower back.

Lei Bao had no time to draw back his ruler. He twisted aside, and the blade grazed his waist, opening a cut.

The Iron Fiend Technique protected his body, so the wound was not deep.

But that strike held Lei Bao back.

Zheng Tong's left-hand saber slashed repeatedly. The Drifting Cloud Saber emphasized speed, but his collarbone was shattered and his breathing unsteady. Every slash trembled.

One slash went for the throat, and Lei Bao tilted his head aside.

One diagonal chop was blocked by the iron ruler.

One strike aimed for the wrist. Lei Bao drew back his hand half a beat too slowly, and the saber tip knocked the ruler aside.

Zhou Yan came around from behind the boulder.

As Lei Bao pushed the Iron Fiend Technique with all his strength, the iron color covered his body evenly, except for one spot beneath his right ribs that was half a shade lighter.

"His ribs!" Zhou Yan shouted.

Zheng Tong heard him and launched a frontal assault with the Drifting Cloud Saber, each strike faster than the last. Lei Bao blocked with his iron ruler, three loud clangs ringing out in succession.

The left-hand saber lacked strength, and every strike was knocked away, but Zheng Tong did not retreat. He forced Lei Bao to face him head-on.

Zhou Yan seized the opportunity and lunged in from the side.

Mountain-Breaking Fist, Stone-Rending.

His fist struck Lei Bao's right ribs. The flow of the Iron Fiend Technique faltered, and the iron color across Lei Bao's body instantly faded.

Before he could adjust.

Squelch!

Zheng Tong's saber flashed again. The final move of the Drifting Cloud Saber pierced through the Iron Fiend Technique's protection and plunged into Lei Bao's left waist.

It sank three or four inches into flesh.

Lei Bao let out a muffled groan and swung the Soul-Severing Ruler backhandedly, the tip carrying all his strength as it smashed into Zheng Tong's left shoulder.

Crack!

Zheng Tong's left shoulder shattered as well, sending him flying.

Lei Bao staggered a step.

A saber was lodged in his left waist, while the flow around his right ribs was already in disarray.

He hurriedly turned around, only to find Zhou Yan already behind him.

Mountain-Breaking Fist, third move: Mountain-Crushing!

His foot stamped down, crushing the pebbles beneath it.

Power traveled from his legs through his waist, from his waist through his shoulder, and from his shoulder into his fist.

The strongest strike of the Mountain-Breaking Fist, its force pierced straight through.

One punch slammed into Lei Bao's back, the shock traveling into his heart.

Lei Bao gasped wildly, blood foam pouring uncontrollably from his mouth.

The iron ruler slipped from his hand and clattered against the rocks. His knees struck the ground, and his entire body collapsed, motionless.

The ravine fell silent.

Zhou Yan stood nearby, breathing heavily.

His shoulder wound was still bleeding, and the web of his hand was split open, but they were all superficial injuries.

Zheng Tong lay flat on a rock.

Both his shoulders were shattered, and his chest rose and fell in shallow, hurried breaths.

He had heard what Lei Bao said.

Half a year ago, the Azure Cloud Gang's young gang leader had vanished, and the entire Azure Cloud Gang had searched for him like mad.

They still had not found him. Zheng Tong had never expected that this farm boy in coarse hemp clothes had killed the Azure Cloud Gang's young gang leader.

Zheng Tong coughed, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

"How long have you practiced martial arts?"

"Not long."

"It is no easy feat for a farmer to enter Body Tempering. Who taught you?"

"I practiced on my own."

Zheng Tong did not press further.

This man had no resources and no instructor, yet had reached Body Tempering alone. Either he was a genius or he was lying.

But at this point, neither possibility mattered!

"I thought you were just a farmer, but since you practice martial arts too, once the mountain ginseng is sold, I'll give you thirty percent." Every word Zheng Tong spoke seemed squeezed through clenched teeth. "It should fetch over a hundred taels. Thirty percent would be thirty taels, enough to buy plenty of Body-Tempering Decoction and train properly."

When Zhou Yan said nothing.

Zheng Tong continued, "You've entered Body Tempering. I can tell you have a foundation in Stake Stance and fist techniques, but without guidance, you won't get far. I can put in a word with the instructors at White Cloud Martial Hall. You won't have to pay an apprenticeship fee. You can sit in on lessons and train with others. You'll even earn a few taels a month."

"That's far easier than doing farm work here!"

His right hand could not move, his left shoulder was shattered, and there was no saber within reach. He was little different from a prisoner.

Several steps separated the two of them.

"Five Azure Cloud Gang members died. The two men you brought out died too. How will you explain it when you return?" Zhou Yan suddenly asked.

Zheng Tong coughed and answered cautiously, "I'll say Lei Bao led his men to rob us, and our people fought them to the death. Sun Ping and Zhao Laosi also died in the fight. I won't mention you, and I won't reveal even a trace of your identity or strength. You have nothing to do with this matter."

Zhou Yan said nothing.

Zheng Tong stared at him, unease beginning to rise in his heart.

He had not accepted the offer of thirty percent, nor had he accepted the arrangement regarding the Azure Cloud Gang.

From the beginning until now, he had remained several steps away—not too far, not too close, perfectly safe.

"Come give me a hand. I can't get up on my own," Zheng Tong suddenly said.

After thinking for a moment, Zhou Yan stepped forward twice.

But just as he approached, Zheng Tong's expression abruptly changed.

His feet kicked off the ground, and his entire body sprang up low against the earth.

No saber? He would use his head. At Body Tempering Great Accomplishment, his physical abilities were naturally stronger than Zhou Yan's, who had only recently entered Body Tempering.

He was gambling with his life!

Zhou Yan seemed to have expected it.

His left hand clamped down on Zheng Tong's nape and forced him downward, while his right knee drove up from below, striking him squarely in the throat.

A cracking sound rang out.

Zheng Tong's eyes bulged wide, a gurgling sound coming from his throat.

Both knew that only by killing the other could they survive, but in the end, Zhou Yan was still the better man.

"Alas, I hadn't planned to kill you. But you know too much. If I let you return to the county seat, I'd be the one who died."

Zhou Yan caught his breath and began searching the bodies.

From Zheng Tong's robes, he pulled out a yellowish-brown mountain ginseng stained with blood.

There were also ten taels of loose silver. Sun Ping and Zhao Laosi had a little over five taels between them.

The ones who truly carried money were the Azure Cloud Gang members.

People from gangs who lived with their heads on the line usually kept their wealth on them.

There was a cloth pouch in Lei Bao's robes containing twenty-two or twenty-three taels of loose silver, several dozen copper coins, and a small celadon bottle. Inside was a dark-red pill, which looked like a Qi Gathering Pill.

The other Azure Cloud Gang disciples had miscellaneous items on them: three packets of Body-Tempering Decoction and four or five taels of loose silver in total.

While searching Lei Bao's body, Zhou Yan also found an iron token in his robes.

It was the size of a palm. One side was engraved with "Azure Cloud," and the other with "Bao."

None of these men carried any cultivation manuals.

Zhou Yan then dragged the corpses one by one into a crevice deep within the ravine, stacking them two layers high.

He gathered some rotten leaves and loose stones, covering the bodies layer by layer.

After dragging the last corpse away, Zhou Yan straightened his back.

Suddenly, he felt a chill at the back of his neck.

The chill seeped out from deep within a crack in the rocks behind him.

He turned back and saw only darkness within the crevice, its bottom invisible.

His back tensed.

After one final glance at the crevice, he turned away, his steps much quicker than when he had come.