On the mountain road.
Scattered goods and corpses lay everywhere. Those still fighting, even if they were not martial artists, were strong men who had trained for years and possessed abundant stamina. In the future, nearly all of them could become martial artists.
Gu Family Village's declining momentum had been greatly reversed by Gu Sheng's divine archery.
Though they were still at a slight disadvantage, it was no longer the one-sided situation from before.
Aside from the beginning, when bandits and villagers had constantly fallen, their strengths were now actually not far apart. Blades flashed and swords clashed as both sides traded blows, locked in a stalemate.
Gu Sheng spotted Gu Xiaojiang among them.
The youth his own age wielded a fine steel sword. His swordsmanship was disciplined and formidable, and he was fighting a bandit martial artist together with another village guard.
Fifteen was the age at which youths outside the main branch were allowed to train in martial arts, a path the village had left open for them. As for the main branch's youths, they could begin training early as long as their muscles and bones had fully developed.
It seemed highly unfair, but in many villages and strongholds controlled by main branches, those at the bottom did not even have the chance to practice martial arts.
Relatively speaking,
Gu Family Village was already rather humane. At the very least, it had left the lowest-ranked villagers a path forward.
"Everyone, listen up! Keep these sons of bitches here! Gu Jingang will be here soon, and we'll make these beasts pay!"
Gu Dajiang roared with furious eyes, continuing to bolster morale.
His broadsword shook, its blade tearing through the air with a piercing howl as it crashed into the spiked mace.
His palms went numb from the impact, but he ignored it and desperately clung to Wang Chong, fighting with utter disregard for his own life.
Watching Gu Renxu and so many familiar faces fall before him, this middle-aged man who looked like an old farmer was enraged!
Gu Family Village's morale continued to rise. With hope in sight, everyone threw themselves viciously at the enemy, wishing they could cleave them in two.
The bandits, meanwhile, began to panic.
A sharpshooter who never missed was watching them from the shadows, placing immense pressure on them already.
With the enemy's reinforcements about to arrive as well, the double pressure immediately made them want to retreat.
Yet Gu Family Village had no intention of letting them go. Even if they had to suffer severe wounds, they would keep these vicious bandits here.
Wang Chong's tiger eyes widened, the muscles in his arms bulging high as he swung his spiked mace with tremendous force, stirring up billowing dust as he tried to smash Gu Dajiang into pulp.
But Gu Dajiang was clearly no easy opponent. His iron-like hands wielded the long blade in broad, sweeping strokes while always holding something in reserve. Though at a disadvantage, he could not be taken down anytime soon.
The battle became completely deadlocked.
And a deadlock was good for Gu Family Village.
Gu Sheng and Gu Erniu watched the situation below, their hearts calming slightly.
They only needed to wait for Gu Jingang to arrive with his men, and everything would be settled.
Gu Sheng watched the martial artists fighting in the distance. Each was agile and sharp-sensed; he could not casually fire his remaining three Black Blood Powder arrows. He had to find the best opportunity.
Suddenly.
A scream rang out as a Gu Family Village martial artist's head flew high into the air. He had been beheaded with a single slash, blood spraying three feet high!
Gu Sheng's eyes narrowed. He saw a savage-looking bandit clutching a saber, his face an unnatural blood-red. The bandit cast a fierce glance toward the forest, then swiftly moved away to dodge.
"It's him! The bandit who killed Steward Gu Renxu!"
Gu Sheng's gaze turned incomparably cold. He had noticed this man earlier, but the bandit martial artist had been extremely alert and had not given him any chance to shoot.
He never expected the man to be so cunning. He had deliberately pretended to be evenly matched, all to lower the Gu Family Village martial artist's guard.
Now, Gu Sheng stopped shooting. He seemed to have guessed something. The bandit suddenly burst forth, his speed rising sharply as he beheaded the Gu Family Village martial artist facing him with one slash!
He wanted to break the stalemate. Otherwise, once Gu Family Village's reinforcements arrived, the bandits would have nowhere to bury themselves!
"Gu Nian!"
"Nianzi!"
Gu Family Village was filled with grief and fury. This was the first Gu Family Village martial artist to die.
The bandits' morale, on the other hand, surged.
Wang Chong threw back his head and laughed.
"Zhang Da, well done!"
"The Second Boss did beautifully!"
The bandit named Zhang Da gave a savage grin. Keeping part of his attention on the forest, he rushed toward Gu Xiaojiang.
"Gu Dajiang, waiting for reinforcements? I'll make you lose your heir first!!"
That wild laughter made everyone's expressions change. Gu Dajiang's fury blazed to the heavens, but this time Wang Chong was the one keeping him entangled, leaving him unable to break free at all.
Gu Sheng's heart also skipped a beat.
This bandit was no fool. He knew he could not interfere in the battle between Gu Dajiang and Wang Chong, two Blood Refining Realm martial artists. So he chose to besiege Wei to rescue Zhao, intending to capture Gu Xiaojiang and break the deadlock. If something happened on Gu Dajiang's side, the outcome was obvious. They might not even last until reinforcements arrived!
"I can't let him succeed!"
Gu Sheng's eyes turned icy. He nocked a Black Blood Powder arrow and stared at Zhang Da's cautious figure, searching for an opening.
Zhang Da moved with astonishing speed. He was clearly no ordinary Skin Refining stage martial artist. His sudden arrival made Gu Xiaojiang and the others turn pale in alarm.
Dealing with one martial artist had already been their limit. Now that an even stronger martial artist had arrived, their line immediately began to crumble.
Squelch!
Zhang Da's arm strength was astonishing. His sword pierced through a young man standing before Gu Xiaojiang as easily as if passing through thin paper.
The others wanted to help, but their own opponents held them tightly in check.
Gu Xiaojiang's face was white as paper. The murderous aura of the bandit before him pressed down so hard that he could barely breathe, and his eyes were full of unwillingness.
"Am I, Gu Xiaojiang, going to die like this today... I refuse to accept it! I still want to train in martial arts, I still want to lead Gu Family Village in destroying the Black Sand Gang! How can I die here? I refuse to accept it!"
His life's journey had only just begun, yet it was about to end. Bloodshot veins appeared in Gu Xiaojiang's eyes as he clenched his teeth and roared. The fine steel sword in his hand traced a profound arc, actually intercepting Zhang Da's saber.
But that was all.
A tremendous force struck him, sending Gu Xiaojiang flying high through the air. Zhang Da's strength was far beyond anything he could match. A crack of breaking bones rang out, and his muscles and bones went numb with pain as he collapsed in place, unable to move.
"Kid, you've got some skill. But before your Grandpa Zhang Da, you're still not worth mentioning!"
Zhang Da grinned viciously, the blood on his face still wet, making him look like an evil ghost.
He leaped forward, intending to finish Gu Xiaojiang with one slash.
Gu Xiaojiang's eyes were filled with unwillingness and bitterness. He looked toward his father, then threw back his head and roared.
"Father, hold on! Avenge me!!"
Gu Dajiang's eyes nearly split open. Pain and despair made his entire body tremble. Though he fought desperately to rush over, Wang Chong's obstruction slowed him too much. Before his very eyes, Zhang Da had already raised his saber high.
At that moment.
Whoosh!!
The familiar shrill whistle of an arrow suddenly rang out, making everyone's spirits shudder.
Gu Sheng had made his move!
Seizing that instant of carelessness when Zhang Da attacked, the arrow shot forth like a streak of lightning, crossing the battlefield in an instant. Its Black Blood Powder-coated tip glimmered with a ghostly light, radiating chilling cold.
Gu Sheng's eyes brimmed with killing intent.
Gu Renxu's tragic death remained vivid in his mind, making him more focused than ever before. The arrow spun as it flew, its speed incredibly fierce, even surpassing his previous limit.
Gu Family Village's side was invigorated, hope rising in their hearts.
Gu Xiaojiang especially felt life return to his eyes.
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