Ambush

As winter approached, the temperature grew colder, freezing the Twin Snake Gang members until their bodies stiffened and they shivered slightly.

She Qing hid beside an old tree, keeping his eyes fixed on the movements ahead without blinking.

Tonight, he had nearly brought out his entire force, over twenty men. If Qin Yang didn't show, it would be a massive blow to his authority.

Another hour passed.

Aside from the occasional sounds of wild beasts, there was no movement.

She Qing's patience was slowly wearing thin.

"Could Qin Yang have changed his route at the last minute?"

"Or was I tricked by that bastard Sun Erhu?"

She Qing grew more and more restless in his heart.

Another half hour passed like this.

The temperature turned even more biting.

She Qing was a Blood Moving Martial Artist, able to circulate his blood and energy without much trouble.

But his men couldn't manage the same.

Even the burly Zhao Mengzhuang had his lips turning white from the cold.

"Boss, maybe we should call it off tonight."

"Let's head back first and see what's going on."

Jiang Mei spoke softly, risking She Qing's anger.

She Qing ground his teeth. "Wait another half hour!"

"If he hasn't come by then, we'll go back."

Hearing this, the others could only grit their teeth and tough it out.

Not long after.

She Qing saw a faint white glow on the horizon.

A whole night had passed.

"Damn it!"

"Let's go!"

She Qing didn't bother with futile struggle.

The Twin Snake Gang members, stiff from a night in the cold, heard She Qing's order and leaped out from their ambush spots one after another.

The group simply left the Dense Forest.

They had no vigilance at all, only thinking about getting back to warm up.

Just as they stepped out of the Dense Forest—

Swish, swish, swish~~~

A sharp, piercing whistle of wind.

Seven or eight streaks of black light tore through the cold wind and shot over.

"Watch out!"

She Qing's scalp tingled at the sound, and he roared loudly.

Thud, thud, thud!

The next second, five or six people were hit by arrows, falling with screams.

In an instant, the Twin Snake Gang members panicked, hurriedly drawing their blades.

Creak~

She Qing heard another sound of a taut bowstring.

Swish, swish, swish~~

Another seven or eight streaks of light flew in, viciously piercing the bodies of Twin Snake Gang disciples, claiming lives one by one.

Zhao Mengzhuang was too big, his target the most obvious.

And because he'd been frozen all night, his reaction was a beat too slow—an arrow pierced his heart, and he thudded to the ground!

"Damn it!"

She Qing's eyes nearly split with rage, the fury twisting his face.

He hadn't expected to be ambushed near the entrance of the Dense Forest.

His gaze swept through the forest, finally locking onto a figure.

Swish~

His figure moved like a snake, stepping in a bizarre pattern to dodge the incoming arrows, and thrust his sword at that figure.

The figure let out a sinister laugh and hurled the pitch-black crossbow in his hand with brutal force.

She Qing frowned slightly, his longsword flicking upward to slice the crossbow cleanly apart.

Just as he moved to strike again—

"Kill!"

The figure roared, charging like a boulder, and slammed a heavy fist into She Qing's blade.

Clang!

Like a hammer striking metal.

A fierce, explosive force shuddered through the sword, nearly snapping She Qing's wrist.

A Blood Moving Martial Artist!

Only a Blood Moving Martial Artist could unleash such terrifying power.

Shock surged through him. He tried to swing his sword in retaliation, but the dull crack of a fist splitting the air reached his ears first.

Left with no choice, She Qing slapped out with his left hand.

Aside from his swordsmanship, he had also trained in the Crimson Jade Palm Technique.

His palm flushed red, turning as hard as jade.

Boom!

Fist met palm.

She Qing felt as if his left hand was about to shatter.

The opponent's fist was overwhelmingly domineering, heavy as a thousand jun.

Still, She Qing used the momentum to leap backward, putting five or six meters between them.

"You're Qin Yang?"

She Qing steadied himself, let out a muffled grunt, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

The man before him—sturdy build, handsome features, fair skin, a smile on his face—who else could it be but Qin Yang?

Qin Yang grinned, stomped his feet, and shot toward She Qing.

He wouldn't give him a moment to catch his breath.

She Qing frantically circulated his blood and qi, swinging his right hand to strike with the sword.

Knowing the weight of Qin Yang's punches, he dared not clash head-on. The longsword traced an eerie arc, stabbing at Qin Yang's throat.

But Qin Yang sidestepped, dodging the thrust, then raised his right elbow and burst forward, slamming into She Qing.

Arhat Bell Crash!

Thud!

She Qing's shoulder took a brutal hit, his shoulder blade feeling shattered by the elbow.

Pfft!

Still, he was ruthless. The longsword carved a gash across Qin Yang's abdomen.

Qin Yang winced in pain, roared, and hammered a barrage of heavy fists at She Qing.

In close quarters, he couldn't let She Qing create distance—he had to keep the fight up close.

The two clashed madly, the exchange perilous.

Elsewhere.

Uncle Qian led a group of guards, brandishing Steel Sabers as they charged.

He stormed toward Jiang Mei, swinging his blade with fierce gusts, showing no sign of age.

The other guards and Twin Snake Gang members were locked in a bloody brawl.

The scene descended into chaos and carnage.

Crash!

Another explosive punch.

She Qing screamed, stumbling back a dozen steps.

His face was battered and swollen, his body riddled with fractures and splits.

Qin Yang wasn't much better—his body covered in sword cuts, skin torn open, drenched in blood.

"Qin Yang... I underestimated you."

"If I'd known you had this strength, I'd never have provoked you back then."

She Qing gasped for air.

"Too bad there's no 'if.'"

"Anyone who messes with me dies."

Qin Yang grinned savagely.

"You're not qualified!" She Qing's eyes were icy cold.

He stepped into a bizarre gait, slithering like a Poison Snake, impossible to read.

He didn't draw his sword.

This move of his was called Spirit Snake Emerges from Cave.

The instant he struck, it would be the moment of death.

Qin Yang furrowed his brow slightly, but didn't retreat—he stood motionless.

An ordinary martial artist, faced with such a strange technique, would instinctively fall back to observe.

That would only build pressure in their heart, giving She Qing the opening to strike.

This was a game of wits in itself.

Qin Yang's refusal to retreat caught She Qing off guard.

But now, he couldn't retreat either.

If he did, Qin Yang would surely close in and unleash a ferocious assault.

He was like a Poison Snake prowling the wild plains, constantly shifting position, hunting for the chance to land a fatal blow.

Finally.

He drew his sword!

A brutal, bloody Killing Intent erupted from She Qing.

Like a spirit snake striking.

The long sword Flashed Out with a venomous, treacherous gleam, stabbing from the side toward Qin Yang's temple.

This strike held all of She Qing's strength.

His blood energy, his swordsmanship—all condensed into that single blow.

As the sinister sword light came, Qin Yang remained unmoved, neither sad nor glad.

Or rather.

He had entered a state of deep focus.

Zen Meditation.

This divine ability, derived from Arhat Fist, could be used even in battle.

In this state, his spiritual power was exceptionally sharp, capturing that thread of sword light.

Then.

He threw a punch.

With a low roar, his right fist carried a fierce, radiant aura—like golden light breaking through the dark of night—and blasted forward.

Arhat Demon Subduing!

Boom!

Under She Qing's horrified, despairing gaze, the vicious sword light grazed past Qin Yang's face.

At the same time.

A violent, monstrous force exploded against his chest.

Like a hundred-thousand-ton hammer smashing down!

Boom!!!