With a sizzle-
Amid a flash of cold light, the yellow ribbon split into several pieces. At the same time, a gale erupted within it, sending sand and stones flying and blowing every ice needle out of sight.
Then Wang Yu slowly emerged from the gale, a saber in one hand and a Silver Folding Fan in the other-the magical artifact known as the Profound Wind Fan.
The young married woman's expression changed drastically at the sight.
Wang Yu merely snorted. With a sudden swing of his arm, the saber in his hand became a streak of cold light that shot straight at her.
She cried out, but at such close range, she had no time to react. She could only watch helplessly as the cold light hurtled toward her, about to pierce her body, her eyes filled with despair.
Clang!
A gleaming spearhead suddenly shot out of the ground nearby, striking the saber in a flash and knocking it back.
Then, with a poof, dirt flew into the air nearby, and a figure shrouded in yellow light slowly rose from underground, holding a spear in one hand.
Wang Yu shifted and caught the returning saber, but when he saw the face of the figure within the yellow light, his expression turned rather strange.
Before he could say anything, however, the figure moved and somehow appeared right in front of him.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The spear in the figure's hand struck as fiercely as a venomous snake, thrusting at Wang Yu five times in rapid succession. Every thrust came from a treacherous angle and was exceedingly difficult to block.
With Overclocking synchronization active, Wang Yu slashed furiously with his saber, its clangs coming like a torrential downpour. Every slash precisely intercepted the spearhead.
Yet each time he blocked, he felt a peculiar vibration travel through the other man's spear. Even with his enhanced muscle control, he was still driven backward again and again.
By the time the figure finished those thrusts and darted back to his original position, Wang Yu had retreated five or six steps, once again widening the distance between himself and the young woman.
His arms felt numb, and his expression darkened as he stared at the spear-wielding figure opposite him.
The man no longer paid Wang Yu any attention. Instead, he turned to the young woman and said softly:
"Rou'er, I've come to take you away. Come with me."
This figure was none other than the Masked Young Man aboard the Magical Ship, whose mask covered half his face. Now, his gaze brimmed with affection as he looked at her.
"Brother Li, you're not going to kill me?" The young woman looked at the Masked Young Man, visibly flustered, and asked timidly.
"Why would I kill you? We grew up together as childhood sweethearts, and our hearts were in harmony. I even personally gave you the Li Household's ancestral heirloom as a betrothal gift. Later, disaster struck the Li Household, and my whereabouts became unknown. You had no choice but to marry into the Huang Household. I understand," the Masked Young Man said, his expression unchanged.
"I gave your Li Household's ancestral heirloom to the Huang Household as part of my dowry. You don't blame me for that either?" She bit her lip, seemingly still unable to believe him.
"I already regarded you as the mistress of the Li Household. Once I gave it to you, it naturally became yours. Whatever you did with it afterward, I would never resent you," the Masked Young Man replied softly, without hesitation.
The young woman stood rooted to the spot, stunned by his words.
Beside them, Wang Yu was also left dumbfounded.
This Masked Young Man looked so cool, yet he was actually a simp.
"All right, Brother Li. I can come with you, but first you must help me kill this little wretch. Once I see him die before my eyes, I'll go with you." After hearing the Masked Young Man's words, she stood there hesitating for a while. But when her gaze swept toward Wang Yu, hatred welled up in her heart again, and she spoke to the Masked Young Man without further hesitation.
Hearing this, Wang Yu inwardly cursed her viciously. He tightened his grip on his saber and looked coldly at the Masked Young Man.
Although he did not know the man's cultivation level, his spear technique was truly formidable. Had Wang Yu not activated Overclocking mode, those thrusts would likely have been very difficult to withstand.
"You want me to kill him? His cultivation may not be high, but he's far from weak. If I attack, we could very well both end up badly injured." The Masked Young Man glanced at Wang Yu and frowned.
"Brother Li, I know how powerful your Li Household's Thundering Spear is. If you use your full strength, you can definitely kill him. Besides, I'll help you from the side. As long as you avenge my husband's death, I'll be yours from now on." Driven by hatred, the young woman did everything she could to persuade him.
"Avenge your husband's death? Even now, you still consider yourself a member of the Huang Household!" The Masked Young Man's gaze changed, and his voice abruptly turned cold.
"No, that's not it. Brother Li, I only want to fulfill my duty as Huang Lang's wife one last time. As long as you help me kill this little wretch, I'll be yours from now on. In the future, I'll certainly..." Flustered by his words, she hurried to explain.
Thud!
The gleaming spearhead pierced her chest with the speed of thunder that left no time to cover one's ears, driving clean through her heart.
She lowered her head to look at the crimson stain on her chest, then lifted it again to look at the Masked Young Man standing within arm's reach, her face still full of disbelief.
"Brother Li, you..."
"You want to remain one of the Huang Household, and you cannot forget your husband, so I'll send you on your way. If I cannot have your heart, then disappear from my memories forever, lest lingering attachment obstruct my Dao Path." The Masked Young Man spoke indifferently. With another flick of his wrist, a burst of blazing fire erupted from the crimson spearhead and instantly engulfed her.
The young woman let out agonized screams within the flames.
"No, Brother Li, I was wrong! Spare me! I'll devote myself wholeheartedly to you from now on. If you kill me, you'll never get your Li Household's ancestral heirloom back... no... I curse you, you..."
Her screams grew fainter and fainter amid the flames, until she made no sound at all.
Watching her burn to ashes, Wang Yu felt his heart turn cold and a chill run down his back.
As a university student who had lived in the modern world, when had he ever witnessed anything like this? This man is a psychopath! he kept screaming inwardly. I have to stay far away from him.
Then the Masked Young Man shook his spear and drew it behind his back. He took a piece of golden wood about a foot long from inside his robes, stroked it gently twice, and spoke expressionlessly to the young woman's remains.
"Rou'er, you needn't worry about the Li Household's heirloom. I already slipped into the Huang Household and took it back. Otherwise, why would the Huang Household's men have tried to force their way aboard to conduct a search before the ship departed? Hmph. A petty lineage without even a Foundation Establishment cultivator dared covet what belonged to our Li Household. Sooner or later, I'll wipe out the Huang Household."
Only after saying this did the Masked Young Man look toward Wang Yu again, his gaze sinister and icy, seemingly devoid of all emotion.
Wang Yu finally understood. So the two men from the Huang Household who had forced their way aboard the Iron Arrow that day had been after this man.
But when the Masked Young Man turned his gaze on him, Wang Yu's heart lurched. He tucked the Silver Folding Fan into his sleeve and quickly drew a small iron shield from inside his robes, holding it before him. With his other hand, he slid his saber back into his belt, kept one hand pressed to its hilt, and addressed the man coldly.
"Do you still intend to fight?"
"There's no need. You took Huang Qiyue's Iron Essence Shield and killed members of the Huang Household. That makes you a friend rather than an enemy to me. Let's pretend we never met today and go our separate ways." After studying the iron shield in Wang Yu's hand for a moment, the Masked Young Man suddenly smiled. Then he put the golden wood back inside his robes and strode toward the dense forest to one side.
Wang Yu was momentarily startled that the young man recognized the small iron essence shield, but when he saw him leaving, he let out a great inward sigh of relief.
The man's strength was unfathomable, and Wang Yu had no desire to fight him to the death either. He immediately headed in the opposite direction.
Whoosh!
Just as the Masked Young Man reached the edge of the woods, he suddenly shot backward. After twisting through the air at a low height, he landed in the middle of the clearing again, his expression dark as he stared toward the woods.
Wang Yu froze, and his departing footsteps immediately stopped as well.
Clap! Clap!
"I never would have imagined that arriving a little late would let me witness such a fine show. Boy, is this Li Household you spoke of the Firebird Li Lineage of Yue Province that was exterminated ten years ago? And that piece of wood you're carrying must be the legendary thousand-year parasol tree wood."
Another short figure emerged from the edge of the woods, clapping as he stared greedily at the Masked Young Man. A severed head hung from his waist.
It was the Dwarf, Qian Kunzi.
As for that head, its face was twisted and filled with venomous hatred. Judging by its features, it was none other than Yu Bintian.
Before you continue