"Buzz..."
The Four Symbols Sword Array rose, and wind and clouds changed color.
The Inner Force of four Half-step Innate masters linked as one through the formation, transforming into a visible azure vortex that completely enveloped Lu Shaoyou, horse and all.
Sword qi crisscrossed, peerlessly sharp, slicing the air with explosive "hiss hiss" sounds. Sand and stones on the ground were swept up and instantly ground into powder.
The martial artists watching from far behind felt a sharp aura rush at their faces, pricking their skin with pain as though countless tiny blades were scraping across their faces. Their expressions changed in horror, and they retreated again.
"It's the Qingcheng Sword Sect's Four Symbols Sword Array! They say this formation is exquisitely profound—when four people join forces, they can even slay an Innate master!"
"Lu Shaoyou is in trouble now! No matter how strong he is, he's only one man!"
"The Four Swords of Qingcheng truly live up to their name! This is the foundation of a righteous, prestigious sect!"
The crowd discussed fervently, their gazes fixed on the battlefield with reverence and anticipation.
Yet Lu Shaoyou, standing at the heart of the sword formation, showed no change in expression.
He did not even touch the Qi Mei Cudgel hanging from his saddle. He merely sat on horseback, studying the rapidly spinning sword lights around him with interest, as though watching an acrobatic performance.
After a moment, he seemed to have grown tired of it and gently shook his head.
"Flashy nonsense. Not worth a single blow."
His voice was not loud, yet it clearly pierced through the howling sword qi and reached the ears of the Four Swords of Qingcheng.
"Arrogant!"
The hot-tempered Chu Yan roared and struck first.
"Azure Dragon Probes Its Claw!"
With a flick of his longsword, the sword light surged, turning into an azure dragon phantom that bared its fangs and brandished its claws as it lunged for Lu Shaoyou's chest.
At the same time, the other three attacked together.
"White Tiger Bears a Corpse!"
"Vermilion Bird Spreads Its Wings!"
"Black Tortoise Clears the Way!"
Three equally fierce sword lights came from the other three directions, sealing every path of retreat for Lu Shaoyou. The Four Symbols struck as one, killing intent laid bare, determined to kill him in a single blow!
Facing an attack that would have driven any expert below the Innate realm to despair, Lu Shaoyou finally moved.
He did not dodge, nor did he block.
He merely slowly raised his right hand.
It was a very ordinary hand, with long fingers and distinct knuckles.
Yet the instant it rose, its five fingers bent slightly, like an eagle's claw and a dragon's form. A faint, nearly invisible golden radiance curled around his fingertips.
Secret technique, Dragon Claw Hand!
"Clink!"
A soft, almost inaudible crisp sound rang out.
Lu Shaoyou casually extended two fingers and caught the tip of Chu Yan's lightning-fast sword with flawless precision.
The violent sword qi, powerful enough to split steles and shatter rocks, vanished without a trace the instant it touched his fingertips, like a clay ox entering the sea.
The savage grin on Chu Yan's face instantly froze. His pupils contracted sharply, his eyes filled with disbelief.
He felt as though his sword had struck an ancient divine mountain. No matter how he urged his Inner Force, he could not advance it even an inch.
"You..."
He had only uttered a single word.
Lu Shaoyou lightly twisted the two fingers holding the sword tip.
"Crack!"
That treasured sword, capable of cutting iron like mud, snapped at once!
Chu Yan felt an irresistible, terrifying force surge back through the broken sword. The web between his thumb and forefinger instantly split apart, blood spraying wildly. He flew backward as though struck by lightning.
Lu Shaoyou did not even spare him a glance. With a backhand flick, the broken sword tip in his hand became a cold gleam faster than lightning.
"Pfft!"
Chu Yan, still flying backward through the air, gained a bloody hole between his brows. Without even a groan, he completely lost all breath.
Slaughter Value +2000 points.
One move broke the formation and killed one man!
That scene, unfolding in the span between a hare's leap and a falcon's dive, left the remaining three trembling with terror!
"Junior Brother!"
"That's impossible!"
The pride and confidence in Xiao Yi, Qin Feng, and Wei Shan's hearts were shattered at that moment, replaced by endless fear.
The Four Symbols Sword Array they had taken such pride in was as fragile as a joke before him!
"Retreat!"
Xiao Yi made a swift decision and let out a shrill roar.
However, it was already too late.
Lu Shaoyou's figure swayed faintly atop the horse's back, then vanished from the spot like a ghost.
Lingbo Weibu!
The next instant, he appeared before Qin Feng.
Qin Feng was horrified. Without a second thought, he turned his sword and stabbed.
Lu Shaoyou ignored him entirely. The Dragon Claw Hand shot out directly, striking after yet arriving first, and seized Qin Feng by the throat.
"Crack!"
A crisp sound of breaking bones rang out.
Qin Feng's head drooped at a grotesque angle.
Slaughter Value +2000 points.
Wei Shan was so frightened that his soul nearly left his body. He turned and tried to flee.
But the moment he turned, he felt a chill on his back. A palm had already pressed against the center of his back.
"Boom!"
Pale golden Innate true qi surged into him, instantly destroying all his meridians and internal organs.
Wei Shan's body stiffened. Blood flowed from his seven orifices, and he toppled straight forward.
Slaughter Value +2000 points.
In the blink of an eye, only Xiao Yi, the leader of the Four Swords of Qingcheng, remained.
He stood rooted to the spot, staring at the corpses of his three junior brothers, shaking like chaff in a sieve.
"Devil... you... you're a devil!"
He finally understood that the rumors had not merely failed to exaggerate—they had vastly underestimated the horror of the young man before him!
This was not Innate. This was one of the Gods and Devils!
Lu Shaoyou's figure appeared soundlessly before him, looking down at him from above.
"My master is True Man Songyue, the Qingcheng Sword Sect's sect master! He is an Xiantian Mid-stage master! If you kill me, he will never let you go!"
Under the threat of death, Xiao Yi brought out his greatest support.
Lu Shaoyou remained expressionless. He merely extended a finger and pointed it at Xiao Yi's brow.
"So what?"
"Pfft."
Xiao Yi's threat came to an abrupt halt, and the last light in his eyes completely died out.
Slaughter Value +2000 points.
The wind swept over the official road once more.
Only this time, it carried not sand and stones, but a dense stench of blood.
The Four Swords of Qingcheng, four young talents renowned throughout Azure Province, had become four cold corpses just like that.
In the distance, those martial artists who had watched the battle were completely numb.
Their minds were blank, no longer capable of thought.
They merely instinctively remembered that golden dragon claw which seemed able to crush everything, and that terrifying finger which could decide life and death with a light touch.
They finally understood one thing as well.
The Blood Saber Sect's fifty thousand taels of silver was not a bounty—it was a borrowed blade for murder! It was bait cast by Xue Yutang, meant to eliminate dissidents while testing Lu Shaoyou's true depth!
The Four Swords of Qingcheng were the first batch of fools to be used.
Lingshui City, Giant Whale Gang headquarters.
An urgent intelligence report was delivered before Li Changge and Wei Tuo.
"Gang Leader, something has happened!" Wei Tuo's expression became exceptionally ugly after reading the report. "The Four Swords of Qingcheng intercepted Lu Shaoyou on the official road and were... were all slain by Lu Shaoyou!"
Li Changge's pupils contracted as well.
"What ruthless methods Xue Yutang has!" He instantly saw through the connections. "He intends to use Lu Shaoyou's hand to eliminate the Qingcheng Sword Sect's future, then use the Qingcheng Sword Sect's fury to push Lu Shaoyou completely to the opposite side of Azure Province's martial world!"
Wei Tuo urgently said, "Exactly! Gang Leader, this is a chain of schemes! Lu Shaoyou killed the Four Swords of Qingcheng. True Man Songyue, the Qingcheng Sword Sect's sect master, certainly will not let this rest! We must warn Lu Shaoyou at once and let him know that Soul Severing Cliff in Blazing Fire City is a trap through and through!"
This time, Wei Tuo's tone was exceptionally resolute.
Lu Shaoyou was a blade too swift and too sharp.
If he were to break beneath Xue Yutang's plots and schemes like this, it would be an enormous loss to the Giant Whale Gang.
Li Changge's fingers tapped rapidly against the tabletop as he fell into thought.
Showing goodwill to Lu Shaoyou meant assuming the risk of being simultaneously treated as enemies by the Blood Saber Sect and the Qingcheng Sword Sect.
But if they did nothing and watched helplessly as he fell into the trap...
Wei Tuo watched the wavering Li Changge, gritted his teeth, and added more weight to his argument. "Gang Leader! Though this man acts ruthlessly, he is not unreasonable."
"Black Wind Village, Xiong Jiaojiao—everyone he killed deserved to die."
"The Black Wind Seven Fiends and the Four Swords of Qingcheng provoked him of their own accord. They brought it upon themselves."
"He is a fierce tiger. So long as we do not provoke him first, his claws and fangs will only be turned upon our enemies!"
Hearing this, Li Changge finally stopped tapping his fingers. A trace of resolve flashed through his eyes.
"Good!" he said in a deep voice. "Then we'll gamble once!"
"Mobilize our fastest Flying Fish spies. Before Lu Shaoyou reaches Blazing Fire City, make certain to inform him of Xue Yutang's conspiracy and everything about True Man Songyue! Let him know that the appointment at Soul Severing Cliff is meant to turn him into the public enemy of the martial world!"
"Yes!" Wei Tuo was overjoyed and immediately accepted the order before departing.
Blood Saber Sect, Blood Saber Peak.
Xue Yutang sat in the main hall, playing with a carrier pigeon in his hand.
A scout had just reported that the Four Swords of Qingcheng had been completely wiped out.
Upon hearing this news, Xue Yutang showed not the slightest surprise. Instead, a strange and cruel smile appeared on his face.
"Trash will always be trash."
He muttered to himself, then took out a letter that had long been prepared from his robes and stuffed it into the bamboo tube beneath the carrier pigeon's leg.
Every word on the letter was written in blood and tears, brimming with sincere emotion.
He walked outside the hall and released his hand.
The carrier pigeon flapped its wings and soared into the sky, flying swiftly toward Mount Qingcheng.
"Lu Shaoyou, Lu Shaoyou. The more you kill, the faster you will die."
Xue Yutang watched the departing carrier pigeon, the smile at the corner of his lips growing ever colder.
His plan had only just begun.
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