A corpse

"Li Xian, you really don't know you're at death's door! Kowtow and beg for mercy? You'll see!"

Yan Ruxue ground her teeth, then added, "You will see! You'll kneel and beg me to kill you!"

"If someone tries to kill me, I kill them in turn. Are you so confident because you think the one who dies today will be me, not you?"

Li Xian said, "Anything can happen in a fight to the death! I might die, or you might! Besides, if I choose to burn jade and stone alike, forsaking everything just to strike one saber blow at you, tell me, could I kill you?"

At these words, not only Yan Ruxue but also Ma Fu and Daoist Xuantie tensed.

Yan Ruxue could not endure the pain of Sinew Transformation and Bone Tempering. She did not even qualify as a Bone Tempering warrior. If Li Xian truly staked his life...

One slash aimed at her would mean certain death.

Even the two Blood Exchange martial masters might not be able to protect her.

But his next words came like a pill to calm the nerves, almost making Yan Ruxue choke herself into an internal injury.

"But today, I won't kill you."

He turned his gaze to Yan Kaigui. "I'll spare your lives and keep you as my hostages. Summon Zhang Shuheng, your royal manor's guard commander, as soon as possible! If you don't send for someone to rescue you, next time, I'll cut off your heads!"

He added, "You'd better be quick. He might still be able to kill me now. Wait another ten days or half a month, and you'll have no chance left."

"You..."

Yan Ruxue's chest heaved, her whole body trembling with rage.

But yesterday's brush with death remained vivid in her mind. Coupled with Li Xian's threat just now, she truly did not dare gamble her precious life on this mud-legged peasant's savagery.

Yan Kaigui, however, who already knew that Zhou Juechen had exchanged several portions of Precious Jade Soup for him last night, realized something. "You're about to break through in martial cultivation?"

"Yes."

Li Xian acknowledged it calmly.

With the effects of the Blood Spirit Powder, he would reach major accomplishment in blood exchange and marrow washing in another ten days or half a month.

And he had long since fully comprehended primordial unity.

Once he reached major accomplishment in blood exchange and marrow washing, he would naturally enter the realm of the impervious body, like water flowing into a channel.

That would, of course, mean another breakthrough in his martial realm.

"Make the King of Yue's heir and the young commandery princess your hostages?"

At this point, Daoist Xuantie spoke. "Young man, aren't you looking down on us a little too much?"

"Hah. Youngsters these days really aren't afraid of spraining their tongues with all their big talk. We're not dead yet."

Ma Fu also snorted coldly.

"You can't beat me. If you really fight, you'll be two corpses."

Li Xian swept his gaze over them and said bluntly, "Though I know you might not believe me, and I even know you're sitting here to kill me, deeds matter, not thoughts. In the end, you haven't acted yet, and I'm no unreasonable, bloodthirsty demon. So I can give you a chance. Leave now, and I'll let bygones be bygones."

"Two corpses?"

Daoist Xuantie slammed the table and shot to his feet. "Li Xian! You're far too arrogant!"

"Hah."

Ma Fu leaned back, sitting with his legs spread in a commanding posture. "I'll sit right here and refuse to leave. Come, let me see just what you're capable of, junior!"

"Nothing much. Just beating you to death."

Li Xian nodded in satisfaction. "Everyone must answer for their own decisions. You want to kill me, and I want to kill you. So fists and feet have no eyes. Whether we live or die is up to fate."

His gaze encompassed both Daoist Xuantie and Ma Fu. "Which of you will go first?"

Then he added, "Or will you both come together?"

Ma Fu and Daoist Xuantie exchanged a glance.

They had agreed beforehand that Ma Fu would have to hold off Zhou Juechen, who had reached perfection in blood exchange and marrow washing. Naturally, the crucial task of killing Li Xian fell to Daoist Xuantie.

At once, Daoist Xuantie shouted fiercely.

"You insolent brat!"

The next instant, he attacked.

Mentally prepared for a deadly fight, he had brought his sword.

As he struck, his sword flashed from its sheath, trailing a fierce streak of sword light as it thrust toward Li Xian like lightning.

Almost at the same moment he shouted and drew his sword, Li Xian, who had been watching for a way to beat them to death, moved as well.

Power erupted beneath his feet, launching him forward as though from a catapult. As Daoist Xuantie drew and thrust his sword, Li Xian had already kicked the table in front of his former seat. The entire table flew up, instantly blocking the space between them, while the tea and pastries on it scattered everywhere.

But such a trick posed hardly any threat to Daoist Xuantie.

His sword light swept out, shattering and shredding the airborne table. Then his sword drove straight through, with the force of splitting bamboo...

Bang!

Sparks burst out.

The saber Li Xian had likewise brought flashed with cold light, striking Daoist Xuantie's sword with unerring precision.

Amid the flying sparks, Li Xian lunged forward to kill. His left hand moved as swiftly as a roaming dragon, seizing a sharp splinter from the shattered wooden table with exquisite precision. Holding it like a dagger, he thrust it forward like lightning as saber and sword clashed.

So fast and fierce was that sharp point that by the time Daoist Xuantie saw it clearly, the splinter was less than a foot from his abruptly widening eye.

So fast! This explosive power...

A chill seized Daoist Xuantie's heart.

He twisted aside as fast as he could.

Although he turned his body and avoided the wooden spike, Li Xian's lethal advance did not pause in the slightest.

One step ahead meant every step ahead!

His right foot stamped heavily against the floor, and Li Xian surged forward again. Power drove through his shoulder as he charged, smashing it viciously toward Daoist Xuantie's chest.

Although Daoist Xuantie reacted extremely quickly, spreading the fingers of his left hand to block in front of himself, the tremendous force of the shoulder strike still hurled this blood exchange and marrow washing martial master backward. He flew five or six meters and slammed into the protective wooden railing, breaking it on the spot.

As the railing broke, Daoist Xuantie swayed, almost falling to the first floor.

But he reacted extremely quickly. With exceptional agility, he kicked against the floor, and his seventy-odd-kilogram body sprang into the air with astonishing lightness, heading straight for the opposite side.

Almost as soon as he leaped, Li Xian was already pursuing him.

Although he had not used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique, the astonishing explosive power granted by the Blood Jade Art still allowed him to move second yet arrive first, even against a martial master like Daoist Xuantie, who had reached major accomplishment in blood exchange and marrow washing.

Thus, as Daoist Xuantie leaped, trying to reach the opposite side, Li Xian had already hurtled through the air above him.

His saber cleaved the air!

The saber's advantage over a sword in chopping attacks made this descending blow like thunder tearing through the void. It crashed heavily into the sword Daoist Xuantie held across his body.

Bang!

Sparks flew as the vast, surging force within the saber blade transmitted into Daoist Xuantie's sword-wielding right hand.

The violent shock jarred the web of his hand, almost knocking the sharp sword from his grip.

Already in midleap, Daoist Xuantie was struck by that airborne slash, and his body involuntarily plummeted.

As he fell, their positions naturally became one above and one below.

Seizing the opportunity, Li Xian thrust out a foot, stamping swiftly and precisely onto Daoist Xuantie's chest before he could bring his guard back.

Power erupted, jolting his internal organs.

Even though Daoist Xuantie had reached major accomplishment in blood exchange, he still felt his entire body shudder, as if that savage force had pierced straight through him.

The crucial thing was...

This was only the beginning!

At the same time his heavy airborne kick struck Daoist Xuantie, Li Xian pushed off the railing once more with his left foot. His body flipped, and he plunged after Daoist Xuantie as the latter fell toward the floor.

As his body turned, his cold saber light slashed down ferociously.

This is bad!

Watching this, Ma Fu immediately realized how perilous Daoist Xuantie's situation had become.

He shot to his feet, about to disregard his standing and intervene.

But as he rose and tried to step forward, Zhou Juechen was already blocking his path. "Martial Master Ma, be patient," he said gravely.

"You..."

Ma Fu's expression changed.

But Yan Kaigui understood that Ma Fu's abilities fell a little short of Zhou Juechen's, who had long since reached perfection in blood exchange. Merely holding Zhou Juechen back would be fortunate enough. He immediately signaled Luo Teng with his eyes.

Receiving the order, Luo Teng swiftly rose and strode over, leaping down to the first floor through the railing the two combatants had smashed.

But Ma Fu rising, Zhou Juechen blocking him, and Yan Kaigui giving Luo Teng the order had, after all, cost them a brief moment.

On the first floor.

As Li Xian plunged down to kill, the blood and qi throughout his body suddenly surged, boiled, and burned.

A saber strike even more dazzling and brilliant than before tore after Daoist Xuantie as he fell toward the floor.

He was no fool.

He had prepared to face two, or even three, experts in the blood exchange and marrow washing realm at once!

But that did not mean he had to stand still and fight two, or even three, experts in the blood exchange and marrow washing realm head-on to the bitter end!

Using tactics to separate enemies and defeat them one by one was true wisdom in combat.

Thus, forcing Daoist Xuantie down to the first floor had been part of his plan all along.

Likewise, only when his enemies were truly separated could he unleash his full strength, ignite his blood and qi, and deliver a saber strike with the crushing weight of thunder!

Whoosh!

Saber light lashed through the air!

Having just taken Li Xian's kick and fallen toward the floor, Daoist Xuantie had yet to steady himself when this thunderous saber strike, fueled by burning blood and qi, filled his entire vision.

That blazing intensity, that speed, that savagery...

"Blood Jade Art!"

Daoist Xuantie roared in shock and fury, doing everything he could to bring his sword across to intercept once more.

Bang!

How could a sword raised in haste withstand a cleaving blow with the crushing weight of thunder?

Daoist Xuantie's arm went numb, the web of his hand split, and blood spilled out.

The sword he had held tightly was forcibly knocked away by that savage, immense force.

The next instant, the saber blade abruptly changed direction, swift as a streak of silk, and swept straight for Daoist Xuantie's throat.

"Spare him!"

"Li Xian! Stop!"

Terrified cries rang out simultaneously at that moment.

There was even a sword blade whistling toward him from behind, but it was clearly a beat too late.

But...

None of this could shake Li Xian's resolve to deliver this slash in the slightest.

"No..."

As Daoist Xuantie watched in terror, trying to wrench himself backward, the lightning-fast saber light swept past him.

The next second...

Daoist Xuantie, flying backward, felt that he was retreating incredibly fast!

He even felt as though he had flown into the air.

Flown into the air?

I'm flying?

At this moment, Daoist Xuantie finally realized something and looked down in horror...

There lay a headless corpse, countless streams of blood spurting from its neck.

The sight was like watching a human-shaped fountain.

I... I'm dead?

An unprecedented sorrow and pain filled his mind.

Then the world began to spin...

Soon, the vision of this martial master who had reached major accomplishment in blood exchange and marrow washing sank into boundless darkness.

(End of chapter)