Tie Shan

"Of course that's not all. But what other choice do you have?"

Seeing him admit it so openly, Xiao Yi Xian nodded meekly.

"I am Xiao Yi Xian. May I ask your name, young master?"

"Lu Ze. Lu as in the road, and Ze as in bestowing blessings upon the world," Lu Ze said with a faint smile.

Xiao Yi Xian naturally agreed. For a kindhearted girl whose body harbored deadly poison, this was an irresistible temptation.

Moreover, the mysterious methods and formidable strength displayed by the girl before him were enough to inspire absolute dependence in him.

Xiao Yi Xian patted the dust off her dress, only to notice that Lu Ze had been watching her.

"What is it?" Xiao Yi Xian asked.

Lu Ze looked at the tranquil mountains in the distance, but his brows suddenly knitted.

An extremely faint sound of something cutting through the air, laden with the thick scent of blood, was rapidly approaching from the canyon entrance.

Alongside the footsteps came the sounds of trees bursting on contact and being smashed apart. Such undisguised, violent commotion could not have come from an ordinary magical beast. It was a powerful human.

And judging by the fluctuations in the air, the presence was definitely at the Dou Shi level.

Seeing Lu Ze's grave expression, Xiao Yi Xian hurriedly asked,

"My lord, what's wrong?"

Lu Ze did not answer. He simply drew the Emerald Water Sword slowly from his waist.

A strand of transparent Sword Qi flowed silently along the blade, and even the air hissed as it was sliced apart.

The [Grass Character Sword Art] still possessed that ultimate cutting power and sharpness, without the slightest impurity.

"We made far too much noise when we killed those three mercenaries."

Lu Ze stared at the canyon entrance, his voice calm yet carrying an unmistakable, penetrating chill.

"It's someone from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group."

The wind by the cliff grew ever more urgent. Lu Ze gripped the Emerald Water Sword tightly.

His gaze remained fixed on the canyon entrance as that blood-scented sound of rushing air drew closer and closer!

"My lord...

"Xiao Yi Xian fought the weakness in her body and tried to stand.

"Don't move. Your poison physique has only just been suppressed. Don't circulate your Dou Qi carelessly."

Lu Ze spoke without looking back.

He swiftly surveyed the surrounding terrain. A dense thorn forest lay to the left of the cliff, while a sheer rock face stood to the right. The narrow passage at the canyon entrance was the only way through.

Lu Ze retreated into the shadows of the thorn forest and settled Xiao Yi Xian behind a large boulder.

He held his breath and focused, concealing his presence to the utmost.

In fewer than ten breaths, a burly man in the uniform of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, his face covered in a thick beard, strode up to where they had just been, carrying a blood-drenched broadsword.

"One-Eye, come out! I just heard you!"

The burly man's voice rang like a great bell. He unleashed his powerful Dou Qi fluctuations without restraint, making the surrounding trees rustle.

Lu Ze's gaze sharpened, and his heart sank.

He recognized this man. He was Tie Shan, an outer squad captain of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group-a one-star Dou Shi!

A Dou Shi!

This was the first time since transmigrating that he had faced someone of this level.

On the Dou Qi Continent, a heavenly chasm separated Dou Zhe from Dou Shi.

Dou Shi could condense a Dou Qi Gauze Robe, utterly overwhelming Dou Zhe in defense, explosive power, total weapon output, and every other aspect.

What should I do?

Lu Ze thought to himself. Although the [Grass Character Sword Art] was sharp, he currently possessed only the Dou Qi reserves of a Three-Star Dou Zhe and might not be able to break through a Dou Qi Gauze Robe. Moreover, Tie Shan's Dou Qi was exceptionally powerful.

The Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger consumed even more. In his current condition, using it once would inevitably leave his Dou Qi depleted and unstable.

If he could not crush Tie Shan to death, the consequences would be unthinkable.

As things stood, he had to win through cunning.

Tie Shan spotted the three headless corpses on the ground. The fine hairs on his face instantly stood on end, and he whipped his head toward the thorn forest.

"Who's skulking over there? Come out!"

The instant he spoke, Lu Ze sprang up!

He shot out of the thorn forest, pressing the index and middle fingers of his right hand together and thrusting them fiercely toward Tie Shan.

"Great Wilderness Imprisoning Heaven Finger!"

A translucent giant finger materialized out of thin air and crashed toward Tie Shan, carrying a terrifying gravitational field.

Tie Shan's expression changed, but he was, after all, a one-star Dou Shi with a wealth of combat experience.

The instant the giant finger descended, the Dou Qi within him erupted wildly. A thick, earthen-yellow Dou Qi Gauze Robe covered his entire body. At the same time, he held his broadsword horizontally above his head and forcibly withstood the giant finger's crushing weight.

Boom! The ground caved in. Tie Shan's legs were driven into the earth, and his knees gave off teeth-grating cracks.

But he was not instantly crushed into pulp. His physical toughness was more than two or three times that of the earlier Dou Zhe.

He spat out a mouthful of blood. Dense cracks appeared across his Dou Qi Gauze Robe, but it still held.

Meanwhile, Lu Ze hurriedly gulped down pills to replenish his Dou Qi.

"A gravity Dou Technique?!"

Tie Shan roared in fury, his Dou Qi surging. In just ten breaths, he forcibly broke free of the gravitational field.

His eyes were bloodshot as he stared fixedly at Lu Ze.

"A mere Three-Star Dou Zhe, and you dare ambush me?"

Tie Shan kicked off the ground, which suddenly exploded beneath him. Like a raging bull, he charged at Lu Ze, swinging his broadsword.

He's too fast!

Lu Ze only had time to draw the Emerald Water Sword and hold it across his chest.

Clang! The Ghost-Head Broadsword slammed into the Emerald Water Sword. An impact like mountains toppling and seas overturning surged along the blade into Lu Ze's arms.

The webbing between Lu Ze's thumb and forefinger went numb, then instantly split, spraying blood. He was sent flying backward and slammed heavily into the rock face, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

Such tremendous strength!

Lu Ze was deeply shocked. He swallowed the sickly sweetness in his throat, his heart turning cold.

A Dou Shi's total Dou Qi reserves and physical strength were far beyond what a Dou Zhe could withstand head-on.

"Die!"

Tie Shan gave Lu Ze no chance to catch his breath. His broadsword slashed down again, its keen edge shredding the surrounding thorns.

Lu Ze gritted his teeth and dodged while unleashing the Grass Character Sword Art. With a hiss, a streak of white light swept across Tie Shan's chest, leaving a deep crack in his Dou Qi Gauze Robe.

Tie Shan merely grunted and slashed backhanded at Lu Ze's left shoulder.

Squelch!

Blood sprayed. A wound deep enough to expose bone opened across Lu Ze's left shoulder, and the agonizing pain made his vision go black.

The Dou Qi Gauze Robe is far too thick. I can't break through it head-on.

Lu Ze calculated rapidly. The sharpness of the Grass Character Sword Art was enough to cleave through the gauze robe, but because he had already consumed a great deal of Dou Qi, the Dou Qi he could put into the Grass Character Sword Art fell far short of his peak.

He needed to wait until his Dou Qi recovered and land another strike before he could cleave through the Dou Qi Gauze Robe, but Tie Shan's speed and reflexes would never give him that chance.

Unless... I make him offer up an opening himself.

Lu Ze clenched his teeth, forcibly suppressing the churning in his chest as a ruthless gleam flashed through his eyes.

He began dodging and retreating continuously, keeping himself outside Tie Shan's attack range while accumulating as much Dou Qi as possible.

In less than half an incense stick's time, the potent medicinal power finally accumulated into sufficient Dou Qi.

This time, he did not choose to dodge. Instead, he advanced to meet him, thrusting the Emerald Water Sword straight at Tie Shan's face.