Xiong Ba's brow twitched as he looked the youth on the bluestone up and down.
Where had this brat popped out from?
But once he sensed the fluctuations of Qi and blood coming from Lin Yuan, he abruptly relaxed.
"Pah!"
Xiong Ba spat a gob of thick phlegm onto the ground and sneered.
"Fuck, I thought some expert had shown up."
"Where did this First Rank martial artist come from? An ant like you dares come here to die?"
Nearby, Shen Qing and Uncle Fu froze when they saw the newcomer's face.
It was him!
Uncle Fu opened his mouth, about to shout for the youth to flee, when Xiong Ba's mockery reached his ears.
Both of them shuddered and turned their eyes toward Lin Yuan in unison.
The First-Grade Qi and Blood Realm?
Shen Qing was utterly stunned.
When they first met two nights ago, this brat had clearly only reached Body Tempering Perfection.
Only two days had passed, and he had already entered the First Rank. Did he have no bottleneck?
How was this merely average aptitude?
Stormy seas churned in Shen Qing's heart, but the situation left her no room to dwell on it.
Even if Lin Yuan was no longer the same as before, he still faced certain death against Xiong Ba, who had already entered the Second Rank!
Shen Qing hurriedly shouted.
"Little Brother Lin, you're no match for him! Run!"
Atop the bluestone, Lin Yuan glanced down at the pair without answering.
Clang!
His saber left its sheath.
Not far away, the mockery instantly vanished from Xiong Ba's face, and he thrust his large hand forward.
"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit! Boys, chop him up!"
With a great rush!
The hundred-odd bandits around them instantly perked up, brandishing their sabers as they clamored and closed in.
Earlier, they had been helpless against Shen Qing, a Second Rank expert, and had long since bottled up a bellyful of vicious frustration.
Now that a callow brat with only First Rank cultivation had finally shown up, how could the hundreds of bandits hold back?
Lin Yuan looked indifferently at them, his figure completely still.
A dozen-odd steel sabers whistled through the air and hacked down without mercy!
Just as the blades were about to touch the hem of his clothes.
Lin Yuan moved.
With a turn of his wrist, he shifted his blade and swept it diagonally upward from below.
The first form of the Heaven-Questioning Saber.
Opening Move Shakes Kunlun!
Hum!
A three-foot-long streak of blood-colored Saber Qi shot from the blade.
Squelch!
The dozen-odd bandits at the front were instantly cleaved in two.
Blood sprayed wildly, and a thick reek of blood spread.
The bandits behind them forced themselves to a halt. Looking at the corpses still twitching at their feet, they felt their scalps crawl.
Silence fell for a moment.
"Don't panic!"
A minor leader in the crowd roared, his eyes red.
"A move like that takes a huge toll! He definitely can't swing a second time. Everyone, rush him together and hack him to death!"
The others found his words very reasonable.
They raised their sabers and charged again, their expressions savage.
Lin Yuan watched the dark mass of charging bandits without expression.
He raised his saber again.
Opening Move Shakes Kunlun!
Opening Move Shakes Kunlun!
Opening Move Shakes Kunlun!
Lin Yuan turned his wrist and unleashed three consecutive slashes, the ringing of his saber merging into one.
Three streaks of blood-colored Saber Qi, each a full three feet long, swept forward in a fan.
Wherever they passed, loose stones burst apart and dust billowed.
Squelch! Squelch! Squelch!
Bloody light swept past, and the charging bandits fell in swathes like harvested wheat.
Mutilated bodies scattered across the ground, and screams rang throughout the mountaintop.
The remaining dozens of bandits were completely dumbstruck, their legs trembling as they shrank back uncontrollably.
How the fuck was this a First Rank martial artist?
He was a living King of Hell who had crawled out of the underworld!
Not far away, Shen Qing's little mouth hung open, and Uncle Fu's eyes bulged.
Behind the crowd.
Xiong Ba narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at the youth standing saber in hand.
He could clearly sense that this brat's presence was indeed only at the First Rank Early Stage.
The terrifying saber technique alone accounted for such tremendous killing power.
This saber technique had to be at least Human Grade, perhaps even Earth Rank!
Xiong Ba cursed inwardly, frustration welling up in him.
Fuck, why did everyone he met have high-grade martial arts?
Meanwhile, he, Xiong Ba, had fought tooth and nail to reach the Second Rank, yet knew only a commonplace Mortal Grade club technique!
Heaven really was fucking blind!
Xiong Ba waved his hand irritably.
"Useless trash, get out of the way!"
The bandits, already scared out of their wits, scrambled to either side as though granted a pardon.
With his spiked club resting on his shoulder, Xiong Ba advanced step by step.
"Brat, I have to admit, you do have a few tricks."
Xiong Ba stopped thirty feet away.
"But this is as far as you go."
"You know nothing of the power of the Second Rank Qi Gathering Realm!"
Before his words faded, Xiong Ba's expression abruptly turned icy.
He pushed off hard, bursting the ground beneath his feet as he pounced like a ferocious tiger.
A faint layer of bloody light rose over his spiked club as it smashed down at Lin Yuan's head with crushing weight!
A vicious gust struck his face, making his long robe snap.
Lin Yuan's breath caught, and he brought his full concentration to bear.
This was his first fight against a Second Rank expert, and he dared not show the slightest overconfidence.
Bloody mist rose around him. His Qi and blood circulated rapidly, surging wildly through his meridians into his arms before pouring entirely into the blade.
The saber trembled violently, erupting with three inches of blade radiance!
"Opening Move Shakes Kunlun!"
With a fierce shout, Lin Yuan lowered his waist and stepped forward, gripping his saber in both hands as he swept it upward with all his might!
A thirty-foot-long streak of blood-colored Saber Qi soared skyward!
Boom!
The thirty-foot streak of Saber Qi shattered inch by inch, dissolving into motes of light.
Lin Yuan felt an immense force strike him, sending him stumbling backward uncontrollably.
Only after retreating seven consecutive steps did he dissipate the force.
By contrast, Xiong Ba's body swayed, and he retreated only half a step.
Sensing Lin Yuan's presence weaken instantly, Xiong Ba threw back his head and laughed wildly.
"Hahaha! I thought you were so capable!"
"The same move over and over! Now the donkey's out of tricks, isn't it?"
Xiong Ba swung his spiked club forcefully, his heroic spirit soaring to the clouds.
Fuck high-grade martial arts!
They were all just flashy nonsense!
No matter how exquisite your moves, before absolute strength, I could still smash you to pieces with a single blow!
One strength shattered ten thousand arts. That was Xiong Ba's martial path!
Xiong Ba closed in with a savage grin.
Just then, two figures rushed over from the side.
They were Shen Qing and Uncle Fu.
Shen Qing was about to speak when her legs suddenly gave out, pitching her forward.
Lin Yuan reacted swiftly and hurriedly reached out to support her.
Shen Qing crashed into his arms, her chest pressing firmly against him.
Lin Yuan stiffened, feeling a soft pressure against his chest.
He instinctively glanced down, and his eyelid twitched sharply.
Shen Qing's cheeks reddened, and she hurriedly pulled free of Lin Yuan's arm.
"I dragged you into this. Find a chance to take Uncle Fu and leave!"
Her words came urgently, her little face full of resolve.
Her hand settled on her saber hilt again.
Lin Yuan shook his head.
"Sorry, this was my fault."
If he had not mentioned Black Wind Mountain that night, Shen Qing would not have fallen into danger.
Shen Qing nearly fainted with anger and stamped her foot hard.
"When did I blame you? Are you even listening to me?"
Not far away.
Xiong Ba stopped. Seeing the pair seemingly flirting, he felt an inexplicable vicious fury rush straight to his head.
He, the mighty chief of Black Wind Stronghold, a Second Rank Qi Gathering Realm expert, was still standing right here!
"Fucking shameless pair!"
"Do you even take me seriously?"
Xiong Ba's eyes turned bloodshot, and he charged like a madman.
"Die, both of you!"
Shen Qing's heart tightened, and she reached back to push Lin Yuan.
"Go!"
Lin Yuan did not budge.
Shen Qing froze, turning her head in utter astonishment.
Without allowing any argument, Lin Yuan reached out with both hands, seized Shen Qing and Uncle Fu by the backs of their collars, and sent them behind him.
The pair floated several meters away before landing safely.
"You..."
Before Shen Qing could finish, Lin Yuan darted forward.
Lin Yuan slowly raised his saber in his right hand, once again assuming that familiar opening stance.
At the sight, Xiong Ba sneered repeatedly.
"Let's see just how much strength you have left!"
Wrapped in crushing momentum, the spiked club tore through the air and smashed down at his head!
Shen Qing's and Uncle Fu's hearts plummeted, their bodies turning ice-cold.
It was over!
With his Qi and blood exhausted, how could Lin Yuan possibly be Xiong Ba's match?
The fierce wind howled.
Lin Yuan raised his head, staring at the approaching spiked club as a roar sounded in his heart.
Lungs and organs, explode!
Crack!
A tremor came from his chest, and his lungs and organs instantly burst apart.
An incomparably pure power rushed through his meridians straight into his arms, pouring entirely into his saber!
Hum!
The once-dim blade suddenly trembled, its radiance surging three inches in an instant!
Fine sweat beaded on Lin Yuan's forehead. After sensing it carefully, he frowned slightly.
Still not enough!
This strike could, at most, severely wound Xiong Ba.
Since I'm using my trump card, I have to kill him in one strike!
A trace of ruthlessness flashed in Lin Yuan's eyes.
Liver, explode for me!
Boom!
A surge of incomparably pure energy rushed madly into the blade!
The blade's radiance instantly surged another five inches!
Kidneys, keep going!
Lin Yuan added another layer of insurance.
The blade's radiance surged another seven inches!
The blade trembled.
Its edge shrieked.
Lin Yuan's gaze sharpened, and he struck without hesitation.
A thirty-meter-long streak of blood-red blade Qi erupted in an instant.