Zhao Meng steadied himself and looked up. Once he saw Shen Qing's face clearly, he cried out in surprise.
"Commandant Shen! What are you doing here?"
Black Wind Stronghold had clearly sent word that she had broken into the stronghold at night and been surrounded by Xiong Ba and the others, unable to escape even if she sprouted wings.
Now that Shen Qing had appeared here, there was only one explanation.
Black Wind Stronghold had failed!
Zhao Meng seethed. He had even sent the Zhao Clan's private troops, yet they still hadn't managed to keep Shen Qing there.
Shen Qing looked at him coldly.
"Zhao Meng, your crimes have come to light!"
At those words, Zhao Meng instead looked relieved. He glared viciously at Shen Qing.
"Since you've found out, I won't pretend anymore. I'm laying my cards on the table."
"That's right. Our Zhao Clan intends to rebel!"
Those words exploded through the private room like muffled thunder.
Wu Wei's and Wang Ruogu's hands and feet turned cold. Neither dared breathe loudly as they desperately shrank into the corner.
Hearing their colleague admit to rebellion with their own ears nearly scared their souls out of their bodies.
This was a monstrous crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations!
Shen Qing cursed inwardly, then fixed her eyes on the man holding the sword.
Their brief exchange just now had already let her gauge his strength.
A genuine Second Rank Qi Gathering Realm martial artist!
The Zhao Clan had no expert of this caliber.
Shen Qing immediately formed a suspicion.
"You're with the rebels?"
Since he belonged to the rebels in Yun Prefecture, there was no reason to hold back.
Shen Qing stamped down, instantly shattering the floor.
She charged with her saber raised and brought it crashing down at his head.
The man drew his sword, precisely catching the saber's edge with its blade.
Clang, clang, clang!
The clash of saber and sword rang out without pause.
Sparks flew everywhere.
The two darted and swooped like hares and falcons in the cramped private room, exchanging dozens of head-on blows in an instant without either gaining the slightest advantage.
Clang!
Another head-on collision.
The violent blast of air drove both of them several steps back.
The swordsman tightened his grip on his sword, his arm slightly numb.
By rights, with such a commotion on the third floor, his men guarding the first floor should have rushed up to reinforce him long ago.
Why hadn't a single one appeared yet?
Doubts stirred in his mind, and he glanced out the window.
At that sight, his pupils abruptly contracted.
On the street below, his black-clad subordinates lay strewn across the ground, their blood staining it crimson.
Beside the pile of corpses stood a youth in a long robe.
Seemingly sensing his gaze, the youth raised his head and stared straight at him.
The swordsman's heart pounded wildly, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
Not good!
Where did this Second Rank expert come from?
The men he had brought were all skilled First Rank fighters selected from the rebels' elite.
Several of their leaders had even reached Late First Rank long ago!
Yet so many experts had been slaughtered silently by that youth without even letting out half a scream?
I can't stay here!
If this drags on any longer, I might meet my end here today!
The swordsman made his decision at once and flicked his wrist.
Two fierce streaks of Sword Qi flew from his blade, heading straight for Wu Wei and Wang Ruogu as they cowered in the corner.
"Mommy!"
Wu Wei let out a strange shriek of terror, his eyes rolling back as he nearly fainted.
Wang Ruogu simply clutched his head and flattened himself against the floor.
Seizing that opening, the swordsman grabbed Zhao Meng by the back of his collar, smashed through the window, and leaped down.
"Bastard!"
Shen Qing cursed under her breath, turned, and swept her saber horizontally.
A streak of gleaming Saber Qi swept out, striking the two streaks of Sword Qi with precision.
Bang!
The Qi blasts shattered, blowing away half a wall.
Shen Qing tapped her toes against the windowsill and leaped after them without hesitation.
On the street.
Lin Yuan watched the two figures dropping from above without wasting a single word.
He stepped forward, gripped his saber in both hands, and slashed fiercely upward.
Opening Move Shakes Kunlun!
Hum!
A three-foot-long streak of blood-red Saber Qi surged up from the ground, cleaving straight toward the two airborne men.
Still in midair, the swordsman started in fright and hurriedly swung his sword, unleashing a streak of white Sword Qi.
Crack!
The white Sword Qi cleaved straight through the blood-red Saber Qi and continued toward Lin Yuan without losing momentum.
Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow, turned his wrist, and unleashed another streak of blood-red Saber Qi.
The two blasts collided in midair with a muffled boom, then dissipated together.
Taking advantage of that interval, the swordsman landed steadily with Zhao Meng in his grip.
He steadied himself and looked Lin Yuan over in puzzlement.
That wasn't right.
Though that attack had been domineering, it lacked sustained force. At most, it had been at the level of Peak First Rank.
He wasn't a Second Rank expert at all!
Then what was the explanation for all these corpses on the ground?
Before he could work it out-
"Where do you think you're going!"
A sharp female shout came from overhead.
Shen Qing swooped down from the third floor. Silvery-white Saber Qi crisscrossed through the air, descending over his head with a chilling menace.
Sensing that keen presence, the swordsman didn't dare be careless in the slightest.
He shoved Zhao Meng aside and raised his sword horizontally to meet her.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The two clashed once more, the flashes of saber and sword plowing deep furrows through the surrounding street.
Meanwhile.
Zhao Meng staggered two steps before regaining his footing. Just as he was about to run out of the alley, he looked up and found himself facing Lin Yuan, who was approaching with his saber.
Zhao Meng stopped short, his brows knitting tightly.
He stared at Lin Yuan's face, feeling that the youth's features looked familiar, as though he had seen him somewhere before.
"Who are you?"
Zhao Meng demanded, fierce in appearance but hollow within.
Lin Yuan said nothing.
Without slowing his steps, he turned his wrist, his saber tracing three afterimages before him.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three streaks of blood-red Saber Qi, each three feet long, tore through the air, sealing off every route of retreat Zhao Meng had.
This was the strongest attack he could unleash under normal circumstances.
Zhao Meng was merely a martial artist at Body Tempering Perfection. How could he withstand such a killing move?
Feeling the bone-piercing killing intent within the Saber Qi, Zhao Meng turned pale with fright and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Save me! Hurry, save me!"
Hearing the cries for help while locked in combat with Shen Qing, the swordsman glanced back, and his expression changed drastically.
If Zhao Meng died, he would have no way to answer to Zhao Wuya!
He feinted with his sword and pulled away, about to charge over.
"Your opponent is me!"
How could Shen Qing let him pass? She closed in and slashed horizontally, forcibly driving him back.
Seizing the opening left by his distraction, Shen Qing pressed her advantage relentlessly. Each slash came faster than the last, every stroke aimed at a vital spot.
The swordsman instantly fell into a disadvantage. He could barely raise his sword to parry as her blows drove him back again and again.
Squelch!
Zhao Meng's cries for help abruptly stopped.
The blood-red Saber Qi pierced his body, cleaving him into several pieces.
His head fell and rolled several times before stopping beside Lin Yuan's feet.
Lin Yuan crouched down, looked at the head, and spoke softly.
"I'm Lin Dafu's only son, Lin Yuan."
Zhao Meng's eyes moved, his mouth gaping wide, and he breathed his last.
Not far away.
The swordsman took a slash to his left shoulder in exchange for driving Shen Qing back with a full-strength sword strike, then gasped for breath.
He turned to look at Zhao Meng's dismembered corpse, and his heart went cold.
Zhao Meng was dead!
Now everything was truly over!
He looked at Shen Qing, then glanced at Lin Yuan standing nearby with his saber in hand, and thoughts of retreat stirred in his mind.
Shen Qing was the strongest. Trying to break through her head-on would certainly get him nowhere.
That youth, on the other hand, was merely at Peak First Rank-the perfect point to break through!
His mind made up, the swordsman pivoted and charged furiously at Lin Yuan.
The blood and Qi within his body erupted without restraint. He raised his sword high, its blade humming.
A streak of Sword Qi fully fifty feet long roared forth, slashing straight toward Lin Yuan's chest!
As long as he severely wounded this brat with a single strike, he could escape with his life!