Kill King Runner

Since ancient times, no imperial house had ever been willing to tolerate a state within a state—feudal kings of different surnames.

Yet Great Xia possessed vast territory and was surrounded by numerous foreign peoples. When Great Xia's founding emperor established the dynasty, he did so partly to reward the meritorious officials who had followed him and partly to defend against those foreign peoples.

Thus, he established three feudal kings of different surnames: the Zhu Family of Mingzhou guarded the northeast against the Jurchens and Goryeo; the Zhao Family of Songzhou guarded the northern frontier against the Mongols and Khitans; the Yang Family of Suizhou guarded the southwest and northwest against the Turkic peoples, Tibetans, and Tuyuhun.

Among them were smaller states such as Dali and Western Xia, which played both sides and served as buffer lands.

Beyond that, the island nation of Japan across the sea harbored even greater ambitions. Fifty years ago, it invaded Goryeo and instead fought a great battle with Mingzhou, resulting in savage slaughter.

In recent years, not only had Great Xia fallen into utter internal chaos, but the three feudal kings of different surnames had also been plagued by turmoil. Looking across this vast Great Xia, its fortune had indeed run out.

As Mingzhou's foremost assassin organization, Black Stone had begun by dealing solely in murder.

Later, it gradually became the hidden hand behind Mingzhou's court and martial world. If this were merely King Runner's ambition, it conflicted with the fact that he remained a lowly eunuch to this day.

After all, with a force like Black Stone under his command, he could reveal his identity, maneuver openly, take control of Mingzhou's two agencies and the Brocade Guard, and wield great power in plain sight. That would be the behavior of an ambitious man.

"If there really is someone pulling the strings behind him, we're in serious trouble."

Jiang Asheng frowned.

If Zeng Jing was right and Black Stone had a massive hidden hand behind it, then would killing this King Runner not simply bring another King Runner?

Zeng Jing fell silent as well.

After a moment, Wen Qingkong said lightly, "Then today, we'll slaughter every Black Stone assassin in Mingzhou City."

"King Runner thinks highly of himself. If we provoke him like this, he will certainly mobilize Black Stone's assassins to surround and kill us. And he absolutely will not tell the Black Stone members scattered across the various counties what he intends to do."

"As long as we wipe out every Black Stone assassin in Mingzhou City today, then even if Black Stone truly has someone behind it, what could they possibly discover?"

There was a saying from Wen Qingkong's previous life: perfect stealth meant killing every witness.

Wen Qingkong felt that if they wanted to preserve their identities, that saying was undoubtedly the truth.

Jiang Asheng and Zeng Jing exchanged a glance. The faint killing intent in Wen Qingkong's words sent a trace of fear through both their hearts.

So many Human Lives seemed truly insignificant in Wen Qingkong's eyes.

Just then, a figure leaped over from afar.

At the same time, shadowy forms appeared around the stone statues. Clearly, all the Black Stone assassins had arrived.

"Leave King Runner to me. You two deal with all these Black Stone assassins."

"Remember, if even one gets away, we'll have endless trouble."

"I have no intention of starting another life on the run the moment we arrive in Mingzhou City."

Wen Qingkong strode forward. When he had left Yujing City, he had secretly sworn that he would never again be forced to leave any place as he had been forced to leave Yujing City.

Today, Black Stone would never drive him away.

He raised his leg and sent out a flying kick.

His force tore through the air!

A Black Stone assassin's breastbone shattered, and he fell dead to the ground.

Wen Qingkong casually picked up the sword from the Black Stone assassin's hand and slowly walked toward King Runner.

"Rama's Remains are right there. Kill us, and they'll be yours!"

Wen Qingkong pointed at Rama's Remains not far away.

King Runner's gaze sharpened, and extreme fervor surfaced in his eyes.

Rama's Remains!

As long as he obtained Rama's Remains, he could regrow his manhood, restore his masculine vigor, and become a man again!

King Runner shot forward, his killing intent blazing fiercely!

Although Jiang Asheng, Wen Qingkong, and the others had suddenly challenged him, leaving him no time to summon more Black Stone assassins from the various counties into Mingzhou City, the Black Stone assassins already within the city were more than enough to kill these three here!

The Black Stone assassins only needed to hold Jiang Asheng and Drizzle back. Once he dealt with this damned young man, everything would be fine!

King Runner thrust his right hand forward. In an instant, he stabbed out nine sword strikes like lightning!

Wen Qingkong raised his hand as well and drew his sword!

The Thirty-Six Style Wind Chasing Swordplay of Xie Qianyu from the Xie Family of Yujing City!

Swift, cold, and fiercer than the wind!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Sparks burst through the air. Wen Qingkong also struck nine times, yet his attacks came after and arrived first, perfectly blocking King Runner's nine thrusts.

King Runner's pupils contracted sharply. What swordplay was this?

He had never heard of it in Mingzhou City.

Having completed his strike, Wen Qingkong did not slow. With a backhand slash, the sword in his hand attacked King Runner along a move trajectory as swift as the wind and utterly unpredictable.

King Runner raised his sword to block.

The sound of clashing steel rang out as sword light flashed, too dazzling for the eye to follow.

What swordplay was this now?

King Runner furrowed his brow. At this moment, Wen Qingkong's swordplay was like a flying sword, dancing up and down in his hand like a fluttering butterfly. Its movements had no pattern, making it impossible to predict and thus impossible to counter.

This was the Wuding Flying Sword of the Wuding Gang's eldest disciple.

Jiang Asheng and Zeng Jing, who were fighting the Black Stone assassins, had originally worried that Wen Qingkong might be unable to handle King Runner alone. Even amid the fierce battle, they spared some attention for Wen Qingkong's situation.

Who would have expected that Wen Qingkong, whose external martial arts were already astonishing, would possess such remarkable swordsmanship as well?

The two sets of swordplay he used were unheard of and unseen before. They were not inferior to the Forty-One Styles of Water Splitting Swordplay in the slightest.

Jiang Asheng and Zeng Jing were greatly encouraged.

Perhaps Wen Qingkong truly could kill King Runner alone.

Remembering what Wen Qingkong had said earlier, the couple knew that, to ensure there was no hidden hand behind the Black Stone assassins and to ensure that their identities would not be exposed after destroying Black Stone—

None of the Black Stone assassins present could be allowed to survive!

The killing intent of the two surged at once, and their attacks became ever more ruthless.

On the other side, King Runner's expression turned grave. He realized that Wen Qingkong's decision to fight him alone was not arrogance, but genuine strength.

If he could not take down Wen Qingkong, then once Jiang Asheng and Drizzle finished off the Black Stone assassins and joined forces against him, he would likely be doomed today.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

As he pondered, King Runner's expression abruptly changed. A stabbing pain suddenly came from his waist.

Lei Bin's Flying Needle Technique!

How could Wen Qingkong know it?

King Runner had already been suppressed by Wen Qingkong and was fully focused on dealing with his Wuding Flying Sword.

Then Wen Qingkong suddenly flung out flying needles. King Runner evaded two, but one still struck him.

His movements immediately slowed, exposing an opening.

Wen Qingkong changed his swordplay again, using the Thirty-Six Style Wind Chasing Swordplay. Sword light flashed repeatedly through the air, truly like a raging gale sweeping toward King Runner!

King Runner let out a furious roar and drove all his inner force into his treasured sword. He brought the Forty-One Styles of Water Splitting Swordplay to its utmost limit, endless sword light flowing like clouds and water to shield his entire body.

The explosive clang of metal rang without end.

Finally, with a bang, a burst of blazing fire erupted where the short swords met.

Wen Qingkong's sword drove forward and pierced through King Runner's chest!