"Six, five, four..."
Hongyu lay in the grass, staring unblinkingly at the flickering silhouette. As she uttered "three," she shook the bushes beside her.
Rustle~
Though he was far away, the Gold-Chasing Gentleman froze at once, his gaze shifting to the vegetation stirring in the distance. But at that very moment:
"Three!"
Bang-
Ye Xingge crouched with his saber braced against the ground, seemingly looking around for a way out. But when "three" sounded beside his ear, it was as if Hongyu had pulled the trigger of a powerful crossbow inside his head!
In an instant, he shot left without warning, like an arrow loosed from a fully drawn bow. His right hand rose to draw the Black Banner Saber in a reverse grip, while his lowered left hand pulled the tiger fang dagger from his waist!
The moment the dagger's silver edge emerged from beneath his sleeve, a powerful surge of stimulation coursed through his limbs and bones!
The veins in his already straining legs bulged, turning a charge already driven to its limit into a flash that skimmed the ground.
Swish-
Three strides passed in the space of a step; under the moon, all that could be seen was a fleeting streak of silver!
The Gold-Chasing Gentleman was concealed beneath his cloak. His gaze had only just shifted toward the hillside when his hair stood on end, and he drew his saber three inches!
But before he could look back, an afterimage slammed into him, bringing a pair of fierce, bloodthirsty eyes right up to his face!
Pfft-
His gaze dropped, and a white dagger had already plunged into his chest, staining the invisible cloak red with blood!
Clang-
In the next instant, the Gold-Chasing Gentleman drew two feet of his waist saber, its blade flashing dark red beneath the moon like a sharp edge slashing suddenly out of the void!
The blade struck the chainmail over the young man's waist, sending sparks flying!
But they were pressed against each other, and he had drawn in haste. At this distance, even a three-foot saber was hard to draw at once, let alone slash horizontally as it came out. The strike failed to pierce the Heaven-Observing Pavilion's standard-issue chainmail!
When Ye Xingge sprang into action, he had already drawn the Black Banner Saber in a reverse grip. He carried the force of his charge into his opponent, advancing instead of retreating as his right hand slashed forward along the centerline!
Swish-
The saber flashed in a half arc beneath the moon.
Shock filled the Gold-Chasing Gentleman's eyes as he pulled back, but his opponent clung to him like a festering sore on the bone, pressing the dagger forward. Seeing the saber sweep toward his head, he could only force his left hand up with its scabbard.
Clang-
Amid the explosive clash of metal, the Gold-Chasing Gentleman used the impact to spring back and break free.
As Ye Xingge brought the long saber down in a heavy reverse-grip chop with one hand, he twisted and pulled sideways with the other, dragging the dagger through the Gold-Chasing Gentleman's chest.
Rip!
The dagger piercing his chest tore a bloody gash to the side, nearly splitting his chest open on the spot!
Blood sprayed from beneath the cloak, drawing a curtain of red through the air as he pulled away!
Splash~
The Gold-Chasing Gentleman retreated several steps to open the distance, his figure appearing amid the spray of blood. Blood gushed from his chest like a fountain, and his eyes were filled with shock and horror. Before he could assume a defensive stance, a crossbow bolt was already hurtling toward his temple.
Swish~
Clink-
The Gold-Chasing Gentleman swept the bolt aside with a backhand slash, staggering as he did so. In an instant, the grass and rocks before him were stained red with blood.
Hiss, hiss, hiss...
After striking, Ye Xingge had forced himself to a stop and lowered his body. He held the Black Banner Saber in a reverse grip in his right hand, guarding his entire right flank, while his left held the Ravine-Leaping Tiger in the same grip to protect his heart.
The stance was extremely awkward, and could only be said to have barely covered his flanks.
But it had all been to lure the enemy into attacking first. Ye Xingge had gripped the Black Banner Saber in reverse, without even having time to turn his wrist and draw it properly-a sign of just how hard he had pushed himself.
After that strike, Ye Xingge's legs and arms were visibly trembling, and his chest heaved violently. Yet his eyes remained incomparably sharp, fixed on the opponent who had retreated.
The Gold-Chasing Gentleman's chances of survival had already been slim when the Ravine-Leaping Tiger tore his chest open. Now he retreated several more steps, dark red saber in hand, but caught a full glimpse of the whip at his opponent's waist.
The whip was patterned all over like dragon scales and was dark gold in color. It had a texture like metal, stone, iron, or jade, yet was also highly flexible, changing shape with his movements...
The Filth-Severing Whip?!
The Gold-Chasing Gentleman came to an abrupt halt, disbelief in his eyes. Coughing blood, he cursed hoarsely:
"Cough... You really dared to steal the Fate-Robbing Saber?!"
It was not a question, but an expression of shock!
After all, since his opponent had dared to reach for it, he had already been prepared to go all in and wager everything.
But anyone else under heaven could have stolen the Fate-Robbing Saber; this opponent alone should not have been greedy enough to make that grab!
The Gold-Chasing Gentleman could not understand why his opponent was so desperate for quick gains, giving up ten years to train in favor of wielding two divine weapons and gambling on half a year. If he failed, he would not have a single divine weapon left.
Even if you had stolen it after the new year?
What could happen within the year that was worth gambling so much in such a rush for quick gains?
Even if Great Yan wanted to eliminate Wu Chenglie of Later Zhou within half a year and would support him with the strength of the entire nation, the Mountains and Rivers Association's holdings were no small matter either!
Besides, the Mountains and Rivers Association should not have been helping Great Yan scheme against Later Zhou...
Though mortally wounded, the Gold-Chasing Gentleman's thoughts continued to race.
After all, he had to understand why he was dying!
And soon, the Gold-Chasing Gentleman shuddered all over. His blood-red eyes turned to the White Tiger dagger in his opponent's hand, and he coughed blood as he said:
"Ravine-Leaping Tiger? Did the Mountains and Rivers Association join forces with the Dragon Flower Cult? Are you a Western Shu spy planted in Great Yan?! Is Western Shu setting a trap for me?"
The Gold-Chasing Gentleman asked because he had acquired this dagger from the Dark Goods Wharf, only for it to be stolen by the Dragon Flower Cult!
Yet a few months later, the dagger had returned to Forgetful River Mouth and happened to be used on him. Wasn't that like seeing a ghost?
And the other side did not fail to respond.
Ye Xingge had taken the dagger by his own ability; it had nothing to do with Western Shu. Once he was certain his opponent's chest had been torn open and he could no longer survive, he sent a low-voiced message:
"Go!"
As he spoke, he turned the blade in his hand and strode forward, charging at the Gold-Chasing Gentleman once more.
Meanwhile, on the western side of the island.
Duan Lianshan and He Lin had to keep far enough away so that the Gold-Chasing Gentleman would not hold back for fear of hitting them.
Hearing the clash of metal in the distance, the group's eyes filled with startled suspicion:
"He took the bait?!"
"Looks like it..."
Duan Lianshan immediately sprang into action, weapon in hand, and raced north, attempting to close the encirclement.
But he had only raced a few yards when a crossbow bolt tore through the air from above, aimed straight at his face!
Whoosh~
Clink-
Duan Lianshan was not surprised that his opponent would kill the donkey once the grinding was done. It would have been strange if he had not wanted everything for himself.
Even if Ye Xingge succeeded and ran off, finding Ye Xingge, whose name they knew, would be far easier than finding the Gold-Chasing Gentleman, who traveled alone for ten thousand miles.
But when Duan Lianshan saw that the incoming bolt was merely a light crossbow bolt, he flew into a rage. Fearing that the Gold-Chasing Gentleman would escape and both sides would end up drawing water with a bamboo basket, he shouted:
"Kill the Gold-Chasing Gentleman first!"
But clearly, they had already completed their task. Their help was no longer needed.
Hongyu had already turned the Divine Arm Crossbow on them, picking them off with a stream of bolts aimed at the western side of the island, hindering the five of them.
When they drew closer, she pulled out a Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers and threw it toward the western slope.
Boom-
The Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers exploded high in the air with a thunderous roar. A brilliant flash turned the western slope to daylight in an instant, and countless short poisoned needles showered the woods and fields like a curtain of rain.
Third Rank martial artists could not yet make their defenses so tight that not even water could get through. A single flying needle would affect their fighting strength, so all five immediately stopped and took cover.
Far away, the firelight on the lakeshore also showed signs of movement. Clearly, they had seen the flash on Green Snail Island.
He Lin held his sword and, seeing this suicidal behavior, burst into curses:
"Are you people insane?!"
Duan Lianshan, however, understood the situation. Charging forward with his spear, he said coldly:
"They've already succeeded. The people from Black Dragon Island will be here any moment. Finish this quickly!"
Seeing this, He Lin gritted his teeth and forced his way up the mountain.
But unexpectedly, their opponent had not retreated after throwing the Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers. They had only run a few steps when another black dot came flying through the pitch-dark sky.
All five had solid foundations and swiftly took cover behind trees and rocks. But after waiting a moment with furrowed brows, they heard no deafening explosion. Instead:
Rustle~
Tap, tap~
A rock crashed into the dense woods and bounced a few times.
Duan Lianshan was so angry he nearly spat blood. He turned to give chase again, only for another black dot to come flying over.
Boom-
This one exploded!
He Lin was so furious he cursed on the spot, but there was nothing he could do. He could only shout:
"Spread out and charge separately."
At the mountaintop.
Hongyu held the Divine Arm Crossbow and fired repeatedly to hold back the members of the Return to Origin Cult, occasionally throwing rocks and Heavenly Maiden Scatters Flowers as she urged:
"Finish this quickly!"
The reason for this scene was naturally that something had gone wrong.
Ye Xingge had charged at the gravely wounded, dying Gold-Chasing Gentleman with his saber, only to find the man's eyes full of unwillingness. Not only did he refuse to flee, he grabbed his torn-open chest with his left hand and forcibly squeezed the wound shut!
His right hand held his saber as he stepped forward. Blood and sweat steamed from his body, and his veins bulged visibly beneath his skin.
The Fate-Robbing Saber's Blood Courses Through the Eight Meridians burned essence blood to boost cultivation, but activating it with his chest torn open was no different from suicide.
The instant he acted, thin jets of blood shot from the wound he was gripping.
But the Gold-Chasing Gentleman seemed to feel no pain. He had even given up trying to catch his breath, blood Qi steaming from his body as he gathered the last of his life force into the saber's edge.
The dark red, three-foot saber at his side turned crimson as blood!
A terrifying might emanated from the blade, like a ravenous wolf staring at the prey before it with scarlet eyes. One could even feel that the saber was alive...