Chapter 77: Capital Four Tigers

Chen Yi He stretched; although he had been tossing and turning late last night, he still managed to fill his stomach.

After feeding the horse and letting it eat grass, he led the horse, preparing to walk a bit farther in the cool morning.

Suddenly, Chen Yi He sensed something was off…

The wind in the air was inconsistent, blowing from the southwest yet mixed with a northeast wind; relying on his current cultivation, Chen Yi He was extremely sensitive, and not even the slightest breeze or grass movement escaped his spiritual awareness.

Chen Yi He pretended not to notice, mounted his horse, prepared to flee, "Giddy-up!"

He tugged the reins, the horse's front hooves lifted, hind hooves followed, leaping over the silver thread laid in the grass.

The silver thread is a device often used by the Embroidered Uniform Guard to ambush enemies, meant to trip or slash a horse's leg, causing the rider to fall.

Before Chen Yi He could even feel smug, a huge net fell from above! Aiming to catch him in one sweep!

"Whoosh!"

"Swish!"

Chen Yi He didn't move his hands; the Purple Tempered Sword unsheathed itself, shredding the huge net to pieces!

"Whoosh!"

Even this brief delay was seized by the Embroidered Uniform Guard! Featherless arrows whistled forth! Thick and dense, they aimed to turn Chen Yi He into a sieve!

Chen Yi He slapped forward with a palm, carving a path for himself.

The arrows fell thick and fast, sticking in the ground like seedlings planted in a field, row after row, neat and tidy…… He didn't halt his horse, charging forward at full speed!

But four people descended from the sky, blocking his escape routes in all directions.

"You little thief! Where do you think you're going?" The voice also came from heaven, from all sides.

Chen Yi He stopped his horse, firmly gripping the fallen Purple Tempered Sword, eyeing his surroundings warily and coldly.

Four burly men in armor, each wielding a great blade, surrounded Chen Yi He.

"Who goes there? State your name!" Chen Yi He demanded, waving his sword.

"Hahaha! Who doesn't know the name of the Capital Four Tigers?" the man standing before Chen Yi He laughed, retorting; indeed, his voice was booming, his aura tiger-like!

"Well then, today I'll be Wu Song slaying the tiger! Hahaha!" Chen Yi He laughed regardless of whether he had the skill.

This loud laugh almost scared the Capital Four Tigers into losing their composure; they exchanged glances, nodded, and drew their blades! "What an arrogant brat! Quite interesting!"

"You managed to cripple the emperor's brother‑in‑law by luck, but today you won't have that luck!"

"Oh? Go ahead and try," Chen Yi He said coldly.

"Kill!!" The Capital Four Tigers, men of few words but cruel intent, drew their blades and attacked!

Chen Yi He was still seated on his horse, raising his sword to block all four incoming blades, then he thrust upward, sending the Capital Four Tigers' weapons flying! He leapt from his horse, soaring high to meet them head‑on, one sword against four blades, one man against four tigers!

Leaves fluttered down in the forest, dust rose from the ground.

For a moment, the surrounding wind swept away the lingering clouds.

"Capital Four Tigers" is merely a title; the four individuals who compose it never reveal their names, lest they bring vengeance upon their kin and friends! Although they share the same Threefold Heaven Great Completion realm as the Double Blade King, each of their personal strengths far exceeds his.

Even within the same realm, differences exist.

When combined, needless to say…

The Capital Four Tigers, famed across the world! Today they will take Chen Yi He's head!

Chen Yi He felt no surprise; the Embroidered Uniform Guard hiding in the distance had already withdrawn, leaving the matter to the martial world. This let him unleash himself even more freely!

Twenty exchanges passed in the blink of an eye, both sides probing each other's depths!

Chen Yi He was at a disadvantage.

The Capital Four Tigers advanced together, using their blades to push aside Chen Yi He's Purple Tempered Sword, aiming to seize him with their other hand.

Little did they know, Chen Yi He still had a sword qi technique hidden within!

"Flying Flower Dance Sword" rose with a single strike, turning the illusory into substance! The sword shadows suddenly surged upward!

Petals drifted down from the sky, scattering everywhere! Each blossom bore killing intent!

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!" Four sounds—all four foes were pierced! Their armor was punctured with holes the size of a grip made by two hands!

Had their armor not been specially made, Chen Yi He's single strike would have run them through just moments ago!

After all, they are masters of the Threefold Heaven Great Completion; after a brief shock, they quickly adjusted their stance and bodies, raised their blades, and attacked again.

This time they ceased single combat, forming a formation; the four of them executed a killing array, aiming to fell Chen Yi He by array tactics!

"Heh heh, kid, we haven't used the Ferocious Tiger Killing Formation in years; if you die beneath it, you can die in peace!" The Capital Four Tigers spoke in unison, moving in sync, circling Chen Yi He and spinning rapidly.

Four ferocious tigers emerged from the blade aura! They bared fangs and claws, gaping bloody maws!

Chen Yi He grew dizzy from the spin; though he wanted to slash out with his sword, he found the Purple Tempered Sword could not harm the enemies at all, and the four tigers forced him back.

Chen Yi He stood within the formation! Firmly encircled, blade techniques from the Ferocious Tiger Killing Formation kept surging out, catching him off guard!

As the tigers drew ever nearer, the blade aura closed in on him!

Chen Yi He dared not be careless; a moment's lapse would see him torn to shreds by the "tigers" or chopped into mincemeat by the blades!

No matter how fast the opponents' blades, his sword matched that speed, even hinting at overtaking them!

After a grueling three‑hundred‑round battle, Chen Yi He gradually subdued the Ferocious Tiger Killing Formation, and with a single move "Mountain Follows the Plain to Exhaustion," he broke the formation!

"Pfft!" The Capital Four Tigers all flew backward; once the formation was broken, they suffered grave injuries!

Before they could even react, Chen Yi He's sword had already severed their heads—one strike each, four strikes, all slain!

"Hoo…" After that hard‑fought struggle, Chen Yi He finally overcame his opponent!

However, now is not the time to relax; he faintly sensed that someone else was rushing toward him!

"Giddy‑up!" Chen Yi He didn't have time to wipe the blood from his body and sword, mounted his horse, and, taking advantage of the crowd's arrival, prepared to flee.

"Damn, I was actually planning to go to Chang Le Gate! Now it's great—I haven't even reached the Imperial Capital and the Embroidered Uniform Guard already have their eyes on me." Chen Yi He secretly rejoiced, glad that his strength had vastly surpassed before; otherwise the Capital Four Tigers would have easily torn him to pieces.

It's foreseeable that fiercer opponents lie ahead or behind; now Chen Yi He finds himself in a predicament where advancing or retreating is impossible.

"Advancing is no good, retreating is no good…" Chen Yi He pondered while riding, his mind still searching for a plan.

Chen Yi He had just passed through the forest when, out of nowhere, a squad of Imperial Guard appeared, blocking the road ahead. From afar they pointed at him and shouted, "Catch him!"

"Oh no!" Chen Yi He hastily grabbed the horse reins, turned around and was about to run.

Who would have thought the forest behind him was also surrounded by Imperial Guard! A hail of arrows kept shooting out of the woods, cutting off Chen Yi He's retreat.

Looking east, there were also Imperial Guard!

Two fists can't fight four hands; facing the Four Tigers of the Capital, Chen Yi He had already exerted all his strength. Now wave after wave of Imperial Guard kept appearing, and Chen Yi He, alone, could not hold out!!!

Countless Imperial Guard—no matter how strong Chen Yi He was, he could not fight one against ten thousand! At this very moment, only fleeing is the right way!

Speaking of fleeing, the only way is to the west!

"Go!" Chen Yi He didn't care what lay to the west; he just had to run!

"Kill—ah ah ah!" the Imperial Guard's pursuit cries shook heaven and earth!