Chapter 4: Elder, You

“Bang!”

The fourth-rank martial artist at the front was slammed backward, sliding several meters.

“Bang! Bang!”

Almost simultaneously, another nearby fourth-rank martial artist rushed forward and landed two consecutive punches on Ji Wenyue’s back.

The golden shield visibly dented, then immediately rebounded.

The martial artist behind her was jolted backward one or two steps by the recoil of his own strike.

Ji Wenyue, as if unaffected, used the rebound to surge rapidly toward a horse on the mound, attempting to seize it and flee.

All five martial artists stared in shock, some even revealing unmistakable fear and hesitation, reluctant to advance.

The golden shield was simply too unbelievable!

“Fool! Stop her! That’s just a protective talisman—it can only shield her body for a short time!” Elder Liao shouted upon seeing the golden aura around Ji Wenyue.

At Elder Liao’s shout, the man who had been repelled immediately charged forward to block Ji Wenyue’s path, and the others followed suit.

The talisman could only block direct force from striking Ji Wenyue, but the recoil force remained.

Amid the blockade, Ji Wenyue failed to reach the mound; instead, the massive impact forced her to stagger backward step by step.

“Hurry and attack! The talisman won’t last long! Once it fails, you’ll never get another chance!” Ji Wenyue noticed Xia Daoming still standing frozen in place and nearly exploded with rage.

Had Xia Daoming charged with her just now, even slightly, he could have diverted some of their force—giving her a better chance of escape.

At this life-or-death moment, she had given him a protective talisman—for his sake, and for her own.

Yet this stranger, despite being a fourth-rank martial artist, failed to seize such a golden opportunity.

Opportunities vanish in an instant. Now that they were prepared, the chance to break through was far slimmer.

“This young man is far smarter than you. Since escape is impossible, why bother with such a pointless act?” Elder Liao said, his piercing gaze toward Xia Daoming softening slightly, a hint of kindness appearing on his face.

“Young man, if you hand me your talisman and swear never to speak of today’s events, I’ll spare your life.”

Earlier, Elder Liao had seen Ji Wenyue slip something into Xia Daoming’s hand but hadn’t known what it was—now he understood.

“Really?” Xia Daoming’s eyes lit up instantly, his face filled with surprise and delight.

“Of course. I’m a fifth-rank great martial artist—do you think I’d lie to you?” Elder Liao said, his gaze fixed on the talisman in Xia Daoming’s hand, burning with greed.

“It’s not that I distrust you, Elder, but you’re mounted. If you change your mind, chasing me would be effortless. If you dismount, then I’ll dare to hand you the talisman. Otherwise, I’d rather use it now.” Xia Daoming said.

“You…” Ji Wenyue, hearing this, was furious, frantic, and utterly contemptuous.

Xia Daoming’s move not only handed Elder Liao an easy advantage but also completely destroyed her last hope of escape.

Of course, in Ji Wenyue’s eyes, it also sealed Xia Daoming’s own fate.

She didn’t believe for a second that this old fox would truly spare Xia Daoming’s life.

“Hah! You’re indeed a clever young man. Fine, I’ll dismount.” Elder Liao laughed heartily, then promptly leapt off his horse and walked step by step down the mound.

“Stop right there!” Xia Daoming still seemed doubtful; as he spoke, he retreated backward toward the fight with Ji Wenyue.

“Alright, young man says stop, I stop. But now you can throw me the talisman, right? Don’t worry—I’m an old man, no horse, my legs won’t catch up to your youth!” Elder Liao halted and said.

“Alright! Elder, catch!” Xia Daoming raised his hand, and two silver glints shot toward Elder Liao.

As Xia Daoming raised his hand, his body twisted like an impossibly agile snake, darting behind the two fourth-rank martial artists with astonishing speed.

Both fists formed snake-head strikes, hammering down hard on their spines.

“Watch out!”

Elder Liao’s face turned pale, screaming in alarm.

Too late.

Everyone had heard Elder Liao’s conversation with Xia Daoming clearly; each secretly mocked Xia Daoming as naive and foolish for believing him, and had completely ignored him, focusing entirely on Ji Wenyue.

“Crack! Crack!”

The sound of snapping spines rang out abruptly.

The two fourth-rank martial artists’ eyes bulged wide, then collapsed forward.

As they fell, they strained to turn their eyes.

They saw a shadow, like a ghost, already darting toward the other two.

“Crack!” One was struck by the snake-knife hand on the neck, his head tilting sideways as he crashed to the ground.

“Bang!” The other finally reacted in time, dodging the fatal palm-strike—but Xia Daoming swept his leg like a viper’s tail, kicking him clean off his feet, sending him crashing heavily to the earth.

“You’re asking for death!” A roar like a tiger’s howl erupted across the desert, shaking Xia Daoming’s eardrums.

Simultaneously, a powerful aura surged toward him, stirring a fierce wind that whipped up sand and dust.

Amid the swirling sand, Elder Liao—once gaunt and sallow, as if recovering from grave illness—now lunged like a tiger pouncing, mid-air, his palm forming a tiger-blade as he slashed down at Xia Daoming’s face.

Xia Daoming’s pupils contracted sharply; his internal qi surged into his fists, and he slammed his fists upward to meet the descending tiger-palm.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

Fist met palm in rapid succession, each impact echoing with dull, heavy thuds of flesh and bone.

Elder Liao exhausted his strength, flipped backward, and landed. His sallow face flushed with unnatural redness. He stared at Xia Daoming, two zhang away, feeling the numb, aching pain in his arms—his heart churned like a storm-tossed sea.

In that attack, he had unleashed his full rage—his momentum was overwhelming. He’d expected Xia Daoming, caught off-guard, to be wounded at least—even if not killed outright.

Instead, the young man’s strength far surpassed that of any ordinary fourth-rank martial artist. He had not only absorbed the full force of Elder Liao’s furious strike, but the counterforce had nearly shattered his old bones.

“Fifth-rank martial artist’s power can penetrate the body!” Xia Daoming stared calmly at Elder Liao, inwardly stunned.

Elder Liao’s force was slightly weaker than he’d expected—but it carried a subtle, yin-like quality, drilling into his meridians like a drill bit during impact, causing unbearable discomfort.

Fortunately, his meridians and qi were far stronger than those of any ordinary fourth-rank martial artist.

The force that had penetrated his body caused discomfort, but no damage. His surging qi, like a tidal wave, quickly overwhelmed and dispersed Elder Liao’s intrusion.

“I misjudged you,” Elder Liao said coldly, subtly stepping backward.

“Elder, you’re old. And your courage has withered,” Xia Daoming smiled, stepping forward relentlessly.

“Boy, do you think you can keep me here?” Elder Liao growled.

“You won’t even spare a woman’s corpse—you’re cruel and twisted. And as an Elder, your background must be significant. Do you really think I’d let you walk away?” Xia Daoming still smiled.

“Boy, I admit you’re strong. But you’re fourth-rank—I’m fifth. In a true life-or-death fight, you’d lose.”

“But I’m old. I want to live a few more comfortable years, not broken and bedridden, clinging to life.”

“So let’s part ways. The world is vast. With your strength, once you leave this place, you needn’t fear the Hundred Medicines Hall’s pursuit.” Elder Liao said.

“Elder, you’ve clearly gone senile. Have you forgotten about Ji Miss? And there’s one more thing I forgot to tell you…” Xia Daoming smiled.

Before he finished speaking, Xia Daoming pushed off the ground, launching himself like a rattlesnake from the sand—snake-head fist in one hand, snake-knife hand in the other, striking straight for Elder Liao’s neck and chest.

Elder Liao’s pupils shrank; his full strength erupted, both hands forming tiger-palms to block.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

Fist and palm clashed again in rapid succession.

Elder Liao retreated step by step, each step leaving a deep imprint in the earth.

“Crack!”

A sharp sound of bone breaking rang out.

One of Elder Liao’s arms hung limp.

Ignoring the pain, he turned and fled.

“Bang! Bang!”

Before he reached the mound, Xia Daoming caught up and delivered two palm strikes to his back.

“Plop!” Elder Liao collapsed face-first, blood continuously pouring from his mouth.

“I forgot to tell you—I hadn’t used my full strength yet. And you’re old. Your bones are brittle. You need calcium!” Xia Daoming said calmly, staring at Elder Liao.

“You…” Elder Liao weakly raised a trembling hand, pointing at Xia Daoming—then let it drop lifelessly. His eyes bulged, filled with shock, resentment, and a flicker of confusion.

Ji Wenyue, who had just finished her battle and was sprinting to assist, suddenly halted, eyes wide, her weapon trembling violently.

She simply could not believe it—the Hundred Medicines Hall’s Elder, a fifth-rank martial artist, had been killed by brute force by this fourth-rank martial artist!

What immense power!

“Ji Miss, you’re too slow!” Xia Daoming slowly turned, finally able to properly admire her.

This girl is terrifying!

“Y-you killed Elder Liao Min?” After a long pause, Ji Wenyue swallowed hard, stammering.

“Will there be no more pursuers?” Xia Daoming turned away, his expression serious.

Ji Wenyue’s mind lagged behind his pace. “Ah?” she said, then hurriedly added: “Probably not!”

“Good!” Xia Daoming exhaled softly, once again admiring the terrifying beauty before him.

“Miss Ji Wenyue deeply thanks the hero for saving my life!” Ji Wenyue, now somewhat accustomed to his gaze, bowed slightly where she stood.

“To aid the oppressed is the duty of our kind. No need for thanks, Ji Miss. But if you could tell me the way to the nearest town or city, I’d be eternally grateful.” Xia Daoming said.

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