Chapter 77: No Escape

Stepping into the Jade Liquid Realm, the human body becomes as rich and fragrant as a precious elixir.

Only after the realm is perfectly complete can one draw in one's brilliance, returning to the unadorned and embracing the true.

But at this moment, a sharp light flashed in Shen Yi's eyes. He stepped forward to meet it, and in a single breath he was already standing before the dense forest.

His viscera shone with radiance; blood imbued with golden light churned ceaselessly within his body.

The thick, restrained aura he had always kept in check finally spread rapidly in all directions — the cultivation of a perfected Jade Liquid Realm had begun to reveal its edge!

Clang—

Amid the sharp ring of swords!

Numerous Captains were jolted awake. They flipped out of their tents, their blades already gripped tight in hand.

The first thing that met their eyes was the all-concealing sword gang.

"You still dare come over?!"

"If you want to keep your lives, get out of my way!"

That sword cultivator's furious roar split metal and cracked stone; endless sword gang tightly enveloped that lone, slender figure.

Like a fierce beast's claws, slowly closing in!

"Qingfeng Sect disciples have rebelled!"

Beneath such overwhelming momentum, Wang Meng emptied his lungs and let out a deafening roar.

Hoping the news could reach the low slope outside the dense forest.

In a flash, he instinctively searched for another figure, his heart still holding a sliver of relief amid the dread.

Fortunately, Brigadier Hong had arranged two of the Jade Liquid Realm to come.

The Qingfeng Sect bandits had actually chosen this place to break out!

Though the sword gang came in a ferocious rush, with the two joining forces, they might well hold out until the brigadiers arrived.

Soon, the figure of Dai Bing standing with sword in hand fell into the Captains' eyes.

They saw her palm trembling slightly, her sword tip raised — not to face the enemy, but pointed instead at the black-robed youth from afar.

This move left the Captains dumbfounded, and their hearts instantly sank to the bottom: "…"

They were all seasoned veterans; seeing this scene, what need was there for further guessing?

They clenched their teeth, gripped their blades, and lunged at the woman!

Boom!

In the distance, the gradually closing, ever more condensed sword gang all gathered atop the three-foot green blade. At the instant of the thrust, it suddenly exploded — wild winds raged, kicking up billowing dust.

Making everyone unable to help raising an arm to shield their eyes.

A resonant voice rang out through the dense forest.

"Junior sister, strike now!"

Dai Bing gritted her teeth, staring ahead; the hand gripping her sword no longer trembled.

Her eyes bloodshot, she turned and shouted sharply at the Captains: "Get back! We've been comrades — don't force my hand!"

In her senior brother's words she caught a hint of panic.

He had long made his name, and rarely showed such unusual emotion when fighting others — let alone against a young Captain just starting out.

She had taken position here; if not necessary, she had no wish to harm anyone, only to frighten Shen Yi off.

Who would have thought the other party would be so stubborn — and actually block her senior brother…

If she hesitated any longer, there would be no leaving today!

Thinking of this, she drew herself and charged forward. Sword gang of the same aura surged on the blade in her hand, only slightly weaker.

Ahead, the dust scattered in all directions.

Shen Yi gripped the saber hilt with one hand and drew the blade from bottom to top. The black, straight ceremonial saber had not yet fully left its sheath when its body just happened to intercept the thrusting three-foot green blade.

He lowered his gaze to watch the man before him, unhurriedly continuing to draw the blade.

Until the saber tip emerged.

Shen Yi flipped his wrist slightly; beneath the vast force, the long sword in the man's hand abruptly bent into an exaggerated arc, letting out wails of grief.

Beads of sweat seeped from the Qingfeng Sect steward's forehead; his previously indifferent face now held a measure of disbelief.

The tremendous shock transmitted through the hilt nearly tore the sword from his grip.

Such terrifying strength — it was as if standing before them was not a Zhen Mo Si Captain, but a humanoid demon!

Crack—

The precious sword, forged of fine steel, held out for only three breaths before becoming covered in dense cracks, shattering completely — every fragment embedding itself into the steward's body.

The black blade, sweeping from bottom to top, peeled back flesh and left a deep gash from his right waist to his left shoulder.

Before the steward could even cry out in pain, the youth seized him by the collar and hurled him violently backward.

"Senior brother!"

Dai Bing, sword in hand as she charged, looked up at the figure flying toward her. Panic crept across her face; she forcibly withdrew her force, and her footing immediately faltered.

Before she could steady herself, her senior brother had already crashed into her.

She instinctively reached to catch him; the instant her palm touched his body, her expression changed drastically.

Boom boom!

The tremendous force surged through her senior brother's body. She had no chance to react at all — as if struck by a small mountain, her delicate frame was carried along and sent flying.

Her five viscera and six bowels churned and compressed, as if about to split apart!

Dai Bing, clutching her senior brother, crashed through several great trees before barely hitting the ground. She spat out a mouthful of crimson blood, nearly dying on the spot.

Beneath this terrifying force, the sword arts she had cultivated for years, her cultivation at the early stage of Jade Liquid Realm, all seemed so feeble — like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Dai Bing struggled to breathe, her face filled with dread, her hand feebly reaching toward the fallen long sword beside her.

Just as she was about to touch the sword hilt, a long boot slowly stepped down on her wrist.

Under the searing pain, she cried out and looked up.

She saw the young man looking down at her from above—his eyes bright yet devoid of emotion—casually pressing the blade against his own throat.

Dai Bing's hand was only an inch or so from the sword hilt, as if just a little more effort would let her pick it up.

Yet her eyes were gradually overtaken by despair: "…"

In her heart she did not doubt for a moment—if she kept clinging to the thought of grasping the sword, that blade gleaming with a dark sheen would pierce her throat without the slightest hesitation.

How could a mere two-pattern Captain be so overwhelmingly powerful that one could not even muster the thought of resistance?

The Qingfeng Mountain steward, his breath thin as a trailing thread, slowly laid his palm on her arm; his five fingers were weak, yet enough to convey his meaning.

He bared his lips, his even teeth stained a crimson red, and said in misery: "Many thanks, Captain, my lord, for sparing our lives."

"…"

Shen Yi glanced at him, and casually slapped the flat of his blade across his face.

What a load of nonsense.

When the other side drew their sword, it looked fierce, but in truth they had left themselves an opening to live.

Anyone with Jade Liquid cultivation, their spirit chilled with fright, could have retreated a dozen or so zhang and dodged it.

The price of that, though, was being able to only watch the two of them escape.

Letting this pair of lovebirds go was absolutely not an option.

Killing them wasn't necessary either.

As for whether they lived or not, that had nothing to do with him—just as the other side hadn't considered what punishment he himself would face if he let them go.

Shen Yi sheathed his blade, kicked the longsword aside: "Tie them up and send them to Lord Hong."

A few Captains stared at the devastated dense forest, the towering great trees collapsed at a slant, and for a moment couldn't quite collect themselves.

They couldn't even make sense of what had happened.

All they saw was the sword-gang explode, and then Lord Shen, in a few quick moves, had stacked the two of them together… These weren't ordinary people, but two Jade Liquid Realm experts.

The few of them swallowed, feeling parched and dry-mouthed.

They gained a bit more faith in what Vice-General Hong Lei had said earlier. Though they didn't know if there was any Shen-named power in Outside Qingzhou, or whether he could really make Zhao Kanglin's grandfather kneel and call him daddy, at the very least there was no doubt that the man was not someone to be trifled with.

Wang Meng recalled the scene a few days ago when the other had politely asked him for guidance, and couldn't help a shiver running through his whole body.

Judging by the ruthlessness of his strikes, he didn't seem nearly as easy to get along with as he looked.

They dug out special-made hemp rope from the tent. Though in their hearts they felt there wasn't much need—two people with only a breath left, don't strangle them to death on top of it—they still obediently tied them up securely together.

(End of chapter)