Chapter 109

Tiger King Ridge.

Gentle sunlight spilled down from the horizon, shattered by the dense forest shade, leaving only mottled spots of light on the mountain path.

Chen Mu walked alone, the newly forged spiritual sword held casually in his hand, its matching scabbard looking plain and ordinary.

His pace seemed unhurried, but with every step he took, his figure was already several yards away.

Suddenly, his footsteps faltered, and he stopped in the middle of the road.

"Come out." Chen Mu’s voice was calm and waveless, yet clearly audible in the silent mountain forest.

Swish~ Swish~ Swish!

From the front and back of the road, as well as the mountain forests on both sides, dozens of figures suddenly leaped out, sword light surging, surrounding him completely.

These people were divided into two groups; one group wore the attire of the Hundred Blades Villa, with two crossed long swords carved on their chests, their sharpness eye-catching.

The other group wore black and red martial outfits, each of them sturdy, their temples bulging high, their eyes bright and sharp.

Everyone was a martial artist who had achieved success in their cultivation!

And at the very front, Guan Xingce walked side-by-side with a burly middle-aged man whose arms reached almost to his knees and whose palms were as large as cattail fans.

This man was none other than the Iron Palm Sect Master, Tie Xiangtong. His hard-body cultivation was only half a step away from the Tripod Body stage, and he was also an expert at the second stage of the Innate Realm. His pair of pitch-black iron palms could split monuments and shatter stones, and his reputation was illustrious.

"Villa Master Guan, what is the meaning of this?"

Chen Mu’s gaze swept over Guan Xingce and then landed on Tie Xiangtong beside him. "And you even found a helper? Is something the matter?"

Guan Xingce felt a bit guilty under Chen Mu’s gaze, but when his eyes glanced at the long sword in Chen Mu’s hand, greed immediately overcame his apprehension. He sneered, "Young Hero Nie, let's not speak in riddles. The origin of those two spiritual swords you used for re-smelting is unknown. Elder Han exhausted his heart's blood to refine them into a mid-grade spiritual sword; how could we let you take it away so easily? If you are sensible, leave the spiritual sword and the items on your person, and we might consider sparing your life."

Tie Xiangtong’s voice was like a booming bell as he laughed loudly: "Brother Guan, why waste words with him! Kid, I heard you are also Innate? Perfect, my pair of iron palms hasn't hammered the skull of an Innate expert in a long time! Hand over the things on you obediently, and I'll give you a quick death!"

There was not a hint of panic on Chen Mu’s face; instead, he shook his head slightly, as if in pity. "Guan Xingce, Villa Master Guan, I thought you were a smart man. It seems that just breaking through to the Innate Realm has made your vision and your courage disproportionate."

His fingers rested lightly on the sword hilt. "And you, daring to be so arrogant without even reaching the Tripod Body stage in hard-body cultivation. It seems Villa Master Guan promised you quite a few benefits to accompany him to his death."

"Arrogant!" Tie Xiangtong was furious; he hated others looking down on him the most. "Die for me!"

Before the words had even faded, his massive body moved with incredible agility, rushing toward Chen Mu like a cannonball. His pair of iron palms, gleaming with a metallic luster, brought with them a shrill sound of breaking air, striking directly at Chen Mu’s vital chest area.

The palm wind was fierce and unmatched, blowing dust into the air, causing more than half of the dozens of disciples around to lose their footing.

At the same time, Guan Xingce also moved.

He knew well that Chen Mu’s cultivation was higher than his and that he possessed a mid-grade spiritual sword, so he used a killing move from the very start.

The long sword at his waist was unsheathed, the sword light like a streak of silk, carrying the sharp aura of a newly promoted Innate expert, sealing Chen Mu’s retreat and forming a perfect pincer attack with Tie Xiangtong.

The combined strike of two Innate experts was astonishing in power, the momentum seemingly about to destroy this patch of forest completely.

However, facing this thunderous siege, Chen Mu spoke calmly.

"Since you are seeking death, I will fulfill your wishes. It just so happens I can test my sword."

"Clang—!"

A clear, resonant sword hum suddenly rang out, drowning out all the wind and roars!

The newly forged mid-grade spiritual sword was unsheathed.

There was no blinding light; the moment the sword was unsheathed, it seemed to swallow all the surrounding light. The blade was as clear as water, cold and aloof.

Swish~!

Chen Mu flicked his wrist lightly, and the sword light split!

A tiny sword ray, like one from a ninth-heaven silver moon, slashed toward Tie Xiangtong’s indestructible iron palms; another sword ray, cold as ice, silently sliced through Guan Xingce’s fierce sword net.

"What kind of sword technique is this?!"

Tie Xiangtong was terrified to the point of despair; he felt his iron palm true qi was like paper in front of that tiny sword ray, and a bone-chilling coldness and tearing sensation rushed straight into his mind along his arm.

He let out a strange cry on the spot, desperately trying to retreat.

Guan Xingce was even more scared out of his wits; his sword qi disintegrated on its own in front of that cold sword ray, as if it had encountered a natural nemesis, and a loneliness of galactic extinction enveloped him.

"Pfft!"

"Crack!"

Blood erupted.

Tie Xiangtong let out a shrill scream; his pair of flesh palms, capable of shaking metal and iron, were severed at the wrists!

The severed ends were as smooth as a mirror, yet they didn't bleed immediately, instead being shrouded by a layer of ethereal, unpredictable qi.

Guan Xingce’s long sword also snapped in response, the cold sword ray’s momentum undiminished, carving a deep-to-the-bone wound across his chest, the terrifying sword qi crazily eroding his meridians and true qi.

Just one move!

Guan Xingce and Tie Xiangtong, one crippled and one severely injured!

Scattered around, the dozens of disciples who had participated in the siege froze in place, the savage grins on their faces solidifying, replaced by boundless fear and horror.

Mottled spots of light reflected on their pale faces.

Chen Mu stood holding the sword, the tip pointing obliquely at the ground, the tiny, cold sword ray flowing slowly on the blade, ethereal and powerful.

He looked up at the screaming Tie Xiangtong and the staggering, incredulous Guan Xingce, and said calmly, "The most important thing in life is self-awareness. If something isn't yours, it's best not to reach for it!"

When Han Hao successfully forged the mid-grade spiritual sword and Guan Xingce developed strange thoughts, Chen Mu had sensed it at the time.

A mid-grade spiritual sword was extraordinary for the Hundred Blades Villa, both in value and significance.

But thinking is one thing, and acting is another.

Guan Xingce had developed greed and reached out to him, so he had to pay the price!

"Run!"

Guan Xingce suddenly roared, "Everyone run! Scatter and run!"

Whoosh~!

The dozens of disciples, who were already filled with fear and silent as cicadas, heard the shout and immediately scattered in all directions, taking to their heels.

Including Tie Xiangtong, who clutched his wounds, his body swaying as he used his light-body technique to fly away at high speed.

What a pity...

Swish!

Chen Mu’s figure flickered and disappeared from where he stood.

"Ssh!"

"Ssh~"

"Ssh~!"

Afterimages flickered, weaving through the mountain forest. The cold light they brought with them was like cutting lines.

Pfft~ Pfft~ Pfft~

Lines of blood sprinkled onto the ground, spot by spot.

Thud~ Thud~ Thud~

Before they could even scream, one corpse after another fell to the ground, dead as could be.

The dozens of disciples fleeing in all directions were the first to fall, dying with their eyes wide open.

Then came Tie Xiangtong; he roared, bellowed, and begged for mercy, but unfortunately, being half a step away from the Tripod Body stage, facing the sharpness of a mid-grade spiritual sword, he barely blocked two moves before his head was separated from his neck.

[Corpse discovered, do you wish to loot?]