Chapter 1695

Bu Wu previously lost to Hu Xiaotian because Hu Xiaotian's martial arts had advanced by leaps and bounds; learning the Heaven-Splitting Sword from the Sword Demon was certainly one reason, but Bu Wu's own martial arts had not reached their peak. Although he had gained a pair of eyes, they did not increase his strength but became a burden. Bu Wu cherished these hard-won eyes, which made him hesitant and fearful in life-and-death combat, afraid anyone might injure his eyes. Facing a master like Hu Xiaotian, even the slightest restraint would greatly reduce his martial prowess, let alone Hu Xiaotian suddenly unleashing the Sword Demon's ultimate killing move, the culmination of his life's work.

Bu Wu's current strength is actually greater than before he lost his eyes; once a person has no worries in his heart, there are no restraints, and having nothing to lose, what is there to fear? In the darkness Bu Wu struck out with a palm; his palm blade was formless, yet as his palm rubbed the air it produced a metallic tearing sound.

Sword wind and blade qi collided in the darkness; the impact of the two powerful energies exploded at the center, then sent out a radiating shockwave. The tent resembled an inflated ball, and as pressure suddenly increased in a short time it bulged out. Unable to withstand the immense pressure, the tent burst open with a loud 'Peng!'—mixed with a man's scream, that of Guo Shaoxiong, whom Hu Xiaotian had knocked to the ground. This tremendous impact flung him away; his body flew over ten zhang before unluckily crashing onto the head of a bull, its horns piercing his chest and abdomen, his scream cut short. The enraged bull gored Guo Shaoxiong's corpse and continued to rampage, and outside everything fell into chaos.

No matter how the outside world changed, Hu Xiaotian and Bu Wu had only each other left in their hearts.

Moonlight like water shrouded their bodies. Bu Wu lifted his head and puffed his chest; his eye sockets sank deep, half his face resembling a skull. Hu Xiaotian stepped forward heavily, then his body sprang up, both hands lifting the black-iron sword, raising it overhead, gathering his whole body's strength, and he chopped down. This move was the most powerful of the Seven Slays of Heaven swords, yet it incorporated something of Hu Xiaotian's own. The Seven Slays of Heaven emphasize outward sword qi, but after studying under the Sword Demon Dongfang Wuwo and learning the Heaven-Splitting Sword, Hu Xiaotian suddenly realized there was no need to pursue so-called outward sword qi. Outward sword qi might be useful in long-range duels, but in close combat its lethality may not surpass a direct strike.

Man and sword are one; where the man is, the sword is; where the sword is, the man is. Man is sword, sword is man—no need to distinguish between them.

Although Bu Wu could not see Hu Xiaotian, he could feel this strong killing intent; a clear image appeared in his mind: a huge sword descending straight toward his crown. Bu Wu crossed his hands, pointing his ten fingers skyward, actually using his flesh-and-blood body to block Hu Xiaotian's attack.

Hu Xiaotian saw that this fellow did not dodge, and thought to himself, 'No matter how strong you are, Bu Wu, my sword will still cleave you in two.' The black-iron sword first met Bu Wu's protective aura; its momentum slowed slightly. In a duel of masters, opportunity often lies in an instant. Bu Wu shifted his hands, firmly gripping the sword's blade, and his body shuddered from Hu Xiaotian's tremendous chopping force, his feet sinking over a foot into the ground. Bu Wu's force was not resistance but redirection: he pulled down with all his strength on the hands clasping the sword. Hu Xiaotian could not recover in time; the black-iron sword thrust straight into the ground, and his body was dragged downward by that powerful pull.

Hu Xiaotian reacted with astonishing speed, immediately discarding the black-iron sword and closing in with the God-Demon Annihilation Fist, throwing a punch at Bu Wu's chest. The God-Demon Annihilation Fist was transmitted by his maternal grandfather Xu Lingkong; its power is tremendous, suited for close combat.

This time Bu Wu's tactics were completely different from before; he actually gave up holding back and let Hu Xiaotian's punch land on his body, while likewise landing a punch on Hu Xiaotian's abdomen. Hu Xiaotian's fist striking Bu Wu's body gave a hollow 'Kong!' like hitting rotten wood, whereas Bu Wu's punch striking Hu Xiaotian produced a muffled 'Peng!' like distant thunder, and both were left with their qi and blood churning from the blows.

Hu Xiaotian secretly thought it was bad; Bu Wu's tactics were clearly a head‑on clash, seeking mutual destruction. Hu Xiaotian was in the prime of youth, while Bu Wu was an old man with dirt piled up to his neck—if they both perished, Hu Xiaotian would be the loser. Yet there was no chance to change tactics now; Bu Wu raged like a madman, his fists and feet storming like a violent gust and rain, giving Hu Xiaotian no breathing room.

Facing Bu Wu's frenzied assault, Hu Xiaotian could only meet it with the same method; after all he had not only formed protective aura but also an inner armor, which should have given him an advantage. Yet he quickly realized Bu Wu seemed to feel no pain; in this exchange Hu Xiaotian was clearly at a disadvantage, for Bu Wu's tactic was to launch a dense, rain‑like barrage to leave him breathless and unable to unleash techniques like the Heaven‑Splitting Sword.

Unable to attack from a distance, only close combat remained. Hu Xiaotian wanted to evade Bu Wu's storm‑like frenzy, so he resorted to grappling: he grabbed Bu Wu in a bear hug and, using a wrestling move, lifted him and slammed him hard to the ground.

Bu Wu clung to Hu Xiaotian like sticky candy, legs wrapped around his torso, one arm encircling his body while the other pounded him relentlessly. Hu Xiaotian raised his fist and gave Bu Wu's bald head a sound thrashing; the two top masters fought no better than street ruffians. In the tangle, Hu Xiaotian finally seized Bu Wu's wrist, intending to repeat his trick and use the Void Grand Method to draw Bu Wu's inner energy.

Bu Wu struggled desperately, but Hu Xiaotian would not let this rare chance slip by; his Dantian Qi Sea, like a valley in the void, forcibly sucked Bu Wu's inner energy into his own body. Bu Wu strained to break free, while Hu Xiaotian silently reflected that it was now too late to flee—Bu Wu's inner energy was already pouring steadily into him.

Hu Xiaotian secretly gloated, 'No matter how strong you are, Bu Wu, you will ultimately fall under my hand; I need only draw away some of your inner energy, and with your loss my gain, I can easily put you to death.'

But reality was not as Hu Xiaotian had imagined; Bu Wu's inner energy rushing into his meridians suddenly accelerated, like a great river—more precisely, an ice‑cold torrent. A bitterly cold inner force surged through Hu Xiaotian's meridians straight into his body, and by the time he sensed something wrong it was already too late.

This was because Bu Wu, while Hu Xiaotian used the Void Grand Method against him, injected a bitterly cold inner force into Hu Xiaotian's meridians. Hu Xiaotian's whole body felt as if plunged into an ice cellar; his meridians were shocked by this yin‑cold energy, his body nearly numb. He immediately understood what had happened: everything in this world has two sides. While using the Void Grand Method to drain an opponent's energy, one's meridians are likewise opened to the outside; if someone can strike back in that state, they can travel along Hu Xiaotian's meridians and directly destroy his Dantian Qi Sea.

Hu Xiaotian had never before encountered such a deviant; even if one's inner energy were as vast as Yuan Kong's or one's martial arts as supreme as Dongfang Wuwo's, facing the Void Grand Method they could only resist, unable to, when the two meridians connect, attack Hu Xiaotian's meridians and dantian with inner force. Hu Xiaotian had succeeded repeatedly, thus overlooking this vulnerability—until Bu Wu seized it.

Bu Wu said with a sinister grin, 'In this world, who could know the Void Grand Method better than I? Hehe, hehehe…' He let out a strange, grating laugh, and his icy, yin‑laden inner energy poured into Hu Xiaotian's meridians like the Yangtze River. He intended to seize this rare opportunity and, from within, destroy Hu Xiaotian's Dantian Qi Sea and take his life.

Hu Xiaotian instantly fell from cloud to abyss; compared to the sinister, crafty monk Bu Wu, he ultimately still lacked combat experience.

Bu Wu raised his right hand, fingers hooked like claws, slowly approaching Hu Xiaotian's eyes—eyes he had painstakingly obtained, now gouged out by Hu Xiaotian. In his heart he hated Hu Xiaotian intensely; he would repay him in kind, making Hu Xiaotian taste the agony of having his eyes torn out.

Hu Xiaotian said, 'Wait, I have something to say!' In fact he was merely trying to buy time.

Bu Wu gave a cold snort and said coldly, 'It's already too late.'

Just as Hu Xiaotian was preparing to meet his grim fate, he saw a stooped, hunchbacked elder of the Dangyi tribe approach Bu Wu from behind, soundlessly, and strike a palm onto Bu Wu's back.

If Hu Xiaotian had not seen it himself, he would not believe that among the Dangyi tribe there lurked a hidden master whose skill Bu Wu, despite his own martial prowess, failed to notice approaching. Bu Wu's body shuddered; he wanted to retaliate, but it was already too late. He felt his back as if split open, his inner breath gushing out, and the person behind him had also cultivated the Void Grand Method, with attainment no less than Hu Xiaotian's.

Bu Wu turned around in terror, unable to see the person behind him, but Hu Xiaotian saw clearly: the Dangyi elder's single eye glowed with a ferocious light, and Hu Xiaotian's heart jolted as he suddenly realized who this was!

Bu Wu trembled, 'You are…'

The Dangyi elder's voice was thin and sharp: 'How? You don't even recognize me? You've been looking for me all along, yet now that I stand before you, you don't know me?' In fact this Dangyi elder was Li Yuncong in disguise. After leaving the imperial palace he had hidden his name and identity, yet for some reason Bu Wu had discovered it; Bu Wu pursued him relentlessly, Li Yuncong fled everywhere, finally driven to the frontier, where he managed temporary refuge, but Bu Wu did not give up because of that.

Li Yuncong said, 'I finally understand one thing: to completely evade you, I must get rid of you!'

Bu Wu's body began to tremble; he felt his life ebbing away as his inner energy drained continuously…

Today there is only one First Update; I have something to do tonight. (To be continued~^~)