Chapter 29

After a moment, Wu Lie spoke: “Young Master Zhang,

Tomorrow I’ll go down the cliff with you to search for Wu Jie’s remains.”

“Uncle Wu!”

Zhu Jiuzhen, baffled by Wu Lie’s motives, flew into a rage and stomped her foot.

“Jiuzhen, don’t act foolishly!”

Wu Lie cast a stern glance at Zhu Jiuzhen.

“Yes, Uncle Wu.”

Zhu Jiuzhen fell silent. In the three years since her father Zhu Zhangling died,

Wu Lie had grown ever more authoritative within the Zhu Wu Linked Mountain Villa.

Zhang Jie seemed not to have heard the argument between Wu Lie and Zhu Jiuzhen; he remained lost in thought, staring at the cliff.

“Young Master Zhang, don’t grieve too much—Wu Jie wouldn’t want you to suffer like this, not up there.”

Wu Lie slowly walked over to Zhang Jie’s side and offered comfort.

Yet, without notice, he had already stepped behind Zhang Jie!

“Die!”

Suddenly, Wu Lie’s face twisted into a monstrous snarl,

and he unleashed his family’s secret art, Orchid Flicking Acupoint Hand, striking straight for Zhang Jie’s Mingmen point on his spine!

“I told you not to go—you insisted! Then let’s die together!”

Wu Lie’s expression twisted like a demon crawling out of hell.

He deeply resented Zhang Jie’s inexplicable stubbornness and brotherly loyalty.

Just a dead man.

A dead man who brings no value whatsoever!

Didn’t his sworn brother Zhu Zhangling also fall off the cliff and vanish without a trace?

Three years—three full years—he never once went down to search.

Rather than wait for Zhang Jie to descend and spend every day in fear,

it’s better to strike first while he’s utterly unprepared!

As for Wudang’s revenge?

Wudang’s people are still people—and anyone killed will die!

Yu Dairyan of Wudang was crippled for over a decade, yet Wudang still never found the culprit.

Worst comes to worst, I’ll defect to the Yuan court.

Even if Zhang Sanfeng is the strongest under heaven, even if he’s been the number one for sixty years, can he dare charge an army formation?

Guo Jing, the great hero and one of the Five Greats of old,

wasn’t he crushed to death beneath Yuan cavalry at Xiangyang?

Zhu Jiuzhen, seeing Wu Lie’s move, was startled.

But her inherently cruel heart instantly filled with satisfaction.

So what if Wudang is a great sect of the world?

Soon, a second Wudang disciple will die at the Zhu Wu Linked Mountain Villa!

Just as Wu Lie’s face broke into a triumphant smile,

Zhang Jie, struck from behind, vanished.

“Is this how the Villa Master greets his guests?”

Zhang Jie appeared several meters away, smiling as he teased.

He had long been wary of Wu Lie—his ambush was as transparent as Xiahou Dun’s X-ray vision.

“You were prepared all along!”

Wu Lie’s face darkened, as if he could drip black water.

Even if Zhang Jie is the brightest among Wudang’s third-generation disciples, he’s still young,

and could never have dodged my ambush if truly unprepared.

The only explanation is that Zhang Jie has been suspicious of us from the start!

“Something like that.”

Zhang Jie nodded.

“Where did you spot the flaw?”

Wu Lie asked, baffled.

He believed his facial control and the excuse he fabricated were flawless.

Zhang Jie had no reason to remain constantly on guard against him.

“From the absence of Zhu Zhangling, the Villa Master.”

Zhang Jie made up an excuse on the spot.

“You deduced the flaw from someone who never even appeared?”

Wu Lie frowned, astonished by Zhang Jie’s uncanny perceptiveness.

“The Zhu Wu Linked Mountain Villa is named after Zhu and Wu—

Zhu Zhangling and you, Villa Master Wu, should be equals in status.

Yet since I arrived at the villa until just now, neither you nor Miss Jiuzhen have uttered a single word about Zhu Master.

You didn’t say what he’s doing now, when I might meet him,

or even where he is.

The only explanation is that you unconsciously avoid mentioning anything related to Zhu Master.

Among those who come and go at the Zhu Wu Linked Mountain Villa, who could make you so fearful?

The answer is my junior brother, Zhang Wuji!

Only Zhang Wuji, with his Wudang background and knowledge of the Dragon-Slaying Blade’s whereabouts, could make you so terrified!

Zhang Wuji’s death is tied to your Zhu Wu Linked Mountain Villa, isn’t it?

That Zhu Master… probably went to his grave with my junior brother!”

Zhang Jie spoke calmly and steadily.

Of course, this was almost entirely a guess—he’d drawn the target first, then shot.

But it terrified Zhu Jiuzhen and Wu Lie to the core.

They never imagined such a man existed—so brilliant, almost demonic.

Perhaps even Zhuge Liang, who once held up Shu Han’s sky and stood equal to Cao Wei and Eastern Wu,

was no more astute.

“Damn it—looks like I can’t let you live!”

Wu Lie said, filled with dread.

With Zhang Jie’s intellect, even if they fled now, they’d still be hunted down.

The only option left is to fight to the death—for a sliver of hope!

“General, attack!”

Knowing today could not end peacefully, Zhu Jiuzhen pointed at Zhang Jie and gave the order to the large dog she always kept by her side.

“Woof! Woof!”

The dog, no smaller than a young ox, its jaws wide enough to rival tigers and leopards,

bared fangs like tiny daggers and lunged at Zhang Jie in a frenzy.

“Damn! Is this dog rabid?”

Zhang Jie eyed the rabid dog, his gaze wary.

He wasn’t afraid of the dog’s combat power—it was just a dog.

He feared the rabies virus it might carry!

Rabies was still incurable in the 21st century!

“Dog, you’re too dangerous!”

Zhang Jie uttered the same exclamation as the First Hokage had directed at the Nine-Tails.

Dog: “???”

“Wudang Cotton Palm!”

Zhang Jie flashed several zhang away, appearing beside the charging dog.

He extended his right hand and gently patted the dog’s head, as if stroking a pet.

“Aow!”

The dog let out a mournful cry and collapsed, motionless.

A faint trickle of red-and-white suspicious fluid seeped from its ears, mouth, and nose.

Just now, Zhang Jie had channeled the soft, yielding force of Wudang Cotton Palm, shattering the dog’s brain into literal mush.

“Incredible agility!”

Wu Lie, caught off guard, his pupils contracted sharply.

Though many things had happened, the entire event had lasted no longer than a hare’s leap and a hawk’s swoop.

But now he had no choice—he had already drawn the arrow, and must release it.

Wu Lie forced every ounce of his inner power, his powerful body crushing toward Zhang Jie like a bear or a grizzly.

Yet Zhang Jie, with his advantage in lightness skill, naturally would not meet Wu Lie head-on.

He stepped upon the Wudang Cloud Ascending Stairs, his body darting like a flying bird, weaving and dodging around Wu Lie.

Effortlessly, he deflected each of Wu Lie’s attacks.

“Aaah!”

Wu Lie, unable to break through, roared to the heavens.

“Brat, is that all you know how to do—run and hide?”

“If you’re a real man, face me head-on!”

Wu Lie studied Zhang Jie’s youthful face, thinking this brat had likely never left Mount Wudang more than a few times, lacking worldly experience, and so he used provocation.

Having descended Mount Wudang few times and lacking martial world experience, he resorted to provocation.

“Wu Zhuangzhu, whether I’m a real man isn’t up to you to decide.”

Zhang Jie laughed heartily, dismissing Wu Lie’s provocation.

As he spoke, he even stole a glance at Zhu Jiuzhen, who stood helplessly watching the battle.

Only a beautiful woman like Zhu Jiuzhen could verify whether I’m a real man!

I’m not like some scholars who keep unnatural relations with their servants.

“Rouzhi Sword Technique!”

Zhang Jie drew his longsword, pouring his thick inner power into it; the hundred-fold forged steel instantly became as supple as silk.

The bent blade dissipated Wu Lie’s forceful strikes and turned his attacks to his own use.

With the blade softened, the movements flowed seamlessly, forming an impenetrable defense.

He neutralized every one of Wu Lie’s moves without a trace of noise or effort.

Seeing Zhang Jie’s lightness skill and sword art were so formidable, Wu Lie realized he would be worn down to death if he continued—he decided to risk everything.

“Orchid Flicking Fingertip Technique!”

Wu Lie channeled all his inner power into his thumb, index, and middle fingers,

preparing to catch the blade barehanded and wrest the sword from Zhang Jie.

He was about to catch the blade barehanded and snatch Zhang Jie’s long sword.