Chapter 153: Three Barriers

Yu Liancheng and Afei walked onto the stone steps and crossed through the main gate.

The courtyard was deathly quiet, as if there wasn't a single person there, but as soon as the two entered the front courtyard, eighteen people suddenly appeared like ghosts.

These eighteen people clearly looked different, but for some reason, it was impossible to distinguish their features, as if they were born of the same womb.

If the hundred or so people from before were the elite of the Money Gang, then these eighteen were the elite of the elite.

This time, Yu Liancheng did not move.

Afei moved.

He stepped forward two paces, walked in front of Yu Liancheng, and said coldly, "I do not wish to kill, nor do I wish for anyone to block my path."

One person sneered, "And what if we do block your path?"

Afei said, "Those who block the path must die."

That person looked at the sword in Afei's hand and laughed loudly, "Your sword couldn't even kill a dog."

Afei's sword looked like a very clumsy toy.

But a "toy" can also kill.

A flash of sword light, and before the man could finish laughing, his throat had already been pierced.

"I don't kill dogs, I only kill people."

This was Afei's answer.

It was just a pity that this person could no longer hear it.

The next moment.

A Judge's Pen, a pair of hooks, and a nine-ringed saber, along with their wielders, struck at Afei.

Two sharp blades also slashed toward Afei's "toy."

But very quickly.

These people all fell down.

Because Afei's sword had already pierced their throats.

Afei's sword was not much faster than their weapons, only a fraction faster.

A fraction was already enough.

And the remaining eleven experts also charged at Afei and Yu Liancheng amidst shouts.

Yu Liancheng still did not move; it was Afei who moved.

Afei drew his sword.

His sword technique was very peculiar; his sword technique had no slashes, no intercepts, only thrusts.

A thrust, by nature, is only a forward stab.

But Afei could thrust from any direction, and could thrust at any part of the body.

He could thrust under the ribs, toward the crotch, or toward the ears.

He could thrust forward, backward, left, and right.

Although there was not much variation.

But to his opponents, this was the most terrifying variation.

Soon, seven or eight corpses lay on the ground.

And the remaining few fled in panic.

It seemed that loyalty to the Money Gang could not overcome the fear of death.

Yu Liancheng suddenly felt a hint of interest.

He wondered if an ambitious hero like Shangguan Jinhong would also feel fear when he died? Would he also be afraid?

The two walked toward the main hall again.

Afei's footsteps gradually fell behind Yu Liancheng, and the two sets of footsteps once again formed a strange, complementary rhythm, like the rolling waves of the Changjiang, unstoppable.

When they arrived in the main hall, they saw the third barrier set up by Shangguan Jinhong, which was also the final barrier.

The third barrier had the fewest people, but it was also the most difficult.

And the reason it was the final one was because the six top experts of the Money Gang, aside from Shangguan Jinhong and Jing Wuming, had all appeared here.

Among them was the expert Xiang Song, one of the "Wind and Rain Twin Meteors," who ranked high on the Weapon Manual.

They looked at Yu Liancheng and Afei, their expressions indescribably grave.

Because they knew that the first two barriers were very difficult. They also knew how much effort and painstaking work Shangguan Jinhong had spent to defeat the person before them.

"The only person I want to kill today is Shangguan Jinhong."

Yu Liancheng wore a smile and looked around with an indescribable air of composure, "So, if you want to flee now, you may leave; I will definitely not pursue you."

Xiang Song and the others did not speak, and no one left; they only kept their eyes fixed on his hands and his sword, the atmosphere becoming increasingly tense, ready to snap at any moment.

"It is fine if you do not leave."

Yu Liancheng sighed lightly, his slender fingers resting on the sword hilt, "It is said that the first drum raises the spirit, the second tires it, and the third exhausts it. Shangguan Jinhong wants to use you all to wear down my 'momentum,' but he does not know that you are truly too far beneath me; even if you risk your lives, at most it will only serve to warm me up so I can better display my strength."

"Arrogant and conceited."

"We don't need Gang Leader Shangguan; we alone can make you die without a burial ground!!"

It must be said that the nickname "Six Absolute Mad Guest" was indeed well-chosen and fit Yu Liancheng's current performance perfectly; he was truly arrogant beyond compare.

And which of the experts present was not someone who could stir up wind and rain in the pugilistic world? Being proud and haughty, how could they sit still?

In an instant, six types of weapons attacked Yu Liancheng.

Among them were a pair of Judge's Pens, a sword, a whip, a meteor hammer, a saber, and a pitch-black iron rod.

The Judge's Pens were the shortest and most dangerous, and the technique used was clearly the authentic acupoint-striking method of the former "Life and Death Judge"; if this person were listed in the Weapon Manual, their ranking would absolutely not be below that of Xiang Song of the "Wind and Rain Twin Meteors."

The sword was an ancient pine-patterned sword, and the sword technique had a faint air of antiquity; the strikes were sparse and elegant, with the intent preceding the sword. Among the contemporary sword users, there would certainly not be five who could surpass him.

The long whip lashed toward Yu Liancheng with a whistling sound; as it whipped through the air, it coiled three times, each loop circling toward the top of Yu Liancheng's head.

The one wielding the whip was also a Hall Master of the Money Gang; his reputation was not outstanding, but it was said that with a single loop, he could snap a tree as thick as two men could embrace, let alone three loops.

As for the most terrifying in terms of momentum, it was naturally Xiang Song's meteor hammer; the wind whistled as it struck like a falling star, capable of punching a hole even through an iron man.

The might of the nine-ringed saber was only slightly inferior to the meteor hammer; the ringing of the rings was both jarring and soul-stirring, and as the seven slashes descended, the blade wind already enveloped Yu Liancheng.

The pitch-black iron staff also descended upon his head, but it was not terrifying; instead, it possessed a sense of ethereal transformation.

Six experts.

Six types of weapons.

Six lethal moves.

Had already assaulted Yu Liancheng.

Yu Liancheng's expression remained unchanged.

Afei's expression also seemed somewhat strange.

Because he had already seen that although these six had made their moves, it was as if they had not exerted their full strength.

Looking intimidating but actually being hollow, this left him quite puzzled.

If Afei were replaced by seasoned veterans like Li Xunhuan or Guo Songyang, they would quickly understand the intentions of these six.

These six clearly understood the high level of Yu Liancheng's martial arts; even if the six of them joined forces, they might be able to exhaust Yu Liancheng's Internal Force and stamina, but they themselves would not be able to avoid death.

But if they did not launch a single move and instead fled, then after Shangguan Jinhong won this battle, they would not have any path to survival either.

So they made up their minds to retreat immediately at the slightest sign of being unable to win.

With this mindset, how could they possibly exert their full strength?

Their wishful thinking was very well calculated.

But it was not calculated well enough.

Because Yu Liancheng had already made his move.

To dare to hold back when facing him.

This in itself was a capital offense.

"I shall send you gentlemen to the Yellow Springs."

Yu Liancheng chuckled, his hand gripping the sword hilt, and the sword was already drawn.

The posture of drawing the sword was very graceful; his entire being possessed an extraordinary and ethereal charm, as if he could turn into the wind and drift away at any moment.

The sword had already thrust out.

Within the heavy Duoqing Sword, there was now an added sense of ethereal, empty, and unfathomable energy.

This was no longer a sword.

But a gust of ethereal yet sharp wind.

The wind is invisible, so naturally, there is no way to dodge it.

But when the wind brushes against the skin, it can be clearly felt.

Especially when this was a gust of sword wind.

Ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh, ssh~

This was the sound of flesh being sliced, and then blood sprayed like arrows from their throats.

The six great experts had originally been flying toward Yu Liancheng while holding their weapons, but now their figures suddenly stalled, and they fell from the air one after another.

They had already collapsed to the ground, yet their eyes were still wide open, their faces filled with a look of incredulous terror.

It was as if, until the very end, they still did not know how they had died.

"Let's go, it is time to meet Shangguan Jinhong."