Chapter 273: The First Clash with Zhu Wushi

A rain of arrows.

Arrows poured down from the sky.

The Eastern Depot's "Heaven-Locking Arrow Formation" is world-renowned; the fact that it can even lock the heavens shows just how arrogant it is.

And these seven arrows from Pi Xiaotian followed closely behind.

The seven arrows did not travel in a straight line; instead, they spun and shifted incessantly in the air, making it impossible for anyone to grasp their flight trajectory, and these arrows followed right after that downpour of arrows.

The moment Yu Liancheng moved to break the Heaven-Locking Arrow Formation, there was no doubt that these seven arrows would shoot toward his vital points in the gap.

Yet this time, Yu Liancheng did not even use his fan; with just a tap of his toes, amidst flying dust and smoke, he had already swept toward the Black-Clad Arrow Squad.

And at the moment he was about to collide with the arrows, his body gave a jolt, and a golden Qi cover suddenly appeared around him. Only, compared to the one in Tianlao, this Qi cover seemed much dimmer.

The so-called Protective Qi Cover is nothing more than an evolution of Protective True Qi.

Yu Liancheng had studied several martial arts related to the Protective Qi Cover, such as Wumingdao's "Yin-Yang Infinite Cover," Shaolin's "Golden Bell Cover," and even the "Indestructible Divine Gang" he had recently learned within the Demon Sect.

He absorbed their essence and used his vast True Qi as support, so this thin layer of Protective Qi Cover was even more formidable than the physical bodies of the martial arts world's hard-body experts.

However, due to his reckless charging through the collapsing Tianlao, this Protective Qi Cover had already been breached once by rubble. Now that he used it again, it was far less sturdy than before.

The arrows collided with the Qi cover and fell to the ground one after another.

The Qi cover rippled like water, becoming increasingly dim.

Although the Qi cover had withstood this round of arrow rain, it was already teetering, on the verge of disintegration, and could hardly block the seven whistling arrows from Pi Xiaotian.

Yu Liancheng's expression was calm; while in mid-air, the folding fan in his hand suddenly fanned once more, whipping up a gale. Those seven arrows were caught by this gale and actually reversed, shooting back toward Pi Xiaotian.

Not only was their speed faster, but their trajectory was even more bizarre and unpredictable.

Pi Xiaotian was just preparing to have the Black-Clad Arrow Squad fire the third round of the "Heaven-Locking Arrow Formation," never imagining the opponent possessed such a peerless skill. In an instant, he was locked onto by the seven arrows, a chill rising throughout his body as if he were about to be pierced with seven holes in the next moment.

But this man was able to sit in the position of Chief Archivist, so he was by no means an ordinary person.

Clang~

The long saber at his waist suddenly left its sheath, transforming into an incomparably brilliant blade light that instantly enveloped his entire person.

Only six crisp "ding" sounds were heard as the arrows struck the blade light, sparks exploding.

In an instant, six arrows were shredded by the blade light, but the blade light also shattered abruptly.

The Chief Archivist was sent flying backward for three or four zhang, crashing into several Eastern Depot agents behind him, breaking their bones and causing them to scream incessantly, before he finally managed to steady his figure.

And the seventh arrow was embedded in his shoulder; it was precisely the force of this arrow that had sent him flying.

Just as Pi Xiaotian stood up with the help of two agents, a black figure in the distance crashed down like a falling meteor, the earth trembling as large swathes of soil flipped up like waves.

"Heh, are you ready to die?" Yu Liancheng sneered, his gaze looking indifferently at Pi Xiaotian.

Being stared at by him, Pi Xiaotian felt his scalp go numb. Ignoring the injury on his shoulder, he let out a loud shout, drove all his True Qi, and slashed out with his saber; the wind whistled, and the blade light was brilliant and dazzling.

Yu Liancheng flicked his left hand casually, and the long saber instantly froze, unable to move. His right hand held the closed fan, and he tapped it toward Pi Xiaotian's head with an air of nonchalance.

Pi Xiaotian raised his left hand to block; he had also tempered his physical body and was confident that the blades of ordinary experts could hardly cut his skin, let alone this light strike from a fan.

However, when the fan tapped his elbow, Pi Xiaotian's body shuddered, and the ground beneath his feet exploded in succession.

A trace of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, his face turned snow-white, and after giving Yu Liancheng a look of disbelief, his whole body collapsed softly like a pile of mud.

This arrogant Chief Archivist died right there.

Clang, clang...

At the same time, the sound of long sabers leaving their sheaths was endless.

The agents of the Black-Clad Arrow Squad had all drawn their long sabers, surging toward Yu Liancheng like a tide, blade light filling the sky. They were not only proficient in archery but their saber techniques were also extremely exquisite, capable of instantly setting up a saber formation, more than enough to deal with a first-class expert of the martial arts world.

However, Yu Liancheng opened his folding fan and fanned it once; the sabers in their hands were carried by a gust of wind and slashed toward their own companions. For a time, screams filled the air, and blood flowed like a river.

These Eastern Depot agents, who usually killed without blinking, were also stunned; no one could believe what was happening before their eyes, and the remaining ones did not know whether they should continue to raise their sabers.

Then, Yu Liancheng flicked his wrist, and the "Peach Blossom Beauty Fan" flew out. The moment it flew out, a sharp blade popped out from the tip of the fan ribs, transforming into a mass of brilliant light and beginning to harvest lives.

Wherever this mass of light passed, heads immediately flew into the sky, blood spraying everywhere—a truly tragic sight.

After this spinning light took the heads of twenty or thirty people, it folded in mid-air and circled back toward Yu Liancheng. And as it circled, it took away countless more lives.

Snap!

The fan had returned to Yu Liancheng's hand, stained with blood. The beauty and peach blossoms on the fan contrasted with the fresh blood, possessing an even more heart-stopping beauty.

Yu Liancheng blew on it lightly, the blood slid off, and the entire surface of the fan was clean and new once again.

He looked up; the ground was covered with headless corpses and rolling heads, blood pooling into small streams, nauseating to behold, forming a scene like hell. If an ordinary person saw this, they would likely be scared out of their wits.

And these Eastern Depot agents, who killed without blinking, were now terrified to the extreme, their strings of reason about to snap. If not for the strict discipline of the Eastern Depot, they would have long since scattered and fled.

Yu Liancheng smiled lightly, his figure flashing like lightning, and in an instant, he had killed his way into this group of Eastern Depot elite guards.

He moved as if strolling in a courtyard; whether it was a flick of his sleeve or a wave of his fan, they were unstoppable killing moves, and several lives would be harvested with each.

The so-called Black-Clad Arrow Squad seemed as immature and powerless before him as newborn children.

Soon, the remnants of the Black-Clad Arrow Squad finally collapsed and fled in all directions.

They were scared out of their wits, without the slightest will to fight.

Besides, what use is a strong will to fight in the face of absolute strength?

And among the fleeing agents was the Second Archivist, Tiezhua Feiying.

Tiezhua Feiying had witnessed the terror of Yu Liancheng; apart from fleeing for his life, his mind was a complete blank.

"It doesn't matter if this bunch of lackeys escapes, but you cannot leave."

A black figure had already blocked his path, standing with hands behind his back, looking at him with a calm expression.

"You..." Tiezhua Feiying's whole body seemed to be trembling.

"Make your move, although whether you do or not, you are on a path to death," Yu Liancheng said indifferently.

Tiezhua Feiying gritted his teeth, a fierce and miserable intent shooting from his eagle-like eyes.

Since the opponent was so aggressive, there was nothing left but to fight to the death.

He shook his body, soaring up like a great bird, his five fingers curled into claws, like hooks and swords, revealing a sharp aura as he grabbed toward Yu Liancheng amidst a whistling sound.

He went by the name "Tiezhua Feiying," and not only was his lightness skill peerless, but more importantly, his claw strength was formidable, capable of tearing through iron like mud; his Eagle Claw Technique had reached a realm unimaginable to ordinary people.

It was just a pity that the person he encountered was Yu Liancheng.

Yu Liancheng flicked his sleeve and also reached out with a claw.

Before this claw of his, the so-called "Tiezhua Feiying" was weak and powerless.

In an instant, amidst the sound of crunching bones, the palm of Tiezhua Feiying was twisted into a knot.

Before he could even fully process the heart-piercing pain, his neck gave a "crack," and his body fell like trash.

And the moment he finished off Tiezhua Feiying, a sudden sense of danger arose in Yu Liancheng's heart, and a cold sneer curled his lips: "After waiting for so long, you finally decided to make a move."

As he spoke, he twisted his waist.

He pushed out a palm with the momentum.

The palm force was surging and violent, like a volcanic eruption.

Bang!!

Yu Liancheng's palm had collided with another palm that seemed to strike from the void; the ground beneath his feet instantly exploded, spraying in all directions.

An invisible wave of Qi swept out from where their palms met, causing the floorboards to be ripped up and fly toward the sky.

"Heh, you really are patient, watching me kill your loyal subordinate while you sneak an attack from the shadows, hoping to achieve success in one strike." Yu Liancheng slowly turned around, looking with a cold sneer at the person slowly descending from the air.

He was dressed in a black robe that covered his figure and face, and a pair of deep, cold eyes looked at Yu Liancheng, seemingly carrying a hint of surprise.

Needless to say, this person was naturally the "Iron-Gall Divine Marquis" Zhu Wushi.

Although he had told Cao Zhengchun the news and successfully incited the two sides to slaughter each other.

He was still uneasy; what if Yu Liancheng rescued Gu Santong?

Although it was not the ninth level of Tianlao that trapped Gu Santong, but his own promise, who knew if Yu Liancheng would use some method to let the other party escape.

So Zhu Wushi had come in person and had been hiding in the shadows.

Tiezhua Feiying was his man, and when Yu Liancheng was about to move against Tiezhua Feiying, he had considered whether to intervene to save this loyal subordinate.

But even if he saved Tiezhua Feiying, it would likely arouse Cao Zhengchun's suspicion; it was better to use Tiezhua Feiying to find an opportunity to kill Yu Liancheng in one blow.

Unfortunately, he failed.

Yu Liancheng had noticed him long ago.

However, Zhu Wushi did not yet know that the other party was aware of his identity, thinking only that Yu Liancheng was bluffing him.

Yu Liancheng beckoned to Zhu Wushi and smiled: "Use your full strength; you still have a chance to defeat me now. But once today passes, you will never have such a good opportunity again."

He was telling the truth.

Regardless of how low the conversion rate of the Sucking Power Technique was, Zhu Wushi had absorbed the Internal Force of over a hundred experts. His internal cultivation was incomparably vast, and combined with his own martial arts attainments, Yu Liancheng was not necessarily certain he could win; the two were likely evenly matched.

But once today passed, as Yu Liancheng's comprehension of the Diamond Indestructible Divine Skill deepened day by day, his cultivation growing with each passing day, the Iron-Gall Divine Marquis would then be no match for him.

Looking at Zhu Wushi, who still stood like a pillar without the slightest intention of moving, Yu Liancheng sneered: "Since you refuse to strike first, then I won't be polite."

As his voice fell, he tapped his toes and shot out like an arrow, his jade-white palm clenched into a fist, striking toward Zhu Wushi.

This punch was silent, without any astonishing momentum.

But Zhu Wushi's expression became increasingly grave, because this strike had gathered all its force into the fist, and once it collided with the target, it would instantly erupt with destructive power.

Zhu Wushi also struck out with a punch; although the technique of this punch was ordinary, it was rigid and fierce, revealing a Pure Yang power that made the air turn hot, like midsummer.

Bang!

The next moment, the two fists collided, and the two forces of power erupted instantly like a floodgate opening.

Yu Liancheng laughed, a faint Jinguang appearing on his skin, his fists striking out like thunder. Zhu Wushi's eyes flashed with divine light as he struck simultaneously.

In just a few breaths, energy exploded, shadows intertwined, and the two had already clashed over a hundred times.

A flash of light flickered in Zhu Wushi's eyes, and suddenly he struck out with another palm.

The momentum of this palm covered heaven and earth, its force revolving through the five elements; it was the peak combination of technique and power.

Yu Liancheng dared not underestimate it, similarly channeling his full true power to launch a strike.

But the movement of the fist and palm collision was not that terrifying; instead, Zhu Wushi used the force of Yu Liancheng's punch to flash away, turning into a streak of lightning-like black light, skimming toward the distance.

In the just-concluded exchange, Zhu Wushi had already figured out Yu Liancheng's background.

If he fought with his life on the line, he might not be unable to defeat his opponent.

But even if he could kill Yu Liancheng, he would inevitably be severely injured himself.

He had long held a high position and was a person of great value, so naturally, he would not gamble his life against such a martial artist, and thus he left decisively.

Furthermore, after this battle, Yu Liancheng had completely formed a feud with the Eastern Depot, and he only needed to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight.

Watching Zhu Wushi's departing figure, Yu Liancheng did not pursue, only slightly calming his boiling Qi and Blood, thinking to himself: "This old Zhu's cultivation is indeed extraordinary; even now, driving the Vajra Indestructible Body, it is not easy to defeat him."

In the original timeline, even Cheng Shifei, who had completely mastered Gu Santong's cultivation in the later stages and activated the Vajra Indestructible Body, was beaten by Zhu Wushi until he exited the "Golden Man" state; the power of this Zhu Wushi can be seen from that.

"Perhaps I should also think of a way to improve my cultivation."

With a flash, Yu Liancheng's figure also disappeared, leaving behind only a ruin.