Chapter 16: Hatred as Deep as the Sea

A thunderclap on flat ground! A sword strike like lightning!

While Daoist Yangshan was still lost in the beauty of that face, bright as a lotus, and his heart was in a trance, Xu Zhi's sword had already closed to within three *zhang* of him!

"An assassin? Where did such a Martial Dao Grandmaster come from!"

Daoist Yangshan was terrified to his soul: "Such a fast sword, it's an assassin from the Chen Clan!"

The third form of the Little Red Dragon Sword Manual—

Returning Wind, Drawing Fire!

The sword blade pierced into Daoist Yangshan's chest at an incredible speed, and in his gaze of horror and despair, it probed forward.

*Ding! *

What came back was not the dull sensation of flesh being torn, but as if it had struck a piece of iron or stone.

No—

Even iron or stone would have been sliced open by this sword strike infused with Embryonic Breathing, yet Daoist Yangshan's chest only bled a few drops; the sword tip had only entered the flesh by two inches before being clamped tightly by a massive force.

"This... could this be a Daoist art of external body refinement?"

Xu Zhi froze for an instant, but that very instant allowed Daoist Yangshan to recover; with just a clench of his fist, he sent Xu Zhi flying backward, knocking over countless tables and chairs along the way.

"I have cultivated the Daoist arts from the Golden Book; I am destined to become an immortal and ancestor in this life, enjoying longevity that will last for ten thousand generations! You? You are worthy to kill me!"

Daoist Yangshan's fear turned into rage.

He tore off his shredded Daoist robe with both hands, baring his upper body, and lunged toward Xu Zhi, who was struggling to rise, like a bear!

*Thud! *

A support pillar that would take two men to embrace was smashed apart by a single punch. Amidst the screams and the sound of countless dust motes falling, Daoist Yangshan became even more ferocious, each step leaving spiderweb-like cracks on the ground.

"Damn it! If my right hand could still wield a sword, and if I had another low-grade talisman artifact..."

This kind of strength was simply that of a giant demon descended upon the world.

Under his pursuit, Xu Zhi dodged left and right, only barely managing to parry by relying on his Land-Walking Divine Movement footwork.

*Puff! *

Another sword strike flickered out, like a child catching a cicada; though it seemed full of openings, it gave the impression of being unavoidable.

Unable to dodge in time, Daoist Yangshan could only watch as that sword fell toward his neck, stopping with difficulty only after nearly slicing through half his throat.

"This..."

The scene fell silent.

Xu Zhi was stunned, not expecting his sword to actually achieve such a feat. He suddenly laughed loudly: "I thought your physical body was truly indestructible; it seems it's just for show, nothing more!"

"Killing you is enough!"

Daoist Yangshan glared in shame and anger, his five fingers spread wide like a palm-leaf fan, whipping up a violent gale as he struck down fiercely.

Xu Zhi's figure flashed, dodging that palm strike from Daoist Yangshan.

"I understand now; you really are a rogue cultivator, lacking a proper sect. Although this Daoist art of external body refinement is miraculous, it is ultimately just a physical body. I see that whether it's escape arts or other talismanic Daoist arts, you are completely ignorant."

He stood firm with his sword, and a Falling Evil Talisman flew from his palm, landing on Daoist Yangshan's crown.

"Hit!"

Daoist Yangshan was not skilled in escape arts and had no way to dodge this talisman activated like lightning.

A fierce and evil *sha* energy erupted like a vast ocean, quickly causing Daoist Yangshan's mind to trance, standing stupidly in place, ignoring everything.

"This really is the body of a demon..."

Xu Zhi swung his sword to slash at his left arm, but only sparks flew, accompanied by the screeching sound of metal on metal.

Just as he shook his head, finished with playing around, and prepared to decapitate him with one strike, he suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.

Daoist Yangshan, who had been entranced by the Falling Evil Talisman, actually opened his eyes slowly. He stared blankly, then screamed in pain, striking Xu Zhi with a fist that sent him flying into the air, nearly vomiting blood.

"Talisman artifact! Bring me my talisman artifact!"

Daoist Yangshan roared.

"Junior Brother, stop watching the show, come and help me..."

Xu Zhi coughed while using his broken sword to prop up his body.

If he hadn't been quick-witted enough to block with his sword across his chest during that punch from Daoist Yangshan, it wouldn't have been as simple as just coughing.

"What?"

Hearing Xu Zhi's shout, a bad feeling suddenly rose in Daoist Yangshan's heart.

"It seems that although Senior Brother's swordsmanship is extraordinary, he is indeed not skilled in fighting with Daoist arts and was too contemptuous of the enemy."

Under Daoist Yangshan's dull gaze.

That figure who had haunted his dreams slowly stood up, the voice deep and steady—it was actually a man's voice.

"What, what?"

Daoist Yangshan covered the bleeding wound on his neck, nearly collapsing to the ground:

"Beauty, you... are a man?"

"I once saw Yan Zhen fight and play with others; at that time, I only saw brilliance filling the eyes, hands untouched by dust—truly immortal-family methods."

Chen Hang pulled off the pearls and jewelry from his head, threw them casually on the ground, stepped on them, and said:

"Today's affair, however, is a bit like a slaughter between mortal grandmasters."

"If you give me a talisman artifact, I can also let you see the flying sword methods of the immortal family."

Xu Zhi rolled his eyes: "His physical Daoist art is so astonishing; if I were to show off some 'killing with exhaled breath' in front of you, I'm afraid I wouldn't even be able to break his skin!"

"Damn it, where are my talisman artifacts! Why can't I sense a single one!"

Daoist Yangshan clenched his fists uneasily.

"I know your talisman artifacts are powerful. Just after I got them, I had a guard with good light-body skills take them all away. By now, I'm afraid he has already ridden a horse far away from this mountain."

Chen Hang said indifferently: "I thought it would take some effort, but I didn't expect you to give me the Thunder-Fire Thunderbolt Pearl so easily; it was quite unexpected."

"You... no, besides the pearl, I still have the Five-Light Pendant and the Six-Yin Heavenly Ghost Banner!"

At the moment of life and death, Daoist Yangshan's mind was clearer than ever before.

Then.

He saw his own son silently lowering his head, handing a large vermilion-lacquered bow to Chen Hang.

"Damn it—"

Daoist Yangshan did not hesitate any longer, condensing his Embryonic Breathing into a black cloud, supporting himself as he prepared to flee in a panic.

"Want to escape?"

*Twang, twang, twang, twang, twang, twang~*

Chen Hang let out a light shout, the bow drawn like a full moon, six arrows fired in succession, locking onto his brow, heart, and four limbs respectively. In the blink of an eye, the airflow exploded, the killing intent sharp!

"Hit!"

In mid-air, Daoist Yangshan, stepping on the cloud, was like a living target. Struck by all six arrows, he fell from mid-air, crashing down in a mess.

Before he could even stand up with stars in his eyes.

Chen Hang was already holding a steel arrowhead, grabbed his Daoist crown, and pierced his neck fiercely with that arrowhead!

*Puff—*

Blood sprayed like a fountain, quickly splashing Chen Hang's head and face, but that face, handsome as a god and now even more bewitching, remained indifferent, without any expression.

"Damn it, I didn't lose to someone else, it was myself..."

Daoist Yangshan tried his best to take one last breath, uttering his resentful and puzzled last words:

"Damn heavens, how can there be a man as good-looking as you, I—"

*Puff! *

Chen Hang pierced again with the arrowhead, expressionless.

Daoist Yangshan's eyes widened, his body went limp, and he never moved again.

And at this moment in the great hall, there was no sound.

Some yellow-robed disciples of Yangshan huddled together in fear. Yangshan's elite had already been shot dead in the Chen residence, and the rest, whether they had just joined the sect or had long been dissatisfied with Daoist Yangshan, didn't have a single person step forward to help.

"Dead, dead? Hahahahaha!"

After a long time.

There was a loud laugh.

Wang Duanbao, who had been curled into a ball, finally raised his head trembling. Seeing Daoist Yangshan's corpse lying on the ground, he was stunned for a moment, then burst into tears, ran up a few steps, and fiercely hugged the pale and thin little woman, spinning her around several times.

"Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu..."

Wang Duanbao choked: "He's dead! We can have a good life now!"

He hugged the little woman, crying and laughing. After a long time, the little woman's face slowly regained some life, flushing with an unnatural red.

"Duanbao."

Xiao Yu spoke softly: "Bring your face closer."

Wang Duanbao didn't understand, but happily did as told.

"Not good..." Xu Zhi's expression changed.

Chen Hang frowned, saying nothing.

The next instant.

The woman named Xiao Yu opened her mouth and bit fiercely into Wang Duanbao's eyeball, using force, a tear!

"Ah!!!"

Half an eyeball and the eyelid were pulled out.

Wang Duanbao roared in pain, subconsciously using his arms to try and strangle her to death in his embrace, only to stop abruptly at the last moment, unable to stop trembling.

"Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu, what are you doing, why are you bullying me..."

Wang Duanbao whimpered like a puppy: "I have never bullied you, what's wrong with you? What's wrong?"

"You watched your father defile me!"

"I couldn't beat him, I was scared..." Wang Duanbao covered his face with his hands, howling and weeping.

"I would rather have died with you back then. I don't want to live until now!" Xiao Yu laughed and cried: "You deserve to die! Your father deserves to die! I... I also deserve to die!"

She clenched her fist and hammered at Wang Duanbao's head, but was injured by the counter-shock.

And Wang Duanbao suddenly stopped resisting, just sobbing softly, shaking.

Stools, fingers, stones, hairpins...

Even Xu Zhi, in his astonishment, couldn't react in time and had the broken sword in his hand taken away by her.

After half an hour, only a blurred and incomplete corpse remained on the ground, blood flowing everywhere.

Xiao Yu slowly raised her head. The surrounding Yangshan disciples avoided her gaze as if she were a plague god, as if what stood there was not a person, but an evil ghost.

She slowly raised the corners of her lips, wanting to walk toward the youth holding the bow in the distance.

*Hum! *

Brick and stone debris flew!

A feathered arrow nailed into the ground two inches from her toes, just one step away from piercing her foot.

"Stay away, if you dare to come one step closer, I will shoot you dead." Chen Hang's voice was indifferent.

"I know where the treasure of that old pig-dog Yangshan is."

Xiao Yu laughed indifferently:

"Young Master, let me take you to find it."