Chapter 585: So you want to kill me like this?

At this moment.

Fire‑hot pain seared Cui Ji's chest, constantly reminding him of Xuanqing Daozhang's might; the precious armor on his body saved his life, yet the overwhelming impact shattered countless bones all over him, as he watched Xuanqing Daozhang unleash a slaughter before wave after wave of armored warriors.

Just like harvesting weeds!

These armors were forged from premium iron ore at great expense by master blacksmiths; though heavy, their defense was unparalleled, yet before Xuanqing Daozhang's long sword they were as easy to cut as tofu, effortlessly slashing one towering warrior after another.

"No, we can't stay here any longer!"

Cui Ji forced down the fear in his heart; he had come this time after hearing that his parents and elder brother were brutally killed by Le Wenmao. Though Le Wenmao died spitting blood, Le Zhuang still stood, and he intended to avenge Le Zhuang, never expecting to encounter an old monster like Xuanqing Daozhang among the Le Family.

He feared that, like Le Wenmao's rampage, even burning his essence blood and longevity essence might not make him a match for Xuanqing Daozhang.

At this moment.

The bodyguards summoned by Zhu Dagegongzi were also terrified by Xuanqing Daozhang; no longer reckless as before, they dodged his attacks. Had they not feared that turning to flee would expose their backs to Xuanqing Daozhang, they would have fled like birds and beasts long ago.

These towering warriors were locked in life‑and‑death combat with Xuanqing Daozhang, watching one comrade after another face him; even when they laid out all their trump cards, they neither harmed Xuanqing Daozhang nor could they withstand his effortless dodges or counters, and he would then strike back with a sword to end their lives.

Making them clearly realize Xuanqing Daozhang's terror!

They understood clearly that, despite their numbers, they could never match Xuanqing Daozhang; yet if they dared to flee like birds and beasts from all directions, Xuanqing Daozhang's skill might find a flaw and eliminate them one by one.

To extinguish their urge to flee, they had to risk their lives and continue besieging Xuanqing Daozhang.

But.

Cui Ji knew clearly that this state could not last long; the towering warriors, though their courage was shattered, still clung to some reason, but once reason was lost—more precisely, when fear devoured reason—they would care for nothing else, their whole mind fixed on a single thought.

That was to escape this place!

As for exposing a flaw and being cut down by Xuanqing Daozhang one by one, that was not an option they could contemplate then.

Thinking of this, Cui Ji realized even more clearly that if those people fled, whether they would face Xuanqing Daozhang's pursuit was unknown, but he knew for certain they would meet a dead end.

After all.

He is the chief culprit that plagued Le Zhuang!

Although.

He still did not know in detail the relationship between Xuanqing Daozhang and the Le Family, but since Xuanqing Daozhang was willing to stand up for the Le Family, even at the cost of offending the Zhu Clan, it showed his ties to the Le Family were far from shallow; how could they possibly spare this chief culprit?

Cui Ji turned, intending to slip away while Xuanqing Daozhang was inattentive, to report the matter to Zhu Dagegongzi and ask his master to come, avenging his family and the towering warriors slain by Xuanqing Daozhang, when a "psh—" sound rang out as a sharp weapon pierced flesh.

Cui Ji felt a sharp pain in his back, his whole body suddenly weak, unable to lift a finger; looking down, he saw a blood‑dripping long sword before him—a sword he recognized well, Xuanqing Daozhang's weapon. He could not recall when.

He was pierced through the body by a long sword!

Instinctively, Cui Ji lifted his head, gazing at Xuanqing Daozhang whose hands were now empty, his face full of anger, cursing unwillingly:

"You, you, you just want to take my life, even discarding your weapon—don't you know that without a weapon you're like fish on a cutting board, at the mercy of others? You're swapping your life for mine!"

He could clearly see the once‑terrified towering warriors, who had fled like startled birds under Xuanqing Daozhang's onslaught, now noticing his empty hands; their panic and fear instantly turned into surprise.

Only

Before he could finish his curse, he could no longer hold on; with a "thud!" he collapsed, yet even in death his eyes remained wide, staring at Xuanqing Daozhang—not only to imprint this life‑taking culprit deep in his soul, but also to watch this old thing die alongside him.

Together they would descend to the Yellow Springs; on the road there, he would again question this old thing—trading its dog‑life for his own—was any of it worth it?

"Cui Ji, Cui Ji, is that how you die?"

Zhuo Tie let out a gasp, unable to restrain the shock deep within.

From the start, he had hoped Cui Ji would die at Xuanqing Daozhang's hands, but after consulting Gu Liangong, he lacked strong confidence that Xuanqing Daozhang could slay this scourge.

Never imagined.

When the battle began, Cui Ji was blasted away by Xuanqing Daozhang; the extinguished confidence in his heart reignited, only to be doused again by Gu Liangong, until he witnessed—one after another—the Zhu Dagegongzi's bodyguards falling to Xuanqing Daozhang's blade.

This novel you have reached

His smothered confidence flared again, becoming unstoppable.

He not only watched how Xuanqing Daozhang slashed the Zhu Dagegongzi's bodyguards—so fast that even after‑images were indistinct—but also saw one towering warrior after another lying on the ground with horrific wounds, dying unnaturally, all while keeping an eye on Cui Ji, awaiting the moment Xuanqing Daozhang would finish the Zhu Dagegongzi's guards and the scourge Cui Ji, sending him to the Yellow Springs.

When he saw Cui Ji sneaking away, turning to flee, he wanted to warn Xuanqing Daozhang, but before he could speak, Cui Ji's back was pierced by a long sword; shortly after, he fell, motionless, likely heading to report to the Yama King.

Gu Liangong let out a sudden sigh.

"Uncle Gu, tell me honestly, what exactly is your connection with this Cui Ji?"

Zhuo Tie retorted, "You keep sighing again and again; Cui Ji's demise in the Yellow Springs is a tremendous good news—what are you sighing about?"

Gu Liangong said little; the ties with Cui Ji had already been spoken, believe it or not, Zhuo Tie, he added:

"Kumu Daozhang used that weapon in his hand that can shave iron like mud, flinging a Flying Sword to eradicate Cui Ji, but now Kumu Daozhang has no weapon; do you think he could match those armored warriors?"

(End of Chapter)