Chapter 38: South Sea Crocodile God

Beneath her veil, the girl’s expression changed drastically: “This man has astonishing cultivation.”

Zhao Ti squinted, wondering if this was Yue Laosan come here.

The Four Evils were gradually gathering at Wuliang Mountain; Zhong Wanchou, lord of Wanchou Valley, had invited them to cause trouble in Dali, aiming to harass Prince Zhenan Duan Zhengchun—so his appearance here was no surprise.

The courtyard gate suddenly burst open with a thunderous crash, and a man stormed in with terrifying presence.

His face was grotesque and horrifying: his head abnormally large, his wide mouth revealing rows of white, sharp teeth, his eyes small and round like two beans, yet blazing with light as they rolled over Zhao Ti and Mu Wanching’s faces.

Zhao Ti frowned deeply. The man’s upper body was thick and muscular, his lower limbs thin and weak; a bristly beard like steel brushes grew under his chin. He wore a luxurious yellow robe, but his trousers were coarse, filthy, and tattered; his ten fingers were long and sharp, like chicken claws.

His gaze settled on Mu Wanching, and he pointed a finger: “You killed Sun Sanba, the Little Demon God—true or false?”

Mu Wanching replied coolly: “Correct.”

The man swung his palm and struck a large boulder beside the wall; stone shards flew everywhere, terrifyingly so.

“He was my beloved disciple, Yue Laosan’s—do you know that?”

Zhao Ti drew a sharp breath. Yue Laosan’s internal energy was this powerful? He was on an entirely different level from Madam Rui, Madam Rui, and others—worlds apart.

Mu Wanching said: “I didn’t know when I killed him. I found out days later.”

The South Sea Crocodile God roared: “How dare you kill my disciple? You have great audacity! Whose power are you relying on? Who is your master?”

Mu Wanching replied: “I rely on no one’s power. My master is unknown—your name wouldn’t even ring a bell.”

Hearing this, the South Sea Crocodile God grew even angrier: “You dare kill my only disciple? I’ll kill you right now!”

Mu Wanching said: “Your disciple tried to violate me—I had to kill him. If it were you, would you not kill him?”

The South Sea Crocodile God paused, stunned: “If it were me? I wouldn’t just kill him—I’d twist his neck, then slaughter every last one of his master, disciples, relatives, and friends!”

Zhao Ti blinked. Yue Laosan’s logic was unusual.

Mu Wanching said: “Then that settles it.”

The South Sea Crocodile God erupted in fury: “No, no! Sun Sanba was my only disciple! You killed him—I’ll not only twist your neck, but kill your master, your disciples, your relatives, and your friends too!”

Mu Wanching fell silent, drawing her sword.

The South Sea Crocodile God’s eyes darted, then he suddenly asked: “I heard you always wear a veil, forbidding anyone to see your face. If someone sees it, you must either kill them or marry them—is this true?”

Mu Wanching nodded: “Was that what the wicked woman from Suzhou’s Wang family said?”

The South Sea Crocodile God replied: “Yes, that’s what they told me. My disciple only wanted to see your face—and you killed him. I must fulfill his last wish: see your face. Otherwise, he’ll die with his eyes open.”

Hearing this, Mu Wanching was startled. She had sworn a deadly oath before her master—if the South Sea Crocodile God lifted her veil now, she couldn’t resist. His power was far beyond hers; she couldn’t kill him, and she could never marry him. Was suicide her only option?

“South Sea Crocodile God, don’t even dream it—I’d rather die than let you lift my veil!”

At that moment, many people gathered outside—not only Madam Rui and her group, but others from unknown places—who swiftly surrounded the courtyard.

The South Sea Crocodile God laughed loudly into the sky: “I won’t just lift your veil—I’ll twist off your neck and limbs too!”

He moved instantly, letting out a sharp “Hey!” as his chicken-claw fingers shot toward her veil.

Mu Wanching panicked—she knew she couldn’t match his speed. She pressed a mechanism in her sleeve, firing three short arrows that struck his chest and abdomen—but they clattered to the ground with three sharp pops, as if he wore some kind of armored hide.

The wind from his arm was fierce even before he reached her; the black veil fluttered violently. His internal power chilled her to the bone. She made up her mind instantly, raising her sword to her neck.

At the critical moment, a sword suddenly appeared from nowhere—like a deer hanging its antlers on a tree, leaving no trace—and instantly deflected her blade, then met the South Sea Crocodile God’s claw.

“Ah…” Mu Wanching was pushed backward by the sword’s force. She looked at the swordsman—beneath her veil, her expression froze. It was him!

Joy and fury surged within her: joy that she wouldn’t be seen, wouldn’t have to kill herself; fury that this man had lied to her from the start, never spoken a truth. The people in the east kitchen? He must have killed them too—and denied it, deceived her all along.

No wonder her master said all men were hypocrites, full of lies. Her master also said the more powerful the man, the less his words could be trusted—wasn’t this man exactly that?

His martial skill was so high, yet not one word he spoke was true! Yet he had just saved her… Mu Wanching frowned, bit her lip, her heart torn in two.

Zhao Ti’s face was grim. He thrust his sword, Immortal Path, toward the South Sea Crocodile God. The man’s expression changed abruptly—he roared: “So there’s a true expert here!”

He leapt back, snatching his Crocodile Shears from his back, and swung them at Zhao Ti’s sword.

Zhao Ti knew the Crocodile Shears were no ordinary weapon—they were forged with South Sea black iron; even Yun Zhonghe’s steel claws had two fingers sheared off by them. He shifted his sword’s trajectory, dodging its edge, spinning sideways, and thrust again.

He had never studied any profound sword scripture. His fast sword techniques were all picked up from palace guards and street martial arts schools—simple, direct, nothing elaborate, only speed.

The South Sea Crocodile God was now on high alert. Seeing Zhao Ti’s speed, he was even more shocked, retreating several steps to the wall, pressing his back against it, defending with all his strength.

Though Lingbo Microstep was ethereal and unpredictable, even when Duan Yu had pretended to absorb the South Sea Crocodile God’s internal energy, it was a lie—he only succeeded through deception. Later, when they agreed to three strikes, the Crocodile God merely failed to land a hit—he never let Duan Yu seize the advantage instantly.

Now, with the South Sea Crocodile God pressed against the wall, he couldn’t fully use Lingbo Microstep. Zhao Ti, relying solely on his fast sword, pierced and slashed relentlessly, leaving the man no chance to counter. The flashing blades were astonishing, almost unbelievable.

Those who had come with the South Sea Crocodile God—his own men, Madam Rui and the rest—all stared, dumbfounded. The Four Evils were infamous throughout the martial world, feared by all, regarded as top-tier masters—and now, a mere boy was rendering him utterly defenseless. Who was this boy?

Mu Wanching stood behind, thinking inwardly: He has such high martial skill—how could I have dodged even one of his swords? Even my master might not evade more than a few.

But why did he hide it? Was he scheming? Thinking this, her face beneath the veil flushed slightly—then turned icy. He lies through his teeth—he must be one of those heartless, faithless men her master warned of. She would never forgive him… yet he just saved her. What should she do? Two voices clashed endlessly in her mind.

Zhao Ti’s sword came faster and faster. In an instant, they had exchanged over a dozen strikes—when suddenly, a piercing whistle pierced the air, arriving at the courtyard in moments: a gaunt figure, gripping twin steel claws, his face grotesquely ugly.

The South Sea Crocodile God cried out urgently: “Brother Four! Help me—I can’t beat this kid!”