Chapter 38: South Sea Crocodile God

The girl's expression changed drastically beneath her veil: "This man's cultivation is incredibly high."

Zhao Ti narrowed his eyes, thinking, could it be that Yue Laosan found this place?

The Four Great Evils were gradually gathering at Wuliang Mountain. Zhong Wanqiu, the Valley Master of Wanchou Valley, had invited the four to Dali to cause trouble, planning to make trouble for Zhennan Wang Duan Zhengchun, so it was no surprise for them to appear here.

At that moment, the courtyard gate "Boom—" was sent flying apart, and a man strode into the yard with overwhelming momentum.

His features were hideous and terrifying, his head abnormally large, a broad mouth revealing ghastly white fangs, and a pair of eyes that were round yet small, like two beans. Light shot from those small eyes as they rolled over Zhao Ti's and Mu Wanqing's faces.

Zhao Ti could not help but frown deeply. Looking again at the man, his upper body was thick and powerful, his lower limbs thin and withered. Beneath his chin grew a tuft of steel-brush-like beard. He wore a splendid yellow robe on top, but below wore a pair of coarse cloth trousers, filthy and ragged. His ten fingers were sharp and long, like chicken claws.

This man's gaze finally settled on Mu Wanqing, and he raised a hand to point: "Little Fierce God Sun Sanba was killed by you, wasn't he?"

Mu Wanqing said coolly: "That's right!"

This man swung a palm, striking a large stone by the wall, and instantly stone chips flew everywhere, a terrifying sight.

"He was the beloved disciple of I, South Sea Crocodile God Yue Laosan. Did you know that?"

Zhao Ti drew a breath. This Yue Laosan's internal cultivation was actually this powerful, completely on a different level from people like Rui Po-po and Sui Po-po—worlds apart.

Mu Wanqing said: "I didn't know when I killed him. I only found out a few days later."

South Sea Crocodile God roared furiously: "How dare you kill my disciple! What enormous nerve! Whose backing are you relying on? Who is your master?"

Mu Wanqing said: "I rely on no one's backing, and my master is also a man without a name. Even if I told you, you wouldn't know."

South Sea Crocodile God grew even angrier upon hearing this: "You little wench dare to kill my sole disciple. I'll kill you right now!"

Mu Wanqing said: "Your disciple had improper intentions toward me, so naturally I had to kill him. If it were you, would you kill him or not?"

South Sea Crocodile God was stunned upon hearing this, and said: "If it were me, I wouldn't just kill him—I'd wring his neck, and kill off his master, disciples, family, and friends too!"

Zhao Ti blinked. This Yue Laosan had an unusual way of thinking.

Mu Wanqing said: "Then it's settled."

South Sea Crocodile God flew into a rage: "No, no! Little Fierce God Sun Sanba was my only disciple. You killed him, so not only must I wring your neck, I must also kill your master, disciples, family, and friends together!"

Mu Wanqing said nothing, drawing her sword into hand.

South Sea Crocodile God's eyeballs rolled, and he suddenly said: "I've heard people say you always wear a veil, and don't allow others to see your face. If someone sees it, you must either kill him or marry him. Is this true?"

Mu Wanqing nodded: "It was told by those people under that vicious woman from the Wang family in Suzhou, wasn't it?"

South Sea Crocodile God said: "It was indeed as they said. My disciple only wanted to see your face, and you killed him for it. I must fulfill his wish and take a look at your face, otherwise my disciple will die with regrets unfulfilled."

Mu Wanqing was startled upon hearing this. She had once sworn a vicious oath before her master. If South Sea Crocodile God were to tear off her veil now, she would be utterly unable to resist. The man's martial arts were far beyond what she could match. She couldn't possibly kill him, and marrying him was even more impossible. Would she have to kill herself?

"South Sea Crocodile God, don't dream! I'd rather die than let you tear off my veil!"

At this moment, many people outside gathered around—not only Rui Po-po's group, but also some who had come from unknown places. In an instant, they surrounded the courtyard completely.

South Sea Crocodile God laughed wildly to the sky: "Not only will I remove your veil, I'll wring off your neck, hands, and feet together."

As he finished speaking, his figure moved. With a light "Hey!" whistle, he extended his five chicken-claw-like fingers and reached for Mu Wanqing's veil.

Mu Wanqing was greatly alarmed. Knowing she was not as fast as the man in lightness skill, she hurriedly pressed a mechanism in her sleeve, and three short arrows shot out, striking South Sea Crocodile God's chest and belly. But with three crisp "Crack! Crack! Crack!" sounds, they all fell to the ground, as if the man wore some kind of protective leather armor.

South Sea Crocodile God's arm carried a fierce gust of wind. Before it reached her face, the black veil began to flutter. The depth of his internal cultivation made Mu Wanqing's heart turn cold. She steeled herself at once, and placed her long sword against her neck.

At that critical moment, suddenly a sword seemed to come from beyond the heavens, its angle like a hanging antelope with no trace to find. In an instant it knocked aside her long sword, then met the claw of South Sea Crocodile God ahead.

"Ah..." Mu Wanqing was sent staggering backward by this sword strike. She looked toward the sword-bearer, and behind her veil her expression could not help but freeze in shock—it was actually him!

Her heart was suddenly both joyful and resentful. Joyful that she need not have her face seen by South Sea Crocodile God, nor need she kill herself in desperation. Resentful that this person had been lying to her from beginning to end, not a single true word. Those people in the East Kitchen earlier must have all been killed by him, yet he wouldn't admit it, always deceiving her.

No wonder Master said all the men in the world are hypocrites, full of lies. It seems what she said was true. Master also said the more capable a man is, the less his words can be trusted. Isn't this person exactly that?

His martial arts are so high, yet not a single word he speaks is true! But he did save her... Mu Wanqing knit her brows and bit her lip, her heart tangled in contradictions for the moment.

Zhao Ti's expression turned Serious. His long sword traced the Immortal's Path, thrusting toward South Sea Crocodile God. South Sea Crocodile God's expression suddenly changed, and he roared: "So there's actually an expert here!"

His body shot backward, and the crocodile-mouth scissors on his back were seized directly into his hands, slashing toward the long sword in Zhao Ti's hands.

Zhao Ti knew these crocodile-mouth scissors were no ordinary object, with South Sea dark iron forged inside them. Even Yun Zhonghe's steel claws couldn't withstand them and had two fingers sheared off. He shifted his sword momentum, avoiding their edge, his figure drifting to the side, and thrust out another sword.

He had never learned any profound sword manuals. The swift sword he'd practiced since childhood all came from palace guards and marketplace martial arts halls. He picked some from among them to practice, seeking not complexity but only speed.

South Sea Crocodile God's guard rose greatly at this point. Seeing his swift sword, his expression grew even more startled. He hurriedly retreated several steps to the wall, his back against the courtyard wall, defending with all his might.

Although Lingbo Weibu was elusive and formless, even when Duan Yu absorbed South Sea Crocodile God's internal force that day, it was through lies and deception that he succeeded. Later, when they agreed on three moves, South Sea Crocodile God simply hadn't hit him, but that didn't mean he could be finished off in an instant.

At this moment, South Sea Crocodile God had his back against the wall in defense, and the Lingbo Weibu footwork couldn't be fully deployed. Zhao Ti, relying only on a single swift sword, thrust at him again and again, leaving him utterly unable to counter. Sword-light flashed and flew, a truly astonishing sight.

Those who had come with South Sea Crocodile God—whether his own subordinates or Rui Po-po's group—all stared in stunned disbelief. The name of the Four Great Evils resounded loudly in the jianghu, feared by all, regarded as top-tier experts in their hearts. Yet now one of them was being beaten by a youth with no power to fight back at all. What kind of divine being was this youth?

Mu Wanqing stood behind, thinking to herself: He actually has such high martial arts. How could I possibly dodge even one of his strikes? Even Master herself, I'm afraid, couldn't avoid more than a few strikes.

But why did he hide it? Could he have some scheme? Thinking of this, her face behind the veil flushed slightly, but immediately turned icy cold. His mouth full of lies—he must be the heartless, unrighteous kind of person Master described. She would absolutely not let him off... But he had just saved her, so what was she to do? For the moment, two voices in her mind kept battling and entangling.

Zhao Ti's sword strikes grew faster and faster, and in the blink of an eye more than a dozen moves had been exchanged. Just then, a sharp whistle rose from outside, reaching the courtyard within a few breaths. It was actually a thin bamboo-pole-like figure, a man with an ugly, evil face, holding a pair of steel claws in both hands.

South Sea Crocodile God saw this man and hurriedly shouted: "Fourth Brother, come help me quick! I can't beat this kid..."