Chapter 27

Immediately, a indescribable rage surged into his heart!

Behind him, Jiang Sishui's eyes also flashed with a hint of coldness.

But Ye Mengse, as if only now realizing, let out a cry of "Oh no!" and bent down as if to pick up the dead infant.

But her hand halted halfway, and she laughed again, grotesquely: "Dead! Ha! Dead! You're not my son—my son can't die! Hahaha!"

Watching the mad Ye Mengse, Zhao Qiying felt a chill rise in her heart.

The other three evildoers remained unmoved; clearly, this was not the first time such a thing had happened—they were long accustomed to it.

Suddenly, the crazily laughing Ye Mengse swayed, and without warning, launched an attack at Zhao Qiying.

She pulled from nowhere a thin, square blade.

The hilt was short; the blade, a long rectangle, paper-thin, edged all around with razor-sharp blades, slashing straight at Zhao Qiying's face.

Zhao Qiying had been guarding against her all along, so she remained calm; seeing the blade, she unleashed the "Break Blade" technique.

Her long sword thrust forward, piercing directly into the circle of "light" spun by the thin blade!

This strike looked sudden and reckless, like a child who had just learned swordplay, smashing blindly to meet force with force.

Yet the expected scene of sword flying and wrist severed never came.

Instead, the sword precisely struck the blade's weakest point, carving a long, deep gash into Ye Mengse's wrist before the blade could touch her.

Ye Mengse cried out in pain, and the thin blade slipped from her grasp and fell.

Zhao Qiying pressed forward with her sword, the tip aimed straight at Ye Mengse's face.

The air hissed sharply as a piercing finger force shot from the side, striking toward Zhao Qiying's heart.

Zhao Qiying had no choice but to sidestep while sweeping her sword back, using the "Break Qi" technique to deflect the finger force.

The finger force was broken, but Zhao Qiying was thrown back several steps, her face grim: "Grand Master!"

That crippled old man in the blue robe, leaning on his cane, was a master on the same level as her father, Zhao Tianhao!

Duan Yanqing glanced deeply at Zhao Qiying, then at the badly wounded Ye Mengse, and let out a low exclamation.

"Such an exquisite sword technique—reacting after the opponent, striking first, targeting vulnerabilities to force defense. Girl, you're no ordinary person."

As he spoke, his lips did not move—he used belly speech.

Zhao Qiying replied coldly: "No matter how great your origins, today's matter cannot be settled peacefully, can it?"

Duan Yanqing nodded: "Correct! You've made enemies with us today—I cannot let you leave. Otherwise, in a few years, I won't be your match."

Duan Yanqing felt a pang of helplessness inside.

Lusting after beauty, kidnapping common women—Yun Yun Zhonghe had done this before; he was long used to it.

But he never imagined this time he'd picked a real hard target.

If it were only these grievances, stepping back now might still allow reconciliation—but when Ye Mengse just now smashed the infant, Duan Yanqing noticed Zhao Qiying's fiercely hostile gaze.

From that moment, he knew reconciliation was impossible.

If given the chance, this girl would kill all four of us.

If so, rather than let her grow stronger, it's better to strike first and crush the threat while it's still in its cradle.

"This girl's sword technique is formidable—don't underestimate her! Attack together! Quick battle, quick resolution!"

Duan Yanqing called out, gripping his iron cane, and thrust a Yangyi Finger force toward Zhao Qiying.

At the same time, Ye Mengse seized her thin blade again, joining Yue Yue Laosan in surrounding Zhao Qiying.

Zhao Qiying dodged left and right, alternating "Break Qi," "Break Blade," and "Break Whip" techniques, using only two-tenths of her strength to deflect Ye Mengse and Yue Yue Laosan's assaults.

The remaining eight-tenths were devoted entirely to resisting Duan Yanqing.

For a time, she, a mere Chuqi Sect master, held off three opponents—including a Yigeda Sect Grand Master—and only barely fell behind!

This outcome stunned even the four evildoers—and Zhao Qiying herself was equally shocked.

"The Dugu Nine Swords" truly deserved its reputation—a sword art forged to defeat the strong with weakness; when perfected, it became unimaginably powerful.

Yet she remained alone and outnumbered; merely holding her ground was her limit—victory was nearly impossible, and she had no spare strength to protect Jiang Sishui.

Seeing his three comrades unable to subdue her, Yun Yun Zhonghe's eyes flashed with malice as he fixed on Jiang Sishui.

Jiang Sishui immediately sensed a powerful wave of ill intent.

It was the "Cicada Awareness" activating.

Earlier, when Yun Yun Zhonghe ambushed Zhao Qiying, he had ignored Jiang Sishui—a frail, ordinary man—and thus "Cicada Awareness" did not trigger.

But now, he truly harbored ill will toward Jiang Sishui!

Yun Yun Zhonghe unleashed Lightness Skill, reaching out to grab Jiang Sishui.

Jiang Sishui's pupils contracted; his right hand instantly gripped the hilt of the long sword slung at his left waist, but his entire body trembled uncontrollably, his legs weak, as if he could barely stand.

His eyes wide with terror, his face twisted into a fearful snarl, he stammered: "Y-you don't come closer! My sword skill is very… very strong!"

Yun Yun Zhonghe saw Jiang Sishui's stance was unsteady—he was clearly a man with no internal energy—and now, this bluster, he found it amusing.

"A silk-padded pillow!"

Yun Yun Zhonghe paid no heed to Jiang Sishui's words; instead, he held back some force, fearing he might crush this pretty boy to death with too much strength.

He still needed Jiang Sishui alive to threaten Zhao Qiying!

Seeing his threats failed to deter Yun Yun Zhonghe, Jiang Sishui finally broke down, screamed, and turned to flee.

Yet without true Qi, even with all his strength, to Yun Yun Zhonghe he moved like a snail.

With Qi surging, Yun Yun Zhonghe accelerated further, like a hunting eagle diving down upon Jiang Sishui.

Suddenly, Jiang Sishui stopped, turned, and raised his hand!

A faint "whoosh" sounded, and a sharp blade-light flashed forth, slicing through Yun Yun Zhonghe's body like bamboo splitting open!

Duan Yanqing: This kid plays dirty—pretends to be weak, hides his strength

"Ahh—"

The next instant, a shrill scream rose like a wailing whistle, piercing everyone's eardrums like a needle.

Zhao Qiying and the three great villains were all startled; after exchanging two or three moves, each leapt back.

Then, the eight eyes of the four people followed the sound, every pupil contracting sharply.

They saw Yun Zhonghe collapsed in a pool of blood, his tall, thin body sliced clean in two at the waist, intestines and organs spilling out from the cut in a wet rush, fresh blood splattering across the ground.

The thick stench of blood spread. Yun Zhonghe could not die at once; his upper half writhed and twisted on the ground in agony, a despairing howl pouring from his mouth that sounded barely human, like an evil ghost crawling out of the eighteenth layer of hell.

Such a sight truly made one's heart freeze with dread.

Jiang Sishui had already retreated toward where Zhao Qiying stood, keeping well away from Yun Zhonghe.

Seeing everyone looking his way, Jiang Sishui wore a face of fear and innocence, the very picture of harmlessness.

Ye Mengse and Yue Laosan saw the situation turning bad and retreated behind Duan Yanqing: "Boss, what do we do?"

Duan Yanqing's eye twitched as he looked toward Jiang Sishui's left hand.

That hand held a sword, its blade already sheathed, as if it had never left the scabbard at all.

But Duan Yanqing would not forget that faint, urgent sword-hum a moment ago, nor the lightning-flash of light at the corner of his eye.

Duan Yanqing studied Jiang Sishui deeply, then looked again at Yun Zhonghe, who was now beyond saving…

Without moving his mouth, without moving his feet, his body drifted backward.

"Retreat!"

Ye Mengse and Yue Laosan followed right after, not even sparing Yun Zhonghe a second glance.

Seeing the three withdraw, Zhao Qiying's heart eased greatly. She hastily sheathed her sword and came to Jiang Sishui's side, anxiously checking him over: "Are you hurt?"

She had been entangled by the three great villains earlier and truly could not get free.

Watching Yun Zhonghe go straight for Jiang Sishui, she did not truly believe the Jizhuren Society's master would fall so easily, but concern muddled her judgment, and her heart had leapt to her throat.

Fortunately, Jiang Sishui was safe and sound; nothing had happened to him.

He had even turned the tables and killed Yun Zhonghe!

Thinking of this, she turned her head to glance at Yun Zhonghe.

Recalling that fleeting wisp of sword intent just now, Zhao Qiying's heart clenched: "So this is the 'Heavenly Sword Drawing Technique'? A Heavenly Art, learned in only three days, and it can instantly kill a Grandmaster?"

Zhao Qiying could not help but reflect on herself before obtaining the "Dugu Nine Swords"—she was probably only on par with Yun Zhonghe.

Jiang Sishui could cut Yun Zhonghe down in a single sword; if it had been her instead, she would likely have found it hard to escape death.

It was truly hard to imagine that the Jiang Sishui who had done all this was still just an ordinary person with no internal force at all.

Jiang Sishui caught the girl's slender fingers, smiling as he reassured her: "Don't worry, I'm fine. That skinny bamboo pole looked down on me, thought I couldn't muster the strength to truss a chicken, never expected I'd turn a blade back on him—so he bit the dust."

Zhao Qiying knew his words were not entirely true, but she did not blame him.

Because she could understand Jiang Sishui's difficulty.

After all, the "Heavenly Sword Drawing Technique" was driven by sword intent—far too unusual. If he told the whole truth, it would drag out a great many secrets.