Chapter 32: Jian Lao

Crack!

The piercing sound of metal clashing rang out continuously.

Gu Chen had lost count of how many times they had crossed blades.

Even his sidearm sword had already been nicked in several places.

But finally, with this strike, he severed Lei Chao's weapon.

Lei Chao's expression shifted slightly; caught off guard, he wielded the broken sword and froze for a moment.

He never expected his own Yellow Tier Low Grade battle saber to be cut down by Gu Chen's standard-issue battle sword!

Gu Chen seized the moment and delivered a heavy, powerful kick to Lei Chao's chest.

Thud!

Amid the heavy impact, Lei Chao's body flew backward and slammed into a towering tree, letting out a loud groan.

Lei Chao spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at Gu Chen,

"Last time in the military camp, you held back?"

He could hardly imagine that someone who, just seven days ago, had been utterly defenseless before him,

could, in just a few short days, turn the tables, suppress him, and even defeat him!

This is absolutely unreasonable!

Gu Chen laughed, shook his head, and a flash of killing intent flickered in his eyes,

"You frog in a well, do you think everyone lacks talent like you and resents the capable?"

This wasn't because Gu Chen relied on the sword-shaped pendant or his new title as the so-called Sword Master to look down on Lei Chao.

Rather, he had full confidence in his own talent.

In the Gu family, as a branch member he received no resources and was barred from the inner doors, so his cultivation speed was naturally slow.

But after arriving at the frontier pass, there existed a training method that could be called the most correct for martial practitioners; even without the Nine Heaven Immortal Sword Technique, his growth was merely a matter of time.

Gu Chen perhaps wasn't a prodigy from childhood; otherwise the Gu family wouldn't have ignored him.

Perhaps 'accumulating depth before erupting, late blooming' was the most fitting epithet for him.

Just then, the anxious voice of the sword-shaped pendant suddenly sounded in Gu Chen's ear.

"Gu Chen, I sense someone approaching at high speed nearby—hurry and kill him!"

Gu Chen's heart jolted; between him and Jian Lao, they now shared weal and woe.

Jian Lao would absolutely not deceive him.

Gu Chen drew a deep breath, raised his sword, and struck down,

"If blame is due, blame yourself for not distinguishing right from wrong—it's because Li Xuan caused trouble for us!"

In the forest, seeing that Gu Chen hadn't considered winning over Lei Chao but instead chose to strike a killing blow, Guan Shan felt a flicker of hesitation.

If Gu Chen were also a spy of the enemy state, he would surely try to win over Lei Chao, doing his utmost to undermine the strength of Ben Lang Guo.

Gu Chen's actions clearly did not resemble those of a competent spy.

If Gu Chen were not a spy, he could not simply watch Lei Chao die here merely because of internal strife.

But Gu Chen's meteoric rise in strength made him seem even less like a normal scion of the Gu family!

After suspecting Gu Han, Guan Shan retrieved information about the Gu family.

Wu Shan Cheng was merely a small downstream town within the whole of Ben Lang Guo.

Although the Gu family was one of the four great clans of Wu Shan Cheng, in Guan Shan's eyes its influence was just so-so.

Even the Gu family's direct line could not display progress like Gu Chen's.

This again suggests that Gu Chen and Gu Han are very likely spies.

Even though he suspected this, Guan Shan still did not choose to act.

Nowadays, border friction between Ben Lang Guo and Jian Chi State is constant, and war could break out at any moment.

If Lei Chao's death could bring greater gains, then it would be worth it!

At this moment, Guan Shan chose to gamble!

He bet that Gu Chen was a spy of Jian Chi State, and that behind Gu Chen lay a big fish!

However, Lei Chao had not given up hope of survival.

He suddenly raised his left hand, blocking in front of his chest!

Hiss!

The long sword pierced Lei Chao's arm, and he instantly let out a heart-rending wail.

"Ugh ah!!!"

Lei Chao was clearly trying to survive by sacrificing his arm!

He gritted his teeth, turned sideways, clamped Gu Chen's sidearm sword tightly with his arm, and rolled wildly on the ground to evade Gu Chen's attacks.

But Gu Chen's attacks continued to fall on Lei Chao without pause.

Lei Chao's miserable state caused even the iron-hearted Guan Shan to feel a twinge of pity.

But just then, Guan Shan suddenly noticed hurried footsteps sounding not far away.

This sound struck Guan Shan's ears as extremely piercing, even making him break out in a cold sweat.

If this were on a battlefield, noticing footsteps at such close range would put him in danger himself!

Yet just moments ago, he had relaxed his vigilance because of their fight!

"You think I came here alone to find you?"

Although Lei Chao was in a sorry state, his mouth full of blood, he now gave a fierce laugh,

"Gu Chen, today is your day of death!"

Gu Chen seethed with rage, wishing he could smash Lei Chao's head with a single blow, but Lei Chao was slippery as a loach and gave him no chance.

Jian Lao's voice rang urgently in Gu Chen's ear.

"Gu Chen, forget this fellow, run— the enemy has already closed in!"

Gu Chen let out a silent sigh and immediately tried to pull away.

At this moment, Lei Chao's ruthlessness showed itself again.

His arms were already limp, yet he clenched Gu Chen's pant leg with his teeth.

With a grim expression, Gu Chen kicked him flying, shattering a mouthful of his teeth, but also bought the newcomer a chance.

Four people surrounded Gu Chen from all sides.

One of them, a blue-clad youth wielding a long staff, gave a cold snort.

"Lei Chao, this fellow, is utterly useless— he can't even handle a new recruit."

"Just like this, he once dared to be ranked with me— what a waste."

"Cut the talk, move out quickly before we're spotted."

The three of them, chatting back and forth, picked up their weapons and prepared to attack Gu Chen.

"Wait a moment."

However, the person who had remained silent until now suddenly spoke up to stop them.

He looked at the ready Gu Chen, his gaze contemptuous, and said,

"I can grant you a chance: if you join the Jian Chi State, secretly infiltrate the Ben Lang Guo to win over combat soldiers, you'll live today— how about it?"

Guan Shan, hidden in the woods, shuddered.

Here it comes— this is truly the style of a traitor!

But he never imagined the real traitor wasn't the Gu Han brother he'd suspected these past days.

But rather, it was the widely recognized Lei Chao, strong-limbed but simple-minded!

And he had actually suspected the wrong person!

Among these four, Guan Shan only had a slight impression of the one who spoke last.

This is because this person is among the combat soldiers of Lei Chao's cohort, ranked in the top three by strength!

Xue Wen!

But Xue Wen had left the military camp two years ago, never expecting to appear now.

Surely the traitor of the Jian Chi State has grand designs!

At the same time, a faint sigh came from Jian Lao beside Gu Chen's ear.

"If that's the case, there's nothing else to do."

Just as Gu Chen thought Jian Lao would advise him to endure temporarily and spare his life, Jian Lao suddenly said,

"Gu Chen, release the seal— today I will slay them for you!"

Because the sword-shaped pendant had already recognized him by blood, Gu Chen knew Jian Lao wasn't trying to use this to control his body.

But rather truly wished to act personally, to settle these people for him.

Gu Chen hesitated not at all; with his current strength, defeating Lei Chao alone was already a strain.

It was impossible to defeat four foes who were not inferior to Lei Chao, and might even surpass him.

Just as Gu Chen was about to loosen the seal, footsteps sounded again not far away.