novelbin Chapter 206: Then I Shall Kill Them All
Chapter 206: Then I Shall Kill Them All
WHOOSH!
A figure suddenly burst out of the water. A Caobang Martial Artist with Second-Rank cultivation slashed out with a steel saber, its blade flashing with brilliant, snow-bright light, blocking squarely in front of the towering, mysterious Fifth-Rank Martial Artist.
His timing was precise.
His strike was timely.
His blade was sharp.
It was clear at a glance that he was seasoned in the Jianghu.
Even several Third-Rank Martial Artists’ eyes lit up, thinking the enemy would finally be intercepted by force.
However…
Only a few Fourth-Rank Martial Artists frowned deeply, worry appearing in their eyes.
The towering, mysterious Fifth-Rank Martial Artist made an extremely subtle flicking motion with his fingers. Some unknown object shot out like lightning, shattering the Caobang Martial Artist’s steel saber. The man convulsed as if struck by lightning and fell backward. The instant he hit the water, the Fifth-Rank Martial Artist stepped directly on him—SMACK!
Power exploded across the river’s surface.
Bright red blood burst from the Caobang Martial Artist’s body, shocking every Caobang water fighter in the river. All of them stared in stunned terror, their souls trembling.
What kind of strength was this?
But under the pressure of arrows and hidden weapons from the Third-Rank and Fourth-Rank Martial Artists aboard the dragon boat, the towering Fifth-Rank Martial Artist was forced to take a longer route before approaching the fourth escort ship.
This time, instead of smashing straight through the hull in the simplest, most brutal fashion, he gave a long shout of “Up!” He forcibly gathered his breath, kicked off the hull wall, lifted his body, and flipped onto the deck.
CLANG! CLANG!
Weapons were knocked from hands in rapid succession.
Caobang’s Martial Artists could not withstand even a single exchange. One by one, they tumbled to the ground.
“He has expended a considerable amount of internal energy.”
Constable Captain Yu lowered his bow.
“Mm.”
Constable Captain He added, “Wudang’s Ladder to the Clouds. Unfortunately, he has not cultivated it to Perfect Mastery. He is still one step short.”
“Wudang has no such person. He is deliberately using Wudang’s techniques to obscure his origins and conceal his identity… Hmph! But by doing so, he has also directly offended Wudang. Those elders are not easy to deal with.”
While they spoke, Caobang’s fleet had already drawn close.
More and more Caobang elites skimmed across the water or plunged straight into the river, encircling the fourth escort ship.
The towering Fifth-Rank Martial Artist seemed to have consumed much of his internal energy. After dealing with everyone on deck, he did not immediately smash the ship apart. Instead, he retreated into the cabin to rest and regulate his breath.
“He is regulating his breath!”
“Do not give him the chance to recover!”
“If he will not break the ship, we will break it for him!”
“If he recovers, we will be in greater trouble!”
Constable Captain Yu shouted a warning to Hall Master Yin.
Hall Master Yin’s brows tightened. He immediately gave the order:
“Bore through the hull! Force him into the water!”
In the river, a group of water-skilled Martial Artists dove beneath the ship.
They typically carried hull-boring tools. It did not take long for them to punch through the escort ship’s underside.
The escort ship began sinking rapidly!
The towering Fifth-Rank Martial Artist frowned. His opportunity to regulate his breath had been destroyed.
He moved like a phantom to the bow deck, grabbed several weapons, and hurled them into the water in a sweeping motion—
WHOOSH! WHOOSH!
As the weapons plunged into the river, plumes of crimson blood blossomed upward.
Hall Master Yin, accompanied by several Third-Rank and Second-Rank Martial Artists, leapt through the air and landed upon the dragon boat, standing at a distance to observe the situation.
In the river were over two hundred Caobang elites—from Quasi-Martial Artists to Second-Rank Martial Artists—watching like tigers eyeing prey.
On nearby large ships, there were more than a hundred archers standing on deck.
“Sir.”
“Who exactly are you, and why are you pursuing the imperial envoy of the court?”
Hall Master Yin called out across the distance.
The towering Fifth-Rank Martial Artist’s eyes burned with cold hatred. He gave a cold snort.
“My target is not the imperial envoy… Today, I have come for Caobang—for you, Yin Xingtian.”
Yin Xingtian was Hall Master Yin of Caobang.
Hall Master Yin’s expression darkened further.
“Hmph!”
“With your strength, dealing with Caobang and committing murder would be simplicity itself. Even taking my head would be no difficult task. Why trouble yourself by attacking at a time when the imperial envoy is present in Sanhe Commandery, surrounded by numerous Martial Artists? Is this not inviting trouble? Is this not turning yourself into a wanted criminal of the court?”
Hall Master Yin was no ordinary man. He would never shoulder such a grave accusation without resistance. His words served as a self-defense, dispelling doubts among the officials aboard the dragon boat.
Indeed.
With such overwhelming combat strength, killing a Caobang hall master would be as easy as reaching into one’s pocket.
Why would he choose to act in front of so many Third-Rank and Fourth-Rank Martial Artists, risking pursuit by the Six Gates and the Embroidered Uniform Guard?
“HAHAHAHA…”
“Since there happens to be a high-ranking court official in Sanhe Commandery, I might as well kill him too—two birds with one stone!”
The towering Fifth-Rank Martial Artist burst into laughter. Since he could not deceive them, killing intent finally surfaced openly in his eyes.
At that moment…
More ships appeared at both ends of the river, rapidly drawing near.
“Hmph!”
“You Caobang people truly are numerous.”
“Enough talk…”
“Dog official, give me your life!”
The towering Fifth-Rank Martial Artist exerted force with his legs. The sinking wreckage beneath him was driven fully under the water. He shot forward like a cannonball, skimming across the river’s surface toward the dragon boat.
The dragon boat responded with a storm of arrows.
Caobang elites surged from all directions across the river.
The towering Fifth-Rank Martial Artist seized a Caobang elite, crushed the man’s throat, and used the corpse as a shield to block many arrows. He actually accelerated, charging to within close range of the dragon boat.
Just as he was about to board and threaten the imperial envoy, two figures leapt from the cabin. They spiraled downward along the ship’s railing like phantoms, unleashing a dazzling torrent of sword light toward the invader.
For the first time, the towering Fifth-Rank Martial Artist’s expression changed.
He retreated.
He had no choice but to retreat.
From their sword techniques, he sensed danger.
Sixth-Rank sword arts!
Two Fifth-Rank experts guarding the envoy!
SPLASH!
The towering Fifth-Rank Martial Artist’s charge was abruptly halted midair. He was forced back into the river. While blocking their sword strikes, his arms were cut with long, narrow wounds.
Yet he was tough to the core. Without uttering a sound, he used a Thousand-Catty Drop to accelerate downward, plunging into the depths like a ballast stone and swiftly widening the distance between himself and his enemies.
THUD! THUD!
Seeing him fall into the water, the two Fifth-Rank guards reacted instantly and simultaneously threw two flying daggers.
PUFF! PUFF!
Two sprays of blood erupted from the towering Fifth-Rank Martial Artist’s body.
“Damn it!”
He nearly lost control of his internal energy. He swallowed a mouthful of river water and saw shadows rushing toward him from every direction—Caobang’s Martial Artists swarming like sharks drawn to blood.
In an instant, the tide of battle turned!
He forcibly sealed his acupoints to stop the bleeding, killed several nearby Caobang Martial Artists, and twisted toward the riverbank.
He had to leave.
The imperial envoy was guarded by two Fifth-Rank experts, lying in wait for him.
If he did not retreat now, he would die here today.
And the direction in which he swam happened to be the one where a group of fast boats was rapidly approaching.
The Yulong Gang’s fleet had arrived to reinforce.