Chapter 224 - The Mysterious Master
Chapter 224: The Mysterious Master
The street was 60 meters wide, yet there was not a passerby to be seen. The doors to the stores on both sides of the street were closed tight. Only Zhang Ruochen, carrying Chang Qiqi, were standing on their own in the middle of the street.
“Junior...brother...apprentice...Zhang, don’t mind me. Put me down and...go..., otherwise...you...you won’t escape...” Chang Qiqi was sprawled against Zhang Ruochen’s back. His voice was weak and very pained.
“Whether we leave or stay, we do it together.”
Zhang Ruochen’s brow was furrowed, and his gaze became was more determined than ever before. He had never considered escaping on his own.
They were very close to the royal palace. If a fight broke out, warriors from the palace would be able to arrive very quickly.
So they were not completely without a chance of survival.
Zhang Ruochen placed Chang Qiqi on the ground and took out a healing Pill. Feeding it to Chang Qiqi, he said, “Elder brother Chang, let’s get you healed. I promise I will take you out of here alive.”
Chang Qiqi sat on the ground. The blood had left his face and he didn’t even have the strength to talk. He could only shake his head gently at Zhang Ruochen.
If only Zhang Ruochen would leave him here, then he would have a chance to escape.
But if Zhang Ruochen stayed here, it would mean certain death.
Zhang Ruochen stood up again and stared in the direction of Zi Yinyang, “You are the young master of Hades Department?”
“Correct.” Zi Yinyang replied.
Zhang Ruochen continued, “Given your cultivation, you should be able to kill me easily. Yet, I have escaped you again and again, do you know why?”
“If you are hoping to drag out time and wait for someone to rescue you, then you’re sorely mistaken. The Chief of the Moon Worship Demonic Sect has already headed towards the royal palace to personally deal with the Yunwu Commandery Prince. The Yunwu Commandery Prince is too concerned with protecting himself right now.” Zi Yinyang said.
Zhang Ruochen appeared to be very calm and said, “Since you don’t want to know the reason, then never mind. Pretend I never said anything.”
Zi Yinyang’s gaze became suspicious, and after a moment he said, “Fine! I’ll give you one last chance to speak!”
Zhang Ruochen replied, “Whether it is your broadsword or your sword, there is a giant flaw in your technique.”
“What flaw?” Zi Yinyang asked.
Zhang Ruochen smiled lightly, but appeared to have no intention of saying anything.
The Young Lord said coldly, “Elder brother Zi, stop wasting words with him. He only wants to rattle you, so that you are weaker in battle. The so-called flaw is only a lie he made up.”
“I almost fell for your trap. I think it would be best if you shut up forever.” Zi Yinyang said.
It has to be said, Zi Yinyang did feel a bit rattled just before. He really did think there was a flaw in his technique. After all, given his cultivation, it is a little strange he needed to spend such much effort to kill a warrior who just entered the Earth Realm.
After some thought, he realized that there was no technique under heaven that was completely flawless. Just like how there would never be a completely perfect person.
“Waaa!”
Zi Yinyang flew down from the ancient building and shot three beams of light from his sword in succession.
Two of them flew towards Zhang Ruochen while the other flew towards Chang Qiqi.
Zhang Ruochen snatched up Chang Qiqi’s broadsword and took a quick step forward. With one swing of the broadsword, he scattered the light that flew towards Chang Qiqi.
“PUFFT!”
However, Zhang Ruochen was struck by one of the light beams. Luckily the Ice-fire Kylin Armor blocked it. He only took two steps back to dissipate the power of the strike.
“Zi Yinyang, you’re considered one of the young masters of the black market. If you’re so good, why don’t you come after me, instead of using an injured warrior to control me?” Zhang Ruochen said.
Zi Yinyang retorted, “For an assassin, as long as it kills the person, any method can be used.”
Zi Yinyang attacked Chang Qiqi again.
Zhang Ruochen immediately stepped in-front of Chang Qiqi and swung down with both hands on the hilt.
“You don’t know what’s good for you!” Zi Yinyang sneered coldly.
“PFFFT!”
The Fish Intestine Sword pierced through Zhang Ruochen’s left shoulder, while at the same moment, the broadsword in Zhang Ruochen’s hand sliced towards Zi Yinyang’s neck.
Zi Yinyang furrowed his forehead and prepared to withdraw the Fish Intestine Sword, however, he found that Zhang Ruochen’s shoulder muscles had clamped around the Fish Intestine Sword and he was unable to pull it out.
Clearly, Zhang Ruochen had purposely shown his flaw to draw him into stabbing his left shoulder.
“You’re crazy!” Zi Yinyang said coldly.
Zhang Ruochen was ready to fight with his life, but Zi Yinyang did not expect to die with Zhang Ruochen.
In this situation, Zi Yinyang had to give up the Fish Intestine Sword and quickly side-step two paces to avoid the blow Zhang Ruochen aimed at his neck.
Zi Yinyang felt rather dejected. Zhang Ruochen was the first person to hurt him in a fight, as well as the first to force him to give up his sword. Most importantly, Zhang Ruochen’s martial cultivation was far lower than his.
As one of the seven young masters in the black market, Zi Yinyang had lost a lot of face by being forced to such a state by a teenager.
Zhang Ruochen also did not feel well as he had been injured severely.
As the Fish Intestine Sword had pierced his left shoulder, it brought Sword Breath into Zhang Ruochen’s body. With the wound as the center, there was a large patch of Meridians and Blood Meridians that had been shattered; there was no feeling, and everything was numb.
Bearing the pain, Zhang Ruochen pulled the Fish Intestine Sword from his left shoulder. He continued to stand ramrod straight as he stared at Zi Yinyang and said, “Do you think I’m better with a broadsword, or a sword?”
“Even if your sword technique is better, you still can’t escape your death today.”
Zi Yinyang’s fingers curled into claws and using marvelous footwork, like a blast of wind, he rushed to Zhang Ruochen.
His hand-claw was sharper than iron. His five fingers were completely encased in Icy Genuine Qi to create five piercing icicles.
The air around Zi Yinyan was affected by his Genuine Qi and snow began to fall. The snowflakes became bigger and bigger in an increasingly larger area, and the temperature turned frigid.
Zi Yinyang’s physical quality was also able to invite a vision of heaven and earth.
“SWISH!”
Zhang Ruochen demonstrated the full power of being in the Realm of Heart Integrated into Sword and in that brief moment he attacked with 12 sword techniques. It was so powerful that Zi Yinyang was not able to move forward at all.
“Stop!” A loud cry came.
From far away, a graceful shadow was rushing towards them from a small alley.
She wore all black clothing and a veil covered her face. Her figure was lithe and small, and a wisp of white Genuine Qi flowed around her. Altogether, it was a hazy and beautiful illusion, but her true form could not be see at all.
Seeing this woman appear, Zi Yinyang immediately stopped and retreated to a distance. In a cold voice he demanded, “Who are you? Who dares to tell me to stop killing someone?”
The veiled woman laughed proudly, with a hint of disdain, “Never mind you, I would dare to order the Chief of the Hades Department to stop, and what’s more, he would have to stop.”
“That’s a big claim.”
Zi Yinyang’s eyes narrowed and suddenly dashed towards the veiled woman at a speed of 180 meters per second. In a flash he had disappeared from where he stood and was stretching out a claw to attact the veiled woman.
“SWISH!”
Zi Yinyang was momentarily blinded and, suddenly, the woman disappeared.
This wasn’t good.
Zi Yinyang immediately spun around and struck out towards the right with both his hands.
“Bam!”
From the right, the woman struck once and sent Zi Yinyang flying a dozen meters.
Yet she stood where she was, not a hair was moving.
“How is this possible?” Zi Yinyang felt the Genuine Qi in his body roiling. His arms felt like they had been broken, even moving a single finger sent bone-splitting pain down both his arms.
Among the younger generation, Zi Yinyang had always considered himself one of the top prodigies. He had never before tasted defeat.
Who on earth was this woman?
How could she so easily break the cultivation he had been so proud of?
The Young Lord of Poisonous Spiders saw that the situation was not good, and immediately came down to stand to the left of the woman, cornering her with Zi Yinyang.
“Lady, it is not a good idea to meddle in the affairs of the black market. I suggest you stop earlier than later.” The Young Lord said coldly while playing with his bronze machete.
Among those present, only the Young Lord knew that Zhang Ruochen had the power to control space, so naturally he would not allow someone else to rescue Zhang Ruochen.
“What if I don’t withdraw?” The woman’s voice was gentle, but also gave the sense of being very floaty. It was impossible to tell her real age from her voice.
The Young Lord and Zi Yinyang met each other’s eyes briefly and attacked together.
This time, they held nothing back and attacked with all their strength.
After healing himself with Genuine Qi, Zi Yinyang’s injured arms had recovered. Not only had they not been weakened, they were now even stronger.
It was very clear that he had not used all his strength when battling with Zhang Ruochen earlier.
“Bang! Bang!”
In a moment, Zi Yinyang and the Young Lord both spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backwards together before landing on the ground.
Covered in dust and dirt, they pushed themselves up from the ground and appeared extremely pathetic. They stared in shock at the woman standing in the middle of the street.
“You...you are a warrior of the Heaven Realm?” The Young Lord asked.
The woman laughed, “Such ignorance! It doesn’t take a warrior of the Heaven Realm to deal with the likes of you, warriors on the Earth Board are sufficient.”
Zi Yinyang clasped his hand over his chest and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He shook his head and said, “Among the younger generation in the 36 commanderies, there are only two woman on the Earth Board. You are definitely not one of them.”
“However, I am the third.” The veiled woman stated.
Zi Yinyang replied, “Given your strength, you’re probably ranked very high on the Earth Board.”
The Young Lord spoke, “Ah, indeed there are always better things, and stronger people. Today, we admit our defeat. We are satisfied to have been defeated by you. But, will you leave a name so that we may know who we lost to?”
“Haha! You couldn’t even withstand one of my attacks, and you want to know my name? I have already given the black market plenty of face by not killing you.” The woman laughed coldly.
“When I break into the Completion of the Earth Realm, I will definitely challenge you again.” The Young Lord was extremely bitter about his defeat and threw down the challenge. Collecting the evil warriors from the Poisonous Spider Club, he quickly slipped away.
Even if all the evil warriors from the Poisonous Spider Club attacked, they would not be able to capture Zhang Ruochen with the veiled woman there. They might even be completely destroyed by her.
The power of the veiled lady was terrifying and unfathomable. The Young Lord thought that even when he reached the Completion of the Earth Round he might not be able to withstand more than 10 of her attacks.
Zi Yinyang’s gaze swung towards Zhang Ruochen’s direction and landed on the sword in his hand, “Within three months, I will personally come to retrieve the Fish Intestine Sword.”
Having said that, Zi Yinyang turned and left.
Only Zhang Ruochen and the veiled lady remained on the street, along with the unconscious Chang Qiqi.
Their gazes met, but they did not speak.