Chapter 82: Roaming Dragon
Chapter 82: Chapter 82: Roaming Dragon
Taking advantage of their superior numbers, the men in black surrounded the convoy.
However, under Commander Hu’s direction, the convoy’s guards formed a circle around the carriages, facing outward to avoid being attacked from both front and rear.
THUD.
Xie Yuan’s saber pierced the chest of the man in black before him. With a heavy kick, he sent the body flying. He swept his long saber out, severing the arm of an attacker to his side, then whipped it back to block a strike from the left. After a brief struggle, he overpowered his opponent, forced the man’s saber back, and smoothly lopped off his head.
In a mere instant, Xie Yuan had killed three men, causing the assault around him to falter.
However, Xie Yuan frowned, his gaze falling to the nicks on his long saber. A slight chill went through him.
’In past fights with bandits, our Escort Agency sabers cut through their crude weapons like slicing melons. But today, all these men in black carry refined steel sabers, no worse than our own. I’ve only struck a few times, and my blade is already nicked. Who on earth are these people? They’re after Situ Qin... To dare provoke a great family, they must be an equally powerful enemy!’
Xie Yuan felt he’d been dragged into the feud of a great family, but he had no time to dwell on it. The situation before him was already troublesome enough.
Amidst the chaotic battle, someone noticed Xie Yuan’s considerable strength. The men in black before him parted as one of their number rushed forward, bringing his saber down on Xie Yuan’s head with a furious roar.
"You’re courting death!"
Xie Yuan’s eyes hardened. This was a Second Training expert. He immediately channeled his Inner Strength and countered with Wolf King Howling at the Moon.
His long saber, glinting in the sunlight, rose high before transforming into a shadowy blur. Though he struck second, his blade landed first, instantly reaching his enemy’s chest and carving a long gash across his torso.
The enemy’s saber hadn’t yet fallen when he felt his strength gush from his chest like a tidal wave, along with other things.
His vision instantly plunged into darkness, and he could only wonder in a daze:
’How was his blade so fast?’
With that enemy dead, the pressure on Xie Yuan and the surrounding guards eased. He was about to catch his breath when another man in black filled the gap. Amidst the flashing saber light, he saw it was another Second Training expert!
Xie Yuan circulated his inner breath and unleashed a series of rapid strikes. After a flash of saber light, the man in black, unable to fend off the assault, finally failed to block a fatal blow. He clutched his chest and slowly collapsed.
As Xie Yuan withdrew his saber, yet another man from the enemy crowd stepped forward to take the place of the fallen.
There were too many men in black!
Xie Yuan took a sharp breath and stole a glance at the battlefield. He saw that even though the guards were well-trained, well-commanded, and on average slightly stronger than the men in black, they were being assailed from all sides. Each guard was facing two or three attackers, and in the short span of the fight, there were already casualties!
The guards were being pushed back, the encirclement gradually tightening. Commander Hu and the other vice commander were both tied up fighting Third Training experts. Commander Hu was even fighting two of them by himself and was completely suppressed, unable to divert his attention for even a moment.
’This isn’t working...’
Xie Yuan assessed the situation in an instant. If this continued, defeat would be inevitable.
He turned back, no longer content to just tangle with the enemies in front of him.
He parried his opponent’s saber, then his left hand flashed to his waist, drawing the Tiger Bone Axe. A single chop landed squarely on the enemy’s forehead.
Xie Yuan wrenched the axe free, bringing with it a spray of red and white. Then, unleashing his Qi and Blood and inner breath to their fullest, he took a single step and charged into the crowd of men in black like a whirlwind, sending blossoms of blood flying everywhere!
The men in black had no available Third Training experts, and with Xie Yuan having cut down several of their Second Training masters, their advantage had vanished.
Xie Yuan plunging into their midst was like a tiger among sheep. Wielding his saber and axe, no enemy in his path could withstand a single exchange!
The men in black’s tight formation suddenly fell into disarray. Xie Yuan’s efficiency—cutting them down like melons—was enough to make even these well-trained assassins waver.
The First Training-level assassins all tried to avoid him. The Second Training experts were either too busy to engage or hesitated. Only a few of the most fearless drew their sabers and charged, only to be swiftly cut down by Xie Yuan, who was now at full power. He slaughtered them all within the enemy ranks!
The men in black fell into greater chaos. Their relentless, tide-like assault began to waver, and the effect rippled through the entire encirclement.
Seeing this, the guards’ morale surged. With a collective battle cry, they actually managed to push the encirclement back several steps!
Xie Yuan weaved through the throng of men in black like a swimming dragon, carving a path halfway around the convoy. Wherever he passed, the assassins either fled or died on the spot, leaving an empty circle in the black-clad tide.
In truth, if the men in black had been unafraid of death and willing to fight to the last man, even someone as valorous as Xie Yuan would have found it impossible to advance once surrounded. He wouldn’t have been able to withstand the forest of blades and rain of swords. But clearly, these enemies were not so tenacious. Xie Yuan had gambled on this very opportunity, and his charge had thrown their formation into chaos!
The Third Training expert fighting Commander Hu saw that in just a short while, his men had suffered heavy casualties and their formation was faltering. He immediately abandoned Commander Hu, leaping through the air to land beside Xie Yuan, and roared:
"Such audacity! Now die!"
Startled, Commander Hu tried to intercept, but his other opponent perfectly timed an accelerated assault, making it impossible for him to break free.
Xie Yuan saw the leader of the men in black charging at him fiercely. An immense pressure washed over him. He took a deep breath and tossed his long saber aside.
The man in black was puzzled. ’This kid’s saber work is stunning, so why did he just throw his weapon away?’
Suddenly, a flash of light from an axe, cold as lightning, glinted before his eyes. His heart skipped a beat. He abruptly channeled his strength, bringing his saber down in a wild, unstoppable slash!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! Three consecutive sounds rang out. Xie Yuan had struck out three times with his axe almost simultaneously, hammering the long saber three times in a row. The axe blade chipped, a huge piece breaking off, and was now ruined.
But he had managed to block the Third Training Martial Artist’s ferocious slash!
His arm was numb from the impact, but his opponent’s eyes held even greater shock.
’This kid is clearly at the Second Training level, how did he take that blow unscathed?’
’What incredible axe-work!’
’No, I can’t let him live!’
The man in black’s eyes turned vicious. Just as he was about to make another move, a long saber shot out from the side and intercepted his blade.
Vice Commander Li of the Escort Agency had arrived, but his own opponent was in hot pursuit right behind him.
Seeing this, the leader of the men in black gave a savage grin.
"If you want to die first, then I’ll grant your wish!"
He locked blades with Vice Commander Li. He knew that in just a moment, his own backup would arrive. Caught in a pincer attack, the vice commander would surely die!
The black-clad man’s attention was focused on the saber in his right hand, but in his peripheral vision, he noticed that Xie Yuan wasn’t taking the opportunity to retreat. Instead, he was stealthily creeping closer, completely bare-handed!
’No, how does he dare?’
An idea flashed through the leader’s mind. He pretended not to see him. As Xie Yuan closed in, the leader suddenly whipped his free hand back and sent a palm strike toward Xie Yuan’s chest.
Although most of his strength was focused on his right hand, which was locked in a struggle with Vice Commander Li’s saber, he was still a full realm higher than Xie Yuan. Furthermore, Xie Yuan was bare-handed. ’Even if this palm strike doesn’t kill him,’ the leader thought, ’it will at least cripple him!’
He sneered inwardly, especially when he saw Xie Yuan neither dodge nor evade, but meet the strike with a punch of his own. The sneer remained right up until the moment their fist and palm met.
As fist met palm, the black-clad man’s expression changed drastically. ’Something’s wrong!’
However, it was too late to muster his strength. His left hand bent back at a grotesque angle—Xie Yuan’s punch had snapped it!
Eight Trigrams Mountain-Shaking Fist, Qian Fist—the ultimate in power and firmness!
As excruciating pain shot through the leader’s left arm, his right hand naturally faltered. Vice Commander Li seized the opportunity, sliding his blade along the other’s and severing his right hand. Then, with an upward flick of his long saber, he lopped off the black-clad leader’s head!
The other Third Training assassin, who was just about to arrive, stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening in shock.
Onlookers from both sides of the conflict paused for a heartbeat, all staring in disbelief.
A Third Training master had his hand shattered by a Second Training fighter’s punch, and then lost his life?
"Hahaha! Beautifully done!"
Commander Hu’s spirits lifted. He was the first to strike, blanketing his opponent with attacks and switching from defense to offense. Vice Commander Li did the same.
The morale of the men in black plummeted. One of their leaders was dead, and the other two were tied down. Now, there was no one left who could stop Xie Yuan, this God of Slaughter.
He alone could probably slaughter every last one of them!
Just as the outcome seemed clear and Xie Yuan was about to press his attack, a gray shadow suddenly shot out from the crowd. It moved so fast it was nearly invisible, leaping over everyone’s heads and lunging toward the central carriage!
Xie Yuan’s eyes flew wide. ’They have another hidden expert!’
’Judging by that Body Technique, he’s at least at the Third Training... no, the Fourth Training level!’
’It’s over!’
The carriage curtain was pulled open. Curled in a corner, clutching her qin, was Situ Qin. Her small, deathly pale face was clearly visible.
The peerless young beauty weakly lifted her qin and swung it, making a final, desperate struggle.
Unable to bear it, Xie Yuan turned his head away. Then, he heard a sickening sound of bones cracking.
He snapped his head back in astonishment, only to see the gray-clad man flying backward like a kite with a broken string. He was moving even faster than he had when charging the carriage. He slammed heavily into the ground, knocking down a cluster of the men in black.