Chapter 260 - 134: Slaying Across Ranks (3)

The dark light from the twin spikes flared, transforming them into two venomous, devouring flood dragons. A faint gleam on their tips condensed to its peak as they tore through the air from left and right, aiming straight for Liang Cheng’s ribs!

Twin Dragons Piercing the Sea!

At that moment, he focused all his Gang Qi and killing intent into a single point!

Faced with this killing blow, now several times more ferocious, Liang Cheng’s pupils shrank. The light of the Dark Gold Gang Shield surrounding him suddenly erupted as one hundred and eight of his acupoints vibrated in unison, pushing his defense to its absolute limit!

At the same time, he gripped his saber with both hands, pouring all his True Essence—along with the pent-up killing intent in his chest that demanded release—into a single vertical slash.

Mountain-Breaking!

The Blade Intent soared to the heavens!

BOOM—!!!!

The faint gleam of the spike tips and the cold light of the saber’s edge collided head-on!

A violent ring of Qi Force exploded outward. The assassin felt an irresistible, immense force travel up his Water-Splitting Spikes. His arms throbbed with a pain so intense they felt on the verge of breaking. To his shock, his own condensed Gang Qi had been forcefully shattered by his opponent’s terrifyingly focused Blade Intent and power!

He let out a muffled grunt as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He slid backward uncontrollably, his feet carving two deep grooves into the deck.

Liang Cheng was also sent flying backward, but after fluctuating violently, his Dark Gold Gang Shield slowly stabilized. He stood firm, saber in hand. Though his breathing was slightly ragged, his gaze grew even colder and sharper as it locked onto his retreating foe.

The disparity in their strength was clear. The outcome was all but decided.

The assassin looked at Liang Cheng, fear rising in his heart. ’If this drags on,’ he thought, ’forget completing the mission. I’ll be the one to die here.’

A savage glint flashed in his eyes. He abruptly retreated several steps, took a deep breath, and let out a sharp whistle.

’He has accomplices!’

Liang Cheng’s heart skipped a beat.

In the very next instant, a second powerful True Gang aura erupted, making no attempt at concealment. A tall, thin shadow streaked over the ship’s rail, its toes tapping the railing once before it twisted mid-air and landed right in front of them.

The newcomer wielded a long, narrow, ghostly green Green Phosphorus Sword. The blade shimmered with a faint phosphorescence, and a pungent, sickly-sweet smell filled the air. It was clearly coated in a deadly poison.

Without a word, the blade flashed like a striking viper, carrying a cold, sinister Gang Qi as it thrust toward Liang Cheng’s back, forming a pincer attack with the first True Gang Assassin!

Two True Gang Realm assassins had joined forces. The Water-Splitting Spikes were vicious and cunning, sealing off Liang Cheng’s escape routes, while the insidious Green Phosphorus Sword struck at his vitals, making it impossible to guard against every angle.

The pressure instantly mounted!

Liang Cheng immediately felt hard-pressed. Fortunately, thanks to his Wandering Dragon Step and Mixed Element True Aura, he was able to hold on for the moment.

However, his Dark Gold Gang Shield fluctuated violently under the relentless joint assault, rippling constantly as if it might shatter at any moment.

Liang Cheng swung his saber, the light of its blade a desperate defense, but he was still forced back step-by-step into one perilous situation after another.

"Junior Brother, leave the one on the left to me!"

Just as Liang Cheng was forced to the edge of the ship’s rail, in the nick of time, a clear, hearty laugh rang out. An unstoppable Cyan Sword Aura, like a ray of heaven’s light tearing through dark clouds, shot out from a shadow on the upper deck.

Its momentum was majestic and its speed like lightning as it slashed toward the assassin with the Green Phosphorus Sword!

Before the Sword Aura even arrived, its sharp Sword Intent had already locked onto the target, causing the hair on the tall, thin assassin’s body to stand on end.

CLANG—!

The Green Phosphorus Sword was hastily brought back to defend, colliding fiercely with the Cyan Sword Aura!

Amid the thunderous clash, the tall, thin assassin’s body shuddered violently. He let out a muffled grunt and retreated several steps, the ghostly green light on his Green Phosphorus Sword dimming.

Ye Zhiqiu appeared, his green robes fluttering as he descended gracefully from the shadows of the mast, a longsword in hand. He wore his usual carefree smile, but his eyes were firmly locked on the tall, thin assassin.

"Senior Brother Ye!"

The pressure on Liang Cheng instantly lessened, and his spirits soared.

"Junior Brother, it seems you were right. Someone is plotting something sinister. Good thing I hid on the ship—it really came in handy."

Ye Zhiqiu winked at Liang Cheng. His longsword trembled slightly, emitting a clear, sonorous hum like a dragon’s cry as his cyan True Gang pulsed around it.

It turned out that when Liang Cheng had sensed something was amiss earlier, Ye Zhiqiu had played a trick—shedding the golden cicada’s shell—just in case.

"Junior Brother, I’ll take care of this poison-using small fry. You focus on finishing off the other one. Let’s end this quickly!"

"Alright!"

Freed from any lingering worries, Liang Cheng’s killing intent turned as cold as ten-thousand-year-old ice, locking dead-on to the assassin with the Water-Splitting Spikes.

’Now, it’s time to end this.’

Liang Cheng no longer held anything back. His True Essence surged like a Sea Tide, his Gang Qi became as solid as a mountain, and the two fused together perfectly.

The Zhenxian Saber let out a hum. Azure True Essence coiled around the blade, emitting a terrifying pulse that could make one’s heart palpitate.

He slashed out, unleashing a surging, layered tide of Sword Qi. Wave after wave crashed forward, one not yet receded before another rose, the power stacking and climbing to a frenzied peak!

Wherever the blade light passed, the air itself seemed to whine under the strain. The thick fog was completely pushed aside as the attack bore down on the assassin.

The assassin’s pupils shrank. He felt a mortal threat!

He let out a furious roar, pouring his life’s Cultivation into his twin spikes. The black light around them flared as he crossed them in front of him, forming a Gang Qi shield in an attempt to block the terrifying wave of blade energy!

BOOM! BOOM BOOM BOOM—!

The waves of blade energy smashed against the Gang Qi shield relentlessly!

The first wave made the shield shake violently.

The second wave brought forth faint cracks.

The third wave...

The fourth wave...

KRAK!

With a crisp cracking sound, the black Gang Qi shield utterly shattered!

Unable to withstand the continuous, immense force, the Water-Splitting Spikes in the assassin’s hands snapped in two!

As for the assassin, it was as if a sledgehammer had struck his chest. He coughed out a huge mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of his internal organs, his body flying backward like a ragdoll and slamming hard against the cabin wall.

By the time he slid to the floor, his aura had weakened to a critical point.

Liang Cheng’s eyes were ice-cold. Without the slightest pause, he activated his Wandering Dragon Step, his figure closing the distance like a phantom. He raised the Zhenxian Saber high, the killing intent on its edge resolute.

Mountain-Breaking Blade·Peak of Extinction!

The blade light descended in silence, like a solitary mountain peak crashing down from above!

Only despair and horror remained in the assassin’s eyes. He raised the broken half of his spike in a futile gesture.

PSHH—!

The blade swept through his neck without resistance. A head flew high into the air as blood sprayed for several feet.

The headless corpse twitched twice, then was still.

True Essence had slain True Gang—a kill that crossed cultivation realms!

Meanwhile, the battle between Ye Zhiqiu and the tall, thin assassin was also reaching its conclusion.

Ye Zhiqiu’s Swordsmanship was superb and his True Gang profound; he had his opponent completely suppressed.

Though the assassin’s Poison Sword was formidable, he could not break through Ye Zhiqiu’s dense and ferocious Sword Net. Instead, he was forced into one dangerous predicament after another by the constant onslaught of Cyan Sword Auras.

Seeing his companion fall, the assassin’s mind was thrown into chaos, and a fatal opening appeared in his technique.

"Die!"

A cold light flashed in Ye Zhiqiu’s eyes as he seized the opportunity. His longsword moved like a Cyan Rainbow Piercing the Sun, instantly breaking through his opponent’s Sword Momentum, piercing his Protective Gang Qi with unerring precision, and running straight through his heart.

The tall, thin assassin’s body stiffened. He looked down at the sword tip protruding from his chest as the light in his eyes rapidly faded. The Green Phosphorus Sword in his hand fell to the deck with a CLANG.

He was dead.

With their leaders slain, the morale of the remaining six black-clad assassins collapsed. They scattered in a panic, attempting to jump overboard and escape into the sea.

But how could Liang Cheng and Ye Zhiqiu possibly let them go?

The lights of blade and sword crisscrossed the deck. It was like chopping vegetables; in an instant, all six were slaughtered. Not a single one escaped.

The thick fog still lingered, and the sounds of battle had ceased. The deck was littered with corpses. Liang Cheng crouched beside one of the assassins’ bodies and searched it carefully, but found nothing.

"To dare make a move on a True Inheritor of the Main Courtyard, and with such despicable assassination tactics... They’re certainly cautious, not leaving a single clue behind... Good. Very good."

Ye Zhiqiu’s voice was ice-cold, but Liang Cheng wasn’t particularly disappointed.

"It doesn’t matter," Liang Cheng said. "We’ll settle these debts one by one. Our chance will come."