Chapter 404: Admitting Defeat

The Beggar Sect’s intelligence was, to some extent, outdated.

That had a great deal to do with the fact that the Beggar Sect disciples in Sanhe Commandery had already been purged almost to the last man.

Their stronghold in Kuaiji County had been destroyed.

Sanhe Commandery itself had already become forbidden ground for Beggar Sect disciples.

Because of that, the Beggar Sect still had not learned Wangchuan’s true rank.

The two of them had instinctively assumed that Wangchuan was still at the same level he had displayed during the tournament over a month ago.

For two Fourth-Rank Martial Artists to storm a hall and assassinate a Third-Rank Martial Artist...

That was already them giving him extra weight because of the Jianghu fame he had earned by taking third place in the grand tournament.

And yet!

The moment they came face-to-face so suddenly, both Beggar Sect elders felt their hearts sink.

Fourth Rank!

The pressure and aura coming off Wangchuan instantly made them realize that this mission had been far too rash.

Two Fourth-Rank Martial Artists storming a hall to assassinate a Hall Master who was himself a Fourth-Rank Martial Artist!

This was bad!

But they were already here.

Wangchuan had been waiting at ease for their arrival. There was no way he would let them withdraw now.

He raised a hand, and five Refined Iron Caltrops shot out.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!

Wangchuan’s target was the younger Fourth-Rank Martial Artist.

After just one face-to-face exchange, the man’s mind had already been shaken. He was visibly flustered and failed to notice Wangchuan’s technique at all.

By the time he sensed the sound of something cutting through the air, it was already too late to dodge. In a panic, he threw up both hands and managed to block two of the Refined Iron Caltrops.

Clang! Clang!!

The remaining three Refined Iron Caltrops all slammed into his body.

Armor-piercing +2, 250 attack power!

His protective body technique failed to stop the Refined Iron Caltrops. Three sprays of blood instantly burst from his body. He gave a muffled grunt, his forward momentum cut short. After landing, he staggered back several steps and happened to retreat right into Chen Ergou’s blade.

“On your knees!”

Chen Ergou kicked Guan Qifeng hard behind the knee. He dropped with a thud, his face pale as death, while three blades were leveled in front of him.

Seeing Guan Qifeng subdued, Zhou Yunhai was already in too deep to retreat. He could only try to defeat Wangchuan and reverse the situation.

Clang!

Clang-clang!

What Wangchuan used was 《Raging Tide Sword Art》.

He activated 《Xuanwu Art》, boosting his Strength by 30 points and his Stamina by 30 points. The attack power of his sword art immediately soared to 350 points.

Though Zhou Yunhai was a veteran Fourth-Rank Martial Artist, both his Inner Art realm and his weapon were inferior to Wangchuan’s. He wielded only a Thousand-Forged Saber, and his inner cultivation was a full level lower.

The moment saber and sword collided, Zhou Yunhai could clearly feel that neither his Inner Force nor his Strength could gain the upper hand. In fact, he was being faintly suppressed.

Clang-clang!

Sparks flew in all directions.

Wangchuan’s momentum continued to build.

Once 《Raging Tide Sword Art》 began accumulating force, every strike became stronger than the last.

His sword art rolled forward like a surging river, its attack climbing rapidly to 400... 450... 500!!

Although Zhou Yunhai’s saber art was also formidable, each blow heavier than the one before, the slight gap between them in every exchange only made that difference more and more obvious.

The sharp edge of Wangchuan’s momentum was gradually revealing itself, and his advantage kept growing.

With every clash, Zhou Yunhai felt a strong strand of Inner Force drilling into his body. His own Inner Force circulation was being obstructed, and the pauses in his movements were becoming more and more obvious, slowly turning into stiffness.

Step by step, he fell into the disadvantage and was soon reduced to passively defending.

“Ergou!”

“No one is to interfere.”

While pressing the man with all his strength, Wangchuan still found time to call out a warning to Chen Ergou.

“Yes!”

Someone answered at once.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zhou Yunhai glanced over and saw Chen Ergou and several First-Rank Martial Artists lowering Heart-Piercing Crossbows.

The cold metallic gleam of the crossbow bolts made his scalp prickle.

The Caobang disciples who had rushed over to reinforce the courtyard had already filled the tops of the walls, bows drawn and crossbows raised, sealing the entire place shut.

But after seeing that Chen Ergou and the others had already subdued one Fourth-Rank Martial Artist, everyone relaxed somewhat and lowered their weapons, choosing instead to watch.

Zhou Yunhai’s face turned ashen. Under Wangchuan’s relentless offensive, he was left with only the strength to defend. He was relying purely on his reserves of Inner Force and grit to hold on.

He knew the mission had already failed completely. There was no possible way for him to break out alive.

And yet he was unwilling to surrender just like that...

He had a family.

If he died here,

it would implicate the Beggar Sect, and it would implicate his family as well.

“Wangchuan!”

“Zhou has lost!”

“Leave me a way out!”

While defending, Zhou Yunhai shouted those words.

Wangchuan did not answer.

He was using Zhou Yunhai to practice his sword.

He had realized that very early on.

When two Fourth-Rank Martial Artists fought for their lives, both sides lost health. Gaining experience from that was perfectly normal.

But he had also discovered something else. Zhou Yunhai’s saber art was fierce enough that every collision actually triggered a response from 《Dragon-Elephant Body-Protection Technique》, causing the experience of that body-protection method to rise bit by bit.

That was very interesting.

“Beat me, and I’ll let you go.”

Wangchuan’s words made Zhou Yunhai’s eyes light up.

“Really?!”

“Do you have any other choice?”

Wangchuan laughed loudly and continued his offensive.

Gritting his teeth, Zhou Yunhai abruptly changed styles. He switched to an entirely different approach, one centered almost completely on defense.

His footwork circled and evaded.

His saber revolved in defense, one hand pressing the blade, the other卸力, bleeding off force.

Every move existed for one reason only: to preserve his life.

Wangchuan saw through his intentions immediately.

“Trying to drain my Inner Force?”

“Smart.”

Wangchuan had to admit, old ginger really was spicier.

The man had good eyes. He understood exactly both the strengths and the weakness of 《Raging Tide Sword Art》.

Once 《Raging Tide Sword Art》 established momentum, it snowballed very easily, but the price was a massive increase in Inner Force consumption.

Inner Force consumption rose from 2 points, to 4, to 6, to 8...

The cost climbed continuously. Every move after that consumed 10 points of Inner Force.

What Fourth-Rank Martial Artist could sustain that for long?

If Zhou Yunhai could just endure several dozen moves, then the moment Wangchuan’s Inner Force ran dry would be the moment he turned the tables.

Naturally, Wangchuan would not allow that to happen.

《Water-Moon Sword Art》!

The watery ripples cast by Autumn Water Sword became even more dazzling. As the sword moved, every stroke filled the courtyard with falling sword-light, while clear sword cries rang out one after another.

Against this alternating rhythm of force-building swordplay, Zhou Yunhai clearly could not hold on with pure defense alone. He was steadily forced backward.

Wangchuan mixed deadly real strikes into the feints, little by little wearing down Zhou Yunhai’s Inner Force.

At the same time, his own experience continued to rise.

After roughly nearly two hundred exchanges...

Zhou Yunhai’s face had gone deathly pale.

His Inner Force was already exhausted.

At this point, every move he made was consuming his health instead.

His steps grew heavier, his movement slower, and all he could do was mechanically lift his Thousand-Forged Saber and desperately block.

Seeing that Zhou Yunhai had finally run out of tricks, Wangchuan switched back to 《Raging Tide Sword Art》. With Inner Force erupting through his body, each successive wave of sword momentum grew stronger than the one before, smashing through Zhou Yunhai’s defenses with overwhelming force.

Clang!

His weapon flew from his hands.

Zhou Yunhai crashed to the ground, Wangchuan’s sword point pressed to his chest.

“A Beggar Sect Outer Elder?”

“So this is all you amount to.”

Wangchuan could not help but smile.

This was the first time he had defeated a Beggar Sect Outer Elder head-on.

Back then, in front of Elder Zhu, he had been no more than an ant staring up at an elephant.

And now...

He had finally grown to this point.

“You won.”

“Kill me or carve me up as you please.”

Lying on the ground, Zhou Yunhai gave a defeated sigh and closed his eyes, waiting for death.