Chapter 160: Chapter 108: Carve a Bloody Path
"It’s Hong Ming! The one as famous as Cao Tieliu, the man who is Half-Step into the Realm!" someone cried out in recognition.
"Hong Ming, your master was severely injured by the Zhao Family! Not only did you fail to avenge him, you actually went and joined them! Have you no conscience?" an old man shouted.
The man was heavily injured and being supported by a young man.
"Hall Master Jin, I respect you as my senior, so please show some respect when you speak. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless!" Hong Ming said gravely.
In a corner, a young woman in a long blue dress, her face made youthful by a touch of baby fat, watched everything unfold with a worried expression.
This was Yin Yingying.
After her master had been lured into the Inner City, he was beaten to death. The other disciples from her Martial Arts Hall were all captured. She had only escaped by hiding in a haystack.
She had managed to slip out, only to find the city gates were now closed!
Suddenly, she saw a familiar figure approaching the gate.
’It’s Jiang Che!’ she realized.
She had also heard that Jiang Che had fought Cao Tieliu—a man who was Half-Step into the Realm—to a standstill.
Though she found it hard to believe at the time, she realized now that Jiang Che’s strength might truly be extraordinary.
Seeing Jiang Che now, she instantly felt a sense of security.
Yin Yingying hurried over to him.
But she saw that Jiang Che was walking straight toward Hong Ming.
’What is Jiang Che doing?’
Her heart skipped a beat. ’Is he going to challenge Hong Ming? Even if he can win, Hong Ming isn’t their only expert. They have at least five others at the Iron Skin Realm Peak Level!’
"Who goes there?! Halt!" Hong Ming barked.
Jiang Che said nothing and continued walking toward Hong Ming.
"It’s Jiang Che! The one who fought Cao Tieliu to a draw!" someone called out.
"So you’re Jiang Che?" Hong Ming raised an eyebrow.
"What if I am?" Jiang Che said, his tone indifferent.
"I heard you fought Cao Tieliu to a draw? Hmph. Looking at your Qi Blood, I bet you just bribed him to put on a show for you!" Hong Ming said with a sneer.
"Why not find out for yourself?" Jiang Che said with a smile.
"Brat, you’ve got guts! I’d say you’re one of the Horse Bandits’ accomplices! Just wait until I haul you off to jail. Let’s see how tough you are then!"
With that, Hong Ming threw a vicious punch.
Seeing this, Jiang Che met it with a punch of his own.
But the moment his fist connected with Jiang Che’s, Hong Ming felt his entire arm disintegrating inch by inch!
"My arm!" Hong Ming shrieked.
Jiang Che’s punch had shattered his entire arm!
Hong Ming’s arm hung limply at his side. The flesh had burst open, and the bone within, shattered into countless fragments, pierced through his skin. It was a horrific sight!
Without pausing, Jiang Che followed up with a side kick that sent him flying.
BOOM—
He slammed into the city wall, blasting a human-shaped crater into the stone before sliding limply to the ground.
He lay motionless, his fate unknown.
The entire area fell silent.
Two moves!
He had crushed Hong Ming—a man who was Half-Step into the Realm—in just two moves!
All eyes snapped to Jiang Che.
He clearly wasn’t a Force Integration Artist, yet he had the combat prowess of one?
Yin Yingying’s mouth fell open, her face a mask of disbelief.
’When did Jiang Che get this strong?!’
’And here I thought he was just lucky before.’
’Thinking about it now, it wasn’t luck at all—it was raw, undeniable power!’
Luo Kun, Shao Jianbo, and Jiang Ling stared blankly at the scene.
Even Hong Ming, a man who was Half-Step into the Realm, had been effortlessly annihilated.
Just how strong was Jiang Che?
Jiang Che started walking toward the remaining guards.
The guards began to back away instinctively.
It was no joke. Hong Ming had been beaten to a pulp. How many heads did they have to spare for a beating like that?
"Open the gate. I won’t kill you."
Jiang Che said in a low voice.
The guards exchanged hesitant glances.
"I’ll count to three. If the gate isn’t open by then, you’ll end up just like Hong Ming," Jiang Che said coldly.
"Three!"
Jiang Che suddenly struck, sending one of the guards flying with a punch.
The man stuck to the gate like a painting before slowly sliding to the ground.
A blow that could hang a man like a picture!
The remaining guards threw down their weapons and scrambled to open the gate.
’Didn’t he say he’d count to three? Why did he start at three?!’
Once the gate was open, the crowd that had gathered there surged out.
Yin Yingying took the opportunity to run to Jiang Che’s side. "Jiang Che!"
"Yin Yingying?"
Jiang Che recognized her.
"Can you take me with you? My master is dead, and I’m all alone. I... I can pay you!" Yin Yingying said, hastily pulling out her coin purse.
"Keep up." Jiang Che didn’t take the money and strode forward.
Yin Yingying’s heart leaped with joy, and she hurried to follow him.
Once outside the city, Shao Jianbo led the group west.
"My family’s carriages are in the woods just ahead. From there, we’ll all go to Taizhou! We have contacts waiting for us there!"
Shao Jianbo said as they walked.
"Taizhou? By the way, Second Senior Brother, where have you been? I visited the Shao Mansion several times, but you were never there," Jiang Che asked.
"To tell you the truth, I was at the Shao Mansion the whole time. I just couldn’t risk being seen," Shao Jianbo said with a wry smile.
"Oh? Why is that?" Jiang Che asked in surprise.
Shao Jianbo then explained everything that had happened recently.
It turned out that ever since the Zhao Family started pressuring the Shao Family, he had been secretly sending people to investigate.
He later discovered that the Zhao Family was colluding with the Horse Bandits and even maintained a private army!
The Shao Family knew they were no match for them, so they decided to flee Lin Yuan City for Taizhou.
However, the Shao Family was under the Zhao Family’s constant, suffocating watch, making it incredibly difficult to relocate.
Therefore, Shao Jianbo began secretly moving his family and assets out of the city in batches.
As for him, he and his undercover scouts remained hidden in the city, monitoring the Zhao Family’s every move.
This was the final group.
He was supposed to have left earlier, but then he discovered that the Zhao Family had summoned all the city’s martial arts hall masters and gang leaders.
Shao Jianbo suspected a trap and snuck over to investigate.
It turned out the Zhao Family had called the meeting under a false pretense; their real goal was to round up and eliminate everyone who hadn’t submitted to them!
The one who severely injured their master was none other than the Zhao Family’s second son, Zhao Kang’s younger brother, Zhao Ran!
This Zhao Ran was a martial arts prodigy who had reached Great Success in Force Integration before the age of thirty.
In the name of "sparring," he had severely injured and even killed many veteran Force Integration Artists on the spot!
After Luo Kun was gravely injured, Shao Jianbo seized the opportunity to slip in, managing to rescue their master against all odds.
"I see..."
Jiang Che remarked.
’If it weren’t for Second Senior Brother, Master would have been done for.’
Just as the group was about to reach the woods, they suddenly realized someone was pursuing them from behind!
"Who’s there!"
Jiang Che shouted.
Two old men dressed in the black uniforms of the Piracy Eradication Alliance were chasing them.
"The Black Water Fiends!" Luo Kun exclaimed in surprise.
"The Black Water Fiends?" Jiang Che asked.
"Two Force Integration Artists who cultivate Evil Techniques," Luo Kun said gravely. "I had some run-ins with them back in my younger days. I can’t believe the Zhao Family managed to recruit them!"
"Luo Kun, I bet you never expected this day would come!" one of them, a stooped and withered old man, cackled.
"Heh heh, Luo Kun, these must be your disciples, eh? Especially those two young girls. They look so tender... Later, we’ll kill and eat them. Heh heh, girls like these are the best snack to have with wine!" the other, a portly old man, said, drooling.
Terrified, Jiang Ling and Yin Yingying quickly ducked behind Jiang Che.
"Whatever you want, take it out on me! Don’t you dare hurt them!" Luo Kun shouted.
"I’m surprised you have such a backbone. But it’s a shame. The Zhao Family’s orders were clear: no one escapes today!" the gaunt old man said, advancing step by step with a sickle in his hand.
Jiang Che frowned and was about to step forward.
"Che’er, they’re Force Integration Artists, not the Iron Skin Realm fighters you’re used to! Take the others and run! I’ll hold them off!" Luo Kun said, grabbing Jiang Che’s sleeve to stop him.
"Master, they’re just two old Force Integration Martial Artists, well past their prime. It’s nothing to worry about," Jiang Che said with a smile, patting Luo Kun’s hand.
"Have you forgotten what I told you? A Qi Blood Martial Artist fighting a Force Integration expert? That’s suicide!" Luo Kun said anxiously.
"But Master, I’m no ordinary Qi Blood Martial Artist. Don’t forget, I have an Innate Iron Body. I might just be able to win," Jiang Che said with a wink, pushing Luo Kun’s hand away.
"Hey, what are you two muttering about? Are you looking down on us, the Black Water Fiends?!" the portly old man demanded, striding forward menacingly with a Pig Slaying Saber in hand.
Jiang Che slowly drew the Kunji Saber from his back and advanced on the two men.
His Sword Momentum flared to life.
An astonishing aura erupted from Jiang Che!
"Is that... Sword Momentum?! The kid has mastered Sword Momentum?!" The portly old man’s pupils shrank.
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