Chapter 55: Chapter 54: Such a Fast Sword
Wen Qingye looked ahead. Through a faint glimmer of light, he could make out a faint purple trace and the edge of a Pill Furnace. He couldn’t help but take a few more steps forward.
SWOOSH!
Suddenly, Wen Qingye felt a cold wind assail him from behind.
CLANG! CLANG!
The sound of metal striking metal rang out, accompanied by a shower of sparks. Startled, Xiaxia quickly scrambled behind Wen Qingye.
"Kid, you’re quicker than you look," the Shopkeeper said, a cold sneer forming on his face as he looked at Wen Qingye.
He hadn’t expected Wen Qingye to be so sharp. The moment he struck with the Iron Claw in his hand, Wen Qingye had blocked it with his sword. Still, he wasn’t flustered. After all, Wen Qingye’s cultivation was only at the Refining Essence First Layer Heaven.
Xiaxia’s expression changed. She looked at the Shopkeeper and said, "What do you think you’re doing? How dare you try to kill someone in broad daylight?"
A vicious glint flashed in the Shopkeeper’s eyes. "In broad daylight, of course I wouldn’t dare. But now you’re in my cage. We’ll see if I dare or not, won’t we?"
"A Black Shop... I can’t believe you’re running a Black Shop," Xiaxia said, her eyes burning with anger. For a moment, she also felt a pang of self-reproach.
The Shopkeeper couldn’t help but burst out laughing at Xiaxia. "Little girl, don’t you know the principle of not flashing your wealth when you’re out and about? One of you is at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer Heaven, the other at the Refining Essence First Layer Heaven, yet you dare to carry around so many High-Level Pills. Tell me, if I don’t take you out and someone else gets the prize, wouldn’t I be losing out big time?"
"Your cultivation is only at the Refining Essence Third Layer Heaven. It’s not yet certain who will win and who will lose," Wen Qingye said calmly.
A murderous glint flashed in the Shopkeeper’s eyes. Without another word, he shot forward.
The Iron Claw in the Shopkeeper’s hand swung mercilessly. Wen Qingye pulled Xiaxia back with one hand and swung his sword forward with the other.
A cold sneer touched the Black Shopkeeper’s lips as his claw slashed directly toward Xiaxia.
"Spiritual Snake Lightning Strike!"
Wen Qingye’s expression turned cold. The sword in his hand moved as fast as lightning, flashes of light appearing like a nimble Spiritual Snake emerging from its lair—swift and vicious.
The Black Shopkeeper saw the astonishing speed of Wen Qingye’s sword as it thrust straight for his throat. He immediately abandoned his attack on Xiaxia, twisting his Iron Claw back to meet Wen Qingye’s blade.
CLANG!
A spark flared at the point of contact between the sword and the Iron Claw, and the Black Shopkeeper stumbled back four or five steps.
’This kid’s sword is so fast,’ the Black Shopkeeper thought in surprise.
Just then, the Black Shopkeeper noticed two slash marks on his Iron Claw and was horrified. His claw was so durable that even a Third-grade Treasure Sword would only leave a faint white scratch. ’Could that kid’s sword be Fourth or even Fifth Grade?’
At this thought, the Black Shopkeeper’s gaze on Wen Qingye’s sword grew even more feverish, and his killing intent surged.
"Blood Claw!"
The Black Shopkeeper spun his Iron Claw, and a burst of Primordial Qi erupted. The claw, now cloaked in a blood-red aura, swung forward, suddenly unleashing three crimson arcs of Claw Qi—two aimed at Xiaxia, one at Wen Qingye.
It had to be said, the Black Shopkeeper was quite skilled. With this Iron Claw Technique alone, most of the new students in the Outer Courtyard of Qig Mountain Academy would be left in his dust.
Wen Qingye held his Cyan Mist Sword horizontally before his chest. A white light materialized on the blade, shimmering like a crescent moon—partly translucent, partly cold, and partly murderous.
"Bright Moon Lament!"
Wen Qingye gripped the hilt with both hands and swept the sword horizontally. A massive arc of Sword Qi, shaped like a crescent moon, surged forward with overwhelming momentum.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Wen Qingye’s Sword Qi directly shattered the Black Shopkeeper’s Claw Qi and continued onward. The shopkeeper, startled, leaped into the air to dodge the attack.
BOOM!
The Sword Qi swept over the Pill Furnaces behind him, and several of them instantly exploded.
When the Black Shopkeeper saw this, he felt as if his heart was bleeding. Those were all Third-Grade Pill Furnaces! They were his treasures!
"Kid, I’ll kill you!" the Black Shopkeeper roared, fiercely swinging his Iron Claw forward.
SHHHH!
It was as if the surrounding air was being torn apart as the Black Shopkeeper continuously brandished his Iron Claw.
"Bright Moon in the Sky!"
Wen Qingye tightened his grip on the Cyan Mist Sword as well. A sliver of silver-white, moon-like light appeared on the blade, and the Sword Qi in his hand surged forward.
BOOM!
The massive collision of Primordial Qi created a deafening roar. Wen Qingye quickly shielded Xiaxia behind him, and in that instant, several streams of Primordial Qi tore into his back and waist.
The Black Shopkeeper surveyed the wreckage around him, grinding his teeth with a "CRUNCH, CRUNCH" sound. ’This kid’s strength is terrifying, and his Swordsmanship is scarily high-level. That strange Swordsmanship of his also seems extraordinary.’ At this thought, fear began to creep into the Black Shopkeeper’s heart.
Wen Qingye took a deep breath, rapidly closed the distance, and began his assault with the sword.
"Silver Moon Wushang!"
The sword in Wen Qingye’s hand was as thin as a cicada’s wing. The gleam of the blade carried a sharp, cold glint, moving as fast as lightning. With a pivot of his feet, he thrust his sword out.
Seeing Wen Qingye charge toward him, the Black Shopkeeper was momentarily delighted. He extended his Iron Claw, its terrifying glint as menacing as a wild wolf’s talons.
"Fierce Wind Earth Splitting!"
The Shopkeeper’s claw seemed to transform into a raging gale, striking out with a savage and endlessly sharp aura.
PFFT!
With a single strike, Wen Qingye knocked the Black Shopkeeper’s Iron Claw aside, his own sword gliding toward the man’s body.
SHHHK!
A sword wound appeared on the Black Shopkeeper’s waist. Wen Qingye continued to pivot. Alarmed, the shopkeeper protected his vitals with his Iron Claw and, with a shift of his feet, dashed toward Xiaxia.
He knew that Xiaxia was Wen Qingye’s greatest vulnerability. As long as he could capture her, Wen Qingye would be forced to hold back.
Seeing the Black Shopkeeper charge at her, Xiaxia’s face paled, and she quickly dodged backward.
When Wen Qingye saw the Black Shopkeeper going after Xiaxia again, a cold sneer touched his lips.
"Clear Wind Chasing Moon!"
Wen Qingye’s body blurred into motion, as if transforming into the cold night wind under the moonlight—fast, mysterious, light, and nimble. His figure was like a phantom, and the sword in his hand was like a sliver of moonlight, carrying the unique, chilling killing intent of the night.
SHING!
The flash of the sword was like lightning, as fierce as a dragon! It pierced his throat!
The Black Shopkeeper’s eyes were wide with unwillingness and disbelief. The veteran hunter had been pecked blind by a goose.
He could never have imagined that he would die at the hands of Wen Qingye—at the hands of a mere kid at the Refining Essence First Layer Heaven whom he had looked down upon.
THUMP!
As Wen Qingye pulled out his sword, the Black Shopkeeper’s body fell to the ground.
