Chapter 19: Chapter 19: Battle of the Arch Bridge
The wealthy young master turned to look at Shi Xiaole, who was staring blankly at the little girl.
"Little girl, do you think I’m a fool?"
Seeing that the wealthy young master was about to seize her and sell her at the brothel to make money, the little girl was nearly in tears, "I swear, every word I said is true. I just snuck out from home, I’m inexperienced. I was deceived by that pretty boy. I gave him everything."
saying this, she twisted her clothing, her face red, ready to cry, full of regret.
She is just a pre-teen girl. However naughty she might be, she wouldn’t make a joke of her own innocence. Moreover, if she wasn’t extremely sentimental, how could she burst into tears so easily?
Soon, many people started suspecting Shi Xiaole, some even whispering that he is worse than a beast.
"If you still don’t believe me, you can search him. The banknote for five hundred thousand taels, I personally gave it to him."
The little girl threw more fuel onto the fire.
The wealthy young master came forward, "Young man, I would like to search you, you won’t mind, right?"
Shi Xiaole said, "I do."
"I’m doing this for your own good. If you can’t clear your suspicion, you won’t be able to leave Moyun City, understand?"
Xue Tianmu condescended.
As a member of the Xue family, his cultivation level reached the sixth level of Hidden Qi, and he had strong backing. He could be like a small tyrant in Moyun City.
He dared to sell a ten-year-old girl to a brothel just now, so he would have no scruples confronting Shi Xiaole.
Many people around had faces of schadenfreude, eager to see how Shi Xiaole would respond.
"Someone, search him."
Xue Tianmu didn’t give Shi Xiaole a chance to object, immediately signaling, a hulking swordsman stepped forward, advancing menacingly, "Take off your clothes!"
Shi Xiaole’s hand tightened on his cup.
"Won’t undress? I’ll help you."
The swordsman extended his hand like lightning to grab Shi Xiaole’s collar.
His hand was in mid-air, but it was seized by Shi Xiaole in advance.
This man had also the fourth level of Hidden Qi, but his internal power was insufficient. When Shi Xiaole exerted force, the swordsman’s fingers broke with a crackle. He rolled on the ground in agony.
"Young man, are you tired of living?"
About a dozen guards stood up, but none dared to act.
Being upstaged by Shi Xiaole, the big boss was defeated easily. The others could only bluff and make an uproar. Otherwise, Xue Tianmu won’t let them off the hook.
"You injured my men, it’s like slapping me in the face. Now, I’m going to chop off your right hand, strip you naked, and throw you onto the street from this window."
Xue Tianmu, as if stating an obvious fact, slowly drew his sword.
He saw that Shi Xiaole’s cultivation was only at the fourth level of Hidden Qi, so he was quite relieved.
Not to mention that his own internal power was two levels higher than his opponent’s, he had also mastered a third-class medium-quality sword skill to the level of Spirit Integration. If the opponent wanted to beat him, he would need to have mastered a similar sword skill and reached at least the Transformation Phase.
That seemed impossible considering Shi Xiaole seemed to be younger than him.
"Those who anger me never end well."
Xue Tianmu launched an attack with his sword, imagining the scene of Shi Xiaole’s hand being severed and bleeding.
Unfortunately, he was greeted by a blindingly brighter sword. A three-foot white crane suddenly charged forward, disturbing Xue Tianmu’s sword path.
"Transformation Phase Mastery, no, Transformation Phase Complete?"
Feeling the force in that sword strike, Xue Tianmu’s expression changed drastically and he couldn’t help exclaiming.
Seeing the advantage, Shi Xiaole went on the offensive, strike after strike, three continuous moves instantly pressing Xue Tianmu on the defensive, driving him backward. Xue Tianmu almost fell down the stairwell.
"Scram."
Shi Xiaole uttered only one word.
"Fine, stay here if you have the guts, I’ll be back for your life."
Xue Tianmu knew he was no match for Xiaole. He spat out a threat and immediately led his men away, making an embarrassing exit.
Seeing that the little tyrant had suffered a big loss, everyone on the second floor of the tavern exchanged glances, confusedly looking at Shi Xiaole, guessing about his background.
"Brother, you’re really powerful."
The little girl who had framed him was the first to approach, her eyes full of worship-like stars.
Shi Xiaole scrutinized her and simply said, "This time only, it won’t happen again." His tone was indifferent, causing a shiver in the little girl.
Based on the chattering discussion of the crowd, Shi Xiaole more or less learned of Xue Tianmu’s background. Being currently unable to oppose the Xue family, he decided to leave.
A moment after Shi Xiaole left, an old man rushed upstairs. Seeing the little girl safe and sound, he let out a huge sigh of relief. "Miss, don’t scare me like this again. I couldn’t bear it too many times."
The little girl giggled, "Uncle Fu, don’t worry. There might be even more exciting things happening later."
Shi Xiaole underestimated the influence of the Xue family in Moyun City. Once they found out that Xue Tianmu was wronged and ’almost lost his life’, the Xue family head immediately dispatched many elite family members to search throughout Moyun City.
Not only that, but other factions in the city also got involved upon hearing the news. It was an opportunity to please the Xue family, and no one wanted to miss it.
For a moment, the city was in chaos, full of panic and bedlam.
Little did they know, Shi Xiaole never left the tavern. He doubled back after the Xue family elites left, secretly sneaking back to his private room, where he stayed until deep into the night before leaving.
Shi Xiaole looked back every three steps. With caution and the cover of darkness, he finally arrived near the arch bridge mentioned on the map after half a 2-hour period.
According to the description on the map, there would be a chance to open the passage into the Third Eye Cave Residence only when the moonlight shone on the third pillar on the east side of the arch bridge.
Initially, he intended to observe for a few days before taking action. But now with the Xue family aggressively hunting for him, he had no confidence that he could hide forever. Rather than be captured, it was better to take the initiative to strike. Once he entered the Third Eye Cave Residence, things might improve.
Time was slowly passing by, with several squads passing by now and then.
In the end, a burly man with a big beard led a dozen or so of his comrades. They seemed tired and simply stood on the arch bridge to rest, spouting off indecent banter.
The moon was high in the sky, and its light shone clearly on the designated pillar.
Shi Xiaole, in the shadowy corner of the wall, was like a patient wolf, quietly waiting for the right moment.
However, as time went by, the nearby footsteps seemed to grow louder, and the burly bearded man and his men were in the midst of lively conversation, showing no sign of leaving.
If he continued to wait, he would be discovered sooner or later!
Seeing the moonlight about to shift, coupled with the danger of exposure, Shi Xiaole gritted his teeth. He tightened his grip on the hilt of his weapon, swiftly using the full mastery of the Floating Step from the Transformation Phase, charging at top speed towards the arch bridge.
Twenty meters.
Ten meters.
When he was about five meters close, the men on the bridge heard movement and turned their heads.
"It’s this kid, he’s the one Young Master Xue has been looking for!"
The burly bearded man was taken aback at first, but then he let out a roaring laugh while invoking the Hidden Qi to activate his Internal Power in the mid-stages of the seventh layer, and was the first to attack Shi Xiaole with an axe.
A third-rate martial technique, Shark Triple Axe.
The air seemed to stagnate. The burly bearded man was the leader of a small gang in Moyun City and he was slightly more powerful than the Life-Seeking Demon God.
Facing his axe, Shi Xiaole let out a deep shout and drew his sword.
Draw Sword Skill was seen once again!
The gleaming edge of the sword, like a stunning swan, cut the interlocking air in half.
The Hundred Battles Blade collided with the hefty battle-axe, sparks flying.
Shi Xiaole only felt numbness in his arm, the Hundred Battles Blade almost flew out of his hand.
While the burly bearded man, with blood dripping from his tiger’s mouth, saw his axe falling into the river. His body by the momentum of this sword’s strike, was sent flying backward.
"Damn it, he’s on point, let’s gang up on him."
The burly man spat blood and roared loudly, trying to attract the attention of others nearby.
As expected, the footsteps in the night got louder, with large groups of people rushing towards them.
"Anyone who blocks my path will die!"
There was no way back, Shi Xiaole’s eyes were dark.
He gripped the hilt of the sword with both hands and slashed downwards, directly breaking the long sword of an underling who tried to kill him. The blade cut through his shoulder, going in at least three inches.
Withdrawing his sword, oblivious to the spurting blood, Shi Xiaole relished in the concept of the Battle Blade Skill, wielding one blade after another freely among the crowd. In an instant, three or four men lay at his feet.
He was now just ten meters away from the pillar.
"Kill him!"
The remaining eight or nine men were furious. They stood in a line, swung their weapons all at once, and charged towards Shi Xiaole from all angles.
The Battle Blade Skill was suitable for single combat, but it was not proficient in dealing with group fights. Shi Xiaole immediately drew his long sword, without thinking, deploying the Raising Sword White Crane Spreads Wings maneuver.
Swish.
A henchman who was the first in line was pierced through. At the same time, Shi Xiaole, with the aid of the Floating Step, barely made it through the group, at the expense of a shoulder wound.
"Kid, get back!"
The burly bearded man was already waiting there, launching a vigorous palm strike.
Shi Xiaole managed a side-step, disregarding the blood churning in his body, he launched another Battle Blade Skill with his left hand, a hidden surge of blood energy erupted from his blade.
Boom.
The already severely injured burly bearded man had one of his arms chopped off, and he let out an intense shriek of pain.
At the brink of death, Shi Xiaole’s essence/soul channeled the Battle Blade Skill, which finally stepped into the realm of the Transformation Phase.
"That’s him, everyone, charge, and capture him."
Xue Tianmu was leading his men close by and shouted excitedly.
The Xue family’s experts, along with those from various other factions, were eyeing Shi Xiaole like hungry wolves.
But Shi Xiaole didn’t look back. He walked up to the pillar, swiped a specific spot with a special hand gesture, and immediately a chip of stone dropped down. He then pressed his palm into the cavity.
The arch bridge started to shake like an earthquake, and then automatically split into three sections. The middle section carrying Shi Xiaole, plummeted into the swirling waters of the lake, disappearing instantly.
This scene left everyone aghast, with cries of shock ringing out.
It was a middle-aged man with a goatee who was the first to react, saying, "There must be something shocking beneath the lake. Everyone calm down, follow me down to check it out."
Xue Tianmu asked uncertainly, "Uncle, could it be a trap?"
Xue Long gave a cold smile, "That kid dared to take such a risk, he clearly came here for something specific. There can’t be a mistake."
Xue Tianmu knew that Xue Long was usually sharp-witted and seldom made mistakes, so he didn’t say anything more.
From a distance, a doll-like little girl giggled and said, "Uncle Fu, I told you something interesting was going to happen. Do you believe me now?"
Upon hearing this, Uncle Fu made a helpless face.
