Chapter 28: Chapter 28 Power Experiment
Zhou Xiong’s unexpected defeat not only astonished the bandits, who were prepared for battle, but also left Shi Xiaole stunned.
In the indescribable, he gained a deeper understanding of combat.
When warriors traded blows, any factor could alter the outcome. A true master not only needed to possess superior strength but also had to know how to utilize every exploitable element.
Of course, the most significant gain from this battle was Shi Xiaole’s discovery of the miraculous use of Stone Touching Qi Cyclone.
Once this Qi Cyclone was activated, he could perceive the general movements within a radius of ten meters, as well as the air fluctuations within a radius of three meters. That is to say, within a radius of three meters, the opponent’s moves could not escape his sight.
However, it remained to be seen whether he could continue to see through the moves if the opponent’s technique and realm were a step higher than Zhou Xiong’s.
Regardless, while Shi Xiaole’s power did not appear to have increased on the surface, it had soared immensely in reality.
Especially considering that the Stone Touching Qi Cyclone wasn’t visible or tangible, it could entirely be used as a secret weapon, capable of killing silently!
"Zhou Xiong has met his end at my hands, do you still wish to continue fighting?"
Shi Xiaole glanced around and noticed the wavering glances of several people. Inwardly sneering, he activated the Floating Step and immediately cut down an expert who had reached the sixth level of Hidden Qi.
"For those wishing for a quick death, feel free to try."
Against these bandits, actions were far more potent than words.
Seeing Shi Xiaole’s fierce prowess, especially his ability to kill the powerful leader, the bandits hesitated.
Specifically, several higher-ranking sub-leaders were more tactful.
Now that Zhou Xiong was dead, they thought it would be more realistic to gather their forces and establish a new base, rather than partake in a fight for a dead man, and unknowingly plunge into crisis.
At that time, they could lead, and what joy that would be!
In this sense, they even felt the need to thank Shi Xiaole for killing the three leaders.
When Shi Xiaole began to kill the enemy and break through, the sub-leaders glanced at each other, all understanding the hidden intent. After a bit of false resistance, they finally gritted their teeth and stomped off, letting Shi Xiaole go freely.
"Brothers, never pursue a desperate enemy. This youngster has killed the three leaders, and we will certainly avenge this grudge! But at the moment the enemy is strong and we are weak. We can’t be reckless. Moreover, with the recent death of the leader, we should take the corpse back for a grand burial before deciding on the matters of revenge."
The sub-leaders urged convincingly, and even though there were still some loyal bandits who refused to give up, their opposition was soon drowned out in the unanimous decision.
Never overestimate the loyalty of the bandits. For most of them, as long as they can live comfortably, who would actually risk their lives for a dead man?
Shi Xiaole found Miss Zhang and her father hidden in a rock creek.
Originally, according to his plan, he wanted to set a trap for the bandits and follow, and after he and two others attracted the fire of the Cave Mountain Bandits, the father and daughter would be able to escape alone.
But the plan couldn’t keep up with the changes, and Shi Xiaole didn’t expect that he could kill Zhou Xiong, which made this plan completely obsolete.
"Young Master Shi, your injury ..."
Seeing several wounds on Shi Xiaole, Miss Zhang sobbed, her feelings complicated.
"It’s okay, a few days of rest will be enough. Let’s go."
Shi Xiaole said.
"Where to?"
Father and daughter Zhang looked at him in confusion.
"To Invisible Gorge, no one will stop us now."
The father and daughter looked at each other, doubting their hearing.
When they heard that Shi Xiaole alone had killed Zhou Xiong, their expressions were priceless. For a long time, they were speechless, only staring at Shi Xiaole in shock.
Zhang Yuanshan was the first to react, actually bowing and saying, "Young Hero Shi, for your kindness to the Zhang family this time, Zhang Yuanshan will be forever grateful. In the future, if you ever need help, Zhang Yuanshan will not decline!"
Shi Xiaole laughed and said, "I just did my best. Honestly, if anything went wrong just now, I probably would have run away on my own."
This statement did not offend Zhang Yuanshan, but made him see Shi Xiaole as a frank and honest individual worthy of friendship.
With no time to lose, the three of them set off and safely made it through Invisible Gorge, a place that made all martial artists in the world quiver with fear.
Even after they had left the Invisible Gorge far behind, Zhang Yuanshan still had a sense of unreality.
Under the setting sun, he couldn’t help but glance at the side profile of Shi Xiaole, and an absurd premonition emerged in his heart.
In the years to come, this seemingly calm young man would surely rise to the top, dominating the Martial World.
"Brother Wang, Master."
Up ahead was the Zhang family’s carriage, and just as Shi Xiaole was about to greet them, he heard Wang Yangming shouting, "Brother Shi, don’t come over, run away!"
"Run? Can he escape?"
A hearty laugh echoed, and from behind Shi Xiaole sprang forth a tall and burly figure. It was unmistakably Dong Chengwu.
When Shi Xiaole was surrounded by the Cave Mountain Bandits, Dong Chengwu had not dared to approach him. So he had decided to follow Wang Yangming and the others all the way, figuring that even if he didn’t manage to extract Shi Xiaole’s blade techniques, extorting Wang Yangming, the monk, and Zhang family father-daughter would not be a loss.
Who would have expected that the Zhang family father-daughter were not in the carriage, and Dong Chengwu couldn’t pry any information out of Wang Yangming? Just as he was struggling, he didn’t expect to see Shi Xiaole and the others.
"Dong Swordsman, what is the meaning of this?"
Zhang Yuanshan asked angrily.
Dong Chengwu laughed, "Nothing, it’s just that I risked my life to clear the way for you all. I should be compensated for my effort, shouldn’t Zhang not express his gratitude?"
"Shameless!"
Zhang Yuanshan’s face turned red from anger. This man had initially left them behind to fend for themselves, and now, when everything had settled down, he had the gall to demand a reward?
"You’d better cooperate, otherwise, I won’t mind showing you my cruel side."
With an evil grin, Dong Chengwu pulled out his blade and made a threatening gesture. The implication was clear.
"Dong Chengwu, you are supposedly a righteous person in the martial world, yet you’re acting so shamelessly. Aren’t you afraid of being ridiculed once word gets out about this?"
His acupoints hit and immobilized, Wang Yangming screamed out loud.
Shi Xiaole clearly saw the flash of ruthlessness in Dong Chengwu’s eyes. It was evident that once he had taken enough benefits, he would not hesitate to kill them in order to prevent them from leaking the news.
"What do you want?"
Shi Xiaole looked at Dong Chengwu, speaking in a gloomy voice.
Dong Chengwu smirked, "Young Hero Shi is wise. I don’t ask for much. Just hand over all your martial arts secrets, along with five hundred thousand taels of silver, and I’ll let you go."
The monk chanted Amitabha, feeling shocked by Dong Chengwu’s greedy intentions.
Needless to mention the five hundred thousand taels of silver, even the martial arts secrets. Those were their means for survival in the martial world, and he wanted them all!
Shi Xiaole said, "What if I refuse?"
Dong Chengwu laughed, shaking his head, "You’re in no position to refuse. Because, I’ll simply cut off your head."
Shi Xiaole also laughed and said, "You’re asking for death of your own accord. Fine. I’ll oblige." With that, he drew out his damaged Hundred Battles Blade.
This was unexpected for both Wang Yangming and the monk.
They thought Shi Xiaole had just tricked Zhou Xiong and arrived here by luck. Dong Chengwu might not be as strong as Zhou Xiong, but how could Shi Xiaole take him on?
"Brother Shi, I don’t want to implicate anyone. You should leave."
Wang Yangming tried to persuade him.
The monk was also chanting Amitabha, unable to bear the sight.
"Brave boy, it seems I need to teach you a lesson about your place."
Dong Chengwu let out a vicious laugh, lunged forward, and aimed a powerful blow at Shi Xiaole’s left shoulder, with the force of breaking a mountain.
Thanks to the activation of the Stone Touching Qi Cyclone, Shi Xiaole easily spotted Dong Chengwu’s flaws through the air disturbances. There weren’t just one or two.
This made it clear that Dong Chengwu’s blade skills were probably inferior to Zhou Xiong’s.
"Get lost!"
Shi Xiaole struck with a single blade.
The bloody blade aura hit the flaw, and with a silencing sound, bypassed the opponent’s blade path and knocked Dong Chengwu flying.
This outcome shocked everyone present.
Although Miss Zhang and her father knew that Shi Xiaole had killed Zhou Xiong, they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes. Now, they finally believed that he was no ordinary person.
Wang Yangming and the monk widened their eyes, questioning whether they were seeing correctly.
The same cultivation, the same blade skill, how did Shi Xiaole do it?
As for Dong Chengwu, he let out a strange cry and was at a loss for a moment.
As the instigator of all this, Shi Xiaole sighed.
His internal power realm was still too low. Otherwise, his last strike would have done more than just knock Dong Chengwu back. It could have gravely injured or even killed him outright.
In killing Zhou Xiong earlier, Shi Xiaole had mainly used the sunlight and attacked Zhou Xiong’s vital points in an instant.
With the intention of becoming more familiar with the Stone Touching Qi Cyclone, Shi Xiaole switched from the blade to the sword. His continuous swordplay flowed like a river and forced Dong Chengwu into a state of disarray.
"Brother Shi’s blade skill is outstanding, I did not expect that even his swordsmanship would be so remarkable?"
Wang Yangming was somewhat puzzled. The longer he was with Shi Xiaole, the deeper and more mysterious he found him, wondering how many abilities he had yet to show.
"Master Shi has truly broadened my horizons."
The monk also sighed in admiration.
Being of the same mediocre level as the Battle Blade Skill, the Miao Family Sword Technique was not much different. Combined with Shi Xiaole’s niche for finding flaws, his nimble swordplay was even more effective.
After over a dozen moves, Dong Chengwu was already covered in bloody cuts.
"Boy, it’s no harm in showing mercy. How about I concede defeat today?"
Seeing the situation turn against him, Dong Chengwu whispered, secretly vowing to gather his friends and cut Shi Xiaole under his blade once he got through this.
"Fine."
Shi Xiaole stared into his eyes, suddenly threw the longsword aside, but didn’t halt his attack. Instead, he drew his blade and fiercely slashed at him.
"You’re a liar!"
Dong Chengwu tried to run away with a belly full of resentment, only to suddenly find an invisible force slowing his movements.
"No..."
His voice abruptly ended when Shi Xiaole’s blade sliced through his throat. He sheathed his blade and said, "Your stupidity lies in thinking everyone else is as stupid as you."
As his pupils dilated, Dong Chengwu drew his last breath.
He reached out, as expected, and found a blade manual and a guide to internal power on Dong Chengwu’s body. Then he released Wang Yangming and the monk, who were stunned, and said, "We should get on the road."
