Chapter 423: 422
"Let him go."
Shi Xiaole’s demand was categorical.
"You shouldn’t test my patience."
The Third Sect Leader sneered coldly, reaching out to grab Jiang Moxian’s arm, intending to rip it from his body.
Bang!
All of a sudden, his body shook uncontrollably and he fell backward.
"You shouldn’t test my patience."
Shi Xiaole was the one who spoke this time.
Since reaching Dragon Gate Realm, he could exert about 30% of his internal power through his gaze. It wouldn’t kill a warrior at the Dragon Gate level, but it could definitely disturb them.
Before he even finished his words, Shi Xiaole appeared behind the Third Sect Leader and swung his sword. The sword light vanished into the void, and the Sword Qi was as elusive as a gentle breeze.
If it was said that manipulating Qingfeng’s thirteen moves with Invisible Internal Power was merely imitating the wind, then triggering the thirteen moves with Invisible Gang Qi genuinely added a taste of the wind.
"No!"
The Third Sect Leader’s shout abruptly stopped as his head jerked up, his expression shocked and terrified.
Everyone gasped in shock.
It was an instant kill!
Notably, the cut on the Third Sect Leader’s neck was so smooth it could serve as a mirror. The blood couldn’t seep out as the sword had moved too fast. Many of the Three Yin Sect’s devilish cultivators felt their scalps tingle and cold sweat broke out on their bodies.
"Run!"
The Sect Leader and the Second Sect Leader were so scared that they turned around and ran without any thought of taking revenge.
They underestimated Shi Xiaole, not in terms of his strength but his tactics.
With his speed, a slight delay in the reaction could lead to severe injury or death. No amount of people would change that outcome!
A sword light flashed towards the Sect Leader from above.
"Yinsha Palm!"
The Sect Leader slapped out with all his might, the palm technique emitting an intense chill. Yet, when he launched the move, he realised that it was an illusion created by Shi Xiaole.
A scream rang out beside him.
A sword tip pierced through the Second Sect Leader’s chest, and the Sword Qi on the tip was like a lingering disease, chillingly usurping the last remnants of the Second Sect Leader’s life force.
"Our Three Yin Sect is affiliated with Nether Demon Hall. Don’t play with fire, kid!"
The Sect Leader, pale with fear, unleashed numerous attacks while frantically escaping, cursing the gods for not blessing him with more legs.
Shi Xiaole ignored him. Using his Eye Blade, he continuously launched spiritual attacks while performing Qingfeng’s thirteen moves. After nine moves, a sword swiped off the Sect Leader’s head.
As for the other Three Yin Sect powerhouses, as soon as the Third Sect Leader was killed and the two remaining Sect Leaders fled, they scattered in all directions. Cultivators of Devil Path were much more realistic than those of the Righteous Path, none of them being foolish enough to stay and await death.
"Stop."
To kill the three Sect Leaders took longer to explain than it did to actually happen. As soon as Jie Hui made his move, he was stopped by Shi Xiaole, his face contorted with anger and fear.
After retrieving the antidote from Jie Hui, Shi Xiaole promptly saved the masters of Flying Fish Manor.
"The kindness shown by Young Hero Shi today will be remembered forever. If there is anything you need in the future, Mr. Jiang will not hesitate to help."
Jiang Moxian led his wife Pang Shuxian forward, expressing their boundless gratitude.
Without Shi Xiaole’s intervention, the couple could not begin to imagine their fate. Not to exaggerate, Shi Xiaole owed a life-saving favour to the entire Flying Fish Manor.
"You’re too kind. If anyone else were in my position today, I believe they wouldn’t stand by either."
Shi Xiaole responded with a light smile.
Initially, Jiang Moxian thought that Shi Xiaole was a very cold person. Now he realised that beneath that icy exterior was a heart of kindness and righteousness, admiration showing on his face.
Looking at Jie Hui, who was now under their control, Jiang Moxian gritted his teeth, ordering his men to take him away and execute him there and then. No matter how good his temper, he couldn’t tolerate his actions today.
"Master, Mistress, please kill me."
Weeping bitterly, Xu Shaoyi prostrated at the feet of Jiang Moxian and his wife, knocking his head on the floor again and again.
Jiang Moxian said nothing.
Pang Shuxian spoke on his behalf: "Considering your remorse, I won’t kill you. From today onwards, you’re no longer part of the Flying Fish Manor. Take care of yourself."
Hearing this, Xu Shaoyi burst into tears, his heart aching like it was being twisted.
...
Unable to resist the hospitality of Jiang Moxian and his wife, Shi Xiaole decided to stay at Flying Fish Manor for a few more days. During this time, Shi Xiaole noticed something peculiar about Pang Shuxian.
Shi Xiaole’s perceptive abilities were far superior to others. To him, the Manor Lady seemed like a figure walking under the sun, wrapped in a layer of gauze, giving him a strange feeling.
However, Shi Xiaole also noticed that Pang Shuxian deeply loved her husband and her gratitude towards him was genuine. And so, he decided not to inquire any further.
Three days later, Shi Xiaole took his leave.
"Husband, this Young Hero Shi is no ordinary person."
From the pavilion of the Flying Fish Manor, Pang Shuxian’s eyes held depth.
"Of course, with Shi’s talent, he is considered a top talent in Xuanwu State. He will surely make a name for himself in the future."
Jiang Moxian said with a smile.
Pang Shuxian quietly shook her head.
What she meant by ’no ordinary person’ was different from Jiang Moxian’s understanding. But there were things she couldn’t and shouldn’t tell her husband.
...
Xuanwu State, teeming with strange and historic landmarks.
Any mountain, any body of water, could potentially conceal opportunities left by previous generations.
After leaving the Flying Fish Manor, Shi Xiaole riding Qingfeng, headed east towards an ancient ruin.
This ancient ruin, discovered three hundred and ninety-seven years ago.
It is said that it was initially discovered by a local villager, who unearthed an ancient weapon. On receiving the news, martial artists flocked there, relentlessly excavating and occasionally uncovering many lost antiques.
Out of jealousy and greed, battles and showdowns frequently happened in the initial years of this ancient ruin.
In the face of considerable loss of lives and reinforcements from the top factions and government forces, new order was eventually established for the ancient ruins by the top factions themselves.
The ancient ruins of today have become one of the most famous places in Xuanwu State. Any outsider who arrives at Xuanwu State would certainly try their luck at the ancient ruins, hoping to uncover treasures.
Several miles from the ancient ruins, Shi Xiaole already saw a seemingly endless black stone wall on the barren plateau.
Leaving Qingfeng to roam free, Shi Xiaole proceeded on foot.
All along the way, there were frequent glimpses of figures flying past, horse carriages, and sedan chairs rushing from all directions. Only a few people, like Shi Xiaole, were walking slowly.
As he approached within a few hundred meters, Shi Xiaole was astounded by the sights ahead.
The city wall of the ancient ruins, reaching up to fifteen zhangs, extended indefinitely to either side. It seemed as if it had divided the ground into two halves. A rich, ancient aura was palpable even from afar.
Huge numbers of martial artists, divided into dozens of groups, were patiently waiting outside the city gate, hundreds of meters away, for the gatekeepers to allow entry.
Originally, to avoid fights, the top and first-class factions deployed their top fighters to form an ancient alliance, jointly managing the ancient ruins. Thus, everyone entering the city had to first pay a fee of a thousand taels of silver.
Don’t underestimate the thousand taels of silver. It’s indeed a fortune for many high-level martial artists who abide by the rules.
A quarter of an hour later, Shi Xiaole successfully entered the ancient ruins.
Over the centuries, the scope of the ancient ruins has already been determined, stretching tens of miles in each of the four directions, similar in size to a small town. However, only a small portion was allocated for living quarters, with the majority used for excavation.
On both sides of the streets within the living quarters, there were various types of shops. Shi Xiaole walked into a few and saw they were all selling assorted weapons, antiquated scrolls, porcelain fragments, and even jewelry.
Many items still had traces of the earth they were excavated from; these were evidently unearthed relics from the ancient site.
One shouldn’t underestimate these.
There had been several instances where customers found valuable items concealed within seemingly ordinary antiques. These included invaluable Night Shining Pearl, mysterious pills, and even powerful martial arts secrets.
Of course, the chance of such an event happening is small, roughly one in tens of thousands. But it is precisely because of this, there are willing sellers and willing buyers.
It is also worth mentioning that the people in charge of these stores are all from top-tier and first-class factions.
By strictly prohibiting the killings, the Ancient Alliance naturally reaps the most benefits, possessing the first-hand right to excavate the ancient ruins.
After a long visit in the living area and seeing the day turning dark, Shi Xiaole had to pay an additional ten thousand taels of silver as the city stay fee before he could enter the inn.
What surprised him was that the accommodation fee was exorbitant even compared to the Dark Alley. Even the worst grade room cost three thousand taels of silver per night, while the best grade room cost a staggering one hundred thousand taels of silver.
Paying three hundred thousand taels of silver upfront, Shi Xiaole checked into the top-graded room.
"This sword move can be even faster."
Inside the room, Shi Xiaole was swinging his sword continuously, and the sword light condensed in front of him, forming hundreds of illusions.
Ever since absorbing the Maple Forest Shelter Master’s mental force, Shi Xiaole’s comprehension had improved significantly. Over this period, he had been studying new moves consistently.
The Death Claiming Fifteen Sword strikes and the Qingfeng Thirteen Styles are indeed extraordinary. However, the former needs to be coordinated with the Demonic True Intent to exert maximum power, inevitably attracting the notice of the Righteous Path.
The latter is fast, but Shi Xiaole found that the Destroying Star Flash, derived from the Meteor from the Sky, has great potential. Digging deep, it could be as good as the Qingfeng Thirteen Styles.
Moreover, as an independent killing move, it is more potent than the Qingfeng Thirteen Styles in some respects.
"The speed of this sword move is already on par with the Qingfeng Thirteen Styles, but it lacks a certain essence."
After a while, Shi Xiaole paused his movements, pondering over the problem.
At this point, the improved version of Destroying Star Flash under Shi Xiaole’s ungrading was already as good as a second-tier top-quality sword move, but this was not Shi Xiaole’s pursuit.
If it was just a simple second-tier top-quality sword move, why would he put so much effort into it?
After thinking for a while and still being unable to find a solution, Shi Xiaole didn’t push himself, instead he laid down on the bed, quickly entering a shallow sleep.
The next morning as soon as the day broke, Shi Xiaole was already on the main street, ready to buy some antiques to try his luck. He spent thirteen thousand taels of silver and bought three strange stones, two porcelain fragments, and a pair of copper bracelets.
"Hmm?"
As he passed a shop, Shi Xiaole suddenly paused his steps, his heart inexplicably excited. He turned his head and his gaze immediately locked onto a gray bone inside the shop.
