Chapter 442: Chapter 441: Shen Wumei
"Daring to hurt my spirit, I will make you wish you were dead."
Veins bulged from Golden Saber Marquis’s forehead.
Never underestimate the danger of even the smallest crack in one’s spirituality; sometimes, the breakthrough could rely on just a tad bit of inspiration. This was why Golden Saber Marquis absolutely loathed Shi Xiaole and wanted to tear him to shreds.
Swish.
A golden blade aura emerged, aiming at Shi Xiaole’s right arm.
Killing him in one shot couldn’t vent his anger, he had to torture him bit by bit.
Moreover, Golden Saber Marquis hadn’t lost his reason. Since Shi Xiaole mastered a high-level Pupil Skill, he must retaliate and potentially learn Shi Xiaole’s Pupil Skill to heal his psychological trauma.
"Star Fleeting Shadow!"
In a dire situation, Shi Xiaole once again tapped into his astonishing potential. Without deliberately assuming a sword-fighting stance, his body darted forward like a meteor, trailing a long streak of pale blue light, narrowly evading the blade attack of the Golden Saber Marquis.
"Second-rate top-grade Flying Skill?"
With a face flushed from excitement, even Golden Saber Marquis’s breathing became hurried.
Despite coming from great sects and possessing first-rate low-grade internal strength and techniques, the value of a second-rate top-grade Flying Skill was almost on par with a first-rate low-grade martial art, maybe even rarer.
Avoiding Golden Saber Marquis’s attack in such a situation proved that Shi Xiaole demonstrated a second-rate top-grade Flying Skill, and from what it seemed, it wasn’t an ordinary one.
"Boy, lie down for me."
Choosing to observe until now, Silver Spear Marquis also made his move. A mix of gold and silver light surged forward, filling every inch of the passage’s void. As soon as someone appeared from an adjoining passage, they were immediately torn apart by the vigorous air, their agonizing screams echoing.
Shi Xiaole sustained heavy damage again. This time, he couldn’t even muster the strength to perform Flying Skill. But he was stubborn and, seeing this, he flung his arm.
Whiz!
A concealed surge of energy shot out from amidst and arrived nearly instantly in front of Golden Saber Marquis.
Only when it got closer could it be seen that it wasn’t an energy surge, but a flower seed made of iron that blossomed into a flower when exposed to the wind.
Countless steel needles shot out from the petals, each one capable of killing a high-level Spiritual-Passage Realm martial artist.
This was one of Tang Sect’s Hundred Secret Weapons, Flowers in the Sleeve, the reward Shi Xiaole received when he completed the Demon Alliance task last time.
If Flowers in the Sleeve was used properly, it could severely injure or even kill an ordinary sixth-level Dragon Gate Realm Master.
At the moment, the cultivation of both the Golden Saber Marquis and the Silver Spear Marquis was suppressed to the first level of the Dragon Gate Realm. Unfortunately, they still had profound foundations. Using only their blade and spear energies, they shattered most of the thin steel needles that rushed toward them, avoiding the remainder.
"Ten Thousand Golden Blade Slash!"
In a fit of rage, Golden Saber Marquis launched his killer move. As he swung his arms, a thick blade energy gushed out, shining brighter than the midday sun.
As long as he could keep Shi Xiaole alive, he didn’t care about the consequences. Anything was better than letting this kid escape.
"Bullying the weak, interesting."
In a split second between life and death, a Green Willow Sword Qi pierced through another adjoining passage, smashing through the golden blade energy.
By the next moment, a weak Shi Xiaole was propped up by a handsome young man.
"Brother Shi, are you okay?"
Yang Feng asked, marveling at Shi Xiaole’s resilience.
"If you guys were any later, there would be no Shi Xiaole in this world."
Shi Xiaole forced a smile, his heart filled with intense fear.
It was so close this time, so close that he nearly met his end. The initial tension, fear, and even the thrill have now left him. Leftover was an overwhelming desire for strength, ten times more than before.
"Crown Sword Marquis, do you dare to meddle in my business?"
Seeing a refined middle-aged man with three strands of beard coming out of the side passage, Golden Saber Marquis narrowed his eyes.
"Shi Xiaole is a friend of mine. How could I stand idly by? Both of you, please leave."
Crown Sword Marquis gently smiled.
"You want me, Golden Saber Marquis, to leave? Let’s see if you have the ability. Gold Mountain Falling Jade Pillar!"
Without wasting any more words, Golden Saber Marquis swung his long saber, harshly raising it from the right, forming a golden mountain from the countless blades. It quickly pressured towards the three people.
In the air, blade energy crisscrossed, accompanied by a dreadful power that stifled one’s breath.
This was Golden Saber Marquis’s thirty percent of True Intent, added into his blade technique. It not only greatly boosted his momentum but could also limit his opponent at any moment, making it difficult for them to exert their full strength.
"Seeking Flowers and Asking Willows!"
Without a change in expression, Crown Sword Marquis thrust his sword towards the gold mountain. A streak of sword Qi hit the mountain but couldn’t shake it. Instead, it leaped and continuously attacked other parts of the gold mountain.
Crack.
Like hitting a weak point, the leaping sword Qi followed the cracks of the gold mountain and shot towards Golden Saber Marquis, who blocked it with his saber and retreat three steps back.
Silver Spear Marquis, standing on the side, had a slight change in expression.
The strength of Crown Sword Marquis was well known among martial artists of the Dragon Gate Realm. But what he didn’t anticipate was that a single sword strike from Crown Sword Marquis could repel Golden Saber Marquis.
If he remembered correctly, Crown Sword Marquis’s real cultivation was even one level lower than Golden Saber Marquis’s.
"Impossible, your swordsmanship isn’t that strong."
Looking at Crown Sword Marquis, Golden Saber Marquis said solemnly.
Crown Sword Marquis didn’t respond.
Indeed, his swordsmanship might be a bit stronger than Golden Saber Marquis’s saber technique, but it certainly wasn’t as powerful as it appeared. Previous self-defense results have made Crown Sword Marquis suspect whether some kind of power in the labyrinth boosted his swordsmanship.
"Wilting Flowers and Fading Willows!"
Determined to test his power on Golden Saber Marquis, Crown Sword Marquis flicked his wrist, sending several waves of Green Willow Sword Qi sweeping out and tightly binding Golden Saber Marquis.
Golden Saber Marquis used his ultimate moves repeatedly, but to his horror, he found that this seemingly weak Green Willow Sword Qi possessed a formidable counter-force. He had to put in his all to within six to seven-tenths of the Sword Qi, only to retreat in a flurry of embarrassment in the end.
"Undefeated under the spear!"
Silver Spear Marquis charged forward, his spear gleaming brightly.
Crown Sword Marquis remained unperturbed, his right arm retracting and stretching, the Green Willow Sword Qi revolved around him and successfully held Silver Spear Marquis back.
"Brother Zhou, I’ll let you go this time."
Silver Spear Marquis laughed heartily and turned to leave.
Given their abilities, he and Golden Saber Marquis could have potentially killed Crown Sword Marquis together, but the labyrinth was too narrow, leaving them little room to maneuver. The effect of their combined attack was less than half as effective as it would have been in a more open space.
Seeing Silver Spear Marquis leave, Golden Saber Marquis gave Shi Xiaole a resentful look. After his consecutive sneak attacks were blocked, he also jumped into one of the maze openings.
"Young friend, those two seem to hold a deep grudge against you."
Sheathing his sword and standing upright, Crown Sword Marquis took an injury medicine from his bosom and passed it to Shi Xiaole.
"I injured Golden Saber Marquis’s spiritual sea."
Gently refusing the medicinal pill from Crown Sword Marquis, Shi Xiaole took out a few from his own pocket, swallowed them, and began to cultivate to heal his injuries.
"No wonder."
Crown Sword Marquis paused, then shook his head with a bitter laugh.
He was growing more and more curious about Shi Xiaole. Even under the combined pursuit of Golden Saber Marquis and Silver Spear Marquis, Shi Xiaole was still able to turn the tables, which was a feat that not many were capable of.
...
"What bad luck. But I must kill that brat."
A figure flew through the labyrinth, slashing at anyone he saw. It was the resentful Golden Saber Marquis.
Powerless against Crown Sword Marquis, Golden Saber Marquis was considering whether he should rally others to deal with the former together.
A young man appeared ahead.
"Die!"
Perhaps reminiscing about Shi Xiaole, Golden Saber Marquis’s rage was more intense than ever. He delivered a severe blow with his knife, which radiated a golden light.
Bang!
Before his terrifying saber could strike, it was split in two by a sharp sword shadow, and the young man walked out from the middle, unscathed.
"What happened?"
Golden Saber Marquis was taken aback. When he saw the young man with no eyebrows, he immediately exclaimed, "Are you Shen Wumei?"
"I’ve killed thirty-six people in this one 2-hour period. You’re the thirty-seventh."
The calm boy without eyebrows was smiling, and a sword shadow dashed out faster than he did. With a swing of his arm, he executed an array of peculiar sword techniques from afar.
"Capturing Sky Great Sword Skill, it’s indeed you."
Shen Wumei, also known as the ’Capturing Sky Swordsman’, was the top-ranked prodigy of Xuanwu State. At only twenty-six, he possessed extraordinary skills that allowed him to fight on par with a warrior of the sixth level of the Dragon Gate Realm.
It was rumored that he had a mysterious teacher whose cultivation reached the ninth level of the Dragon Gate Realm. As a result, few dared to offend him in the Xuanwu State Martial World.
"Ten Thousand Golden Blade Slash!"
Summoning all his strength, Golden Saber Marquis swung his saber.
However, his once irresistible saber was effortlessly sliced into dozens of pieces by Shen Wumei, who manipulated his sword from afar, leaving the once formidable slash disintegrating like tofu.
"Young Hero Shen is indeed formidable; I bow out."
After witnessing Shen Wumei’s rumored strength firsthand, Golden Saber Marquis had no wish to fight him anymore.
"You think you can escape after launching a sneak attack? There’s no such easy way out. Sky-reaching Capture."
Between Shen Wumei’s wrist and the longsword was almost an invisible thread. As he moved, the longsword, ten feet away, divided into seven parts and moved in such a way that it confused Golden Saber Marquis’ distance perception.
The Quick and Slow True Intent.
What Shen Wumei had comprehended was the Quick and Slow True Intent, one of the top-level true intents. His understanding of the first-class inferior sword technique—Capturing Sky Great Sword Skill—was as profound as Golden Saber Marquis’s understanding.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Golden Saber Marquis’ clothes were torn, and he looked horrified.
Fortunately, he had successfully retreated to another branching pathway. After launching a saber attack, he immediately fled. As soon as he moved, a sound rang out from the place he had just been, the sound of a longsword striking jade, causing Golden Saber Marquis to break out in a cold sweat.
"This damn maze is restricting my saber techniques, only to amplify the power of sword techniques."
Gritting his teeth, Golden Saber Marquis decided to stay low-profile when meeting a swordsman. He would survive the two-hour test first.
Shen Wumei didn’t chase after him because his attention was on Fan Donglai and Yu Meiren, who were trying to retreat but had been spotted by him.
"Young Hero Shen, we are all on the Righteous Path. Why must we fight amongst ourselves? I think there are fewer than thirty of us left."
Said the expert who had a past with the Water Moon Sect and the Pink Gang. After witnessing Shen Wumei repelling Golden Saber Marquis, he didn’t want to face Shen Wumei in a battle.
Fan Donglai and Yu Meiren were shocked beyond words. This was a real genius. Even the previous Shi Xiaole couldn’t be compared to him.
"Don’t worry, I don’t feel like killing anymore."
Shen Wumei smiled and left alone.
Those he killed were mere side dishes, while the main course would not be slain just yet.
