Chapter 194: Severed Arm, Madness!

Mountains stretched endlessly, ancient trees blotted out the sky, and the forest was shrouded in darkness.

A thick, nauseating smell of blood permeated the woods, dispelling the original musty odor.

Boom!

Chu Liang moved with astonishing speed.

Like a ferocious beast, he smashed through countless branches, heading straight for his target.

Rat One’s voice echoed in his mind: “Master, Hall Master Li is out of danger. He suddenly turned around and executed a beautiful saber strike, instantly killing a Five Strands of Qi and Blood expert who was chasing him. Then, he used a hidden weapon to kill another one.”

“Oh?”

Hearing this, Chu Liang felt slightly relieved.

It was said that county town martial artists were no match for those from the prefectural city, but Li Ren, like Chu Liang, had broken this rule.

To kill an opponent with a single strike!

Perhaps the opponent was careless and unprepared, but this was enough to prove Li Ren’s strength.

“Master, you should go and save Li Feng first. He’s in the worst situation right now,” Rat One said.

“Alright, give me the location.”

Chu Liang immediately changed direction and rushed towards Li Feng.

The smell of blood grew stronger, assaulting Chu Liang’s nostrils. Before he even arrived, he found the body of an Autumn Blade Martial Arts Hall apprentice.

The sounds of fighting grew more intense, the clash of blades and the roar of fists.

Someone noticed Chu Liang and immediately shouted, “Who goes there? The Clearwater Count Manor is handling business here. Do not disturb us. Leave immediately!”

“Scram!”

Chu Liang’s voice boomed like thunder.

The man’s face darkened. He held a pair of meteor hammers, blocking Chu Liang’s path, and shouted, “You bastard! Have you lost your mind? Don’t you know the name of the Clearwater Count Manor?”

Crack!

A flash of saber light, and a head flew!

Chu Liang didn’t waste time with words. He directly attacked, beheading the man with a single strike.

His speed didn’t decrease. Like a gust of wind, he swept through the area, his ferocious aura startling the surrounding martial artists.

Thud!

The head of the man who had just tried to stop him fell to the ground, blood staining the dead leaves and broken branches. His eyes were wide with horror.

He never imagined that someone would dare to attack a member of a noble family so brazenly.

“Who is that saber user? Why is he so ferocious?” someone gasped, his heart pounding.

“Could he be from one of the other three noble families?”

Others speculated. Otherwise, how could he dare to attack so directly?

But even if he was from one of the other three noble families, he shouldn’t be so reckless. He only said “scram” and then immediately beheaded the man. Was he not afraid of provoking conflict between the noble families?

“No, that man is dressed very plainly. He doesn’t have the crest of any of the other three noble families.”

“Could he be from the black market?”

“The black market is even more unlikely. Those people always prioritize profit. Why would they attack so directly?”

Seeing the head, everyone around felt uneasy, sensing that something big was about to happen.

They didn’t dare to stay any longer and quickly left the area.

“Let’s go. The wrath of the Clearwater Count Manor is not something small figures like us can bear!”

The Clearwater Count Manor had a history of over two hundred years. It was one of the founding count manors of the Great Liang Dynasty.

The manor was full of experts, with resources piled up like mountains. Every generation had Tendon Tempering Realm experts, and there were no fewer than ten Skin Tempering Realm experts.

Other forces in the prefectural city, such as the Purple Snake Martial Arts Hall, the Gathering of Heroes Gang, and the Azure Water Manor, seemed powerful, but they were nothing compared to a behemoth like the count manor.

Only second-rate forces like the Blue Flower Merchant Guild, with Tendon Tempering Realm experts, could make the count manor take notice.

But that was it. They were not equals.

The difference in strength between Tendon Tempering Realm experts was enormous.

Tendon Tempering Realm experts from noble families, due to their deep foundations, powerful cultivation techniques, and martial skills, could fight several experts of the same realm from ordinary forces at the same time.

This was also the reason why Chu Liang could quickly defeat martial artists of the same realm.

“Swish–!”

He leaped over a bush and finally spotted Li Feng.

Ahead, figures flashed, Qi and Blood surged, and shouts of battle continued.

Li Feng was covered in blood, his hair disheveled, his eyes bloodshot, and his entire being in a state of madness.

“Kill! Kill! Kill!”

He roared hoarsely, his voice raspy, his body trembling like a cornered beast about to make its last stand.

Around him lay more than ten mutilated corpses, all apprentices of the Autumn Blade Martial Arts Hall.

His right arm was gone, leaving only a blood-soaked sleeve. With his scarred left arm, he gripped a broken saber, unleashing fierce saber techniques.

But he only had the strength of Two Strands of Qi and Blood, and many of the martial artists surrounding him had Three or Four Strands of Qi and Blood. No matter how powerful his saber techniques were, he couldn’t break through.

Without a miracle, death was his only destination.

The surrounding martial artists looked cruel. They weren’t in a hurry, like they were toying with their prey. They would occasionally step forward and then retreat, leaving new wounds on Li Feng’s body.

“Slash-━”

Flesh was torn, and blood spurted.

A quick glance revealed at least dozens of wounds of varying depths on Li Feng’s body. He was a bloody mess, trembling more and more violently, his body swaying, about to collapse.

“Haha, this kid is about to fall!” someone laughed, his voice filled with mockery.

“Come on, everyone, place your bets! I bet five strikes!”

“I bet ten!”

“He can only take ten more strikes at most before he falls!”

“Don’t underestimate this kid’s will. Why are your bets so low? I bet twenty strikes. Who wants to bet against me?”

Their laughter was unrestrained, their words arrogant. They didn’t take Li Feng seriously at all, turning the process of killing him into a game, inflicting more wounds on his body.

The pain of the entire process was no less than a slow dismemberment!

“Come on! Come at me!”

◈◈◈

Li Feng’s eyes were bloodshot, roaring madly, holding on with all his might, not willing to fall, wanting to take at least one of them down with him before he died.

The surrounding martial artists had guessed his intentions, which was why they were so unrestrained, toying with him again and again.

“How pathetic. A little worm from the county town. What’s the use of roaring so loudly? It only makes you more laughable.”

“Kid, how about I give you a handicap? You’re missing an arm anyway, so I’ll only use one hand too. If you can reach me, I’ll fight you properly!”

“Hahaha…”

The others burst into laughter again, the sound extremely grating.

Li Feng’s vision blurred. He was about to collapse, but hearing these words, endless anger surged in his heart, and he straightened his back, holding on once more.

He spat out a mouthful of blood, pointing his broken saber at them, and roared hoarsely, “You’re nothing but a bunch of cowardly bullies! If my Senior Martial Brother Chu were here, you’d all be kneeling on the ground, begging for mercy, crawling like worms, begging my Senior Martial Brother Chu to spare you!”

“Hahaha, he’s still delusional even at death’s door?”

“What Senior Martial Brother Chu?”

“Your Autumn Blade Martial Arts Hall’s Hall Master is being chased. What can a mere apprentice do? He’s probably dead already!”

Hearing this, everyone couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

After a long time, the laughter gradually subsided.

A burly man with a large saber stepped forward, a ferocious look on his face. He cracked his neck and said with a smile, “Alright, time is precious. There are still many opportunities in these mountains. Let’s not waste any more time. What do you all say?”

“Fine, let’s send this kid on his way to reunite with his Senior Martial Brother Chu!”

“Good!”

The burly man grinned and raised his large saber.

The saber was incredibly thick, almost like a door panel, gleaming menacingly. If it struck, it would undoubtedly split Li Feng in two from head to toe!

“Come on!”

Li Feng roared, covered in blood, shakily raising his saber. He looked fierce, but his heart was filled with sorrow.

He glanced at the more than ten corpses on the ground, his eyes bloodshot, filled with grief.

“Junior Martial Brothers and Sisters, Senior Martial Brother cannot avenge you.”

His strength was completely drained. He could barely hold his saber.

Li Feng realized that this was probably where he would die.

But just then, a faint sound came from the bloody forest.

Whoosh!

A cold glint flashed.

“What was that?”

Everyone present was startled. They all felt a sense of danger and looked around cautiously.

Suddenly, someone noticed that something was wrong with the burly man who had raised his saber.

“Your neck…”

That person suddenly shouted.

The others were shocked and looked at the burly man.

The burly man’s eyes were wide with horror, blood flowing from his neck. A cold, deadly short arrow was lodged there.

Thud!

The large saber in his hand fell heavily to the ground, and he fell backward, instantly losing his life.

“The arrow is poisoned!”

“Who is it?”

“Ambushing with arrows, you despicable coward! Show yourself!”

Martial artists had strong vitality, far exceeding ordinary people. Even a pierced throat wouldn’t kill them so quickly, so this short arrow must have been poisoned.

Everyone present was extremely vigilant, gripping their weapons tightly, fearing that they would be the next to die.

Just then, a rustling sound came from the forest in the distance.

Swish!

Chu Liang moved with astonishing speed, like a gust of wind.

The short arrow just now was from him, one of his twelve sleeve arrows.

“Who are you? State your name!”

Someone shouted, his Qi and Blood surging.

Li Feng’s face lit up with joy. He shouted, “Senior Martial Brother Chu!”

“Senior Martial Brother Chu?”

Hearing this, the others were stunned, remembering what Li Feng had said earlier.

This guy really did have a powerful Senior Martial Brother!

But so what if he was powerful?

Even the Hall Master was being chased. How strong could his apprentice be?

They figured that Chu Liang having Three Strands of Qi and Blood would be impressive. Even if he had Four Strands of Qi and Blood, it wouldn’t matter.

Among them was a Five Strands of Qi and Blood martial artist. Killing him wouldn’t be difficult.

The burly man who had just been killed by Chu Liang’s sleeve arrow only had Two Strands of Qi and Blood, the weakest among these martial artists.

“I remember now. This person is probably that guy called Chu Liang.”

“Heh, so he’s a genius.”

Someone sneered, emphasizing the word “genius.” It immediately caused another round of laughter.

The so-called geniuses of the county town were a joke in their eyes.

“You came at just the right time. We can send you both on your way together!”