The sound of Murong Yan's horse galloping could be heard from the front. The escape had been smooth. Although the Hangu Pass, which was clearly visible, seemed quite far away, once the distance had been put between us and the pursuers, they appeared to be struggling to catch up. This was because Murong Yan, the one they were after, was riding a horse and moving quickly, while we were not giving them any easy opportunities to close the gap. Moreover, it was nighttime, making visibility poor, so they had to be cautious to avoid falling off their horses while rushing.
When I shattered the ground earlier, four of them were incapacitated, so now there were only five chasing us. The one remaining was a master of fist techniques who used a grappling technique, but he must have been severely injured by Senior Jin Suqing, as he did not join the pursuit. I glanced at their numbers and said,
"Three against five, isn't it worth a try?"
"No, it's not. One of them is a master of hidden weapons. We can't afford to engage in a direct confrontation rashly."
"Hidden weapons?"
"His name is Zanlong. Be careful."
Senior Jin Suqing's voice carried a strong sense of caution.
' So the situation just now was really dangerous.'
Senior Jin Suqing, who wanted to avoid a direct confrontation due to the presence of a hidden weapon master, must have been forced to endure a joint attack. I felt a chill run down my spine, thinking that if I had been just a little late, things could have turned out badly. I didn't know who Zanlong was, but if he used hidden weapons, it was indeed wise to avoid a direct confrontation. Hidden weapons could be coated with poison, potentially turning the tide of battle at any moment.
Zanlong seemed to be waiting for the right opportunity to use his hidden weapons while chasing us. Given that our stamina would be depleted from running, it would be better for him to wait until we were weakened. Soon, we would reach the mountain path leading to Hangu Pass, where we would need to be cautious of Zanlong's hidden weapons from behind.
Thud
While running, I turned to Nangong Huan and asked,
"Changtian Jianlong, don't you usually bring your family's guards with you?"
Nangong Huan gave a bitter smile.
"There are internal matters. But we should be fine once we reach Hangu Pass."
"Really?"
"Yes."
I wanted to know more about the situation, but I couldn't waste any more energy while being pursued. I noticed one of the five pursuers gradually closing the distance and quickly turned around, throwing a dagger from my sleeve.
Whizz!
"Just a dagger..."
Bang!
"Aaaah!"
A master of iron chains blocked my dagger with his chain, but he was thrown back far with a scream as the chain shattered and split in two, embedding itself in the ground. The other four pursuers hesitated, likely shocked by the power of my internal energy, which far exceeded that of the chain master.
Nangong Huan said, almost in awe,
"Truly... your internal energy is monstrous... No one in our family has as much internal energy as you, Bai Xiong."
"It's not everything."
"You're modest."
Nangong Huan thought I was being modest and was impressed, but I knew that "internal energy is not everything." As one advances in martial arts, understanding of qi and the refinement of techniques become more important than sheer power.
Even if I used all my strength to attack, there are experts who can deflect it and counterattack. There are always higher levels of mastery, and even beyond those, there are absolute masters.
' That's why I must deeply study martial arts at Qinglong Martial Hall.'
There are many ways to live a simple and comfortable life, but if one lacks strength, there will always be a limit. To overcome this, one must delve into the origins of the martial arts they have learned and reach the realm of a master.
At that moment,
Neigh
About seven zhang ahead, Murong Yan's horse began to slow down. As the distance between us and the horse closed, we instinctively realized that the flat plain had ended and we had reached the beginning of the mountain path leading to Hangu Pass.
Fortunately, this mountain path was well-maintained and had a gentle slope, making it not too difficult to climb. However, it was too steep for horses, so we had to dismount.
When Murong Yan got off her horse, Nangong Huan asked her worriedly,
"Are you alright?"
"I'm fine. But, Brother, the sweat..."
"Haha... It's fine."
We were all drenched in sweat from the intense run. Nangong Huan wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced back, saying,
"It seems we have to settle this with them now."
Indeed, the distance had closed completely, leaving no room for escape. From the way Nangong Huan had been protecting Murong Yan, it seemed her martial arts skills were relatively weak. Although the odds were better than before at three against four, it would still be disadvantageous to fight while protecting Murong Yan.
A tense silence filled the air between us and the first-rate experts.
Then, one of the experts, a handsome man with a sinister aura, stepped forward with a smirk. I had seen him before in a bustling street during the day.
"Changtian Jianlong! As I said earlier, isn't it unfair for you to monopolize the Heavenly Yin Constitution?"
Nangong Huan's face hardened. He clenched his fists in anger and said,
"Shut up, lecherous villain! How dare a pervert like you...!!"
Pervert?
Indeed, the man's appearance and aura were almost indistinguishable from the perverts I had only heard about. Perverts often cultivate the art of sexual nourishment, which makes them increasingly feminine in appearance and causes them to emit a strange odor, leading them to frequently apply makeup.
Perverts, who are inherently sexually deviant, often ruin the lives of women in ordinary households and female martial artists if they encounter them. Additionally, due to the nature of sexual nourishment techniques, perverts tend to have more internal energy than ordinary martial artists, making them difficult to capture.
Senior Jin Suqing looked at the three men beside him and said,
"Zanlong, Zhandaogui, Dangangfu. You are all renowned first-rate experts in Anhui Province. Why have you followed a pervert here to forcibly take a weak woman?"
"......"
Zanlong, feeling ashamed of Jin Suqing's rebuke, turned his head without answering. However, Zhandaogui, who had clashed with my internal energy earlier, sneered and pointed his curved saber at me.
"Hah! The Heavenly Yin Constitution is worth the shame. Taking her will greatly enhance my internal energy and allow me to possess the Heavenly Yin Qi. I would risk my life for that!"
Dangangfu, a large, axe-wielding expert, chimed in. He had a typical bandit-like appearance and a rugged build. He leered at Murong Yan's curvaceous figure and said,
"It won't even show after a few ships pass through the harbor, right?"
"Kyaahaha! Dangangfu, your words are impressive, Kyaahahaaha!"
Dangangfu's crude remarks made the pervert laugh.
"Ah..."
Murong Yan's face turned pale from the sexual insult, and Nangong Huan, her fiancé, was flushed with anger. He gritted his teeth and said,
"Scum that wouldn't even meet in Anhui Province..."
The pervert chuckled.
"Hehe. Of course, in Anhui Province, we would have to yield to the Nangong family. But here in Guanzhong, where your influence doesn't reach, what can you do by shouting?"
Indeed.
No matter how powerful a prestigious family or major sect might be, their influence is limited to their region. Very few sects have influence across all of Central China. This is why martial artists who have a grudge against major sects try to escape from their regions by any means necessary.
I couldn't predict the outcome of a direct confrontation. Although I had overcome many life-threatening situations, this was almost my first experience with a group battle among martial artists. Moreover, I had no experience dealing with hidden weapons, so I could potentially suffer a fatal injury regardless of my internal energy.
While I didn't think I would lose easily, the upcoming challenge was daunting, and I had to think carefully. One wrong choice could lead to irreversible consequences.
How could we resolve this situation?
While thinking, I stepped forward. Everyone's attention turned to me, especially the first-rate experts, who looked at me with a mix of fear. After all, they had witnessed my immense internal energy.
I decided to put on a show of bravado.
"You fools are still talking. Aren't you afraid of me?"
"Ugh..."
When I emitted a killing aura, the previously confident pervert and Dangangfu took a step back. They seemed afraid that I might charge and deliver a powerful kick. Zanlong, in particular, was clearly on guard, preparing several hidden weapons between his fingers.
Then, Zhandaogui said to me,
"Tsk! Your internal energy is indeed formidable, Bai Xiong. But your technique and movement are clumsy, and you don't defend your vital points at all. I can handle you even without direct confrontation."
"......"
It seemed that Zhandaogui had also assessed my skills during our brief clash. Indeed, once the battle started, no matter how much internal energy I had, the one who could deliver a fatal blow first would win.
No matter how strong my internal energy was, it was useless if I couldn't land a hit. Zhandaogui's agility and defensive skills were excellent, so if he engaged in a prolonged battle and restrained me, he could hold me off.
' But even so, is it worth risking your life to take Murong Yan?'
I had already grasped the context through our conversation.
Murong Yan, the Heavenly Yin Constitution!
Although I didn't fully understand, it seemed that men who engaged in sexual intercourse with her could enhance their internal energy and possess the special Heavenly Yin Qi. This was why over ten first-rate experts had been chasing her in a group.
Of course, I had no desire to engage in sexual intercourse with her or to rape her. With my internal energy, which I had gained from consuming the thousand-year-old snow ginseng three times, I could already look down on the world. I was also concerned that the uncertain power of Heavenly Yin Qi might disrupt my internal energy balance, so I had no intention of taking Murong Yan.
So I sneered at Zhandaogui.
"In simple terms, you're a group of rapists who can't handle a single woman. If you want to act so tough, go to a brothel. Why are you acting like a pack of dogs in heat? Did your parents teach you this, you motherless dogs?"
"......"
"......"
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
' Oops.'
What started as a simple mission to bring my senior brother to Qinglong Martial Hall had turned into a life-or-death situation, and I had let my frustration get the better of me, using the vulgar language I had learned during my time as a bodyguard. Back then, I had to fight bandits and naturally picked up crude and harsh language.
The first-rate experts, who had been trained by proper masters since childhood, rarely encountered such vulgar insults. Zhandaogui, in particular, seemed less resilient, as he had a strong background in a formal sect.
As a result, Zhandaogui seemed to lose his composure, his face turning red and pale.
"Y-You, I'll kill you!"
Swish!
He swung his curved saber at me much faster and more agilely than during our daytime encounter. His speed was so great that it seemed like he had two clones, and it was almost impossible to discern his movements in the dark.
' He's coming.'
When his saber flew at me, I closed my mouth and focused my mind. During our earlier clash, I couldn't discern his movements at all, so I decided to concentrate my internal energy in my eyes and rely entirely on my dynamic vision. When internal energy is focused in the eyes, dynamic vision temporarily improves, allowing me to see Zhandaogui's attacks.
Right!
Swish!
A shallow cut appeared on my shoulder, but I narrowly avoided his attack by slightly rotating my body. Zhandaogui was shocked, likely because he thought it was impossible for me to dodge so cleanly based on his assessment of my skills.
"What?!"
When his attack missed, I saw all his openings. I mercilessly spun on my right foot and swung my sword horizontally.
Swish!
In the next moment, Zhandaogui's body was split in two, his upper half soaring into the air, spewing internal organs. Blood gushed out like a river, and his lower half collapsed forward, kneeling. Zhandaogui, with a sword embedded in his neck and tearing through his heart, glared at me with a venomous look but slowly fell to the side as Nangong Huan pulled out his sword.
Thud
With Dangangfu's death, the situation seemed to be almost resolved. Only Zanlong remained, standing silently without any action. Nangong Huan pointed his sword at Zanlong and said,
"Zanlong. You are a renowned hidden weapon master in Anhui Province, and I was most wary of you. But you didn't take any action even when you had the opportunity. What are you thinking?"
"......"
Zanlong hesitated before answering,
"Senior Jin's words made me feel ashamed. I came here without regard for means, wanting to become stronger, but I realized that what I intended to do was to violate a woman, and I lost my motivation."
"Your words won't absolve you of your sins."
"Haha... Do you think I would beg for my life?"
Zanlong continued with a bitter smile,
"Another thing, I didn't move because I couldn't. If I had moved even a little, Senior Jin would have attacked me, and I had no confidence in defending myself. I could have risked my life, but I couldn't avoid a fatal injury."
"......"
From Zanlong's words, I realized that Senior Jin Suqing had been specifically restraining Zanlong, allowing Nangong Huan and me to deal with the others more easily. Despite the distance, the restraint on Zanlong must have been so strong that he felt a life-threatening danger.
Zanlong turned to me and said,
"Your name is Bai Xiong, right?"
"Yes."
"Next time, don't act so recklessly in front of a hidden weapon master."
What?
"If your senior brother hadn't been here, I could have killed you five times over in an instant. No matter how much internal energy you have, your vital points are completely exposed, making it easy to kill you. If you must, focus on improving your defensive skills."
"......"
I was taken aback by Zanlong's advice, which seemed sincere. Even Senior Jin, though he didn't say anything, seemed to agree with Zanlong's advice. The advice of a hidden weapon master was helpful, making me forget my initial anger.
' Indeed... I am too vulnerable to hidden weapons and poisons. I need to train in this area.'
"Understood."
When I responded, Zanlong chuckled.
"Thank you for waiting until I finished speaking. Then..."
Thud!
"......!!"
Suddenly, Zanlong pulled out a long needle from his sleeve and stabbed it into his forehead. The speed was so fast that there was no time to react. Surprisingly, almost no blood flowed from the needle, which had penetrated his brain, and Zanlong trembled for a moment before collapsing and dying. He had no intention of surviving and chose to maintain his last dignity as a martial artist by committing suicide.
It was a cruel method of suicide, but given that Zanlong was a hidden weapon master, it was likely a quick and painless way to die. Regardless of how others perceived it, the destruction of the brain would quickly erase consciousness, preventing any pain.
Nangong Huan looked at Zanlong's body and said bitterly,
"He had a conscience, unlike the others."
"......"
"Then, we should protect Zanlong's honor."
Nangong Huan would likely issue a manhunt order for today's attackers once they were safe beyond Hangu Pass, branding them as perverts and villains in the martial world. However, since Zanlong chose his conscience at the end, Nangong Huan would keep his secret, which would help Zanlong's remaining acquaintances and sect.
"Let's go. Before the remaining pursuers arrive."
We then moved towards Hangu Pass.
' Is this really the right thing to do?'
I reflected on what had just happened.
If Zanlong had thought more and acted more ruthlessly, he could have not only saved his life but also pushed us to the brink of destruction. Indeed, if he had exploited those two openings, it would have been dangerous.
Still, Zanlong chose his conscience. At first glance, it seemed like a noble and cool death for a martial artist. But to me, Zanlong's death felt unresolved. It seemed cool, but I shook my head, thinking it wasn't quite right.