The burly man with a beard was taken aback. He never expected this young man to speak to him in such a manner.
Being a bold person, he wouldn't bother with a young man like him. He chuckled and said, "Don't worry, I won't harm a hair on your head."
Ever since arriving at this place, the burly man had instinctively believed that Su Yi must be a privileged youth from some prestigious clan.
Otherwise, who would be traveling with a delicate and charming maidservant?
What's even more absurd was that this privileged young man seemed accustomed to a life of luxury, even carrying a rattan chair with him...
"You, a mere passerby, can't even protect yourself, yet you dare boast about providing shelter for others?" A soft and charming voice sounded amidst the night rain, and a graceful figure floated over.
She wore a green dress and held an oiled-paper umbrella. Her delicate and beautiful appearance remained composed and elegant, even as she walked through the pouring rain.
The burly man stood up, positioning himself in front of the cave entrance, and laughed heartily, "Even if I'm just a passerby, killing you, the beauty named Hua Lianxiu, would be as easy as turning my hand!"
"What if I join in?" A dry and hoarse voice echoed, and a dark figure flashed in the distance, appearing next to the woman in the green dress.
The newcomer was thin and short, with sparse hair and a hunchback, appearing quite inconspicuous.
However, in his hands, he held a pair of black giant axes that were nearly half his height. He stood there with a face full of mockery and indifference.
The burly man squinted his eyes and continued to laugh, "Even if Chang Mou goes all out, the two of you combined are not enough."
The hunchbacked old man let out a cold snort.
Tea Jin witnessed these scenes and felt her heart tighten. She couldn't discern the cultivation level of the two individuals, but she sensed the danger in the air.
Her gaze couldn't help but turn to Su Yi, only to see him sitting in the rattan chair. His right elbow rested on the armrest, his palm supporting his chin, while his left hand held a wine jug. He sat there lazily, his eyes fixed on the bonfire, seemingly lost in thought.
The flames reflected in his profound eyes, flickering unpredictably.
In any case, he seemed indifferent to everything happening around him, too lazy to divert his attention.
However, it was precisely this extreme laziness and arrogance that relieved Tea Jin's anxiety and made her feel reassured.
This guy killed the likes of Nan Wenxiang, an esteemed grandmaster, as easily as slaughtering a chicken. Even the treasures of talisman swords were powerless against him. If there were truly any danger...
No, it's not right.
It's others who should be afraid when encountering him.
With this thought, Tea Jin's tense body relaxed, and she calmly turned her beautiful eyes towards the vicinity, intending to watch the spectacle.
"Old Rooster, don't be so stubborn. Chang Passerby's 'Nine Swords of Demonslaying' is renowned throughout the six counties of Gunzhou. It is no empty reputation. If he goes all out, I will have to take it seriously too."
Suddenly, a clear voice rang out.
In the midst of the late-night rain, another person approached, wearing a Confucian robe and holding a black wooden ruler in his hand.
As he walked, his toes seemed to barely touch the ground, and the pouring rain couldn't dampen his robes, displaying his elegance and grace.
Upon seeing this person, the burly man's expression immediately turned extremely solemn, his aura becoming icy and murderous as he coldly said, "Your master truly holds me in high regard, sending a vicious dog like you."
The man in the Confucian robe smiled faintly and said, "If Brother Chang agrees not to set foot in the city of Gunzhou for a month, I will immediately bid you farewell with fine wine."
"Don't talk nonsense. Even if I agree, you won't believe it, and it's impossible for you to give up," replied the burly man coldly.
The man in the Confucian robe applauded and exclaimed, "Brother Chang truly has a keen foresight. However, you're mistaken. If you cripple one of your own legs, I can swear upon the heavens to ensure your safe departure!"
Boom!
As soon as his words fell, a thunderous roar echoed in the sky.
The entire scene fell silent.
The onlookers wore peculiar expressions.
Tea Jin almost burst out laughing. Even the heavens themselves didn't believe this guy's oath?
The man in the Confucian robe looked embarrassed, rubbing his nose and saying, "During the rainy season, swearing oaths truly isn't friendly."
The beautiful woman in the green dress, holding the paper umbrella, impatiently said, "Mr. Yin, since it has come to this, why don't we take action immediately and send Chang Passerby on his way?"
The man in the Confucian robe sighed, "The best strategy is to attack the mind. If he truly believes that we will spare him, it would show weakness, and he wouldn't be willing to fight desperately. In that case, it would be as easy as turning our hand to deal with him, and we wouldn't have to worry about any losses. But I didn't expect the thunder from the sky to be so uncooperative..."
He appeared somewhat frustrated.
The beautiful woman paused for a moment and said, "If the heavens don't cooperate, as long as we cooperate well, we won't suffer any major losses."
The hunchbacked old man shook his head and grinned, "Exactly."
After a brief silence, the burly man pointed at Su Yi and Tea Jin inside the cave, his gaze fixed on the man in the Confucian robe, and said, "Let them go. I'll play with you, and I promise not to escape."
"Oh, the mud Buddha who can't protect himself is showing mercy. I'm truly impressed," the woman in the green dress teasingly laughed.
The man in the Confucian robe sighed, "What does it mean when calamity strikes from the sky? This is it. If we were to hold someone accountable, it would be Chang Passerby who involved them in this turmoil. If they die, it can only be attributed to Chang Passerby."
"That little girl can stay for now. I like her," the hunchbacked old man, short and
Tea Jin originally intended to watch the spectacle, but upon hearing these words, he felt a wave of disgust in his heart. How old is this old man? Yet he's so lecherous, making people wish to flay him alive and scatter his ashes!
The burly man with a curly beard turned around, revealing a look of guilt. He said, "My apologies, both of you. If there is a battle later, I will do my best to help you find a way out."
Tea Jin was taken aback. This guy actually had an open and straightforward demeanor.
Su Yi remained seated, not even lifting an eyelid in response. She coldly said, "If you truly feel guilty, then hurry up and go die, putting an end to it once and for all. As for us, we don't need you to worry about."
The man named Chang Guoke hesitated, his cheeks turning red.
In the distance, the men in Confucian robes couldn't help but burst into laughter.
The beautiful woman in a green dress smiled and said, "Hey, I love listening to this young man. I can't bear to let him die."
"Don't be fooled. This kid might be saying this just to make us spare him."
The hunchbacked old man sneered.
"Enough, let's deal with this guy named Chang first."
The man in the Confucian robe said as he swung a black wooden ruler in his hand.
Boom!
The seemingly light wooden ruler produced a thunderous sound, as if a massive mountain had suddenly appeared in the sky.
A Grandmaster of martial arts!
Tea Jin's beautiful eyes narrowed.
It was quite incredible to see so many Grandmasters in this desolate wilderness tonight. It was undoubtedly beyond imagination.
Clang!
Chang Guoke drew his huge sword from behind, and his whole demeanor suddenly changed. His aura soared to the sky, as solid and firm as a mountain.
He swung his sword horizontally.
Clang!
In the clash, Chang Guoke shouted, "Both of you, regardless of whether you resent me or not, I will create a path to survival for you. Please seize the opportunity and escape!"
While his voice still echoed, he strode out of the cave, his towering figure charging into the pouring rain, wielding his sword with unparalleled might.
Boom!
The sky flickered with thunder and lightning, reflecting on his tall figure, exuding a majestic and godlike aura.
His enormous black sword was also extraordinary, entirely pitch black, three feet long and nine inches wide. It emitted a dark, electric-like spiritual glow. When swung, it resembled a lightning-fast dragon, domineering and fierce.
However, the man in the Confucian robe was also formidable. Though he only held a wooden ruler, he moved with ease, skillfully advancing and retreating. Even in a direct confrontation, he did not fall behind.
Undoubtedly, this was a life-and-death battle between Grandmasters, extremely dangerous and terrifying. It shook the rain-filled sky, causing nearby rocks to crumble and fly.
But soon, the man in the Confucian robe was forced to retreat repeatedly because Chang Guoke was fully committed to the fight, treating death as if it meant nothing to him.
The man in the Confucian robe didn't want to be dragged down by the other.
"Let's attack together."
The beautiful woman in the green dress put away her umbrella. With a clang, a blood-red sword edge shot out from the tip of the umbrella, as if she was holding a long sword, slashing towards Chang Guoke in mid-air.
Boom!
And that short, hunchbacked old man, he carried a pair of giant axes and charged forward, swinging his axes down with extreme ferocity.
"They are all Grandmasters..."
Tea Jin gasped for breath, almost unable to believe his eyes.
In Yunhe County, there were only a few martial arts Grandmasters at most.
But now, in this stormy night, there were four Grandmasters fighting each other!
"These guys must have extraordinary identities and are definitely not ordinary individuals," Tea Jin thought to himself.
Boom!
The rain became heavier, thunder roared, and lightning danced like silver serpents.
On the ground, Chang Guoke stood against the three opponents, still mighty and unmatched. Waves of sword energy surged from his black giant sword.
However, his opponents were all Grandmasters of the same level. The man in the Confucian robe alone could contend with him. In addition, there was the woman in the green dress and the hunchbacked old man, making his situation extremely dangerous.
Before long, he was heavily injured.
"Go quickly!"
In the rainy night, Chang Guoke roared angrily, his cold gaze like lightning.
He no longer cared about his own life and single-handedly held back the three opponents!
Tea Jin couldn't help but glance at Su Yi.
He saw her sitting there, closing her eyes as if she was resting, showing no intention of leaving.
Or rather, she couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the Grandmaster battle unfolding outside...
"You fool!!"
Chang Guoke obviously noticed that Su Yi and Tea Jin had no intention of taking advantage of the opportunity to leave, which made him both anxious and angry.
But he had no choice.
He was risking his life and enduring injuries just to barely hold back the opponents for a moment. Once the opportunity passed, everything would be in vain.
"It's already this late, and you're still concerned about others' lives and deaths. You, Chang Guoke, are no different!"
The man in the Confucian robe snorted coldly, and his black wooden ruler struck Chang Guoke's black giant sword like lightning.
Clang!
Amidst the earth-shattering collision, the black giant sword slipped from his hand and flew away, and Chang Guoke stumbled.
Before he could dodge, the blood-colored sword edge in the woman's hand pierced into his back.
Splurt!
A burst of blood spurted out, flesh and skin torn apart, revealing a deep bone-deep wound.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, the man in the Confucian robe approached, and his wooden ruler struck down towards Chang Guoke's head.
Crack!
Although Chang Guoke managed to avoid a critical blow to his head, the wooden ruler smashed into his shoulder, instantly shattering and collapsing his shoulder bone.
His tall and imposing figure collapsed onto the ground in front of the cave, splashing water droplets all around.
Seemingly aware of his imminent death, Chang Guoke showed no fear, but couldn't help but let out a long sigh, struggling to turn his head towards the cave. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Why didn't you escape just now?"
There was regret and guilt in his voice.