Chapter 99: Grandmaster! Life or Death, Only Battle Will Reveal
"Dark Blade?" Wu Yuan's gaze fell on the white-robed old man. His mind raced, analyzing the identities of the five individuals before him.
Five people.
The crimson-robed middle-aged man, carrying two short spears, had the strongest strength. At least, in Wu Yuan's 'divine sense,' he posed the greatest threat.
A lethal threat!
After over a year of experimentation on Yuncang Mountain, Wu Yuan's use of his spiritual sense had become more flexible. Concerning the 'divine sense,' he had a good grasp.
Generally.
If the opponent's strength is weaker by two or three levels, like now, second-rate experts, ordinary first-rate experts, might give Wu Yuan a faint sense of threat, but the threat could be mostly ignored.
One level weaker, like the top two hundred in the Earth List or ordinary top-tier experts, would pose a certain threat to Wu Yuan.
And a lethal threat? At least within the top ten of the Earth List!
Next is the white-robed old man, who, although weaker, also carried a hint of lethal threat and wasn't much weaker than the crimson-robed middle-aged man.
As for the black-clad woman with double blades? Her strength was even weaker.
Wu Yuan estimated that this woman, equivalent to the recently killed Wang Xiahe, had the strength of around fifty on the Jiangzhou Earth List.
Relatively weak.
In fact, such a combination was already terrifying.
Two individuals, possibly from the top ten of the Earth List, working together? Below the Grandmaster level, they were almost invincible.
Even in the powerful Hengyun Sect, with twenty or so top experts, it would be challenging to assemble such a terrifying team.
Yet, these high-level experts...
Seemed to be subtly led by the black-robed youth?
"This black-robed youth?" Wu Yuan frowned.
In his divine sense, although the black-robed youth had good strength, the level of threat was only comparable to Chen Tangru, whom he had killed earlier.
Barely considered a top-tier expert.
But to make two top-ten Earth List experts obey his orders?
What a joke!
Top ten in the Earth List generally had astonishing combat skills and physical fitness, reaching a level where becoming a Grandmaster was possible.
They might submit to a Grandmaster.
But submit to the son of a Grandmaster?
The pride of the experts wouldn't allow them to do so.
At least.
According to the information Wu Yuan had, looking across the vast Jiangzhou, there seemed to be no young person who could achieve this.
As for the last middle-aged man in the black robe, his strength seemed to be the weakest.
His position was also at the rear among the five.
But Wu Yuan's eyes were exceptionally sharp.
At a glance, he sensed that something was off about the middle-aged man in the black robe.
If they were chasing him, why did ordinary top-tier experts reveal themselves when he had already shown his strength?
Are they looking for death?
Considering their status, it also seemed to be the lowest.
Moreover, as Wu Yuan contemplated, the most critical question was: "These people? How did they track me down?"
You should know that Wu Yuan had been very careful not to leave any traces along the way.
And he had traveled a full six hundred miles!
In theory, it was impossible for them to track him, or at least, it shouldn't have been so fast.
However.
Wu Yuan remained calm in his heart. With powerful strength, he was naturally fearless.
Let alone just a group of top-tier experts.
Even if they were Grandmaster-level experts, Wu Yuan would dare to fight!
Thinking about it, Wu Yuan's gaze swept over the distant mountains. He faintly sensed a unique and weak aura.
"Kid, Uncle Jin has a question for you." The woman in black robes, about forty years old, had a cold voice. "Be honest if you want to leave in one piece."
"Is that so? What if I don't?" Wu Yuan said calmly.
"Hehe, if not." The white-robed old man smiled. "Could you tell me why you killed Wang Xiahe?"
"For money. Isn't that normal?" Wu Yuan said indifferently. "His head is worth five million taels of silver."
The group's expressions changed involuntarily.
The leading black-robed youth's eyes seemed to spew fire. Just for money? However, the white-robed old man gestured for the black-robed youth to remain calm.
Clearly.
During their journey, they had exchanged information, and their objectives had changed. They didn't immediately engage with Wu Yuan.
"So, are you an expert from the Seven Stars Tower?" The white-robed old man spoke softly. "As far as I know, among the major dark organizations, only the Seven Stars Tower has a bounty mission for General Wang Xiahe."
"What if I am?" Wu Yuan said nonchalantly.
Wu Yuan wasn't surprised that they deduced the Seven Stars Tower's involvement. To assassinate top-tier experts, they must be at least second-rate in the dark organization hierarchy. And only the Seven Stars Tower and the Nine Kill Mansion had significant influence.
Just like how Wu Yuan could see the Seven Stars Tower's five-star missions and knew someone had placed a bounty on him.
In the Great Jin Empire, which held three provinces in Jiangzhou, it was reasonable for them to send someone disguised as a Seven Stars Tower assassin to gather intelligence.
So, the Seven Stars Tower having a bounty on Wang Xiahe, known by the Great Jin Empire, was normal.
Bounties required prepayment.
Unless the target was as special and highly valued as Wu Yuan.
Otherwise, few employers would simultaneously place bounties through multiple organizations; the cost was too high!
"If you're only after money, I can offer you a way out." The white-robed old man spoke softly. "Hand over your Seven Stars Tower identity token, and explain your specific role in the Seven Stars Tower. We might consider letting you go!"
Everyone stared at Wu Yuan.
"Hehe!"
Suddenly, Wu Yuan smiled, staring at the white-robed old man with strange eyes. "Old man, do you think I'm foolish, or are you the ones being truly foolish?"
"If I give you my identity token, you can then impersonate me, go to the Nine Kill Mansion, and claim the reward."
"But once I hand over my identity token, I'm afraid you'll immediately attack and kill me," Wu Yuan sneered. "You really have a good plan."
The expression of the white-robed old man remained unchanged.
Indeed, that was their plan.
Wang Xiahe was dead, and lamenting was pointless.
So, they should extract the remaining utility value. The greatest value was, of course, the Seven Stars Tower's 'bounty.'
The Seven Stars Tower only recognized the token and not the person for external members. Money could do wonders. Five million taels was not a small amount, even for an imperial prince, and could be put to good use.
Wu Yuan, they wanted to kill.
They also wanted the Seven Stars Tower token.
However, the Seven Stars Tower token wasn't that sturdy; a top-tier expert could easily destroy it if willing.
So, they intended to coax the token out of Wu Yuan's hands first.
Suddenly.
"You!"
Wu Yuan raised his long knife, pointing the blade at the black-robed youth, and sneered, "If I'm not mistaken, you should be the Ninth Prince of the Great Jin, 'Jin Rensu'!"
In an instant.
The faces of the black-clad woman and the middle-aged man in black robes changed slightly. They hadn't expected the other party to casually reveal the identity of the Ninth Prince.
The black-robed youth only frowned but remained silent.
The white-robed old man and the crimson-robed middle-aged man didn't even blink.
"It seems I didn't guess wrong," Wu Yuan said calmly. "I was just wondering what kind of person could make such a group of experts bow their heads in obedience."
In the current Great Jin Empire, there were over twenty imperial princes.
But only three received significant attention and were valued by various forces.
The Crown Prince, the Third Prince, and the Ninth Prince!
Especially the Ninth Prince, he is currently the only son of the Empress.
He's the legitimate son!
The three imperial princes each command a significant military force. The Ninth Prince took control of the three provinces of Jiangzhou six years ago, making him the de facto highest authority of the Great Jin Empire in Jiangzhou and responsible for executing the strategy of the Great Jin's eastward expansion.
Even the three Grandmasters, nominally, have to obey the Ninth Prince's orders.
It can be said that the Hengyun Sect views the Great Jin Empire as a life-and-death enemy, and naturally, they are well-informed about the Ninth Prince.
Although Wu Yuan didn't pay much attention, he casually glanced at it during his visit to the Wealth Palace and, with his strong memory, naturally remembered most of it.
Just now, the mention of 'Senior Brother Wang' by the black-robed youth, combined with their ability to command this group of experts, confirmed Wu Yuan's identity.
The Great Jin Ninth Prince 'Jin Rensu,' and Wang Xiahe, both were disciples under the Grandmaster 'Sun Dongning.'
"Sir, indeed formidable," said the black-robed youth indifferently. "I am Jin Rensu, the Ninth Prince of Great Jin."
"Ninth Highness is straightforward," Wu Yuan said nonchalantly. "Fine, I won't hide it from Your Highness. I am indeed the Dark Blade."
There would always be an identity that comes to light, so what?
If the other party wanted to fight, then they would fight!
Moreover, Wu Yuan understood that by accepting the task to kill Wang Xiahe as the 'Dark Blade,' the Seven Stars Tower was aware of it.
As long as the Great Jin Empire wanted to investigate!
With its strength, finding out that 'Qianshan' and 'Dark Blade' were the same person would only be a matter of time.
"Really?" The black-robed youth's eyes narrowed slightly, and the gazes of the others towards Wu Yuan changed.
Naturally, they also suspected whether Wu Yuan was lying.
But considering the situation, impersonating the identity of 'Dark Blade' at this point would be meaningless!
"Dark Blade? If you really are Dark Blade," the white-robed old man spoke softly, "I won't deceive you. You do have a way out."
"Oh? I'd like to hear the details," Wu Yuan said casually.
"Join the Great Jin Empire!" The white-robed old man uttered six words.
"Join Great Jin?"
Wu Yuan revealed a playful smile, looking at the black-robed youth. "Ninth Highness, can you accept it? Can the entire Great Jin Empire accept it?"
"Under normal circumstances, it's naturally impossible," Jin Rensu's eyes were cold as he stared at Wu Yuan. "However, if you're willing to hand over the Chujiang Order, it might be considered a great merit, and naturally, it's possible."
"Not only will your crimes be forgiven."
"But we can also grant you everything you desire, whether it's normal techniques or secret arts, rare materials, or power and beautiful women, whatever you choose."
"If you want power, I can even suggest to His Majesty to grant you the title of a first-class marquis," Jin Rensu said slowly, word by word.
Several people beside him listened quietly.
No expression revealed.
These matters had been discussed by them all along their journey.
"Is that so?" Wu Yuan smiled, "So, this Chujiang Order is so precious. Listening to it makes one tempted."
"It's a pity that you've miscalculated. I, Dark Blade, have no interest in power, nor do I seek beauty."
"As for secret arts? Techniques? Heh!"
"I don't care."
"What I pursue is to become a grandmaster, even to reach the Heavenly Rankings!"
"I think what I want, the Emperor of Great Jin can't give me." Wu Yuan said lightly, "After all, in Great Jin, only the founding emperor is referred to as 'Jin Emperor.'"
The Great Jin Empire, only the founding emperor is called the 'Jin Emperor.'
And afterwards, they are all simply called 'Jin Emperor.'
Wu Yuan's words made everyone's expression change.
In his words, there was not a hint of respect for the current Jin Emperor.
"Dark Blade, I'm generous enough."
"Fine, I'll give you one last chance. Hand over the Chujiang Order, and I'll spare your life."
"You think I would carry such a treasure on me?" Wu Yuan sneered.
Jin Rensu and the white-robed old man's pupils contracted.
This was their most worrying situation.
"Enough!"
"I don't have time to waste with you anymore. I've learned the information I wanted." Wu Yuan's voice suddenly turned cold. "Ninth Highness, I have no intention of joining the Great Jin Empire, nor do I want to be your enemy."
"Hope Your Highness doesn't force me," Wu Yuan lifted his long knife.
Killing Wang Xiahe wouldn't affect the situation of the Great Jin Empire or the Hengyun Sect; at most, it would cause a slight disturbance.
But killing the Ninth Prince?
He was the legitimate imperial son, the one with the highest chance of ascending to the position of the Crown Prince. Once he died, it would trigger a significant upheaval within the Great Jin Empire.
Although using the identity of the 'Dark Blade' seemed unrelated to the Hengyun Sect, who could predict how the Jin Emperor would react?
Would he fly into a rage, using this as an excuse to once again stir up war with the Hengyun Sect? Everything was unknown.
So, Wu Yuan wasn't eager to take action.
Furthermore, there was a sensed threat in the air.
"Am I forcing you?"
The Ninth Prince gritted his teeth, his eyes seemingly ready to spew flames. "You killed my senior brother, slaughtered my army, and now you want to blame me for forcing you?"
He suddenly turned his head, looking at the white-robed old man, almost growling, "Uncle Jin, do you still want to continue persuading?"
The white-robed old man shook his head slightly, closing his eyes.
Suddenly, he opened them and uttered a single word, "Kill!"
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The white-robed old man, the black-clad woman, and the indifferent middle-aged man who had been observing everything.
They all erupted at the same time!
The eruption speed of the three high-level experts was terrifying, especially the middle-aged man in red, undoubtedly exceeding two hundred meters per second!
Like a phantom, causing bursts of sonic booms.
It's worth noting that the distance between Wu Yuan and them was only about a hundred meters.
In other words, the middle-aged man in red had reached Wu Yuan in less than half a second.
"Swoosh! Swoosh!"
Two black short spears cut through the air, thrusting directly at Wu Yuan, as fast as lightning, creating a series of sonic booms in mid-air.
"Dark Blade, you're seeking death," the white-robed old man, with a sudden appearance of a long sword, wielded it with elusive swordsmanship.
Only the black-clad woman was slightly slower, but her twin blades still whistled.
Half a second, very brief.
However, for a high-level expert like Wu Yuan, their spiritual power was immense, and their thinking response speed and physical reaction speed were more than ten times that of an ordinary person.
"Swoosh!"
Wu Yuan dodged like lightning, avoiding the full-force thrust of the middle-aged man in red. His knife swung out, attacking the other spear of the middle-aged man in red.
Rapid as lightning!
"Boom!"
The clash of the knife and spear, the terrifying force generated a shockwave that instantly swept in all directions, kicking up dust and rocks.
Wu Yuan understood in that brief moment that it would be challenging to kill the middle-aged man in red in a short time. He swiftly bypassed him, heading straight for the second assailant, the white-robed old man.
The white-robed old man stared at Wu Yuan.
Meanwhile, the middle-aged man in red retreated violently, feeling a numbness in his arm and a hint of fear on his face. "Not good! Retreat quickly!"
Unfortunately.
Too late!
Wu Yuan had already collided with the white-robed old man, and strands of terrifying sword light emanated from the white-robed old man's hands.
Like a peacock unfolding its tail.
Gorgeous!
Beautiful!
But it contained an overwhelming killing intent.
"Uncle Jin's swordsmanship." The Ninth Prince, Jin Rensu, had a glimmer of expectation in his eyes.
The confrontation between martial arts masters was too swift.
At this moment, even he, standing farthest away, hadn't heard the angry roar of the middle-aged man in red.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
The clash of knife and sword, as if they collided more than a dozen times in an instant.
The white-robed old man's swordsmanship was terrifying!
Dazzling!
In terms of combat skills, he was not inferior to Mo Jingchen, perhaps even more formidable.
And his physical fitness remained at its peak.
He witnessed the moment when Wu Yuan and the middle-aged man in red clashed, knowing Wu Yuan was formidable. Therefore, he directly employed his secret technique.
But Wu Yuan, too, was erupting with full force.
Triple Force! A terrifying eruption of 480,000 kilograms!
"Qianshan," his body's muscles and bones oscillated to the peak.
Second-level Domain Control, blending into the environment!
At this moment, Wang Xiaohe's Divine Weapon, in Wu Yuan's hands, erupted with an unprecedented sharpness, overwhelming everything silently.
"Splat!"
The ninth strike, a head soared high!
To death.
The white-robed old man's eyes were filled with an incredulous expression. In an instant, he recalled scenes from his life, filled with unwillingness.
He considered himself the Imperial Tutor.
Never did he think he would die here?
Darkness annihilated his last trace of consciousness.
33rd on the Shengzhou Human Ranking, Jin Tan Ying.
Dead!
Shengzhou, the largest state in the world, and with Jin Tan Ying's strength, if placed in Jiangzhou, he would easily rank in the top ten.
Like lightning, Wu Yuan killed the white-robed old man.
However, Wu Yuan's speed did not pause. In an instant, he passed by the black-clad woman, whose face was filled with fear and astonishment.
"Swoosh!" Blades clashed.
"Splat!"
The black-clad woman staggered suddenly, using momentum to roll forward, kicking up mud and water.
Blood flowed from her neck.
53rd on the Jiangzhou Human Ranking, Bai Yumeng, dead!
In the blink of an eye, two of the three top experts were dead! This scene left the Ninth Prince, Jin Rensu, in shock.
What's happening?
In his understanding, while Wu Yuan's strength was good, his three top experts should have easily captured him, especially the middle-aged man in red.
It should have been an open-and-shut case!
At this moment, the enraged roar of the middle-aged man in red spread. He, like lightning, attacked Wu Yuan.
However, Wu Yuan, who had just killed the black-clad woman, swiftly moved again, like a lightning bolt, directly attacking the Ninth Prince.
This was his true target.
The Ninth Prince?
The legitimate imperial son of the Great Jin Empire?
Wu Yuan simply didn't want to kill, didn't want to instigate war right now, but if the other party dared to make a move, he wasn't afraid either.
So what if he turns the world upside down?
"Escape!" Ninth Prince Jin Rensu's face was filled with fear as he involuntarily retreated backward.
Although his physical fitness had reached the 'Second Grade,' in terms of actual combat ability, he ranked at the bottom among top experts.
Facing Wu Yuan?
He had no confidence!
"Swoosh!" Without hesitation, Wu Yuan directly threw a flying knife.
Several hundred thousand kilograms of force infused.
"Swoosh~" The flying knife shot out, displaying a terrifying speed that absolutely exceeded the speed of sound.
A direct hit on Jin Rensu.
With Wu Yuan's current terrifying strength, coupled with the skill of 'Second-level Domain Control,' this flying knife would be difficult for anyone in the top ten of the Jiangzhou Human Ranking to defend against.
Too fast!
Fast enough that even though the middle-aged man in red exerted all his strength to defend, he still couldn't catch up with this flying knife.
And in that moment.
"Boom!"
In Wu Yuan's vision, a slightly blurry human figure suddenly appeared. He had rushed out from the jungle behind.
Speed.
Absolutely exceeding three hundred meters per second!
In almost an instant, he had crossed a distance of over a hundred meters.
Terrifying speed, creating a wave of terror, making all the grass along the way bend down, and countless rocks and mud splattered.
Directly blocking Wu Yuan and Ninth Prince Jin Rensu in the center.
A terrifying shadow of a cudgel swept by.
"Bang~" The flying knife, as fast as lightning, was thunderously knocked away, instantly flying out and hitting a distant huge rock.
"Boom~" The giant rock exploded with a deafening roar, sending countless stone fragments flying.
The figure did not move again, the afterimage only now revealing its true form.
As for the Ninth Prince, Jin Rensu, he also stopped in shock, looking at Wu Yuan with fear. He even showed a hint of joy when he saw the figure before him, saying, "Uncle Chen, you're here?"
Wu Yuan also came to a halt, staring intently at the figure.
It was a burly man, just under six feet tall, with a square face, short hair, dressed in black armor and boots. Only his head and arms were exposed.
In his hands, he held a simple metal staff, faintly blue, bearing the marks of weapon clashes.
At the tip of the staff, there was a glimmer of daunting light.
Standing there, he resembled a towering mountain, exuding an incredibly formidable aura!
"Grandmaster!"
"This is definitely a grandmaster." Wu Yuan stared at the figure, gripping his war knife even tighter.
When Jin Rensu and the others arrived earlier, Wu Yuan didn't immediately take action. Apart from mere curiosity, he sensed an elusive aura hundreds of meters away in the dense forest, which made him suspicious and hesitant.
Now, Wu Yuan finally confirmed 100%.
A grandmaster had indeed arrived.
And!
From the figure's height, weapon, and the way Jin Rensu addressed him, Wu Yuan had a rough idea of his identity.
One of the Twelve Grandmasters of Jiangzhou - Chen Luo.
Ranked 116th on the Earth Rankings, skilled in staff techniques!
Wu Yuan's thought process had made it clear to him that while his spiritual power was formidable, his sensory abilities were not invincible. Sensing opponents below grandmaster level was clear, but for grandmasters reaching the limits of human capability, it was challenging to perceive them. Grandmasters had the terrifying ability to conceal their presence.
Swish!
The middle-aged man in red quickly arrived next to Jin Rensu and Grandmaster Chen Luo.
"Master Chen!" The middle-aged man in red bowed his head, extremely respectful.
Even someone as proud as him, self-proclaimed near-invulnerable below the grandmaster level, still lowered his head in the presence of a true grandmaster.
In the Central Lands, the gap between a grandmaster and those below them was insurmountable.
For thousands of years, few warriors could break this tradition.
"Uncle Chen, kill him! You must kill him!" Jin Rensu suddenly pointed at Wu Yuan and shouted.
His eyes were full of hatred.
How could he not hate? As a prince, it was extremely challenging to recruit top-tier experts, especially those ranked high on the Earth Rankings. People wouldn't easily join others.
The white-robed old man and the black-clad woman he had recruited with great effort were deeply trusted individuals.
"Pa!" A resounding slap struck his face heavily, leaving Jin Rensu dazed.
"Uncle Chen." Jin Rensu was somewhat confused.
"Haven't you sobered up yet? Encounter a little trouble, and hatred clouds your judgment, recklessly seeking revenge." Chen Luo's voice was deep, with a hint of coldness. "What's the result? If I hadn't arrived, you would've been dead yourself."
"With your temperament, will His Majesty feel assured handing the fate of Great Jin to you in the future?"
"But I..." Jin Rensu was about to speak.
"Pa~" Another slap.
"When your elders are teaching you, listen!" Chen Luo's voice was cold, the staff pointing to the two top-notch experts' corpses on the ground. "Look closely, two top-notch experts died because of you."
"Boom~" The massive rock exploded, sending countless fragments flying.
The figure remained motionless, and the afterimage finally solidified into reality.
As for Prince Ji Ren Su, he, too, stopped in shock, staring at Wu Yuan with a mix of fear and a hint of joy. "Uncle Chen, you're here?"
Wu Yuan also came to a halt, locking eyes with the figure before him.
This was a burly man standing less than six feet tall, with a square face, short hair, and dressed in black armor and boots. Only his head and arms were exposed. In his hands, he held a simple, ancient-looking metal staff with a faint bluish tint, seemingly marked by the traces of weapon collisions.
Standing there, he exuded a terrifying aura, akin to a towering mountain.
"Grandmaster!"
"So, you're the Dark Blade?" Chen Yuan's gaze finally fell on Wu Yuan, filled with curiosity and a killing intent. "I never expected you to be an almost Grandmaster-level expert."
"Almost a Grandmaster?" Both the middle-aged man in the red robe and Prince Ji Ren Su shuddered, realizing the horror they had provoked.
"Almost a Grandmaster?" Wu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "So what?"
"However, it seems your realm has touched upon the 'unity of man and nature,' truly peculiar," Chen Yuan said softly. "You give me the feeling of vibrant life, not someone in their seventies or eighties."
"Really peculiar."
"Can you tell me why?" Chen Yuan stared at Wu Yuan, curious and menacing.
"Humph." Wu Yuan snorted but offered no explanation.
He understood the implications. In the Central World, a normal second-rank warrior, regardless of talent or effort, could only enhance their physical qualities to around 160,000 to 180,000 jin. This was the limit. Further progress was nearly impossible through external means.
Only by mastering the 'balance of strength and flexibility,' gradually touching upon 'control of the environment,' could one truly explore their body to the fullest.
Reaching the limit of human potential.
By Chen Yuan's discerning eyes, he easily recognized that Wu Yuan's recent power surge had reached 160,000 jin, barely qualifying as an elite second-rank warrior. However, Wu Yuan's combat skills were top-notch.
As for the unity of man and nature?
Chen Yuan found it perplexing. If Wu Yuan possessed such exceptional combat skills, his physical qualities should have already advanced to the first-rank level. In normal circumstances, there were only two possibilities.
Either Wu Yuan was still in a growth phase, destined to progress to the first-rank naturally.
Or, he was an aged warrior like Mo Jingchen, who, despite their high-level combat skills, couldn't make a breakthrough due to the decline of vitality and blood.
"Don't want to talk?" Chen Yuan stared at Wu Yuan and whispered, "Dark Blade, if you tell me, maybe I'll spare your life."
"Spare my life?" Wu Yuan shook his head. "Are all you people from Great Jin this foolish? Even the Grandmasters are no exception to your rhetoric."
"Can't you change your script?" Wu Yuan sneered. Chen Yuan fell silent, while Prince Ji Ren Su and the middle-aged man in the red robe were astonished. Facing a Grandmaster, Wu Yuan still dared to be so arrogant?
"Do you really think you can escape from me?" Chen Yuan said softly.
"Chen Yuan." Wu Yuan chuckled. "People all over the world remember you by the title of Grandmaster, but I first remembered your name ten years ago."
"Showdown at Hengshan!"
"Haha, Master Yu of the Hengyun Sect directly defeated you, almost causing the Great Jin army to collapse!"
"If it weren't for your Great Jin Eastern King Jin Jiu arriving in time and stopping Master Yu."
"Just with you? I'm afraid you would have died at the hands of Master Yu." Wu Yuan sneered, "I really didn't put you in my eyes."
Silence fell.
Ninth Prince Jin Rensu and the middle-aged man in the red robe stared blankly at Wu Yuan.
Right! They were all speaking the truth.
But, provoking a master-level expert like this? What good could come out of it?
"You, seeking death!" Chen Luo's eyes burst with a cold light.
Being a master, he had his demeanor.
But actions speak louder than words.
The Battle of Hengshan ended with the victory of the Great Jin.
However, it was a battle of shame for him.
As a young master, not yet sixty years old, at the peak of his life, he was almost killed by a nearly hundred-year-old master.
How miserable.
"Chen Luo!" Wu Yuan suddenly shouted, his eyes bursting with the will to fight, "Two options: let me go, and today's events will end here."
"Second option, fight me, maybe you can kill me."
"But." Wu Yuan raised his long knife, pointing it at Ninth Prince Jin Rensu, saying word by word, "He will die!"
This was a blatant threat.
Jin Rensu's eyes flickered with fear.
Even if he trusted Chen Luo greatly, being threatened by a supreme expert nearly at the master level would instill fear in anyone.
"Dark Blade, today."
"I don't care who you are, I don't care if you have a master behind you." Chen Luo's eyes burst with killing intent, "You, are dead!"
"Li Zi, protect His Highness."
Boom!
Chen Luo suddenly rushed forward, his speed skyrocketing to almost the speed of sound, fiercely swinging his long staff.
"Boom!"
The staff fell like a collapsing sky, imposing and directly smashing towards Wu Yuan!
"Good timing." Wu Yuan stared fixedly at the rapidly enlarging metal staff in his line of sight, and his whole body surged with hot blood.
Master! Master!
Finally, in this world, he was about to fight against a true master standing at the pinnacle of martial arts!
Is there confidence?
Wu Yuan had no confidence at all.
But!
"Wandering the world, battling on all sides, how can every battle be certain? Only through a battle will one know whether they will live or die." Wu Yuan's eyes were filled with overwhelming battle intent.
"Swoosh!" The dazzling light of the knife flashed.
Facing a master-level expert, Wu Yuan didn't dare to hold back at all. In an instant, the two major techniques, "Thousand Mountains" and "Wandering Shadow," erupted simultaneously.
"Pong!"
With a muffled sound, an invisible shockwave instantly erupted, impacting in all directions.
Even Ninth Prince Jin Rensu and the middle-aged man in the red robe, standing nearly two hundred meters away, could clearly feel it.
Boom!
Wu Yuan, like a shooting star, was violently thrown back hundreds of meters, directly smashing into the riverbank, creating waves that soared over ten meters.
"Boom!" Chen Luo leaped forward again, like a phantom, he rushed out hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye, charging towards Wu Yuan.
A faint rumble erupted in the air.
Obviously, as a master-level expert, Chen Luo's combat skills had reached a terrifying level, even if not on par with Wu Yuan, the difference wasn't substantial.
Both were at the Controlling Realm.
"Boom!" The staff came crashing down toward Wu Yuan's head. If this blow landed solidly, Wu Yuan's head would undoubtedly explode.
In a martial artist's clash, life and death hung in the balance.
Swoosh! Wu Yuan's figure distorted, like a gust of wind, instantly dodging this terrifying staff. At the same time, he launched an attack towards the opponent.
But the staff was directly blocked.
"Master, truly worthy of being a master!" Wu Yuan's eyes burned with excitement, "In this battle, I can't confront you head-on; otherwise, I would undoubtedly lose."
"A staff, is a heavy weapon."
"But, Chen Luo, I told you, you come to kill me, he will die!" Wu Yuan suddenly turned to the side, exerted force with his legs, and shot up hundreds of meters, heading straight for Jin Rensu.
---(End of this chapter)
Chapter 100 - Kill! Kill! Battling Two Thousand Miles
Swoosh! Wu Yuan had just stepped out hundreds of meters when he suddenly sensed a terrifying force attacking.
Whoosh! The long knife slashed horizontally!
"Pong~" A dreadful collision, a visible shockwave surged in all directions. Wu Yuan was thrown back dozens of meters, and his legs left two distinct marks on the ground.
The impact force from the previous staff strike.
After the recent exchange, Wu Yuan had realized that it was nearly impossible to defeat Master Chen Luo head-on!
In terms of strength, Wu Yuan stably unleashed 480,000 jin!
But Master Chen Luo? Judging by the collision just now, he estimated the opponent's power to be around 650,000 jin, with a basic single-arm punching strength of about 210,000 jin.
There was a considerable gap between them.
Although Wu Yuan's combat skills were higher, allowing him to merge with the surrounding environment, reducing air resistance significantly.
This made his knife techniques more swift and formidable.
But he had just entered this realm, and the intensity of controlling the surroundings would become increasingly unstable during high-speed movement and fighting.
On the other hand.
Different from the opponents he encountered earlier, Master Chen Luo's every move was nearly flawless, obviously reaching the level of controlling the surroundings.
In short.
Wu Yuan's slight advantage in combat skills couldn't compensate for the gap in strength.
Moreover, the difference in physical qualities included not only strength but also speed, resistance to blows, and many other aspects.
The more crucial point!
Weapons.
"With my full force, I can vaguely sense the limit of this divine blade's power." Wu Yuan thought, "A third-grade divine weapon may not be suitable for a battle with a Master."
Third-grade divine weapons are usually used by top experts.
Masters, who can unleash at least 600,000 jin of strength, generally wield second-grade divine weapons for their main combat weapons and inner armor.
Moreover.
Many Masters have first-grade divine weapons, which significantly enhance their strength.
The advantage of weapons cannot be ignored, given equal strength.
Master Chen Luo's weapon was the second-grade divine weapon 'Blue Flame Staff.'
Once swung, it erupted like layers of intense fire and thunder, widely renowned and recorded in the 'World Ranking.'
Just now, Wu Yuan had experienced the power of the Blue Flame Staff.
"Haha! So, Masters also need to use secret techniques to catch up with me?" Wu Yuan laughed heartily, "Chen Luo, let's see how many times you can protect him."
Slowly spoken.
When Wu Yuan completely unloaded all his strength and spoke casually, without hesitation, he exerted force with his legs again and rushed forward.
Wu Yuan's instant burst speed had undoubtedly reached the speed of sound!
Terrifyingly fast.
"Get lost!" Chen Luo's face turned iron blue. His figure flashed and became blurred, blocking in front of Wu Yuan, sweeping his staff.
In terms of burst speed, he was faster than Wu Yuan.
In fact.
Whether it was Chen Luo or Wu Yuan, their highest sprint speed could break through the speed of sound, but it required a buildup.
Instant burst? Wu Yuan could only reach nearly 300 meters per second!
Chen Luo could also approach the speed of sound.
Of course, both of them were using secret techniques, forcefully exerting power through the rapid resonance of muscles and bones, bursting out terrifying speeds.
Difficult to sustain for a long time.
"Die!" Chen Luo held the staff with one hand, his steps staggered, approaching closely. A series of staff shadows covered the sky, unstoppable like surging waves.
Chapter 100: Kill! Kill! Battle Across Two Thousand Miles
Swoosh! Wu Yuan had just leaped forward for over a hundred meters when he suddenly sensed a terrifying force coming at him.
Whoosh! The long knife slashed horizontally!
"Pong~" A terrifying collision, a visible shockwave spreading in all directions. Wu Yuan was forced back dozens of meters, leaving two distinct marks on the ground with his legs.
This was the force of the staff that he had just avoided.
Through their recent exchange, Wu Yuan had realized that winning against Master Chen Luo in a head-on clash was almost impossible.
In terms of strength, Wu Yuan could stably unleash a force of 480,000 jin! However, Master Chen Luo, based on the collision just now, could unleash approximately 650,000 jin, with a basic single-arm punching force of around 210,000 jin.
There was a considerable gap between them.
Although Wu Yuan's combat skills were higher, allowing him to integrate with the surrounding environment and reduce air resistance, making his knife techniques more swift and fearsome, he had just entered this level. In high-speed combat, the stability of his Controlling Realm intensity would become more unstable.
On the other hand, unlike previous opponents, Master Chen Luo's techniques were also close to perfection at the Controlling Realm level.
In short, Wu Yuan's slight advantage in combat skills couldn't compensate for the difference in strength.
Moreover, the gap in physical qualities extended beyond just strength; it included speed, resistance to attacks, and various other aspects.
And more importantly!
Weapons.
"When I unleash my full strength, I can faintly sense the limits of this divine knife." Wu Yuan thought to himself, "A third-grade divine weapon may not be suitable for a battle against a master."
Third-grade divine weapons were typically used by top experts. Masters, who could unleash at least 600,000 jin of force, usually used second-grade divine weapons for their main combat weapons and inner armor.
Many masters even had first-grade divine weapons, greatly enhancing their strength.
The advantage of weapons was significant when both sides had similar strengths.
Master Chen Luo's weapon was the second-grade divine weapon 'Azure Flame Staff.'
Once wielded, it erupted like multiple layers of intense fire and thunder, gaining significant fame recorded in the 'World Rankings.'
Wu Yuan had just experienced the power of the Azure Flame Staff.
"Haha! So, even a master has to resort to secret techniques to catch up with me?" Wu Yuan, with his mind racing, laughed, "Chen Luo, I wonder how many times you can protect him."
This was said deliberately and slowly.
As Wu Yuan withdrew, dispelling all his strength, he spoke without hesitation, legs pushing off again, surging forward.
Wu Yuan's instant burst speed had undoubtedly reached the speed of sound!
Terrifyingly fast.
"Get out of the way!" Chen Luo's face turned iron-blue. His figure blurred just like Wu Yuan's, blocking in front of him, sweeping the staff in a crosswise motion.
In terms of burst speed, Chen Luo was even faster than Wu Yuan.
In reality.
Whether it was Chen Luo or Wu Yuan, their highest sprinting speed could surpass the speed of sound, but it required a buildup of power.
Instant burst? Wu Yuan could only reach nearly 300 meters per second!
Chen Luo was similarly close to the speed of sound.
Of course, both of them used secret techniques, leveraging the high-speed resonance of muscles and bones to forcefully release power, achieving terrifying speeds that were difficult to maintain for an extended period.
"Die!" Chen Luo wielded the staff with one hand, his steps intertwined, closing in. Wave after wave of staff shadows covered the sky, unstoppable like surging waves.
---
Staff! It's a heavy weapon.
It's shorter than a spear but more flexible; longer than a sword, seemingly not sharp, but heavier. Whether sweeping, smashing, thrusting, or cleaving, it has tremendous power.
Moreover, with the terrifying force unleashed by a master, even a fierce jab like that of a long spear would make people hesitate to block.
"Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!" Wu Yuan defended with his knife, his steps swift as lightning, retreating all the way!
Every inch stronger. Wu Yuan's knife was even shorter, so logically, to have a chance to win, he had to engage in close combat.
However, Chen Luo's staff was too heavy, to the point where Wu Yuan dared not directly resist.
He could only choose to continuously retreat and unload the force!
At the same time, Wu Yuan continuously activated the blood-colored mist, minimizing physical fatigue to the maximum extent, enabling himself to endure prolonged combat.
"Master, is this the power of a master in battle?" Wu Yuan's eyes burned with excitement, unable to hide his shock, "Even stronger than I expected!"
Everything about the master before was just Wu Yuan's speculation based on his own experiences and books.
It was only through actual combat that he realized how powerful a master could be.
In fact, Wu Yuan didn't really want to fight Chen Luo head-on. After all, engaging in a life-and-death battle without absolute certainty was extremely risky.
But if the opponent wanted a fight, Wu Yuan was equally fearless.
"Something's wrong! How can his knife techniques and movements be so fast?"
Similarly, Chen Luo became increasingly shocked and uneasy as the battle went on, thinking, "Clearly, his strength is this strong. Logically, under my relentless attacks, even a high-level expert like Li Zi should be beaten to death by me after dozens of consecutive staff strikes!"
Li Zi was already the most top-notch figure in the Human Rankings. Stepping into the master realm was just a matter of time.
In Chen Luo's estimation, even if Wu Yuan was stronger than Li Zi, it should still be within limits.
In theory, after the fierce battle so far, Wu Yuan should at least be heavily injured, if not dead.
But the result was that Wu Yuan showed no signs of injury and fought more fiercely, seemingly retreating step by step but perfectly deflecting all of Chen Luo's attacks.
It was simply unbelievable!
Clearly, weaker in strength, but only slightly disadvantaged.
It could only mean one thing.
"The combat skills of this Dark Blade are even more advanced than mine," Chen Luo finally realized this and put away his pride.
Previously, he had only perceived Wu Yuan's superior combat skills without a clear understanding.
Now.
The more he watched and sensed, the more he was shocked, "Harmony of Heaven and Man, divided into three levels: Intuition, Body Fusion, and Unity. Ordinary masters usually reach only the 'Intuition' level."
"This Dark Blade has definitely reached the 'Body Fusion' level."
"No mistake!" Chen Luo finally fully confirmed that the strands of knife light, silent and almost unable to stir the air, were indeed the hallmark of 'Body Fusion.'
The body completely integrated into the environment, whether it was air, water flow, or other combat environments, nothing formed a barrier anymore, allowing one's strength to be truly unleashed to the extreme.
And the enemy would still be affected by the environment.
The displayed strength of both sides would naturally be vastly different, even with the same explosive power.
It must be noted that Chen Luo was only at the 'Intuition' level and was continuously striving to reach the 'Body Fusion' level.
Therefore, he quickly judged Wu Yuan's
realm.
"This Dark Blade, who is he? Which immortal old man or genius appeared out of nowhere?" In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Chen Luo's mind.
Various names flashed by.
But none fit.
Unable to figure it out, Chen Luo gave up.
"Regardless of who you are, today, you will die." Chen Luo's eyes were icy, and he said coldly, "Your combat skills might be superior to mine, but only to a limited extent."
"My physical qualities are much higher than yours. Strength, speed, stamina, endurance – I am stronger in all aspects. I don't believe I can't beat you to death." Chen Luo was full of confidence.
This was the confidence brought by a powerful physique.
"Clang!" "Clang!"
Whether in direct confrontation or sidestepping, both sides were giving their all in the intense struggle, colliding time and time again.
One attacking, the long staff whistled horizontally, with an offensive like a mountain and a tsunami, as if trying to completely engulf the opponent!
One defending, the battle knife heavy and ancient, each knife light defended without leaking, giving the opponent no chance to exploit.
... "Too terrifying!"
"Is this the level of a battle between masters?"
"The Battle of Masters?" Li Zi, the middle-aged man in a crimson robe, Ninth Prince Jinren Su, and the weakest among them, the middle-aged man in a black robe known as 'Nan Shou.'
All three stared dumbfounded at the scene.
Whether it was Chen Luo or Wu Yuan, the strength they unleashed was too terrifying. Wherever they went, countless sand and stones scattered, massive rocks shattered, and the ground showed numerous cracks. Even the trees on the riverside continuously fell.
Nothing could stop their footsteps.
The collision speed of the two masters surpassed the speed of sound.
"Masters! So, this is a master!" Ninth Prince Jinren Su stared, "Is this the limit of the human body's strength?"
Li Zi also stared, filled with longing.
He had been practicing for decades, and the gap to step into the master realm was only the last thread. However, this thread was like a heavenly moat, blocking him, making it difficult to break through.
"This level of combat?" The middle-aged man in the black robe shivered as he watched. As a top-notch expert, he was usually quite confident.
But now?
The clash between Wu Yuan and Chen Luo was too fast for him to see clearly. He could only sense the terrifying aftermath of the battle.
Any random wave could kill him.
"Li Shi, who do you think will win?" Ninth Prince Jinren Su couldn't help asking, a hint of worry in his eyes.
At this point, considering Wu Yuan as a Human Rankings expert would be foolish.
Regardless of physical qualities.
For martial artists, combat power was the only criterion. Being able to fight against Master Chen Luo to this extent was undoubtedly a testament to Dark Blade's mastery. In their eyes, Dark Blade was already a master!
"Winning? Naturally, Master Chen Luo has a better chance of winning." Li Zi stood beside Ninth Prince Jinren Su and said softly, "Look, Master Chen Luo's staff techniques are nearly perfect. Every strike forces Dark Blade to continuously retreat, without daring to resist."
Jinren Su nodded. Although his physical qualities were decent, his combat skills were ordinary. He could barely discern the overall situation, but the details?
He couldn't distinguish them.
"Dark Blade's combat skills are also terrifying." Li Zi's eyes sparkled, tightly focused, "I feel like, in terms of skills, Dark Blade might be even stronger than Master Chen Luo?"
He didn't want to miss any details of the two master experts' fight.
Such a rare and hard-to-come-by battle, if he could comprehend something from it, it would be of great help to him.
"Dark Blade stronger?" Jinren Su was taken aback.
"Only in terms of skills, I do have that feeling." Li Zi said, "Of course, in a life-and-death battle, combat skills are essential, but physical qualities are also crucial."
"Very clear."
"Master Chen Luo's physical qualities are much stronger." Li Zi said solemnly, "At the end of their battle, with an eighty percent probability, Master Chen Luo will win!"
Jinren Su nodded slightly.
Li Zi glanced at Jinren Su, and there was something he didn't say. If not for protecting Jinren Su, with his strength, he could barely participate in this level of confrontation.
In that case, the chances of winning would be even greater.
"Li Shi, it seems like Master Chen Luo and Dark Blade are getting farther away." Jinren Su was puzzled. "They are already five or six li away from us."
With the vision of top-notch experts, seeing a hundred miles away without obstruction was not difficult.
"Yeah, maybe Dark Blade wants to escape, but his speed is much slower. He can't get away." Li Zi smiled.
The confrontation between the two masters, at a distance, would naturally make them feel more relaxed.
Suddenly.
"Something's wrong."
The middle-aged man in the black robe beside them changed his face slightly. "Your Highness, it seems like Dark Blade is charging towards us."
"Don't worry, Uncle Chen will stop him." Jinren Su smiled faintly, appearing very confident.
"Not good."
However, Li Zi's face changed. "Master Chen's speed seems to be a bit slower than Dark Blade. What's going on?"
"Really?" Jinren Su's face changed as well, no longer caring about appearances. "Li Shi, run!"
"Swoosh! Swoosh!" Two top-notch experts quickly fled.
...
"Boom! Boom!" Two terrifying shadows were swiftly crossing the already devastated wasteland at a terrifying speed.
Both had surpassed the speed of sound!
Wherever they went, a fearsome shockwave lifted countless sand, stones, and dust, as if two hurricanes were raging.
Of course, it was Wu Yuan and Chen Luo.
"Dark Blade, stop running!" Chen Luo roared, exerting all his strength. His speed had skyrocketed to the extreme, yet at this moment, he was still slightly slower than Wu Yuan.
Moreover.
In the situation where both were moving faster than the speed of sound, Chen Luo's words couldn't reach Wu Yuan's ears.
On the contrary.
"Chen Luo, you can't catch up." Wu Yuan's voice instantly reached Chen Luo's ears.
Because Chen Luo was the one chasing Wu Yuan.
"You can't win against Chen Luo, and you can't even kill a Jinren Su?" Wu Yuan's eyes burst with terrifying killing intent.
Speed, unleashed to the fullest.
Just now, both of them were using multiple 'secret techniques' at full throttle. Chen Luo had been suppressing Wu Yuan during the intense exchange.
However, the physical toll of such exertion on the body was immense. For an ordinary top-notch expert, they could sustain it for at most two breaths.
Originally, Chen Luo thought that with Wu Yuan's physical qualities, he could sustain it for at most two or three breaths. But unexpectedly, the two of them engaged in this frantic exchange for a full six breaths!
The first to give in was Chen Luo.
The eruption of a master was more terrifying! With nearly perfect physical qualities, they could endure much longer than an ordinary top-notch expert.
But there was still a limit.
Six breaths was Chen Luo's limit.
As time ran out, he could no longer sustain the eruption of 'secret techniques,' causing both his body speed and weapon movement speed to suddenly decline.
Wu Yuan intended to counterattack.
However, Chen Luo, shocked by Wu Yuan's terrifying 'endurance,' instantly shifted from attacking to defending, preventing any opening for Wu Yuan's assault.
No space was given for Wu Yuan's attack.
This made Wu Yuan fully understand that the huge gap in physical qualities made it impossible to kill a master.
If this continued, the crimson mist in Wu Yuan's Black Tower, which lasted for ten breaths, would eventually be depleted!
It should be noted.
In just the ten breaths of intense battle, about one-fifth of the crimson mist in Wu Yuan's Black Tower had been consumed.
More importantly, the full-force exchange with the master made Wu Yuan realize that the crimson mist couldn't eliminate fatigue indefinitely.
It made his physical strength and endurance much stronger, but there was still a limit. When that time came, even with the crimson mist, the body would collapse due to the unbearable strain.
Therefore, with a clear thought in mind.
Wu Yuan decided.
Run!
And before running, he naturally wanted to gain some benefits - killing Jinren Su!
"Boom!" Wu Yuan's normal sprinting speed was far from reaching the speed of sound.
Let alone compared to a master.
When a master, each capable of reaching the speed of sound at full speed, Wu Yuan, using 'Ghostly Movement,' elevated his speed to a terrifying level. The air resistance was almost negligible, reaching nearly five hundred meters per second.
Faster than 'Chen Luo,' who was temporarily unable to use his secret techniques, by a considerable margin.
He could open a gap of nearly a hundred meters in one second.
Of course, the consumption was also much greater!
"Eight li apart, fourteen seconds, catching up," Wu Yuan tightly focused on the two figures fleeing at high speed.
Li Zi's burst speed was not supposed to be this slow.
Unfortunately, with Jinren Su's movement speed, even if he used secret techniques, he could only reach the current level.
"Hmm? Stopped?" Wu Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly. "They're actually charging towards me in the opposite direction? Indeed clever!"
"But, can you guys stop us?"
"Li Shi." Jinren Su gritted his teeth. In this life-and-death moment, he chose to heed Li Zi's words and abruptly stopped with Li Zi.
No more fleeing.
Instead, in a crazy manner, they charged straight at Wu Yuan!
"Your Highness, Chen Master's speed has slowed down, and the secret technique has reached its limit. If we keep fleeing forward blindly, Chen Master and Dark Blade will only get further away. By then, we will have to face Dark Blade alone for half a breath." Li Zi urgently said, "Certain death!"
Half a breath, which is three seconds!
"But if we actively confront them, Chen Master will need at least one-third less time to catch up." Li Zi gritted his teeth.
Seeking life in death.
They had no choice! Faced with the attack of a master, they could only choose the option with a greater probability of survival.
"He's coming!" Li Zi protected Jinren Su, staring at the figure that was rushing towards them at a terrifying speed, the gleam of the blade exceptionally dazzling!
"Quick!"
"Faster! Damn Dark Blade, daring to deliberately deceive me and lead me away." Chen Luo's eyes turned red. He exploded at full speed, squeezing every ounce of strength.
However.
After the previous battle, his body was extremely fatigued. Thinking of using the secret technique again? It would exceed the body's endurance limit.
It would be difficult to recover in the future.
"Forbidden Technique! If His Majesty is willing to help me exchange for a forbidden technique from the 'Heavenly Beings,' why bother letting a Dark Blade be arrogant?" Chen Luo gritted his teeth, staring fixedly at Wu Yuan.
He had given his all.
But the distance between him and Wu Yuan was still widening.
... Boom! Boom! Boom!
Dust rose from the earth. In less than ten seconds, the distance between Wu Yuan and Jinren Su, Li Zi, and the others was reduced to five hundred meters.
In less than a second, the two sides would meet.
And Chen Luo was only less than two li behind Wu Yuan, and he would catch up in two or three seconds.
In other words.
The time given to Wu Yuan for slaughter was very brief.
"Dark Blade, this is the ninth prince of Da Jin, the one most valued by His Majesty. Don't delude yourself!" Li Zi urgently shouted.
The voice rolled over.
"The son of Emperor Jin? If he annoys me, I dare to kill even Emperor Jin!" Wu Yuan's speed showed no signs of slowing down; instead, it increased.
"Swoosh!" A strange light of the knife flashed, cutting through the several hundred meters of the empty sky.
"Kill!"
Li Zi gritted his teeth, exerting force with his legs, wielding dual guns to meet him. In an instant, his almost master-level strength completely erupted.
Not aiming to completely block Wu Yuan.
Just hoping to delay for two seconds.
"Clang!" "Clang!" The clash of the knife and gun. The two collided more than ten times in mid-air in an instant. The tremendous impact force contained in the knife light made Li Zi's blood and qi surge!
"Boom!"
"Boom!" One retreated violently, the other charged fiercely. The two fought fiercely over a hundred meters in an instant, and Li Zi unexpectedly withstood it.
Causing Wu Yuan's speed to sharply decrease.
"Swoosh!" Master Chen Luo landed with a thunderous step, then like a black streamer, he swiftly rushed across the land.
He was only a few hundred meters away from Wu Yuan!
"Get lost!" Wu Yuan suddenly swung his knife, causing Li Zi to retreat again. Although Li Zi reacted instantly and confronted him once more, it was in the blink of an eye.
But in this instant of electric spark.
"Swish!" "Swish!" "Swish!"
Three dreadful silver knife lights instantly slashed through the air without a sound, shooting like lightning towards Jinren Su.
And at this moment.
The two sides were only about two hundred meters apart.
"Not good!" Master Chen Luo's expression changed. He knew very well the terror of Wu Yuan's throwing knives.
"Kill!" Li Zi's reaction was equally swift. With two short guns in his hands, one stabbed towards Wu Yuan like lightning.
The other short gun was instinctively thrown out.
"Pong~" The thrown short gun was extremely fast. In an instant, it explosively collided with two flying knives, causing the two knives to burst and shoot off in other directions.
Only one flying knife remained!
The speed of the flying knife was terrifying, reaching an incredible "800 meters per second," leaving Jinren Su with almost no time to react.
"Kill!" Jinren Su's eyes fixed on that flying knife, feeling the imminent approach of death.
In the moment of life and death.
"Swoosh!" A flash of sword light passed, and he drew his own sword.
"Pong~"
Jinren Su felt a terrifying force rising. His arm was intensely painful, and the divine sword was forcefully thrown away. However, the flying knife also slightly changed direction under the force.
Ripping~ It almost grazed Jinren Su's scalp.
"I blocked it! I blocked a master's flying knife!" Jinren Su's mind just flashed a trace of joy.
"Spurt~"
Another flying knife shot like lightning, instantly hitting his head.
The terrifying force instantly penetrated, blood and shattered bones burst out, and the horrifying impact carried by the flying knife caused the headless corpse to be thrown several meters backward.
Falling heavily to the ground.
Jinren Su, the ninth prince of Da Jin, died!
This was Wu Yuan's customary use of throwing knives. After shooting out three flying knives in an instant, he would quickly follow up with another one.
It was the strongest outbreak of his hidden weapons.
"Dark Blade!" Chen Luo's eyes were bloodshot, roaring with endless killing intent, echoing through the heavens and the earth, making it difficult to extinguish even with the water of Yunjiang.
As for Li Zi?
He had no time to mourn for Jinren Su's death.
"Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!" Several lightning-fast clashes followed by a dreadful knife light.
"Splurt~" The knife light instantly passed by the only remaining short gun of Li Zi, crushing it violently. Along the gun barrel, it cut across the neck.
No blood was seen.
As Wu Yuan passed by without caring about Li Zi, he rushed directly towards Jinren Su's corpse.
"Bang~" At this moment, Li Zi's tall figure fell to the ground, and blood slowly flowed from his neck.
Fourth on the Holy State People List, Li Zi, died!
"If you held two guns, I would have to kill you and expend more effort, but you actually dared to throw out a gun to save someone? Just a single gun?" Wu Yuan flashed a thought.
Dual weapons were harder than single-handed ones because the difficulty increased in terms of force control.
If not mastered well, they were inferior to single-handed weapons.
But once mastered, their power would be greater.
"Dark Blade, you're dead!" An angry and extreme roar.
Boom! A long staff fiercely smashed down.
Chen Luo finally caught up.
"Bang~" Wu Yuan swung his knife to meet the attack, his expression indifferent. It was another lightning-fast collision, and the whole person quickly retreated hundreds of meters.
He rushed to Jinren Su's body.
"No treasures?" Wu Yuan's gaze swept across. Apart from weapons and the armor wrapped around him, he didn't see any other treasures.
This shouldn't be!
The dignified Ninth Prince of Da Jin, actually carrying no items with him?
"Wristguard?" Wu Yuan glanced again and found something peculiar about the wristguard on the opponent's right arm.
At this moment, a master was crazily chasing from behind.
With no time to think for Wu Yuan, he instinctively swung his long knife, following up with a slight tip of the blade.
"Splurt~" The arm snapped in the middle.
The wristguard flew up and fell into Wu Yuan's palm.
Swoosh!
Wu Yuan flashed and covered hundreds of meters, like a gust of wind, his figure slightly distorted, avoiding the fierce blow of the furious long staff.
The green flame staff swept through, and a large tree instantly broke in the middle.
"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"
Enraged, Chen Luo's staff shadows filled the sky, forcing Wu Yuan to flee frantically, not daring to confront him directly.
Suddenly.
"Chen Luo, take care of the corpse." A loud shout, and Wu Yuan abruptly turned around with a fierce blade light, ferocious to the extreme.
"Hmm?" Chen Luo's expression changed slightly, a staff sweeping over.
"Clang~"
Wu Yuan's seemingly fierce knife contained little force. It just used the force to retreat in an instant, followed by a surge in speed.
Once again, he opened up the distance with Chen Luo!
"Escape!"
Wu Yuan shot away for hundreds of meters, fleeing madly towards a farther direction, leaving only a blurry trail.
Fight again? He had felt the waves of fatigue in his body.
Even the blood-red mist couldn't completely eliminate it.
"Escape? I don't believe you can maintain the secret technique all the time." Chen Luo was furious, his figure flashing to continue chasing Wu Yuan.
With casualties so heavy.
Even the Ninth Prince Jinren Su had died; he couldn't face Emperor Jin without giving an explanation. How could he let Wu Yuan go like this?
As for collecting the corpses?
It should be noted that there was still a black-robed middle-aged man with the weakest strength. He was enough to guard the bodies and prevent them from being taken away by wild wolves.
The distance between the two quickly widened.
However, there was no joy on Wu Yuan's face.
Because.
Just as Chen Luo predicted, even if Wu Yuan had the blood-red mist, he couldn't maintain the explosive state indefinitely; there would always be an end and a limit.
Once the body became fatigued to the limit?
Even swinging a knife would be difficult, undoubtedly leading to death.
"I can't keep bursting all the time; I have to take a gamble." Wu Yuan's eyes turned red.
Deciding to fight a master was originally a gamble with his life!
In an instant, Wu Yuan gave up maintaining the state of "Ghostly Movement," greatly reducing the body's burden.
The speed also inevitably declined.
"At last, I can't hold on." Chen Luo's eyes were cold. He finally saw the hope of killing Wu Yuan.
It should be noted that his normal sprint speed was faster than Wu Yuan by a large margin.
This was the advantage of physical fitness.
In the blink of an eye.
On the vast wasteland, the two of them once again rushed out nearly ten li, and Chen Luo finally caught up with Wu Yuan.
"Die." Chen Luo swung the staff at Wu Yuan.
"Clang!" "Clang!"
Wu Yuan turned to face the battle, the blade roaring as it instantly met the overwhelming staff techniques.
The green staff opened and closed grandly, intending to crush Wu Yuan alive with its terrifying power.
It should be noted that with each clash, even with weapons and armor weakening the impact, the damage would accumulate, eventually reaching the limit of endurance.
Wu Yuan's knife skills were varied, either flowing like water or striking fiercely like lightning in advance.
He didn't give the opponent a chance to collide head-on.
Without the outbreak of secret techniques, the two, despite the gap in strength, found Wu Yuan's combat skills more sophisticated.
The difference wasn't that significant.
During the confrontation, once Chen Luo exerted force and slowed down his attacking speed, Wu Yuan would take the opportunity to swiftly escape for hundreds of meters.
Chen Luo could only continue the pursuit.
In this repeated cycle, in less than half an hour, the two masters repeatedly clashed. Wu Yuan managed to flee for dozens of miles.
The path they took was a scene of devastation.
"That's it, persist. I don't believe he can hold on longer than me." Wu Yuan fled madly, the blood-red mist continuously flowing into his limbs and bones, restoring his body's fatigue.
Under normal circumstances, Wu Yuan's endurance naturally couldn't match that of a true master.
But with the blood-red mist, everything became unpredictable.
"Ah! How can the combat power of this Dark Blade last so long?" Chen Luo was almost going crazy. "Clearly, he has been using secret techniques for so long, and we've been in consecutive battles for so long. Even if he is a master, theoretically, he should have reached his limit."
As a master, the time Chen Luo could maintain the secret technique was less than half of Wu Yuan's.
"Kill! Kill!"
"I must kill you, let's see how long you can hold on." Chen Luo gritted his teeth, unwilling to give up.
As Yunjiang made a large bend.
Wu Yuan continued straight, fleeing towards Baihuo Mansion.
...
At the foot of a small mountain, there was a farmhouse. Even in the dead of winter, a dark man stood guard at the top of the farmhouse.
Alert on all sides, guarding against any sudden bandit attacks.
Suddenly.
"What's that? Something's happening!" The dark man stared in shock at the terrifying figures whistling from a distance.
He immediately shouted, "Quick!"
Soon, the few martial artists in the house rushed out, all staring in amazement at the terrifying figures clashing on the distant ground.
The collision of god-like figures! Beyond their imagination.
They couldn't see it at all.
As the two figures approached, almost in an instant, they passed through the mountains and forests next to this farmhouse. Large trees collapsed with a bang.
"Boom!" "Boom!"
Accompanied by their incredible speed, the two continued to rush towards the distance, quickly disappearing from the sight of the people in the farmhouse.
"Chieftain!"
"Just now, what was that?"
Everyone in the clan couldn't hide their shocked expressions, looking at their elderly chieftain, the strongest and most knowledgeable in their clan.
"It's a master!"
"A master's battle!" The old man took a deep breath. "Quick, immediately report to the county yamen; there's a battle between master experts."
Soon.
A fast horse swiftly headed towards the county yamen.
In fact, it wasn't just this one farmhouse. While Wu Yuan was fleeing, he deliberately avoided villages and towns, not wanting to cause unnecessary casualties.
But under the pressure of life and death, he had to make slight detours.
Fleeing all the way.
Fighting all the way!
Countless people, warriors, witnessed this terrifying battle. The traces left by the two in their chase were enough to make many second-rate and first-rate experts shudder.
Numerous messages began to spread like madness.
...
Night fell.
"Boom!" "Boom!" On the continuous hills, accompanied by a tremendous roar, weapon collisions made the air burst with sound.
The dark night had no effect on this terrifying pursuit and escape battle.
The vision of a master was excellent.
With the faint glow, they could engage in life-and-death struggles.
It should be noted that the physical fitness of a master, even after running for three days and nights, would not feel tired.
Of course, that didn't include full-scale combat.
And for people like Wu Yuan and Chen Luo.
Without eating or drinking, after a full-force battle, they began tirelessly running and chasing without sleep.
It was a huge test of physical strength, endurance, and willpower!
As dawn appeared in the sky again.
Heavy snow began to fall!
The vast hilly area was already a world of ice and snow, a thousand miles frozen, covered in white snow. Although it was the same winter season as yesterday by Yunjiang, everything had changed.
"Boom!" "Boom!" The fierce clash of the two terrifying figures continued amidst the falling snow, causing the snow on the ground to churn.
The weapons were cold!
The clothes were freezing to the extreme!
Only the martial intent and killing intent of the two unparalleled warriors remained undiminished, maintaining nearly peak speed.
In this area.
Belonging to Yuanhu Prefecture.
Wu Yuan and Chen Luo, these two master-level experts, had crossed the boundary between Hengshan and Baihuo overnight.
Finally.
When Wu Yuan once again fled for three hundred miles, escaping to a high mountain completely covered by heavy snow.
"Phew!"
Chen Luo finally stopped. He held the green flame staff, staring intently at the figure flying through the mountain forest.
He gave up!
Whether it was physical strength or endurance, he had almost reached his limit.
What made him desperate was that Wu Yuan's stamina seemed endless.
No hope of victory in sight.
As Chen Luo sensed that the pursuit had ceased, Wu Yuan's fleeing pace also slowed.
"Dark Blade, after this battle, your name will soon be known throughout the world."
Chen Luo's voice remained powerful, carrying endless killing intent. "However, if you dare to kill the Ninth Prince, the Great Jin Empire will not spare you. Although the world is vast, there will be no place for you."
The resounding voice spread far and wide.
After a while.
"Chen Luo, a chase of a thousand miles, I will remember this enmity." Wu Yuan's cold voice echoed in the world, "As for the Great Jin? Even though the Jin Emperor is powerful, what does it matter if he's ranked first in the Earth List?"
"Let me tell you one thing."
"A peasant's anger, blood splatters five steps, within arm's reach, enemies fill the country." Wu Yuan's indifferent voice gradually faded, "One day, I will ascend to the Holy Capital Imperial City."
"Have a 'Pinnacle of the Holy Capital' with that Jin Cang!"
Finally.
With Wu Yuan flipping over the mountain, he disappeared completely from Chen Luo's sight, leaving no trace.
"Pinnacle of the Holy Capital?" Chen Luo's eyes were cold. Although he didn't fully understand, it didn't affect his comprehension.
Without a doubt.
The Dark Blade was declaring war on the Jin Emperor!
"This Dark Blade is a great threat."
"If Ren Su is dead, I'm really in big trouble." Chen Luo sighed inwardly.
Jin Ren Su, representing the entire imperial family, held the hopes of many forces within the Great Jin Empire.
Once he died, it would inevitably cause tremendous turmoil.
If Chen Luo hadn't come this time.
But now, having come and letting Wu Yuan kill Jin Ren Su, how would the Great Jin Empire view him?
What would the Jin Emperor think?
"Let's go back first and see what the Eastern Prince can do." Chen Luo frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over the vast snowfall. "It's not suitable to stay in Yuanhu Prefecture for long."
Yuanhu Old Man was not a good character.
Moreover, his current strength had greatly declined, and he needed to recuperate.
...
The mountains were vast.
In the midst of the snowstorm, a figure carrying a battle knife walked alone.
"Finally got rid of Chen Luo." Wu Yuan shook his head slightly. "He's really like a mad dog, biting and not letting go. Fortunately, my gamble paid off."
Wu Yuan naturally understood why the other party was so crazy.
Jin Ren Su was dead.
"If I hadn't killed Jin Ren Su, I probably wouldn't have been chased over two thousand miles, all the way to the territory of Yuanhu Prefecture." Wu Yuan flashed this thought in his mind. "And this is just the beginning."
"Next, it's likely that the Great Jin Empire will use its full strength to deal with me."
Regret?
Wu Yuan would never regret it.
Once the other party came to kill him, did he have to have reservations and show mercy?
So what if he was a Great Jin Prince? He would kill without hesitation!
"Regardless, at least the Great Jin Empire won't really blame me on Hengyun Sect." Wu Yuan thought to himself. "Even if they want to raise an army, they won't be in such a hurry."
When the enemy comes, the general blocks; when water comes, the earth absorbs.
"This battle."
"At least, it's better than a long time of bitter cultivation." Wu Yuan reminisced about the day and night of the fierce battle with Chen Luo.
They exchanged moves more than a few thousand times.
In this life or the previous one, Wu Yuan had never engaged in continuous combat for such a long time under such life-threatening pressure.
Regardless of anyone, it is an extraordinary experience.
In reality,
When Chen Luo finally stopped chasing, Wu Yuan's body had not reached its limit. If he had turned back and risked a fierce battle, he might have killed Chen Luo.
However, Wu Yuan gave up.
"At the brink of life and death, what should be experienced has been experienced. Venturing to kill Chen Luo, I might die as well," Wu Yuan saw it very clearly. "Wait until I become stronger, then we'll see."
Risking life and death is not about blindly risking it every time. When it's time to retreat, one must retreat.
"Jin Ren Su is dead, and Great Jin is in turmoil. This battle will probably shake Jiangzhou," Wu Yuan smirked, "But it was done by that Dark Knife."
"What does it have to do with me, Wu Yuan?"
"First, find a local household and have a good meal." Wu Yuan exerted a slight force in his legs and disappeared into the snowy mountain forest.
...
The conclusion of the intense battle between Wu Yuan and Chen Luo marks the beginning of a storm.
One day and one night, covering a distance of two thousand miles! What a terrifying clash!
Along the way, countless civilians and warriors witnessed the news of the master battle erupting in Baihu Prefecture, spreading rapidly in a short time.
"It's definitely a battle between masters."
"Two master-level experts, from the south to the north, finally ceased in Yuanhu Prefecture. I wonder about the outcome of this battle."
"Who's fighting?"
"I'm not sure; I can't see anything." Countless discussions arose; initially, no one even knew who the two parties involved in the battle were.
Just a day later,
"The master-ranked expert Dark Knife reappears in the Jianghu, first killing the Ninth Prince Jin Ren Su of Great Jin, then engaging in a two-thousand-mile battle with Master Chen Luo."
"A new Earth List master, Dark Knife!" These two messages quickly spread from Hengshan Prefecture.
A stone tossed into the water caused ripples that truly shocked various forces in Jiangzhou.
It was not limited to Jiangzhou alone.
The news quickly spread to various forces in the Holy State of Great Jin. Through channels like Qunxing Tower, it became known to the high-ranking officials of the seven provinces in the Central Plains.
The name Dark Knife is now known throughout the land!
——
PS: The first chapter is complete, asking for monthly votes!
I have something to do this afternoon, so it's a bit late. As usual, there will be a chapter in the evening.
(End of this chapter)