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The crowd gasped in disbelief.
With a single strike, the third strongest member of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, Hao Meng, an eight-star Dou Zhe, was instantly killed. This level of strength was something even their leader, Mu She, couldn't accomplish without using a lethal move.
In the sky, Xiao Yixian stood stunned on the back of her eagle, staring at the scene below. Although she had already overestimated Xiao Se's strength, she never expected he could kill Hao Meng in one blow.
After a brief moment of shock, Xiao Yixian felt relieved. She had been prepared to use her most dangerous poison to kill everyone and rescue Xiao Se if he had been in danger. Now, that didn't seem necessary.
Mu She's face twisted with rage as he stared at Hao Meng's severed head, blood gushing from it. He was furious. From their brief exchange, the experienced Mu She, who had fought many battles, could tell that Xiao Se had not yet reached the level of a Dou Shi, but was around a nine-star Dou Zhe.
Yet, this nine-star Dou Zhe had effortlessly killed his subordinate, Hao Meng, known for his defensive abilities, with a single strike. Most disturbing of all, it seemed like Xiao Se hadn't even used his full strength.
"Damn it! How did he manage to do that?" Mu She cursed under his breath, his gaze landing on the strange purple sword in Xiao Se's hand, which was inscribed with special runes. His eyes gleamed with greed.
He roared at his men, "Don't panic! That kid is only a nine-star Dou Zhe. He killed Hao Meng using that purple sword! As long as we avoid that sword, killing him will be like slaughtering a dog."
"Kill! Kill! Kill!" The crowd responded loudly, their malice directed toward Xiao Se.
However, while their full attention was focused on Xiao Se, they completely overlooked the danger from above.
Xiao Se stood amidst the encroaching mercenaries, his expression cold. He smirked. It was true that his magical sword, sharp as it was, played a role in killing Hao Meng. But it wasn't the sword alone—his skill had ensured he could strike Hao Meng's neck without relying on external power.
"Kill him!" Mu She's lieutenant, Gan Mu, refrained from attacking directly, instead waving his spear and commanding his subordinates to charge at Xiao Se.
"Kill! Kill!" The shouts of the mercenaries, mixed with their fear, filled the air. Suddenly, from the sky, a dozen crossbow bolts shot toward Gan Mu and Mu She's backs, accompanied by the sharp whistle of arrows cutting through the air.
The mercenaries' war cries drowned out the sound of the arrows, and Gan Mu didn't notice anything. Only Mu She, with his Dou Shi-level instincts, sensed the danger. He dodged to the side while shouting, "Idiot! Get out of the way!"
Gan Mu, confused by the warning, was too slow to react. The next second, seven or eight crossbow bolts pierced through his chest.
"How is this possible..." Gan Mu stared at the blood-stained bolts embedded in the ground, then looked down at his shredded chest. His eyes filled with bitterness and resentment as he collapsed in a pool of blood.
"Second Captain is dead!!!" a terrified scream erupted from the crowd. The mercenaries attacking Xiao Se, already on the defensive, scattered like birds.
Mu She, looking at the spot where he had narrowly dodged the bolts, then at Gan Mu lying dead, felt cold sweat trickle down his face. If he had hesitated for even a second, even with his Dou Shi strength, he might have met a similar fate.
"Damn it! Stop running!" Mu She roared at his fleeing mercenaries, glaring at Xiao Se with bloodshot eyes.
The mercenaries stopped their retreat, regrouping beside Mu She, but they looked at Xiao Se with visible fear.
"You despicable brat! You used sneaky tricks!" Mu She raised his sword, pointing it at Xiao Se, his voice trembling with rage and hatred.
Xiao Se wasn't surprised that the crossbow hadn't killed Mu She. He smiled nonchalantly and shrugged. "You can ambush me, but I can't set traps? When it comes to being despicable, you're the master. I'm just your student!"
"Watch out for more sneak attacks! I'm going to skin him alive today!" Mu She's anger had reached its peak. With his two strongest subordinates now dead, he was beyond reason.
Suddenly, a loud screech echoed from the sky, and a large blue eagle swooped down. White powder rained from above, blanketing the entire courtyard. Xiao Se, having already taken out several guards, retreated to the courtyard gate. Everyone else, including Mu She, was covered in the white dust.
As Mu She inhaled the powder, he felt dizzy, and his Dou Qi flared to force the toxins out of his body. The effects of the powder were immediately suppressed.
Once he cleared his head, Mu She shouted, "The powder is poisonous! Fall back!"
But his warning came too late. Except for Mu She, everyone else who had inhaled the powder was foaming at the mouth and collapsing, unconscious.
Seeing that his men weren't fatally poisoned, Mu She breathed a sigh of relief. He grabbed his sword, leaped into the air, and swung it toward Xiao Se, his yellow Dou Qi surging around him.
"Brat! I'm going to tear you apart today!"
"Hmph, foolish," Xiao Se snorted coldly, a smirk playing on his lips. Gripping his magical sword, he countered Mu She's downward strike with a horizontal slash, unleashing a powerful gust of energy.
The sword and halberd collided, sending sparks flying as the harsh sound of metal rang through the air.
The next moment, both figures were pushed back ten meters, their weapons embedded in the ground, leaving deep grooves before they regained their footing.
The first exchange ended in a stalemate.
"This brat... he's this strong?" Mu She was inwardly shocked. His full-power strike hadn't been able to overwhelm Xiao Se, but he kept his composure.
His eyes remained locked on Xiao Se, or rather, on the strange sword in his hand. In Mu She's mind, this bizarre weapon not only sliced through iron with ease but also seemed to amplify Xiao Se's strength.
Otherwise, how could a mere nine-star Dou Zhe resist the full force of a Dou Shi?
In truth, Mu She wasn't entirely wrong. The magical sword did indeed grant its wielder tremendous power, making it easy to defeat higher-ranked opponents. However, he didn't realize that Xiao Se hadn't even tapped into the sword's full potential yet.
Xiao Se was equally surprised by Mu She's strength. The sword technique he had used was a defensive move designed to deflect most of the force from an attack. Yet, Mu She's strike had still caused his blood to surge, and his arms felt numb from the impact.
After a brief pause, the two clashed again. Their swords and halberds collided repeatedly, sending sparks flying with every strike. Gradually, Mu She noticed that Xiao Se's sword strikes were becoming more precise and powerful with each exchange.
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