Nolan Dan was using her best movement technique to rapidly move around Qin Yu, trying to make him unable to discern her figure, but Qin Yu just stood still without moving. Under the cold silver mask, nobody saw the faint cold smile on Qin Yu's lips.
Competing in speed?
Qin Yu's body cultivation was strongest in speed. When he was just thirteen years old, weighing slightly over a hundred pounds, his speed had already surpassed that of ordinary Postnatal Extreme Masters. Now, having become an Innate Expert, every muscle cell in his body had transformed. At the Postnatal Limit, Qin Yu was already lifting fifteen hundred pounds with one hand, and now his strength was probably no less than two thousand pounds. What level had his speed reached now?
Moreover, in terms of control power, muscles were obviously easier to control than Innate True Qi. In terms of endurance, muscular strength was also more enduring than Innate True Qi.
"I hate it most when people call me old lady," Nolan Dan's icy, ruthless voice entered Qin Yu's ears as her hands, which could pluck out the hearts of infants, surged like a blossoming lotus and transformed into countless illusions attacking Qin Yu.
"The first Outer Power Expert to cultivate to the Innate Realm from ancient times, how strong would one be?" Qin Yu wondered silently while watching the numerous illusions attacking him. "Let's use you as an experiment." He threw a punch with full force without holding anything back.
A straight line!
"Whoosh," an extremely sharp whistling of the air, Qin Yu's right fist, carrying a mountain-like massive force, directly attacked Nolan Dan.
Hearing such a terrifyingly sharp whistle, both Nolan Feng and Zhen Xu's faces changed. Nolan Dan was caught off guard; the fist was already in her face, the wind of the punch painfully pricking her face like needles. She couldn't worry too much, her hands shaped like a blooming lotus suddenly contracted, and Innate True Qi frantically gathered in the center of her hands, but it didn't allow her to accumulate more Innate True Qi, as the fist had already arrived!
"Boom!"
Like a giant iron hammer smashing down, directly hitting Nolan Dan's palms, she was sent flying backward, her face turning extremely ugly.
With a strength of over two thousand pounds, this full-force punch. Nolan Dan was originally not strong in power, and she was just an Early Stage Innate, so the punch made her arms numb with pain; Nolan Dan didn't dare to continue attacking immediately.
"This guy is a monster, too strong," Nolan Dan coldly said.
Zhen Xu slightly smiled, "With such strength, I guess he must be cultivating 'Wild Bull Power,' a mental method emphasizing strength, reaching the level of Innate Experts." If Qin Yu didn't exist, Zhen Xu's guess might have been correct. After all, even for Innate Experts, achieving such fearsome strength is extremely difficult.
"Younger brother, younger sister, both of you attack together," commanded Zhen Xu.
After circulating Innate True Qi, Nolan Dan's arm pain alleviated, only feeling slightly uncomfortable, enough to continue the great battle. Nolan Dan and Nolan Feng looked at each other, suddenly transformed into two residual images, and attacked Qin Yu again, this time, both wielding weapons—curved blades.
The curved blades, shaped like a crescent, emitted a cold chilling light.
Qin Yu's eyes slightly narrowed, his hands suddenly clenched into fists, and he violently struck out in two directions, like a dragon emerging from water, carrying the immense power of an Innate External Power Expert, and then "Bang!" "Bang!" His fists precisely hit the blades of the curved swords.
"Bang"
Both Nolan Dan and Nolan Feng were shaken.
"Dan, how could this guy be just a Silver-level Killer, in the Gold Medal Killers, he would absolutely be one of the top figures," Nolan Feng transmitted his voice, now also feeling the terrifying power of the opponent's punch which left his chest feeling stifled.
"Feng, we can only rely on speed," Nolan Dan's voice came.
Nolan Dan and Nolan Feng were very troubled.
Qin Yu's punches were simply too heavy; getting hit by one was worse than being smashed by a giant rock. A two-thousand-pound giant rock at least had a large contact surface, but Qin Yu's fists concentrated all that power into a smaller area, intensifying the impact force.
Qin Yu still did not move, letting the two circle around him at high speed.
"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"…
Qin Yu effortlessly punched, yet each punch was like a giant stone hammer smashing down, driving Nolan Dan and Nolan Feng nearly insane. Just as they got close enough to attack, they were blasted away by a punch, forcing them to maintain such extreme speed, which greatly drained their Innate True Qi.
Zhen Xu just watched coolly, his pupils only reflecting Qin Yu's attacking image, his thoughts unknown.
"I've just entered the Innate Realm, which technically makes me an Early Stage Innate, but I am an expert in Outer Strength, while you are only experts in Internal Strength," Qin Yu thought to himself, "But they are too weak, I might as well finish this." He had been playing around since this was his first time competing with Innate Internal Masters.
But Qin Yu was wrong, it wasn't that the opponents were weak, but that he, as an Innate External Power Expert, was exceedingly monstrous. Other people cultivating external power hardly reached seven or eight hundred pounds with one hand at the Postnatal Limit, but Qin Yu's Postnatal Limit was a terrifying fifteen hundred pounds.
When Qin Yu reached the Innate Realm, was his strength comparable to that of an ordinary early-stage Innate character?
"Let's end this!" Qin Yu's eyes suddenly burst with a sharp light.
"Not good!" Only now did Zhen Xu realize something was terribly wrong, but... it was already too late.
Qin Yu's figure instantly turned into several afterimages before merging back into one. He stood in his original position, as if he had never moved. Meanwhile, Nolan Dan and Nolan Feng became statue-like, completely motionless until suddenly—
"Bang!" "Bang!"
Nolan Feng and Nolan Dan simply fell to the ground, for in that instant, Qin Yu, like lightning, had struck their throats with his fist and finger, killing them.
"Actually... my greatest strength is not power, but speed!" Qin Yu's calm voice echoed in the quiet courtyard.
"Little brother, little sister." Zhen Xu looked at the dead Nolan Dan and Nolan Feng, speaking slowly in a low voice filled with immense sorrow. Then Zhen Xu looked up at Qin Yu, his eyes filled with a chilling glare that made Qin Yu feel cold all over, while Zhen Xu's aura suddenly became sharp,
Nolan Dan and Nolan Feng had followed Zhen Xu for over twenty years, during which time they solely obeyed Zhen Xu's orders, treating each other like siblings. But Qin Yu had moved too fast; by the time Zhen Xu reacted, it was too late.
A deep, hateful roar sounded.
"Hum"
The air suddenly vibrated, Zhen Xu's headband violently snapped, and his long hair flew about wildly. An extremely terrifying power burst forth from Zhen Xu's body like a volcanic eruption, his violent Innate True Qi completely covered him, making his figure appear blurred, except for the ice-cold, chilling eyes that sent shivers down one's spine.
Zhen Xu, although not the head of the Imperial Family Xiang's intelligence department, held a position no less significant than the head. For many years, he had never disappointed Xiang Guang, who had always deeply trusted this mysterious general.
However... his strength was completely unknown to outsiders. Just how strong was this sickly man? Zhen Xu's snake-like eyes fixed on Qin Yu, saying only one sentence, "Die."
"Hum!"
The air vibrated abruptly, becoming as chaotic as ripples, as Zhen Xu's figure suddenly disappeared, reappearing right in front of Qin Yu.
"Boom!" Qin Yu was extremely shocked and retreated swiftly, a violent force striking his body so hard that the mask on his face broke apart with a 'bang,' and his coat disintegrated into pieces scattering all around. Qin Yu retreated a great distance, staring in horror at Zhen Xu before him.
It only took one move, and Qin Yu was left only in his Black Gold Vest, even his mask shattered.
"Such quick speed, and the True Qi is terrifyingly strong. The Protective Gang Qi is so powerful, he must be a late-stage Innate expert," Qin Yu was certain in his heart. The combined strength of Nolan Dan and Nolan Feng was likely insufficient against Zhen Xu, who could probably kill them in one or two moves. Zhen Xu was just too powerful.
Two early-stage Innates could not compare to one late-stage Innate at all.
Zhen Xu stared at Qin Yu and sneered coldly, "The speed is not bad, but unfortunately, your best speed is still inferior to mine. Your power is good, but my attack infused with Innate True Qi has more impact force than your fist. In attack, speed, and defense, you are far inferior to me. You must die this time."
Zhen Xu announced his judgment.
"Is my speed only 'not bad'?" Qin Yu suddenly laughed, "Sorry, please wait a moment."
Under Zhen Xu's astonished gaze, Qin Yu removed the Xuantie Leg Guards and Xuantie Arm Guards from his arms and legs. With a 'bang,' Qin Yu threw the Xuantie Leg Guards and Arm Guards onto the ground, the heavy clanking sound of metal striking the ground hinted at their weight.
Zhen Xu was shocked.
Only now did he realize that Qin Yu's earlier speed was achieved while wearing the heavy Xuantie Leg Guards and Arm Guards. How much quicker would Qin Yu be without them?
"Taking off two hundred pounds of weight, it's like reducing my body's weight by half. Even if my speed doesn't double, it should increase by at least fifty percent. It should be about enough to compare with this guy. I won't take off this Black Gold Vest; reducing two hundred pounds is enough, and the defense of the Black Gold Vest is also very strong," Qin Yu thought to himself.
"It seems I need to reassess you," as Zhen Xu's pupils reflected Qin Yu's image, his mind began calculating precisely.
Qin Yu focused intently on Zhen Xu before him.
"Swoosh!" "Swoosh!"
Both their figures vanished suddenly, with a torrent of wind whistling past, accurately speaking, there was only one stream of whistling wind. Zhen Xu's movement was very fast, his movement technique sophisticated, but the resistance from the wind whistling was significantly high. Meanwhile, Qin Yu moved so rapidly and silently.
The two chased each other, and because of the wind's resistance, Qin Yu was slightly faster.
"Break!"
Qin Yu suddenly let out a low shout, his right leg kicking straight out like lightning, carrying two to three thousand pounds of force, and decisively struck Zhen Xu's left leg. However, Zhen Xu's Protective Gang Qi vibrated, actually withstanding Qin Yu's heavy kick.
"Puff!" "Puff!" "Puff!" "Puff!"...
The sharp sound of air bursting arose, and Qin Yu's expression changed: "Hidden Weapon!" This was Qin Yu's first reaction, yet his Spiritual Sense clearly detected the source of the air-bursting sound—fingers, Zhen Xu's claws.
Like eagle claws, each of Zhen Xu's left hand's fingertips emitted a golden light, piercing through the air and attacking.
"Retreat!"
Qin Yu propped himself up with one hand and swiftly retreated.
"Swoosh!"... Five sharp whistling noises came, and Qin Yu's Spiritual Sense clearly detected that the Finger Beams on Zhen Xu's fingers had detached from the fingers, and the five golden Finger Beams continued shooting at extreme speed. Qin Yu was fast, but not fast enough to catch up with the Finger Beams, managing only to hastily shift position.
Three of the five Finger Beams missed, while three hit Qin Yu's abdomen.
The Black Gold Vest, a true protective treasure, withstood the attack as the Finger Beams shot onto it with a "pom" sound without piercing through the Black Gold Vest, but the strong impact force of the Finger Beams still penetrated through, shaking Qin Yu's body.
"Not bad strength, worth my using a weapon now, this is an Immortal Upper Grade Weapon—Blood Soul Claw, crafted from the claw of a Demon Beast in the Primordial Wilderness, perfected after dozens of processes," said Zhen Xu indifferently, as a huge blood-red claw appeared on his right hand.
Qin Yu's eyes narrowed slightly, the claw was indeed that of a Demon Beast, not forged from ordinary steel or other minerals.
"There's only one chance, I must seize it," Qin Yu thought to himself.
"Haha, let me show you my strongest move—Ten Thousand Claws Piercing Heart!" Zhen Xu's eyes turned blood-red in an instant, the same color as the 'Blood Soul Claw,' and from the tips of the Blood Soul Claw, bunches of Finger Beams gathered.
"Puff!" "Puff!" "Puff!" "Puff!"...
Like a barrage of bullets, Zhen Xu used some technique, his body surging with Innate True Qi continuously forming golden Finger Beams at the tips of the Blood Soul Claw and shooting them out, forming and shooting them out in rapid succession, dozens of Finger Beams were fired in a mere instant.
The weirdest part was that these Finger Beams seemed to also be under Zhen Xu's control.
"What kind of move is this?" Qin Yu could not comprehend, "No matter, there's no time." Qin Yu gritted his teeth, his body suddenly darting diagonally to another direction, then quickly shooting toward another direction.
Qin Yu moved swiftly, yet there was no sound of wind. Only more and more Finger Beams attacked Qin Yu, and although these Finger Beams could not penetrate the Black Gold Vest, Qin Yu's head could not withstand such Finger Beams, so he could only dodge as much as possible, using the Black Gold Vest to block those he couldn't avoid.
"The last move!" Qin Yu's eyes suddenly sparkled.
Qin Yu turned into a streak of light, charging directly at Zhen Xu.
"Haha, instead of using speed to escape, you come to die." Zhen Xu was very excited, a smirk of triumph appeared on his face, and the Blood Soul Claw tore through the air, grabbing at Qin Yu's head, Qin Yu's eyes flashed.
Flame Burning Gloves!
Qin Yu's hands flickered with light, and the gloves suddenly protected his fists, Qin Yu extended his left hand, boldly colliding with the Blood Soul Claw.
"Seeking death." Zhen Xu was disdainful in his mind; his Blood Soul Claw was an Immortal Upper Grade weapon, what did he have to fear, even accelerating the speed of the Blood Soul Claw a bit.
"Ah!"
Zhen Xu suddenly exclaimed in shock, Qin Yu's left hand actually held off his right Blood Soul Claw, and it seemed the glove on Qin Yu's left hand was peculiarly strong, not fearing even the tremendous tearing force of the Blood Soul Claw, while Qin Yu's right fist was already striking.
"Pom!"
Zhen Xu's left hand was also able to block Qin Yu's right fist, however, Qin Yu's right fist had the Flame Burning Gloves, and Zhen Xu could only resist with his robust Innate True Qi.
"Kid, you think I can't kill you like this?" Zhen Xu's mouth suddenly curled into a cold smirk, right in the midst of the standoff, the tips of the Blood Soul Claw and the left hand's fingers again emitted streaks of golden Finger Beams, such close range, Finger Beams shooting, Qin Yu simply couldn't dodge.
Zhen Xu couldn't help but get excited; he seemed to see the scene of Qin Yu's head being blown apart.
A flash of light appeared in Qin Yu's eyes — the Middle-Grade Spiritual Artifact "Flame Sword"!
"Whoosh!"
"Ah!" Zhen Xu screamed miserably.
All of a sudden, a black short sword appeared in Qin Yu's originally stalemated right hand. The black short sword was extremely sharp; it instantly cut off Zhen Xu's left hand and then slashed towards Zhen Xu's throat. At such a close range, it was impossible to dodge in time. Zhen Xu roared loudly, enduring the severe pain of his hand being cut off, as his protective body gang qi suddenly intensified.
"Die!" A fierce light flashed through Zhen Xu's eyes.
Zhen Xu knew dodging was futile and could only hope his protective body gang qi would hold up. Meanwhile, with a ruthless thought, the golden finger beams on the Blood Soul Claw heated up even more and abruptly shot forward, attempting to blow up Qin Yu's head. Such sharp golden finger beams naturally couldn't be withstood by Qin Yu's head.
At the moment of life and death, Qin Yu's right hand decisively used the Flame Iron to fiercely cut through the protective gang qi, then slashed at Zhen Xu's throat. Simultaneously, Qin Yu's left hand, equipped with the Flame Burning Gloves, delivered the most powerful penetration attack — a fist and finger strike, directly hitting the palm of the Blood Soul Claw.
"Puff!"
Blood sprayed everywhere!
It was the blood spurting from Zhen Xu's severed throat; it was also the blood flowing from the holes pierced through Qin Yu's left arm, plus the blood spraying from Qin Yu's mouth.
In that instant, Qin Yu's fist and finger attack with the Flame Burning Gloves directly caused Zhen Xu's palm, which held the Blood Soul Claw, to tremble violently. Naturally, the Blood Soul Claw was affected, the direction of the shooting finger beams abruptly changed, hitting Qin Yu's left arm, while other beams hit Qin Yu's chest.
Two clean holes appeared on the left arm, blood flowing profusely. Although the Black Gold Vest protected the chest, the finger beams were too close and the impact too strong, still causing Qin Yu to spit blood, suffering internal injuries.
"That was close." Looking at Zhen Xu, who was now killed by a cut throat, Qin Yu took deep breaths, pulling fresh air into his belly before finally exhaling long and deep.
The timing of using the Flame Sword was just right. If he had taken it out from the start, with Zhen Xu's cunning, he would never have let Qin Yu's short sword harm him. The reason Qin Yu was able to kill Zhen Xu was due to the Flame Burning Gloves and the Flame Sword appearing consecutively at the end, catching Zhen Xu off guard. Even so, Qin Yu had nearly perished.
"Little Black!" Qin Yu suddenly saw the Black Hawk that appeared in front of him; the Black Hawk was staring at Qin Yu.
In the close combat just now between Qin Yu and Zhen Xu, it happened so near and quickly decided their life and death, the Black Hawk simply had no time to help. However, the Black Hawk was no ordinary creature, it also recognized the crisis Qin Yu faced just now. It felt bad for not being able to help Qin Yu.
"Little Black, I'm fine. Hiss—" Qin Yu gasped in pain, glancing at his arm injury. The internal injuries were manageable, but the two holes in his left arm were a serious issue. It was still uncertain whether they could heal properly and Qin Yu felt that the bones and tendons in his left arm had been severely damaged.
Qin Yu glanced at the three deceased, quickly took the iron box and key containing the Tongtian Map, then took Zhen Xu's head and mounted the Black Hawk. The Black Hawk flapped its wings, shooting up into the sky, and flew away from the city.
...
Deep in a secluded valley, there was an independent manor housing many experts; there were more than ten Innate Experts. Outside the manor, by a small stream bordered by bamboo woods, a middle-aged man sat calmly on a bamboo chair, quietly sipping tea and viewing the scenery, a total mystery as to what was on his mind.
Suddenly, a grey-clothed and a blue-clothed elderly man approached behind this middle-aged man. Shockingly, both elders were Late-stage Innate Experts.
"Reporting to the leader, Zhen Xu is dead," the grey-clothed elder said respectfully.
"Oh?" The middle-aged tea drinker paused slightly with his teacup in hand, "Tell me the details exactly as they happened."
"Reporting to the leader, where Zhen Xu was killed, there were also the bodies of his two subordinates Nolan Dan and Nolan Feng. Furthermore, at the site of the incident, there were remnants of a silver mask, likely belonging to the Silver-level Killer 'Liu Xing'," the blue-clothed elder reported.
"A Silver-level Killer? Liu Xing?" The middle-aged man put down his teacup and stood up, "Oh, no, Liu Xing should now be considered a Gold Medal Killer. Gather information on this Liu Xing immediately."
Killing a Late-stage Innate Expert and two Early-stage Innate Experts, such a Gold Medal Killer even intrigued the leader of Heavenly Net.
"Leader, however, in this period, the killer Liu Xing has not turned in any heads to complete tasks. Moreover, judging from the blood at the scene, aside from the three dead, there was blood from another person. We confirm, Liu Xing must have been seriously injured," the blue-clothed elder bowed and said.
"Oh, but since he was able to leave the scene, it means he hasn't died yet. Such a person is not so easy to kill," the middle-aged man said with a faint smile and then calmly added, "Alright, get ready, I'm returning to Yan Capital City."
"Yes!" The two elders bowed in response.
The middle-aged man murmured softly: "Yu'er has been out for such a long time now. How come there's no news at all." He turned around, his brows still furrowed, revealing that this mysterious leader of Heavenly Net was none other than Prince Zhen Dong — Qin De!