Free Web NovelChapter 37: Chapter 37: Counter-Kill
Yang Wei’s study.
"In Qingshi Town, there’s the Cyan Mountain Martial Arts Hall. It’s renowned throughout the Three Towns for its Hard Skills. The hall’s master, Han Yue, found a clue to the *Iron Bone Skill* in his youth. It’s said to share the same origins as the *Stone Armor Skill*, so it might be useful to you."
Liang Cheng’s eyes burned with intensity. "Master, I’ll set out tomorrow."
"The trip to Qingshan Town and back will take three days, even at full gallop," Yang Wei said pensively. "Take Zhou Hu with you. He just broke through to Transformation Force and could use the experience. Besides, Wu Tianxiong has been too quiet lately. I’m uneasy about you traveling alone."
"Yes, Master."
At dawn the next day, two riders galloped out of town. Liang Cheng and Zhou Hu were both dressed in ordinary traveling clothes, carrying packs on their backs.
Zhou Hu, having now broken through to Transformation Force, looked quite exhilarated. What they didn’t know was that from the shadows of a tea stall at the town’s entrance, a pair of venomous eyes watched them depart.
Wu Tianxiong’s fists CRACKED as he clenched them, the muscles on his face twisting in a snarl.
’Finally, my chance has come.’
He turned and returned to his Martial Arts Hall. Inside a secret chamber, a man in a black robe sat as still as a stone, his face hidden by a mask.
"They’re headed for Qingshi Town," Wu Tianxiong said concisely.
"Let’s go."
...
「One day later, at dusk.」
Liang Cheng and Zhou Hu were nearing the border of Qingshi Town’s territory. Ahead of them lay a desolate mulberry grove, and a stone tablet by the road was carved with the three words "Old Sang Post."
"Once we’re through this grove, it’s another hundred *li* to Qingshi Town. We won’t make it today. Let’s rest here for the night."
Liang Cheng nodded. Their horses’ hooves rustled through layers of old leaves.
Just as the two reached the center of the mulberry grove, suddenly—
"WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!"
Three arrows shot out from a thicket of withered mulberry trees to their left without any warning, aimed straight for Liang Cheng and Zhou Hu. The two reacted instantly, twisting their bodies and leaping from their horses to dodge.
"Careful! It’s an ambush."
Zhou Hu roared a warning just as a black-robed figure drifted out like a phantom. The Bronze Ghost Mask on its face gleamed coldly in the twilight.
"A Transformation Force master." Zhou Hu’s pupils shrank. He had only just reached Transformation Force himself; he wasn’t very confident about facing such a veteran opponent.
"Senior Brother Zhou, I’ll leave this one to you." Liang Cheng’s voice was calm, but his gaze shifted to the right. "There’s another one over here."
"Hahahaha!" Wu Tianxiong emerged from behind the trees, laughing maniacally. He carried a Thick-Backed Mountain-Cutting Saber, his eyes filled with savagery. "Liang Cheng, you little bastard! This Old Sang Grove will be your grave today!"
Zhou Hu’s heart sank. "Wu Tianxiong, you dare to ambush a Disciple directly recommended by the Martial Arts Academy? Aren’t you afraid the City Lord’s Mansion will execute your entire clan?!"
"My entire clan?" Wu Tianxiong let out a wild laugh. "As long as you die here, who’s to say I did it? Out here in the desolate woods, bandits killing travelers isn’t exactly uncommon, is it?!"
Before his voice had even faded, the black-robed Ghost-faced Man flicked his Foil. His body became a blur as he lunged, thrusting straight for Zhou Hu’s throat. The bone-chilling killing intent made the hair on Zhou Hu’s neck stand on end.
Zhou Hu gritted his teeth and met the attack head-on. He unleashed his Fierce Bull Force, holding nothing back with his Transformation Force Cultivation. The wind howled from his fists as he battled the Ghost-faced Man. From the very first exchange, he felt a mountain of pressure.
His opponent’s Power was seasoned and condensed, his Swordsmanship cunning and vicious. Every move forced Zhou Hu into a defensive position. Anxiety gnawed at him; if he was held up any longer, Junior Brother Liang would be in mortal danger.
’Wu Tianxiong is a veteran Transformation Force master!’
On the other side, Wu Tianxiong advanced on Liang Cheng with his saber, his eyes practically overflowing with hatred. "You little bastard! You killed my beloved disciple and ruined my Martial Arts Hall’s future! Today, I’ll use your head as an offering to Xiao’er’s spirit in the heavens!"
Liang Cheng stood as firm as a pine tree without saying a word, which only enraged Wu Tianxiong further. "Still acting so arrogant when you’re about to die!"
Wu Tianxiong lunged forward, executing a Powerful Slash of Hua Mountain straight for the crown of Liang Cheng’s head. His Power was immense. Liang Cheng neither dodged nor retreated. He only raised his hand when the blade was three feet from his head—
His right hand, fingers like an iron clamp, actually caught the saber’s edge!
"CLANG—!!"
The shriek of metal on metal was ear-piercing!
Wu Tianxiong felt an irresistible force travel up the blade, splitting the webbing of his thumb. Liang Cheng snatched the Mountain-Cutting Saber from him with one hand, reversed his grip, and threw it. The blade embedded itself deep in the trunk of an old mulberry tree, its hilt quivering violently!
"How is that possible?!"
Wu Tianxiong’s face was a mask of horror. Liang Cheng took a single step forward, and his entire aura changed in an instant, replaced by one that was complete and restrained.
"Transformation Force?!" Wu Tianxiong shrieked, his voice cracking. "When did you break through to Transformation Force...?"
Liang Cheng’s figure blurred. Wu Tianxiong’s vision swam, and suddenly Liang Cheng was right in front of him, a fist blasting toward his chest.
The punch carried the weight of a mountain. Wu Tianxiong could only raise both arms to block.
"BANG! CRACK!"
The combined Power from his Perfection-level Stone Armor Skill and Fierce Bull Force shattered both of Wu Tianxiong’s arms. His body flew backward like a broken sack, snapping two withered mulberry trees before tumbling to the ground.
He struggled to get up, but Liang Cheng was already on him, showing no mercy. Liang Cheng’s fist shot out like a cannonball, caving in his chest.
Wu Tianxiong coughed up bloody foam and fragments of his internal organs. The light in his eyes faded rapidly as he glared at Liang Cheng, a gurgling sound escaping his throat. He tried to say something, but in the end, no words came. His head lolled to the side, and he died.
Without a second glance at Wu Tianxiong’s corpse, Liang Cheng turned to the other battle. Zhou Hu was now in a perilous situation, with two new sword wounds on his left shoulder and right side, his breathing ragged.
The black-robed Ghost-faced Man fought with ease, his Foil striking like a viper’s tongue, each thrust aimed at Zhou Hu’s vital points.
"Senior Brother, fall back."
Liang Cheng’s voice suddenly cut through the air. Before Zhou Hu could react, Liang Cheng had already stepped forward, launching a punch at the black-robed Ghost-faced Man.
"Junior Brother, you..."
Only then did Zhou Hu notice Wu Tianxiong lying on the ground. Liang Cheng’s aura was surging; he had clearly crossed the threshold into Transformation Force. The Ghost-faced Man was also staring intently at Liang Cheng, his voice hoarse. "Transformation Force! You’ve reached Transformation Force too!"
Liang Cheng still didn’t answer. He assumed the opening stance of Fierce Bull Force, his aura becoming perfectly unified. A faint sound like a bull’s lowing seemed to echo from within his bones and sinews.
"That useless trash Wu Tianxiong! He didn’t even find out you’d broken through to Transformation Force!"
The Ghost-faced Man pointed his Foil diagonally, all traces of the ease he’d shown against Zhou Hu gone. He attacked with his full strength, creating a flurry of afterimages with his blade. Liang Cheng took a single step, and the dead leaves on the ground exploded outward!
Liang Cheng charged forward like a fierce bull, not dodging or evading, plunging straight into the densest part of the sword’s afterimages!
"CLANG CLANG CLANG CLANG—!"
A storm of metallic clashes erupted. Liang Cheng’s fists were like hammers, each punch landing precisely on the weakest point of the Foil’s blade.
The terrifying defense granted by his Perfection-level Stone Armor Skill allowed him to completely ignore the slicing power from the edge of the blade. His punches were wide and sweeping, overwhelmingly tyrannical!
The more the Ghost-faced Man fought, the more horrified he became.
His opponent’s Fist Force was far heavier than a typical Transformation Force expert’s, and his Hard Skill was simply unbelievable. He couldn’t even break the man’s skin!
With every punch he blocked, his Foil trembled violently, and his arm grew numb. After ten exchanges, the Ghost-faced Man’s return strike was a fraction of a second too slow.
Liang Cheng instantly twisted at the waist, and his right fist shot up from his side—Fierce Bull Force·Celestial Ascension Cannon!
He had been building power for this punch for a long time. The Power was focused on a single point, and as his fist flew, the air shrieked. The Ghost-faced Man hastily brought his Foil up to block horizontally.
"CLANG—CRACK!"
The Foil snapped in two!
The Fist Force penetrated his body. The Ghost-faced Man let out a muffled grunt and flew backward. His Bronze Ghost Mask shattered, revealing the pale face of a middle-aged man, blood trickling from his mouth and nose.
Liang Cheng pressed his advantage, giving the man no chance to recover. He landed another punch on his chest. The Ghost-faced Man staggered as he landed, staring deathly at Liang Cheng.
"Such a hard fist... such tyrannical Power... Today, my death is not unjust!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Ghost-faced Man died.
Nearby, Zhou Hu could only stare, dumbfounded and in utter disbelief.
’Even though he broke through to Transformation Force... how is Junior Brother Liang this strong?’
’So what does that make my own breakthrough to Transformation Force?’
Just then, Liang Cheng turned around, a concerned look on his face.
"Senior Brother, are you alright?"
Zhou Hu quickly replied, "Just a few minor scratches. It’s nothing serious."
"That’s good."
With that, Liang Cheng bent down to loot the bodies. ’Time to see what kind of spoils I’ll get today!’
