Note:
There are five pending chapters from the last two weeks. I will try to get them done along with the regular chapters within this week. This is the first...1/5
Translated by: toomuchnoob
Likewise, He Yiming came out as well. Only slowing down slightly before the wall, he nimbly jumped over. He looked around and immediately spotted the man.
Slightly exerting his feet, he swiftly chased after him.
If he had to chase after the drunkard, He Yiming would have been somewhat reluctant.
After all, that drunkard was a sponger of the Xu family. If they found out that he mounted a sneak attack on their sponger, he wouldn’t be able to explain himself.
However, this moment, the individual he was chasing after was not that drunkard but his companion. Thus, He Yiming was a lot less worried.
He Yiming ran quite fast, evidently not wishing to drag out too long. On the other hand, the black-clothed man advanced with caution, not daring to step on main roads and only daring to move through alleys. Moreover, his speed was not too fast; he was being cautious to the extreme.
After reaching about hundred meters away from the Cheng Residence, He Yiming suddenly accelerated and appeared behind the body of the man like a whirlwind. With Internal Energy surging like a tide, eighth layer Silk Palm struck at the man without a noise.
The most distinctive characteristic of water-type techniques, apart from Internal Energy being abundant, was that they were light as a feather and gentle. Basically, the best alternative for a sneak attack.
However, that man was extremely cautious as he moved. Although He Yiming appeared behind him quite abruptly, the former was still able to feel something strange behind his body. His reaction was as quick as lightning. He exerted his feet and swiftly leaped into the air. In mid-air, he turned his body and looked at He Yiming with a sharp gaze.
He Yiming’s brows slightly creased as a slight astonishment emerged in his mind. Even though the man’s strength seemed inferior to that of the drunkard, the former seemed to have cultivated a high-level agility technique. He Yiming even felt that if this man decided to flee with all his might, disregarding everything, perhaps even he would find chasing after him difficult.
With a thought, He Yiming immediately restrained his palms. Fortunately, the technique had not been employed and Internal Energy had not been discharged. Thus, the opponent had also not felt the might behind the palm.
“Who are you, what is your relation with that Xu family’s drunkard. Spill it out without tricks.” He Yiming said in a cold voice; his head high and tone as if looking down on the world.
As expected, that man’s countenance immediately changed and a cold, ferocious light flickered in his eyes.
Upon discovering He Yiming had sneaked up so close behind him, he was obviously extremely astonished. Moreover, this place was not that far away from the Cheng Residence. If a fight broke out here, the people in the Residence would certainly be alarmed. Thus, his first thought then was to increase the distance.
However, upon hearing He Yiming’s words, he knew that he had to settle this matter on the spot. If the drunkard’s identity was somehow leaked by He Yiming, it would be an equally disastrous matter for him as well.
As his vision once again sized up He Yiming’s body, he immediately determined that the former although was quite strong, a youngster couldn’t be stronger than him. Since this little boy wished to court death, he would oblige.
“Who are you, sir? Forgive this lowly man for not understanding your words.” The man spoke meaningless words in a hoarse voice while faintly moving forward.
As He Yiming saw the man’s movements, he immediately steeled his mind. However, his face remained expressionless as he said:
“You don’t need to know who is this senior, but since I have seen you collaborating with that Xu family’s drunkard, you must come back with me,” his face beamed with smiles as he said: “If Xu family knows that I have discovered a traitor in their ranks, they would certainly reward me handsomely.”
Though the words in his mind differed than what came out of his mouth, ‘Who cares about the Internal traitors in Xu family. More such traitors, better it is. Moreover, even if I knocked on their door and advise them on their internal affairs, they surely wouldn’t appreciate the kindness.”
However, the black-clothed man had no idea about He Yiming’s thoughts as he continued to spout flattering words. Suddenly, he exerted his feet and suddenly pounced on He Yiming; his speed much quicker than before. At the same time, he raised his hands. The five fingers of his each hand gathered together before his hands assumed the shape of an awl. His arms swayed without rhythm as if they were devoid of any joints, resembling two cave vipers coming straight towards one’s face while emanating a sinister aura.
An aghast expression covered He Yiming’s face, which, contrary to one might believe, was not feigned at all.
This man’s speed was quicker than what he had conjectured, producing a faint chill in his heart. Furthermore, the man’s battle skill was also too mysterious. As his arms swayed, one could actually hear a faint and sort of ‘si si’ sound.
He Yiming perceived the former’s arms as two giant pythons baring their fangs, causing him to have goosebumps.
He certainly had never heard about such a battle skill before. This battle skill must be a secret, undisclosable technique of some big clan. However, this clan couldn’t be from the Tai Cang county. Otherwise, his elders certainly would have mentioned it to him.
Feeling the pressure of his opponent’s strike, He Yiming was certain that his opponent was an eighth layer cultivator. However, relying on the latter’s unpredictable agility technique and mysterious battle skill, even if he encountered an ordinary ninth layer cultivator, he would still be able to escape.
He Yiming’s thoughts returned before he raised both his hands above his head and employed the tenth form of the [Splitting Mountain Thirty Six Forms] without the slightest restraint.
However, this time, the use of the Xiantian skill felt completely different than all the previous times. This time, he lacked the fierce aura that felt like he could split apart a mountain. Instead, he emanated an indescribably soft and gentle aura.
However, to other people, such a change felt disharmonious and sickening; the same feeling one would have after accidently eating a fly with food.
The man also felt as such, but at this moment, he resembled a bow ready to shoot. He couldn’t retreat.
Furthermore, if He Yiming’s [Splitting Mountain Thirty Six Forms] had still emanated that world-shattering aura as always, he certainly would have pulled back regardless of the consequences and escaped. However, He Yiming’s current move seemed in disharmony which made him determined to fight.
The next moment, the four arms of the two persons abruptly collided.
The black-clothed man’s expression slightly changed. Just now, he had tried his hardest to alter the trajectory of his arms, wishing to avoid his opponent’s palms and struck directly on the latter’s body. However, he suddenly discovered, that his opponent’s two palms emanated a mysterious feeling that he couldn’t comprehend. Regardless of how he tried to change the trajectory of his palms, they still collided with the opponent’s two palms head-on.
He was inwardly alarmed, ‘What kind of battle skill is this?’
However, he didn’t have the leisure to pursue this thought, because the might coming from the opponent’s fists didn’t allow him any opportunity to think.
Surging like an ocean and fierce like a mountain, the incoming strength instantly flooded his insides.
With a speed that was not inferior one bit compared to his speed a moment ago, he flew; from the end of this street to the end of the next street before heavily crashing into a wall.
He Yiming promptly dashed after him, then pulled him out of the debris of the broken wall and escaped as fast as he could.
Although the families living here, a hundred meters away from the Cheng Residence, were not some big aristocratic families, in the Tai Cang county, they would be counted among the top figures. They naturally had defensive measures of their own. However, when these people arrived on the scene, He Yiming was already far away with the black-clothed man.
He Yiming didn’t have to exert any effort even though he ran while carrying a man. He was not familiar with the county town, but finding an unmanned area in a posh region was no difficult feat.
Soon, he arrived in front of a single-doored building which seemed like a woodshed courtyard. He placed the man’s body in a dark area behind the building. After examining the body for a bit, He Yiming bitterly smiled.
The majority of the bones in the man’s body were broken. Especially, his both arms and chest were completely crushed by the impact of the [Splitting Mountain Thirty Six Forms]. His entire body seemed strengthless and limp like a mollusk creature.
He Yiming took his hand. The latter’s breath had already stopped. If one could live even after sustaining such heavy injuries, he wouldn’t be a man anymore.
After probing his body, He Yiming was able to find some silver and books. The book in the oilskin, which He Yiming was most concerned of, was also included among these.
Apart from that, another scripture was there. However, at this moment, He Yiming couldn’t examine it carefully. After hurriedly stuffing all the objects into his bosom, dumping the body into the woodshed, and covering it with a layer of wood, He Yiming left.
At night, people wouldn’t likely visit here. If the body was still discovered, He Yiming would have nothing to say about it.
When he jumped over the wall and returned back to the Residence, He Yiming felt alarmed inwardly.
Tonight, he killed a man. Moreover, a man he had met for the first time; a complete stranger.
However, he didn’t feel his heart churning at all. He even unhesitatingly robbed his treasures and returned back to the Residence before eventually thinking that this was actually…..
His expression transformed countless times in a moment. As he recalled that bitter, painful feeling after he killed Hubin, he had to admit that he had changed. Compared to before, the difference in his attitude was akin to that of heaven and earth.
He had no idea what such a change represented and also didn’t know what this change would bring for him. However, he did know that he was not the same person anymore.