As soon as the woman finished speaking, Tongluo-rank Bai Shao charged at Serpentine Spear Dan Qinghe with her. They completely ignored Ye Beizhi, who was standing in their way. They intended to bypass him, making it clear that they only had a single target.
They moved quickly, but Ye Beizhi was faster. The moment the woman took her first step, he acted. His motion was simple. Raising his right hand and lifting his blade upward, instantly blocking Chuan Xinlian’s path.
The strike was precise and ruthless, aimed straight for Chuan Xinlian’s throat. If she continued her charge, she would certainly be decapitated. Her sharp reflexes kicked in as she leaned back in an iron-bridge stance, narrowly dodging the blade.
Even so, cold sweat broke out all over her. She hadn’t even seen Ye Beizhi raise his hand. In the blink of an eye, the chilling edge of the blade was already at her throat.
Ultimately, Ye Beizhi was only one man with a blade. Bai Shao slipped past.
Bai Shao wasn't deterred in the slightest when he saw Chuan Xinlian get held up. He didn’t even glance back to help as he slipped past. Instead, he went straight for Dan Qinghe.
Fang Dingwu was already raring to go. He stepped forward to block Bai Shao, grinning as he jeered, "Well, aren’t you bold, coming straight at us ! Did you forget to ask for my permission?"
Bai Shao arrived in an instant. He truly hadn’t spared a thought for the busybody, Fang Dingwu; his focus was entirely on Dan Qinghe.
"Out of my way!" Bai Shao lowered his stance, bent his left knee forward, and took a step, slamming his broad shoulder directly into Fang Dingwu’s chest.
Having roamed far and wide for many years, Fang Dingwu recognized Bai Shao’s technique at a glance. The man’s broad frame and bulging, sinewy arms were clear signs of years spent mastering external martial arts.
Fang Dingwu gathered his breath and broke into a thunderous roar, "Good timing!"
Knowing full well the power of the Iron Mountain Bash, he had no intention of taking it head-on. Instead, he placed a hand on Bai Shao’s shoulder, momentarily easing the impact while deftly shifting his footing to sidestep the attack.
Bai Shao's charge hit nothing but air. However, Fang Dingwu’s sidestep inadvertently left Dan Qinghe exposed. Bai Shao clenched his spiked knuckles and moved to ignore Fang Dingwu, intending to kill Dan Qinghe first.
Fang Dingwu wouldn’t let him succeed. His right hand, still on Bai Shao’s shoulder, suddenly tightened, gripping his clothing firmly and halting his advance. Meanwhile, his left hand swept to his waist, drawing his sword. Like a butcher targeting meat on a chopping block, he raised the sword high, aiming for Bai Shao’s exposed neck, ready to strike down.
"You Northern Qiang dog! Go die!" Fang Dingwu’s hair and beard bristled with fury, his killing intent palpable.
Fang Dingwu seemed to channel all his buried hatred and anger toward the Northern Qiang from the North Watching Pass into this moment.
The killing intent felt almost tangible. Bai Shao couldn’t ignore it! The chilling aura sent goosebumps crawling up his neck.
Chuan Xinlian, still blocked by Ye Beizhi, took in the scene and shouted a warning, "Watch out!"
Chuan Xinlian’s warning was unnecessary. Bai Shao had already reacted just before her cry. Gritting his teeth, he shifted his attack mid-motion, redirecting the blow meant for Dan Qinghe toward Fang Dingwu’s side.
The spiked knuckles were exceptionally vicious, adorned with sharp steel studs. If this punch landed, it would undoubtedly result in serious injury or worse.
"Bastard, how dare you?!" Dan Qinghe shouted.
Dan Qinghe seemed to already be injured. His earlier clash with Golden Stinger had aggravated his condition, leaving his face pale and lips bloodless. He had been quietly regulating his breathing, but Bai Shao’s movement didn’t escape his sharp eyes.
Seeing that Fang Dingwu had yet to notice the incoming punch, he disregarded his injuries, shouted a warning, and thrust his spear forward.
The spear grazed past Fang Dingwu's chest and its shaft smashed into the spiked knuckles.
In the next moment, the sword came down, and a head fell to the ground.
The severed head rolled to the corner, leaving a trail of blood splattered across the ground.
The headless body swayed briefly before collapsing with a thud.
Fang Dingwu rubbed his still-aching chest and grinned at Dan Qinghe. The spiked knuckles slammed the shaft of the spear into Fang Dingwu’s chest, nearly making him cough up blood.
Since her warning to Bai Shao, Chuan Xinlian hadn’t moved a muscle. She understood that as long as the man with the Tang blade stood in front of her, she was powerless to act.
"So, what now?" Chuan Xinlian’s expression didn’t change, as if the person who had just died before her was a stranger. Flashing a charming smile at Ye Beizhi, she asked, "Not making a move? Planning to let me live?"
Ye Beizhi remained expressionless, speaking earnestly.
"You still haven’t answered my question."
Chuan Xinlian stepped back without breaking her composure, her smile sweet and mocking. "You’ve asked so many. How would I know which one to answer?"
Ye Beizhi frowned. "The last one."
"Xuanfeng Valley? Let me think... Xuanfeng Valley might be..." The woman took another step back, lowering her head as though deep in thought while brushing her chest. Suddenly, she pulled something from her robes and hurled it toward Ye Beizhi and yelled, "Take this!"
As the concealed weapon spun through the air, the woman didn’t hesitate for a second, leaping away to escape!
The thrown objects were spherical but with a rough, uneven surface like a pair of walnuts. Ye Beizhi frowned and instantly slashed twice, slicing the "walnuts" cleanly in half.
"Hm?" Ye Beizhi let out a puzzled sound.
The next moment, a massive burst of fire engulfed the area!
"Explosives!" Fang Dingwu shouted as the shockwave sent him sprawling to the ground.
Clambering back to his feet, Fang Dingwu’s eyes widened in panic as he rushed toward where Ye Beizhi had stood. "Brother Ye!"
At the explosion’s center, there was nothing but scorched ground.
"Where is he?" Dan Qinghe asked as the smoke and dust cleared. He stared at the empty scorched spot where Ye Beizhi had stood.
Golden Stinger limped over, baring his teeth. "Maybe he was blown to bits?"
"Don’t talk nonsense!" Fang Dingwu glared at him. "That explosion wouldn’t leave nothing behind!"
Outside the village, Chuan Xinlian sprinted for several miles without daring to look back or stop. Only when she felt like she was a safe distance away and her strength was nearly spent, did she pause to catch her breath.
"Not bad footwork," someone complimented from the darkness.
Chuan Xinlian’s pupils sharply constricted.
Ye Beizhi stepped out of the shadows, his clothes still bearing scorch marks.
"You?!" Chuan Xinlian involuntarily took a step back.
Ye Beizhi looked down at himself and said, "These clothes, Nanwei bought them for five taels of silver..." Then, turning his gaze to Chuan Xinlian, he nodded once. "You’ll have to pay."
"I’ll pay, I’ll pay!"
Chuan Xinlian was terrified. She had never imagined anyone could survive such an explosion.
"I’ll answer your questions too!"
Ye Beizhi tilted his head in thought before replying, "No... no need."
Watching Ye Beizhi approach with his blade, Chuan Xinlian instinctively retreated until her back hit a tree.
"Why? Why?" Chuan Xinlian glanced at the Tang blade in Ye Beizhi’s hand. "I can answer you! I know—"
"You lack sincerity," Ye Beizhi interrupted.
The wind scattered the clouds, and the moon reappeared.
In the moonlit forest, a large tree fell with the gleam of a blade, startling countless birds into flight.