Chapter 438 - 435: Encirclement and Annihilation
Chapter 438: Chapter 435: Encirclement and Annihilation
"Fang Han, Jin Han..."
Ma Yuan gasped for breath, his gaze sweeping over the two of them, his voice hoarse.
Pain flared from his left ribs, right shoulder, and right arm, making his face twitch uncontrollably.
"I’ll take you down with me."
His voice was low, filled with suppressed fury, as if he were about to fight to the death.
But even as he spoke, his eyes were covertly searching for an escape route.
’He’s going to risk it all?’
Fang Han readied himself, his expression grave. When a Second Grade Martial Artist fought with their life on the line, the power they could unleash was terrifying.
A single misstep could lead to serious injury, or even death.
"Trying to run?"
Jin Han, however, snorted coldly. She had seen through Ma Yuan’s bluff; his real goal was to escape.
Her Short Sword transformed into a streak of azure light, moving with astonishing speed as it aimed straight for Ma Yuan’s neck.
’She saw through me?’
Ma Yuan’s expression changed drastically.
He was secretly activating a last-resort Escape Secret Technique, which required a moment to gather power.
The Secret Technique was not yet complete, and he was at his most vulnerable.
Jin Han’s strike was both fast and vicious. If he forced himself to continue activating the technique, he wouldn’t be able to dodge her sword.
But if he dodged, the Secret Technique would be interrupted, and he would lose his chance to escape.
At the crucial moment between life and death, he chose to dodge.
He twisted his body sharply to the side, evading the fatal glint of the blade.
The Short Sword grazed past his ribs, tearing a gash in his black robe but not breaking the skin.
However, this dodge had forcefully interrupted the Escape Secret Technique he was activating.
A backlash of power surged through him. A sweet, metallic taste filled his throat, and he forcibly swallowed the mouthful of blood that had risen.
"You—"
He raised his head and glared at Jin Han, his eyes filled with shock and rage.
"I’ve been dealing with your Netherworld Pavilion for half my life. I’ve seen plenty of your little escape tricks."
Jin Han’s voice was flat, yet it carried an air of unshakable certainty.
With a flicker, she appeared before Ma Yuan. The gleam of her sword flared again, striking for his throat.
SWOOSH!
Realizing Ma Yuan’s true intention was to flee, Fang Han also moved to strike.
His Cloud Splitting Sword slashed out from the side, Sword Intent erupting to seal off all of Ma Yuan’s escape routes.
Attacking from the left and right, their offense was like a relentless tide.
Ma Yuan’s face was deathly pale. He fought back with all his might but was hard-pressed to defend himself, and the number of wounds on his body grew steadily.
SHLICK—!
Jin Han’s sword sliced across Ma Yuan’s left arm, leaving a deep gash.
SQUELCH—!
Fang Han’s sword pierced Ma Yuan’s side. Although Ma Yuan twisted away in time to avoid a fatal blow, it still left a bloody hole an inch deep.
Blood gushed out, soaking through Ma Yuan’s black robe.
Ma Yuan’s movements grew more sluggish, his breathing more ragged, and the light in his eyes slowly dimmed.
But Ma Yuan continued to struggle desperately, refusing to give up.
Because to give up meant death.
However, the gap in their strength was not something willpower alone could overcome.
Jin Han and Fang Han’s coordination became increasingly seamless, their attacks growing sharper and more ferocious.
Ma Yuan was like a wild beast trapped in a cage, struggling frantically with nowhere to run.
RIIIIP—!
Jin Han’s sword slashed across Ma Yuan’s chest. The attack pierced through his Soft Armor, leaving a long, bloody mark.
SQUELCH—!
Fang Han’s sword plunged into Ma Yuan’s thigh, which was unprotected by the Soft Armor. Blood spurted out.
Ma Yuan’s body suddenly dropped, and he fell to one knee.
He gasped for air, blood pouring from the multiple wounds on his body, staining the ground beneath him a dark crimson.
He lifted his head, his gaze falling first on Fang Han, then on Jin Han.
In his narrow eyes, there was indignation, fury, and a sliver of indescribable... despair.
"You..."
He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but only coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Jin Han gave Ma Yuan no quarter.
Her Short Sword rose again, thrusting straight for Ma Yuan’s heart.
Fang Han struck at the same moment.
The Cloud Splitting Sword became a flash of azure light, slashing straight for Ma Yuan’s neck.
The two fatal attacks, one after the other, sealed off all of Ma Yuan’s paths to survival.
A final trace of struggle flashed in Ma Yuan’s eyes as he thrust out both palms with all his remaining strength.
However, he had almost no power left.
The two dark Palm Seals were far less solid than his first ones, their power greatly diminished.
Jin Han’s sword light broke through the Palm Seal first, piercing his left chest.
Fang Han’s sword followed right behind, slashing across his neck.
SQUELCH—!
SQUELCH—!
The two muffled sounds rang out almost simultaneously.
Ma Yuan’s body froze.
He looked down at his chest, then raised a hand to touch the thin line of blood on his neck.
Blood seeped through his fingers, warm with the last vestiges of life.
He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but could only manage a gurgling, rasping sound.
The next instant, his entire body collapsed.
His corpse slammed into a pool of blood, splattering dark red mud.
His narrow eyes remained wide open, but they had lost all their light.
Ma Yuan, a Second-Grade Elder of the Netherworld Pavilion, was dead.
WHOOSH—
Fang Han slowly withdrew his longsword, standing still and breathing lightly.
First killing Zhao Ping, then joining forces with Jin Han to corner and kill Ma Yuan, had consumed a great deal of his Inner Qi.
Although the azure-gold Inner Qi inside him still surged, it was no longer as abundant as before.
He glanced down at Ma Yuan’s body, then at the blood spattering his own green robes.
Jin Han sheathed her sword, also breathing lightly.
She looked down at Ma Yuan’s corpse, and a flicker of satisfaction crossed her stern eyes.
"Ma Yuan, so you too have met your end."
Her voice was hoarse, laced with a complex, indescribable emotion.
A moment later, she turned and her gaze fell upon Fang Han.
The initial suspicion and scrutiny in her placid, well-like eyes had vanished.
In its place was an indescribably complex expression.
There was surprise, admiration, and also a hint of... apology.
"True Inheritor Fang."
She spoke, her voice still stiff, but it carried more solemnity than before.
"What I said earlier in the Sect Leader’s Hall was discourteous. I hope True Inheritor Fang will not take offense."
"Elder Jin, you speak too gravely."
Fang Han shook his head slightly, his expression calm.
He could sense that Elder Jin truly hadn’t meant to target him, so he held no grudge.
’Still, this Elder Jin has a rather odd personality. It would be best to interact with her as little as possible in the future.’
In the distance, the sounds of battle had gradually subsided.
The final scream of a Netherworld Pavilion disciple was cut short, and silence returned to the road.
A Steward from the Qingxuan Sect hurried over, his clothes stained with blood—whether it was his own or the enemy’s, it was impossible to tell.
He walked up to Jin Han and bowed in salute.
"Elder Jin, all the men from the Netherworld Pavilion have been eliminated. We lost three and have seven injured."
Jin Han nodded slightly and said in a low voice,
"Collect the bodies of our fallen, take stock of the supplies, burn the enemy corpses, erase all traces of the battle, and leave this place as quickly as possible."
"Yes, Elder."
The Steward acknowledged the order and quickly turned to leave.
Jin Han turned, her gaze falling on Ma Yuan’s corpse, then shifting to Zhao Ping’s body in the distance. A glimmer of satisfaction flashed in her stern eyes.
"These supplies were extremely important to the Netherworld Pavilion. Not only have we intercepted them, but we’ve also killed Ma Yuan and Zhao Ping. This will surely cause the Netherworld Pavilion a heavy loss."
Before long, the Steward hurried back.
"Elder Jin, the supplies have been inventoried. There are thirteen carts in total, all filled with precious medicinal herbs and ores of considerable value."
Jin Han nodded.
"Once all traces are erased, we’ll set out. Take the hidden route back to the Sect."
The group acknowledged her command, calming the frightened horses and carefully arranging the bodies of their fallen comrades.
’I’ve finally gathered three minor merits!’
Fang Han stood by the side of the road with his hands behind his back, watching the busy crowd as he slowly exhaled.
This mission was a complete success. When he returned to the Sect, he would receive one minor merit as a reward.
Added to the two minor merits he had already accumulated, he would have enough to combine them into one major merit and exchange it for a Grandmaster-level Body Technique.
After reaching Perfection in the Wind and Cloud Escape, his Body Technique could not advance any further.
Now, he could finally continue his progress.
A faint smile touched his lips before quickly vanishing.
The bodies of the Netherworld Pavilion members were incinerated, completely erasing any remaining traces of Martial Techniques on the corpses.
The convoy was quickly packed up, and the group set off in the direction of the Qingxuan Sect.
Dusk deepened, and the last sliver of sunset on the horizon was swallowed by the night.
On the road, the convoy moved forward slowly, the wheels rumbling as they rolled over the ground.
...
In the depths of the Netherworld Pavilion, inside the main hall.
The hall was dimly lit. Li Wushang stood before a window with his hands behind his back, his brow slightly furrowed.
Several days had passed, but the team sent to Donglu County to procure supplies had yet to return. They hadn’t even sent back a single message.
A faint sense of unease lingered in his mind like a dark cloud, refusing to dissipate.
He had already dispatched men to investigate, hoping it was merely a delay that prevented them from contacting the Sect, and not the worst-case scenario.
A soft knock came from the hall’s doors.
"Vice Pavilion Master, Elder Feng Yuan requests an audience."
Li Wushang turned around, a trace of surprise in his eyes, before saying, "Let him in."
Feng Yuan was a highly experienced Third Grade Elder within the Pavilion, known for his steady and seasoned approach.
Two days ago, Li Wushang had dispatched him to investigate along the procurement team’s route. His return now surely meant he had found something.
The doors to the hall pushed open, and a figure strode inside.
The man was of medium build with regular features and a full head of white hair, but his eyes held a grave expression.
He walked closer and bowed.
"Vice Pavilion Master."
Li Wushang’s gaze fell on Feng Yuan’s face. Seeing his unusual expression, the unease in his heart grew stronger.
"What did you find?"
Feng Yuan straightened up and remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly,
"The procurement team... I’m afraid they’ve met with disaster."
The air in the hall seemed to freeze for an instant.
"What did you discover that would lead you to such a conclusion?"
Li Wushang’s pupils contracted slightly in his deep, dark eyes as he asked.
Meeting that gaze, Feng Yuan recounted everything he had seen along the way.
He had led his men to carefully investigate along the procurement team’s intended route. On a remote road at the border of two counties, they discovered signs of a fierce battle.
The ground was crisscrossed with gullies, trees were broken, and the area was riddled with craters, clear evidence of a brutal fight.
Then, in a mountain hollow not far from the battle site, they discovered signs of a fire—
A large number of corpses had been piled together and burned, making them unidentifiable, leaving only charred bones and ash.
Feng Yuan paused, his voice lowering. "Judging from the evidence, it’s highly probable that the procurement team... has been completely wiped out."