Chapter 54: The Final Blow

When the strange man was filled with rage, Yao and Zhou, who were chasing him from behind, were overjoyed.

After being tricked by a small maneuver of the strange man, both Yao and Zhou were extremely angry. In fact, they had been too hasty to think about the closed warehouse door until they chased up to it and looked up, suddenly remembering that today, by sheer bad luck, the warehouse door had already been tightly shut. Now this fellow had no escape, and it was truly a case of beating a dog with the door closed, so naturally they were delighted.

Despite this, they also knew the man ahead possessed exceptional skills. If they wanted to save face in front of their superiors, they had no choice but to summon their energy and show some real abilities.

The two exchanged glances and simultaneously slowed their pace. Yao Dingguo moved to the left while Zhou Chang took the right, both advancing in the same rhythm toward the strange man.

As they neared the door, the strange man’s forward speed actually increased instead of decreasing. Like a bird flying into the woods, he created a gray shadow and charged straight toward the iron door.

When Yao and Zhou saw this, they were puzzled. Why would this man, who clearly saw the iron door was closed ahead, still charge headlong into it? Could he have some hidden skill yet to be revealed?

While still in confusion, they saw the strange man’s figure accelerating like a meteor straight toward the iron door. With a sharp whistle from his mouth, a loud bang rang out as the man curled his body mid-air, kicked off the iron door, and rebounded like a spear straight back toward Zhou Chang.

Zhou was greatly startled. He hadn’t expected the man, who had been fleeing moments ago, to suddenly charge at him as if ready to die. He never imagined this person’s martial arts could be this formidable, returning in an instant before he could even think clearly. In a panic, he gripped his sword with both hands and shouted loudly as he slashed downward.

However, the strange man’s speed exceeded Zhou Chang’s expectations. As soon as the sword started to rise, he saw the dagger in the strange man’s hand gleaming ominously before his eyes. Zhou Chang was truly formidable. Despite the danger, he neither dodged nor retreated, his sword unwavering as it continued its downward slash, adopting a life-for-life combat style.

If the dagger struck true, Zhou Chang would certainly die. However, his long sword would also wound the opponent. In martial arts circles, few would fight this way. However, Zhou Chang had a military background, where killing was unconcerned with such martial rules. His sword, flashing with cold light, showed no hesitation.

Yao Dingguo, on the other side, was greatly alarmed. He had underestimated the opponent’s speed and was now caught off guard again. Seeing Zhou Chang already going all out, he had no choice but to plant his left foot firmly, his steel sword carving an arc and producing a flurry of sword slashes from the side toward the strange man.

The strange man felt a sense of helplessness as his sudden acceleration and change of direction had greatly taxed his body. His breath was now slightly labored. He had originally intended to catch his opponents off guard. If they had hesitated even slightly, he could have broken through their blockade and seized a hostage to force the door open. However, although his sudden maneuver initially confused them, his opponents adopted a suicidal stance, making it difficult for him to exert his strength.

When the eccentric man was seething with anger, Yao and Zhou, who were chasing him from behind, were overjoyed.

After being tricked by the eccentric man with a small ruse, both of them were furious. In fact, in their haste, they hadn’t even considered that the warehouse door might already be closed. It wasn’t until they reached the door and looked up that they realized, by sheer coincidence, the door had been shut. Now, the man had no way to escape—neither to the sky nor to the ground. He was truly trapped like a dog in a closed room, which naturally filled them with delight.

Even so, both of them knew that the man ahead possessed extraordinary skills. If they wanted to save face in front of their superiors, they would have to focus and bring out their true abilities.

Exchanging a glance, they simultaneously slowed their pace. Yao Dingguo was on the left, and Zhou Chang was on the right. Their steps fell into the same rhythm as they pressed forward together.

Just as they were about to reach the door, the eccentric man’s speed didn’t decrease—it increased instead. Like a bird darting into the forest, he left a gray shadow in his wake as he charged straight toward the iron door.

Yao and Zhou, who were still chasing him, were puzzled. Why was he charging headlong into the closed iron door? Did he have some secret technique up his sleeve that he hadn’t yet revealed?

As they were wondering, they saw the eccentric man’s figure speeding up even more, like a meteor hurtling toward the iron door. With a sharp whistle, a loud bang echoed as the man kicked off the door mid-air, using it as a springboard to rebound like a javelin, flying straight back toward Zhou Chang.

Zhou Chang was shocked. Just moments ago, the man had been intent on escaping, but now he was charging forward with a desperate ferocity. What’s more, his agility was far beyond what Zhou had expected. In an instant, he had closed the distance. Without time to think, Zhou gripped his sword with both hands and let out a roar as he swung it down to meet the man.

However, the eccentric man’s speed was far beyond Zhou’s expectations. Before Zhou could even raise his sword fully, the man’s dagger, gleaming with a sinister light, was already in front of him. Zhou, however, was no ordinary fighter. Instead of dodging, he held his ground, his sword unwavering as it continued its downward arc, a clear sign of a life-or-death struggle.

If the eccentric man’s dagger struck, Zhou would surely die. But Zhou’s longsword would also inevitably wound his opponent. Such a reckless approach was rare among martial artists, but Zhou, having come from a military background, cared little for such conventions. His sword gleamed coldly, and he showed no hesitation.

On the side, Yao Dingguo was equally shocked. He had misjudged the man’s speed and found himself at a disadvantage once again. Seeing Zhou fighting for his life, Yao had no choice but to push off with his left foot, his steel sword arcing through the air as he unleashed a flurry of strikes, aiming to envelop the eccentric man from the side.

The eccentric man, too, felt a sense of helplessness. His sudden acceleration and change of direction had placed a heavy burden on his body, and now his breathing was becoming slightly labored. He had hoped to catch his opponents off guard, and if they showed even the slightest hesitation, he could break through their blockade and seize a hostage to force the door open. However, despite initially being confused by his maneuver, his opponents had adopted a no-holds-barred approach, leaving him with no room to maneuver.

With a silent sigh, the eccentric man shifted his stance, leaving behind two afterimages as his dagger swiftly struck the tip of Zhou’s descending sword. With a metallic clang, a piece of Zhou’s sword was chipped off, and the eccentric man used the momentum to evade Yao’s silver-like blade, retreating to the side.

Zhou and Yao didn’t let up. Their swords danced like whirlwinds, sweeping across the ground as they pressed toward the eccentric man.

Mei Qing and Lu Zeyou, along with the other two, finally caught up. They saw Yao and Zhou shouting fiercely, their longswords cutting through the air as they worked together to block the eccentric man’s path, gradually forcing him toward the corner. The eccentric man, however, remained silent, his movements as nimble as a cat as he dodged and weaved through their sword strikes. His dagger, like a snake’s tongue, repeatedly targeted the vital points that Yao and Zhou had to defend, preventing them from pressing too hard.

As the saying goes, “An inch longer, an inch stronger.” The eccentric man had lost the initiative, and Yao and Zhou’s longswords were gradually gaining the upper hand. Their coordination was seamless, and despite the eccentric man’s attempts to sever their swords with his dagger, they supported each other, forcing him to abandon his attacks. Seeing the eccentric man being driven into the corner, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he had no way out this time.

The eccentric man knew that if things continued like this, he would eventually be captured. His earlier forced acceleration and change of direction had left him with a lingering discomfort in his chest, and after the prolonged fight, he was starting to tire. Seeing the situation turning dire, he had no choice but to take a desperate gamble.

As Yao and Zhou were pushing him toward the corner, they suddenly saw the eccentric man tighten his grip on his dagger, leaving behind a trail of afterimages as he aimed for their vital points. Both of them slowed their steps slightly, and the man repeated his earlier tactic, retreating rapidly before charging toward the corner once more.

Having been fooled by this maneuver at the iron door earlier, Yao and Zhou were determined not to make the same mistake again. Their swords danced like a whirlwind, tightly guarding their positions to prevent the man from launching another sneak attack.

However, what happened next was completely unexpected. The eccentric man leaped toward the corner, but instead of rebounding like before, he disappeared like a bird returning to the forest or snow melting into water, leaving no trace behind.

Yao and Zhou, suddenly finding their enemy gone, were momentarily stunned. Although the man had initially appeared out of nowhere, clearly possessing some form of invisibility technique, his sudden disappearance in the heat of battle left them both momentarily frozen, their swordplay faltering.

The eccentric man had been waiting for this moment. As Yao and Zhou’s swords slowed, he reappeared, his body elongated like a pole as he shot through the gap between them!

Yao and Zhou, having been toyed with repeatedly by the eccentric man, were furious. Their swords swept in from left and right, aiming to cut him down from behind. The eccentric man, now moving swiftly along the ground, caught a glimpse of the incoming blades out of the corner of his eye. Gritting his teeth, he didn’t slow down but twisted slightly to avoid vital areas.

Blood sprayed as Yao and Zhou’s swords left a trail of crimson on the eccentric man’s body—the first time they had managed to wound him. However, there was no joy in their hearts. Although the man had been cut several times, none of the wounds were fatal. Seeing him endure the strikes and break through their blockade, charging straight toward Mei Qing and the others, they felt a sense of dread.

Mei Qing, whose cultivation had been sealed, was defenseless without his sword. Lu Zeyou, a scholar, was even less capable. Qian San, though somewhat strong, had injured his arm earlier and couldn’t even lift it. That left Zhao Dayou, trembling as he held a teapot in one hand and fumbled for something in his chest with the other, shaking like a leaf.

The eccentric man, having calculated everything, finally saw an opportunity and didn’t hesitate to seize it. Having eavesdropped on their earlier conversation, he knew that Lu Zeyou and Mei Qing were the leaders. However, Zhao Dayou, who had been hiding at the back, now found himself at the front, blocking the eccentric man’s path. The man’s dagger gleamed as he pointed it at Zhao, charging forward while shouting, “You fat oaf, get out of the way!”

Zhao Dayou, terrified by the man’s ferocity, wanted to retreat, but his legs refused to obey. He couldn’t move a single step. Seeing the dagger aimed straight at his head, he closed his eyes tightly, pulled a paper packet from his chest, and threw it without looking, screaming, “Spare me!”

The eccentric man, seeing the fat man throw something dark and indistinct toward him, didn’t dare to take it lightly. He extended his dagger and pierced the object, only to hear a soft “plop” as it was punctured. Looking closely, he realized it was a paper packet.

With a snarl, the man flicked his wrist, using the momentum to shatter the packet into pieces. However, as it broke apart, a cloud of white, flour-like smoke erupted, followed by a strange fragrance. The moment the scent entered his nostrils, he felt his head grow heavy, his limbs weak, and his legs nearly gave out beneath him.

The despicable fat man had thrown a packet of knockout powder at him. Enraged at being ambushed, the eccentric man tried to muster his strength to kill the fat man, but his body felt as heavy as a mountain, and his eyelids were drooping. He realized that the powder wasn’t ordinary knockout drug, and having fallen for the trap, he was in serious trouble.

Zhao Dayou, having thrown the powder with his eyes closed, felt his legs give out as he collapsed to the ground. Peeking through a crack in his eyelids, he saw the eccentric man, eyes filled with malice, charging toward him, only to stumble and fall right on top of him. The man’s dagger weakly swung out, embedding itself into the stone floor inches from Zhao’s ear with a metallic clang.

Zhao’s heart nearly stopped from fear. He didn’t even dare to push the man off him, his limbs seemingly out of his control. His mind went blank, and all he could do was tremble and repeatedly mutter, “Buddha, save me!”

Yao and Zhou didn’t dare to relax. Their swords created a flurry of light like two whirlwinds rolling toward the strange man.

It was only then that Mei Qing and Lu Ze, along with four others, caught up. They saw Yao and Zhou shouting continuously, their swords creating gusts of wind as they worked together to block the strange man’s path, gradually forcing him toward a corner. The strange man, however, remained completely silent, his movements as nimble as a cat. He dodged and maneuvered within the sword lights of the two men, his dagger striking like a venomous snake, always targeting the blind spots in Yao and Zhou’s attacks, preventing them from pressing him too hard.

It was precisely the case of “an inch longer, an inch stronger.” With the initial advantage lost, Yao and Zhou’s long swords gradually showed their power. Their coordination was seamless, and the strange man’s several attempts to sever their swords with his blade were repeatedly thwarted by their mutual support and counterattacks, forcing him to abandon his efforts midway. As the strange man was gradually forced into a corner, everyone finally relaxed, believing that this time the villain would have no chance of turning the tide.

The strange man also realized that if this continued, he would eventually be captured. Especially after forcing his body to change direction earlier, his internal energy had not yet recovered, and his chest felt tight. After further combat, he was already struggling. Seeing the dire situation, he had no choice but to take a desperate risk for a final attempt.

Just as Yao and Zhou were working together to corner the strange man, they suddenly saw his dagger tighten, sending a flurry of afterimages toward their vital points. Both men instinctively slowed their steps, only to see the man retreat again, suddenly rushing toward the corner.

Earlier at the iron door, they had nearly been tricked by this feint, so this time they naturally wouldn’t make the same mistake again. Their steel swords danced into a flurry, tightly guarding their defenses against another sneak attack.

However, the scene before them once again caught them off guard. The strange man lunged toward the corner but, unlike the previous time, didn’t rebound from the wall. Instead, like a returning bird diving into the forest or snow vanishing into water, he disappeared without a trace.

Suddenly losing sight of their enemy, Yao and Zhou were momentarily stunned. Although the strange man had initially appeared suddenly, clearly possessing a superb hiding technique, to vanish abruptly amid the rapidly changing, intense battle still caused both men to freeze for a moment, their sword slashes halting simultaneously.

The strange man had been waiting for this moment. Just as the two men’s swords slowed, he reappeared, stretching out like a long pole, drilling straight through the gap between them!

Yao and Zhou, repeatedly outmaneuvered by the strange man, were furious. Their steel swords, one on the left and one on the right, swept toward the strange man from behind. At this point, the strange man was moving low to the ground, and though he caught sight of the sword shadows from the corner of his eye, he merely gritted his teeth, maintaining his speed while slightly twisting his body to avoid the critical areas.

Blood splattered as Yao and Zhou’s swords cut across the strange man’s body, leaving trails of blood. It was the first time they had wounded him since the fight began. However, there was no joy in their hearts. Although the strange man had been hit, the injuries were not fatal. Watching him endure the slashes and break through their blockade, he charged straight toward Mei Qing and the others.

Mei Qing’s cultivation was sealed and he had lost his sword, making him completely defenseless. Lu Ze was merely a scholar, even less capable. Qian San had some strength, but after being struck by the strange man earlier, his arm was dislocated and he couldn’t even lift it. The only one left was Zhao Dayou, trembling while holding a teapot, frantically searching in his robe with his other hand, shaking like a leaf.

The strange man, having calculated meticulously, finally saw an opportunity and pounced without mercy. Earlier, he had eavesdropped on their conversation and observed their expressions, already identifying Lu Ze and Mei Qing as the leaders. However, Zhao Dayou had originally been hiding at the back. Now, as everyone turned to chase him, Zhao had become the one directly in his path, blocking his advance. The strange man raised his cold dagger, pointing directly at Zhao Dayou, continuing his forward charge while shouting, “You fat fool, get out of my way!”

Zhao Dayou, terrified by the strange man’s fierce appearance, was so scared his soul nearly flew from his body. He wanted to retreat, but his legs refused to obey, rooted to the spot. Seeing the dagger aimed directly at his head, he shut his eyes tightly, pulled a paper package from his robe without looking, and threw it out, screaming, “Spare my life!”

The strange man saw the fat man throw something dark and unknown toward him. Not daring to be careless, he extended his dagger and struck the object. With a “puff,” the item was pierced through. Surprised, he looked closely and saw it was a paper package.

Enraged, the strange man shook his wrist, using the vibration to shatter the package into pieces. At the same time, he pushed off the ground, preparing to leap again. However, the package shattered, releasing a cloud of white powder-like mist, accompanied by a strange fragrance. As the scent entered his nose, he immediately felt dizzy, his limbs weakened, and his legs nearly gave way, almost causing him to collapse.

This despicable fat man had actually hidden drugs inside the paper package and thrown it at him. The strange man, realizing he had been tricked, was furious. He forced himself to stay alert, wanting to rush forward and kill the fat man, but he felt as if a mountain pressed down on him, his eyelids heavy and difficult to lift. He now understood that the drugs in the package were certainly not ordinary knockout powders. He had been careless and fallen victim to the trap, and this time, things would not end well.

Zhao Dayou, after throwing the drug-filled paper package from his robe with his eyes tightly shut, felt his whole body go limp. His legs trembled so violently he could no longer stand and collapsed to the ground. Peeking through a tiny slit in his eyes, he saw the strange man glaring at him with murderous intent, charging toward him but suddenly stumbling and falling, landing heavily on top of him. The dagger in the strange man’s hand swung weakly, clanging as it narrowly missed Zhao’s ear, burying itself deeply into the stone floor.

Zhao Dayou was so terrified his heart nearly stopped. He was too scared to even push the strange man off him. His limbs seemed to no longer obey him, his mind blank, only trembling as he kept whispering, “May the Bodhisattva protect me!”