CHAPTER 39: CHAPTER 39: FIERCE BATTLE! THE TRAITOR!

"Huh?"

The person opposite was the same scrawny and ugly man from earlier. His eyebrows were cold and stern, and the scars on his face added a touch of ferocity. Yet, he was somewhat surprised at this moment.

He moved with the saber, gathering power to slash, which could be described as both fierce and ruthless!

This slash was enough to split a horse in two, from head to tail. The power alone could crush a person, but who would have thought it would be blocked head-on by the young man in front of him.

The man was somewhat surprised, but Gu Yuan showed no hesitation. His steps were unpredictable, swift and elusive like a Spiritual Snake. His long sword, like a venomous snake, shot out with piercing force.

The man retaliated with a backhand strike, underestimating this sword attack. Though he blocked it, Gu Yuan’s sword move transformed, changing from a fierce and ruthless strike to something soft and protracted, passing the curved saber at an inconceivable angle and pinning into the man’s shoulder.

Splurt!

The long sword effortlessly pierced through, blossoming into a flower of blood.

"You’re courting death!"

Although pierced by the long sword, the man did not retreat but advanced, roaring and raising the curved saber high, slashing down with a single stroke!

The bright curved saber carved a streak in mid-air, like lightning splitting day and night.

The ferocity and sharpness of the saber light seemed capable of cutting through all obstacles ahead!

"Then let’s see who dies first!"

Gu Yuan’s gaze turned ruthless. Instead of dodging or evading, he moved forward, his body colliding into the man’s embrace.

Meanwhile, power flooded into the long sword that was still lodged in the man’s body. With a push and press, he forced a long, slanted wound from the man’s left shoulder to right abdomen, almost splitting him in two.

"Ah!"

The scrawny man only had time to let out an angry roar before falling to the ground. He bled heavily from his wound, even spilling his insides, soaking the ground around him. His eyes remained wide open in anger, without a sound.

"The leader!"

"This kid killed the second boss!"

"The second boss is dead!"

Seeing the saber-wielding man die miserably on the spot, many bandits stepped back in fear, looking at him with trepidation, seeing him as a ferocious beast. No one dared to attack him again.

"That was close!"

Gu Yuan touched his back and found a long wound, warm blood flowing out, spreading waves of pain.

If he hadn’t reacted in time, even a moment’s hesitation would have been enough to slash him into two!

"Second Brother!"

Iron Tiger, the leader of the Black Wind Bandits, was locked in a fierce battle with Yang Han.

One wielded the Ghost Head Saber, whistling through the air with forceful, unparalleled power. The other had arms like iron rods, fingers curled, with taut, green-black tendons, unmatched in ferocity; this was the Arresting Hard Technique.

Noticing the death of the second-in-command, Iron Tiger flew into a rage, swinging the Ghost Head Saber like the wind, forcing Yang Han to retreat, and shouted:

"All of you, attack! Kill that kid!"

"Enough!"

At that moment, a figure casually emerged from the dense forest. The voice was not loud, yet clearly echoed in everyone’s ears.

This person’s steps were slow, yet before the voice finished, he had crossed several dozen feet like a phantom, arriving at the scene with astonishing speed.

"Innate Martial Master?!"

Gu Yuan’s eyelid twitched, and a foreboding sense of something impending triggered alarm bells in his heart, sending a chill down his spine!

The newcomer, with a gloomy face, appeared as a middle-aged man, ordinary-looking and empty-handed, with nothing peculiar but for his ice-blue eyes, conveying a chilling and ruthless eeriness, making one’s heart tremble.

Even Yang Han was deeply shocked, backing off from Iron Tiger and standing guard.

"Hmph!"

The person swept his gaze over Gu Yuan, Yang Han, Xia Xiuxue, and others, glancing at the bandits:

"Useless! Useless! A bunch of useless people!"

Then looking at Iron Tiger:

"Iron Tiger, I overestimated you. You couldn’t even handle these few low-life individuals; how dare you want to apprentice under me?!"

Iron Tiger, who looked like an Iron Tower and appeared muscular and fiercely strong, was now lowering his eyes and nodding, humbly holding his saber and fists together as a salute: "I have disappointed Mr. Wei, but I have other arrangements which now just happen to come into play!"

As soon as he spoke, Guo Jin, the Medicine Gatherer who had been entangled with bandits, suddenly attacked, leaping over the bandits in front of him and capturing the unsuspecting Xia Xiuxue at his side.

Just as Xia Xiuxue attempted to resist, Guo Jin grabbed her arm, with two cracks, dislocating her arms, leaving them hanging powerlessly by her sides.

"Third Miss!"

Seeing this, Yang Jianfei was shocked, shaking his long sword, stabbing towards Guo Jin’s arm.

But Guo Jin merely used Xia Xiuxue as a shield, causing Yang Jianfei to hold back, yet the Pure Iron Smoke Gun he wielded with lightning speed deflected the long sword and hit Yang Jianfei’s right arm.

Snap!

"Ah!"

Yang Jianfei screamed in pain, his arm twisted at a bizarre angle, a section of bone protruding through the flesh, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Guo Jin! I knew there was a mole among the Medicine Gatherers, but I didn’t expect it to be you! You’ve been a Medicine Gatherer for over ten years, haven’t you?"

Seeing this, Yang Han’s eyelid twitched, his tone cold, threatening through gritted teeth:

"Do you know your son is currently working as a waiter in the Jade Cauldron Tower? If the Third Miss even loses a hair, believe me, I’ll have your son torn by a thousand blades!"

"Then I’ll trouble Steward Yang to take care!"

Old Guo had a stoic face, speaking indifferently: "That child was born from my wife’s infidelity in her youth, he has nothing to do with me. If you want to act, at least give him a quick death, that would fulfill my years of raising him."

"...You!"

Yang Han’s face twitched, speechless, feeling outdone by what Old Guo said.

The only leverage against this old man, was negated, what else could he say now?

"This old guy is ruthless!"

Gu Yuan’s mouth twitched, unsure of what to say.

On this journey, Old Guo was always quiet and reserved, seemingly spiritless. Who would have thought that this old man was hiding the deepest?

"Haha, good, good, good!"

Iron Tiger clapped with laughter: "Old Guo, well done! Capture the little girl. If anyone dares to make a move, crush her skull!"

"Very good! I’ve heard Xia Mingyang dotes on this little daughter dearly. With her in hand, I don’t believe the Xia family head will remain indifferent!"

The middle-aged man, possibly an Innate Martial Master, nodded and then turned his gaze to the carriage that remained still: "Old Mo, why? Even now, you won’t show yourself?"

"Alas, as they say, enemies should be resolved rather than made... Wei Chuan, why do you have to do this?"

A sigh came from the carriage, then Mo Lao, dressed in a white robe, emerged from the carriage. His words implied that he knew this strange middle-aged man.