Beating You to Death Is More Interesting!

Huang Tian had never been averse to exchanging pointers. Every master was a synthesis of several, a dozen, or even hundreds of martial techniques. By clashing with them, he could glean the essence of the martial arts they performed and make it his own. For instance, the technique Lingxiao Heaven had been derived during his duel with Ke Rujing, taking the true intent behind Ke's "One Staff Cleaves the Heavens" and combining it with the deductions of hundreds—if not thousands—of other techniques. *Though it clashes with the day Saint Yin arrives, it doesn't matter. Once I deal with Saint Yin, I can test my skills against them on the side.* With that in mind, Huang Tian accepted the challenge letters sent by Xie Zheng and Long Zhang. Upon receiving the news, the two men were thrilled. Xie Zheng flicked his sword blade with a fingertip, drawing forth a resonance like the cry of a dragon or the song of a phoenix. "I shall bathe, burn incense, and fast for three days to quiet my mind, facing him in peak condition!" Long Zhang was not quite so particular, yet he also decided to enter seclusion to conserve his energy and sharpen his edge, awaiting their contest in three days' time. In the blink of an eye, three days slipped by. During this time, Funing County was far quieter than usual. The reason was simple: three heads belonging to rank-three Grandmasters hung above the city gates. Martial artists entering and leaving could not help but shudder, terrified of creating any major disturbance that might prompt Huang Tian to act. Naturally, where there was fear, there was resentment. In a secluded courtyard, the short, gaunt Elder Duan paced with his hands behind his back. He sneered, "This Huang Tian is truly bold and arrogant. Our Holy Cult hasn't even sought him out for revenge yet, and he dares to come first to a chaotic place like Funing." A woman in a purple dress standing beneath the eaves remarked, "He has made another breakthrough in strength. He is at rank four, yet capable of fighting rank two. Naturally, he fears nothing." "He only acts so because he doesn't know our cult's Saint Yin is about to arrive in Funing. Otherwise, he would have fled in terror long ago." After scoffing, Elder Duan suddenly looked puzzled. "The intelligence sent from the cult stated that Niu Kuanyu would bring men to oversee Funing. Why hasn't he shown up yet?" The woman hesitated before speaking. "We haven't discovered the reason yet, but rumors are circulating outside that Niu Kuanyu is dead—and that he fell by our Holy Cult's hands." Elder Duan cursed, "Why does every piece of nonsense get blamed on us?! I never received any word that the cult intended to deal with Niu Kuanyu." He grunted in displeasure, then added, "Still, Niu Kuanyu likely is dead. Otherwise, he would have appeared long ago, and there wouldn't be rumors of his demise spreading outside. "Good! No matter who killed him, he died a worthy death! The more people who oppose our Holy Cult die, the better!" *Flap, flap—* A robust eagle landed on the branch of a small tree in the yard. The woman in purple hurried forward and retrieved a small slip of paper from its talons. Glancing over it quickly, she said with delight, "Elder, Saint Yin has arrived ten li outside the western wall!" Elder Duan took the slip, skimmed it, and laughed heartily. "Splendid! Saint Yin has finally arrived! Let us go greet him!" *** "Saint Yin has arrived, so it's just the right time for me to take some men and greet him as well!" Inside the Company Office, Huang Tian rose to his feet, gripped the dark-gold staff, and walked out the door. Finding Xu Shu, he said, "Vice Commander Xu, I have obtained intelligence that the Demonic Cult's Saint Yin has reached a spot ten li outside Funing's west gate and is about to enter the city. I intend to intercept and kill him personally. I must trouble you to lead our forces to surround and eliminate the other demonic scoundrels so none of them escape." "Wait! Saint Yin?!" Xu Shu stood stunned. "Are you referring to that Demonic Cult Saint Yin who secluded himself for years, devoted entirely to cultivating secret arts?!" Huang Tian nodded. Horror seized Xu Shu. "Is your intelligence reliable?" "It cannot possibly be wrong." "Then you certainly cannot go!" Xu Shu pressed anxiously, "Huang Tian, don't you know? Years ago, Saint Yin was already a master at peak rank two, capable of lasting a quarter of an hour against a rank-one powerhouse. Now that he has emerged, he must have mastered that secret art. He might even hold his own against a rank-one Grandmaster! "With such formidable strength, how can the two of us possibly contend with him? Why don't we take advantage of the fact that he hasn't entered the city yet and withdraw first to preserve ourselves?!" "Vice Commander Xu, you don't need to take action. I will face him alone. You need only lead our men to surround and slay the rest of the demonic scoundrels." "What? You face Saint Yin alone?!" Xu Shu was completely flabbergasted, then shook his head like a rattle. "Huang Tian, your strength is indeed formidable, but no matter how strong you are, you cannot contend with a rank-one Grandmaster! Out of the question! Absolutely out of the question!" "I know what I am doing. Slaying him won't be difficult," Huang Tian said in a steady tone. Only then did Xu Shu look at him with half-belief and half-doubt. "Are you... certain?" "Certain." "Then... then let's try!" Recalling the miracles Huang Tian had created one after another, and considering his steady temperament, Xu Shu gritted his teeth and finally decided to muster their forces and ride west out of the city! *** A few li outside Funing County's western gate, across a flat stretch of open ground, Elder Duan and the woman in purple stood with several subordinates, awaiting Saint Yin's arrival. *Thud... thud...* Heavy footsteps echoed out, and an iron tower of a man came into view. He was clad in dark martial robes, his features rugged with a bristling beard and terrifying tiger eyes. Chiseled muscles strained against his clothes, looking ready to burst through the fabric. Most striking of all was the iron hammer he held in his palm—a hand as large as a cattail-leaf fan. The hammerhead was the size of a stone plinth, its dark crimson hue looking steeped in blood, while the shaft was as thick as a child's arm. As he walked forward carrying that hammer, Elder Duan and the others felt a savage, ferocious aura wash over them. It was like confronting an ancient great ape roaring toward the heavens, making their breath catch in their chests. "Greetings, Saint!" The woman in purple and the others knelt in unison, while Elder Duan bowed respectfully. Xiahou Yin swept a cold, indifferent gaze over the gathering. Only after several breaths did he speak: "Rise." "Our thanks to the Saint." In those few brief breaths, fine beads of cold sweat had already drenched their backs. Xiahou Yin looked toward Elder Duan. "Tell me the current situation in the city. Is there any news regarding the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler? What masters reside within? And is that Huang Tian, who killed our cult's Grandmaster, still in town?" Elder Duan answered hastily, "In reply to the Saint, there is still no word on the divine armament. The masters in the city primarily consist of Xu Shu from the Martial Restraint Guard, Third Young Master Xie Zheng of Heavenly Sword Villa, and Long Zhang, the personal disciple of Cloudvault Abbey's master. Ah, and Huang Tian as well. All of them should possess rank-two combat strength." "Are there any rank-one masters lurking among them?" "None. According to the cult's intelligence, I can confirm that none of Qin Province's rank-one powerhouses are present. The rank-one Grandmasters of other provinces should have rushed to Yong Province to contest the Thundering Lightning-Chasing Divine Sword." "In other words, those currently in Funing City are merely a bunch of frail, pathetic children?" Xiahou Yin bared his teeth in a grin, but the smile abruptly froze. His frigid gaze bore into Elder Duan. "Have you defected to the Great Gan court?!" Elder Duan was bewildered for a split second before his expression changed sharply, and he turned toward the highway behind them. Within merely a dozen breaths, dozens of fine steeds came thundering across the plains. *Neigh—!* A dragon horse let out a long whinny as Huang Tian reined it in. Beside him was an uneasy, nervous Xu Shu, accompanied by a rank-three Assistant Commissioner, several Pacification Commissioners, and Battalion Commanders. Among the dozens of riders who followed, even the weakest were rank-seven martial artists! There were also Platoon Commanders and squad commanders of ranks eight and nine back in the city, but they could hardly contribute on an occasion like this and would only serve as burdens. Moreover, mobilizing them all would have created too much commotion, so Xu Shu had left them behind. Looking at Huang Tian, Xu Shu, and the others, Elder Duan's face turned ugly. "Saint, I absolutely haven't—" Xiahou Yin cut him off. "No need to explain. I know you didn't collude with the Great Gan court. Otherwise, they wouldn't have sent useless trash like this." Only then did Elder Duan breathe a sigh of relief, his gaze turning playful and mocking as he regarded Huang Tian and the rest. Xiahou Yin glanced around and roared like thunder, "You dare think you can surround and kill me with just this?!" The moment his voice fell, the air seemed seized by an invisible giant hand, contracting violently inward before erupting in an explosive burst! A visible sonic shockwave surged forward like a raging tide, whipping up sand and hurling rocks into the air. A torrent of earth and stone crashed forward like an earthen dragon, blotting out the sky! Just as the vortex of dust and debris was about to slam into the ranks, Huang Tian exhaled a soft breath. With that single utterance, the roaring gale and surging sand stopped dead in their tracks, then violently reversed course as though shoved backward by a far mightier tempest! "Hm?" Xiahou Yin's expression grew slightly solemn. He took a single step forward, and all the wind and dust froze still. Countless grains of earth, fallen leaves, and stones fluttered harmlessly to the ground. "You are Huang Tian? Interesting." He gave a savage grin, the iron hammer in his hand letting out a low hum, as if eager to smash his enemy into paste and pulp. Huang Tian said coldly, "Beating you to death is far more interesting!" "Ha! Then let's see who dies first!" *Rumble!* Stamping his right foot against the earth, Xiahou Yin made the ground tremble as though an earthquake had struck. He leapt into the air, the muscles of his right arm knotting and swelling as he hoisted the iron hammer high. *Whoosh—!* The giant hammer clove through the air with a wail like mourning ghosts, trailing a visible blast of white air. Like a falling star plunging from the heavens, it smashed straight toward Huang Tian's head! Even before the hammer landed, the tempestuous force of the blow had already arrived, whipping Huang Tian's clothes wildly. The dragon horse whimpered, the ground beneath splintered inch by inch, and shattered stone and dust shot upward against gravity. The very sky seemed to collapse under the weight of this strike! Facing this hammer that seemed capable of toppling the heavens, Huang Tian sprang from the dragon horse's back. The blood and qi throughout his body erupted like thousands of exploding volcanoes, a thick beacon of blood-qi surging skyward while his true qi churned like an ocean. *Hum—!* The dark-gold staff in his hand glowed with a shimmering light. Carrying the colossal might to shatter mountains and churn seas, it transformed into a streak of pitch-black lightning and crashed straight into the iron hammer. No trickery! No deflection! Just the purest, most savage clash of brute force! *Clang—!* The instant staff and hammer met, a deafening ring of colliding metal shattered the air. A massive circular shockwave exploded outward, sweeping in all directions. Within a hundred zhang, every tree whipped violently. Severed branches, fallen leaves, and endless grit rose into the sky, while the gale forced the men on both sides to raise their sleeves against the blast. Seeing that Huang Tian had withstood Saint Yin's blow, Xu Shu was overjoyed. Without hesitation, he leaped from his saddle, drawing a silvery-white saber from its sheath. "Die for me!" The dazzling saber light shone like the silver moon in the night sky, roaring like a soaring dragon as it sliced through the heavens with a piercing shriek, cutting straight down toward Elder Duan! Elder Duan's gaze narrowed. He flicked his longsword, piercing out countless points of cold light in midair within the span of a breath. Each point bloomed into a crystalline flower, forming a vast sea of blossoms. Saber light and flower sea intertwined, grinding against each other until both dissolved into nothingness, vanishing into thin air. The two exchanged a glance, then turned in unspoken accord and darted into the distance to settle their duel. Meanwhile, the rank-three Assistant Commissioner closed in on the woman in purple, trading blows as they fought their way toward the distance as well. The massive commotion outside the western gate instantly drew the attention of the many martial artists inside the city. One after another, they leaped onto high walls and rooftops, gazing toward the grayish-brown mushroom cloud rising beyond the city. "What is happening over there? Did an earth dragon turn over? How terrifying!" "I heard the clash of weapons! Experts must be fighting!" "Earlier, I saw Xu Shu, Huang Tian, and a large force riding out of the city. It must be them engaged in a life-or-death battle!" "Who are they fighting? To cause such an uproar, could it be rank-two powerhouses?!" "Come on! Let's go see!" "Together, together!" Numerous curious martial artists sprinted out of the city, rushing toward the battlefield. At that moment, Xie Zheng, who had been fasting to nurture his spirit, and Long Zhang, who had been meditating with closed eyes, also heard the din from beyond the city walls. Startled, they leaped high into the air, looking out into the distance. "That disturbance... at least several rank-three martial artists are fighting! Or perhaps rank-two powerhouses are clashing!" Xie Zheng's thoughts churned. *The only rank-two master openly known in the city is Xu Shu of the Martial Restraint Guard. Is it him fighting someone?* Long Zhang furrowed his brows deeply. "If he is locked in battle, Huang Tian must be there as well!" "Let's go! Take a look!" Xie Zheng said decisively. Originally, their spar with Huang Tian was scheduled for an hour from now. They had never expected this turn of events. If Huang Tian were injured, today's contest would naturally fall through. *Boom! Boom!* Two white air currents pierced the sky, flying toward the west gate. In barely a dozen breaths, they reached the vicinity of Xiahou Yin and Huang Tian's battlefield. Looking through the pervasive veil of smoke and dust, they saw two figures—their blood-qi towering to the sky, their presence as imposing as mountains—crashing into each other at speeds beyond the grasp of ordinary sight! Furious shadows of staff and hammer collided with savage frenzy. Every clash burst into a dazzling radiance and a deafening boom. Stray gusts of force ploughed deep furrows into the already ruined earth, obliterating everything within hundreds of zhang! *Boom—!* Another violent collision occurred. The colossal roar condensed into a tangible sonic wave, shaking the air and detonating madly in every direction! The instant the sound wave reached Xie Zheng and Long Zhang suspended in midair, they felt the blood in their bodies churn violently. Their muscles, bones, and skin went numb, and their true qi surged uncontrollably outward. "This—" The two exchanged horrified glances. The mere shockwaves of the clash made their blood-qi roil endlessly. The combatants' strength had to be far beyond rank two— "Rank one!" Long Zhang gasped in shock. "Both of them possess the might of rank one!" "How is this possible?!" Xie Zheng's eyes widened in disbelief. He did not recognize the man fighting Huang Tian, but Huang Tian was clearly only at rank four. How could he possibly unleash rank-one combat strength? How could this make any sense?!