Instant Kill!

"Instant Kill Technique!" Lu Changsheng executed the Instant Kill Technique. He crouched low, like a leopard stalking through the dark. Capitalizing on the split-second opening when all three men's eyes were drawn to the bundle, his figure crossed the five paces of distance almost instantaneously, appearing right before the masked man. "You..." The masked man finally caught sight of Lu Changsheng. Unfortunately, he did not even have the chance to draw his blade. A streak of white light flashed, and Lu Changsheng's dagger slid lightly across the masked man's throat. Squelch. With scarcely any effort, the dagger slit the masked man's windpipe. Instantly, blood spurted everywhere. The masked man dropped his blade and clutched his throat desperately with both hands, yet he could do nothing to stem the gushing blood. With a thud, the bundle hit the ground. At the exact same moment, the masked man collapsed beside it. "That's it?" Lu Changsheng shook his head. Far too weak. The masked man before him had failed to withstand even a single strike. Killing him was like slaughtering a chicken! "Third Brother!" Seeing their companion collapsed in a pool of blood, the remaining two masked men saw red, their expressions twisting violently. "Damn you! I'll tear you into ten thousand pieces!" The two masked men bellowed in fury. Yet despite their outward rage, neither charged forward. Instead, their feet shifted backward. All that talk of avenging their companion was nothing more than bluster. Seeing Lu Changsheng slit their companion's throat in the blink of an eye—his strike fast, accurate, vicious, and utterly effortless—they knew beyond doubt that this was an expert! Attempting an ambush on an expert of this caliber, were they not courting death? Lu Changsheng, however, had no intention of letting either of them escape. The only reason he had been so cautious before was that he did not know the extent of their strength. Now that blows had been traded and he had found their abilities utterly ordinary, he naturally would not hold back. When dealing with enemies, one had to cut weeds and pull them up by the roots! Whoosh. Lu Changsheng leaped forward, clearing several zhang in a single stride, and caught up to the two men in just a few bounds. Seeing there was no escape, the two tapped into the ferocity in their bones. They spun around abruptly, raising their blades to slash down at Lu Changsheng. "Die for me!" The moment they struck, they sealed off both Lu Changsheng's left and right sides. They had clearly fought together many times and coordinated with practiced precision. In this situation, the only choice would normally be to retreat. And once one retreated, one would face a torrential onslaught of follow-up attacks. Lu Changsheng, however, did not retreat. A glint of fierce resolve flashed in his eyes. The moment they raised their broadswords, the qi and blood within his body erupted with a violent burst. Boom. His qi and blood erupted. For a martial artist, unleashing one's qi and blood meant going all out. The eruption of qi and blood caused Lu Changsheng's speed to skyrocket instantly. Like a hunting leopard, his speed multiplied several times over in a flash. Advancing instead of retreating, like a gust of wind, he shot out right from beneath their blades and arrived directly in front of the two men. "What?!" The two paled in shock. Yet Lu Changsheng was not merely fast on his feet—his strikes were even faster. Swish! Swish! Two streaks of white light flashed almost simultaneously. Two jets of blood sprayed from their necks. Lu Changsheng swept past the two men. He turned around slowly, watching as they clutched their throats, writhing on the ground. A moment later, both lay motionless in a pool of blood. Dead! All three were dead. "With only this much strength, you dared to lie in wait and rob someone?" Lu Changsheng shook his head. Killing all three had taken only a few breaths of time. It was simply too easy. Of course, perhaps it was not that the three were too weak, but that he was too strong! Or rather, his Instant Kill Technique was simply too powerful. All three were Strengthening Blood Realm martial artists, and one of them had likely been at the peak of the Strengthening Blood Realm. Yet before him, they could not withstand even a single move and had been killed in an instant. That showed just how terrifying Lu Changsheng's Instant Kill Technique truly was. This kind of martial technique aimed for a lethal blow in a single strike; only when actually executed did its power become evident. It was truly dreadful! Looking at the three corpses lying in the pool of blood, Lu Changsheng remained calm. This was not his first time killing, but it was his first time battling other martial artists. It seemed there was nothing particularly remarkable about the feeling. It was much the same as when he had slain those two common thieves in the mountain cave. "Cultivation techniques are important, but martial techniques are just as essential! A brilliant martial technique is enough to turn the tides and decide victory in combat!" Lu Changsheng's understanding of cultivation arts and martial techniques grew even deeper. He walked over to the three corpses, crouched down, and searched them thoroughly. After a thorough search, he retrieved over three hundred taels in silver banknotes along with some loose silver. Not bad at all. Over three hundred taels was enough to keep him supplied with Eight Treasures Blood-Replenishing Powder for a good while. "Huh?" "This is... a Tempering Bone Realm cultivation technique?" Suddenly, Lu Changsheng felt a martial manual on one of the corpses. Its title was "Barbarian Bull Tempering Bone Technique." This had likely been prepared by the peak Strengthening Blood Realm martial artist; after all, upon reaching the peak of the Strengthening Blood Realm, one had to begin preparing for Tempering Bone. Lu Changsheng glanced around; there was no one in sight. As for the three corpses, there was no need for him to dispose of them. Whenever the yamen discovered vendetta killings in the jianghu, they generally just collected the bodies and closed the matter without investigating. What happens in the jianghu stays in the jianghu—that was a tacit understanding between the authorities and martial artists. Without lingering any longer, Lu Changsheng flashed away, vanishing swiftly into the night. *** Nanyang City, Miaoshou Garden. Lu Changsheng returned to his room. He changed out of his clothes. Just moments ago, an aura of cold, lethal slaughter had clung to him, but now, dressed in the garb of a Miaoshou Garden apothecary apprentice, he had transformed right back into a humble apprentice. Who could have imagined that an insignificant apothecary apprentice had just slain three ferocious martial artists? Lu Changsheng pulled out the Barbarian Bull Tempering Bone Technique and the Six Heavens Blood-Strengthening Technique. "The Barbarian Bull Tempering Bone Technique can temper bones. Moreover, it allows for four temperings, making it merely an ordinary bone-tempering method. "Still, with my current Great River Blood-Strengthening Technique perfected at the third layer, I could actually begin tempering bones. Once I cultivate the Barbarian Bull Tempering Bone Technique, I can become a Tempering Bone Realm martial artist!" Lu Changsheng weighed the options in his mind. However, he knew very well: what was the point of stepping into Tempering Bone right now? Without a solid foundation, he could reach Refining Organs at best. Advancing to the Divine Strength Realm? Virtually impossible. With the Six Heavens Blood-Strengthening Technique, however, things were different. He could forge an exceptionally solid foundation while still in the Strengthening Blood Realm. At that thought, Lu Changsheng hesitated no longer. He hid the Barbarian Bull Tempering Bone Technique away first and opened the Six Heavens Blood-Strengthening Technique. "The stallholder said the Six Heavens Blood-Strengthening Technique is exceedingly difficult to practice. I wonder if I can manage it with my current comprehension?" Superior martial arts were wonderful, of course, but only a rare few could ever cultivate them. Lu Changsheng began attempting to circulate his qi and blood according to the method outlined in the manual. His mind was completely calm. The abstruse, difficult terms in the manual seemed clear to him at a single glance. And so, in just two hours, he managed to circulate his qi and blood once through the cycle. "I've reached entry-level already?" Lu Changsheng immediately checked his attribute panel. Host: Lu Changsheng Comprehension: 147 (average talent) Instant Kill Technique: mastery Iron Sand Palm: accomplished Six Heavens Blood-Strengthening Technique: first layer "As expected of a superior martial art! With just a single circulation, and without any medicinal cuisine, my qi and blood increased by this much? The results far surpass the Great River Blood-Strengthening Technique! "Still, this differs somewhat from what the stallholder claimed. The Six Heavens Blood-Strengthening Technique doesn't seem that difficult at all. "Perhaps it's because my comprehension is exceptionally high. "Since the Six Heavens Blood-Strengthening Technique presents no difficulty, and the rate of qi and blood growth is so terrifying, I'll keep cultivating it. I'll practice all the way to perfection before considering advancing to Tempering Bone." Lu Changsheng had a very clear plan for his martial path. However, the Six Heavens Blood-Strengthening Technique also required medicinal cuisine. Therefore, the Eight Treasures Blood-Replenishing Powder could not stop; in fact, the dosage would have to increase. That required silver, and a substantial amount of it. "The herbs in the valley are running low. At most, they can only sustain me for a short while. I have to find a way to earn silver." Scholars studied in poverty, but martial artists required great wealth; without silver, the path of martial arts was fraught with difficulties. Yet for the moment, he could think of no viable way to make money. Lu Changsheng could only set the matter aside for now and see what opportunities might arise in the future.