Chapter 56: Blood Still Fresh on the Sword
Li Tianqing’s heart leapt as he reached out to stop Chen Shi, but it was too late. Watching him dash forward like a hurricane, he could only curse inwardly.
Without hesitation, Li Tianqing sprang into action, chasing after Chen Shi with all his strength. Activating the Armor Horse Talisman, he summoned its power to quicken his legs while readying his Spirit Shrine and Spirit Embryo.
The Six Yin Jade Wheels swirled around him, their silent movements deadly. But dread settled in his chest as he ran.
He now understood why Zhao Ziyu and his maids had been so relaxed.
Ahead, about a mile away, stood a temporary encampment guarded by numerous Imperial Guards. Zhao Ziyu’s group was heading straight for it.
The encampment covered several acres, filled with Mongolian yurts. Zhao Yanlong, lord of the Xuanying Commandery, stood on a table inside the camp. His porcelainized body glistened in the light—a consequence of entering the Kiln Factory.
Beside him were his sister Zhao Minrou and younger brother Zhao Yanchu, both similarly transformed into porcelain figures. Only their youngest brother, Zhao Yanliang, had escaped the Kiln Factory unscathed.
Despite causing the demonic transformation and unleashing the Evil Bodhisattva, Zhao Yanlong’s forces still retained about half their original numbers. His father and two uncles had covered their retreat, sacrificing themselves to save most of the family’s troops. Now, over a hundred remained, including thirteen Zhao family members, their maids, and the guards.
Trying to rally their spirits, Zhao Yanlong declared, "Sixth Brother, Minrou, don’t worry. Father is the Governor of Xinxiang Province, and with the Zhao family’s allies across the three commanderies, along with the province’s many powerful figures, we will surely destroy this demonic domain and be rescued. Be patient."
Zhao Minrou and Zhao Yanchu, their porcelain faces frozen, remained silent. Zhao Yanchu chuckled. "Eldest Brother, Zhao Ziyu has surprised me these past few days. He used to be a carefree scoundrel, but now, amidst our family’s crisis, he’s stepped up admirably. Without him hunting for food, we wouldn’t have lasted this long."
Zhao Yanlong, though long disappointed in his eldest son, felt some pride. "That child was always lazy, but it’s good that he’s finally shaping up."
At that moment, a guard called out, "Lord Commander, the eldest young master has returned!"
Zhao Yanlong brightened. "He’s back so soon—he must have had good luck hunting!"
Through the camp’s entrance, Zhao Ziyu and his maids appeared, each carrying slabs of exotic beast meat. Their return lifted the spirits of everyone in the camp.
"With Ziyu, we’ll surely hold out until reinforcements arrive!" Zhao Yanlong exclaimed.
His smile froze when he noticed a lone figure barreling down the hillside like a force of nature—Chen Shi.
"Ziyu, watch out!" Zhao Yanlong shouted.
Chen Shi’s charge was relentless. Within moments, he was among Zhao Ziyu’s group.
With qi and blood surging, he struck a maid at the back of the group, his punch sending her airborne. Blood spurted from her nose and mouth as her skull fractured. Her lifeless body slammed into the maids ahead of her.
One down.
Chen Shi reversed his grip on the short sword, slicing across the throat of the next maid and then stabbing it into another’s neck.
Two down.
Charging forward, he confronted the maids guarding Zhao Ziyu. His blade darted left and right, piercing hearts and slashing throats in a gruesome rhythm.
Three down.
Another maid’s body was hurled forward, colliding with the rest of the guards.
Within seconds, Chen Shi was face-to-face with Zhao Ziyu.
Zhao Ziyu activated the Golden Bell Talisman, its protective barrier shimmering around him. His Spirit Shrine emerged, and the Spirit Embryo within began forming a Golden Core.
If the Core were fully deployed, Chen Shi would be crushed to a pulp.
But Chen Shi struck first. His punch shattered the barrier, the impact resonating like a thunderclap. Without pause, his sword flashed, slicing off Zhao Ziyu’s fingers and stabbing through his throat.
Zhao Ziyu’s Golden Core flew out but struck the nearby cliff instead. The cliffside exploded, leaving a molten cavity oozing lava.
As Zhao Ziyu fell, Chen Shi knelt on his chest, stabbing his heart three times before hurling the short sword into the throat of a spellcasting maid.
Four down.
Leaping forward, Chen Shi kneed another maid in the abdomen, shattering her shrine and leaving her writhing on the ground.
Five down.
He pivoted, driving his elbow into another maid’s chest, shattering ribs and puncturing her lungs. Blood gushed as she collapsed.
Six down.
Chen Shi moved like a phantom, retrieving his sword and striking again. By now, the remaining five maids had prepared their spells. Ziwu Evil-Slaying Sword and Flying Dragon Demon-Slaying Technique filled the air with lethal auras.
Yet Chen Shi weaved through their attacks with the Seven-Star Step, his movements unpredictable.
Sliding behind one maid, he drove his sword into her heart with surgical precision, then used her as a shield against the others’ spells.
Seven down.
Dropping her body, he dashed toward another, severing her Achilles tendon before delivering a fatal kick to her throat.
Eight down.
Sword auras flew past him, slicing another maid in half. Chen Shi seized the opportunity, stabbing one through the chest and throwing his sword into another’s heart, killing her instantly.
Nine. Ten. Eleven. All dead.
Chen Shi turned to face the Zhao family camp. Around him lay the remnants of a cliffside, molten rock, and scattered corpses.
From the camp, the remaining guards and family members finally reacted. Over a hundred Imperial Guards, along with several Zhao family disciples, activated their talismans and surged forward. Among them was another Golden Core cultivator, whose aura far surpassed Zhao Ziyu’s.
"Run," Chen Shi said simply, turning back toward the slope.
Li Tianqing, who had just arrived, stared at the scene in shock.
He knew Chen Shi was strong, but this... this was absurd. Chen Shi had single-handedly slaughtered eleven top-tier Spirit Embryo cultivators and a Golden Core master.
Li Tianqing’s mind raced. He could perhaps devise a plan to take them down one by one over several days, but Chen Shi had done it in minutes, charging head-on.
"Still staring?" Chen Shi called out. "Run!"
Snapped back to reality, Li Tianqing glanced at the approaching guards, their spells forming in the air, and quickly followed Chen Shi.
As they climbed, Black Pot waited at the top, wagging its tail. It looked at Li Tianqing with a disdainful expression, as if unimpressed by his shock.
This wasn’t new to Black Pot.
It had seen much worse.