CHAPTER 57: CHAPTER 54: THE DEATH OF QING YU (PART 1)

"I will first dismember your limbs, torture you half to death, and then hand you over to Master Xuan Guang," Xiao Gao said with a sinister smile as he approached Qing Yu.

Suddenly, a strong wind whipped up in the sky, followed by the crisp sound of a crane’s call, "Li..."

Xiao Gao, recognizing the familiar cry that followed Master Xuan Guang, his patron, hurriedly looked up.

A figure descended from the sky. Mid-fall, he released a Sword Qi that forced Xiao Gao back.

The figure landed between Xiao Gao and Qing Yu, who lay on the ground. Dressed in a white Daoist robe, his face composed, it was none other than Qingzhou.

"Friend, it’s best to mind your own business lest you get burned," Xiao Gao said gravely, his eyes fixed on this newcomer who had appeared out of nowhere. Judging by the Qi Mechanism revealed by the other, he was no less than himself—an Innate Expert.

"Fear of getting burned? We from the True Martial Dao Sect have never been afraid of trouble. You should worry more about yourself," shouted a voice from the White Crane in the sky.

"Yes, indeed. When we see injustices on the road, we must draw our swords to help. The True Martial Dao Sect isn’t afraid of trouble," Qingzhou said with a wry smile.

Watching these two people in the sky, Qingzhou initially didn’t want to interfere. In the worldly society, there were far too many fights and killings; although the Zhenwu Sect was a Righteous Sect, it didn’t have the leisure to manage such ambiguous matters. After all, who in the Jianghu didn’t have blood on their hands? It wasn’t a question of who was more innocent than the other.

However, Qing Yu insisted on intervening once she saw that the black-clad figure was carrying a mask, skulking around with a sinister laugh. Clearly, he was no good fellow.

Qing Yu had never left the mountain before; this was her first time, and she was especially interested in the chivalrous deeds of the Jianghu. She urged Qingzhou to help the bleeding young man on the ground.

Seeing the Daoist robe on the person opposite him, Xiao Gao’s heart tightened; it was likely that this situation was taking a turn for the worse. Anyone from the Zhenwu Sect appearing in Yang City now was undoubtedly here for Qing Yu.

Still, Xiao Gao couldn’t give up on capturing Qing Yu. Failing to bring back Qing Yu meant risking his own life. Now, Xiao Gao somewhat regretted his earlier cat-and-mouse tactic. Had he not harbored such thoughts, the second sword attack could have paralyzed Qing Yu, rather than merely cutting a few wounds. After landing, he spoke too much and missed the chance to take Qing Yu directly.

In plain terms, although Xiao Gao was dressed as a Death Soldier and followed Xuan Guang, he was actually a young master from a general’s family in Lord Zhen Shan’s service. Having reached the Innate Realm at a young age and valued by Lord Zhen Shan, he had been assigned to serve closely with Xuan Guang. Outwardly, he seemed expressionless and scheming; inwardly, his pride soared to the skies—if not, he wouldn’t have disobeyed Xuan Guang’s orders, going after Song Ziqi in hopes of catching her eye.

Now, the situation was spoiled; punished by Xuan Guang, he had also offended Song Ziqi, all his efforts wasted. Though the root of this disaster lay in his actions, Xiao Gao, high-spirited and arrogant, was not one to introspect. Instead, he directed his hatred toward Qing Yu, who had thwarted his plans.

"True Martial Dao Sect, True Martial Dao Sect..." Qing Yu murmured on the ground, repeating the name he had just heard.

"I am Qing Yu."

"I am Qing Yu." Perhaps fearing he wouldn’t be heard clearly, Qing Yu’s second utterance was much louder.

"Yay, we’ve found Little Brother Qing Yu," Qing Yu exclaimed joyfully from atop the White Crane.

Uncle Xuanfeng found the two of them a burden and set off alone to find Qing Yu. Yet here they were, stumbling upon Qing Yu by chance, and Qing Yu was thrilled.

"Now, we can’t help but intervene," Qingzhou put away his wry smile. He had been carefree just moments before, exchanging a few moves—if the black-clothed Innate Expert didn’t retreat, he would. If nothing else, he’d only receive a few words of reproach from Junior Sister Qing Yu. Now, he had to get serious.

"Then go to your death." Xiao Gao tossed aside the mask he was holding, gripped his sword with both hands, and Sword Qi surged toward Qingzhou like a pillar.

Xiao Gao, from a family of generals, wielded a sword broader and longer than that of the average Jianghu sword. It was a pure battlefield Battle Sword—heavy and imposing.

Qingzhou’s sword was also somewhat heavy, but not as conspicuously so. It was specially forged for practicing the "Xuanwu Sea Suppressing Sword." Steady by nature, Qingzhou was best suited for the "Xuanwu Sea Control" path. He had begun his cultivation of the Xuanwu Sea Suppressing Sword in the Postnatal Realm, dedicating his effort wholeheartedly.

Now, employing it against an enemy, he unleashed the Xuanwu Sea Suppressing Sword with ease. His plain, unadorned strikes managed to reduce and dissolve Xiao Gao’s Sword Qi. The last trace of the Sword Qi veered off course, shooting elsewhere.

Xuanwu Sea Control, pacifying waves and subduing tides.

Qingzhou had mastered the essence of this Four Symbols Absolute Skill.

Xiao Gao watched his Sword Qi effortlessly resolved, still in disbelief. He launched several more Sword Qis, all to the same fate, and then closed in for melee combat with Qingzhou.

However, once in close quarters, Xiao Gao experienced the terror of the Xuanwu Sea Suppressing Sword. It felt as though he was submerged in water, horizontal and vertical slashes met with an invisible resistance that weakened the force of his attacks. Even the True Qi enveloping his sword was steadily dissipated.

Each time Qingzhou attacked, a pressure like that of a mountain would crystallize upon his sword. Seemingly a regular sword slash, Xiao Gao felt as though he was facing a mountain, its mass bearing down upon him.

After just a few strokes, Xiao Gao barely parried several of Qingzhou’s simple vertical slashes. He felt his sword nearly fly from his grasp, his hands numb, and blood pearls seeped out from his forearm due to overwhelming pressure.

One Force Lowering Ten Skills—a strategy that Xiao Gao’s Battle Sword excelled at, yet now it was being applied to him.

Completely outmatched, Xiao Gao might be chopped to death stroke by stroke if this continued.

But to return empty-handed meant death as well. Xiao Gao did not doubt Xuan Guang’s ruthlessness—the fact that he initiated trouble gave Xuan Guang every right to kill him, leaving even Lord Zhen Shan unable to argue.

So, he had no choice but to fight to the end.

Xiao Gao let out an enraged cry, his face turned crimson as he started to burn his essence blood in desperation.

His Qi Mechanism surged, and as he brandished his Battle Sword, even the invisible aura of the Xuanwu Sea Suppressing Sword couldn’t hold him back.

Hands gripping the sword, he raised it high above his head and unleashed a Powerful Slash of Huashan, countering Qingzhou.

This time, Qingzhou found himself subject to One Force Lowering Ten Skills, using the Horizontal Sword to withstand Xiao Gao’s strike fueled by burning essence blood. He was pushed back, sliding out two straight lines on the ground.

"Again." With another roar, Xiao Gao’s face turned so red it seemed blood would drip, burning his essence blood once more.

Qingzhou couldn’t even retreat as his body was pressed down to one knee.

"Ah!" Qingzhou screamed vehemently, adding the Xuanwu Sea Suppressing Aura, his own True Qi, and strength to deflect Xiao Gao’s Battle Sword aside.

The Battle Sword swung through empty air, the True Qi transforming into Sword Qi that struck the ground, carving a deep sword mark.

But the direction of the Sword Qi pointed straight at Qing Yu, lying on the ground, unable to dodge.