The old crone’s eyes widened in fury; she knew instantly that she was in trouble. Her feet scrabbled, trying to turn and flee. Just as she was about to scatter the poison sand hidden in her sleeve, she saw Xu Yunfan pull back his hamr and reach for her.
His blood-gorged, fan-sized hand clamped down on the head of the staff. The old crone felt an agonizing pain shoot through the web of her hand as his five fingers crushed cracks into the century-old Ironwood Staff.
The coiled muscles on Xu Yunfan’s arm contracted sharply, and he swung the old crone’s entire body, slamming her into the rock face. The sickening crack of her skull hitting stone had barely faded when a whip-like kick snapped her left wrist, the one she’d been about to use for her poison.
Enduring the searing pain, the old crone coughed up blood and swung her staff in a circle to shield her face. But the Ironwood Staff couldn’t withstand the imnse force of the Heavy Hamr that ca right after. With a SNAP, it shattered into four pieces.
Xu Yunfan spun and kicked a piece of the broken staff off the ground. The three-foot splinter pierced the old crone’s chest, pinning her to a cypress tree with a spray of bloody foam.
There was no way she would live.
Knowing he couldn’t outrun Xu Yunfan and that escape ant certain death, the Iron-faced Man’s left-hand Judge’s Pen suddenly exploded. Twelve Bone-Piercing Awls shot out in a wide, flowery spray.
"Again?"
Xu Yunfan’s laugh was so loud it shook pine needles from the trees. His skin took on a bronze sheen as he charged straight at the Hidden Weapons without dodging or evading.
The Bone-Piercing Awls struck his bronze body, creating a shower of sparks. His massive feet stomped on the frozen earth, cracking it, as he plowed across the snowfield like a war chariot.
On the eighth step of the Iron-faced Man’s frantic retreat, Xu Yunfan’s Heavy Hamr shattered his Heart Protection Mirror. The residual force turned his internal organs to mush, and his body was flung far into the distance, where it lay motionless.
The linen-robed youth had already started his mad dash down the mountain back when the Iron-faced Man had his finger broken. His Deer Hide Boots skated in a chaotic pattern across the ice.
Xu Yunfan took a deep breath. As he pushed his Copper Body Skill to its limit, the blood and qi within him roiled like boiling water, and a cloud of steam-like white mist rose from his body.
He took one step forward. An imnse power surged up from the ground through the heel of his back foot. It advanced in waves, rippling through his muscles until it reached his arms.
The Heavy Hamr tore through the air with a thunderclap. The Drumming Jar Golden Hamr shot forward like a bolt from a heavy crossbow, shearing through three birch trees without slowing.
Hearing the vicious wind at the back of his neck, the linen-robed youth’s soul nearly fled his body. In the instant he dove-clumsily to the ground, the two-hundred-and-twenty-jin Fine Steel Heavy Hamr grazed his topknot and flew past, obliterating a nearby ox-shaped boulder into fine powder.
"Grandfather, spare !"
The youth lay paralyzed in a snowdrift, wailing as a foul-slling stain spread across his crotch.
Xu Yunfan slowly closed in, stepping through the deep snow. Each footstep left an inch-deep print in the thick blanket.
He lifted the Heavy Hamr with a single hand. Half a bloody lung was still hanging from the Wolf Fang Nails on its head.
With a slight flick of his wrist, he sent a tremor through the Fine Steel Heavy Hamr, making it vibrate like a spring. The bits of flesh on the Wolf Fang Nails were flung away.
"You’re a fast runner."
The hamr’s shaft suddenly swept out, instantly shattering the youth’s kneecaps.
Amidst his agonized screams, Xu Yunfan stomped on his thigh. The new wave of pain made the linen-robed youth’s cries turn into the bloodcurdling shriek of a wild beast.
"Keep screaming, and you’ll really die."
Upon hearing this, the youth’s agonized screams stopped abruptly. Even as the pain made his whole body tremble, he gritted his teeth and remained silent.
Xu Yunfan’s expression was placid. He pulled the Bone Training Secret Technique for the Iron Bridge Pass from his robes.
"This... is it real?"
"It’s real! Realer than gold!" the linen-robed youth stamred through trembling lips, enduring the agony. "We from Bei Mang Mountain dug it out of the ruins of the Iron Armor Sect. It was chaotic, and I only managed to snatch this one fragnt."
Seeing Xu Yunfan’s gaze turn cold, he said frantically, "Sir, Grandfather! I have another important clue! They say the Iron Armor Sect was wiped out overnight, but a cunning rabbit has three burrows—they had another secret stronghold! And I know where it is, I know it!"
Xu Yunfan said, "Let’s hear it. If I’m satisfied, I might let you live."
The linen-robed youth didn’t dare hesitate. He was sure that with the slightest delay, the Heavy Hamr hanging over his head would co crashing down.
"On the far side of Qingzhou Iron Mountain, there’s a cliff. Sixty ters down, there’s a circular platform. That’s where the Iron Armor Sect’s true foundation is hidden! The complete manual for the Iron Bridge Pass secret technique is definitely there, and maybe even the vast fortune the Iron Armor Sect accumulated over the years!"
"Does anyone else know?"
"No one! Absolutely no one!"
The linen-robed youth forced a smile that looked worse than crying.
"I found the clue while digging through the ruins at the Iron Armor Sect’s old site. It ca from a partially burned journal left behind by Yuan Zheng, one of the sect’s True Disciples."
"My original plan was to make a stop at the Black Market here in Beiye City, and then head back to Bei Mang Mountain to tell the others so we could all go investigate."
At this, the youth seed to realize he’d misspoken and hastily added, "But now that a great hero like you knows, I naturally wouldn’t do sothing so redundant. This humble servant is one of the Hawk Gate People from Bei Mang Mountain, an expert on all kinds of Ancient Tomb chanisms and clues. If you spare my life, sir, I guarantee it will be a profitable investnt for you."
Xu Yunfan appeared thoughtful. He slowly moved the Drumming Jar Golden Hamr away from the youth’s head.
Seeing this, the youth couldn’t help but feel a wave of relief.
’As long as I can survive... As long as I survive, I’ll send word to my master imdiately!’
He kept his eyes downcast, not daring to look up, terrified Xu Yunfan would see the look in them.
"I’ll go take a look when I have the ti."
Hearing Xu Yunfan’s utterly emotionless voice, followed by the sound of tearing air, the linen-robed youth couldn’t help but look up. He was horrified to see the Heavy Hamr, which he thought had been moved away, now descending like a cannonball.
THUD!
The linen-robed youth’s head exploded on impact.
As Xu Yunfan tore open the youth’s bloodstained jacket, his brow furrowed.
’Where are the Silver Notes I gave him?’
After a thorough search turned up nothing useful, Xu Yunfan straightened up and couldn’t help but sigh.
’A thousand taels down the drain tonight.’
’For so reason, that really stings.’
’Shouldn’t have given him that much.’
’Still too naive!’
’That hunchbacked old man provoked earlier, and I got emotional.’
’That’s a huge mistake. I’ll have to be more careful from now on.’
’A Honey Trap like this can happen once, but never again.’
Xu Yunfan sighed to himself. After confirming no one else was around, he quickly returned to the scene of the fight and thoroughly searched the bodies of the Iron-faced Man and the others.
However, just like with the linen-robed youth, he found nothing on them.
’Coming out to rob people without carrying anything on them... They deserved to be killed!’
Xu Yunfan grumbled to himself for a mont before acting. He hastily scrubbed the filth off his Jar Gold Hamr with a handful of snow, then picked up the black cloth and wrapped it again.
Then, with long, quick strides, he rapidly departed the battlefield.
...
...
"Miss, we’ve arrived. This is Beiye City!"
A party of twenty to thirty people stood quietly at the foot of the Beiye City gates.
From a nearby sedan chair, a fair, slender hand lifted the curtain. The occupant gazed out at Beiye City, which lood in the darkness like a great crouching beast, silent and imnse upon the land.
Standing beside the sedan chair, a stalwart man bundled in a thick jacket, a saber at his hip, looked up at the city walls ahead and remarked with a sigh.
"No matter how many tis I see it, it always looks a little terrifying at night."
Nearby, a lean youth stood with steps so light he seed to move like a cat, making not a single sound. His every movent was fluid and agile.
User Comments
0 comments from readers