Chapter Ten: Battling Lord Lin

Bang! Just as Lord Lin was about to remove his robe, the wooden door was blasted to pieces in an instant.

Qi Wei turned her head, her face alight with joy as she looked over. As the dust slowly settled, Chu Jie’s silhouette appeared at the threshold.

Tears streamed down Qi Wei’s face in a surge of emotion. Summoning all her strength, she cried out, “Chu Jie, save me!”

Lord Lin’s face twisted in rage. With a swift motion, he struck Qi Wei’s neck with the edge of his hand, causing her to fall unconscious.

Chu Jie’s body tensed, his long hair swirling about him. Fixing his gaze on Lord Lin, his eyes shone with unyielding resolve. “Let her go!” His voice rang out, firm and resonant.

Lord Lin’s brows furrowed in displeasure. “Are you sure you’re speaking to me?”

Chu Jie could clearly feel the subtle murderous intent emanating from Lord Lin. Clenching his fists even tighter, he repeated, “I said, let her go!”

Lord Lin’s face darkened as he nodded slowly. “Fine. Very well!”

Bang! In the next instant, Lord Lin sprang into action, his entire being surging forward like a dragon emerging from the sea, lunging straight at Chu Jie!

The whooshing sound of his body nearly tore at the eardrums. Countless streams of spiritual energy shot forth from around Lord Lin, streaking toward Chu Jie. Chu Jie retreated hastily, grabbing the steel blade he’d seized earlier and slicing forward in a sweeping arc.

Bang! The spiritual energy struck the wooden cabin, shattering a large section of the wall into splinters!

Starlight flickered over Lord Lin’s figure as he evaded Chu Jie’s blade, lunging toward Chu Jie’s chest.

“You dare challenge the brilliance of the full moon with a mere firefly’s light!” Though his cultivation had fallen to the ninth level of the Body Tempering Realm after taking the elixir, Lord Lin still looked down on Chu Jie.

Chu Jie’s expression was unchanging. “All that bluster is useless. It’s the dog that bites that’s truly dangerous!” He retreated rapidly, his blade sweeping ceaselessly.

“You!” Lord Lin snorted coldly, starlight rippling over his body. With a flick of his fingers, a gust of force shot forth, swirling through the air to form the shadow of a blue dragon that hurtled toward Chu Jie.

Seeing the attack rush toward him, Chu Jie dodged to the side in a flash.

Bang! Looking back, Chu Jie saw that the spot where he’d just stood had been blasted into a deep pit by the force.

“Hmph! An ant will always be an ant! Killing you is as easy as slaughtering a dog!” Lord Lin sneered dismissively.

A surge of fury rose within Chu Jie’s chest, his gaze turning icy cold.

Planting his feet on the ground, he charged at Lord Lin like a hunting leopard, weaving and dodging the blasts of force shooting from Lord Lin’s fingertips. At last, coming within five steps of Lord Lin, Chu Jie swung his blade overhead in a descending arc.

The blade sang with a thunderous roar, waves of force radiating outward. The gleaming edge churned the very heavens!

Any other day, Lord Lin might have dismissed such a strike, but now, with his cultivation fallen to the ninth level of the Body Tempering Realm after taking that pill, he could not afford to be careless.

He leapt back, his eyes glinting like ice. “So you’ve got some skill after all!”

Chu Jie advanced, his blade’s downward momentum suddenly reversing as he swept it upward in a cunning riposte.

“My best is yet to come!” Chu Jie shouted, pressing forward.

“Hmph! Even if you’ve improved, you’re still nothing before me!” Starry radiance surged in Lord Lin’s palm, and two beams of light shot from his fingers.

Chu Jie twisted aside, the beams grazing past him and smashing into a nearby tent, obliterating it instantly!

Clang! Lord Lin raised his hand, sending another gust of force that shattered Chu Jie’s blade. “You have talent! Why not follow me? I’ll personally recommend you to the Outer City!”

Chu Jie flung the broken blade at Lord Lin like a hidden weapon. “Never!”

Lord Lin laughed. “If you fancy that little girl Qi Wei, I’ll let you have her once I’m done!”

He paused, convinced these offers would sway Chu Jie, and waited for his reply.

He hadn’t expected Chu Jie to retort in fury, “Shameless cur! I’d be ashamed to associate with you!”

Lord Lin’s face contorted with rage. “You refuse the road to heaven, and walk willingly into hell!” Clenching his fist, he unleashed a torrent of starlight and punched at Chu Jie.

The starlight shot from the sky like a river of stars, striking toward Chu Jie!

Chu Jie’s body tensed. Gathering all the primal energy in his dantian, he focused it into his palm. A spark of flame suddenly ignited there, shining bright and fierce.

Chu Jie’s narrowed eyes snapped open. With a movement of his entire body, he hurled his fist forward.

The Solar Inferno Fist! Gathering all his internal energy for one devastating blow!

His punch was overbearing, as if channeling the very momentum of heaven and earth into his fist—so powerful that the air seemed to freeze.

This was an attack technique recorded in the Scroll of Reincarnation. Chu Jie felt his internal energy drain rapidly, all flowing into his fist.

Though he hadn’t mastered the essence of the Solar Inferno Fist, he managed to execute a credible imitation in so short a time.

Bang! A muffled shockwave echoed across the land.

Both Chu Jie and Lord Lin reeled backward from the impact. Chu Jie’s fist trembled, numb with pain. Lord Lin felt as if his own hand had been scalded by boiling water, the heat from Chu Jie’s fist raising blisters and rendering his arm useless.

Chu Jie dared not linger. Seizing the moment as Lord Lin faltered in shock, he dashed into the cabin, slung the unconscious Qi Wei onto his back, grabbed the curtain and ripped it into strips to tie her securely to himself. Drawing Qi Wei’s sword, he steeled himself and strode out.

The sounds of their battle had already drawn the attention of the entire camp. The other lieutenants emerged in confusion.

Pang Dazhuang, who had once teased Qi Wei, gaped in astonishment. “Hey, Brother-in-law! What are you trying to pull?”

Before Chu Jie could reply, Qi Tianba, drawn by the commotion, returned to see Chu Jie carrying Qi Wei from the house.

Seeing all his trusted men knocked out, Qi Tianba was furious. “Chu Jie! How dare you!”

Chu Jie stepped forward, eyes blazing. “Qi Tianba! Have you no shame toward Qi Wei?”

Qi Tianba’s movements halted abruptly, stunned into silence.

Chu Jie continued, “For the sake of your own gain, you handed your own niece to another! How despicable!”

The crowd erupted, as if a drop of cold water had splashed into a pot of boiling oil.

“Qi Tianba traded Qi Wei for his own benefit?”

“I thought he always treated her like his own daughter?”

“Hmph. What does that matter here?”

“Poor Qi Wei, though.”

Whispers of dissent rippled through Qi Tianba’s followers.

Embarrassed and enraged, Qi Tianba surged with spiritual energy. He waved his hand, and a spectral palm the size of a house descended from the sky, crashing down toward Chu Jie.

The Tyrant’s Palm! Qi Tianba’s signature move!

The enormous palm blotted out the sun as it fell.

Bang!

A cane, wielded like a furious dragon, struck Qi Tianba’s shadowy fist, dispersing the Tyrant’s Palm.

Chu Jie spun around—there stood Granny Yu, the blind old woman.

Her face was etched with sorrow as she cried, “Qi Tianba! How can you face Brother Tiankuang after all he did for you? You heartless wretch!”

Qi Tianba’s face turned the color of liver, and shame mingled with anger as he snapped, “Sister Yu, this has nothing to do with you! Stay out of it!”

Granny Yu’s expression changed. “Nonsense! Anyone who wants to harm Qi Wei must first step over my corpse!”

“Old hag!” Lord Lin spat venomously, drawing his sword and unleashing a wave of boundless sword energy at Granny Yu.

A river-like surge of sword energy crashed from the sky, shaking the earth and scattering the ambient spiritual energy into chaos.

Granny Yu’s robe billowed as spiritual power burst from her frail form. Her withered hand punched upward!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Like a thousand fireworks exploding above her head!

One punch to extinguish a river of swords!

The ninth level of the Body Tempering Realm!

Chu Jie saw clearly that even the wrinkles on Granny Yu’s face seemed smoother, her bent back now straight and tall—no longer the feeble old woman from before.

He was stunned. Clearly, Granny Yu had unleashed her final reserves of strength—a final blaze before the end.

While Chu Jie hesitated, Granny Yu’s voice threaded into his ear like a silken strand. “I’ll hold off the two of them. Take the girl and run west!”

A burst of light erupted from Granny Yu’s thin frame. Chu Jie recognized it as the flame of life.

Clenching his fist, he dashed madly westward!

Lord Lin and Qi Tianba were both blocked by Granny Yu. Qi Tianba immediately shouted, “Whoever stops Chu Jie gets ten spirit-gathering herbs!”

The lieutenants below fell into chaos, swarming toward Chu Jie.

“Chu Jie! Don’t resist!”

“Die, thief!”

Several leapt at him, brandishing their weapons.

Chu Jie’s eyes blazed with murderous intent. The blade in his hand flashed, and a single swing cleaved one of the lieutenants in two!

“Anyone who stands in my way dies!” Chu Jie snarled, his face twisted and fierce.

Swish! His blade swept out, cutting down several more in his path.

Seeing Chu Jie’s ferocity, the lieutenants shrank back in fear, none daring to advance.

As Qi Tianba, Granny Yu, and Lord Lin battled furiously, Qi Tianba saw his men falter. He shouted, “Whoever stops Chu Jie gets twenty spirit-gathering herbs!”

A rich reward breeds brave men. Three lieutenants exchanged glances and charged at Chu Jie.

Chu Jie snorted. “You’re courting death!” With Qi Wei on his back, he fought his way forward. Thanks to the strength of his Nine Tribulations Physique, carrying Qi Wei was as nothing to him; his movements remained swift and agile.

His blade swept in a blinding arc, flashing like snow under the sun.

Spotting a lieutenant, Chu Jie’s blade swept toward him. The man’s weapon flickered with cold light, his short spear writhing like a dragon as spear and blade clashed.

Clang! Sparks flew.

Chu Jie’s blade was razor-sharp, knocking the lieutenant’s twin spears aside. Stepping forward, Chu Jie’s left hand balled into a fist, laced with burning heat, and struck the man’s chest.

The Solar Inferno Fist! Chu Jie’s fist turned crimson, radiating searing heat.

Bang! The force visibly blasted apart the lieutenant’s tunic, and his body crashed to the ground like a broken kite, scraping a long mark in the dirt.

Sweeping his blade around, Chu Jie glanced back, then sprinted forward at top speed.

The remaining two lieutenants gritted their teeth and gave chase.

One drew a great bow, plucked an arrow from his quiver, and nocked it, aiming at Chu Jie.

“Loose!” he cried, his arm muscles trembling as he drew the man-high bow to its fullest. Releasing the string, the arrow shot forth like a meteor, streaking toward Chu Jie!