Chapter 104 - 78: Leveling the Bandit Stronghold

Chapter 104: Chapter 78: Leveling the Bandit Stronghold

Even though they were both at the Qi Storage realm, Zhang Kang felt an immediate sense of dread as he looked at the fiercely murderous Zheng Jun. "Attack together! Stop him!" he shouted in panic.

"Yes, Chief!"

The other Blood Refining Martial Artists around him were fiercely loyal to their brotherhood. Upon hearing Zhang Kang’s order, they immediately drew their weapons and charged into battle. The ringing sound of swords and sabers leaving their sheaths echoed around them.

"Kill this Captain! Let the dog Court taste the wrath of our Black Mountain braves!" someone bellowed. Dozens of men pressed forward in unison, the air heavy with a chilling intent to kill.

Hearing their shouts, Zheng Jun sneered repeatedly. "A bunch of animals who bully the weak and oppress the commoners, and you dare pretend to be heroes in front of me?"

As his words fell, a massive wave of cold steel flared around him. Assorted swords and sabers rained down like starving wolves pouncing on a flock of sheep, slashing toward Zheng Jun in perfect unison.

Du Ding was horrified by the sight. "Oh no, the Captain charged too recklessly!" he instinctively yelled. "Charge! Protect the Captain!"

Zheng Jun was much faster than his Personal Guards. He had already charged right up to the bandits, throwing himself into a one-versus-dozens situation. Now, his men could only lower their heads and sprint, desperate to join the fray as quickly as possible and shield him.

On the other side, Zheng Jun’s Qi and Blood was completely boiling. His True Qi surged outward, instantly whipping up the surrounding dirt until a plume of dust shot into the sky. In that very moment, Zheng Jun darted like lightning straight into the bandits’ flurry of blades.

While these bandits rarely fought high-level experts, they were still murderous brigands. They struck with extreme ruthlessness, chopping at Zheng Jun in an airtight barrage. But to their utter shock, Zheng Jun simply swung a single Slash. In an instant, he tore apart the blade formation that they believed would have killed even King Yan on the spot!

"It’s over!"

The frontmost Blood Refining Martial Artists felt a fierce gust of wind hit their necks, followed by a rising sensation. But as blood quickly spilled out, they realized it was not a fierce wind at all—it was Blade Gang.

The Blade Gang swept through like a gale. Before the struck Blood Refining Martial Artists could even scream, blood splattered in all directions and their heads flew into the air. Their lifeless bodies slumped backward, leaving the ordinary bandits behind them trembling in terror.

Without a shred of hesitation, Zheng Jun raised his weapon and Chopped. Compared to the Blood Refining bandits, dealing with the ordinary ones was even simpler. With just the raise and fall of his saber, blood sprayed and severed limbs littered the ground.

Zhang Kang thought, "The opportunity is here!"

His face dark, he had watched Zheng Jun slaughter his men, allowing his underlings to die before him. He finally caught the brief instant when Zheng Jun raised his saber. Pushing off the ground with his toes, he pounced forward like a hunting leopard.

The veins on Zhang Kang’s arms bulged thickly like tree roots, and his body emitted a terrifying chorus of grinding bones. He raised the Blade in his hands high and glared at Zheng Jun, his eyes overflowing with malice. "Die!"

Thirty years ago, he had been toiling in the fields of the village at the foot of the mountain, relying on this very Blade to feed his family. The blade used in slash-and-burn farming was the She Saber. And when a She Saber was fitted with a long handle, it became a Blade.

Everyone in the Jianghu mocked him for using an unrefined Blade, claiming it ruined the demeanor of a Qi Storage expert. But Zhang Kang merely smiled it off and never abandoned it. Because from beginning to end, this Blade was the old companion he relied on to survive!

From slash-and-burn farming to highway robbery. From hacking the Tax Collector to death to wantonly butchering old peasant farmers. He believed that underneath this old companion that had followed him for half his life, there would soon be another soul—an arrogant young Captain from the Black Mountain Guard!

Zhang Kang thought, "For him to have such formidable strength at such a young age, I wonder which prominent family he comes from." Yet, he also felt a thrill of twisted pleasure. "These young talents all deserve to die!"

Surging True Qi brewed on the Blade. When he swung a Slash down, it almost seemed to tear the very air apart.

Seeing this, Zheng Jun did not hesitate. His gaze sharpened, and his True Qi began to climb layer by layer. He casually grabbed an ordinary bandit and hurled the man directly into Zhang Kang’s incoming path. Then, without a second thought, he activated the Broken Jade Skill!

SQUELCH!

Zhang Kang’s strike directly Chopped the flying bandit in half. But his weapon did not stop; it continued its Slash toward Zheng Jun. Zhang Kang’s bald head was covered in the blood and flesh of his former underling. With a ferocious glare, his only thought was to Chop Zheng Jun in half!

However, right at that moment, Zhang Kang suddenly noticed a faint smile appear on Zheng Jun’s face.

He thought, "What is he smiling about?"

But very quickly, Zhang Kang felt a sudden current of air sweep toward him. It directly transformed into a torrential flow of saber light, momentarily stunning him.

"Come, let’s trade a strike!" Zheng Jun bellowed. Tremendous power erupted from his body, churning the air currents. His Iron Armor gleamed, and the Official Robe beneath it fluttered wildly.

CLANG!

Accompanied by the crisp, drawn-out cry of a Flood Dragon, a brilliant arc of saber light shot forth!

BANG!

A deep explosion rang out. A violent gale erupted. Centered on the clash between the Blade and the Beirong Saber, massive amounts of sand and dirt soared into the sky, resembling the descent of a desert dust storm.

The saber’s edge was incredibly fierce. Zhang Kang could feel that his Blade seemed to have broken, and he also felt as though he had been struck. Yet, a single subconscious thought surfaced in his mind: "What a powerful saber."

In the next second, Zhang Kang’s figure was sent flying backward at high speed. A hideous wound had appeared on his waist, having already hacked halfway through his torso. Blood spurted wildly.

As for Zheng Jun himself, he simply flicked his Beirong Saber. The beads of blood on the blade linked into a line and slowly dripped onto the ground, mixing with the dirt. However, the armor on his body had been somewhat hacked apart, revealing the Official’s Clothes underneath.

Zhang Kang, who had been Slashed across the waist, stared at Zheng Jun with an agonizing expression. He had exchanged a solid, head-on blow with Zheng Jun. On the surface, it looked like his waist had only been partially Slashed rather than completely severed. But all the bones and sinews in his body had shattered, his internal organs had long since ruptured, and his True Qi was blocked. He already wore the visage of death.

"Who... who exactly are you? I’ve never heard of... a prominent Zheng family in Pingzhang Commandery. Are you, perhaps, a Sect disciple?" Zhang Kang asked. His eyes were fixed deadly upon Zheng Jun as he coughed up large fragments of internal organs mixed with bloody water.

"Logically speaking, a piece of trash like you has no right to know my name." Zheng Jun stepped forward quickly. Under the horrified gazes of the surviving bandits, he raised his Beirong Saber and brought it down in a Slash toward Zhang Kang’s neck. Right before Zhang Kang died, Zheng Jun said, "But I’m in a pretty good mood today, so I’ll let you know.

"I belong to no Sect or faction. Black Mountain Guard, Zheng Jun, Zheng San."

The saber light flashed, and a head fell to the ground.

Its eyes were filled with terror.