Chapter 577 - 586: 3 Breaths’ Time

"Yes, sir!"

The bandits behind him nodded, overjoyed. Then, their expressions turned savage as they glared at the people on the ship.

"Father, what do we do?" Xiong Rou’s face instantly went pale as she saw them looking at her.

Xiong Zhou quickly said, "It’s okay. Stay behind me. Just stay behind me."

The people on the ship were terrified, and they all began to back away.

BANG!

Suddenly, a dark figure fell heavily onto the deck. Everyone looked closer and saw it was Xuu Jinhao.

A burly bandit sneered at Xuu Jinhao on the ground. "Kid, you think you can run from me? Even if I gave you another pair of legs, you couldn’t dream of escaping."

Seeing the wretched state of Xuu Jinhao on the ground, the crowd grew even more terrified.

The burly bandit scanned the crowd and then barked, "If any of you try to pull any tricks or make trouble, don’t blame me for what happens next."

Everyone around him nodded repeatedly. Seeing the bloodlust in the bandit’s eyes, they didn’t even dare to breathe too loudly.

The burly bandit nodded in satisfaction at their reaction. Then, he saw a young man still standing there, looking completely unfazed, and couldn’t help but frown.

"Hey, kid! Get over here!"

Wen Qingye had been standing there, pondering the flying arrow from before. The bandit’s sharp shout snapped him back to reality.

Hearing the bandit’s shout, everyone turned to look at Wen Qingye.

Xiong Rou looked at Wen Qingye and whispered, "Father, that kid..."

Xiong Zhou said, "That kid is probably a dead man. Don’t say anything. These bandits will let us go after they take our Primordial Stones and Magical Artifacts. They won’t kill us."

"Mm, I understand," Xiong Rou said, nodding as if she only half-understood.

Wen Qingye looked at the burly bandit and asked, "Are you talking to me?"

The bandit’s face flushed with anger. "Of course I am! Who else, a ghost? Kid, you really don’t know what’s good for you. If you won’t come to me, then I’ll just have to come to you!"

SWOOSH!

The bandit stomped his foot, and his body blurred into a gust of wind, rushing straight for Wen Qingye.

Everyone present felt their hearts clench. That bandit was an expert of the Destruction Realm Eighth Layer Heaven! They glanced at Wen Qingye’s youthful face and sighed internally. ’That kid is finished.’

Everyone thought the same thing. The more timid ones even turned their heads away, as if unable to watch.

BANG!

Those who hadn’t looked away stared in utter shock at the scene. The bandit had charged with incredible speed, but just as he was about to reach Wen Qingye, he was sent flying back even faster, landing with a heavy splash in the water.

The impact sent a wave several dozen feet high, spraying water in all directions.

"This..." Xiong Zhou stared in astonishment at the ripples spreading across the water, finding the scene before him hard to believe.

That bandit’s cultivation was at the Destruction Realm Eighth Layer Heaven; even Xiong Zhou himself would be no match for him. Yet, he was sent flying by a single punch from that kid. This outcome was the complete opposite of what he’d expected.

"How old is that kid? He sent an expert of the Destruction Realm Eighth Layer Heaven flying with one punch?"

Everyone present stared at Wen Qingye, startled and amazed.

Wu Hao looked at Wen Qingye, his expression dark. "Kid, who in the world are you?"

Wen Qingye looked at Wu Hao and said coldly, "Hand over the Black Arrow and the red bow you just acquired, and I’ll spare your life."

The red bow and the Black Arrow had likely been stolen by Wu Hao from who-knows-where. Even if that wasn’t the case, the bloody aura churning above the man’s head suggested he was a wicked, villainous person. Wen Qingye naturally wouldn’t be polite to someone like that.

"Hahahaha!" Wu Hao threw his head back and laughed upon hearing Wen Qingye’s words. "Kid, this is the first time anyone has ever spoken to me like that. Do you have any idea who I am?"

Wen Qingye said indifferently, "I’m not interested in who you are. I’ll give you three breaths. If you don’t hand over the Black Arrow within three breaths, then don’t blame me for being ruthless."

Wu Hao shot back coldly, "Kid, as you wish. I’ll let you live for three more breaths."

"One."

Wen Qingye watched Wu Hao calmly, his lips slightly parted.

The surrounding crowd stared at Wen Qingye, dumbfounded. They couldn’t understand why he was doing this. Who gave him the courage to challenge a Life and Death Realm expert?

He looked so young.

"Two."

Wen Qingye’s eyes remained placid as he spoke softly.

"What’s this kid trying to do?"

"A final struggle before death?"

"But maybe this kid really does have some skill. He did defeat that Destruction Realm expert with a single punch."

"The gulf between a Life and Death Realm expert and a Destruction Realm expert is insurmountable. Challenging a Life and Death Realm expert is simply courting death."

...

A cold smirk played on Wu Hao’s lips as his hand slowly tightened around his bow.

Wen Qingye paid no mind to the surrounding chatter, as if it had nothing to do with him.

"Time’s up. Your life is over."

The light, ethereal voice drifted past their ears, startling everyone. In the next instant, Wen Qingye’s figure abruptly vanished before their eyes.

A black shadow seemed to flicker before Wu Hao’s eyes, and his pupils contracted violently.

"This...!"

He was about to react when his vision suddenly blurred, and he lost consciousness completely.

SPURT!

A fountain of crimson blood shot into the air—a sight both ghastly and beautiful, and utterly soul-stirring.

THUD!

Wu Hao’s body fell heavily to the ground, blood pooling around him.

Everyone on the massive ship seemed to have turned to stone, staring motionless at the still-bleeding body of Wu Hao.

"I may not be Yama, but I’m more effective."

Wen Qingye walked over to Wu Hao’s side, picked up the Black Arrow and the red bow from the ground, and then ran off, his feet treading on the surface of the water.

WHOOSH!

After Wen Qingye disappeared, the entire ship burst into a chaotic uproar.

The passengers scattered, overcome with the relief of surviving a disaster. Meanwhile, the remaining bandits fled in terror back toward their lair.

It was unclear if they were running for their lives or rushing back to divide the loot.

"That man... he killed a Life and Death Realm expert in a single move! My god!"

Xiong Rou stared at the spot where Wen Qingye’s back had vanished, only snapping out of her daze a long time later.

A breeze blew past, sending ripples across the water’s surface.

"Father, let’s go! We have to go now!" A recovered Xiong Rou shook Xiong Zhou, who was still in a stupor.

Xiong Zhou shuddered, snapping back to his senses. He looked at Xiong Rou and said, "Ai, my old eyes have grown dim. I completely misjudged him. Little Rou, let’s go. We’ll head to the nearest city."