Chapter 66: Fish on the Chopping Block, to Be Carved Up at Will?

Chapter 66: Chapter 66: Fish on the Chopping Block, to Be Carved Up at Will?

Guo Xun refused to just stand by. His figure flickered as he brought his short halberd crashing down on Chen Yue.

Gu Yiqiu’s frontal assault with the Great Vajra Palm already had Chen Yue struggling to cope. Now, the short halberd crashed down from his left with immense power, its attack sealing off nearly all his room to evade.

The Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield within Chen Yue’s body circulated furiously, and a layer of Gang Qi coalesced to block the short halberd.

CLANG!

Guo Xun’s short halberd crashed heavily against the Gang Qi on Chen Yue’s left shoulder, producing a sharp clang as if metal had struck metal. The halberd was sent recoiling high into the air, and the shock numbed Guo Xun’s hand. Horror filled his eyes.

"Gang Qi?"

"He can actually manifest Protective Gang Qi?"

This scene made both Gu Yiqiu and his companion, whose attacks had been as relentless as the tide, falter for a moment. Their expressions were instantly replaced by utter disbelief.

As Martial Artists, how could they not know what Protective Gang Qi signified?

It was a defensive ability that could only be manifested after one had cultivated a top-tier Body Refining Divine Skill to a sufficiently advanced realm.

Difficult to learn, and even harder to master!

Every Body Refining Divine Skill capable of producing Gang Qi was a closely guarded secret. Even within a major power like Youquan Prefecture, the number of Cultivators qualified to practice one was minuscule.

This young man before them, merely at the Bone Forging Realm, not only possessed an incredibly fast Body Technique but had also cultivated a Body Refining Divine Skill to the point of manifesting Protective Gang Qi?

How could an insignificant place like Youlin County be hiding such a monstrous prodigy of the Martial Dao?

’Or did he... have some other heaven-defying fortuitous encounter?’

The doubt in Gu Yiqiu’s eyes was instantly replaced by an even deeper killing intent. ’This boy has too many secrets. He absolutely cannot be left alive. But I can’t kill him so easily, either. I must capture him first and torture everything out of him!’

"Gang Qi isn’t invincible! He’s merely at the Bone Forging Realm with limited Inner Strength. I’d like to see how long he can last!"

Gu Yiqiu roared. He refused to believe that the Gang Qi manifested by a Bone Forging Realm Martial Artist could withstand the full-power assault of a Marrow Refining Realm expert. ’He probably knows it too,’ Gu Yiqiu thought. ’Otherwise, he would have used his Gang Qi to block my attacks from the start.’

Even as he spoke, Gu Yiqiu’s assault didn’t cease. Palm strikes rained down on Chen Yue like a furious storm, each one immensely powerful.

Guo Xun also snapped back to his senses. Suppressing the fear in his heart, he knew that if they didn’t eliminate this boy today, he would become an endless source of trouble.

Whirling his short halberd like a pinwheel, he coordinated with Gu Yiqiu’s frontal assault and launched his own frenzied attacks on Chen Yue’s Protective Gang Qi from the side.

BAM! BAM! CLANG!

The air filled with a ceaseless barrage of dull impacts. Chen Yue felt the Qi Force in his body draining away at an alarming rate, like floodwaters bursting through a dam.

A Bone Forging Martial Artist’s Inner Strength was ultimately limited. Facing the combined, all-out assault of a Marrow Refining Realm and another Bone Forging Realm expert, even with a Divine Skill protecting him, he couldn’t hold out for long.

Chen Yue’s thoughts raced. He took a sharp, deep breath, and a series of low, violent tiger roars erupted from his very bones. The Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield was pushed to its current limit, and his Protective Gang Qi suddenly expanded outward in a concussive blast.

BOOM!

A powerful repulsive force exploded outward with Chen Yue at its center, causing Gu Yiqiu and his companion’s assault to falter for an instant.

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Yue unleashed his Vertical Cloud Thousand Layer Step with all his might. He instantly opened a gap of several dozen feet, then shot away into the distance.

’With my current strength, I can hold my own against a Marrow Refining Realm expert for a while, but winning is another story—especially when he has help. It’s almost impossible.’

’For now, the best plan is to retreat!’

"Trying to run? Too late!"

How could Gu Yiqiu possibly let him escape? The potential and secrets Chen Yue had revealed had solidified his killing intent, making it as unyielding as iron. With a flicker of movement, he gave chase, sticking to him like a maggot on a bone.

One chasing the other, they covered hundreds of feet in the blink of an eye under the moonlight.

Chen Yue pushed his Vertical Cloud Thousand Layer Step to its limit, his movements erratic as he used the terrain to his advantage. But Gu Yiqiu was far more experienced and always seemed to predict his path, steadily closing the distance between them.

’If only my Vertical Cloud Thousand Layer Step had reached the Perfection realm, perhaps I could have escaped today...’ A trace of regret flashed through Chen Yue’s mind.

This Cultivation Technique, a fusion of several Body Techniques, had reached the Great Success realm. However, it had yet to achieve a state of seamless perfection and still lacked that final edge when it came to explosive bursts of speed.

Furthermore, this Body Technique lacked a Secret Technique for a temporary burst of speed.

After all, it had been cobbled together by fusing different Body Techniques; it was impossible for it to be perfect in every aspect.

"Junior! Continue this futile resistance, and this day next year will mark your death anniversary!"

Gu Yiqiu’s icy voice, like a death summons, drifted from behind him. The distance between them was now less than thirty feet.

This wasn’t because he had developed any appreciation for the boy’s talent; rather, he was more certain than ever that Chen Yue was hiding some great fortuitous encounter.

’It was impossible for a Martial Dao prodigy like this to appear out of thin air in such a small county. It’s even more impossible that he would have access to the legacy of such a profound Body Refining Divine Skill. This boy must have a secret!’

’If I can capture him and force it out of him...’ The flames of greed burned brightly in Gu Yiqiu’s eyes.

Before his words had even faded, he closed in again. Gathering all his power into a single palm strike, he shot it forward with the force of a thunderclap, aiming viciously for the center of Chen Yue’s back. This strike was meant to cripple him, to rob Chen Yue of any ability to resist.

Chen Yue sensed the lethal force of the palm strike at his back and knew he could no longer rely on speed alone. He twisted his body violently. On his long-readied right fist, a pale golden Gang Qi coalesced once more as he met the incoming palm head-on.

BANG!

Fist and palm crashed together with a dull thud. Chen Yue used the force of the blow to launch himself into a backward somersault, shedding some of the impact’s momentum while also creating a gap of several dozen feet.

However, this forced counterattack completely shattered the fluid rhythm of his escape technique. His speed inevitably dropped.

After this fierce exchange, more than half of Chen Yue’s Qi Force was depleted. His situation had become dire.

Chen Yue looked at the menacing Gu Yiqiu. "I have no intention of making an enemy of anyone. All I seek is a quiet place to cultivate in peace."

"Cultivate in peace?"

Upon hearing this, an expression of undisguised mockery appeared on Gu Yiqiu’s face.

"Boy, it seems you still don’t understand how this world works! Without strength, without backing, what gives you the right to be left in peace? The strong prey on the weak—that is the natural order! However..."

He changed his tune, his voice taking on a condescending edge.

"I acknowledge your rare Talent, so I will give you one last chance. Come back with me and prove your worth. With the power of my Youquan Prefecture, I can surely shelter you and give you that quiet environment for cultivation you desire!"

Chen Yue remained silent, offering no reply.

His gaze fell upon his panel, landing on the line: [Source Point: 1].

’Source Points can empower Cultivation Techniques, and even my Talent. The empowerment is instantaneous—that was the explanation on the Panel, and I experienced it myself the first time I used a Source Point.’

Seeing Chen Yue’s silence, Gu Yiqiu assumed he was weighing his options. He sneered inwardly, but his expression hardened as he delivered his ultimatum, his voice turning sharp.

"My patience is limited, and I’ve given you more than enough chances! Don’t be a fool and throw away your only chance at survival!"

As he spoke, Guo Xun also caught up. Flanking him from the left and right, they formed a loose encirclement, sealing off Chen Yue’s escape routes.

Although the young man had managed to hold on this long by relying on his Protective Gang Qi and superior Body Technique, appearing relatively unharmed, both of his opponents knew his consumption of Inner Strength must have been immense.

How could the reserves of a Bone Forging Martial Artist possibly compare to those of someone in the Marrow Refining Realm?

Once his energy was exhausted and his Gang Qi dissipated, he would be a fish on the chopping block, ready to be slaughtered.

"Three!" Gu Yiqiu coldly spat out the number, beginning his countdown. An invisible pressure spread through the air with his voice.

Chen Yue slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the two men before him.

His sole remaining Source Point suddenly vanished, flowing into the Tiger Roar Golden Bell Shield.