Chapter 130 - 102: So, a Sword Could Be This Fast... One Strike Seals the Throat, Dugu Jian is Dead

As dusk fell, the wind began to blow.

A strong wind swept through Hengshan County, accompanied by peals of thunder.

It looked like a heavy rain was about to fall.

However, near Drum Tower Street, many Martial Artists stood within the Guiyuan Sect’s encampment.

They had already received their orders.

Tonight, they were not to engage in combat; everyone was to remain inside the encampment.

But they had also heard the news.

Zhang Su was going to challenge Dugu Jian!

This was no secret. The Guiyuan Sect Elders had never intended to keep it quiet.

Because keeping it a secret would have been pointless.

Though it was only a rumor and many were uncertain, they still came to the vicinity of Drum Tower Street.

Soon, they discovered that many Huajin Martial Artists, such as Xie Guanchao and Zhou Peng, had also arrived.

It was rare for so many Huajin Martial Artists to gather in one place.

They came to the area near Drum Tower Street and stood silently, as if waiting for something.

As time passed, the sky grew completely dark.

Suddenly, a figure appeared.

"It’s Zhang Su..."

Many eyes turned toward Zhang Su.

In the past, Zhang Su had always worn Night Clothes.

But this time was different.

Zhang Su wasn’t wearing Night Clothes. Instead, he was dressed in a white shirt, which stood out sharply in the darkness.

After all, he wasn’t planning a sneak attack this time. He wanted to make it easier for Dugu Jian to see him.

As Zhang Su arrived, the entire Guiyuan Sect encampment fell silent.

When Zhou Peng, Xie Guanchao, and the other Huajin Martial Artists saw Zhang Su, their expressions were complicated.

Zhang Su had spoken with conviction and brimming confidence.

But who didn’t know how terrifying Dugu Jian was?

An Inner Force Martial Artist claiming he was certain he could kill Dugu Jian?

They wouldn’t have believed it no matter what.

They felt that Zhang Su was most likely going to fight to the death.

Perhaps there was a sliver of hope for success, but it was by no means a large one.

Even Han Guiyi had come.

His gaze fell upon Zhang Su, but he said nothing.

Then, Zhou Peng, Xie Guanchao, and the other Huajin Martial Artists all clasped their fists and bowed to Zhang Su in a salute.

They all knew just how perilous this venture was for him.

Zhang Su looked up at the sky.

It was pitch-black.

A howling wind carried with it cold drops of rain.

"A dark and stormy night... perfect for a killing. How fitting."

After speaking, Zhang Su didn’t hesitate. He strode out of Drum Tower Street and, despite his white shirt, gradually vanished into the night.

"Let’s go."

Xie Guanchao, Zhou Peng, and the others numbered more than ten in total.

Over a dozen Huajin masters followed close behind, melting into the darkness.

They were going to provide support, so naturally they couldn’t be too far from Zhang Su.

Seeing over a dozen Huajin masters disappear into the night with Zhang Su, how could the many Martial Artists in the encampment not realize the rumors were likely true?

After all, the Elders had ordered that no one was to engage in combat.

That meant this group, including Zhang Su, must have received the Elders’ permission.

Everyone naturally understood what this implied.

"Senior Brother Zhang Su... is really going to face Dugu Jian."

Someone sighed softly.

Dugu Jian was like a great mountain pressing down on everyone’s heads.

Back then, Jiang Taizhen had only been an Inner Force Martial Artist.

But Dugu Jian was a Huajin Martial Artist.

Previously, Dugu Jian had only seemed to be on par with Han Guiyi.

But now, they all understood.

He had merely been hiding his true strength.

And now, Dugu Jian’s killing spree clearly had only one purpose.

To win the battle for the mines.

The conflict over the Hengshan County mines had now reached its crucial stage.

Whether they could win the battle for the mines actually depended on this confrontation between Zhang Su and Dugu Jian.

"The two sects are fighting to the death over the mines. It looks like a grand, chaotic war, but in reality, the outcome of the battle is decided by just one or two people."

"Yeah. In the past, I just thought we were all Inner Force or Huajin, so how much stronger could someone be? I figured fighting ten opponents at once was probably the limit. But Dugu Jian’s appearance has been a real eye-opener. It turns out that when one’s combat power reaches a certain level, it’s not about fighting ten people anymore. Numbers become meaningless."

"Perhaps this is why Sects put so much effort into cultivating their Celestial Prides. Isn’t a Sect’s Celestial Pride someone who can elevate the entire Sect to a new level through their own power?"

Many of the Martial Artists had gained a great deal of insight during their time in Hengshan County.

It wasn’t just insights into Martial Arts; more importantly, their horizons had been broadened.

They had seen that people with the same Cultivation level could have vastly different actual combat strengths.

It even surpassed their wildest imaginations.

Still, they held on to a sliver of hope. After all, Zhang Su had a knack for creating miracles.

Once, there was Jiang Taizhen. With his Three Meridians Unite, he had been terrifyingly strong.

But in the end, he too had died at Zhang Su’s hands.

Now, as Zhang Su went to face Dugu Jian, they hoped to see another miracle!

In the pitch-black night, the wind grew stronger.

Zhang Su stood in the darkness, surrounded by emptiness.

Of course, far behind him, Xie Guanchao, Zhou Peng, and the others were positioned to provide support.

But he still hadn’t encountered a single person from the Five Elements Sect.

Evidently, the Five Elements Sect had still not dispatched any Martial Artists to fight.

There was only Dugu Jian!

Zhang Su didn’t go out of his way to find Dugu Jian.

He simply stood at a position midway between the Guiyuan Sect’s encampment and that of the Five Elements Sect.

Then, he became still.

Zhang Su knew that Dugu Jian would be able to find him.

Time ticked by.

Cold rainwater dripped onto Zhang Su’s body.

He was soaked through by the rain.

A faint chill crept over him.

But for Zhang Su, a chill like this was not even worth mentioning.

TAP. TAP. TAP.

Suddenly, Zhang Su raised his head.

He had heard footsteps.

As expected, a figure emerged from the darkness.

The person walked step by step until they stood opposite Zhang Su.