Chapter 178 - 115: Are You Kidding, a Huajin Slaying an Embracing Pill?

Ouyang Hong walked to a wall and stopped.

The wall was made of gray bricks and looked perfectly ordinary, no different from the ones around it.

Ouyang Hong ran his hand over the wall’s surface, searching for a moment before finding a brick that protruded slightly.

He pressed on the brick, pushing it forcefully inward.

With a soft CLICK, the gray brick receded into the wall.

He then retrieved a Secret Manual from the crevice in the wall.

The Secret Manual was wrapped in a layer of cloth. The fabric had yellowed and turned black, clearly showing its age.

Ouyang Hong cradled the Secret Manual in both hands, his eyes filled with reminiscence and reluctance.

His fingers trembled slightly, as if caressing a precious treasure.

He had hidden this Secret Manual for decades.

For all those decades, he had never told a single soul.

Not even Ouyang Yin knew of its existence.

This Secret Manual had cost him both his legs, leaving him a cripple.

Yet he could never bring himself to give it away.

Now, he was giving it up.

All to find a path to survival for Hidden Sword Manor.

Ouyang Hong took a deep breath and handed the Secret Manual to Zhang Su.

"Young Hero Zhang, this is the Swordsmanship I obtained long ago."

His voice trembled slightly.

"My aptitude was too poor; I was never able to master it. But perhaps things will be different for you, Young Hero Zhang..."

Zhang Su immediately took the Secret Manual.

The Secret Manual was wrapped in a layer of cloth, which he gently unwrapped.

The cloth had yellowed and grown brittle; it crumbled at the slightest touch.

Zhang Su carefully peeled back the cloth, revealing the Secret Manual within.

The cover of the Secret Manual looked ancient. The paper was yellow, and its corners were severely frayed, clear evidence that it had been perused countless times.

There were no words on the cover.

Zhang Su opened it to the first page.

When he saw the title on the first page, his pupils constricted, and he was utterly shocked.

"Infinite Sword Scripture, Bursting Sword Form."

Zhang Su stared intently at the Secret Manual.

The Infinite Sword Scripture.

’It’s the Infinite Sword Scripture again!’

He had previously obtained the Extreme Sword Form of the Infinite Sword Scripture in the Guiyuan Sect’s Fire Melting Cave.

He had personally witnessed the power of that Swordsmanship.

Dugu Jian, the genius disciple of the Five Elements Sect who was unparalleled at the Huajin level, had fallen to the Extreme Sword Form.

Ouyang Yin, a Clan Elder of Hidden Sword Manor at the Peak of Pill Force who had practiced Sword Nurturing for thirty years, had also died by the Extreme Sword Form.

The Extreme Sword Form could be defined by a single word: speed.

So fast you couldn’t block it, even if you saw it coming.

So fast that your body couldn’t keep up, even when you knew you had to dodge.

And now, the Secret Manual in his hands was another part of the Infinite Sword Scripture.

The Bursting Sword Form!

Since Zhang Su had obtained the Extreme Sword Form of the Infinite Sword Scripture from the Guiyuan Sect’s Fire Melting Cave, he knew the scripture was incomplete.

’I never expected to obtain another part of the Infinite Sword Scripture so soon.’

Zhang Su had already experienced the might of the Extreme Sword Form firsthand.

Both Dugu Jian and Ouyang Yin had fallen to it.

’In that case, the power of this Bursting Sword Form must also be extraordinary.’

Zhang Su continued to read.

The section on the Bursting Sword Form was short, only a few pages long.

But each page was densely packed with writing, the calligraphy both neat and forceful.

Zhang Su quickly scanned the pages and got a general understanding of the technique.

Like the Extreme Sword Form, the Bursting Sword Form was a killing blow from the Infinite Sword Scripture.

The Extreme Sword Form focused on speed, pushing it to the absolute limit.

The Bursting Sword Form focused on explosive power, detonating all of the user’s Inner Strength in an instant and channeling it into a single strike.

The power of this one strike was utterly terrifying.

Of course, the price was also steep.

Like the Extreme Sword Form, the Bursting Sword Form would instantly drain the user of all their Inner Strength upon execution.

After that single strike, one would be left completely spent.

Either the enemy dies, or you do.

Zhang Su closed the Secret Manual, an irrepressible excitement surging within him.

The Extreme Sword Form and the Bursting Sword Form—he now possessed two of the Infinite Sword Scripture’s killing blows.

Although he didn’t know how many forms the complete Infinite Sword Scripture contained, these two alone were enough to elevate his power to a new level.

"I’ll take this Swordsmanship."

Zhang Su said slowly, tucking the Secret Manual into his robes.

Ouyang Hong’s eyes were fixed on Zhang Su’s every move. When he saw the Secret Manual disappear into Zhang Su’s robes, a flash of loss crossed his face.

But he quickly composed himself.

"Young Hero Zhang, does this mean you agree to spare Hidden Sword Manor?"

A hint of nervousness laced Ouyang Hong’s voice.

He had sacrificed so much, all to secure a chance for Hidden Sword Manor to survive.

Zhang Su was silent for a moment.

"As for Hidden Sword Manor, I can let this matter go."

Zhang Su said slowly.

A look of joy spread across Ouyang Hong’s face.

But Zhang Su’s next words made his smile freeze.

"However, you must take your own life."

Zhang Su stared at Ouyang Hong.

’This Ouyang Hong may be a cripple, but he’s from the same generation as Ouyang Yin, and his Martial Arts don’t seem weak.’

’To survive for decades with crippled legs and still be able to launch himself into the air with a palm strike to the ground... that level of skill had to be at least at the Huajin stage.’

’Perhaps even higher.’

’Zhang Su couldn’t possibly let Ouyang Hong live.’

’Otherwise, it could lead to endless trouble.’

’Fail to pull the weed by its roots, and it will only grow back in the spring.’

Zhang Su understood this principle well.

Besides, Zhang Su didn’t want anyone else from Hidden Sword Manor to learn of the Infinite Sword Scripture’s existence.

He had obtained the Extreme Sword Form from the Fire Melting Cave; within the Guiyuan Sect, only he and his master knew about it.

’But the Bursting Sword Form was Ouyang Hong’s secret. If he lived and one day let it slip, the news would spread and attract unnecessary trouble.’

’Therefore, Ouyang Hong had to die!’

Ouyang Hong fell silent.

The Martial Arts Pavilion was so quiet that the only sound was the mournful whistle of the night wind seeping through the cracks in the window.

The moonlight shone on Ouyang Hong’s face. His ancient features showed no fear, no anger—only a profound weariness and a sense of release.