Chapter 385: Breaking the Move (3)

Chapter 385: Chapter 186: Breaking the Move (3)

“This is just like what you did to the Celestial Yang Escort Agency. You struck ruthlessly before Chief Cheng could even discover the problem with the Zhou family. Truly vicious!”

Qu Zhi nodded.

“I should have told that Ximen Feng about Ning Jiuyuan’s situation back then. But the Hundred Treasures Association was in hot pursuit, so I was careless in the end…”

As he spoke, he frowned slightly and looked up at Jiang Ran’s manifestation.

His technique, the Seven-Inch Qi-Stopping Finger, could not only cut off a person’s inner breath and sever their meridians, rendering an opponent’s Inner Strength useless.

More importantly, it also had a tremendous effect on protective divine arts.

In his eyes, Jiang Ran’s martial art was very similar to the Great Brahman Vajra Skill from the Great Brahman Zen Temple.

But he had been channeling his skill all this time, so why hadn’t this protective manifestation wavered in the slightest?

‘Was it because I got distracted by talking?’

He wondered this but still spoke aloud.

“So, were there any other flaws?”

“Chief Cheng was gravely injured, yet he ran here with me in one breath without showing any sign of his wounds acting up.”

“Isn’t that a flaw?”

“Just now, when I stepped into this Soul Shattering Array, you knew my exact location and could walk toward me unimpeded. Wouldn’t you call that a flaw as well?”

Jiang Ran chuckled softly.

“The moment I repelled that Brute Ox, before I could even press my advantage, you ‘got injured.'”

“Isn’t that too much of a coincidence?”

“One coincidence after another, one flaw after another… how could you expect me to believe you?”

“And just a moment ago, I pulled you behind me and, with my back turned, went after the man who had just ‘killed’ you.”

“That was your perfect opportunity for a sneak attack.”

“So, I was also counting on this very moment to make you… show your true colors!!”

As he finished speaking these last four words, the white light of Jiang Ran’s manifestation flared.

Qu Zhi’s expression changed instantly. He felt a repulsive force travel up from his fingertips straight to his heart.

He didn’t dare continue forcing his technique. With a tap of his foot, he tried to break away.

But as his foot landed, Jiang Ran took a step as well. At the same time, a Shattered Gold Saber appeared in his hand.

As he swung the saber down, he called out:

“Ze Xin!”

Hearing those two words, Qu Zhi’s expression changed. He instinctively wanted to stop moving, but with the Shattered Gold Saber coming for him, standing still meant certain death.

So he had no choice but to take another step back.

Then, Jiang Ran was heard laughing.

“Shanyin!”

“You!”

Qu Zhi’s face fell, and he roared angrily:

“Attack! He’s figuring out the footing positions of the Soul Shattering Array!”

As his voice fell, a series of WHOOSHES sounded, and fierce gusts of wind shot out from the mist.

Jiang Ran, however, didn’t even turn his head. He threw three palm strikes behind him and didn’t forget to add:

“Fireman, Tianhai, Fengsi… You think I’m trying to figure out your Soul Shattering Array?”

“This Array is just a common formation based on the shape of the Eight Trigrams.”

“If it weren’t for this strange mist, it wouldn’t even be worth mentioning!”

Three successive BANGS were heard.

Three figures were sent flying back the way they came.

Qu Zhi’s expression, however, had become impossibly grim.

This was because the three positions Jiang Ran had just called out weren’t the ones he was about to step on, but the positions from which the three assassins had launched their attacks.

He hadn’t missed a single one.

As a result, without even turning his head, he had relied on his overwhelming Inner Strength to send the three of them flying.

Jiang Ran was seen raising his Shattered Gold Saber again.

“Come on, try again!”

As he spoke, a gust of wind swept in, clearing away all the surrounding mist.

Jiang Ran was startled for a moment, then heard a voice call out:

“Young Hero Jiang, don’t panic! I am here!”

Following the voice, he saw Cheng Tianyang striding over like a meteor, holding something that looked like a firework tube.

But his face was pale, and he looked quite weak.

Yet, when he saw Qu Zhi standing before Jiang Ran, his eyes widened in shock.

“You… Who are you?”

Before Qu Zhi could even react, he thrust out a single palm. RUMBLE! It was the Ninefold Shocking Mountain Palm!

This, at least, was no fake.

Poor Qu Zhi was caught between Jiang Ran in front and Cheng Tianyang behind.

After a moment’s consideration, he chose to meet Cheng Tianyang’s Ninefold Shocking Mountain Palm with a palm strike of his own.

The moment their palms met, Cheng Tianyang’s body swayed, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. But then, a series of BANGS erupted from Qu Zhi’s arm.

His body was sent flying backward.

At the same time, three figures crossed the void and reached out to catch him.

“What a Ninefold Shocking Mountain Palm!”

“Chief Cheng truly lives up to his name. The Golden Cicada First Escort Agency’s reputation is well-deserved.”

“…They’re right.”

The three men spoke one after another as they helped Qu Zhi to his feet.

Qu Zhi’s brow was tightly furrowed. He reached up, wiped his face, and peeled off a human-skin mask, revealing a somewhat pale face beneath.

“This kid’s martial arts are inhumanly high. We’re all old monsters ourselves, yet none of us can last a single exchange with him…”

“It seems the Young Manor Lord was right. For now, our best option is to retreat.”

“Easy for you to say. He might not be willing to let you leave.”

A voice that sounded somewhat familiar to Jiang Ran came from the mouth of an old man.

“Bo Yan of the Divine Sect!”

Cheng Tianyang’s voice was laced with hatred.

Jiang Ran glanced at him.

“So you’re Bo Yan of the Divine Sect?”

“Greetings, Young Hero Jiang.”

Bo Yan smiled. “It seems our fine gift tonight ultimately failed to satisfy you, Young Hero Jiang. But no matter. The years ahead are long, and we’ll have plenty of time to waste. Tonight…”

“Tonight, none of you are leaving!”

Jiang Ran flicked his Shattered Gold Saber, and its brilliant edge suddenly slashed down!

But at that very moment, a figure suddenly dropped from the sky, reaching for the major acupoint on Jiang Ran’s neck.

Startled, Jiang Ran snapped his head up and slashed horizontally with his saber.

This was a technique from the Shocking God Saber. Jiang Ran had no desire to kill, only to force the person back.

But then, something completely unexpected happened.

The person thrust a single hand forward, passing right through Jiang Ran’s saber edge and aiming straight for his throat!

‘The Nine Shocking God Sabers… had been broken by this person!?’