Chapter 31: Shocking Incident, Someone Snatched a Horse on the Streets of Wei City
Relying on his Qi Sight, Li Yanchu quickly tracked down a certain location. It was an old, half-abandoned temple, long fallen into disrepair. No one could tell which deity had once been enshrined here, as half of the clay statue at the altar was already badly damaged. Inside the temple hall, on one of the main pillars, Li Yanchu noticed a deep saber mark.
This place was far from the main road, so it was quiet, remote, and hidden from view. Li Yanchu took a few cautious steps inside, and soon saw a burly man with a massive battle axe in hand, currently bandaging a sword wound on his shoulder.
The man had a fierce, villainous face, thick straight eyebrows and slitted eyes, radiating a dense aura of murderous qi. He was clearly a hardened rogue used to life-and-death battles.
While wrapping his wound, he cursed under his breath, “Damn it! That little girl was fast! If the Vice Leader hadn’t shown up, I might’ve really been taken down by her! If I get the chance, I’m definitely gonna toy with her...”
Just then, the axe-wielding man suddenly frowned and shouted coldly toward the entrance, “Who’s there?!”
Li Yanchu stepped forward, eyes icy as he asked, “Where’s the girl who fought you earlier?”
From the scene alone, Li Yanchu could already tell that something had happened to Fang Qinglan.
The burly man snarled viciously, “What the hell are you asking for? Where’d you come from, young Daoist? Do you have a death wish? How dare you meddle in my business?”
Li Yanchu’s gaze darkened.
At that moment, another man stepped out from the rear of the temple. He was even broader and stockier, holding a gleaming long spear. The spearhead had a blood groove; it was razor-sharp, clearly a weapon made for killing.
The moment this man appeared, his eyes locked onto Li Yanchu. Unlike the axe-wielder, this one exuded a much colder, more sinister presence. He was like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, ready to strike with a deadly blow at any moment.
The man wielding the massive axe sneered coldly, “Coming in here alone trying to play the hero and save the damsel? Hah! Look at that soft skin and delicate face. Why don’t you let me have a little fun first? Maybe if I’m in a good mood, I’ll tell you what you want to know.”
The two of them clearly didn’t take this unarmed young Daoist seriously. In fact, it was Li Yanchu’s clean-cut, refined looks that sparked a twisted interest in the savage rogue.
Li Yanchu, however, didn’t overestimate himself. He had very limited experience fighting true martial experts in the jianghu. The only real encounter was when he launched a surprise attack and crushed the wanted criminal Liang Qi and his gang. To play it safe, Li Yanchu decided he still needed a weapon in hand.
With a focused thought, he gave a cold shout, “Saber, come!” In an instant, a heavy, ancient-looking long saber materialized in his grip.
The two outlaws were instantly dumbfounded.
“This kid knows demonic sorcery!”
“Kill him! Take down this damn Daoist!”
The two were shocked, then immediately moved to strike.
Whoosh!
The axe-wielding brute swung his weapon in a wide arc, the air splitting with a deafening whoosh.
He possessed natural brute strength, and few in the jianghu could even wield such a giant axe. Weapons like that were usually the domain of battlefield generals. And anyone who dared use such a weapon was never someone to be underestimated.
The man with the spear was even more formidable; he had been personally trained by a famed master and had painstakingly practiced spear techniques. He was a disciple of Xue Yang, one of the most renowned spear masters in Jincheng, and his talent in spearplay ranked him among the top three of his peers.
Had it not been for his extreme and volatile temperament, he never would have been expelled from his sect, thereafter falling into the jianghu and turning into a cold-blooded killer.
The moment these two made their move, the force they unleashed was overwhelming.
Clang!
Li Yanchu drew his saber in a flash, and he was swift and domineering as he slashed it toward the axe-wielding brute. A wave of scorching heat burst through the air; it was the Six Yang Saber Art.
Splurt!
The brute only saw a flicker of saber light before a searing pain shot through his shoulder. His thick, muscular arm was cleaved clean off.
Just then, the spearman's long weapon lunged forward like a venomous snake, and it shot straight toward Li Yanchu’s throat. But, the heavy, razor-sharp iron spear never made it through.
Li Yanchu shifted his body slightly, and a second flash of his saber lit up the air. Just then, the spearman’s arm was also severed.
Seeing this, the entire temple hall fell into dead silence, then came the soul-wrenching screams.
Li Yanchu frowned.
“That’s it?” he muttered.
With just a single exchange, both opponents had been crippled. He had expected much tougher opponents.
The spearman stared in terror. He’d always considered himself at least a third-rate martial artist, but this time… In just one move, his arm had been chopped off with ease.
At this moment, he gazed at Li Yanchu in horror. “Who the hell is this young Daoist?”
Li Yanchu stepped forward and stomped down on the axe-wielder’s severed shoulder, and a sickening, bone-grinding crunch filled the air. Blood gushed like a spring from the man's broken stump, the sight chilling to the bone.
“I’ll only ask once, where is she?!” Li Yanchu said coldly, his voice like ice.
The axe-wielding brute, face twisted in agony, was trembling with pain. Yet, he still gritted his teeth and growled, “Don’t even think about getting anything out of me!”
Boom!
Li Yanchu's foot came crashing down, and the man's head exploded like a watermelon, splattering blood and brain matter everywhere. Red and white gore sprayed across the spearman’s face, and his expression turned deathly pale.
Where did this battle warrior come from? He really only asked once… Fear surged in his heart like a tidal wave.
Just then, Li Yanchu turned his gaze toward him. Seeing this, the rogue instantly broke down and blurted out, “That woman was seriously injured by the Vice Leader. She ran into the mountains to escape!”
Earlier, the three had lured Fang Qinglan here and a fierce battle broke out. In the middle of the fight, the Vice Leader suddenly attacked from the shadows, landing a heavy blow on Fang Qinglan. She had then fled into the mountains, seriously wounded. The two men were left behind, while the Vice Leader went after her alone.
He was a lecher, and with Fang Qinglan badly injured, she stood little chance. Confident in his martial skill, he had chased after her himself, planning to find a secluded spot to “enjoy” the beautiful woman at his leisure.
Li Yanchu's voice dropped to a frigid growl. “If I catch up and she’s not there, I’ll make you regret it.”
With that, he kicked the spearman square in the waist.
Crack! The man felt his lower body go numb, collapsing instantly.
Soon after, Li Yanchu stormed out of the ruined temple. The foot of the mountain was less than ten li away. He leapt onto the horse again and galloped ahead at full speed.
Along the way, he saw bloodstains and signs of battle, which were clear and easy to follow. The key now was speed, as a single moment’s delay could change everything.
When Li Yanchu finally arrived, he found Fang Qinglan leaning weakly against a large tree, her body limp. Blood had soaked through the front of her robes. Her arm and thigh were both partly exposed through torn fabric, revealing smooth, porcelain-fair skin. There was a look of deathly resolve in Fang Qinglan’s eyes.
Standing across from her was a middle-aged man with his hands cupped behind his back, and he exuded an air of authority, yet his gaze held a sinister glint. He was staring intently and lecherously at the skin exposed on Fang Qinglan’s wounded body.
At the sound of galloping hooves, the man turned his head, and a flash of murderous look flickered in his eyes.
Where did this young Daoist come from, daring to ruin my moment? the man thought.
Fang Qinglan’s once-hopeless gaze suddenly lit up. Li Yanchu has come!
The thunderous sound of hooves drew closer in an instant, and Li Yanchu charged forward, spurring his horse straight at the man.
The middle-aged man, calm and composed, raised both palms and struck, hitting the galloping horse head-on.
Boom! The powerful steed let out a shrill whinny and was knocked to the ground in a single blow.
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