infodatos Chapter 38 A fight to the death in a narrow road
Chapter 38 A fight to the death in a narrow road
"Boom!"
As the last boulder rolled down, completely sealing the remaining gap, the dull thud echoed in the narrow branch passage, isolating the chilling rustling and gnawing sounds of the fire centipede horde outside.
Amidst the billowing smoke and dust, a slightly disheveled yet murderous figure slowly straightened up and turned around.
It was Han Li!
His dark blue outfit was torn in several places, stained with centipede slime and dust, and there was a small bloodstain on his face, making him look quite disheveled.
But those eyes, like those of a ferocious beast ready to devour its prey, were fixed on Yang Jin beside the rock wall. The long, narrow blade in his hand hummed, and the blood and qi of the early stage of the Flesh Refining Realm erupted without reservation, creating a heavy sense of oppression that made the air in the passage seem to freeze.
"You... scoundrel!" Han Li spat out the word through gritted teeth, his voice hoarse, filled with boundless rage and chilling killing intent. "Fine, very well! I never imagined that the one who disrupted the sect leader's grand plan and caused the death of my fellow disciples was actually a scoundrel trained by Senior Uncle Chen!"
He approached step by step, the tip of his knife pointing directly at Yang Jin: "You think you can survive by hiding in this rat hole and using some lowly tricks? You think you can save these lowly people? Dream on! Today, I'll kill you first, then drag them out one by one and throw them out to feed the centipedes!"
Inside the passage, the villagers, still shaken from their escape, trembled with fear upon seeing Han Li's menacing appearance and feeling his terrifying aura far beyond that of ordinary people. Their glimmer of hope was once again drowned out by despair.
Yang Jin took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the churning blood and violent panting in his chest.
The power beneath the rock was surging, and he gripped the machete in his hand even tighter.
He knew that a battle with Han Li was unavoidable.
This is not only about his own life and death, but also about the lives of the seventy or eighty people behind him who have barely managed to snatch a chance to live!
He didn't look back at the terrified villagers; his gaze was calm as a still pool, fixed on Han Li. His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear and steady: "Uncle Zhang, Wang Chuan, lead everyone and escape along the passage! As I told you before, don't stop, don't look back!"
Long before they entered the mine tunnel, Yang Jin had already instructed A Tu to leave inconspicuous triangular markings on the rock walls at key forks and safe sections of the tunnel as guidance.
By following the instructions, you can escape the abandoned mine and reach the surface.
In the chaos just now, he had already told Zhang the carpenter and Wang Chuan the identification method.
Upon hearing this, Zhang the carpenter shuddered. Looking at Yang Jin's straight but slightly thin back, and then at his trembling wife, daughters, and fellow villagers beside him, a surge of blood rushed to his head.
He gritted his teeth and growled, "Listen to Yang Jin! Go! Go now!"
After saying that, he first helped up an elderly person next to him and ran towards the direction of the first triangular mark that was faintly visible deep in the passage.
Wang Chuan, Zhao Tiezhu, and others also realized what was happening. Suppressing their fear, they began to organize the crowd to evacuate quickly.
Widow Li held Ya Ya tightly, tears streaming silently down her face. She took one last deep look at Yang Jin's retreating figure before staggering away with the crowd.
Upon seeing this, Han Li's eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he was about to raise his sword to stop them.
however--
"Your opponent is me." Yang Jin's figure blurred as he stood between Han Li and the retreating crowd, his woodcutter's knife held horizontally in front of him. A "force" as steady as a mountain, yet with the hidden sharpness to shatter rocks, quietly spread out.
"You? So you're Yang Jin! A country bumpkin who barely survived, who knows what kind of evil magic he's acquired, hiding in that good-for-nothing Chen Shan's den, dares to challenge me?"
Han Li sneered, but he dared not be careless in the slightest.
The brief exchange just now and Yang Jin's displayed strength and cunning had made him abandon his initial contempt.
He stopped wasting words, knowing full well that he had to act quickly, or things would change!
With a sudden push of his feet, he shot out like an arrow, his long, narrow blade transforming into a bright, white streak, whistling as it tore through the air, aimed straight at Yang Jin's heart!
It is the killing move from the Iron Bone Martial Arts School's "Breaking Edge Saber Technique"—Straight to the Heart of the Dragon!
It emphasizes speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness, concentrating all the body's energy and strength into a single point for explosive release!
Faced with this swift and ruthless strike, Yang Jin did not retreat. Instead, he lowered his waist and stood firmly, instantly establishing the foundation of the "Mountain Standing Stance" under his feet. At the same time, he activated the "Furnace Breathing Technique" to its fullest extent, inhaling as if swallowing a whale, and the blood and qi beneath the stone skin surged forth!
He saw the blade coming and instead of parrying, he drew a heavy and decisive arc from bottom to top with his wood-chopping knife, slashing diagonally at Han Li's wrist holding the knife!
This is the "Mountain-Splitting Style" that has entered the inner sanctum!
Although it lacks sophisticated techniques, it contains the "spirit of the mountain" that I have been practicing diligently these days—steadiness, weight, and focus!
And the decisiveness of "severing" that cuts through all obstacles!
"clang--!!"
The blades clashed once more, producing an even more ear-piercing metallic clang than before!
Sparks flew everywhere!
Han Li felt a powerful and domineering force, far beyond his expectations, coming from the other's blade, which made his wrist go numb and caused his sword strike to falter!
Yang Jin was also shaken violently, his blood surging, but the rock skin and armor absorbed most of the impact, and his feet seemed to be rooted to the ground, not retreating even half a step!
"How is this possible?!" Han Li was shocked. The opponent's strength and defense were completely unlike those of a Skin Refining Realm cultivator!
Has he already refined his flesh? No, the aura is wrong! It's that strange skin membrane and the bizarre power exertion technique!
In the instant his mind trembled slightly, Yang Jin pressed his advantage, twisting his wood-chopping knife to stick to Han Li's straight blade. At the same time, he clenched his left fist, and the stone-covered fist, accompanied by a whistling sound, slammed straight into Han Li's face!
The punches are simple and direct, yet as fast as lightning and extremely ruthless!
Han Li, being a Body Refining Realm cultivator with rich combat experience, dodged the punch by tilting his head in the critical moment, while simultaneously kicking Yang Jin's abdomen with his right foot!
Yang Jin neither dodged nor evaded, his abdominal muscles tensed instantly, and he unleashed his rock skin to its fullest extent, taking the kick head-on!
With a muffled thud, Yang Jin swayed, a dull pain shooting through his lower abdomen, but he was not seriously injured.
Han Li felt as if he had kicked a heavy, waterlogged granite, and the force of the impact made his leg bones ache!
The two separated instantly, each catching their breath, their eyes growing even more serious.
In just two short exchanges, Han Li had completely realized that the young man before him was no ordinary person!
Its defenses are incredibly strong, its power is immense, and its fighting spirit is unwavering—all beyond imagination!
What's even more terrifying is that the opponent seems to have some understanding of his swordsmanship style and can always find the most effortless and effective way to deal with him!
"We have to use our ultimate weapon!"
Han Li's eyes flashed with a fierce light, no longer holding back.
He let out a low roar, and the sound of his blood and qi surging around his body could be faintly heard. A faint iron-gray luster appeared under his skin, which was the manifestation of the Iron Bone Strength being activated to a certain degree!
The straight sword in his hand hummed loudly, and a faint, cold light flickered on its blade!
"Yang Jin! It's your good fortune to die under my Iron Bone Breaking Blade's ultimate move!" Han Li roared, his body suddenly accelerating, the blade light transforming into a continuous, illusory net of blades, completely enveloping Yang Jin's vital points!
The blade's momentum was incomparably fierce, carrying an aura of sharpness that could shatter everything!
This move already utilizes some of the power of a martial artist in the Flesh Refining Realm who has condensed their blood and qi and attached it to their weapon, making it far more powerful than before!
Faced with this barrage of blades, Yang Jin's pupils constricted, and the pressure increased sharply.
But his will was as firm as iron. He visualized the demonic ape "taking root" and pushed the "mountain intent" to its limit. His steps were steady, and he wielded the woodcutter's knife. He did not seek to break through the opponent's moves, but only to use the simplest and most effective chopping, slashing, parrying, and blocking techniques. Combined with his mountain-like stability and the strong defense of the rock skin, he managed to create a defensive barrier in the net of blades!
"Clang clang clang clang...!"
A dense, pounding sound, like raindrops hitting banana leaves, exploded in the passageway! Sparks flew everywhere like fireworks!
Yang Jin instantly had more than a dozen white marks on his body, and even several places where the rock skin was cut open, with tiny beads of blood seeping out!
But his eyes remained cold and calm, his breathing was long and deep, and he strived for precision in every block and counterattack, minimizing his own energy expenditure.
He was waiting, waiting for an opportunity, waiting for Han Li's brief exhaustion after this outburst, and also waiting for... Atu's cooperation!
Han Li grew increasingly anxious as he failed to break through Han Li's defenses.
He hadn't expected Yang Jin's defense and resilience to be so abnormal, it was like a smelly and hard rock!
What unsettled him even more was that although the other person appeared disheveled, their breathing had not weakened significantly, and the calmness in their eyes sent chills down his spine.
"Now!"
After a prolonged and fruitless attack, Han Li's sword strikes inevitably faltered by a very slight pause, as the old force had just dissipated and the new force had not yet been generated!
And in that very instant—
"Snap!"
The seemingly ordinary rock beneath Han Li's feet suddenly shattered and collapsed without warning!
A hole the size of a bowl appeared, causing him to stumble!
It's Atu!
It had been lurking underground, following Yang Jin's instructions, and silently used its rock manipulation ability to loosen the rock structure along the path Han Li was most likely to take, waiting for the opportune moment to deliver this fatal blow!
opportunity!
Yang Jin's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his pent-up energy and blood suddenly erupted to their peak!
He ignored Han Li's slash, which had lost most of its force due to his unsteady stance, and bravely withstood the blow!
"Pfft!" The blade sliced open a deeper gash on his shoulder, and blood gushed out, but Yang Jin seemed oblivious!
All his spirit, will, and strength were concentrated in the wood-chopping knife in his right hand!
The "Furnace Breathing Method" involves exhaling like an arrow, with the "severing" intent of the "mountain splitting" style reaching its peak!
The woodcutter's axe transformed into a streak of light that tore through the darkness, carrying an indomitable and devastating momentum, and fiercely cleaved into Han Li's center line opening caused by his unsteady stance!
"No—!" Han Li's pupils reflected the resolute glint of the blade, and he only had time to let out a terrified and unwilling roar.
"Sizzle—!"
The dull thud of a blade piercing flesh and severing bone was enough to make your teeth ache.
Han Li's momentum came to an abrupt halt. He looked down in disbelief at the woodcutter's knife that had slashed diagonally into his chest, almost splitting him in two. Then he slowly looked up at Yang Jin, who was close at hand, his eyes as cold as ice.
"The master... won't... let him go..." His lips moved, uttering a few indistinct syllables. The fierce light in his eyes quickly dimmed, and his body went limp as he fell backward, crashing heavily to the ground. Blood instantly stained a large area of the ground red.
Han Li, a disciple of the Iron Bone Martial Arts School Master, was dead at the early stage of the Flesh Refining Realm!
Yang Jin stood holding his knife, a burning pain shooting through the wound on his shoulder. His chest heaved violently, and his breathing became heavy.
Although the battle was short, it was extremely dangerous and almost exhausted all his energy.
If it weren't for Atu's crucial cooperation, Chen Shan's teachings on fighting techniques and his understanding of the weaknesses of the "Iron Bone Knife Technique," and his own formidable defense from his rock skin and the composure brought by the "Mountain Intent," the outcome would have been uncertain.
Without even glancing at Han Li's corpse, he quickly took out the medicine Chen Shan had given him from his pocket and haphazardly sprinkled it on the wound on his shoulder. The powder brought a cool, stinging sensation, temporarily stopping the bleeding.
"A-Tu, check the surrounding area, especially whether the landslide blockage is secure," he instructed via the link.
Atu conveyed a message confirming that it was safe and informed Zhang the carpenter and the others that they had walked a distance along the markings and were out of danger for the time being.
Yang Jin felt slightly relieved and glanced at the depths of the passage again.
He knew that although Han Li was dead, the crisis outside was far from over.
The outcome of the battle between the three pavilion masters and the Crimson Flame Centipede King is unknown, but the Earth Fire Centipede Tide must have already reached the underground cave.
Don't stay here for long.
He picked up his machete, took one last look at Han Li's corpse and the blood-stained ground, turned around, and ran quickly toward the underground passage he had dug earlier.
The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
Their oriole has arrived.