Chapter 245 Dual Swords Combined, A Perilous Battle Against Zhang Hu
Wen Caishang was elegant and graceful, with a slender figure and a flowing long dress. Supported by Li Xian, she walked slowly out of the inn.
The streets were bustling with activity, and pedestrians had already gathered in front of the door. Li Xian and Wen Caishang exchanged a glance, nodded slightly, and quietly left. They turned into an alley, navigated several bends, and then left the city.
Noticing anything amiss, Li Xian asked, "Is Zhang Hu dead?"
Wen Caishang said, "He shattered his own heart meridian, so he'll most likely die. But if someone comes to his rescue, that's another story." Martial artists are full of vitality, and the martial arts they comprehend differ, resulting in different characteristics.
Zhang Hu comes from the "Taixin Sect".
The martial arts principles, profound meanings, and miscellaneous knowledge of this sect are all of inferior quality. However, the number of beasts is large, and they can be attacked in groups, so ordinary families and sects must avoid their sharp edge.
Li Xian said, "If only I had struck him a few more times, taken his head, and left him with no chance of survival. Even a great immortal would be powerless against him."
Wen Caishang shook her head and said, "He knows my style well. Since I have allowed him to commit suicide, he will definitely not make a move again. If you swing your sword, he will immediately know that we are both insecure. He will definitely fight back desperately, like a cornered beast. Even if he only makes one or two moves, he will be extremely powerful."
Li Xian said, "I'll go back now and shoot him a couple more arrows from a distance. He won't be able to do anything about it!" Wen Caishang said, "He'll be almost certainly dead if no one comes to his aid. Let's not get involved! If this leads to another pursuit, it will be very bad."
Li Xian agreed, saying, "Alright!" and they walked away hand in hand. Wen Caishang was injured and weak, unable to travel far. Li Xian slowly channeled his internal energy, and they traveled for about a night.
Feeling exhausted, Li Xian found a place to sit down and drink some water. His original plan was to pass through Baihu City; after a few more miles, he would be near the Weihu River. But this unexpected event would surely cause turmoil in the city.
We changed our route and bypassed the city, first going to the Wei-Hu River. Then we traveled along the river, looking for boat shops to board boats. In this way, we added several more days to our journey.
On the other side.
Upon hearing that Li Quan, Su Qiuwu, and Zhao Zhiyuan were all dead, Zhang Hu was heartbroken and had no will to resist. He used the "Heart-Shattering Palm" to sever his own heart meridian.
The palm strike was fierce and powerful, shattering his heart meridians. Drunken and disoriented, in his final moments, he stared intently at Wen Caishang. He sighed heavily, reflecting on his life's cultivation, only to end like this. Bitterness, despair… a flood of emotions overwhelmed him.
Suddenly I felt something was off.
He glanced at Wen Caishang's unsteady steps, noting the lack of strength in her movements. He thought, "Ah! Could it be that her internal energy problem hasn't been resolved? Was she... lying to me just now?"
"Wen Caishang is so ruthless. Last time I captured her, I humiliated her with such words. How could she possibly allow me to commit suicide? Alas! I was so foolish, I was tricked into killing myself!"
Suddenly realizing the danger, he was unwilling to die. His life force was fading, and any erratic movement would only hasten his demise. He immediately tried his best to "seal the blood and close the orifices," hoping to hold onto his life... but his eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and he knew there was no hope left.
When he opened his eyes again, it was already morning. He exclaimed in surprise, "I didn't die?"
A deep voice rang out: "Brother Zhang, of course you're not dead!" The sect leader of the Tiger Luo Sect, Zhang Ruifeng, was already beside him.
It turned out that... the disciples who accompanied him yesterday had run back to their sect on their knees. Upon learning the news, Zhang Ruifeng was both surprised and suspicious. In order to maintain the friendship between the two sects, he went down the mountain to investigate.
Seeing Zhang Hu commit suicide on the spot, he couldn't help but feel deeply saddened. He touched him and found a faint glimmer of life remaining. After hesitating for a moment, he fed him "Tiger Saliva and Jade Blood Dew".
This substance, capable of preserving life and healing emotional wounds, is truly exceptional. Fortunately, Zhang Hu shattered his own heart meridians when he committed suicide. Had he severed his head, cut his own throat, or stopped breathing... Zhang Ruifeng would have been helpless.
With the addition of topical medication, and after circulating his internal energy to aid digestion, he gradually regained consciousness overnight. Zhang Ruifeng said, "Brother Zhang, why did you commit suicide like this?"
Zhang Hu said angrily, "I was tricked, I was so stupid! My beloved tiger was killed last night!" He gently stroked the Flipping Tiger, then suddenly used his Qi to grab it and rip out its heart.
He opened his mouth and swallowed it whole. The tiger heart was half the size of his head. He dislocated his jaw and swallowed it whole, which got stuck in his neck and swelled up.
He leaped into the air, executing the "Thousand-Pound Drop" technique once more. With a "crack," he shattered the ground and landed on the first floor. His heart sank to his chest.
Zhang Hu pounded his chest three times. His tiger heart burst open, filling his chest cavity. He then channeled his internal energy, moving it to his heart meridian.
To replace it with another.
This is the "Tiger's Twin Form Skill," which allows one to temporarily save their life by borrowing the body of a tiger in times of crisis. Zhang Hu's heart meridian is damaged, barely keeping him alive; this injury is unlikely to heal completely. However, with the tiger's heart as a substitute, he can temporarily move around.
Zhang Ruifeng said, "Sigh."
Zhang Hu cupped his hands and said, "Brother Zhang, please lend me some disciples to avenge my family!" Zhang Ruifeng's offer of assistance was already out of consideration for the friendship between their two sects. However… Zhang Hu's opponent forced him to commit suicide with just a few words. This demonstrated his formidable and domineering nature. If he succeeded in avenging his family, fine; but if he failed, wouldn't he be inviting trouble upon himself?
Zhang Ruifeng said, "Brother Zhang, given your current injuries, it's not advisable to move around rashly. Please rest and recover quietly."
Zhang Hu said, "Hmph! I am deeply grateful for your kindness. I will definitely repay you in the future!" He clasped his hands in a bow, braced himself on the ground, and then dashed away from the inn to search for Wen Caishang's whereabouts.
He wandered aimlessly into the mountains and forests. His heart meridian was damaged, and his strength was greatly reduced. But his foundation was still profound, and his Qi surged. He moved with incredible speed.
I searched aimlessly for two days.
Little did they know whether he was extremely lucky or Wen Caishang was extremely unlucky.
At noon that day.
Li Xian and Wen Caishang rested in the woods.
Suddenly, a loud shout rang out: "Great! Great! I've finally found you two!" Zhang Hu braced himself on the ground with his hands instead of his feet and rushed over.
Wen Caishang exclaimed in surprise, "You're not dead!?"
Zhang Hu said, "Hmph, how could I bear to die if I didn't capture you alive?"
Wen Caishang sneered, "I allowed you to commit suicide, and you're ungrateful. Fine, I'll let you taste the pain of having your bones scraped and flesh cut!" She drew her sword with a flick of her sleeve, its white light radiating outwards.
"Ah!" Zhang Hu had been tricked several times, but he never learned his lesson. He waved his hands frantically and quickly fled into the distance.
Wen Caishang thought to herself, "Zhang Hu shattered his own heart meridian, yet he still survived. All the decisions I made have gone against my wishes. I have no internal energy left and am severely injured. Is it possible that fate is still entangled with me and refuses to let me go?"
A pang of sorrow gripped her heart. Her calculations were not inherently wrong, but fate is unpredictable, and misfortune seemed to befall her.
Wen Caishang said, "I am plagued by misfortune, and every decision I make is a grave mistake. Li Lang... I will listen to you completely, you must think of a solution!" She looked haggard.
Li Xianqiang composed himself and reassured her, "It's alright, this person is stupid and foolish. Just try to deal with him. I will protect you."
Upon hearing the words "I will protect you," Wen Caishang recalled how Li Xian had turned the tide along the way, displaying exceptional strategic acumen, talent, and demeanor. She suddenly felt at peace.
They ran hand in hand for several miles. Zhang Hu, realizing what had happened, ran back. He burst into laughter: "Hahaha, Wen Caishang! You slut! You whore! You won't fool me this time!"
He braced himself on the ground with both hands, resembling a crouching tiger.
Zhang Hu said, "I'll kill your male concubine first, then see what you do!" He slammed his hands on the ground, using the momentum to lunge forward. Wen Caishang was furious: "How dare you!" But she was helpless.
In a flash, Zhang Hu lunged forward, his claws reaching out to the left and right simultaneously. Li Xianhuan parried with his sword, striking left and right. The instant the sword touched Zhang Hu's claws, he felt an immense, heavy force, and heard a tiger's roar!
This is the "Tiger's Roar Power Technique." The instant the fist or foot touches the opponent, internal energy flows into the opponent's body, vibrating and humming, unleashing a tiger's roar from within. A few punches and claws are enough to render a person mentally impaired.
Li Xian remained calm, though his head throbbed with pain. Blood gushed from his ears and nose. Zhang Hu was naturally clumsy and reckless, but in this situation, he was extremely difficult to deal with.
Zhang Hu's legs were both broken, but he was still incredibly agile. His figure hovered in the air, and his claws moved with lightning speed! After a move called "Flying Tiger Pounces on Rabbit," he followed up with "Evil Tiger Pulls Out Heart," aiming straight for his heart meridian, seeking revenge for last night's humiliation.
Zhang Hu's moves, weakened by the loss of both his legs, still possessed a formidable power. However, his "Tiger Roar Power" remained extremely difficult to deal with.
If he were to be shaken by the tiger's roar again, his mind would be clouded and he would surely be defeated! Li Xian thought to himself, "Since it is a sound vibration, I will try it!" He raised his sword to block, and at the same time, his iron body trembled as he used "Thunderous Finger" to make a thunderous sound with his finger force.
A thunderous sound suddenly resounded from his chest, like thunder striking a bronze bell, deep and powerful, instantly silencing the tiger's roar. Even so, Li Xian coughed up blood, but was not defeated in an instant.
Zhang Hu exclaimed in surprise, "Good lad, you actually managed to break through my move like that? Hahaha, not enough, not enough!"
His moves are complex, with "Tiger Roar Power" being just one of them. He can also switch to "Tiger Luo Ten Scattered Hands." This move was recently mastered and comes from the "Tiger Luo Sect."
Although Zhang Hu's martial arts were superb and his skill level was high, he had one undeniable flaw: both his legs were broken! Previously, he had ridden a tiger, a union of man and tiger, which made his martial arts extraordinary and concealed his weakness. But now that the tiger was dead, his flaw was fully exposed.
Fang Yi, upon engaging in combat, was shocked to realize that none of his martial arts skills were suitable for one-on-one fighting. He naturally resorted to the Tiger Roar Ten Scattered Hands. A total of ten moves, encompassing grabbing, seizing, deflecting, and throwing… a truly comprehensive technique.
Zhang Hu, suspended upside down in the air, launched a series of attacks on Li Xian's lower body with both hands: knees, ankles..., intending to "an eye for an eye" and let Li Xian taste the same pain. Li Xian retreated and dodged, parrying with a series of downward thrusts of his twin swords. With each collision, Li Xian's whole body trembled, producing a "thunderous sound" that slowed down Zhang Hu's tiger-like roar.
After exchanging a few blows, Li Xian would shudder and spit out blood. But his blood was abundant and his essence vigorous, and he showed no intention of retreating. He even thought, "In martial arts battles, victory or defeat is not determined by realm. Since there is no way to avoid it now, I will give it my all!"
Li Xian retreated to a large rock, swung his sword horizontally, and cleaved the rock in two. He then plunged the Chenjiang Sword into the rock and smashed it away. Zhang Hu chuckled and unleashed eighteen claw attacks in an instant.
They chipped away at the boulder bit by bit, sending fragments flying. Suddenly, a deafening roar erupted, and sparks flew from the boulder. Several scorching sword energies shot towards them. Zhang Hu had indeed underestimated his opponent; with a scream, he was blasted away, his palms burned.
At this point in the battle, although Zhang Hu was extremely powerful, Li Xian was not to be outdone. Zhang Hu slammed his palms on the ground, and with a loud "boom," the ground within a radius of several feet sank deeply. Using the force, Zhang Hu flew up, grabbed a tree branch, and hung high in the air.
Feeling the burning sensation in his palms, he was extremely angry and kept cursing, "How strange! I actually got hurt by you, you brat! Damn it, if my tiger beast hadn't died and I hadn't practiced single-player martial arts for over ten years, I would have taken you down in one move!"
Li Xian snorted coldly, "All talk and no action." He swept his sword across the ground, sending several pebbles hurtling towards him. Zhang Hu picked up three leaves and threw them, slicing the pebbles in two and aiming them straight at Li Xian.
Li Xian skillfully dodged the shots using the Seven Star Steps. Zhang Hu was amazed and fired several more shots. Li Xian always managed to narrowly avoid them.
Zhang Hu was indeed extremely weak, barely reaching the third realm, suffering from numerous injuries and inconveniences. Without the help of a tiger, he couldn't unleash many of his martial arts techniques. However, Li Xian skillfully evaded his attacks, managing to maneuver back and forth.
Yet it still surprised people.
Zhang Hu released his grip and lunged. A fierce battle was about to erupt in the dense forest. Zhang Hu, bullying the weak, charged with overwhelming force. Li Xian skillfully dodged and weaved, unleashing all the martial arts techniques he had ever mastered: the Gentle Breeze Kick, the Azure Palm, the Thunderous Finger, the Setting Sun and Decaying Blood Sword…
If you are strong, I will avoid you.
The Sunset Blood Sword is exquisite, the Thunder Finger and Iron Body are fierce and powerful, the Azure Palm has refined Qi circulation, and the Vast Leg, Gentle Breeze Leg and Seven Star Step allow for calm and composed retreats.
It possesses abundant Qi and profound inner strength.
Li Xian's red mole between his eyebrows gleamed with a silvery light, displaying extraordinary martial arts prowess. He took full advantage of Zhang Hu, becoming increasingly shrewd with each battle.
Suddenly, a sword was thrust out, causing a slight tremor throughout his body. Three melodious, ethereal sounds resonated, followed by a thunderous booming sound from his chest…
This sword strike, culminating in the "Purple Qi Coming from the East" technique of the Sunset Blood Sword, was simultaneously delivered with the sword as a finger, accompanied by the deadly "Gale Thunder Finger." Qi was poured into this strike from a distance of several dozen feet.
Zhang Hu roared angrily, neither dodging nor avoiding. He mustered his strength, and his entire body burst forth with golden light nearly ten feet long. He took the sword head-on, only managing to pierce his skin by half an inch. But the sword tip stopped him, and he slammed into a mountain wall.
With a loud bang, spiderweb-like cracks spread across the mountainside.
Zhang Hu was about to retaliate when suddenly a soft sword slashed towards him with a cunning move. Although he felt the sword was too soft and lacked any internal energy, he still withdrew his hand, not daring to be careless.
Wen Caishang, holding her sword, said, "Li Lang, let's combine our swords."
(End of this chapter)
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