Chapter 71: There is One More

A headless body crashed into the water, Shao Yi's severed head still bearing a look of bewilderment.

He couldn't understand: hadn't this guy already let down his guard? How could he react so instantly?

He couldn't understand: how could a sword fly out from someone's chest?

What he understood even less was how, with just one strike, the opponent couldn't even resist, yet he was still forcibly thrown back.

Splash!

Water splashed, and the head bobbed on the surface.

Clutching his chest, Xu Xiaoshou rose from the ground, pulled out the short sword, and gazed at the small hole in his chest, which had been almost completely pierced through.

"That really hurt..."

Innate Physique, Gleam of Sharpness, and Spirit Energy Protection – all three powerful enhancements were directly pierced by that guy's desperate, final attack.

A peak Yuan Ting Realm cultivator was indeed terrifying!

As he quietly reflected, the wound on his body was already almost fully healed...

He raised a hand and incinerated the body, leaving only the head, still full of shock and confusion.

"Confused?"

"That's good!"

"If you could understand, then I'd be the one lying on the ground..."

Xu Xiaoshou secretly felt a chill. If "Counter-Shock" hadn't played a crucial role at the last moment, he estimated he would have been stabbed again.

If a vital point had been struck, then "Endless Vigor" probably wouldn't have worked.

He touched his chest, marveling inwardly.

The Innate-level "Counter-Shock" was indeed impressive. The stronger the opponent's attack, the further they would be knocked back.

This meant that in the future, if no one could kill him with a single blow, the distance between them would definitely be widened.

With an information asymmetry, Xu Xiaoshou would naturally have more time to prepare, just like with the "Reverse Sword Style" he had just used.

In such a situation, it was virtually unstoppable!

And with the insane effects of "Endless Vigor" and "Full of Energy," as long as he wasn't instantly killed, who could afford a war of attrition against him?

Thinking of "Full of Energy," he immediately retracted the Ember Light Spirit Energy that had been rampant across the entire area. Instantly, the rain stopped evaporating and poured down.

This basic passive ability was truly terrifying!

It allowed him to maintain the terrifying atmosphere throughout the deadly battle, even burning that guy to a crisp with "Ember Light Heavenly Flame."

However, Xu Xiaoshou inwardly checked his Qi Sea; a small portion of Spirit Energy still remained...

And it was recovering at a visible rate...

"Who can withstand this..."

Xu Xiaoshou inwardly mourned for his future enemies; these three basic passive abilities were simply insane!

Even "Breathing Technique" had been developed by him into a combat skill.

Presumably, that guy must have felt despair the moment he saw his pills being siphoned away...

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head, the rain wetting his face, and he calmed down slightly.

Peak Yuan Ting Realm...

Although strong, to be honest, he was much weaker than Xu Xiaoshou had imagined.

He wasn't sure if it was because that guy had only launched one effective attack from start to finish.

But after this battle, Xu Xiaoshou realized that the gap between himself and those established Innate cultivators wasn't as insurmountable as he'd thought.

It made sense; his cultivation wasn't his strongest aspect; in fact, it could even be considered his weakest.

Yet, under the conventional thinking of outsiders, cultivation was the basic standard for measuring a person's strength.

This also led many people, even after seeing his situation and knowing he had more tricks up his sleeve, to still harbor a slight disdain deep down.

If he could utilize this point well, perhaps even the strongest enemies could be defeated.

The rain continued to fall. Xu Xiaoshou stood silently within it, his mind filled with numerous insights.

Soon, he forcibly suppressed his myriad thoughts and snapped back to reality.

"There's still someone else..."

"The battle, perhaps, isn't over yet!"

Xu Xiaoshou looked at the ground. The spoils of this battle were just two short swords and a head; everything else had been incinerated.

Even questioning the head was meaningless. Even if that guy could speak, Xu Xiaoshou wouldn't dare to believe him.

But the only thing he could confirm was that the person who had fled earlier likely had a higher cultivation level than the one who died, and...

They would very likely return!

In truth, Xu Xiaoshou preferred to believe that people were cold-blooded, especially assassins. The one who fled might not necessarily turn back for the one left behind.

But what if?

As it turned out, many of his "what if" conjectures had come true in this battle. The deep-thinking man who had escaped was the true strategist, fighting with his mind.

He exhaled deeply.

Xu Xiaoshou let out a heavy sigh, exhausted in both body and mind.

But he had to force himself to stay alert. Perhaps that guy was waiting for the moment he let his guard down!

"How do I deal with this?"

Should he launch a proactive attack, wait for the enemy to come to him, or trap him like a turtle in a jar...?

Many ideas flashed through his mind, but he dismissed each one.

Without overwhelming offensive power to kill that guy before he could react, none of these strategies would be meaningful.

And the one who escaped was at least at the Dwelling Void Realm...

A full two major realms higher!

Xu Xiaoshou's face was full of bitterness. Who had he provoked to have such terrifying people sent to assassinate him?

Moreover, based on his experience, shouldn't the people who came be only slightly stronger than him, serving as stepping stones and providing combat practice for his growth?

This completely deviates from the usual pattern; how do I deal with it?!

Xu Xiaoshou fell into deep thought. If the other person really returned, how could he kill them?

Cultivation level? That was out of the question.

Innate Physique...

Hmm, maybe there's a slight possibility.

But close-quarters combat was a life-or-death situation; one of them would inevitably die, and the risk factor was too high.

"So, only 'Ember Light Heavenly Incineration' and 'Innate Sword Intent' remain..."

The former could be used for attrition, but it definitely couldn't be the primary method; it was too time-consuming!

As for Innate Sword Intent...

Xu Xiaoshou racked his brain, feeling he had finally grasped a glimmer of hope.

Things like "intent" were truly capable of killing enemies beyond one's realm.

Post-natal Sword Intent could already contend with Innate, and now his Sword Intent had reached the Innate level. Killing a Dwelling Void Realm cultivator didn't seem too far-fetched, did it?

"Highly possible!"

"But, I can't get close, and it needs to be a one-shot kill..."

Xu Xiaoshou's eyes suddenly lit up. "Draw Sword Style!"

Yes.

Only his self-created Fourth Form of White Cloud Drifting, "Draw Sword Style," could possibly achieve both of these points!

But he quickly deflated.

With his Sword Intent reaching the Innate level, "Draw Sword Style" consumed an terrifying amount of Spirit Energy. In his last fight with Mo Mo, two strikes had drained his Qi Sea. How could he fight like that?

Even "Full of Energy" couldn't instantly replenish Spirit Energy at such a terrifying rate of expenditure.

And what if, after two strikes, that guy was still alive? Should he go up and fight him with his bare fists?

It didn't seem impossible.

That guy probably didn't have a bizarre Innate attribute like "Sealing Power," did he?

"No, no, too dangerous!"

Xu Xiaoshou still shook his head. Unless he could instantly possess a large amount of usable Spirit Energy, otherwise...

Hmm?

Wait!

Instantly, a large amount of Spirit Energy?

It seemed it wasn't impossible?

Xu Xiaoshou suddenly shivered, his legs almost buckling, as if he had thought of something.