Chapter 225: One-Line Diamond Controls the Flying Sword

Saints and philosophers have written countless moral essays, earnestly persuading people to do good. Yet, despite their tireless efforts—thousands of words, aching arms from writing, and countless bamboo slips used—their teachings couldn't compete with the effectiveness of cynical folk proverbs. Phrases like "Every man for himself, or heaven and earth will destroy him," or "Men die for wealth, birds die for food," are catchy and direct, no wonder everyone believes them. In this hollow, surrounded by slopes on three sides, sat five or six burly men, each distinctive in appearance and attire. No bonfire was lit in the dead of night, in the middle of nowhere, and with no women present, their intentions were obvious. It certainly wasn't out of concern for the restless border between the two dynasties, nor were they planning any heroic deeds to eliminate traitors and bring peace to the people.

Most of them were leaders of fast-riding bandits, a major menace on the border. Compared to the ordinary bandits holed up in forgotten corners of the empire, these mounted bandits were far more fierce and courageous. They moved like the wind, their lairs were well-hidden, and the authorities found them incredibly difficult to track down. Their combat prowess on horseback and their cunning were unmatched by common outlaws in the martial world. Among the four bandit leaders present, not all fit the common perception of rugged, burly men with broad backs and powerful builds. One man, around thirty years old, was fair-skinned and handsome, with a refined demeanor. Dressed in the elegant green robe of a scholarly gentleman, he quietly smiled, his thumb and forefinger caressing an exquisite Zigan jade pendant carved from mutton-fat jade. He appeared even more aristocratic than a typical scholar.

Beside him sat a portly, dark-skinned man, whose appearance was somewhat comical. A Xuanhua broadaxe and a Golden Sparrow battle-axe lay on either side of him. He remained silent, his face bearing a guileless, endearing smile.

The other two, however, looked more fitting for the bandit trade. Their sturdy builds aside, their arms were as thick as a woman's thigh, bulging with muscle at the slightest flex. One middle-aged bandit, whose face was marred by a scar running across half of it, tapped the golden-sheathed ring-pommel saber resting on his leg. He spoke bluntly, "Helper Xiao, even though Song Diaoer introduced this venture, brotherhood aside, we need to clarify how to split the goods first. Otherwise, after it's done, if the spoils aren't distributed fairly, our brothers might start fighting before the silver even cools down. It wouldn't be worth it."

Seated opposite this bandit leader was Xiao Qiang, the second helper of the Fish Dragon Gang. Hearing the man's blunt words, and even getting a spray of spittle—the stench of meat and fish clearly discernible from his mouth—Xiao Qiang merely frowned slightly. After a secret exchange of glances with the scholarly-looking bandit, he smiled and nodded, "Leader Wei speaks candidly, and it is indeed how it should be. A cartload of goods from the former Weapons Supervisor's mansion in Lingzhou. They have connections in Liucheng and can sell it for as much as thirty-five thousand taels of silver. But if we fence it, we'd probably get a little over twenty thousand taels at most. Add in the three thousand taels from the son of the Deputy Commander of Daoma Pass, and let's round it to twenty-five thousand taels. For the five of us here, that's five thousand taels each. What do you say? But let me be clear beforehand, I, Xiao, cannot wait until the goods are sold. I need to take my silver back to Beiliang first. Since all you leaders have brought your men out for this operation, I wouldn't have the face to claim an equal share with you. So, I will only take four thousand taels in cash. How does that sound?"

The four bandits exchanged glances, then agreed with smiles, their expressions towards Xiao Qiang a bit more genuine. After all, men willing to take less silver were rare. Furthermore, without Xiao Qiang as an insider and his friend Song Diaoer to facilitate the connection, the others couldn't have gathered enough men to manage such a large operation involving a hundred riders.

Who wouldn't dream of commanding a hundred riders and roaming the border independently?

Unfortunately, a hundred-strong cavalry unit was hard to assemble. While wild horses were plentiful in the desert, and one might even stumble upon herds of hundreds or thousands, even if bandits managed to capture some, they couldn't be trained into skilled warhorses. For mounted bandits, good horses were essential. Untrained horses that went weak-kneed at a roar, or were easily agitated and uncontrollable—who in hell would dare to fight with those? That would be suicidal, wouldn't it? Thus, to bandits, anyone who understood the art of horse breeding and training was revered like an ancestor. Buying horses at a horse market, whether in Beiliang or Beimang, required official registration—which for a bandit was akin to courting death, as if they wanted to enrich the government officials even more. Private horse dealing was also extremely risky, a matter punishable by death. Otherwise, who couldn't gather a cavalry unit exceeding a hundred? Furthermore, a hundred bandits inevitably had families, meaning at least two hundred mouths to feed daily with meat and wine. Every few days, they'd also need to visit brothels in shifts to relieve their urges with soft-skinned women, lest resentment brew. The leader of such a household truly needed exceptional skills to sustain them.

That's why in bandit circles, it was jokingly said that anyone who could become a leader, whether commanding hundreds of bandits like a phoenix's head or a mere few dozen like a chicken's head, could use their skills to secure a military general's position in Beiliang or Beimang.

Song Diaoer, the scholarly-looking man, spoke little. He had brought thirty-four riders, the most among the four present. While his troop's strength was only moderate among the hundreds of bandit groups along the border, Song Diaoer himself had a formidable reputation. He hailed from a minor aristocratic family in Beimang, a private scholar who had studied diligently for over a decade. Just as he was about to achieve official recognition, his corpulent elder brother impersonated him and stole his credit. In a fit of rage, Song Diaoer slaughtered the father and son, absconded with two women he was supposed to respectfully address as "aunt" and a substantial amount of gold and silver, and became a bandit. Unexpectedly, he genuinely managed to establish himself in this harsh land where survival depended on force. He was meticulous in his planning and particularly ruthless in his schemes. Several bandit groups that had crossed him were completely annihilated, their men, horses, and lairs wiped out. With Song Diaoer's cunning and resources, forming a troop of fifty or even seventy or eighty men would have been effortless. While other bandit leaders wished their women could give birth to sons who could immediately ride and raid, Song Diaoer went against the grain, always maintaining his force at precisely thirty-six men. The three men with him were all vicious bandits, but even if they combined forces to betray him, they would surely suffer heavy losses. This was likely the key reason why Xiao Qiang of the Fish Dragon Gang was willing to take such a risk.

The two had met and befriended each other in Lingzhou City. Although Song Diaoer had become a bandit, he still retained a scholarly air. While traveling south to admire Beiliang's scenery, he happened to meet Xiao Qiang, who had impressive swordsmanship, and they formed an unlikely friendship despite their age difference. This scholarly bandit, nicknamed Song Diaoer, was also very close to Xiao Qiang's son, Xiao Ling. Xiao Ling disliked martial arts but loved to read, and he never quite fit in with the Fish Dragon Gang. Instead, he found great pleasure in conversing with Song Diaoer. When Xiao Qiang left Lingzhou, his original intention was for Song Diaoer to look out for him along the way. Little did he know that the turmoil at Daoma Pass would change everything. Song Diaoer, with his keen intellect, immediately identified Xiao Qiang's weakness. He subtly suggested that with Xiao Ling's talent, he would be more suited to lead the Fish Dragon Gang. At first, Xiao Qiang was torn, unwilling to immediately agree to such a bloody deal that went against the principles of righteousness. But after leaving the pass, daily seeing Liu Nirong's cold, unfamiliar face filled Xiao Qiang with resentment. When he finally saw Song Diaoer, who had been impersonating an ordinary bandit and keeping watch, signaling for a secret meeting a few days prior, the deputy helper of the Fish Dragon Gang made up his mind. Liu Nirong, the cartload of goods—how could any of it compare to his son Xiao Ling's brilliant future?

Moreover, if the Fish Dragon Gang were handed over to the astute and well-connected Xiao Ling, it would undoubtedly rise to prominence. This would also be a fitting tribute to the old, pedantic helper who built the empire but couldn't preserve it.

The martial world, after all, must be passed on to the young to fight for. Old geezers shouldn't hoard positions they can't effectively use. Liu Nirong was too soft-hearted, and she was just a woman—what could she possibly achieve? If she married, would the entire Fish Dragon Gang become her dowry?! Not just Xiao Qiang, but all the other old-timers who had retired from the jianghu would be disheartened.

Xiao Qiang's thoughts raced, a whirlwind of emotions hardening his heart. He smiled and said, "The Fish Dragon Gang has just over thirty members. Excluding Liu Nirong and guest elder Gongsun Yang, their martial prowess is not remarkable. Gongsun Yang, however, is skilled in rapid-fire archery, which is extremely lethal against the cavalry of you leaders. When the time comes, I will definitely take advantage of the chaos to kill Gongsun Yang first."

Song Diaoer, caressing his jade pendant, spoke softly and gently, "We won't rush to attack. For the next two days, our brothers will harass them in shifts, wearing down the Fish Dragon Gang. Afterwards, I'll ask Helper Xiao to bring some sleeping powder, to see if it can be put in their food. But this is just an extra measure; it's best if it works, but no big deal if it doesn't. A hundred of us against just over thirty men is like a hunt. If this were a major escort agency, with many wagons, they might know some rudimentary formation tactics for stopping their carts. But the Fish Dragon Gang only has one carriage. Even with a military strategist of this era, they couldn't conjure up any tricks. A clever housewife can't cook without rice; you could say it's simply their bad luck."

The other three leaders exchanged glances, a chill settling over them.

Song Diaoer suddenly smiled. "Oh, and the Fish Dragon Gang has over a dozen trained horses ready. I don't want them. You three leaders can divide them as you please. But that Liu Nirong, she's mine. No room for discussion there."

The stout, dark-skinned man wielding two axes stuck out his thumb and chuckled at Song Diaoer. "Brother Song, you truly live up to your educated background. You prefer empire over beauty. My respects!"

The other two burly men smirked playfully. Only a fool would refuse such a good deal. On the border, having good horses was a hundred times more important than having parents!

Seeing Xiao Qiang look his way, Song Diaoer smiled. A tacit understanding passed between them, and Xiao Qiang breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that with Song Diaoer's methods and cunning, even if Liu Nirong survived and found favor, she would never be able to return to Lingzhou to cause trouble for him and his son. Song Diaoer prided himself on his ability to control people through both benevolent and tyrannical means, and this was indeed true. Once, one of the concubines who had followed Song Diaoer to the border became jealous and had her confidant beat to death a young woman Song Diaoer had later taken. He then took a luminous cup, personally pried open the concubine's cherry lips, and in front of all the women present, fed her a cup of wine mixed with arsenic. As for the two young maids by the concubine's side, who had been living relatively comfortably in the border's chaotic times, they were given to his subordinates to be wantonly abused. In just one day, those crude men, devoid of tenderness, ruined them. Their lives became worse than death: one went completely insane, and the other bit off her tongue and committed suicide.

The other three were no better. Frankly, those with good hearts couldn't possibly take root and thrive in this war-torn borderland between two dynasties. Without the ruthlessness to eliminate their enemies completely, or the courage to make drastic sacrifices, they would have long become stepping stones for others. Take the chubby man who resembled a black tower, nicknamed Li Heita. He was skilled with his twin axes, but only had three basic moves. If his opponent wasn't defeated after those three moves, Li Heita, fortunately possessing natural Herculean strength, would simply repeat them tirelessly. Few could withstand such a brutal display of overwhelming force. Though Li Heita was heartless and more eager than anyone to betray his own brothers, he once genuinely cared for one person: his wife. Sadly, she was abducted by his sworn enemy, who used her to blackmail Li Heita. Li Heita refused to yield, and the woman was killed, her body not even spared. His enemy sent his subordinates to hang her corpse on a horse, like a slab of pork, and then dumped it outside Li Heita's lair. Later, Li Heita exacted his revenge. It's said he roasted his enemy's entire family, over a dozen people, alive on a bonfire, like whole lambs. His enemy was the last to die, forced to watch his wife and children perish before him, ultimately dying of sheer rage.

Therefore, living in this part of the jianghu was truly licking blood from the blade. The hardships and heartbreaks were beyond what outsiders could imagine. Every person there was rotten to the core, from head to toe, yet each was also a towering hero in the eyes of some.

The Fish Dragon Gang, with its thirty-odd members, was incredibly unlucky to have Xiao Qiang as their ungrateful and ambitious deputy helper. Yet, in the eyes of Xiao Ling and the entire Xiao family, Xiao Qiang was undoubtedly a competent and good father. If the Fish Dragon Gang, under new leadership, had the chance to dominate the Lingzhou martial world, it's likely that even if the remaining gang members knew the inside story, most—unless intimately involved—would pretend ignorance. They would continue to show gratitude and reverence to Xiao Qiang and his son, Xiao Ling.

A brawny bandit leader, wielding a long-handled, long-bladed po-dao, noticed the congenial atmosphere. He found Xiao Qiang, whom he hadn't particularly liked, more agreeable now. He chuckled playfully, "Helper Xiao, you might not know this, but around here, it's really hard to find a woman worth even a few trained horses. No matter how pretty, unless she's an official's daughter from Beimang, she's worth at most half a trained horse. This time, Song Diaoer would rather forgo horses just to claim that Liu girl. What's the deal, Helper Xiao? Is that little woman so beautiful she can make fish sink and wild geese fall from the sky?"

Another bandit leader, who fought bare-handed, gave a strange laugh. "Oh, Old Copper Coin, you even know that phrase 'make fish sink and wild geese fall'? You're quite learned!"

The man wielding the po-dao, whose surname was Qian and who was nicknamed "Copper Coin" because of his insatiable greed for money, grinned and spat a gob of phlegm. He chuckled obscenely, "I also know your old lady has a big one, hey, I just smeared a lot of drool on it last night."

The mocked bandit wasn't annoyed. He simply smirked and said, "Old Copper Coin, your daughter may be ugly, but her ass is truly huge, guaranteed to pop out a boy. I just love a big, round butt. An old man pushing a cart, *thwack thwack thwack*, so exciting! Old Copper Coin, when are you going to let me call you father-in-law?"

Old Copper Coin stomped his foot on his po-dao. This fierce bandit, who once stuffed a living person to death with broken silver, cursed back, "Go to your mother! If you dare touch my daughter, I'll feed you silver until you burst!"

Xiao Qiang detested the reckless behavior and crude language of these bandits from the bottom of his heart. However, out of deference to Song Diaoer, he couldn't openly express his anger. His polite smile vanished, and he said flatly, "Brother Song's judgment is, of course, excellent."

Song Diaoer, who had read countless books and almost became an official in Beimang, possessed a discerning mind and was far more astute than these rough men. He smoothly interjected, "Alright, enough with the idle chatter and nonsense. Allow me, Song Diaoer, to add one more thing. After this big deal is done, consider it a bond formed. As for the grievances between our families, everyone here has a clear ledger in their minds. Song Diaoer hopes that for the sake of the thousands of taels of gleaming silver each of you will receive this time, you can all take a step back and wipe away some of those messy, unresolved debts. Also, in the future, if there's any profitable business, don't just think about keeping it all to yourselves. Get in touch more often. Let's all make money together. Counting silver at home is always more satisfying than plotting against each other, isn't it?"

Li Heita was the first to nod. Old Copper Coin and the man with the knife scar on his face also nodded in agreement.

Xiao Qiang felt a sudden pang of sadness. After all, he had watched Liu Nirong grow up, and for a long time, he had even considered arranging a marriage between her and Xiao Ling. Unfortunately, not every pair of innocent childhood sweethearts would cherish their difficult youthful bond as they grew older. Xiao Qiang didn't blame Liu Nirong for disliking Xiao Ling. In fact, Xiao Ling equally looked down on his privileged childhood companion, calling her a young mistress with a maid's fate—her ambitions higher than the sky, her destiny as flimsy as paper. Xiao Qiang subtly shook his head, casting off this melancholy. He merely lamented his own aging, realizing that Liu Nirong's life or death, her fortune or misfortune, was utterly insignificant compared to his family's prosperity. At this thought, Xiao Qiang's eyes became like those of a night owl. The bandits, who had initially harbored a slight disdain for the old swordsman, felt a sudden chill. Though seemingly carefree, each of them was secretly sizing up Xiao Qiang and Song Diaoer, fearing being double-crossed by Song Diaoer. Getting bandits to cooperate wholeheartedly was as unthinkable as getting Beiliang's iron cavalry to shed no blood.

Xiao Qiang seemed to recall something and grinned sinisterly. "This time, there's also a young man from the General's residence, surname Xu. He carries a saber and is extraordinarily handsome, with the demeanor of an aristocratic young master. If you leaders want to avoid future trouble, this fellow must be utterly eliminated!"

Song Diaoer poked the fierce, scar-faced man with his finger and chuckled, "No worries. As long as they're good-looking, Old Brother Wang has never been particular about gender. I happen to know that among the men Old Brother Wang brought this time, there's a delicate young fellow. His martial arts are terrible, but it's said he's quite obedient when serving men, and Old Brother Wang makes him howl every night."

The scar-faced man was intrigued, both by the topic and sexually. He didn't deny his promiscuous tastes, merely looking at Xiao Qiang and chuckling, "Oh? Is this kid really passable? Helper Xiao, don't mess with Old Wang here, or else I'll get all fired up with nowhere to vent. I can't just use a strip of pork and poke a hole in it like Old Copper Coin, can I?"

The whole group burst into raucous laughter, even Xiao Qiang couldn't help but laugh.

A warm, mellow voice suddenly spoke, "Old Brother Wang, how do you think I look?"

Almost simultaneously, Xiao Qiang drew his sword and rose. Li Heita gripped his twin axes, glaring with wide, furious eyes. Old Copper Coin flicked up his po-dao with his foot, standing ready with the blade held horizontally.

The scar-faced man, surnamed Wang, who had been inadvertently addressed by name, was initially extremely startled and fearful. However, once he recognized the newcomer's face, his eyes became fervent.

Only Song Diaoer remained still. Holding his exquisitely carved jade pendant in one hand, he blew a soft whistle by his lips with the other. Only then did he look up at Xiao Qiang's back and say, "Old Brother Xiao, you wouldn't be setting a trap for us with the Fish Dragon Gang, would you? It doesn't make sense. What good would that do you? Besides, the Fish Dragon Gang only has just over thirty men. Even if it's just the four of us tonight, you can't guarantee that we'd all be taken care of here. As long as any one of us escapes..."

At this point, Li Heita set down one of his Xuanhua broadaxes, placed a hand on his chest, and interrupted Song Diaoer with a sinister, chilling smile. "Escape and still think of revenge? No, they'll definitely loot our forces and gather the men of the other three dead bastards. Song Diaoer, don't pretend ignorance when you clearly understand. This is you, that old turtle Xiao, and the Fish Dragon Gang framing us! But Song Diaoer, Song Diaoer, do you really think you're the only one who brought men here?"

Song Diaoer merely waved his hand, smiling gently. "Although it was agreed that only five of us would discuss the matter, and our respective men would stay five *li* away, it's only natural for everyone to secretly have their subordinates gradually close in. I'm not a three-year-old child; I understand this perfectly. Li Heita, don't rush to take out your flare gun to signal. Be careful not to ruin the whole operation. First, let Old Brother Xiao explain what's happening."

In an instant, a single sentence from an outsider had created a comical situation where the five men were on the verge of fighting among themselves.

Xiao Qiang stared intently at the saber-wielding youth nearby, who logically should not have been there at all. He then turned to Song Diaoer, forcing a bitter smile. "Brother Song, how could I frame you? This young man is that fellow Xu. I don't know how he tracked us here. If he brought the Fish Dragon Gang with him, then all our previous plans might be ruined. If that's truly the case, I, Xiao, won't even take those four thousand taels of silver! Consider it compensation for you four leaders."

The newcomer was, naturally, the Crown Prince.

Xu Fengnian clapped his hands and laughed. "Helper Xiao acts decisively, truly a man who accomplishes great things. You've given me, Xu, quite an eye-opener. Just witnessing such cunning tactics makes it worth giving you all that cartload of goods for free. I just fear you gentlemen might not live long enough to spend it."

The scar-faced man burst into wild laughter. "Kid, you talk even bigger than Song Diaoer! I like that very much!"

Xiao Qiang frowned. "You didn't inform Liu Nirong and Gongsun Yang?"

Xu Fengnian narrowed his eyes. "Does it matter if they know? You should know that the gods are three feet above your head."

The three bandit leaders exchanged bewildered glances. Was this kid out of his mind? What was he babbling about?

Song Diaoer seemed amused. He finally deigned to stand up, hanging his jade pendant securely at his waist, tying the red cord into a slipknot. Only then did he look up at Xu Fengnian. "Young Master Xu, since you dare to come alone, Helper Xiao must have underestimated your strength. 'Gods are three feet above your head'? They might not believe it, but I do. Belief is one thing, but fear is another. What I'm most curious about now is whether you've underestimated our capabilities. If you have, your end might be rather unfortunate."

After Song Diaoer finished speaking, he pointed towards the scar-faced man, making his intentions clear without words.

Xu Fengnian didn't waste words with these men who gambled their lives with their heads on their belts. He held up two fingers, leaving only a narrow gap between them, and asked with a smile, "If I'm just a hair's breadth away from the first-grade Vajra realm, will you flee?"

Xu Fengnian paused, then continued, "Can you escape?"

This was shaping up to be a night full of surprises.

Xiao Qiang and the four bandits, who had faced death countless times, felt like laughing at his words. Even Song Diaoer was convinced this guy was completely unhinged.

Any first-grade master under heaven was incredibly rare. Most either lived as recluses in the mountains, appearing and disappearing like ghosts, or held high positions behind the scenes of sects, living withdrawn lives. A very select few were honored as esteemed guests by the imperial court's top powers, revered like bodhisattvas. And how vast was the world, how expansive the martial arts community? Finding a first-grade master was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Even though Song Diaoer and the others were accustomed to great dangers, only Xiao Qiang had been fortunate enough to witness the aura of a Vajra realm master from afar in his youth. Song Diaoer fared slightly better, having once seen a renowned peak second-grade expert in the capital of Beimang, who was indeed just a thin veil away from the Vajra realm. However, that senior master was already in his sixties then, his profound abilities attributed to his vigor in old age. How old was this saber-wielding young man before them? He had only reached adulthood a few years ago.

As Xu Fengnian spoke, he was already surrounded by the five men.

For martial artists who had reached a certain level, even if they were strangers moments before, their coordination became remarkably seamless once they worked together.

The scar-faced man charged first, his face contorted in a ferocious grimace, his fists driving straight towards Xu Fengnian's chest.

The po-dao bandit leader's blade swept through the air, cutting through space like a thousand-strong army.

To prove his innocence, Xiao Qiang also drew his longsword, ready to unleash his signature technique, the "Circling Swallow Detached Sword." As soon as he spotted an opening, he would sever the limbs of this Xu fellow.

The scar-faced man's punches were swift but held back some power, clearly intending for the po-dao to force the youth to dodge, only then to follow up with a devastating double punch. However, seeing the young man remain indifferent to the great saber sweeping towards his waist, he dropped his politeness. His fists exploded with vital energy, unleashing ninety percent of his strength.

The remaining ten percent was, of course, a precaution he kept, fearing that Old Copper Coin might "accidentally" misjudge the force of his po-dao and cleave both the youth and him in half.

The shift in his fists' power also brought a change in his boxing stance. However, when the scar-faced bandit saw that the young man remained completely still, he felt a surge of helplessness. He had wasted a good punch, like a blind man lighting a lamp in vain. This kid was surely about to die without grasping the profundity of his technique!

As the scar-faced man's fists were about to hit the youth's chest, his heart swelled with delight. But then he immediately sensed that something was wrong with the vital energy. Logically, the chilling sensation emanating from Old Copper Coin's po-dao should not have faded, even if it didn't intensify. Did this mean he had pulled his blade back? In an instant, the scar-faced man decided that no matter what Old Copper Coin was plotting, he would smash most of this kid's life out of him with his fists.

Xiao Qiang and Song Diaoer, the two with the highest cultivation, felt their pupils constrict sharply. It was the keen intuition of sensing danger.

Xu Fengnian subtly shifted his body sideways, his hands sticking to the scar-faced man's arms. With a natural pull to the right, the scar-faced man's feet lifted off the ground, and he flew forward as if stumbling. Xu Fengnian followed, his steps shifting rapidly in tiny, dazzling movements. Then, the scar-faced man, utterly helpless, rose higher and higher off the ground. Just as the terrified scar-faced man managed to retract five or six of his fist techniques, barely able to react suddenly, Xu Fengnian bent his left knee and, with lightning speed, struck upwards. With a thud, the scar-faced man's entire chest shattered. Xu Fengnian released him, and the scar-faced man floated upwards from that incredibly powerful knee strike. Xu Fengnian didn't stop. His right hand circled the man's head, causing the scar-faced man, who weighed at least 170-180 jin, to spin three or four times in the air. Xu Fengnian then subtly pulled back, lifted his leg high, and slammed the pitiful man, who had only managed one double-fist attack, crashing into the ground. Perhaps the speed was too great, the force too overwhelming, giving him no chance to gather his qi, or perhaps the knee strike had shattered the scar-faced man's spirit along with his chest. In any case, everyone only saw the scar-faced man, known for his bravery in foot combat, hit the ground, his limbs unnaturally flung upwards. When his arms and legs flopped down softly, he was completely lifeless.

Old Copper Coin, who had abandoned his position earlier, now had palms drenched in sweat. Gritting his teeth, he explained, "It wasn't because I was a coward and pulled my blade back. It's that kid—he's too demonic! When I swept my blade, it stopped several inches from his body and couldn't cut any further!"

"Demonic?" Xu Fengnian chuckled, then stepped on the back of the scar-faced man's head, applying more pressure. Perhaps because the skull was still firmer than the muddy ground, the entire head slowly sank into the earth.

Xiao Qiang watched, his heart pounding, yet thankfully, his sword-holding hand didn't tremble in the slightest. A martial artist of his renown knew what it meant to be defeated before even fighting.

Song Diaoer's brow furrowed tightly. He said gravely, "Together!"

Li Heita, twirling his twin axes, grinned hideously. "Good!"

No sooner had he uttered the word "good" than the man furthest from the Crown Prince's heir abruptly retreated. Despite his bulky physique, his escape technique was as light as a goose feather, indicating excellent qinggong.

Song Diaoer, however, showed no surprise or anger. Instead, a flash of sinister ruthlessness flickered in his eyes.

Li Heita retreated quickly, but Xu Fengnian pursued even faster. When the Crown Prince's heir flashed past Old Copper Coin, less than five paces away, the bandit, accustomed to killing, froze and dared not move, allowing him to pass by.

It was then that Li Heita realized his cleverness would be his undoing. Seeing no escape, he hardened his resolve and abruptly stopped. After his feet landed, he still slid for a distance, leaving two marks on the ground, using the momentum to gather strength. When the young demon, who killed without blinking, reached him, Li Heita swung his twin axes in a crossed pattern. The strike was powerful and heavy, its force far surpassing the scar-faced man's double punches. His reliance on his simple, even mundane, three-axe technique had clearly yielded results. The young man, who carried a saber but chose not to use it, was truly overconfident. The twin axes instantly cut seven or eight trajectories in the air, descending with surging power. Yet, he neither retreated nor dodged, but instead met the axe blades with his arms raised in a terrifying pose, like a Hegemon lifting a tripod!

Li Heita, feeling utterly disrespected, roared, "Die!"

There was neither the familiar sound of arms being severed through flesh and bone, nor the legendary clang of Vajra-like invincibility.

Li Heita knew his pain. His Xuanhua broadaxe and Golden Sparrow battle-axe felt like they had sunk into a massive, invisible, yet palpably present, wad of cotton. He finally understood why Old Copper Coin had called the youth "weird and demonic." Had this kid's vital energy truly reached such an astonishing level that it overflowed beyond his body? Vital energy, or *qi*, was far more precious than the most valuable gold and silver in the eyes of the world. How many martial artists spent their entire lives training, grunting and groaning, without ever grasping what *qi* truly was? Some fortunate ones with substantial backgrounds had masters to guide them, and a secret manual or two, barely sensing a warm current flowing through their bones and meridians. But how to gather it, to harness it for one's own use—that was another insurmountable, perilous barrier. And even for those lucky enough to learn how to gather it, how to then disperse and re-gather it at will was a life-or-death challenge. Understanding profound meaning through reading, and cultivating *qi* through martial arts, had always been the greatest obstacles in the paths of scholars and warriors since ancient times. This person before him, whom he was fighting with his life on the line, was appallingly capable of allowing his vital energy to leak out in a regulated manner. Was this not the legendary Vajra realm?

How could Li Heita not feel ashamed and burn with insane jealousy? It was like a poor person diligently managing their household every day, only for a rich person to suddenly appear and eat, drink, and relieve themselves on a mountain of gold and silver. Comparing oneself to others truly killed one with frustration!

Li Heita disregarded his "three-axe technique" and desperately resolved to press his massive twin axes downward. His dark face was flushed with a sickly dark red, as if he had summoned every ounce of strength he had accumulated since childhood, even from nursing, for this crucial moment.

Over a mere three inches, Li Heita's twin axes seemed to take an incredibly long time to descend. It was no longer a chop, but a desperate, fatal push downward.

Li Heita's heels lifted, and he let out a deranged, ear-splitting roar. His twin axes finally touched the sleeve of this young bastard!

The sleeve was sliced open, the cold edge of the massive axe touching skin. Li Heita, as if possessed, bared his teeth and glared, his entire body's vital energy surging like boiling water, all rushing towards his arms.

Xu Fengnian frowned slightly. He shook his arms, repelling the twin axes.

He kicked Li Heita's exposed chest, sending the burly man, whose tiger's mouth calluses were already split and bleeding, toppling backward.

Xu Fengnian effortlessly gripped Li Heita's wrist, twisting it until it broke. He took the Xuanhua broadaxe and the Golden Sparrow battle-axe. With a flick, he was holding both axes, facing Li Heita.

Li Heita, his mind blank, used his elbows to push himself up after falling, then turned and ran.

Without a word, Xu Fengnian swung one axe, embedding it in the dark-skinned man's back. Li Heita was propelled forward by the axe's enormous penetrating force. With another axe swing, he stabbed him directly in the head.

The corpse collapsed onto the ground.

He was as dead as could be.

Xu Fengnian glanced down at his arms and self-mockingly said, "After all, I'm still not a true Vajra realm master."

Old Copper Coin's face was pale. Seeing the demonic figure, who had killed two men with such ease, approaching him, he had been about to pull out a signal flare from his pocket. Caught in the act, he quickly withdrew his hand as if burned, then simply dropped his po-dao. He knelt down, kowtowing and begging for mercy, "Great hero, spare my life! I have an old mother and young children to support. It's not easy to make a living on the border. I was blinded by greed to plot against the Fish Dragon Gang. Young Master Xu, please be a generous man and overlook my petty faults. All of this today was planned by that pale-faced Song Diaoer and that grandson Xiao Qiang. Every wrong has its perpetrator, every debt its debtor. If you want to kill or cut, please find those two first! I'm kowtowing to you..."

Old Copper Coin rambled incoherently, kowtowing incessantly.

"Alright, then I'll trouble those two first," Xu Fengnian said. As he spoke, he observed the abnormal flow of vital energy in the bandit. His lowered head concealed the grimness in his eyes, but the muscular contours of his fists couldn't hide his killing intent. The Crown Prince's heir sneered. Without giving the bandit leader a chance to strike back, he delivered a kick that sent the man's head flying from his shoulders. It rolled far away, splattering blood, finally stopping at Xiao Qiang's feet.

Xiao Qiang's eyes widened, bloodshot. He didn't look at the head at his feet, but glared only at the young man from the General's residence.

Three of the five men were dead. Song Diaoer remained relatively calm, but his previous air of confident composure was gone. He said bitterly, "Young Master Xu, since you are a divine figure who has already entered the Vajra realm, why bother with ants like us? If you are willing to spare me, Song Diaoer, I will personally kill Xiao Qiang. As for the possessions of the three men on the ground, I will have my men tally them and hand them all over to you, Young Master. In the future, Song Diaoer's descendants will erect a living shrine tablet for you, Young Master Xu, ensuring continuous offerings!"

Xiao Qiang's longsword vibrated in his hand as