I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 133: Cloud Serpent Step and Plum Blossom Needle

Duan Rong looked at Liu Ao and asked, "Escort Master Liu Ao, you were taught by Elder Xiao himself, why did you choose to side with Luan Jingfu?"

The muscles on Liu Ao’s face twitched. He hadn’t expected that Duan Rong would immediately guess it was Luan Jingfu who instructed him!

What made it even harder for him to bear was that Duan Rong, just a lad of fifteen or sixteen, not only showed no fear in this desolate place but also wore an expression of calm maturity as he nonchalantly questioned why Liu Ao had sided with Luan Jingfu!

Liu Ao said coldly, "I really want to test your skills. What makes you think you have the right to be sarcastic at a place like this?"

Duan Rong sighed slightly in his heart. He was just curious and never really expected Liu Ao to answer him.

And Duan Rong’s right hand remained naturally relaxed along the way, hanging near his right trouser pocket.

Suddenly, Liu Ao drew the Cow Tail Saber, his body leaped, Inner Breath fluctuated, and he slashed towards Duan Rong.

Duan Rong’s body suddenly moved erratically, the Master Level Cloud Serpent Step even more exquisite; as Duan Rong deployed it, a fleeting afterimage circled to Liu Ao’s side!

This was also Duan Rong’s reliance for daring to come out with Liu Ao. With the Master Level Cloud Serpent Step at his disposal, even if he couldn’t defeat Liu Ao, escaping would be no problem.

"Cloud Serpent Step?!" Liu Ao was shocked in his heart.

Xiao Zongting actually taught Duan Rong the Cloud Serpent Step. He knew the Xiao Family had this lightweight skill. He considered himself not untalented, yet Xiao Zongting always said he was overly fierce and lacked comprehension.

He was infatuated with Xiao Yu, but Xiao Yu always treated him coldly, keeping him at a distance.

He had been a part of the Yuan Shun Escort Agency for over a decade, yet he was still just an Escort Master. He didn’t want to remain this way forever, so he chose to side with Luan Jingfu!

Now, suddenly seeing Duan Rong executing the Cloud Serpent Step, recalling Xiao Yu’s attitude towards him, jealousy and anger surged as he realized that what Duan Rong had obtained was precisely what he had longed for but couldn’t attain.

Jealousy and anger twisted Liu Ao’s face, his muscles clumped together, nostrils flaring, his face a hideous mask like a malevolent ghost as he swung the saber in a sweeping arc, shaking his Inner Breath, the saber light enveloping the erratic figure of Duan Rong!

Duan Rong’s body floated and flitted to Liu Ao’s side, his right hand waved mysteriously, and from beside his hand emerged a plum blossom shadow, from which a poison needle shot out straight toward Liu Ao’s forehead!

Fortunately, it was afternoon, out here in the wild, with blazing sunshine. The moment the poison needle shot out, it glinted coldly.

Liu Ao narrowly avoided it with a sidestep!

But Duan Rong continued to move erratically, weaving left and right around Liu Ao...

From his right hand, plum blossom shadows blossomed one after another!

With each plum blossom shadow, a poison needle flew out from its center!

As his figure moved erratically, Duan Rong’s needles shot out one after another, faster and more cunning in angle!

Although Liu Ao was at the Third Level of Inner Breath with Minor Success, he was too taxed to handle it, unable to launch an attack!

Liu Ao, honed between life and death, and with the bright sunlight glinting off the cold shine of the poison needles, affording him reaction time, managed to fend off more than ten needles Duan Rong shot at him.

Duan Rong quickly adjusted, no longer aiming the poison needles at Liu Ao’s vital spots like the forehead, eyeballs, throat, or heart, but instead at harder-to-defend areas like the shoulders and thighs.

Indeed, with the change in strategy, despite Liu Ao’s saber flashing to dodge, over ten needles later, Duan Rong had hit him with three needles.

Left shoulder, right calf, left thigh, three places struck by needles!

Duan Rong suddenly stopped firing needles, standing there panting, having fired nearly thirty Plum Blossom Needles in rapid succession along with the simultaneous execution of the Cloud Serpent Step, leaving him quite drained!

Liu Ao stood there, looking at Duan Rong, sneering coldly, "What now? Out of needles? Then it’s my turn!"

Suddenly, Liu Ao’s saber flashed, and he sliced three pieces of flesh from his left shoulder, right calf, and left thigh!

The three pieces of flesh dropped almost simultaneously onto the wild grass at Liu Ao’s side, under the sunlight, visible as blood-soaked, only the needle-struck spots beginning to blacken faintly.

Duan Rong was shocked in his heart; Liu Ao was indeed so fierce!

Liu Ao cut off three pieces of his own flesh, yet his movement seemed unaffected as he sprang forward and swung his saber toward Duan Rong!

Duan Rong, again employing the Cloud Serpent Step, retreated swiftly, drawing the Cow Tail Saber with a swishing sound, ready to fight!

Though the Cloud Serpent Step was exquisite, Liu Ao poured Inner Breath into both legs, and his earlier leap was pure power converted into speed!

Duan Rong’s figure flickered, relying on abrupt left-right maneuvers, engaging in a tangled battle with Liu Ao.

Duan Rong knew his Inner Breath was far inferior to Liu Ao’s; any direct clash of weapons would surely send his Cow Tail Saber flying.

Thus, Duan Rong continuously fought Liu Ao using mysterious body technique and skillful strokes...

Liu Ao was inwardly shocked; Duan Rong’s saber technique was surprisingly mixed, having encountered many forms during his time in the Jianghu. He recognized several different saber techniques such as Abi Saber Technique, Asura Saber Technique, and Wild Bull Saber Technique.

"What kind of freak is this person, able to wield so many saber techniques?"

"Did he start practicing in the womb?"

Yet, although Duan Rong’s saber techniques were diverse and demonstrated sophistication, he consistently attacked the weak points, avoiding strength and striking weakness!

Liu Ao realized that Duan Rong always evaded his saber edge to target him!

As soon as the saber edge neared, Duan Rong immediately retreated!

Liu Ao inwardly sneered, thinking that Duan Rong’s way of fighting was all flash with no substance.

Liu Ao grew increasingly confident as the battle went on!

Suddenly, Liu Ao seized an opportunity to leap, executing a Leopard Drilling Forest move!

Liu Ao knew that this Leopard Drilling Forest move was something Duan Rong had learned while being a servant disciple.

After all, he too had risen from being a servant disciple.

However, Liu Ao’s Leopard Drilling Forest, enhanced through battle experience and fused with another move, had undergone significant modification!

He executed this move to create the illusion of a typical Leopard Drilling Forest confrontation, then catch Duan Rong off guard.

But, as luck would have it, the Cow Tail Saber Duan Rong refined and absorbed was one Liu Ao had discarded. As soon as Liu Ao executed this move, Duan Rong could guess his intentions immediately.

The Five Tigers and Sheep Saber, improved by Liu Ao based on his insights, was already well within Duan Rong’s grasp.

As Liu Ao thrust his saber, immediately upon action, Duan Rong adapted, dodging with the routine he learned as a servant disciple!

Yet, abruptly, Liu Ao twisted his wrist, and as his body slightly turned sideways, the saber edge suddenly changed direction and stabbed into Duan Rong’s right waist!

This was Liu Ao’s improvement, making the Leopard Drilling Forest even more insidious and difficult to evade!

Seeing his successful thrust, Liu Ao’s eyes suddenly lit up!

However, as the saber edge punctured Duan Rong, Liu Ao’s expression changed, for the sensation was hollow, not the feel of piercing flesh.

At this moment, Duan Rong’s gaze turned fierce, and in mid-air, his right hand manifested a plum blossom shadow, from which two poison needles shot obliquely, swiftly toward Liu Ao’s eyes at close range!

The moment the poison needles left his hand, Duan Rong’s figure retreated swiftly, and almost simultaneously, the needles struck Liu Ao’s eyes, the soft eyeballs allowing the needles to penetrate!

Yet Liu Ao’s eyeballs did not burst into a mist of blood because he had Third Level Inner Breath protection, dispersing the Inner Breath Duan Rong infused in the needles.

Even so, the poison had already entered Liu Ao’s eyes!

This was Corpse Rot Poison!