The Demon Lords

Chapter 548 54 Siege_1

Mr. Chen was once again the first to attack. No one would compete with him for this position, not even the simplest-minded Fanli. Firstly, Mr. Chen was the most powerful among them. Secondly, he was an honest man.

Mr. Chen's swordsmanship was indeed fiercely potent. It's hard to imagine that after being ambushed outside the Yin City relay station, where the Blind Man and San'er collaborated to cripple one of his legs, and then being beaten to near death by Shatuo Queshi, his cultivation realm had not regressed but actually advanced after his injuries healed. Such an opportunity and aptitude were comparable to Guo Jing's.

Due to the Blind Man's mental interference, Gesang's reaction was a beat slower—a delay that could have a huge impact in a duel between masters. If not for Gesang's strong survival instincts, honed through countless battles in the mountains, and his subconscious dodge the moment Mr. Chen's Sword Energy was unleashed, Mr. Chen's blade might have pierced his heart instead of merely leaving a wound on his chest. Even so, it was nearly impossible to control injuries inflicted by Sword Energy in a short amount of time.

Such was the terrifying power of swordsmen. Their Sword Energy was one of the most formidable power attributes in the world. Previously, the Sword Saint of Jin State had also attempted to leverage this advantage to wear down Tian Wujing on the outskirts of the capital city.

Gesang dodged, and Fanli immediately moved.

Although Fanli's physique was formidable, he had no intention of competing in raw strength with a wild man who seemed to follow a similar martial path. Instead, he brought his axe down directly!

Gesang clenched his fist and swung it upward. Just as his fist was about to connect with the axe, he suddenly unfurled it into a palm. A wave of energy surged out, jolting Fanli's wrist and slowing the axe's momentum. In that instant, Gesang seized the axe blade. Ignoring the wounds opening on his palm, he forcibly yanked Fanli towards him.

This highlighted the disparity in absolute power. Physical strength still needed the support of vital energy. Gesang might not have looked as robust as Fanli, but augmented by his vital energy, his strength was far more terrifying.

However, at that moment, A Ming had already appeared behind Gesang. Having recently advanced, A Ming's capabilities had seen new improvements. His ten fingers, now an eerie dark red, plunged directly into Gesang's back.

Gesang had initially planned to seize this chance to crush Fanli's skull with a punch. However, A Ming's attack forced him to shove Fanli away with his shoulder and quickly whirl around.

A Ming retracted his arms, leaving ten horrifying claw marks on Gesang's back before swiftly retreating.

Gesang roared in anger. Having turned, he threw a punch at A Ming.

BOOM!

A Ming offered no resistance, allowing himself to be sent flying. He landed about ten meters away, wobbled slightly, and after assessing how many bones were broken, he charged towards Gesang again in a highly uncoordinated manner.

This scene genuinely shocked Gesang.

But he had no time to ponder what A Ming was made of, for Mr. Chen's second sword strike was already upon him.

In the current world, although there were Four Great Swordsmen, the pinnacle of sword cultivation was truly divided into two types: one was the speed of the Baili Sword, and the other was the sharpness of the Jin State's Sword Saint.

Clearly, Mr. Chen's sword wasn't fast this time, but each strike was imbued with exceptionally powerful Sword Energy.

Gesang chose to retreat again, but the sword's edge still pierced through his right shoulder blade, creating a hole that went straight through.

"Ahhh!" Gesang screamed.

Just then, Fanli's axe descended once more, the timing impeccable.

Gesang was already losing his sanity. With Mr. Chen, an opponent inherently stronger than him, pinning him down, and having unexpectedly suffered injuries at the start, continuing to fight would only narrow his path to survival. At this point, logic and composure were thrown to the winds. Gesang's mind was consumed by boundless rage.

He ignored Fanli's axe and punched directly at Fanli's chest.

However, Fanli's attack was a feint.

Perhaps it was experience guiding him; upon sensing Gesang's desperate intent to drag him down in a suicidal attack, Fanli decisively retreated. Clearly, their side had already secured victory. Why should he perish on the eve of triumph?

Fanli was simple, not stupid.

Gesang truly hadn't anticipated that his opponent, who had charged so aggressively moments before, could retreat so cleanly. As a result, his fist only struck Fanli's axe, sending it flying, while Fanli himself remained relatively unharmed.

A Ming once again appeared behind Gesang.

This time, Gesang reacted swiftly. Without even turning, he unleashed a powerful wave of energy from his body, forcefully pulling everything nearby towards him—including A Ming.

You all like to dodge, don't you? Let's see how you dodge this time!

Gesang twisted his upper body, clenched his fist, and hammered it towards A Ming's chest.

A Ming remained unmoved. As long as his head wasn't the target, he didn't particularly care; he even deliberately lowered his defenses.

THUMP!

Gesang's fist pierced right through A Ming's chest.

This was the result of A Ming intentionally lowering his defenses. There was no need to meet the blow head-on. Allowing the punch would, at most, create a hole. If he tried to resist, his body might very well disintegrate.

SQUELCH!

A Ming slid down along Gesang's arm, which was still embedded in his chest.

Truthfully, Gesang had experienced countless life-and-death battles, but this was the first time he had encountered such a bizarre opponent!

He was aware of Mr. Chen's strength, but this person before him sent a chill deep into his heart.

A Ming's fingernails once again pierced Gesang's body.

"Ahhhhh!!!"

Gesang reached out his other hand, grabbed A Ming's shoulder, and with a furious roar, he intended to tear A Ming to shreds.

"Ohayo."

Xue Three's voice sounded from above Gesang.

Assassins either don't appear, or they appear precisely when it's time to reap lives.

At this most opportune moment, Xue Three's dagger plunged directly into Gesang's skull.

It was clean, simple, and effortless.

However, to Xue Three's astonishment, despite his dagger being coated in potent poison and having pierced Gesang's skull, Gesang didn't die instantly. He... still had the strength to move!

Whether it was a final resurgence or not, the vitality of a Martial Cultivator was truly terrifying!

However, that was as far as he would go. Mr. Chen's third sword arrived.

This sword pierced directly into Gesang's neck. With a tremor of the blade, Gesang's head detached from his body, tracing a graceful arc through the air before thudding to the ground.

It wasn't that Gesang wasn't strong; rather, with Mr. Chen leading the assault and several experienced fiends providing cover, he truly couldn't turn the tide.

Generally, in combat, unless one side possessed the overwhelming power of, say, a Third Rank Martial Cultivator, protracted battles lasting "three days and three nights" were rare.

Simply put, a fight was a matter of moments, like a flash of lightning. Who had the leisure to trade blows back and forth, all while ensuring the spectacle was entertaining for any onlookers?

"Hey, don't move, don't move," the Blind Man suddenly shouted.

Mr. Chen didn't know who the Blind Man was shouting at, but he remained still.

At that moment, a gentle force brushed his face. Mr. Chen knew it wasn't the wind.

A few strands of his hair drifted down, landing on the blood-stained blade in his hand. The sword was so sharp that the hairs were instantly severed.

"Lift your head towards the sun, at a forty-five-degree angle," the Blind Man's voice instructed again.

Mr. Chen lifted his head, though he had no idea what a "forty-five-degree angle" meant.

"Lift it a bit more. Yes, that's it, that's it."

Under the Blind Man's direction, Mr. Chen adjusted his pose.

The Blind Man walked over, admired the effect, and said, "Mr. Chen, next time you kill someone, strike this pose. Hold it for one minute—no, hold it for thirty breaths. Understand?"

Mr. Chen asked puzzledly, "Why?"

"Because it's cool."

"What does 'cool' mean?"

"It means you look good. Don't you want to become one of the Four Great Swordsmen in the future?"

Mr. Chen thought for a moment. Yes, I do. He was loyal to his inner feelings and nodded.

"Then do as I say. This will attract fans and help you build up your reputation."

"Alright."

"Good boy. When we get back to Shengle, let San'er make you a new prosthetic leg. This one makes you look a bit uneven; it's not perfect."

Xue Three patted his chest and said, "Leave it to me."

Mr. Chen performed a solemn sword salute towards Xue Three. "Thank you, Brother Xue."

"You're too kind, too kind. It's just that the materials for the prosthetic are hard to find, so we'll have to trouble you, Mr. Chen, to stay in Shengle City for a while longer."

Mr. Chen, being a straightforward man, was moved and said, "I truly am troubling you all."

"No trouble, no trouble at all. It's what we should do, what we should do."

Then, Xue Three nudged the Blind Man with his elbow, gestured towards Gesang's severed head lying nearby, and said, "That fellow was about to surrender. You didn't even ask My Lord and just ordered us to kill him?"

"He's different from Zuo Jiqian. Firstly, although Zuo Jiqian came from a noble family, the Zuo Family is now history. Secondly, Zuo Jiqian isn't strong enough. As for Gesang's strength, if Mr. Chen hadn't been here, which of us seven could have taken him on single-handedly and suppressed him at any other time? Most importantly, Zuo Jiqian merely *looks* like Lv Bu, but this scum here is a *true* three-time turncoat. Even if My Lord were present, he would only weigh the options, feel a bit regretful, but still order his execution to prevent future problems."

"But you still could have asked My Lord first."

"Since I already knew what choice My Lord would make, why make him go through the agonizing process again?"

"Oh, so that's how it is. Damn, Blind Man, you really know how to suck up."

The Blind Man smiled, a hint of smugness in his expression.

Xue Three also chuckled and said, "But have you ever thought that because you're so good at sucking up, My Lord might already be..."

"Be what by me?" asked the Blind Man.

"Hardened to it from all your sucking up."

"You seem to have a point." Suddenly, the Blind Man turned to look at Fanli. "So, San'er," he said to Xue Three, "tell me, if a child who is usually the quietest, the least likely to flatter, and the most wooden, suddenly shows you a little warmth, wouldn't you be deeply moved? It's like a child who constantly skipped school, got into fights, went to internet cafes, and was generally disobedient, suddenly came home one day, sat down at his desk, and started studying on his own. Wouldn't his parents be moved to tears of joy?"

At that moment, Fanli was helping A Ming position Gesang's headless corpse; A Ming needed to collect blood.

HISS...

Xue Three gestured towards Fanli, who was still occupied. Then, looking at the Blind Man, he whispered, "You schemer."