Chapter 118: Chapter 94: Slaughter

“How is this possible?!”

Qian San’s blood ran cold. He was utterly horrified!

The Eight Extremes Vajra Body was a Superior Hard Skill, notoriously difficult to cultivate.

Chen Qing had already cultivated it to the Third Realm, the Steel Bone Realm. His flesh, sinews, and bones were tempered like steel. How could a mere poisoned claw possibly break through?

Chen Qing didn’t even look back. Using the momentum from Qian San’s grab, his body pitched forward like a propelled boulder!

Simultaneously, leveraging his forward momentum, he changed his spear’s thrust into a sweep. Like a steel whip, it sliced through the air with a terrifying howl, lashing viciously at Qian San’s ribs as the man stood momentarily frozen in shock!

Mountain Prison-Suppression Spear! Breaking Mountains and Dividing Territory!

The sweep was immensely powerful and heavy, and as fast as lightning!

Its force was as crushing as a mountain, its power as piercing as an arrow through hide.

Qian San had no time to dodge. The thought of blocking didn’t even cross his mind!

CRACK!

The sickening crack of bone was terrifyingly clear! As if struck by a charging bull, Qian San’s entire ribcage caved in, and he sprayed a torrent of blood from his mouth!

He was sent flying sideways like a broken sack, crashing into a burning bonfire. Sparks erupted as he twitched twice, then fell still.

“Third Brother!!”

Sun Biao’s eyes looked fit to burst! He and Qian San had been the closest. Seeing his brother brutally killed drove him into a frenzy. “I’ll kill you!”

He abandoned all defense, his dual blades a shimmering curtain of death as he charged recklessly at Chen Qing, adopting a suicidal Fighting Method!

Facing this frenzied, undisciplined assault, Chen Qing’s Step Technique shifted. He moved like a slippery fish, weaving through the gaps in the flurry of blades. His spear found an opening and struck like a viper!

Anger clouds the mind, and a clouded mind leads to sloppy technique.

PFFT!

A cold glint of steel found a precise opening in Sun Biao’s wild flurry of blades and instantly pierced his throat!

Sun Biao’s charge came to an abrupt halt. His twin blades slipped from his grasp and clattered to the ground. He desperately clutched his gushing throat, his eyes wide with disbelief, terror, and despair, before falling backward to the ground.

From the moment the three leaders attacked together to Qian San and Sun Biao being killed in quick succession, only a dozen breaths had passed!

Fast!

Too fast!

The remaining Water Bandit grunts were already scared out of their minds. Staring at Chen Qing, who looked like a god of slaughter, what fighting spirit could they possibly have left?

“Useless! A bunch of useless bastards!!”

Watching his men crumble in an instant and his brothers lie dead, Jiang Baoqing was both furious and terrified. Any trace of greed or ferocity in his heart had long been swallowed by fear.

’This kid isn’t human! He’s a demon!’

’Run!’

’I have to run!’

’My only chance is to jump into the rapids of Black Flood Dragon Beach! With my swimming skills, I might just survive!’

“Fifth Brother! Let’s go!”

Jiang Baoqing let out a furious roar. Forgetting all about the ship, the cargo, and the ransom, he hurled his Crocodile-Mouth Scissors at Chen Qing, then turned and scrambled for the nearest riverside rocks!

The current was swiftest there—the perfect escape route.

The fifth leader was young and fiery, but seeing his brothers slaughtered in an instant had shattered his courage. Hearing his eldest brother’s shout, he fled without a moment’s hesitation!

“Trying to run?”

Chen Qing’s gaze was ice-cold, as if he were already looking at two corpses.

He easily sidestepped the incoming Crocodile-Mouth Scissors and pushed off, charging forward like a bolt of lightning.

Jiang Baoqing’s Body Technique wasn’t slow. In just a few bounds, he reached the edge of the rocks, about to leap into the churning river.

The instant his feet left the ground and his body went airborne…

WHOOSH!

An ear-splitting whistle tore through the night!

As if granted a life of its own, the long spear shot from Chen Qing’s hand! It was infused with the full might of his Great Success in the Transmutation Force Realm and imbued with the piercing intent of the Mountain Prison-Suppression Spear’s ’Armor-Piercing Awl’ technique!

The spear became a black bolt of lightning, moving more than twice as fast as Jiang Baoqing’s leap!

THWUMP!

It pierced Jiang Baoqing’s back with unerring accuracy and burst out through his chest! The ferocious Power instantly shattered his heart and spine!

The triumphant joy on Jiang Baoqing’s face froze, replaced by astonishment and utter disbelief.

The spear’s immense momentum carried his body, like a frog pinned in midair, another ten feet forward before it slammed heavily onto the cold rocks with a sickening THUD. Blood quickly stained the stone surface beneath him.

The Red Tassel Long Spear quivered and hummed, still embedded in his corpse.

“Eldest Brother!”

The fifth leader had just reached the water’s edge. He glanced back and saw the horrific scene. So terrified he felt his innards would rupture, he let out a piercing shriek. Not daring to linger another moment, he dove headfirst into the rushing, ice-cold river and swam desperately toward the dark depths.

Chen Qing didn’t even spare Jiang Baoqing’s corpse a glance. His gaze, sharp as lightning, instantly locked onto the rapidly spreading ripples on the river’s surface.

With a flick of his right hand to his waist, three Money Darts, their edges polished to an exceptional sharpness, appeared between his fingers.

Floating Light and Shadow Hand! Soul-Chasing Three Points!

With a slight flick of his wrist, seemingly without effort, three faint, dark gleams shot out almost simultaneously. They entered the water silently, so fast they left behind only three tiny, instantly vanishing whirlpools.

A short, muffled cry of pain came from beneath the water. A moment later, a cloud of dark red blood churned to the surface, only to be quickly dispersed by the rapids.

The river resumed its violent churn, stained with floating blood.

As for the fifth leader, he never surfaced again.

Expressionlessly, Chen Qing walked to Jiang Baoqing’s corpse and pulled out the Red Tassel Long Spear, which had drunk its fill of fresh blood.

The spear’s shaft remained firm, though it was now caked in viscous blood.

Chen Qing took a deep breath. After searching the bodies of Jiang Baoqing and his men, he found nothing of value.

Carrying his blood-drenched spear, he walked deeper into the Water Stockade.

The clamor had passed, leaving behind only the dead silence of the scattered grunts and the stench of blood.

He pushed open the main stockade’s relatively ornate wooden door, and a strange odor—a mixture of cheap perfume and sweat—hit him.

The furnishings inside were crude. Only a low divan draped with a tiger skin and a wooden table looked remotely presentable.

A woman with disheveled clothes and messy hair cowered in a corner. Her face was deathly pale as she stared in terror at Chen Qing in the doorway.

She appeared to be in her thirties. There was still a hint of elegance in her features, marking her as clearly not an ordinary village woman.

“Spare me, sir! I… I was abducted by Jiang the Head of the Family! Please, I’m begging you, let me live!”

The woman’s voice trembled. She dropped to her knees with a thud and began kowtowing relentlessly.

Chen Qing’s gaze swept over her. His voice betrayed no emotion as he asked, “Who are you?”

Without daring to look up, the woman spoke in a rush. “I am Lady Liu, of the Liu Family of cloth merchants from Linjiang Prefecture. I was escorting a cargo shipment when our boat was hijacked here. When Jiang Baoqing saw that I was literate, he forced me to stay and keep his accounts and manage their finances. I know where he and his brothers hid their private stash! I only ask that you spare me, sir! I’m willing to lead you there, all I ask is a chance to live!”

Chen Qing considered for a moment. “Lead the way. After I have the goods, you’re free to go.”

As if granted a royal pardon, the woman scrambled to her feet. She led Chen Qing around the divan and fumbled for a moment with a loose flagstone in the corner before prying it up.

An opening, just large enough for one person to squeeze through, was revealed. Inside, the faint outline of an oilcloth-wrapped bundle was visible.

“It’s down there!” the woman said, pointing at the opening.

Chen Qing gestured for her to go down first.

Not daring to refuse, she climbed down, trembling.

Chen Qing followed close behind. Below was a cramped cellar, no more than ten feet square, with several bundles of various sizes piled inside.p>The woman quickly opened the largest bundle. Inside were neatly stacked gold ingots and gold leaves, along with a few pieces of gemstone-inlaid jewelry that glittered in the lamplight.

Another bundle contained a thick stack of silver notes.

The silver notes alone were worth several thousand taels, not to mention the other gold and treasures.

“It’s all here, sir. Please, see for yourself!” The woman pushed the bundles to Chen Qing’s feet, her eyes pleading.

Chen Qing nodded. He collected the two bundles of valuables and the letter, then waved his hand at the woman.

Thanking him profusely, the woman practically crawled and scrambled out of the cellar, disappearing into the night without a single glance back.

How she would get off Black Flood Dragon Beach was not his problem to consider.

Chen Qing restored the cellar to its original state, then took the bundles and strode toward the impounded Wu Family ship.

When the sailors and guards on the ship saw Chen Qing return alone, carrying a bloody spear and the bundles, and saw that the fires in the Water Stockade were dying down and all was silent, how could they not understand what had happened?

……

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep