Chapter 4 (2/2)

The joy of a successful hunt shone across each of their faces. Even the normally reserved Young Master Zhou could not help but whistle a tune on his way back.

The shallow Mutton Chops was even happily singing an off-tune melody. The lyrics were obscene, but they drew cheers from his fellow riders.

While he was happily singing, the middle-aged, hawk-nosed man to the immediate left of Young Master Zhou suddenly barked, “There’s killing intent!”

Hawk Nose was one of the top retainers that Young Master Zhou’s family managed to hire. His skill was unbeatable, and he held a considerable position. With his few words, everyone was suddenly on alert. Immediately, swords were drawn and arrows were notched as they surveyed the surroundings.

“Look no more, the source is straight ahead!” Hawk Nose said coldly.

“Hehe, I want to see who could be this daring. Within these hundred miles, who would dare bare his teeth at my Zhou family!”

Young Master Zhou cracked his whip, and his red stallion picked up speed, rushing ahead.

The row of riders cracked their whips as well, rushing forward to keep up.

Rushing into a small hill, the lone figure of Xu Yi in the middle of the road was plain for all to see.

Seeing that it was Xu Yi, Mutton Chops’ spirits rose. He too was one of the Zhou family’s retainers, but because his progress in the Martial Way had stopped at the later part of the Body Forging stage, his position was much lower than that of Hawk Nose.

But this man loved to fight for credit.

In the morning, when the hunting troupe had passed by Xu Yi’s home, Young Master Zhou did not manage to encounter Xu Yi. He frowned and had his men torch Xu Yi’s hut, then they rode to the back mountains and desecrated Xu Yi’s ancestral graves.

At this moment, seeing Xu Yi giving off the killing intent was like seeing an ant trying to block an entire road. This was a great opportunity for him to put himself in his employer’s good books.

With the intent of stealing the credit for himself, Mutton Chops cracked his whip. Feeling the pain of the whip, his black horse ran faster, even overtaking Young Master Zhou in front. When he reached the front, he laughed wildly and said, “How dare a stray dog like you learn to bare your teeth! I will skin you alive!”

Before even finishing his words, Mutton Chops had tugged on his reigns. The horse raised its front hooves, threatening to smash them into Xu Yi’s skull.

When it seemed as though the hooves were about to stomp on Xu Yi, Xu Yi who had remained still all this while, sprang into action.

He was as fast as lightning, dodging the horse’s hooves by a hair’s width. His muscles contracted to the extreme, and he reappeared by the side of the horses neck. His sturdy body was like an extremely powerful spring. Making use of “Crashing Heaven’s Gate,” which he had performed over a thousand times, his back, which was as tough as steel, slammed against the horse’s neck. The galloping stallion’s neck suddenly snapped, and its huge body flew horizontally, crashing into the crowd behind.

Atop the horse, before Mutton Chops could realize what had happened, an impossible turn of events had occurred!

Amongst the Zhou family’s lackeys, Mutton Chops had insulted Xu Yi the most deeply and most often.

Earlier, in the moment Mutton Chops had mentioned skinning him alive, Xu Yi’s heart pounded as his murderous intent began to center around Mutton Chops.

With the horse sent flying, before Mutton Chops could come to his senses, Xu Yi had reached out and grabbed him by the neck, dragging him off the horse.

At that moment, Hawk Nose had swooped down on him like an eagle, throwing a fist in mid-air. The blow was aimed straight at Xu Yi’s spine. The force of the punch exploded through the air.

It was just a distance of three meters, which could be covered in one breath. It looked as though this punch that had come out of nowhere was about to land. But it was as though there were eyes on Xu Yi’s back. With Mutton Chops still in his grasp, he sent a kick that shattered the back of one of the riders. The impact shifted him horizontally a few inches, narrowly avoiding the incoming punch. The rider in front of him, however, was not so lucky. With this shattering punch landing on his back, he uttered a strange cry before his body exploded, creating a fountain of blood.