51 Chapter 50: Confrontation (1/2)

”AH!”

A female villager had tripped over and fell over the broken path while she attempted to escape the rampaging huge guy. As she lay sprawled over the ground, she could only look up and stare in terror at the laughing and approaching huge guy.

”Ha ha ha ha! You're mine!”

The demonic martial artist reached out with his hand, getting ready to ensnare her. The lady screamed as his fingers closed around her.

He never grabbed her.

Wham!

I kicked the guy in the face, causing him to stagger back. Flipping myself in midair, I then got under his guard and delivered another Shadow Kick into his gut.

”...”

The guy looked up at me, more astonished at my audacity than hurt. He brushed the mark I left on the front of his shirt and glared at me.

”Who are you?”

”A friend of these guys.” even as I spoke, I was helping the lady up and gesturing for her to run. She cast a frightened glance at me, and then ran off.

”Who says you can leave?!”

In a flash, the guy dove after the lady, throwing his hand out to grab hold of her. Just before his fingers could close around her, however…

Bam!

I kicked his hand away, deflecting his fingers and causing the guy to come to a jolting halt. Landing nearby, I pushed my glasses up to glare at him.

”Who says you can chase her?”

The guy turned to bear down on me, wearing an ugly grin. He looked at me curiously, as if unable to believe that someone would dare to defy him.

”You're quite the interesting brat, aren't you?”

”No, I'm a pretty boring person, I assure you.”

One of his eyebrows twitched and the guy swiped at me. I used a footwork technique to dodge. The guy bellowed as he spun around, trying to track me, but I used Tui again to dance out of his reach before he could take my head off.

”Fucking bastard! Stop dancing around!”

Like hell I would. Who the fuck would stand still and let his opponent hit him? I was so going to keep dodging.

On the other hand, despite being so much stronger than me, the rogue martial artist was a little slower. It seemed like he didn't focus much on his footwork. I might just be able to use my footwork and superior speed to my advantage…

”…did you think I'll say that?”

”?!”

I never saw the blow coming. There was a blur in the air, and the next thing I knew, something hard and powerful struck me. Even though I crossed my arms to defend myself, I was sent flying across the village and tumbled right into a house. The tremendous impact demolished the structure and sent the whole thing collapsing upon me.

”Gah…! Ugh!”

I coughed from both the blood welling inside my mouth and the dust that fell on top of me, struggling to free myself from the rubble.

”How weak…they sent a Qi Essence Stage practitioner after us? And a single brat at that? Aren't they underestimating me too much?”

coffing, the guy strolled over to where I was and lifted me out of the heap of debris. I flailed about desperately and he hammered me in the gut.

”ARGH!”

A fountain of blood spurted from my mouth and I nearly blacked out. Coughing and wheezing, I twisted my body in midair and locked my legs around his arm. With a jerk, I snapped his elbow. The guy howled in pain and flung me away.

”Damn brat!”

To my horror, I realized that I failed to break his arm. The guy was waving his arm in pain, but he seemed more like he had just suffered an annoying insect bite than having lost the function of his arm. Bending it and waving it to make sure nothing was broken, he then slowly turned to glare at me while straightening his right arm.

”Fucking brat. I'm gonna teach you a lesson!”

He lunged at me, forcing me to dive to the side. I hit the ground and rolled, only to see his arm flashing toward me.

There's no way I'll be able to dodge that in time!

Fortunately, I had another option. My arms immediately went to the swords strapped to my back and I drew them. In a single motion, I cut the guy's arm.

”AAAAH!”

The guy stumbled back, clutching his bleeding arm. Despite taking him by surprise, I failed to cut off his arm…or even a single finger of his. But it was still somewhat satisfying to see him bleed. I had finally delivered a significant amount of damage on him!

”Fucking brat! You cut me! You actually cut me!”

I watched him warily, taking a few steps back while holding my swords in front of me in a defensive stance.

”I'll kill you!”

I swallowed and continued to keep my eye on his towering figure. Despite my constant vigilance, the guy sprang forward and struck me before I could react. I brought my swords up and crossed them on instinct, but even then the massive impact from his blow sent me flying backward with a grunt. I stumbled and skidded to a stop, but the guy bore down on me again.

”!”

I tried to dodge the next attack, but his fist slammed into my crossed blades, lifting me off my feet and hurling me across the air again. This time, I managed to flip myself up in midair and slam both my feet against the wall of a nearby house. Sucking in a deep breath, I then launched myself at the burly martial artist and slashed at him.

My counterattack failed to do any damage. The guy reached out and caught both my swords with his bare hand. My eyes widened when I saw the huge amount of qi swirling around his hands and fingers, cloaking them in a protective layer of qi.

”Annoying brat.”

Spitting, the guy then slammed his fist into my stomach. I threw up a glob of blood before hurtling away. Such was the power behind the blow that I actually let go of both of my swords before disappearing into the distance.

Bam!

I ended up leveling another house, reducing it to rubble. Coughing from both dust and blood, I struggled to get back to my feet, but red-hot agony lanced through my body. My vision almost blacked out and I fell face first onto the ground.

”Oi, oi, you done already?”

The guy seized my hair and yanked my bloodied head up. Kneeling beside me, he leered at my battered condition.

”How weak…what a joke, wanting to fight a Qi Fusion Stage practitioner even though you're only at the Qi Essence Stage.”

He then smashed me back against the ground. I yelped in agony and surprise as my body slammed into the rocks, pulverizing them into sand. I almost lost consciousness from the explosive pain that detonated across my body.

”Ugh…ah…”

Unable to endure the agony, I grunted and groaned against the rubble. The guy barked out in laughter.

”Oh? You're still conscious after that? Just die already.”

Raising me up, he crushed me onto the ground again. I actually blacked out momentarily, only for my senses to return a few seconds later.

This time, I held back my groans and expressions of pain, not wanting the demonic martial artist to repeat his abuse.

”Hey, hey! Ba Yun, don't kill that guy!”

”Huh? Who are you to tell me what to do?”

The demonic martial artist called Ba Yun momentarily let go of me to glare at the figure who was stalking toward us.

”…”

Even with my face pressed against the broken earth and debris, I recognized the voice. My suspicions were confirmed when the new person came into view. Qi Fu Ren strode toward Ba Yun, a charismatic smile on his face.

”No, no, I'm not telling you what to do. It's merely a request, senior. I don't want Fei Wu to die just yet.”

”Oh? You know this brat, Qi Fu Ren?”

Ba Yun sounded intrigued. Qi Fu Ren grinned broadly and nodded.