Chapter 276

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The nameless soldier sent the approaching thin figure flying into the air but paid it no further attention. Instead, he turned his gaze and saw that Qin Shiyue had already fallen to the ground. His soft sword lay discarded to the side, and he was reaching into his robes, retrieving a white jade bottle. The nameless soldier sneered coldly—after all the trouble he had gone through, even using words to provoke him, wasn’t it precisely to prevent him from having the time to neutralize the poison?

With that thought, he raised his saber once more and slashed resolutely at Qin Shiyue. However, at this moment, Qin Shiyue no longer regarded the lethal curved blade as a threat. He paid it no mind, focusing instead on calmly and steadily removing the stopper from the jade bottle and pouring out a Detoxification Pill.

Once again, the curved blade hung over Qin Shiyue’s head, ready to claim his life.

But just then, a voice rang out: “You scoundrel, how can you be so rude? I came to lend a helping hand, and yet you completely ignored me! Are you not even going to give me this little bit of face?”

The soldier looked up and saw that it was none other than the figure he had just sent flying into the air. That person had kicked off the hall’s rooftop and, borrowing the momentum, shot toward him like an arrow released from a bow—Zhang Xiaohua! In his hands, he held a small sword, no bigger than a child’s toy, yet he aimed it directly at the soldier’s throat.

Earlier, Zhang Xiaohua had used his Qinggong technique to move with incredible speed. But this time, with the added momentum from his descent, he was even faster. The soldier had no time to finish off Qin Shiyue and was forced to turn and strike at the incoming sword. This time, he exerted his full strength, determined to eliminate this troublesome brat in one blow.

Unfortunately for him, Zhang Xiaohua’s skills were no longer what they had once been. Not to mention his exceptional Qinggong, the boundless Immortal Dao True Qi flowing through his meridians was unfathomably profound. As he saw the soldier’s curved blade slashing toward him, his divine sense immediately detected the overwhelming force contained within—it was not something he could withstand head-on. Thus, when he thrust his sword, he held back seventy percent of his strength.

When the blade and sword met, there was no clash of steel. Instead, Zhang Xiaohua deftly flicked his small sword against the thin edge of the curved blade and, following the momentum, redirected his attack toward the soldier’s hand. This strike was clearly an instinctive flash of inspiration rather than part of any known sword technique. The soldier was horrified and hastily withdrew his hand, narrowly avoiding the fate of losing his fingers.

However, Zhang Xiaohua’s move had been fully executed, leaving his entire body open to attack. The soldier seized the opportunity and swung his saber once more, aiming precisely at this opening. In midair, Zhang Xiaohua sensed danger and thought to himself, Not good! He immediately circulated his True Qi, forcefully halting his movement in midair for half a breath’s time. Then, twisting his body with a spin, he suddenly reappeared behind the soldier. With a flick of his wrist, his sword struck out in a reverse grip, thrusting straight for the soldier’s neck!

The soldier’s brief delay allowed Qin Shiyue to retrieve the Detoxification Pills. He swallowed two in one go and immediately closed his eyes, channeling his energy to expel the poison.

Seeing this, Murong Jian became furious and shouted: “You little bastard! Who are you? Why don’t you follow the rules of the martial world? This was supposed to be a one-on-one duel—how dare you interfere?”

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to rush forward and finish Qin Shiyue off with one final strike, putting an end to the man who made his teeth itch with hatred. But Flood Dragon King Xu and the others had already anticipated his thoughts. They had secretly gathered their energy, ready to strike him down at a moment’s notice. No matter how strong he was, he didn’t dare act recklessly. He was certain that the moment he made a move, these hot-blooded warriors would immediately disregard all so-called rules and drown him and his companion in a sea of overwhelming force.

Meanwhile, Zhang Xiaohua evaded the soldier’s blade, displaying his Piaomiao Steps to flit away like a phantom. With another swift thrust, his sword once again targeted the soldier’s throat. Upon hearing Murong Jian’s outburst, he burst into laughter and said: “Hahaha, you ugly fool! How incredibly stupid! These so-called martial world rules are meant for Jianghu folks. But this young master isn’t from your martial world—why should I care about your nonsense? I simply dislike what I see and decided to uphold justice. What can you do about it?”

Murong Jian was momentarily stunned, unable to form a response. After a moment, he muttered in disbelief: “Uncle Xu… this brat… he’s not from your stronghold?”

Flood Dragon King Xu chuckled and replied: “Never seen him before. This man was brought here by Lord Qin. If you have any doubts, why not ask Lord Ying?”

Still unwilling to give up, Murong Jian turned to Ying Fei and demanded: “Lord Ying, your Heavenly Dragon Sect is interfering in a fair duel! I will make sure that the Navy soldiers spread word of this far and wide! I guarantee that your sect will be utterly disgraced!”

Ying Fei glanced at Qin Shiyue, whose complexion was beginning to recover, and smiled. “That’s not an issue. Go ahead and spread the word all you like. This fellow’s name is Ren Xiaoyao. He is not a member of our Heavenly Dragon Divine Cult. As for whether he belongs to the Jianghu, I have no idea. He merely saw injustice and stepped in—what’s wrong with that? Even if he were from the martial world, possessing such a noble spirit would be a blessing to all of us.”

Murong Jian pointed at Ying Fei, struggling to find words. Finally, he could only say: “You… You just wait! I will report this to my Seventh Aunt’s husband!”

Amid the fierce battle, Zhang Xiaohua laughed upon hearing this. “That’s an easy fix. Just kill both of you—then who would be left to spread the word?”

At this moment, he was barely managing to fend off the nameless soldier’s relentless attacks. Forced to use the Piaomiao Steps repeatedly, he narrowly avoided each deadly slash. Yet, despite being on the defensive, he still had the leisure to utter such ruthless words. This made Xu Jiaowang and the others think: How could such a decisive and merciless individual not belong to the Divine Cult? It seemed that he was really going to kill him to silence him.

At this moment, there was no longer a mix of emotions in Xu Jiaotong’s eyes—only relief and joy remained. Ever since Qin Shiyue swallowed the Detoxification Pills, the grayish-black hue on his face had visibly faded at an astonishing speed. By the time Zhang Xiaohua was being forced into a desperate situation with no ability to retaliate, Qin Shiyue had already returned to normal. One had to admit, the Detoxification Pill truly lived up to its name as an excellent antidote—a must-have for anyone roaming the martial world. Qin Shiyue opened his eyes and was first met with Xu Jiaotong’s concerned gaze. He smiled at her, nodded, then stood up. His expression turned peculiar as he watched the ongoing fight between the two warriors of vastly different strengths.

At that moment, Zhang Xiaohua was being pressed into a corner. When he happened to catch sight of Qin Shiyue standing up, he was overjoyed. He immediately executed several rounds of Piaomiao Steps, dodging nimbly to Qin Shiyue’s side before calling out loudly: “I have the heart to slay the enemy, but not the strength to turn the tide! Alas, alas! This honorable gentleman, your martial skills are far superior—I can’t defeat you, nor do I have the ability to meddle in your affairs any longer. I shall take my leave now. You all may continue. Haha, please, do continue!”

With that, he slipped away, returned to his seat at the wine table, and prepared to eat and drink once more. However, by this time, the table was already filled with cold leftovers—not at all appetizing. Flood Dragon King Xu noticed from afar and signaled to one of his household servants by the doorway. The sharp-witted servant immediately rushed out, and before long, fresh and exquisite dishes were brought to Zhang Xiaohua’s table.

Murong Jian clenched his teeth as he looked at Zhang Xiaohua, who sat there smugly, feeling an intense urge to twist off the little rascal’s head. However, he had already seen Zhang Xiaohua’s skills, though his martial strength wasn’t necessarily greater, his ghostly movements ensured he wouldn’t be at a disadvantage. Where would Murong Jian even find an opportunity to capture him?

Meanwhile, Qin Shiyue stood with his hands behind his back, making no immediate move to attack. Instead, he simply smiled as he looked at the soldier.

The soldier, feeling some regret, scoffed and said: “I’ve long heard that Qin Shiyue is an honorable and forthright man, a man of his word. But now, you’ve become nothing more than a coward who needs a mere servant boy to rescue him? Does our agreement still count? Are you conceding on your own, or shall we declare your defeat for you?”

Qin Shiyue laughed as if he had just heard the most ridiculous thing in the world. “Our agreement still holds, of course. When did I ever say otherwise?”

“Then your servant boy pretended to be an outsider and interrupted our duel. Doesn’t that mean you’ve already lost?”

Qin Shiyue touched his nose and smiled. “First, let me clarify—if our duel is interrupted by an unrelated party, neither of us should be held responsible. Second, didn’t you hear Ren Xiaoyao just now? He isn’t my servant, nor is he a member of Flood Dragon King Xu’s household, nor does he belong to my Heavenly Dragon Sect. Tell me, then, what should I do in this situation?”

The soldier responded: “That’s for you to decide. But do you dare to swear a venomous oath on it?”

“Why wouldn’t I dare?” Qin Shiyue replied. “I, Qin Shiyue, swear that if Ren Xiaoyao is a member of the Heavenly Dragon Sect, my personal servant, or in any way connected to me, then may my head be cleaved from my shoulders by the curved blade of the man standing before me!”

It was a vicious oath. The soldier hesitated for a moment, slightly taken aback. Just as he was about to speak, Qin Shiyue continued, “Well, what do you think of my oath, Situ Yueming?”

The nameless soldier’s eyes narrowed briefly before he quickly regained his composure and laughed. “Master Qin, you must be joking. My name isn’t Situ Yueming—perhaps you’ve mistaken me for someone else?”

Qin Shiyue once again touched his nose, his smile broadening. “I may not have seen your face before, so perhaps I could be mistaken. But this ruthless Crescent Blade Technique—now that’s something I could never mistake. This is none other than the ancestral martial art of Vice Alliance Master Situ from the Heaven’s Way Alliance. Even though you’ve altered your curved blade and deliberately adjusted your technique, how could you possibly change the essence of your blade intent? Within the Situ family, there is no one else of your age with such outstanding skill besides you, Situ Yueming!”

Upon hearing this, the so-called nameless soldier burst into laughter. “As expected of Qin Shiyue, a true talent of the era. I went to great lengths to conceal myself from your gaze, yet you still saw through me. I should’ve known—such petty schemes could never amount to anything worthwhile. It would’ve been better to just face you in a direct battle and defeat you fair and square!”

Qin Shiyue shook his head as he spoke: “I’ve been cautious on my journey, waiting for your Heaven’s Way Alliance to make a move. But I truly didn’t expect that an alliance known for its open and upright tactics would resort to such underhanded schemes. The world is truly in decline.”

As Qin Shiyue sighed and shook his head, Situ Yueming’s expression darkened with embarrassment and anger. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s an open or covert scheme—as long as I take your life, it’s a good strategy. Qin Shiyue, since your name also has the character ‘Yue’ (moon), I’ll let you die swiftly and painlessly!”

With that, his curved blade flashed, slashing diagonally towards Qin Shiyue. However, Qin Shiyue merely smiled slightly. His soft sword flicked like a viper flicking its tongue, striking the side of the curved blade. At that moment, the curved blade trembled violently as if struck by lightning.

Situ Yueming was shocked. Moments ago, he had already exchanged blows with Qin Shiyue and had gauged his strength. Based on that assessment, he had confidently boasted about granting Qin Shiyue a swift death. Yet now, as they clashed once more, Qin Shiyue seemed like an entirely different person!

Had he truly purged all the deadly poison from his body?

Could he now fully channel the true qi within his meridians?

If so, then Heaven’s Way Alliance’s intelligence on Qin Shiyue was outdated—his martial prowess was at least a level higher than his own!