sword-drawing technique

Jiang Yun withdrew his right foot from Shen Yi's mouth and looked up at Xiao Kuan. With a cold and indifferent gaze, he asked, "Xiao Young Master, have I done anything to provoke you? Why do you constantly try to kill me? Xiao Young Master, can you tell me why?"

Xiao Kuan recalled the shy and coy expression on Lin Feier's face when she mentioned that Jiang Yun was her fiancé, and his inner jealousy made it impossible for him to stay calm. Xiao Kuan had been relentlessly pursuing Lin Feier for half a year, but she never showed him a smile. Yet, because of this useless Jiang Yun, she revealed a shy expression. How could he, who was full of himself, tolerate it?

Anyone can become cruel if they experience what jealousy feels like. Xiao Kuan was jealous that Lin Feier rejected him because of Jiang Yun, her fiancé.

He thought that as long as Jiang Yun disappeared from this world, Lin Feier would eventually be his.

So today, Jiang Yun must disappear from this world.

"Hmph, do I need a reason?" Xiao Kuan disdained explaining himself to Jiang Yun. In his eyes, Jiang Yun was nothing more than an ant he could crush at any moment.

"Well, if that's the case, then there's nothing more to discuss."

After Jiang Yun finished speaking, he swung the dagger in his hand, piercing it into Shen Yi's chest.

Shen Yi's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at the dagger lodged in his chest. He thought that Jiang Yun would hesitate to harm him too much out of fear of Xiao Kuan. He thought that if he waited long enough, he would witness Jiang Yun suffer under Xiao Kuan's abuse, just like himself.

However, before he could see any of that, Shen Yi lost consciousness. His raised arm fell down weakly, and his head slanted to the side, dead on the spot.

Xiao Kuan's pupils contracted, his face turning icy cold. Jiang Yun's direct killing of Shen Yi was a provocation to him. A powerless waste challenging Xiao Kuan, who was at the Qi Martial Stage Second Layer, was something the always arrogant Xiao Kuan could not tolerate.

"Seeking death."

Xiao Kuan waved his large hand, and his five subordinates rushed forward together.

In Xiao Kuan's view, Jiang Yun showed no sign of spiritual energy fluctuations, while his five subordinates had an average strength of the Body Martial Stage Fourth Layer. Restraining Jiang Yun should have been an effortless task.

The five subordinates drew their weapons and simultaneously attacked Jiang Yun. Although their moves lacked coordination, they were experienced enough not to overlap their angles of attack.

Xiao Kuan sneered, already planning how to slowly torment Jiang Yun.

However, what unfolded next left Xiao Kuan and everyone else stunned.

They saw Jiang Yun taking a step to the east and retreating a step to the west, effortlessly maneuvering among the weapons of Xiao Kuan's four subordinates as if strolling in a leisurely courtyard.

The footwork Jiang Yun used is called the Four Beast Steps. It was a footwork technique he acquired in his previous life when he defeated the Hu family, an ancient martial arts family. This footwork is based on the four celestial creatures: the Eastern Azure Dragon, the Western White Tiger, the Southern Vermilion Bird, and the Northern Black Tortoise. Each creature is further divided into seven mansions, and they undergo transformations based on the twenty-eight mansions, making it an extraordinarily profound technique.

Xiao Kuan and his subordinates had never seen such exquisite footwork before. They could only see Jiang Yun fluttering around like a butterfly, leaving the onlookers dazzled.

"Slap, slap, slap, slap, slap."

A continuous series of slapping sounds could be heard in the area as Jiang Yun skillfully evaded the punches and kicks of Xiao Kuan's five subordinates and retaliated with crisp and resounding palm strikes.

In no time, the faces of the five subordinates swelled up, their eyes seeing stars.

Jiang Yun shook his slightly aching hand and paid no attention to the unsteady subordinates. He walked up to Xiao Kuan, who was still in a daze, and smiled as he said, "You said I was seeking death."

Slap!

Before the words could fully leave his mouth, Jiang Yun's palm landed on Xiao Kuan's face.

That slap woke up the stunned Xiao Kuan. Holding his swollen and red cheek, Xiao Kuan felt both embarrassed and angry as he said, "Jiang Yun, how dare you hit me?"

Slap!

Jiang Yun answered Xiao Kuan's question with action. He switched hands and delivered another crisp slap to the untouched side of Xiao Kuan's face.

"Jiang Yun, I'm going to kill you!" Xiao Kuan, with his face bruised and swollen from the slaps, finally remembered that he was a Qi Martial Stage Second Layer warrior. Spiritual energy spread throughout his body as he swiftly threw a punch towards Jiang Yun's chest, who was within arm's reach.

Jiang Yun sidestepped, evading Xiao Kuan's attack. He tried to use the technique of Bone Dislocation and Tendon Separation to disrupt Xiao Kuan's joints by placing his left hand on Xiao Kuan's arm. However, the surging qi on Xiao Kuan's arm numbed his palm, forcing him to release the grip and distance himself from Xiao Kuan.

The difference in strength was too great, and Jiang Yun couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart. Xiao Kuan's attack seemed full of flaws in Jiang Yun's eyes, but he was helpless because of the vast disparity in their strength. Xiao Kuan's Qi Martial Stage Second Layer spiritual energy covered his entire body, leaving Jiang Yun with no opening to exploit.

Xiao Kuan, who had initially thought that Jiang Yun's footwork was incredibly mysterious, suddenly realized something when Jiang Yun's weak left hand held his right arm. Jiang Yun didn't possess any trace of spiritual energy; he was still a waste. He had simply acquired an advanced body movement technique from somewhere.

Once he understood this, Xiao Kuan laughed recklessly, "Haha, Jiang Yun, I thought you had become formidable, but it turns out you're still just a waste."

"Is that so?" Jiang Yun's lips curled into a strange smile.

"Stop pretending to be mysterious. I'll expose your true nature," Xiao Kuan sneered, feeling that Jiang Yun had been feigning depth all along.

Xiao Kuan's fists overlapped, and the spiritual energy of the Qi Martial Realm emitted a faint aura on his fists as he fiercely struck towards Jiang Yun, unstoppable in his momentum.

Jiang Yun retreated, not daring to bear Xiao Kuan's punch with his body. Relying on the advantage of the Four Symbols Steps, Jiang Yun didn't have to worry about Xiao Kuan being able to hit him for the time being.

However, Xiao Kuan wasn't alone; he had five subordinates with him.

Initially intimidated by Jiang Yun's Four Symbols Steps and disoriented by Jiang Yun's slap, the five subordinates had long regained their senses. Seeing Jiang Yun evading beneath Xiao Kuan's fist in a pathetic state, the five of them encircled and blocked Jiang Yun's retreat.

The space for Jiang Yun to dodge within the encirclement of the five subordinates became increasingly limited. With Xiao Kuan's fist approaching, it seemed that Jiang Yun had no escape.

Just as the situation seemed dire, in the blink of an eye, when Xiao Kuan's fist with its aura was only a foot away, Jiang Yun instantly closed in on one of the subordinates and snatched a knife from the servant's hand.

The glint of the blade flashed and disappeared.

No matter how powerful the punch was, it couldn't withstand the sharpness of the blade, especially since Jiang Yun had exerted the last trace of internal energy from his dantian into the sword technique.

Xiao Kuan's right arm was severed under the blade's light, and the gushing blood from the wound emitted a sound like flowing water.

"Ah!"

With a miserable scream, Xiao Kuan was overwhelmed by the sudden surge of pain and fainted on the spot.

The five subordinates looked at Jiang Yun as he turned around to face them, and one of them quickly reacted and knelt down on both knees, pleading, "Lord Jiang, I was forced by our master. Please spare me."

This subordinate's acting skills were profound, with tears and a pitiful appearance that could evoke sympathy if not for their previous brutality.

Seeing this, the other four followed suit and knelt down, imitating the same posture. In an instant, cries and pleas filled the air, each one more pitiful than the last.