5 Chapter 4 The Strength of a Cultivator

Thump!

Staring in disbelief at the masked man who had brought him despair, now fallen to the ground, Fang Hanyu's eyes widened in shock.

Such incredible speed!

What kind of steps were those?

Even though Fang Hanyu was a top-tier fighter, he couldn't clearly see Fang Wang's steps from behind. They were just too fast, and his swordplay was even faster.

With just one move, he had killed a top-level fighter!

Fang Hanyu suddenly doubted himself. Was he too weak, or was Fang Wang too strong?

Could it be that he was not first-rate after all?

Fang Wang turned around, wiping his sword blade on the body of the masked man. Once the blood on the blade had been cleaned off, he finally sheathed his sword.

He looked up at Fang Hanyu and said, "If you can still fight, then go and kill the enemy. Aside from those top-level fighters, you are still very strong."

Having said that, Fang Wang turned and left, his feet performing the Shadowless Step. He skimmed over the courtyard wall and vanished into the night.

Taking a deep breath, Fang Hanyu gripped his sword and headed in a different direction.

…

The Fang Residence was in chaos, utter chaos!

Thousands of house servants were all over the place, trying to capture the mysterious black-clothed persons. Each of these black-clothed persons possessed martial skills, with the weakest among them capable of taking on several dozen house servants. This was not to mention the huge threat posed by the top-level fighters.

Boom—

Fang Shi, Fang Wang's uncle, exchanged palm strikes with one of the black-clothed persons. Both parties vied in True Qi, their robes billowing wildly as if they could tear open at any moment. The stone slabs beneath their feet shattered, flowers and plants were swept away, and even the old trees ten steps away shook violently.

"Solar Palm Fang Shi, truly lives up to his reputation. Half a step into the top level, if you weren't the Fang Family's legitimate eldest son, your martial achievements would be even greater. Pity!"

The black-clothed person who had struck Fang Shi sneered. He too wore a mask, a white opera mask, with a sinister, treacherous smile that made him seem like a demon in the dark of night.

Fang Shi, in his prime, his palms as hot as branding irons, countered True Qi. His palms turned red, making the surrounding space seem to waver slightly.

"A top-level fighter hiding his face, lacking the courage befitting a martial artist. If I am to be pitied, then you are indeed laughable!"

Fang Shi snorted coldly, exerted force with his arms, and a powerful burst of True Qi exploded, sending both men staggering back simultaneously.

Fang Shi retreated eight steps, while the other party only five. The superior fighter was clear!

This scene further tightened Fang Shi's heart. As the highest-skilled in martial arts within the Fang Residence, if he couldn't defeat the opponent in front of him, then the Fang Residence might really face the crisis of extermination!

He had previously seen several figures with extremely fast body movements, who were very likely also to be top-level fighters.

The force targeting the Fang Residence capable of rallying so many top-level fighters…

Fang Shi's face turned even more unsightly. His palms changed techniques; True Qi surged, and heat radiated from his hands, which became especially conspicuous under the night sky.

The black-clothed person opposite him did not wield any weapons but instead raised his right leg. His whole body's muscles tensed, giving off a feeling of a terrifying readiness to strike.

After a brief eye contact, the two charged at each other fiercely.

Bang! Bang! Bang...

As they engaged in close combat, Fang Shi used his palms with a forceful, dominant technique that hinted at overwhelming power with a single blow, while the black-clothed person had nimble footwork, his legs like whips. Faced with Fang Shi's moves, he countered every attack with his legs, fast as the wind, forceful as thunder, lifting sand and stones in the courtyard, and random surges of energy wreaking havoc everywhere.

The house servants outside the courtyard looked on in horror, wanting to support Fang Shi, but finding no opportunity to join the fight.

Hundreds surrounded this courtyard, even lining the walls. They drew bows and readied arrows, but sadly their eyes couldn't keep up with the speed of the black-clothed person's movements.

Such scenes were not uncommon in the Fang Residence, whether in courtyards, corridors, gardens, or even atop the rooftops, there were figures engaged in combat.

Though not many high-level martial artists were in the Fang Residence, there were plenty of martially trained offspring and house servants. After all, Fang Meng's reputation as a Duke forged from the battlefield ranked him among the top ten generals at the onset of the Grand Qi Dynasty, commanding supreme power, even leading the armies at his peak. Even after Fang Meng handed over his military power, the spirit of strength deeply ingrained in his bones continued to be passed down within the Fang Residence.

Apart from Fang Shi, all other battles saw the black-clothed persons with the upper hand. This group of assassins had strong martial skills and even when outnumbered, still deftly handled their enemies, with Fang Family members falling every moment.

A murderous, terrifying shadow loomed over the Fang Residence!

Although Fang Wang possessed the stuff of martial legend, he was still just an incredibly powerful mortal after all. He did not have the ability to clone himself; he moved swiftly, taking down more and more black-clothed persons.

Someone witnessed this scene from atop the highest building in the Fang Residence, which was a tower filled with all the books collected by the family. He stood at the pinnacle of the tower, concealed within the night.

It was the Qingyi Daoist.

"Not bad in martial arts, considered truly top-level among warriors. If I hadn't come, perhaps the Prime Minister's scheme might have failed," the Qingyi Daoist said, his lips curling into a disdainful smirk.

Mere mortals practicing martial arts were ultimately still mortals; no matter how strong, they were no match for him!

He was cultivating to become an Immortal!

The Qingyi Daoist raised his left hand, and a Yellow Talisman flew out from his sleeve, hovering above his palm. The talisman burst into light, shining on his face.

At that moment, the Qingyi Daoist's gaze darted towards a certain spot. Following his gaze, one could see a red-clothed young girl standing atop an old tree, staring at him from a distance.

Zhou Xue!

Gazing at the Qingyi Daoist, Zhou Xue's eyes were incredibly cold, filled with a daunting killing intent.

"It's him!"

For the past seven days, she had felt an unreal sensation, afraid it had all been a dream or an illusionary realm. It was not until today, upon seeing that desperate figure from the depths of her memory, that she truly felt reborn.

Hatred!

A desire to kill!

And still a hint of excitement!

The Qingyi Daoist felt Zhou Xue's gaze and couldn't help but frown.

For some reason, Zhou Xue gave him a feeling of danger. His first reaction was that she might be a cultivator, but upon closer observation, she did not have the aura of a cultivator nor did she possess a magic artifact.

The Qingyi Daoist immediately leaped up, like a soaring hawk, slicing through the night sky, charging towards Zhou Xue.

Zhou Xue immediately jumped down from the tree and disappeared into the night. The vast darkness was like daylight to the Qingyi Daoist as he quickly closed in on Zhou Xue.

The Qingyi Daoist tapped his toes over the courtyard wall, light as a swallow. While still midair, he swung his horsetail whisk with his right hand towards Zhou Xue. Almost instantaneously, Zhou Xue suddenly turned around and threw five flying darts, each dart tracing a different arc towards the Qingyi Daoist.

The Qingyi Daoist's eyebrows twitched, the murderous intent in his eyes intensified.

...

Bang!

A figure crashed through the courtyard wall, sending debris flying. He lay on the stone path like a heap of mud, his limbs twisted unnaturally, which was extremely unsettling.

Fang Wang withdrew his right leg that was hanging in mid-air and looked at the corpse in front of him, his face cold.

Tonight was the first time he had killed someone, but he felt no discomfort. He had seen many people at the Fang Residence die tragically, some of whom were his relatives. Hatred had already taken over his mind.

He had slain thirty-seven black-clothed persons, the weakest of whom were second-rate experts, including three top-notch masters.

His performance had been witnessed by many Fang Family members and house servants, but with the Fang Residence still in peril, no one had the time to marvel at his strength. All he saw in his eyes was the task of killing enemies.

He leaped towards the master hall of the residence. Both his parents were inside the hall, and he had been fighting his way there, fearful that something would happen to them.

With the power of a martial myth, Fang Wang was able to kill all the black-clothed persons in his path without using his True Qi. He had been reserving his True Qi, ending the lives of his enemies with the most ruthless moves.

Before long.

Fang Wang made it to the surroundings of the master hall. There were as many as five hundred house servants surrounding the courtyard, making it impenetrable. Already, there were more than a dozen corpses of black-clothed persons.

Fang Wang arrived, haggard but with his white clothes unstained by blood. The house servants recognized him and made way for him.

He proceeded to the hall and, seeing that his parents were still alive, Fang Wang breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wang'er, come here quickly, it's dangerous outside!"

Upon seeing him, Fang Wang's mother, Lady Jiang, urgently called out to him with a wave of her hand.

Fang Yin exhaled with relief upon seeing his son unharmed. He was about to speak when suddenly a huge rumbling noise came from the west, causing everyone to turn their heads in that direction.

Fang Wang also turned his head, and a burst of golden light shone on his face, causing his pupils to dilate.

If he, of all people, was so startled, then it was no surprise the rest were agape, looking as if they had seen a ghost.

To the west, a dazzling golden light was rising between buildings, below which was a figure standing in the air, holding the golden light aloft with his back to the moon. With Fang Wang's exceptional vision, he could see the person's true identity.

It was a Qingyi Daoist, standing on one foot on a wooden sword, his right hand holding a horsetail whisk, and his left hand raised above his head, palm carrying a yellow talisman, from which incessant bursts of golden light emanated, brilliant and blinding.

"What is that?"

"How is it possible, how can someone be in the sky?"

"It's a ghost! A ghost is going to destroy the Fang Residence!"

"It must be a trick; even the top martial masters can't stand in the air!"

"If it's a trick, then why have so many experts attacked the Fang Residence tonight?"

The people of the Fang Residence were talking anxiously, an indescribable panic spreading among them. Even the house servants wielding weapons were frightened, some so much that they began kneeling and praying.

Fang Wang immediately took a step forward, heading in the direction of the Qingyi Daoist. This scene was seen by Lady Jiang.

"Wang'er, what are you doing?"

Lady Jiang shouted, drawing the attention of many people towards Fang Wang. Without looking back, Fang Wang just raised the sword in his hand and leaped up, soaring like a roc, jumping dozens of feet high, and landing on the roof of a distant house. He rushed forward, leaving many of the Fang Family members wide-eyed with astonishment.

The stunned Fang Jin exclaimed, "Fifth Brother, Wang'er's lightness skill is remarkable! Even the eldest brother couldn't jump that high directly."

Fang Yin was taken aback and watched Fang Wang's departing figure for a long time, unable to snap out of it.

The head of the family, Fang Meng, supported by others, was staring intently at the Qingyi Daoist and was not distracted by Fang Wang. His face looked grave for the first time, and he slowly uttered three words that only he could hear:

"Cultivator!"

...

In the ruined courtyard, Zhou Xue with slightly disheveled hair looked up at the Qingyi Daoist high above. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth; her left arm was obviously dislocated and hanging limply.

"Little girl, such dominant poison, this is definitely not something a mortal could concoct. Which sect do you come from? Could it be the Green Cicada Valley?" The Qingyi Daoist, towering above her, looked down at Zhou Xue and asked coldly.

Zhou Xue furrowed her brows tightly and replied coldly, "What other treasures are you hiding on your body?"

At her words, a fierce light flashed in the Qingyi Daoist's pupils and an irrepressible killing intent surfaced. He snorted coldly, "Unwilling to speak, eh? Die, then!"

He violently directed the yellow talisman towards Zhou Xue, and countless golden beams burst forth, like a torrential downpour, aiming for Zhou Xue. She immediately leaped away, but the golden beams were even faster.

After dodging several times, she could feel the limit of her body approaching.

"I didn't expect him to have two decent magic artifacts; it seems his identity isn't that simple." Zhou Xue's heart sank. Did she have to use that move?

Just as she was about to be hit, an arm wrapped around her shoulder, and a massive force pulled her away from the oncoming golden beams. The golden beams hit the ground, piercing through walls, stone slabs, and tree trunks, incredibly sharp.

Zhou Xue turned her head and saw Fang Wang's somewhat youthful and handsome profile.