Chapter 106: Water Decision |
In the reed marshes, killing intent had condensed into something tangible.
Fat rippled across Wang Hai's face as fierce light burst from his eyes.
Zhao Kang's aura was even more concentrated like iron, his Gengjin true qi circulating throughout his body. His fists clenched tight, knuckles crackling like fried beans as he prepared to strike.
Chen Qing gripped the Cold Flood Dragon Spear tightly in his hands.
The night air grew cool, with only the sound of river water lapping against the reeds creating a rustling noise.
Time seemed frozen in place.
The next moment, Wang Hai's obese body suddenly lunged forward, his movements carrying a swift and slippery quality that didn't match his physique.
He was a disciple of the Guishui Courtyard, deeply versed in the soft nature of Guishui. His footwork was like treading on waves, leaving only shallow marks on the muddy ground.
The long sword at his waist unsheathed like silk, his wrist shaking rapidly as the sword tip transformed into several cunning and vicious arcs, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, striking directly at the tendons of Chen Qing's spear-holding wrist, his elbow joint, and his armpit.
This was an extremely sinister close-combat entanglement technique from the "Thousand Layers Wave Sword Manual" called Water Snake Coiling Tendons, specifically designed to break spear and staff long weapons.
Almost simultaneously with Wang Hai's sword strike, Zhao Kang also moved.
He had no fancy footwork, charging forward like a wild bull. His feet exerted force, mud splattering everywhere, each step causing the ground to rumble with a dull sound, leaving deep footprints.
His right fist pulled back to its limit, blue veins bulging on his arm like twisted steel wire. Gengjin true qi concentrated at his knuckles, the muscle fibers beneath his skin clearly visible, emitting a dull, iron-like low hum.
The air seemed compressed by invisible force. He didn't strike at vital points directly, but instead delivered a fierce low sweep, pouring his rigid and mighty force into his leg, sweeping like a steel whip toward the side of Chen Qing's supporting knee.
If this sweep connected solidly, it would be enough to break the leg bones of an ordinary embracing elixir strength practitioner.
Simultaneously, his left fist was poised to strike, like a loaded crossbow, firmly locked onto any opening Chen Qing might expose while dodging the lower body attack.
This was a standard upper and lower pincer attack, forcing the opponent to be unable to defend both sides.
Facing this vicious and cunning sword technique and the fierce, domineering leg attack from above and below, Chen Qing's eyes remained calm, but his body reacted swift as lightning.
He didn't clash head-on with Wang Hai's sword shadows. His right hand holding the spear suddenly shook and twisted.
The Cold Flood Dragon Spear seemed to come alive, the spear butt instantly sweeping out in a semicircle like a scorpion's tail, meeting the sword spine that was thrusting toward his wrist with perfect precision.
Clang!
A crisp collision! The force contained in the spear butt shook Wang Hai's wrist numb, causing his sword momentum to deflect slightly.
At the same time, Chen Qing's waist and hips twisted sharply, driving his upper body to sidestep half a pace, narrowly allowing Wang Hai's subsequent sword strikes aimed at his elbow and armpit to graze past his clothing.
The chilling wind stirred up by the cold Guishui true qi instantly raised goosebumps on his arm.
Almost simultaneously with sidestepping to avoid the sword, Chen Qing's left leg lifted like a spring, knee slightly bent, calf muscles instantly tightening like iron. He didn't choose to clash directly against that leg sweep capable of splitting tendons and breaking bones, but instead used the outer side of his shin bone to precisely meet the bend of Zhao Kang's sweeping leg!
Smack!
A dull sound! Chen Qing's shin struck hard at Zhao Kang's power point. Zhao Kang felt his mighty sweeping leg was like kicking a boulder. A cunning rebounding force shot up through his leg tendons, instantly numbing his entire right leg. His prepared left fist was also delayed by half a beat due to his slightly lost center of gravity!
This was a common leg-intercepting technique, emphasizing using a point to break a surface, disrupting the opponent's power delivery.
Chen Qing had never been one to sit and wait for death.
In the flash of lightning, he dissolved their combined attack, and his counterattack followed immediately.
Chen Qing borrowed the rebounding force from blocking Wang Hai's sword technique and the reaction force from intercepting Zhao Kang's leg attack. His waist and stance instantly unified, center of gravity sinking down, his entire person like taking root in the earth.
The Cold Flood Dragon Spear erupted with piercing humming in his hands, Qingmu true qi surging forth!
Mountain Suppressing Prison Spear! Moving Mountains and Unloading Seas!
The spear shaft didn't thrust straight or sweep horizontally, but instead traced a heavy and strange arc.
The spear tip stirred the surrounding air, bringing up a true qi vortex, striking with perfect precision on Wang Hai's sword blade that couldn't withdraw in time due to his numb wrist.
Chen Qing's arm muscles bulged, the Eight Extremes Vajra Body operating, flesh, blood, tendons and bones crackling like thunder and lightning. An irresistible force transmitted through the spear shaft.
Wang Hai felt an irresistible massive force transmitted from his sword blade. He instinctively circulated Guishui true qi, just surging onto the sword blade when that massive force suddenly changed, from pulling to pushing, like being struck hard by a moving mountain.
"Let go!" Chen Qing shouted in a low voice.
"Clang!"
Wang Hai could no longer maintain his grip, the long sword flew from his hand, spinning as it fell into distant muddy water.
His obese body was shaken by this massive force, staggering backward, nearly falling, his face full of horror.
At the same time, Chen Qing's spear momentum continued unabated.
That heavy spear shaft, borrowing the remaining momentum from adhering to Wang Hai's long sword, like a giant paddle striking water, brought wind and thunder sounds as it swung fiercely toward Zhao Kang who had just steadied himself!
Boom!
The long spear swept over, the air seeming to explode, creating a trembling sound.
Zhao Kang could no longer dodge. He crossed both hands, the Gengjin true qi in his body surging like a tide, attaching to his body surface, preparing to withstand this mighty and heavy strike.
"Bang!"
The spear shaft struck hard on Zhao Kang's crossed arms, producing a dull sound.
Like a heavy hammer beating a drum!
The mud beneath Zhao Kang's feet exploded, his entire person hammered so that both feet sank deep into the mud up to his ankles.
Both his arms were in splitting pain, his protective Gengjin true qi shaken, throat sweetening as a mouthful of fresh blood surged up only to be forcibly swallowed down.
Zhao Kang's eyes finally showed an expression of disbelief.
Both were at the early stage of embracing elixir strength cultivation, how could Chen Qing have such domineering power?
In just a few breaths, their combined attack was broken, Wang Hai's weapon knocked away, Zhao Kang seriously injured from withstanding the heavy strike.
Both were seasoned veterans who knew Chen Qing's terror from just a few exchanges. Continuing to fight would likely result in more misfortune than fortune.
No longer having half a point of fighting spirit in their hearts.
"Split up and run!" Wang Hai roared in a low voice, no longer maintaining any master's demeanor.
His obese body burst forth with amazing speed, Guishui true qi madly pouring into both legs. His figure slid backward several zhang like a startled fat catfish, while his left hand waved fiercely, sending several condensed bone-piercing cold Guishui true qi arrows shooting out. The target wasn't Chen Qing, but the ground and space between him and Chen Qing!
"Poof poof poof!"
The water arrows exploded, instantly transforming into large patches of mist.
This mist spread and rose, not only obscuring vision but also freezing the qi and blood in the body, making one step into an icy quagmire.
Clearly Wang Hai wanted to rely on this move to block Chen Qing's pursuit.
There were also several water arrows shot toward Chen Qing's face, the purpose being to force the latter to dodge or parry.
Zhao Kang ignored his severe internal pain and injuries, similarly pouring Gengjin true qi into both legs, forcefully pulling his feet from the mud, bringing up large patches of filth as he plunged into the dense, deep reed marshes in the opposite direction from Wang Hai, fleeing desperately.
He even grabbed a handful of mud, throwing it backward without looking, not seeking to harm the enemy but only to interfere with Chen Qing's vision.
In this moment, both displayed the ruthless decisiveness of old river and lake veterans, fleeing separately, seeking just a thread of survival.
"Want to leave?" Chen Qing's eyes were ice cold, killing intent sharp as a blade.
Guishui true mist spread over, cold qi instantly attacking.
He took a deep breath, the Qingmu true qi in his body circulating at high speed, life force flourishing like lighting a warm furnace inside his body, forcefully dispelling most of the invading cold qi. Though his movements were slightly hindered, the impact was limited.
Facing the incoming water arrows, Chen Qing simply pointed with his spear tip, precisely shattering them.
His gaze instantly locked onto Wang Hai fleeing toward the mudflats. This person was sinister and cunning-minded, posing a greater threat that must be eliminated first.
He didn't even glance at Zhao Kang escaping into the deep reeds. His figure suddenly crouched low, then his feet exerted force!
"Boom!"
The hard beach stones beneath his feet were crushed to powder, stone fragments shooting out!
Chen Qing's entire person shot forward like an arrow released from a bowstring, like lightning tearing through the night curtain, carrying an unstoppable momentum as he boldly charged through the water mist.
Wang Hai fled desperately, his obese body bursting forth with speed extremely disproportionate to his physique. Guishui true qi used to the extreme, his Wave Treading movement technique pushed to its limit, each step seeking to gain maximum propulsive force with minimum contact area, kicking up patches of mud.
He heard the rapidly approaching footsteps and crisp sounds of breaking reeds behind him, scared out of his wits!
He suddenly leaped up, his obese body bursting forth with its final strength, trying to drill into that area where the reeds were most densely packed!
However, just as he rose up!
Swoosh!
A piercing whistle tore through the air!
Chen Qing, in high-speed pursuit, lightning-fast swept his left hand across his waist. Three golden money darts with exceptionally sharp-ground edges, carrying fierce wind, shot out in a triangular formation!
Not aimed at Wang Hai's vital points, but at the three positions where he would land after rising!
Floating Light Passing Shadow Hand! Scattered Stars!
Chen Qing's hidden weapon techniques had reached the great achievement realm, so fast they left only afterimages, especially in this nighttime, making them impossible to guard against.
Puff!
Wang Hai instinctively dodged two of the cold gleams, but the last money dart struck hard into his back.
This caused his steps to falter.
Chen Qing's eyes burst with cold light. Borrowing his forward charge momentum, he fiercely crushed the bowl-thick reed roots beneath his feet, his entire person soaring into the air.
In mid-air, his waist and abdomen bent backward like a great bow, storing power. Surging Qingmu true qi poured entirely into the Cold Flood Dragon Spear in his hands!
Mountain Suppressing Prison Spear! Falling Meteor from Heaven!
Man borrowed spear momentum, spear assisted man's might!
Chen Qing was like a soaring falcon, carrying the terrifying power of a falling meteor, boldly diving down from Wang Hai's diagonal rear upper position.
The spear tip tore through the air, producing a fierce whistle capable of piercing eardrums!
Before the spear arrived, that terrifying wind pressure had already firmly locked onto Wang Hai, the mud beneath his feet compressed and scattered in all directions!
Wang Hai looked up in horror, seeing only a spear shadow rapidly enlarging in his pupils!
Boom!!!!
The Cold Flood Dragon Spear, carrying unmatched kinetic energy and penetrating power, its tip irresistibly tearing through flesh and directly piercing Wang Hai's chest.
Crack! Splurt!
The heart-chilling sound of bones exploding rang out!
"Ahh!" Wang Hai let out a short, piercing scream. His obese body was like a toad nailed to the ground, suddenly arching upward then heavily crashing down, convulsing a few times before completely losing all breath.
The Cold Flood Dragon Spear stuck in Wang Hai's corpse, still trembling.
Chen Qing looked expressionlessly toward the direction Zhao Kang had fled.
"How could this be..." Zhao Kang heard the terrifying impact and Wang Hai's abruptly cut-off scream from behind!
His liver and gall were now completely shattered. He had just plunged into the cold muddy water, wanting to swim underwater or hide using the floating weeds and water grass.
Chen Qing pulled out his spear, the spear tip bringing up a trail of blood droplets and flesh fragments. Wang Hai's obese corpse slumped in the muddy reed root clusters.
His ice-cold killing intent instantly locked onto the other side.
Zhao Kang was plunging into that shallow waterlogged area!
He heard Wang Hai's dying scream and knew that Chen Qing's next target would be himself.
The desire to survive overwhelmed everything. He endured the severe pain in both arms and his churning internal organs, suddenly standing up from the turbid muddy water, desperately pouring his remaining Gengjin true qi into both legs.
He knew deeply that staying in the water hollow made him a sitting duck for Chen Qing. He had to get ashore, had to create distance!
Zhao Kang let out a low roar, both feet stomping fiercely!
Mud splattered! His burly body, borrowing this explosive force, shot up from the water like a cannonball!
He wanted to execute the 'Dry Land Spring Onion' combined with 'Eight Step Toad Chase' movement technique, directly leaping onto the high ground several zhang away on the shore, then borrowing force to flee far away.
However, both his arms were disabled, especially his right arm hanging limp. He couldn't coordinate arm swinging for assistance as usual, causing his form to inevitably show a trace of wobbling.
In a life-and-death chase, this was a fatal flaw!
How could Chen Qing give him this opportunity? Just as Zhao Kang's form rose up!
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Several piercing air-breaking sounds almost simultaneously tore through the night curtain.
Chen Qing's left hand swept across his waist, five money darts, driven by the exquisite force of Floating Light Passing Shadow Hand, transformed into five dark gleams barely visible to the naked eye, shooting out.
The target wasn't Zhao Kang's vital points, but the ankle joints of both legs just as he left the water with nowhere to borrow force.
Floating Light Passing Shadow Hand! Soul Chaser!
Specifically targeting joints, breaking his lightness skill movement techniques!
Zhao Kang was in mid-air with nowhere to borrow force to change direction! He looked down in horror, seeing only five points of cold light instantly arriving!
"Not good!" He roared wildly in his heart, desperately trying to curl up both legs!
Poof! Poof! Poof!
Two money darts tore through the air, carrying piercing whistles, precisely striking the ligaments on both sides of Zhao Kang's left and right ankle joints simultaneously!
The third money dart, silent yet swift as lightning, precisely embedded itself in his vital back point!
Zhao Kang cried out strangely, the severe pain and ligament tearing sensation instantly destroying the foundation of his movement technique.
The Gengjin true qi concentrated in both legs instantly collapsed!
He was like a bird with broken wings, his form suddenly askew, his ascending momentum abruptly stopped as he heavily crashed back into the cold muddy waterlogged area!
"Splash!"
Water and mud splashed high!
Zhao Kang was thrown into confusion, cold muddy water choking his mouth and nose. The drilling pain in his ankles nearly made him faint.
He struggled to get up, but just as he arduously supported himself up, he collapsed again.
Chen Qing walked over slowly, the tip of the Cold Flood Dragon Spear dripping with Wang Hai's fresh blood, refracting cold light in the moonlight.
His gaze fell on Zhao Kang without any emotional fluctuation.
Zhao Kang raised his head, his face covered in mud, mixed with fear and despair.
"Speak," Chen Qing asked coldly, "Where did the fishing ground deficit go? Who is behind you? Who transferred away the former Executive Mao? Why choose me as this fishing ground executive?"
Zhao Kang breathed heavily, staring fixedly at Chen Qing. His eyes flickered with madness and unwillingness, finally showing a trace of resigned bitter laughter through the madness.
"You cough cough cough... you're just a scapegoat," he said.
Chen Qing's brows slightly furrowed, the spear tip pressing down slightly, the invisible pressure making Zhao Kang cough more violently.
"Scapegoat?" Chen Qing's voice carried a trace of cold intent.
Zhao Kang's body convulsed violently, fresh blood continuously flowing from his mouth, "The accounts accounts were already cooked long ago, the hole can't be filled. When Elder Zhao comes to investigate at year's end, all the deficits, all the blame will be placed on your head! You're just a Qingmu Courtyard disciple with no background or foundation..."
His words came to an abrupt halt, his last bit of strength exhausted. The light in his eyes completely extinguished as his head powerlessly tilted to one side, falling into the cold muddy water.
Only the turbid water surface continued to ripple slightly.
Night wind swept across the reed marshes, bringing the pungent smell of blood and mud, also bringing deeper cold.
"Scapegoat..." Chen Qing chewed on these three words, thoughts racing rapidly in his mind.
Zhao Kang's dying words confirmed the suspicion he had long held in his heart.
Wang Hai and Zhao Kang were merely pawns, with larger figures manipulating from behind.
The transfer of former Executive Mao, his own parachuting in as a newcomer with no foundation, were all to push him out as a scapegoat for this enormous deficit when Elder Zhao conducted his year-end audit.
By then, with both witness and material evidence present, he would be unable to clear himself even with a hundred mouths.
Sect laws were strict. Embezzlement and private enrichment were serious crimes, the light punishment being martial arts abolishment and expulsion from the sect, the heavy punishment... life would be hard to preserve!
He couldn't sit and wait for death.
With Wang and Zhao both dead, those behind them would surely notice soon.
Crisis was imminent!
Chen Qing suppressed his churning emotions, his eyes returning to ice cold.
The urgent priority was erasing traces!
He dragged Wang Hai and Zhao Kang's corpses to more concealed places in the deep reeds, burying them separately from Zhang Wei's body, and cleaned up obvious fighting traces as much as possible.
After finishing this, he began collecting spoils of war.
Zhao Kang had few valuables on him, only several hundred taels in bank notes and some loose silver.
Wang Hai was much more prosperous. Besides over two thousand taels in bank notes, Chen Qing also found two thin silk booklets in his inner pocket.
By the surrounding moonlight, the cover writing was clear: "Mysterious Nether True Water Art" first three levels of heart method.
"Superior heart method of Guishui Courtyard..." Chen Qing thought silently. Wang Hai being from Guishui Courtyard having this heart method wasn't surprising.
When his gaze fell on the second booklet, his eyes couldn't help but concentrate.
The cover writing flowed like water waves: "Wave Treading Step."
Wasn't this exactly the slippery and swift movement technique that was extremely inconsistent with Wang Hai's obese physique?
Earlier when Wang Hai executed this movement technique, his feet were like treading on waves, leaving only shallow marks on the muddy shoals, his movements cunning and swift, leaving Chen Qing with an extremely deep impression.
"Guishui Courtyard's exclusive movement technique..." Chen Qing thought silently, "No wonder it was so difficult to deal with."
Subsequently, a golden light appeared in Chen Qing's mind.
[Heaven Rewards Diligence, Success Guaranteed]
[Mysterious Nether True Water Art: Beginner (1/1000)]
"Their fishing ground residences might still have things," Chen Qing's gaze looked toward the direction of fishing grounds six and eight.
These two came out tonight to receive goods, certainly wouldn't bring all their possessions.
Their real wealth should still be in their residences.
With these two dead, temporarily no one knew, it was the golden time for searching.
Chen Qing took a deep breath, silently infiltrating Wang Hai's residence at Fishing Ground No. 6, then visited Zhao Kang's room at Fishing Ground No. 8.
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