Yuan’s Ascension

A first-rate Adept? A trace of ‘panic’ flickered across Wu Yuan's face, but he didn't stay still. With a somersault, he rolled to a corner of the room. He had long foreseen the approaching danger. If Gu Ji proved unable to hold them off, then he would step in.

An assassin? Wu Yuan's eyes skimmed the darkness. In the dim lighting, he made out the figure of the assassin who mistakenly thought himself well concealed.

The figure was tall and armed with a long sword. His fair palm gripped the hilt while a black cloth partially concealed his face, revealing a pair of murderous eyes.

Just as Wu Yuan dodged the attack, Gu Ji barged into the room.

"Die!" With a sudden motion, Gu Ji's saber unleashed a flurry of blade rays, enveloping the swordsman from every direction.

No words were exchanged, nor were any questions asked.

One was a protector, the other an assassin. The moment their gazes met, they didn’t hold anything back, fighting with their lives on the line.

This was the norm. Only those who survived had the privilege of showing off.

As sword clashed against saber, sparks ignited the air as steel rang. The youth exerted all his effort to defend himself, retreating little by little. A trace of shock flickered in his eyes.

Boom~ Boom~ The full-force collision between two first-rate Adepts employing Power Surge resulted in a torrential clash, generating a force of over 100,000 catties. Windows shattered, doors splintered, floors trembled, and wooden fragments scattered through the air.

Realizing his initial strike had missed, Gu Ji abruptly brandished a shorter blade in his left hand. It was a foot shorter than his other saber.

Whoosh! Whoosh! With dual sabers in hand, Gu Ji's aura transformed once again. Now, his initial saber technique, which once balanced both offense and defense, had shifted entirely towards offense. Each swipe of his saber was swiftly followed by another, each strike faster than the last, like rivulets of silvery light cascading toward the youth.

The sinister youth found himself pushed into a disadvantageous position, forced to retreat incessantly as splintered wood flew everywhere. In the blink of an eye, he retreated through two rooms.

Suddenly, Gu Ji’s movements surged dramatically, leaving the sinister youth no chance to evade. A deep gash materialized on his abdomen, causing blood to spill out.

"Die!" Gu Ji's eyes remained cold, devoid of any hint of joy or sorrow.

The youth's heart palpitated wildly as he looked into his opponent's emotionless eyes. This man wasn’t just a first-rate Adept, he was nearly a Savant expert!

The Cloudstride Sect actually sent such an expert to protect him? If this continues, my life might end here today. The youth gritted his teeth, feeling utterly powerless.

Is this Gu Ji's true strength?A dual-saber style? The second one appears to be a shorter blade? Wu Yuan observed the battle from a corner of the room, his eyes bright with curiosity.

Mastering the art of the saber was relatively straightforward. As the saying goes: it takes a month to achieve proficiency with the staff, a year with the saber, and a lifetime with the spear!

However, this saying did not account for dual sabers. Wielding multiple weapons did not automatically translate to enhanced combat ability. Dual sabers required a higher level of bodily control and coordination of the musculoskeletal system, placing greater demands on the martial artist.

This was especially so for dual sabers of different lengths. If one lacked competence, the combined power of both weapons would not match that of a single saber.

The saber strike that inflicted the abdominal wound earlier must have been imbued with Threefold Power Surge. However, if the explosion of threefold force is not properly controlled, it places immense strain on the body and can easily expose vulnerabilities in one's defense.

Unleashing greater strength did not always equate to superiority. In battle, strength alone did not guarantee victory; agility held equal importance. The crux of the matter lay in control. To be truly formidable, strength must be wielded with composure and precision. If control slipped, even the greatest strength was futile.

In terms of sheer physical strength, I am weaker than both of them. However, if a real fight ensues, I should be able to kill them swiftly.

Wu Yuan was confident in his ability, which was the reason behind his unflappable state of mind throughout the journey. With great strength naturally came confidence.

Hmm? Wu Yuan's ear twitched. His heightened awareness allowed him to gain an overview of the movements within the ship and broadly understand the condition of each guard.

The situation doesn’t look good! Someone had gotten injured.

It was clear that Gu Ji possessed the strength to defeat this young opponent, given enough time. However, the enemy held the advantage in the battle taking place on the ship's first-level deck. By the time Gu Ji arrived to assist, Wu Xiong and the others would likely have suffered heavy casualties.

Looks like I'll have to take some risks.

He did not have a heart of compassion that yearned to save the world, but these valiant guards were here for his sake, to protect him on his journey.

During the earlier assassination attempt at the Meandering Forest Gorge, Wu Yuan refrained from intervening, knowing it was unnecessary and would only expose himself. But now, darkness enveloped them. Furthermore, Gu Ji was entangled with the youth in a fierce battle, while the others were all on the first floor.

No one would notice him leaving his room.

Wu Yuan glided out of the wrecked chamber, his movements as ethereal as a specter. He vanished into the shadows, his watchful gaze sweeping over the deck where a fierce battle raged.

"Kill!" A group of black-clad men, numbering around a dozen, seemed to be gaining the upper hand against Wu Xiong and his allies. These men were well-trained, and armed with shields and sabers. Astonishingly, they were all third-rate Adepts!

If not for the fact that Wu Xiong’s group was equally battle-hardened and putting up a united front, they might have suffered numerous casualties by now. Nonetheless, several of them had already been wounded.

"Hold on! We just have to endure until Senior Ji arrives!" Wu Xiong roared. As third-rate Adepts, their senses were keen, and they could all perceive that Gu Ji held a clear advantage in the duel.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! In the chaotic and tumultuous environment, with the river raging around them, no one detected the sound of throwing knives slicing through the air. Such was the swiftness of these blades.

Boom! Boom! Like exploding watermelons, the heads of four of the most ferocious black-clad men were instantly obliterated, their lives snuffed out in an instant!

"What?" The remaining assassins were all taken aback. Even Wu Xiong and his guards were momentarily stunned.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Once again, streaks of light pierced through the darkness, hurtling towards the other assailants.

This time, the group of assassins were on high alert and instantly noticed the knives. But the throwing knives moved too swiftly, leaving no time for the targets to react. As they attempted to block with their sabers, it was already too late—the knives had found their mark.

A thunderous sound followed as two skulls exploded into fragments. While two others managed to evade the attack, one wasn't as fortunate. Half his neck was sliced open, blood spurting wildly from the wound. The final man's arm was slashed, the impact threatening to shatter his entire limb.

Out of the thirteen figures clad in black, seven met their demise, and one was gravely wounded. It all happened in an instant.

“An expert!”

“Is a stealth weapons expert assisting us? Has the sect sent another top-notch fighter in secret?”

"Who could it be?" Wu Xiong and his men were both shocked and elated. They instinctively scanned the darkness, hoping to catch a glimpse of their savior.

But was anyone truly there?

“Attack!” Wu Xiong bellowed. With a physique as robust as a bear, he brandished two short spears, "An expert from the sect has come to suppress them, annihilate them all!"

“Attack!”

“Attack!” The guards felt a renewed surge of confidence. Like a relentless tide, they descended upon the remaining figures in black.

On the other hand, the black-clad assassins peered fearfully into the shadows of the boat, feeling as though they were fighting with their hands tied. With such a stealth weapons expert hiding in the darkness, who would dare let their guard down?

In an instant, the tables turned. The group of assassins found themselves plunged into despair, at a complete disadvantage.

An expert in stealth weaponry? Though the two first-rate Adepts were fighting an all-out battle, they remained attentive to the other battle. Naturally, they could perceive the shift in the situation on the deck. However, their thoughts were drastically different.

The sect even sent an expert in stealth weapons without my knowledge? Throughout the journey, even I was completely unaware of their presence. The sect must truly value Wu Yuan.

Not everyone could master the art of stealth weapons.

A thought flashed through Gu Ji's mind and he bellowed, "Haha, you riffraff of the Wingborne Sect. Better watch your step!"

"Hmph!" The youth's icy gaze remained unfazed. But deep inside, his heart sank into the depths of despair.

He knew he was outmatched by Gu Ji, barely able to hold him off. And now, a mysterious expert in stealth weapons had joined the fray, a veritable 'dragon whose head was seen but tail was not' [1]. Who knew when or where this hidden opponent would strike from? The majority of his subordinates had already fallen victim to this hidden expert's deadly skills. With a heavy heart, he acknowledged the failure of their mission.

Flee! The youth made his decision without hesitation. Blocking Gu Ji's saber with a swift stroke of his own sword, he stomped a hole into a floorboard beneath him. Then, he jumped through the gap into a room on the first floor.

The youth avoided escaping directly from the second floor as he would have nowhere to draw strength from once he was in mid-air. If a stealth weapon attacked him then, he would be awaiting death like a sitting duck.

"You think you can escape?" Gu Ji's eyes were icy. His body glowed a faint crimson, and his speed increased dramatically, surpassing the youth by a fair margin. He jumped through the hole in the floorboard in pursuit.

Swish! Gu Ji's dual blades slashed through the air like a violent storm, blade rays flashing like streaks of lightning.

Clang! The youth desperately blocked Gu Ji's deadly barrage, his face turning red as he strained himself to his limits.

For a moment, the air was filled with the glint of blades and afterimages of swords. The explosive collisions and waves of aftershocks turned the area into a wreckage.

Boom! Boom! The two first-rate Adepts shattered the wooden panels of the room on the first floor almost simultaneously, stepping onto the open deck. The deck was still a scene of chaos, the battle far from over.

The moment the youth set foot on the deck, another throwing knife silently materialized.

Whiz! Before the sound reached his ears, the knife was already in front of him.

"Argh!" The youth roared in rage. He had maintained a constant vigilance against the mysterious stealth weapons expert, allowing him to perceive the sneak attack almost immediately. He desperately swung his long sword, attempting to deflect the throwing knife. However, Gu Ji's relentless assault made it difficult for him to focus on responding to the throwing knife. By the time he noticed, it was already somewhat too late.

The youth swung his long sword with all his might, the tip of the sword barely brushing past the throwing knife, missing by only a hair’s breadth.

Among experts, life or death was often determined by such a narrow margin.

The throwing knife sliced through his unprotected skull, sending his head soaring as blood sprayed into the air. The youth was dead!

Even in death, the youth couldn't comprehend why the Cloudstride Sect attached such importance to Wu Yuan that they would dispatch two top-tier Adepts to protect him.

"Kill!" Gu Ji's eyes flickered upon witnessing the youth's demise. Without the slightest hesitation, he turned around and advanced toward the three black-clothed men who continued to put up a desperate resistance. "Leave one alive!" he commanded.

…

Three out of four rooms on the second floor of the boat had been decimated in the battle. After Wu Yuan expertly killed the youth with a well-aimed throwing knife, he quietly withdrew to the sole remaining intact chamber.

Black Pagoda, blood-red mist! Wu Yuan showed no joy over the death of his enemy, instead a hint of shock emerged on his face.

At this very moment, his awareness converged in the upper dantian lobe. Here, he sensed a copious amount of blood-red mist billowing forth from the towering black pagoda's massive gates and windows.

Thick layers of this crimson mist encircled the black pagoda!

1. a metaphor for extremely powerful people whose whereabouts remain a mystery ☜