Chapter 320: Battle of Death
"As you command!"
Hearing Zhang Tianqui's order, two martial arts experts from the Black Market let out sinister laughs, raising their war blades to strike Chang Qiqi.
"Wait..."
Si Xingkong clenched his teeth and said, "Zhang Tianqui, I agree... I agree... isn't that enough?"
"Haha!"
Zhang Tianqui laughed loudly and said, "Truly loyal and righteous, I can't help but admire you. Since that's the case, then kneel and kowtow!"
Zhang Tianqui released his foot from Si Xingkong's back and stepped aside, a hint of anticipation rising in his heart.
A few months ago, Si Xingkong was still that spirited senior brother of the Martial Market Academy, and even he had been defeated by Si Xingkong's hand.
Yet just a few months later, Si Xingkong lay on the ground like a dog, with his life and death in Zhang Tianqui's control.
This feeling of power and authority was truly intoxicating!
Si Xingkong dragged his heavily injured body up from the ground, staring at Zhang Tianqui standing before him.
As a martial artist, he could choose to die with dignity rather than suffer humiliation.
But as a friend and as a senior brother of the sect, he could not ignore the life and death of his junior brother.
He had pride in his heart, dignity, but also loyalty and righteousness.
He had to choose between his own dignity and his junior brother's life.
This was a dilemma even harder than death itself. If he had a choice, he would rather choose to die himself—that would be much easier.
Si Xingkong closed his eyes, let out a long sigh, and his legs bent slightly as he prepared to kneel.
The smile on Zhang Tianqui's face grew even more brilliant.
Just then, two ice swords formed from water rose up from the river, spinning continuously as they shot toward the Red Spider Giant Ship.
"Pfft!"
The two three-foot-long ice swords pierced through the true qi shields of the two Black Market martial arts experts who had been holding Chang Qiqi, stabbing into their backs and emerging from their chests, revealing the icy sword tips.
The sword tips were stained with blood, turning crimson like blood jade.
"Ah..."
"Young Master, save... me..."
The two Black Market martial arts experts stared at the ice swords piercing through their chests, their bodies turning ice-cold, their hearts filled with terror.
"Thump! Thump!"
Their life force gradually drained away, and their vision went dark as they collapsed to the ground almost simultaneously.
No blood flowed from the wounds on their chests.
Because the blood had already been sealed by the ice.
The sudden incident startled all the martial artists on the Red Spider Giant Ship, and their gazes turned toward the water's surface.
A hundred zhang away, on the black water, a martial artist clad in crimson armor, holding a broken sword, walked across the water, step by step toward the Red Spider Giant Ship.
With each step he took, the water within several zhang of his feet froze into ice.
It was he who had just used ice swords to kill the two Black Market martial arts experts.
"Zhang Ruochen!"
Although Zhang Ruochen was completely covered by armor, Jin Chuan still recognized him.
Jin Chuan's five fingers clenched tightly together, both furious and excited.
Furious because Zhang Ruochen had killed his daughter, Jin Yeyun.
Of course, Jin Yeyun had actually died by A Le's sword, but Jin Chuan didn't know that, so he attributed that hatred to Zhang Ruochen.
Excited because Zhang Ruochen had finally appeared.
If Zhang Ruochen had hidden himself, finding him in the vast waters would have been no easy task.
Besides Jin Chuan, the most excited person present was Zhang Tianqui.
He had originally only wanted to humiliate Si Xingkong to salvage his own face after losing to him, but he hadn't expected the unexpected gain of luring Zhang Ruochen out as well.
Excellent!
"Zhang Ruochen! Zhang Ruochen! Heaven has a path you refuse to walk; hell has no door yet you barge in. Today, if you can still escape, I, Zhang Tianqui, will write my name backward."
Zhang Tianqui was ecstatic, his blood boiling.
As long as he killed Zhang Ruochen, the halos that once belonged to him would return. Everything Zhang Ruochen had taken from him, he would reclaim with interest.
In truth, Zhang Ruochen didn't want to choose this path of death either.
If he had stayed hidden in the water and ignored the fates of Chang Qiqi and Si Xingkong, naturally the Black Market martial artists wouldn't have discovered him.
But he couldn't get past his own conscience.
Just like Si Xingkong, who had to choose between dignity and his junior brother's life, did Zhang Ruochen have any other choice?
Rather than choosing to live in cowardice, silently watching his fellow disciples suffer humiliation, it was better to charge out and fight—even if it meant losing his life, at least he would live with integrity and passion.
Even Di Yi, sitting in the cabin, turned slightly to look out the window at the water, his gaze fixed on the armored youth. A curve formed at the corner of his mouth. "He chose to reveal himself voluntarily. I wonder if this is foolishness or true boldness."
Zhang Ruochen stopped fifty zhang from the Red Spider Giant Ship and said loudly, "Release Senior Brother Chang and Senior Brother Si. I'll take their place as your prisoner."
Jin Chuan stood at the bow, his face twisted with a cold sneer. "Zhang Ruochen, what right do you have to negotiate with us, the Black Market? Since you've appeared here, do you think you still have a chance to escape? Guo Shisan, Xiahou Shuo, the two of you go and capture Zhang Ruochen."
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Guo Shisan and Xiahou Shuo leaped up almost simultaneously, arcing through the air to land on the water, attacking Zhang Ruochen from both sides.
Guo Shisan's strength went without saying—he was a top-tier martial arts grandmaster in the Four Directions Commanderies. Carrying a heavy sword, he could still burst forth at speeds exceeding sound, reaching Zhang Ruochen's right side in an instant.
His feet tread on the water, true qi surging within him, forming a five-meter-diameter blood array beneath his feet. He raised his sword with both hands and, without any flourish, slashed straight down.
A vast sword qi poured down from the blade like a waterfall.
Even the water was split apart by his strike, revealing a deep waterway.
The waves surged to both sides, forming two walls of water.
Zhang Ruochen stood before the sword qi like an ancient pine rooted in the water. He swung his arm, and true qi surged out like a hurricane.
A sheet of water was lifted up, condensing into an ice wall ten meters high and three meters thick.
"Boom!"
Guo Shisan shattered the ice wall with one sword strike, then slashed a second time at Zhang Ruochen's head.
Zhang Ruochen stared at the incoming sword, his pupils contracting. He could clearly see the trajectory and subtlety of Guo Shisan's strike, as if Guo Shisan's speed had slowed down.
In reality, Guo Shisan was extremely fast—faster than Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Ruochen raised the Abyssal Ancient Sword, channeling true qi into his palm to activate the inscription patterns. He lifted his arm, gave it a slight flick, and a sword light slashed out.
This strike was as fast as flowing light.
All the sword qi shot out in an instant.
Seeing the incoming sword qi, Guo Shisan's expression changed slightly. He immediately activated his protective heavenly shield and raised his sword to block.
"Boom!"
Guo Shisan was sent flying backward, crashing down more than ten zhang away. His protective heavenly shield was pierced by the sword qi, leaving two bloody holes in his abdomen and right leg.
"Whoosh!"
Having repelled Guo Shisan, Zhang Ruochen took a step forward, his body floating up as if walking on air, flying toward the Red Spider Giant Ship.
Suddenly, a figure charged at him—it was Jin Chuan's senior disciple, Xiahou Shuo, also a Heavenly Extreme Realm martial arts myth with great fame in the Four Directions Commanderies.
"Zhang Ruochen, if you want to board the Red Spider Giant Ship, you'll have to get past me first."
"Heavenly Origin Gang Qi."
Xiahou Shuo spread his arms, forming a massive spherical gang qi shield forty meters in diameter, emitting a bright white light.
Standing at the center of the gang qi shield, Xiahou Shuo struck out with a palm.
On the surface of the gang qi shield, a huge palm print condensed, pressing down toward Zhang Ruochen's head.
"Flying Dragon in the Sky!"
Zhang Ruochen twisted his body, spinning upward. His bones seemed to link together completely, emitting a sound like a dragon's roar.
"Roar!"
He struck down with a palm, unleashing nearly seven times the attack power, shattering Xiahou Shuo's gang qi shield in an instant.
Xiahou Shuo spat a mouthful of blood. The powerful palm wind struck his body, and with a splash, he fell into the water, sending up a huge spray.
"Incredible! With just one palm, he severely injured Lord Xiahou. Zhang Ruochen truly lives up to being a top expert of the younger generation."
"Guo Shisan was also heavily wounded by his sword. This man can truly be called a dual master of palm and sword, having cultivated both to the extreme."
"Not good, he's flying toward the Red Spider Giant Ship!"
...
Zhang Ruochen landed on the Red Spider Giant Ship, and immediately over a dozen Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection Black Market martial artists charged at him, surrounding him in the center.
"Heart Tides the Waves!"
Zhang Ruochen slashed out with his sword, true qi surging forth as a wave of sword qi.
"Pfft!"
The sword qi swept across the deck, blood splattering and screams filling the air.
Among them, six Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection Black Market martial artists had their bodies severed in two by the sword qi, dying on the spot. Several other high-cultivation martial artists barely managed to block Zhang Ruochen's strike but suffered considerable injuries.
Zhang Ruochen rushed to Chang Qiqi and Si Xingkong, grabbed Chang Qiqi's right arm and Si Xingkong's left arm, intending to take them away.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen holding people with both hands, Zhang Tianqui finally seized the opportunity to strike. He kicked off the ground and unleashed a spirit-level fist technique, aiming at Zhang Ruochen's back.
In a direct confrontation, Zhang Tianqui was no match for Zhang Ruochen.
But now, Zhang Ruochen was carrying two severely injured people and had his back to him.
This punch was enough to severely wound Zhang Ruochen.
Zhang Tianqui was no weakling. As he threw the punch, the bones in his arm emitted a cracking sound, and his fist turned silver, like a fist forged from mithril.
Zhang Ruochen seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, sensing the fist force Zhang Tianqui had unleashed. He pushed Si Xingkong forward, sending him hurtling over the Red Spider Giant Ship's railing and splashing into the water of the Death River Section.
At the same time, Zhang Ruochen spun around sharply and pointed his right thumb.
"Solar Meridian Sword Pulse!"
All the true qi in his body surged to his thumb in an instant, transforming into blazing sword qi that shot out from his fingertip, striking toward Zhang Tianqui's fist.