【 Slaughter Value +100! 】
“Another ninth-grade good-for-nothing!” Lu Ming said coldly.
“D-dead, someone’s dead!”
The surrounding merchants screamed and scattered in all directions.
Someone from the Golden Money Gang was killed; this matter would likely blow up.
Whoosh!
A signal flare shot into the sky!
Bang!
A thunderclap echoed in the clear sky.
Rumble!
Horse hooves sounded from all directions.
“What’s going on?”
Lu Ming and the others immediately felt confused. Just then, a merchant who had run faster returned from a distance, looking panicked.
“Bandits!”
“The bandits are here!”
Poof!
An arrow pierced his chest, and his shouts abruptly ceased.
Immediately after, dozens of horses galloped from all directions, continuously killing the fleeing merchants along the way.
Lu Ming saw a bald, one-eyed bandit among the horse bandits who particularly caught his eye.
“It’s One-Eyed Mountain Ghoul Zhang Mazi!” Luo Wuxie exclaimed in terror.
Qian Duoduo’s forehead was also covered in cold sweat. It was truly a case of 'speak of the devil and he shall appear'.
Speak of people, and they will arrive; speak of ghosts, and they will knock on your door!
He had only casually mentioned this group of bandits, and he didn't expect them to actually appear.
Others might give Face to the Golden Money Gang, but these bandits wouldn't.
Moreover, this One-Eyed Mountain Ghoul Zhang Mazi was an Early Stage eighth-grade master. His Great Strength Eagle Claw Skill had reached Peak mastery. Eight years ago, he came down from Black Wind Stronghold and directly tore apart a Peak ninth-grade Elder of the Cao Gang.
A family of thirteen, all brutally died by his Great Strength Eagle Claw Skill.
He was only Late Stage ninth-grade; even if he fought head-on, he couldn't beat him.
As he pondered, all the fleeing merchants on the periphery had been killed by the horse bandits.
“What a lively day, today!”
“From afar, I saw you brats from the Golden Money Gang acting aggressively on my Black Wind Stronghold’s territory.”
“What, you Golden Money Gang can’t beat the Cao Gang in Shouchun City, so you plan to come up the mountain and be my neighbors?”
One-Eyed Mountain Ghoul Zhang Mazi directly rode his horse into the ranks of the Hongyuan Escort Agency and the Golden Money Gang. No one dared to stop him.
His attention seemed to be on Qian Duoduo and Luo Wuxie, but his peripheral vision had actually been constantly glancing at Lu Ming.
“Heh…”
Lu Ming sneered, directly exposing him.
“No need to pretend, you’re here for me too, aren’t you?”
Hearing this, Zhang Mazi reined in his horse and looked directly at Lu Ming.
What?
Qian Duoduo and Luo Wuxie were simultaneously shocked. Who exactly was this person in front of them, to claim that Zhang Mazi was here for him?
However, Qian Duoduo only thought for a moment before he recognized Lu Ming.
“Lu Ming!”
“How could you be here?”
“Damn it, wasn’t it rumored in the gang that you had fled onto a boat on the Lian River, heading to Qiwu County?”
Qian Duoduo had just received orders from above half an hour ago, saying that Lu Ming had chosen to escape by water and to have them withdraw their forces.
However, he didn't want to make a trip for nothing, so he didn't return immediately. Instead, he thought about making some extra money, so he set up a roadblock here.
He didn't expect to actually catch a big fish.
It’s just… he glanced at Zhang Mazi, and his heart turned cold.
He came here fine, but he couldn't go back.
Lu Ming ignored Qian Duoduo and stared fixedly at Zhang Mazi.
“What benefits did Sword King City give you?”
“A chest of gold bars!”
Zhang Mazi, having been seen through, was very frank and didn't hide anything.
Getting paid to do a job was only right and proper!
However,
More than that, it was his confidence in his own strength.
Aside from Advisor Xie of the Golden Money Gang and Ma Chun of the Cao Gang, he was confident he could handle anyone in Shouchun City.
Of course, the leaders of those two gangs also had to be excluded.
That person in the county yamen also had to be excluded.
Lu Ming shook his head gently:
“Gold bars are good, but unfortunately, you won’t live to spend them!”
“Presumptuous!”
“How can you, a mere youth, criticize Chief Zhang?”
Unexpectedly, Zhang Mazi and the other bandits hadn't even gotten angry, but Qian Duoduo stepped forward instead, scolding Lu Ming.
Moreover, before he finished speaking, his whip lashed out fiercely.
He wanted to curry favor with Zhang Mazi to secure a way out.
Furthermore, Lu Ming was already someone the Golden Money Gang wanted to kill.
Crack!
The nine-section whip produced a sonic boom, instantly transforming into nine venomous snakes, biting towards Lu Ming.
“Be careful, Young Master Lu!” Luo Qinghe cried out with worry.
The other escorts of the Hongyuan Escort Agency, however, closed their eyes. They didn't want to see such a young hero beaten into a dog with a broken spine.
Luo Wuxie had wanted to help, but he had already had several ribs broken by Qian Duoduo’s kick. At this moment, he truly had no strength left to act.
Clang!
Just then, a cold light flashed.
Bang bang bang!
Nine consecutive whip cracks.
It became Qian Duoduo's final swan song.
At some unknown moment, Lu Ming's figure had appeared behind Qian Duoduo, his long saber still dripping blood.
【 Slaughter Value +100! 】
“Watch closely, this is how a battle should be, with all your might.” His voice was cold, but he didn't look back, not even once.
Poof!
Qian Duoduo’s body violently split open, his entire being torn into pieces.
In that instant, he had swung his whip nine times, and Lu Ming had also struck nine times with his saber.
It was just that his whips were all empty, while Lu Ming's saber had landed squarely on his body.
Splash!
Qian Duoduo shattered into several pieces and collapsed to the ground, blood and internal organs spilling everywhere.
Silence!
The entire scene was deathly silent.
Everyone was too shocked to speak.
Among those present, no one saw Lu Ming's saber clearly, except for One-Eyed Mountain Ghoul Zhang Mazi.
“D-dead!”
“A Late Stage ninth-grade master just died like that?”
Clang!
A Golden Money Gang Disciple was so scared that he fell to the ground, his weapon dropping at the same time.
Most of the others had pale Faces, their bodies trembling like sieves.
“What exquisite saber Move!”
Zhang Mazi spoke with a serious expression, at the same time reaching into the satchel on his back and taking out a pair of gloves.
The gloves were made of a special metal, possessing both the hardness of metal and the toughness of silk.
Sharp claws protruded from the fingertips, like eagle claws.
“You are worthy of my full effort!”
Zhang Mazi put on his gloves and spoke coldly, his tone revealing a chilling killing intent.
“Come on!”
Lu Ming said coldly, without any unnecessary words.
Swish swish swish!
The Five Tigers Severing Door Saber technique was wielded in his hand, unleashing three lost Moves right from the start.
“White Tiger Leaps the Ravine!”
“A Roar Generates Wind!”
“Pounce and Strike with Ease!”
“Good saber Move!”
Zhang Mazi shouted loudly, his entire being soaring like a mighty eagle.
Screech!
Accompanied by an eagle's cry, the Great Strength Eagle Claw Skill descended.
Clang clang clang!
He, like a mighty eagle, fearlessly charged into the overwhelming saber light.
Sparks flew, metal clanged!
Lu Ming’s saber was broad and sweeping, with slashes, chops, cleaves, and collapses. Each strike was incredibly powerful and exceptionally domineering.
Zhang Mazi’s Eagle Claw Skill, on the other hand, was sharp and agile. Coupled with that pair of divine weapon gloves, he displayed twelve parts of his strength.
For a time, the two fought inextricably, neither gaining the upper hand.
Watching their battle, and recalling the lesson Qian Duoduo had given earlier, a hint of shame flashed across Luo Wuxie’s Face.
“Eighth-grade!”
“At such a young age, this child is actually an eighth-grade master, and he also possesses a decent saber Move.”
“No wonder he’s worth a chest of gold bars.”
The surrounding horse bandits spoke in a low voice, their tone now carrying a hint of solemnity.
To have such skill at such an age, this person probably had a master guiding him from behind. They might have stirred up trouble on this trip.