Eternal Saber

Chapter 558 - 164: Unrequited Feelings

"Pfft!"

Guo Heng spat out a mouthful of blood, his face deathly pale.

Chen Tang and the others hurried forward to help Guo Heng up.

"Many thanks, Brother He, for showing mercy."

Guo Heng was grievously injured and coughing blood, yet still forced himself to speak.

If He Shiyao had wanted to kill him, he would already be dead.

He Shiyao paid him no attention.

It wasn’t that he was soft-hearted; he was merely giving Guo Heng’s father some face.

"Brother Chen, I’m ashamed, I..."

Guo Heng let out a sigh and could not go on.

He Shiyao not only won.

He won beautifully, without revealing any real techniques or expending much Inner Power.

This fight, to him, was like going through the motions; he hadn’t probed out any of He Shiyao’s true depth at all.

Chen Tang gave a faint, mocking smile. "It’s fine, I’ll give it a try."

With that, Chen Tang gripped the Eternal Saber and walked toward the Sword Discussion Platform.

Before he could step onto the stage, a red figure flashed in front of him, blocking his way.

"If you want to challenge my brother, you’ll have to get past me first!"

He Susu held a Long Sword, its edge leveled straight at Chen Tang, her tone icy.

"Susu!"

Shopkeeper He frowned, not knowing what He Susu was trying to pull.

"Father!"

He Susu said in a low voice, "For the sake of the top of the Human Ranking, there must be a battle between us sooner or later! Besides, someone from the Ba Mountain Sword Sect just came up to spar with my brother. It’s only fair that I first compete with him."

"Just as it should be. If he can’t even get past Feng Xiao Fairy, what qualifications does he have to challenge the Young Shopkeeper?"

"That’s right. Why does Chen Tang get to be the top of the Human Ranking just by being alive?"

"We’ll only know after a fight!"

The crowd chimed in one after another, supporting He Susu.

Shopkeeper He thought it over and found it acceptable.

If He Susu couldn’t win, they could simply have He Shiyao step in afterward.

He Susu stepped onto the Sword Discussion Platform and said, "Brother, rest for a bit. Leave this bout to me."

He Shiyao watched his younger sister with a half-smile, having already guessed her intentions.

As they brushed past each other, He Shiyao said flatly, "Today, no one can save him."

He Susu fell silent.

She knew that He Shiyao had already seen through her thoughts.

If Chen Tang fought He Shiyao, he would definitely die!

She had to do everything she could to stop it, so she got ahead of him and blocked Chen Tang first.

This might be the only chance to save Chen Tang.

Chen Tang, however, didn’t particularly care and stepped onto the Sword Discussion Platform as well.

He had cultivated to the Fourth Grade Extreme Realm, and with the Eternal Saber in hand, there was no one in the same Realm who could threaten him anymore.

"You mustn’t fight my brother."

Chen Tang had just set foot on the Sword Discussion Platform and was about to make his move when He Susu, across from him, forced her voice down and said this.

"Huh?"

Chen Tang froze for a moment, not understanding what He Susu meant.

He Susu glanced around. Fortunately, the crowd was large and the noise loud enough to drown out her voice.

"Your identity hasn’t been conclusively determined yet, and with the Ba Mountain Sword Sect standing on your side, under these circumstances, others can’t just make a direct move."

He Susu said softly, "But if you cross hands with my brother, you’ll have no way out. He will definitely seize this chance to kill you in front of everyone, leaving you no chance to escape!"

This time, Chen Tang heard her clearly. Puzzled, he asked, "You... why are you doing this?"

"I—I trust you."

He Susu’s eyes drooped slightly, her fingers unconsciously pinching the hem of her clothes.

Chen Tang fell silent.

On the platform by Yunze Lake, several Grandmasters wore strange expressions.

The surrounding noise drowned out the voices on the Sword Discussion Platform to everyone else, but they could hear every word clearly.

Jiang Feng turned his head to look at the Drunken Elder not far away, grinning. "Old Shopkeeper, I think this kid’s not bad. He’s about the same age as your granddaughter, and they look quite a match standing together. Why not turn blades into silk and become one family in the future? Wouldn’t that be wonderful?"

"Yes, yes, a golden boy and jade girl, a match made in heaven."

Fan Qing, the Sect Leader of the Tea Dao Sect, nodded with a smile.

"You two, that’s not a joke to make."

The Drunken Elder’s expression grew stern. "This man is most likely a Beiqian Dark Scout who infiltrated Nanxia with ill intent, his heart deserving death. If the He Family doesn’t know the gravity of the situation and ignores Nanxia’s safety for the sake of love affairs, I’ll be the first to object."

Jiang Feng chuckled and said no more.

On the Sword Discussion Platform.

"Thank you for your good intentions, Miss, but I have another purpose in setting up this wager."

Chen Tang paused slightly before saying, "I intend to kill your brother."

He Susu opened her mouth, her eyes filled with a mix of shock, doubt, and disbelief.

"You might not know my brother’s strength, he—"

"No need to say more. Make your move."

He Susu hadn’t finished speaking before Chen Tang cut her off.

He Susu fell silent for a moment, then took the Phoenix Cry Flute from her waist. Flute in her left hand, sword in her right, she said in a low voice, "Since that’s the case, I’ll use my full strength without holding back. If you get hurt, I hope you won’t hold it against me."

In her mind, if Chen Tang were wounded, perhaps he would know to retreat and give up challenging He Shiyao.

Yet despite her words, He Susu still felt uneasy and reminded him, "My flute sound is very powerful. You’d best be prepared in advance."

Chen Tang nodded.

"Susu, what are you dawdling for? Make your move!"

Shopkeeper He saw the two muttering to each other and frowned inwardly, unable to hold back a shout.

"Be careful!"

He Susu gave a soft cry, her figure gliding like flowing clouds as she rushed toward Chen Tang.

Before the sword edge arrived, the flute sounded!

Boom!

Chen Tang stamped the ground, his spine arching slightly as he lowered his stance. His entire being shot forward like a Fierce Tiger descending the mountain.

In an instant, his blood and qi surged skyward!

The wailing, mournful flute sound seemed to have no effect on Chen Tang.

He Susu only felt an overwhelming, ferocious killing intent envelop her. A vicious wind hit her face, nearly suffocating her!

There was no time to think. She hurriedly raised her sword and thrust toward Chen Tang.

This thrust, however, deliberately avoided Chen Tang’s vital points and went for his shoulder instead.

A cluster of golden light flickered on Chen Tang’s palm.

He raised his hand, extended two fingers, and flicked lightly, landing precisely on the thin side of He Susu’s sword where it was weakest!

Clang!

His fingers collided with the Long Sword, ringing out a clear, metallic clash.

He Susu’s whole body trembled as she felt an earth-shaking Divine Power crash into her sword.

A sharp pain split her tiger’s mouth; she couldn’t even grip the Long Sword, and it flew from her hand!

Before she could react, her wrist was suddenly seized by Chen Tang.

She was just about to circulate her qi to break free when she felt her body slip out of her control. Chen Tang held her wrist and gave it two shakes, her bones crackling and popping like beans in a pan.

The next moment, as if riding the clouds and mist, her body floated and spun as she was flung away.

This scene drew a chorus of gasps from the crowd!

"He only used one move. That was way too fast."

"Is the gap really that big?"

"I’d say Feng Xiao Fairy just underestimated him."

No one had expected He Susu to lose so quickly.

Chen Tang hadn’t even drawn his saber.

With bare hands, after just one exchange, He Susu was thrown off the Sword Discussion Platform!

She lost even more thoroughly than Guo Heng.

Chen Tang tossed He Susu in He Shiyao’s direction.

He Shiyao watched his sister fly toward him, but didn’t move, letting her crash heavily to the ground in front of him.

"Presumptuous and self-deluded, making a fool of yourself!"

He Shiyao walked past He Susu with a cold snort, then headed toward the Sword Discussion Platform.