C73 Can Fight but Not be Deceived(1)

The three who made a move, Woo Zhengyang and Zhang Caiyun, had fought side by side a few times, so they naturally understood her skills and methods better.

As a woman, Zhang Caiyun's swordsmanship was characterized by a light and swift style, which meant her attacks were relatively less damaging. In a situation where injury was inevitable, Woo Zhengyang would naturally choose to face Zhang Caiyun, whose attacks he felt more confident in withstanding.

So, when Zhang Caiyun attacked from one side, Woo Zhengyang simply shifted his body slightly, exposing his back to her, and continued his relentless pursuit of Lee Kaiyuan.

Despite injuring his hand, Woo Zhengyang managed to deflect Lee Kaiyuan's sword, bringing them very close to each other.

Lee Kaiyuan was waiting for Woo Zhengyang to turn around and defend himself so he could jump in to support, so he didn't rush to retreat.

However, he didn't expect Woo Zhengyang to be so reckless, completely ignoring Zhang Caiyun's incoming sword. With one hand, he used a heavy iron token to block Lee's sword, while his other hand was already punching toward Lee's throat.

The sudden turn of events caught Lee Kaiyuan off guard. He was well aware of the power behind Woo Zhengyang's punches and didn't dare to take it head-on. But by then, it was too late to retreat further, so he had no choice but to lean back to dodge.

In the face of life and death, Lee Kaiyuan's speed was pushed to its limits. Woo Zhengyang's punch, accompanied by a whooshing sound, nearly grazed the tip of his nose as it flew past.

At that moment, Zhang Caiyun's sword slashed across Woo Zhengyang's back, tearing his clothes and sending blood spraying into the air.

"Great opportunity!"

Lee Kaiyuan, drenched in cold sweat, felt a surge of relief seeing himself unharmed while Woo Zhengyang was injured. Seizing the moment, he swiftly aimed to end the fight while Woo Zhengyang was weakened.

Just as Lee Kaiyuan was about to strike, he felt a heavy pressure on his chest and was slammed to the ground with force.

"Crack..."

He thought he heard the sound of his own bones breaking. Looking down, he saw Woo Zhengyang's foot pressing down on his chest. From his angle, he couldn't even see the top of Woo Zhengyang's foot, only the immense force behind it.

With that single stomp, Lee Kaiyuan's internal organs were displaced, and his chest caved in. Though not dead yet, he was beyond saving.

Even now, struggling to breathe, Lee Kaiyuan found it hard to believe. He had only recently heard of Woo Zhengyang, who was rumored to be the "Outer Sect Number One Madman" of the Profound Heaven Sect. But that didn't mean he was the best in the outer sect. Moreover, Woo Zhengyang was just a newly initiated Body Tempering cultivator. How strong could he really be?

As an elite student of the Heavenly Martial Academy, Lee Kaiyuan had always thought the hype around Woo Zhengyang was just that—hype.

Upon hearing Zhang Caiyun mention her encounter with Woo Zhengyang, Lee Kaiyuan was filled with murderous intent. If he could eliminate this rebellious madman from the Heavenly Martial Academy, he would return as a hero. However, he never imagined that even with Zhang Caiyun's help, they would suffer a crushing defeat. Returning home was now a distant dream. With this realization, Lee Kaiyuan closed his eyes in resignation.

The young man with dual blades could be dismissed as a victim of overconfidence, but Lee Kaiyuan's death revealed the true extent of Woo Zhengyang's madness to Zhang Caiyun. She couldn't believe that this Body Tempering cultivator, who struggled against even a second-level demonic beast, could be so lethal and unstoppable in battle.

In an instant, a flurry of thoughts raced through Zhang Caiyun's mind, and fear began to take root. Woo Zhengyang was like a god of death; even injured, he left Zhang Caiyun with no confidence at all.

"Senior Brother Woo... we were all forced by Lee Kaiyuan..." Zhang Caiyun quickly retreated a few steps, trying to explain.

"Forced?" Woo Zhengyang chuckled softly, stepping toward Zhang Caiyun. "Compared to Lee Kaiyuan, I suspect you wanted me dead even more."

Woo Zhengyang certainly didn't believe anything Zhang Caiyun said. If she truly felt grateful, she wouldn't have mentioned him in front of the Heavenly Martial Academy's disciples. There was no benefit for her in doing so—unless she intended to use others to do her dirty work and then reap the rewards.

"Senior Brother Woo, I was wrong... If you could just spare me, I'll do anything," Zhang Caiyun pleaded, realizing she couldn't keep up the facade any longer. She hoped her charm might buy her a chance at survival.

Zhang Caiyun understood the intricacies of the Mystic Trace Realm far better than Woo Zhengyang. However, she kept some of that knowledge to herself and didn't reveal everything to him.

Back in the canyon, Zhang Caiyun watched as Woo Zhengyang went off in search of the spirit herbs. Her hesitation wasn't about whether to join him on the adventure, but rather whether she should follow behind. She was contemplating if she could seize an opportunity when Woo Zhengyang was engaged in battle with the demonic beasts that often accompanied the spirit herbs.