C87 Hundred Twist Thousand Return Palace(2)

"Ah, so you were planning to deal with this guy!"

"Why go through all that trouble..."

"If the three of us had teamed up from the start, we could've taken him down easily!" Both Qian Fang and Qian Yuan had disliked Woo Zhengyang from the beginning, and now that they understood Gongyang Qiusheng's intentions, they were even less inclined to hold back.

Just as the two exchanged a knowing smile, Gongyang Qiusheng's sword struck.

"Thud..."

A head was effortlessly severed by Gongyang Qiusheng.

The other one, whether it was Qian Fang or Qian Yuan, stared wide-eyed as a head identical to his own hit the ground in front of him. It was as if his own mind had gone blank along with the fallen head.

"Why... why did you... kill us both..." The remaining brother managed to speak a full sentence on his own for the first time, though he seemed a bit awkward doing so.

"I never intended to take him out. My plan was to get rid of you two. You stammering fools thought you could share the Demon Core and the mystical herbs with me? You weren't worthy. Of course, your offenses weren't enough to warrant death, but I want the secrets this guy holds, and those secrets must remain unknown to anyone else!"

With that, Gongyang Qiusheng moved his sword again. Under the pressure of the formation, the man was powerless to resist, and his head soon fell as well.

"Born on the same day, died on the same day. At least they fulfilled their role as twins, right? Don't you think so, Brother Woo?" Gongyang Qiusheng gathered their belongings, carried his Green Steel Sword, and approached Woo Zhengyang with a cheerful grin.

"Sounds like they should be thanking you!" Woo Zhengyang chuckled softly.

The death of the Qian brothers didn't bother Woo Zhengyang at all. Even if Gongyang Qiusheng hadn't acted, those two had murderous intentions toward him, and he would have dealt with them himself. As for Gongyang Qiusheng's actions, Woo Zhengyang understood. When it comes to personal gain, people can be incredibly greedy, as shown by Zhang Caiyun's betrayal of her own savior.

Of course, understanding doesn't mean agreeing. Woo Zhengyang wasn't a saint, but he considered himself a person with principles. He would pursue treasures, but he wouldn't resort to deceit, as it went against his martial arts philosophy.

"No need to thank me. I doubt Brother Wu would appreciate it after he's gone," Gongyang Qiusheng stated bluntly, making it clear that he had no intention of letting Woo Zhengyang leave alive.

"Are you so sure I'll die?" Woo Zhengyang asked with a slight smile.

Gongyang Qiusheng raised his long sword and replied, "If I wasn't confident, I wouldn't have made a move. Brother Wu, you've advanced so quickly in such a short time; you must have come across something extraordinary. Hand it over, and I'll make it quick for you."

"Something extraordinary? I have nothing like that. I told you, if you train in a body-tempering technique and let me beat you up for a few days, you'll advance quickly too."

"Why waste time? In my formation, I'm like a god! To be honest, I have a treasure of my own. Otherwise, how do you think a small sect like Wind Howl could produce a genius like me? Ha! Even the leader of the Profound Heaven Sect can't match my formations!" Gongyang Qiusheng laughed triumphantly.

As he mentioned, the art of formations is something that not even the elders at the Heavenly Martial Academy have mastered. It's not that the knowledge of formations has vanished like some ancient body-tempering techniques, but rather that mastering formations requires a unique blend of talent, opportunity, and effort. It's even more challenging to excel in than martial arts.

In this world, the art of formations is incredibly valuable. Whether it's alchemy or crafting, both are intricately linked to formations. Only by becoming a formation master can one lay the foundation to become an alchemist or a craftsman. The value of alchemists and craftsmen is undeniable; even those who can only create basic treasure pills or artifacts are highly sought after, and most sects wouldn't dare offend them.

Woo Zhengyang was genuinely surprised that Gongyang Qiusheng had studied formations. It likely had something to do with the treasure he mentioned. However, Gongyang Qiusheng's understanding was merely superficial, far from the mastery he boasted about.

With a thought, the Green Steel Sword appeared in Woo Zhengyang's hand. Seeing this, Gongyang Qiusheng remained unfazed and smugly said, "What? Do you think you can resist? Even if I stand here without moving, you can't kill me. But if I wanted to kill you, it would only take a single thought!"

Woo Zhengyang couldn't be bothered to look at Gongyang Qiusheng's smug expression. With a casual flick, he thrust his sword forward. Under the immense pressure surrounding him, Woo Zhengyang's strike was slow, taking ages to cover any distance.

"Haha... I told you, didn't I? I'm standing right here, and you still can't reach me. Why waste your energy?" Gongyang Qiusheng laughed triumphantly. After he finished laughing, Woo Zhengyang's sword finally reached him, but Gongyang Qiusheng simply stepped back slightly to evade it.

However, in the next moment, Gongyang Qiusheng was taken aback.

"Pop..."

A sound like a burst of air echoed as a blade of light shot out from the tip of the Green Steel Sword...