C24 Fight Huang Ba

As Huang Ba was deep in contemplation, the battle raging below reached a fever pitch.

Xiao Ling's slaying of Leng Wei had indeed struck fear into the hearts of the prisoners, preventing them from recklessly charging at him.

"Step aside, all of you!"

A bellowing voice cut through the air as a burly man with a bushy beard stepped forward. Clutching a broadsword, he eyed Xiao Ling and declared, "Kid, you've got some skill! Killing Leng Wei has piqued my interest—Tu Jin's interest."

Tu Jin was a notorious figure within the prison, a Three-star Martial Master with a formidable blade technique that had bested countless inmates.

"I don't care who you are. If you stand in my way and oppose me, I will cut you down without hesitation!"

Xiao Ling's dark eyes brimmed with combativeness. Having just ascended to the Martial Master Stage and using Blood Flame to refine Leng Wei's essence into blood qi, his aura grew increasingly robust, nearing the peak of a One-star Martial Master.

Defeating this Three-star Martial Master might just catapult him directly to the Two-star Martial Master level!

"Kid, to be so young and yet so audacious!" Tu Jin sneered, his anger turning into a mocking laugh. "Today, I'll show you that there's only one fate awaiting you under my cleaver—death!"

With a resounding boom, Tu Jin unleashed his full Three-star Martial Master aura. As his Origin Qi flowed into his weapon, the broadsword hummed ominously.

"I've honed my saber skills for over thirty years. Using them against a youngster like you is overkill!"

Tu Jin regarded Xiao Ling with contempt, proclaiming, "You won't last three strikes before you're bleeding out on the ground!"

His words echoed among the prisoners, who nodded in agreement, their gazes filled with a mix of fear and respect.

They were well aware that Tu Jin's boasts were backed by his formidable prowess; his blade work was indeed precise and overwhelming.

Wang Yi inquired, "Brother Huang, do you think Tu Jin can handle that kid?"

"It shouldn't be a problem," Huang Ba replied. "Tu Jin was once a butcher by trade, but he ended up here after committing murder in broad daylight."

Huang Ba was well aware of Tu Jin's blade skills.

Capturing Tu Jin had been a major ordeal for the law enforcement team, but they had eventually succeeded in apprehending him.

"That's a relief."

Wang Yi exhaled deeply, his gaze filled with venom as he stared at Xiao Ling. "This kid's arrogance is too much, even more so than mine!"

Xiao Ling's formidable abilities fueled Wang Yi's envy.

Wang Yi had access to the vast resources of the Wang family, and it had taken a considerable investment for him to advance to the Martial Master Stage.

Xiao Ling, a mere commoner, had managed to reach the Martial Master Stage at a young age, which irked Wang Yi to no end. He was eager to crush Xiao Ling himself.

"Bring it on."

Xiao Ling beckoned with a curl of his finger, his voice deep and steady. "Let's see whose technique is more domineering—your blade or my sword?"

"You insolent fool!"

Tu Jin seethed with rage at Xiao Ling's calm demeanor, taking his indifference as a personal affront. No one had ever dared to belittle him so.

Crack!

With a vicious stomp, Tu Jin shattered the ground beneath him, leaving a web of cracks spreading out like spiderwebs.

Swish!

Leaping forward, he gripped his broadsword with both hands and swung it with ferocity.

The blade sliced through the air, creating an explosive ripple. The flash of the blade was brief, and in an instant, the broadsword was poised in front of Xiao Ling.

"The outcome is clear!"

Onlookers took in Tu Jin's fierce blade work and Xiao Ling's stillness, as if he were frozen in fear, and they began to murmur among themselves.

"This kid's a goner!"

That was the unanimous thought, as Tu Jin's saber had closed the distance to Xiao Ling in a heartbeat.

With one slash, Xiao Ling's slight frame would surely be cleaved in two.

"Die, you little punk."

Tu Jin's face twisted into a malevolent grin as he looked at Xiao Ling, who appeared petrified.

"The one dying today is you!"

Tu Jin's broadsword loomed large in Xiao Ling's eyes, but a sinister smile played at the corners of his mouth as he unleashed his bloodthirsty power in a flash.

Boom!

As Xiao Ling's life force waned, his aura surged dramatically, breaking through successive barriers until he astonishingly reached the Five-star Martial Master level.

The Bloodthirst, a mysterious Martial Skill from the Red Blood Card, unleashed its formidable power in that moment.

Whoosh!

The Edgeless Sword in Xiao Ling's grip sprang into action. To the crowd's amazement, the massive blade struck with such speed that it collided with Tu Jin's broadsword before anyone could react.

Crack.

The crisp sound of metal shattering echoed as Tu Jin's broadsword was obliterated by the Edgeless Sword, reduced to mere scrap.

With the broadsword in pieces, the Edgeless Sword continued its deadly arc toward Tu Jin's body.

Blood sprayed wildly as Tu Jin was cleaved in two, his eyes bulging with incredulity and terror.

He, a Three-star Martial Master, had been vanquished in a single blow by Xiao Ling. Even in death, he could not grasp what had happened.

It wasn't just him; shock was etched on the faces of the prisoners, Huang Ba, and the onlookers above.

Xiao Ling's methods were so savagely efficient that the instant annihilation of Tu Jin shook them to the core.

After all, Tu Jin was a renowned Three-star Martial Master, feared within the prison walls, and now he lay defeated by a mere fifteen-year-old boy. Such a tale would be met with disbelief if word got out.

"Is he even human..."

Wang Yi, paralyzed by fear, collapsed to the ground, his eyes wide with dread.

As Tu Jin perished, Wang Yi felt as if he had been sliced at the waist, destined to share Tu Jin's fate. His body shook uncontrollably, his blood turning to ice.

"This kid must possess a secret technique to elevate his realm!"

Huang Ba's eyes, initially wide with shock, now glittered with greed. Convinced of Xiao Ling's possession of a realm-boosting secret, he resolved to capture the boy alive and extract the coveted technique through brutal interrogation.

"Kill!"

Having slain Tu Jin, Xiao Ling unleashed a ferocious roar. His Edgeless Sword danced with lethal precision, turning him into a tiger among sheep as he relentlessly cut down the remaining prisoners.

He had devised a plan to escape, one that involved utilizing the Blood Flame's ability to devour blood qi, coupled with the Bloodthirsty Sword's temporary boost in cultivation level. Together, they would form a synergistic force, allowing him to carve a path out of the prison.

His Edgeless Sword left a trail of fallen prisoners in its wake.

Upon reaching the Five-star Martial Master rank through the bloodthirsty technique, Xiao Ling's power was formidable. The prisoners stood no chance against his relentless strikes.

With each prisoner he dispatched, Xiao Ling harnessed the Blood Flame to transmute their flesh and blood into blood qi, replenishing his own reserves.

As long as his blood qi remained abundant, he could sustain his peak strength and break through the siege.

Whoosh!

In a swift motion, Xiao Ling leapt into the air, his icy gaze sweeping over Huang Ba and his cohorts.

Upon spotting Wang Yi, a smile crept onto his face. "Young Master Wang, I owe you one. Thanks to your interference, I've managed to break through!"

Without Wang Yi's unwitting assistance, initiating his plan would have proven more challenging.

"Brother Huang, keep him busy. I'm going for backup!"

Wang Yi, petrified by Xiao Ling's stare, was so frightened that he wet himself. A foul yellow stream trickled from his trousers as he scurried away.

"Useless fool," Huang Yi muttered with disdain after Wang Yi fled. He then fixed his stern gaze on Xiao Ling. "Kid, if I'm not mistaken, you possess a secret method to elevate your realm!"

"You're right, but there's no prize for guessing," Xiao Ling retorted, foregoing any further chatter. He sprang into action, gripping the Edgeless Sword as he lunged at Huang Ba.

Huang Ba, anticipating the attack, extended his palm and summoned a pitch-black iron spear to meet Xiao Ling's assault. He countered, tempting Xiao Ling with a proposal. "Reveal your secret technique for increasing your cultivation level, and I'll let you slip away. What do you say?"

"And risk Wang Yi catching on?" Xiao Ling replied, his Edgeless Sword thundering down on Huang Ba. The sword cleaved through the air, its passage marked by a resonant hum and the sound of explosions.

Clang!

With a swift horizontal sweep of his iron spear, Huang Ba intercepted the strike from the Edgeless Sword.

"The force behind that blow is immense!"

Huang Ba's hand went numb, the webbing between his thumb and index finger splitting and oozing dark red blood. His expression darkened; he hadn't anticipated Xiao Ling's strength to be greater than his own.

This only intensified his desire for Xiao Ling's secret technique. If he could master it, he'd be able to defeat opponents beyond his level with unexpected tactics.

"Listen, kid, that Wang Yi is nothing but a spoiled rich brat. Aside from chasing skirts, he's utterly useless."

Huang Ba tried another angle, coaxing, "Just share the secret technique with me, and I promise you'll walk out of here unharmed."

"Can it really be that simple?"

Seizing the moment, Xiao Ling pressed his advantage, combining the Heavy Strike Sword Technique with the Gravity Sword Intent. Huang Ba's complexion turned ashen as he stumbled backward.

"You're really looking for trouble, aren't you, kid?"

A chill spread across Huang Ba's face as he threatened, "If you're unwilling to cooperate, I'll have no choice but to capture and torture you until the secret technique is mine."

"And if I do hand over the secret technique, you'll let me go without harm?"

Xiao Ling's eyes darted around, taking in the scene. Huang Ba was all defense, no offense, clearly playing for time.

Moreover, Xiao Ling knew he couldn't sustain his enhanced strength from Bloodthirst indefinitely; he needed to escape.

"I swear on my life, I won't lay a finger on you!" Huang Ba declared, feigning earnestness.

But inwardly, he was smirking. Once Xiao Ling revealed the technique, he'd be as good as caught.

He might not kill Xiao Ling himself, but he hadn't said anything about others doing the deed.

"You don't seem like you're lying."

Xiao Ling, fully aware of Huang Ba's true intentions, feigned indecision, his face contorted with feigned anguish. He rummaged through his chest and withdrew a book from the Red Blood Card – a primer on the fundamentals for any martial cultivator.

Under the covetous watch of Huang Ba, Xiao Ling nonchalantly tossed the book down below.

As soon as the book left Xiao Ling's hand, Huang Ba leaped after it like a rabid dog lunging for a meal, eagerly scooping it up.

"Basic Knowledge for Martial Cultivators?"

Upon recognizing the title, Huang Ba's initial shock quickly morphed into a grotesque snarl, barely resembling a human expression, as he bellowed, "You little punk, you dare to make a fool of me!"

In that instant, it dawned on him that Xiao Ling had been toying with him, treating him like a monkey for his own amusement.