Chapter 1602: Chapter 61: Testing the Sword, Examining the Heart_2

“You spared your life but failed to be grateful, and even brought reinforcements? Very well!”

Spiritual Power boiled like misty fringes, dark energy transformed into indistinct ghostly shadows behind Meng Ba, the leader of the Overturning Sky Thieves spoke coldly, filled with murderous intent: “Those lying on the ground are brothers who went through life and death with Meng Ba, no different from family.”

“Since these brothers died by your hands today, Meng Ba must reclaim this blood debt, not just you, but your entire family must die!”

Meng Ba didn’t even glance at Kaba, whose legs were trembling with fright, but fixed his fierce gaze on Xu Lao Ying, shouting angrily.

The bandits surrounding them, moved by their leader’s words, felt an intense call to action and echoed loudly: “Kill your entire family! Kill your entire family!”

“Enough, enough, stop shouting.”

Faced with the unrealistic threats of the bandits, Xu Lao Ying curled his lips and said: “Can’t you act more professional as robbers? You don’t even know who I am, yet you want to kill my entire family? Is that even possible?”

“Still tough-talking at the brink of death.”

The bald man holding a long knife, upon hearing Xu Lao Ying’s words, shouted angrily: “Once the boss subdues you, you’ll taste my technique. Then not just your family background, even the names of your lovers won’t remain hidden!”

“Lover? I don’t have a…”

Feeling somewhat amused by the bald man’s humor, Xu Lao Ying couldn’t help but respond, but halfway through, the image of Zhen Ping’er’s countenance unconsciously surfaced in his mind.

“So annoying!!”

Agitated, Xu Lao Ying unleashed a finger sword strike, swift as lightning piercing through the forehead, cracking open the bald bandit’s crown and frightening off the surrounding crowd shouting murderously, immediately dispersing the circle of bandits.

Meng Ba was also startled by Xu Lao Ying’s sudden attack, having already been aware when the bald man was born that this young swordsman would inevitably strike back, moreover secretly gathering Spiritual Energy to test him.

But he hadn’t expected that even with full concentration, he still couldn’t block Xu Lao Ying’s finger sword strike.

No, it wasn’t that he hadn’t blocked it, he hadn’t even had time to react.

The sword light was too abrupt and too fast, fast enough that even his spirit hadn’t reacted.

Realizing this, Meng Ba felt as if he had plunged into an ice pit, a mix of astonishment and rage flashing in his eyes, his gaze even starting to wander.

“Got scared just because a pawn died? Weren’t you saying you wanted to kill my entire family?”

Xu Lao Ying smiled and turned around, teasing the guilty Meng Ba.

“To be brothers, there’s this life but no next life. Today, even if Meng Ba has to fight to the death, I’ll make you pay the price!”

Meng Ba shouted fiercely at Xu Lao Ying, his ferocity inwardly tingling, causing another wave of cheers from the bandits, tightening the encirclement.

Seeing the bandits’ ferocious and murderous demeanor, Kaba, originally a street swordsman, couldn’t bear it, thinking of his wife who would be helpless if he died, trembling with fear, only wishing to live, his legs giving way as he attempted to kneel and beg for mercy.

But just as Kaba’s knees bent, Xu Lao Ying quickly grabbed him under the armpits: “Brother Kaba, you are too timid, didn’t you notice that this ruthless boss with all his big talk is already looking for a way out, shouldn’t they be the ones who are scared?”

Meng Ba, whose thoughts were exposed, was greatly alarmed, about to stubbornly retort, but then heard the young swordsman speak.

“Forget it, let’s not waste words with them. I mainly brought you here to show you the power of this Reverse Grip Sword, watch closely now!”

Xu Lao Ying suddenly produced a High-Carbon Steel Short Sword, holding it in reverse grip, he said to Meng Ba: “Three strikes, survive three strikes and you’ll live!”

Before Meng Ba could reply, Xu Lao Ying disappeared from his spot instantly, a chilling sword light blinded everyone present.

After the flash of sword light, Meng Ba’s left shoulder was hit, the flung severed arm and the ghostly face strike appearing delayed, all indicated the astonishing feat of that sword strike.

With one reverse grip sword strike shattering Meng Ba’s ghostly shadow, Xu Lao Ying turned to the now expressionless Kaba and said: “That sword was too fast you might not have seen it clearly, but the result is exactly this. If you only practice this move, it might just take a dozen years to reach such proficiency.”

After these words, Meng Ba’s severed arm finally fell to the ground, over at South Mountain Stream’s Overturning Sky Thieves camp, silence fell in shock.

Just a moment ago, the bandits were yelling and slaughtering, now they resembled choked ducks, their necks extended, eyes bulging, but only whimpering sounds emerging.

The clatter of weapons hitting the ground, seeing Xu Lao Ying’s single strike sever Meng Ba’s left arm, many of the “die-hard” Overturning Sky Thieves brothers, dropped their weapons and turned to flee.

The encircling ring suddenly became scattered, and those who barely maintained the encirclement, not out of deep brotherly bonds with Meng Ba and standing together through life and death, but because their legs went soft from fear because of Xu Lao Ying’s sword, were simply unable to take a step.

“Ugh, talking about changing the world, but you can’t even flip a valley properly.”

Engaging in conversation with Kaba, Xu Lao Ying helplessly commented as the encircling crowd rapidly dwindled.

“Who exactly are you?”

Meng Ba, clinging to his severed arm and consumed by fear, asked from a distance.

“That’s why I say you are not professional.”

Xu Lao Ying spoke with a tone of disappointment: “Only now you think of asking my name. Well, remember it well–my name is Xu Lao Ying from Yuanzhou, and I haven’t changed it.”

“Connecting the underworld with the void, the divine body as desired, the sword appears!”

A golden holy sword, turning into a huge phoenix ablaze with golden flames, soared into the sky. The golden light was even more dazzling than the sun, turning the entire valley yellow.

“Kill any bandits who flee the range of the South Mountain Stream!”

After giving commands to the indestructible phoenix with the sword imprint, Xu Lao Ying turned to look at Meng Ba, whose face had turned ashen, and smirked, “Oh, you recognize me now?”

“You… you… you… you…”

“Stop with the ‘you’.”

Xu Lao Ying waved his hand dismissively and joked: “Weren’t you just talking about killing my whole family? Do you want me to give you an address?”

Meng Ba fell silent. If he had harbored any hope of escaping before, hearing Xu Lao Ying proclaiming his name and seeing the spectral phoenix dancing like golden threads in the sky had extinguished it completely.

“Two more swords, not going to try them?”

Xu Lao Ying lightly lifted the short sword he held in a reverse grip and taunted, “Giving up on life so soon?”

“Heh…”

Meng Ba gave a miserable smile: “To think that Meng Ba, a hero of a lifetime, would today die at the hands of a whelp like you. Heaven forsakes righteousness and heroes!”

“Cut it out!”

Xu Lao Ying spat: “You call yourself a hero from the hills? Really?”

“Living off plunder and robbery, you think you’re honorable and heroic because you have your own set of rules? I spit on that!”

“Every time you descend the mountains, families are destroyed, and all you rob is tainted with injustice. And yet you dare make such claims!”

“A bunch of bandits and thieves daring to judge those gentry that help farmers and herdsmen with cultivation and livestock as unrighteous?”

“If you have never killed the innocent, not only would I let you go today, Xu Lao Ying, but I would also offer you Divine Pills to treat your arm!”

“And you all!”

With the reverse grip sword in hand, Xu Lao Ying pointed at the bandits around: “If you are truly wronged and forced into this life without ever killing innocents, come forward and face me. Dare you try?”

With a sweep of his sword, all eyes averted, Xu Lao Ying turned back to Meng Ba and said lightly, “How about we start with the ‘righteous and heroic,’ top bandit of the southern lands?”

“Just kill me already, why spout these hypocritical lies?”

Meng Ba, clutching his shoulder, sneered, “Meng Ba has roamed freely all his life, never targeting weddings or the helpless, much less killing the innocent. This is well-known throughout the southern green forests! Your so-called questioning of conscience is just a pretext for murder!”

“A man who never killed the innocent.”

Xu Lao Ying laughed, flipping the short sword in his hand, its cold glow illuminating its frosty blade: “But while you might deceive the southern green forests, you can’t deceive your own heart. Forty years ago, in a great fire amidst blinding snow, the family that took you in was reduced to ashes. Thirty years ago, upon arriving at the Southern Boundary, you abducted hundreds of young girls to strengthen your gang, many of whom didn’t live past fifteen. Twenty years ago, you colluded with various Wind Media departments and spy mansions in the Southern Boundary, turning all the background-less village gentry into targets for your unrighteous plunder.”

“Meng Ba, do you think you deserve to die?”