With a single swing of his sword, Qin Anwu suddenly felt a vast expansiveness in his heart; everything was under his control. His Clumsy Sword struck out, like a gazelle hanging its horns, leaving no trace to be found.
To his left, Hu Ze only saw a flash of light, then his right arm felt light, and something brushed his neck. In the next instant, he saw that his neck above the wound wasn't spurting blood, and his body was still running forward, his sword-wielding right arm flying off on its own.
"Am I killed?"
As this thought appeared, darkness descended.
The mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator on the right raised his axe to block. "Clang!" went the sound, and the axe head bounced back, hitting his face, then breaking. In his surprise, he used the force to glide sideways, covering a dozen zhang in one step, entering the forest.
What sounds like a lengthy description actually happened in an instant. This one sword strike killed one mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator and scared off another, while Qin Anwu only retreated five steps. Seeing such an effect, Qin Anwu was very satisfied. "Although this Immortal Emperor has created many moves, it's undeniable that this one is the most formidable."
"What should I name it? This Immortal Emperor hates naming things. A hidden sword like it's in its sheath, striking out to kill the enemy instantly. Let's call it Drawing Sword Technique. Hmm, this name seems pretty good, much better than my previous ones."
He was very pleased with this move, and it filled the others with dread. Those Spirit Nurturing cultivators instinctively stopped advancing but didn't run, all looking at the five early-stage Qi Refining cultivators ahead. The five early-stage Qi Refining cultivators also instinctively paused for a moment. Three immediately continued forward, while the other two hesitated for a moment before also continuing.
Qin Anwu held the Clumsy Sword with both hands and moved rapidly in small steps. Just as he was about to engage with the three early-stage Qi Refining cultivators, his posture had already formed: his body in a bow stance, his right leg forward, the sword tip pointing to the lower left corner, his elbow joint retracted, both hands gripping the sword hilt. When the three attacked simultaneously, he swung his sword.
Drawing Sword Technique!
This was the best time to practice new moves. A black light flashed, and a series of sounds rang out.
The first person's long sword broke, and his upper body separated from his lower. The second person's broadsword became a broken blade, and his head flew into the air. The third person's hook fell, taking an arm with it.
The third early-stage Qi Refining cultivator screamed and moved horizontally, taking one step to the edge of the forest and the next step into the forest, escaping. When he fled, the two behind him also followed suit, jumping away and scattering like birds and beasts.
After another "Drawing Sword Technique," Qin Anwu felt half his strength drained, and his face turned pale. Facing the escape of that early-stage Qi Refining cultivator, he was willing but unable. When the other two followed suit, he didn't care, taking out his wine jug and gulping two large mouthfuls.
At this point, if they hadn't fled but instead attacked him, he would have had to retreat, unless he used his life-preserving methods... which was impossible.
He put away the wine jug, and a bow and arrows appeared in his hands. He notched an arrow, drew the bow, and shouted, "I remember all your faces! Remember what I said, and pass it on, lest you bring disaster upon your families!" As he spoke, an arrow left the bow. An arrow hit one person's head, and a scream echoed mid-flight. It was Qi San, the Tiger Remembers business person; he had been marked from the start, naturally fulfilling his promise first.
An early-stage Qi Refining cultivator, who had been shouting quite loudly before, took a step and leapt towards the cliff face. An arrow flew and pierced his body. Screaming, he fell heavily to the ground, his eyes filled with despair.
A ninth-stage Spirit Nurturing cultivator, who had also been quite noisy, hid behind a tree. After checking and feeling safe, he dashed towards another tree. At that moment, an arrow flew, piercing his body and pinning him to the tree he was trying to reach.
Fifteen minutes later, Qin Anwu once again emerged from the forest and stood before the willow trees, his Clumsy Sword on his back, carrying the mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator. He threw him to the ground, took out his wine jug and drank two mouthfuls, then heavily slapped his face. "Don't sleep, wake up and talk."
The mid-stage cultivator opened his eyes, revealing painful and bewildered eyes. Seeing it was Qin Anwu, he opened his mouth to shriek. Qin Anwu slapped his mouth, "See the situation clearly before you shriek!" His head was turned by the blow, and he just happened to see his own arm holding a section of the spear shaft, immediately falling into a daze again.
Qin Anwu took down his Clumsy Sword, used the sword to pick at the storage ring on the man's index finger, bringing it into his own hand. "Do you want to try and see if you have the ability to operate this storage ring?" He actually tried, but the result was that it couldn't fly out of Qin Anwu's palm.
"Do you know the difference between you and this young master now?"
"You don't need to be so smug. Someone will avenge me."
"Do you see him? Your companion is standing on the mountaintop, watching us, but he's not coming to save you."
"Inciting dissension won't work on me."
"Then tell me about your organization, tell me about my parents."
"Speaking means death, not speaking also means death. Why should this lord speak?"
"Earlier, this young master met two ninth-stage and two early-stage cultivators. They were just as stubborn. Do you know what happened? I'll tell you, in a situation where even dying is difficult, they spilled everything they knew."
"Are you a devil?"
"Devils only deal with other people's relatives. If you wish, this young master can also become a devil."
"Our target isn't you, it's Mang Liuxue."
"She's my mother."
"They are Qi Refining cultivators; you are only Spirit Nurturing. You are the relative."
"They are my parents."
The man finally broke down, revealing everything he knew...
Outside the Blazing Fire Sect, a large carriage pulled up, stopping fifty zhang from the mountain gate. Zhang Cuiyu, with her amputated arm, descended from the carriage and walked to the mountain gate. To the gate guards who came to question her, she spoke respectfully, "Esteemed sir, I am Qin Huitong's mother. Please inform him that there's a family matter and I wish to see him."
Facing the fifth-stage Spirit Nurturing guard, her attitude was sincere, and she kept her posture very low. Although she knew Qin Huitong's status in the sect wouldn't be low, she subtly took out a silver note and slipped it into the guard's hand. The amount on the silver note wasn't large, only twenty taels, obtained from selling furniture from the Qin Residence.
The guard looked at the silver note several times, then said indifferently, "Wait." He turned and entered the mountain gate, quickly reappearing behind a young man. Seeing the young man, Zhang Cuiyu burst into tears, crying sorrowfully, "Huitong, you must avenge your mother!"
This young man was Qin Huitong, five years older than Qin Anwu. Qin Huitong quickly walked up to her, grabbed her hand, and asked angrily, "Mother, who did this?"
Zhang Cuiyu sobbed, "That beast, Qin Anwu."
Qin Huitong released her hand, frowning, "That fool? Weren't Qin Zhuan and his wife captured? And he still dares... No, I remember Mother is Eighth Realm, how could that fool make you like this?"
Zhang Cuiyu pulled him towards the carriage. "Not only did this happen to Mother, but your uncle was also crippled, and your brother is still severely injured and hasn't recovered." He lifted the curtain and clearly saw the situation inside. A deep disgust flashed in his eyes, and he turned to Zhang Cuiyu, asking, "Mother, where's my father?" When he asked Zhang Cuiyu again, his eyes had returned to normal, appearing full of concern.
After Zhang Cuiyu finished recounting the recent events in the Qin Residence, he asked, "So, if I continue to cultivate here, the family won't be able to provide cultivation resources?"
Zhang Cuiyu nodded. "Therefore, we must go to Dali Kingdom. You and your brother must change your surname to Zhang."
Qin Huitong hesitated. "Mother, everything there is unknown, and here, as long as I advance to the mid-stage, I can remain in the sect as an elder and also seek revenge."
"Huitong, my elder cousin said that cultivation resources in Dali Kingdom are richer than in Qin Kingdom, and their family is very powerful."
"Mother, I'll go to Dali Kingdom. I'll change my surname."