Chapter 8: Transformation

"I am not dead yet," Zhao Xiaonian replied, coughing up a mouthful of blood. "My ribs may be broken; I fear we are doomed." Zhao Xiaonian had just been struck by two knives, one in the back and one in the thigh. Although the wounds were deep enough to expose bone, they were not fatal. As long as he could stop the bleeding in time, his life was not in danger. However, the last kick from the bandit had broken several of his ribs. It was uncertain whether his internal organs had been injured, but regardless, he had lost the strength to fight back. As he watched the four bandits approaching, his heart was filled with despair.

The blade gleamed dazzlingly, and Wang Lie could even feel the chill emanating from the edge of the sword. At that moment, at least five or six methods of evasion flashed through his mind. Whether it was the technique of the One Yang Finger or the skills from the Infinite Swordplay, there were several moves that could address the current situation. However, knowing was one thing; his body surprisingly did not obey his commands. Although Wang Lie was bold, he was, after all, a person living in a new society, having never experienced the clash of blades and swords. Witnessing a person being killed right before his eyes, the shock had not yet subsided, and as the blade approached, he could not help but feel a sense of panic, his body unable to keep up with his thoughts.

The feeling of damp heat on his face made Wang Lie truly realize that this was not a game; this was a matter of life and death. Watching the body of the escort lying in a pool of blood, observing the severely injured and weak Zhao Xiaonian, and seeing the grinning masked bandits, Wang Lie suddenly had a sense that all of this was real, not a dream. He was truly in the world of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," a world of living beings with flesh and blood

Wang Lie extended his right index finger and tapped Zhao Xiaonian's body several times. To his astonishment, the horrific wounds on Zhao's body actually stopped bleeding. Zhao Xiaonian was stunned, and even the nearby bandits had unusual expressions. It is important to note that the skill of acupoint sealing is not something that just anyone can perform, as depicted in martial arts television dramas. In this world, acupoint sealing is undoubtedly a top-tier skill, and those who can perform it are almost all masters from prestigious martial arts sects. Even Zuo Chaoqun does not possess this skill.

Wang Lie reached out and touched something sticky, quickly pushing aside the items on his body to get up, only to find that it was Zhao Xiaonian who had fallen on him. He hurriedly helped him up. It turned out that in that brief moment, Zhao Xiaonian had seen his perilous situation and kicked himself out from under the bandit's knife, but in the process, he was caught off guard and was stabbed, and then kicked by the bandit.

Wang Lie paid no attention to whether they were shocked or not, and helped Zhao Xiaonian stop the bleeding. He took a deep breath, as assisting someone with acupoint pressure right after just breaking through to the ninth rank was an extremely exhausting task for him. However, the situation before him did not allow him any time to rest

Are you alright? Wang Lie, disregarding the pain in his waist and the blood on his face, hurriedly helped Zhao Xiaonian up

The four masked bandits in front of Wang Lie exchanged glances, and among the bandits on the other side, the one who appeared to be the leader shouted, "The filthy beggar has arrived, let’s make a fuss!"

"You lucky brat!" the bandit said harshly to Wang Lie, not bothering to pay him any further attention as they all hurried away

With a loud "duang," a masked bandit blocked the sword strike from Wang Lie with a knife, and was surprisingly forced back two steps, along with the three masked bandits following him who also retreated a few steps.

"Come on!" Wang Lie pointed his sword at the bandit

"Good lad, it turns out you are also a skilled fighter," the masked bandit said in a deep voice. "No wonder you dare to meddle in the affairs of our Black Wind Stronghold. Brothers, let's make quick work of this, and don't attract those beggars!"

"The scoundrels who hide their heads and tails dare to rob in broad daylight; encountering your family’s Prince is indeed your misfortune!" Wang Lie showed no awareness of being a novice. He raised his sword and charged forward, slashing several times at the bandits.

"Rest assured, I am here!" Wang Lie said, gripping the hilt of his sword. His voice was deep and serious

This is also due to Wang Lie's youth and vigor, combined with the momentum of descending the slope, that he achieved such an effect. As for martial arts, although these few bandits cannot be considered masters by any means, they could still outpace Wang Lie by several streets. Wang Lie, despite practicing the top-tier skill of the One Yang Finger, has only been training for a month or two, and has just begun to see the threshold; he is not even at the entry level. It is important to note that a practitioner of the ninth rank One Yang Finger would only be at the mercy of a martial artist who has trained in swordsmanship for a year.

Wang Lie hurriedly raised his hand to block, and with a clash of swords, it was Wang Lie who was forced back this time. Despite being on guard, his strength was still no match for these ruthless bandits who lived by killing. Wang Lie staggered backward, and the bandit followed up with another slash aimed at him, while another bandit who was besieging him had already caught up, delivering a horizontal strike aimed directly at his chest and abdomen.

At this moment, a whistle of three long and two short notes came from afar

Wang Lie's performance was indeed eye-catching. Although he was also being pursued by two individuals, his situation was far better than that of Zhao Xiaonian. One could see him jumping around, occasionally unleashing a few sword strikes, slashing, cutting, and stabbing. The two bandits were momentarily unable to catch up with him, which made them scream in frustration. It is worth mentioning that although Wang Lie had not practiced the martial arts of the Wuliang Sword Sect, the techniques and moves of his swordplay were firmly etched in his mind. Even without the support of internal energy, he was still quite lethal against a few bandits.

I have always believed that life is to be respected, no matter where it is. No one has the right to arbitrarily take another's life. I do not wish to kill, but since I have arrived here, I will abide by the rules of this place. Regardless of where it is, if you wish to kill, then I will kill you first. Wang Lie said in a low voice. His voice was very soft, and even Zhao Xiaonian beside him could only faintly hear a few words, unable to catch them clearly.

"Brat, meet your end." The masked bandit saw an opportunity and, with a swift motion, brought down his knife in a powerful strike.

Holding a long sword and standing in front of Zhao Xiaonian, various martial arts techniques that Wang Lie was familiar with flashed through his mind in an instant, as if scenes from a movie, with different sword moves and finger techniques racing through his thoughts.

As I went on, after a group of bandits disappeared from sight, Wang Lie could no longer hold on and sat down on the ground. "The ancients truly did not deceive me; without the skill of a master, one should not attempt delicate tasks. The martial world is indeed a dangerous place, and learning martial arts is truly urgent."

Just as Wang Lie was about to be split into several pieces, a great force surged from his waist, and he felt himself being lifted into the air, flying directly away from the *map* and *book*, landing heavily on the ground several feet away. Immediately afterward, darkness enveloped him, and an object fell from the sky, crashing down onto him.

At this moment, Zhao Xiaonian had also caught up and quickly joined the fray. Fortunately, over the past ten days, Wang Lie had taught him all the sword techniques he knew from the Wuliang Sword Sect; otherwise, with Zhao Xiaonian's limited skills from his time on Wuliang Mountain, he would likely have been taken down with a single strike. Even so, being pursued and attacked by two bandits left Zhao Xiaonian in a flustered state, and after just a few exchanges, he had already been cut once. Luckily, he reacted quickly, and the blade only tore his clothing.

Wang Lie felt his blood boiling, and the trace of true energy within his body began to circulate at an unprecedented speed. A faint sound, which was both uncertain and yet unmistakable, resonated from within him. At that moment, Wang Lie's mind was exceptionally clear; he distinctly sensed that his One Yang Finger had successfully broken into the ninth rank. Although it was of no use in killing enemies, it could save lives

Just as Wang Lie was jumping around to evade the two bandits, a sudden scream echoed from the encircled area below the hillside. Wang Lie turned his head and saw that one of the bodyguards had been struck down again. The blow had nearly severed the head of that bodyguard from his body, with blood splattering over a distance of more than three meters. Witnessing the blood flying through the air, Wang Lie felt a surge of nausea in his stomach, and his footsteps involuntarily paused for a moment