Chapter 8, The Hidden Dragon Emerges from the Abyss

He is like fireworks that suddenly bloom in the night, dazzling and striking.

The ghost hook rat and the knife-winged bat from the dual evils of the rat and bat simultaneously struck, one hook and one knife, piercing through the air from both sides, standing on the back of the Blue Crane Daoist

This feeling sends shivers down their spines

The young man slowly turned around, his forehead quite high, with a slight aquiline nose, and his features distinctly defined, in stark contrast to the young man who had left the dilapidated temple.

"Arrogant!" Zhao Haisong shouted coldly, as the Yanling knife sliced through the rain. Raindrops splashed on both sides of the blade, which advanced towards the young man's throat at an extremely fast speed

Unknowingly, this small shallow pond has become, for him, as vast as the sea and sky, and his figure seems to be everywhere.

"I don't know what you're trying so hard for!" Zhao Haisong said with a disdainful sneer, "Just to save two utterly useless children, you would go against the court and bury your own life in the process."

The ghostly hook rat frowned: "It seems to be this way"

The torrential rain struck the collapsed earth temple, creating a crackling sound as it splashed up a multitude of water droplets

No one from the memories of the rivers and lakes matched the figure of this young man

Raindrops struck the rolling blade, resembling snowflakes, leaving behind white streaks as they were drawn out, swirling around and unfolding like wings

The youth, however, moved like a shadow, evading Zhao Haisong's blade, with his fingertips flickering with strange flames, striking towards Zhao Haisong from various angles at an incredible speed

Their gazes were all directed towards the young man

This person was covered in scars, with hardly a single intact area on his body. His eyes were wide with rage as he plunged an iron knife into the chest of the constable. That fatal strike took the constable completely by surprise, so much so that, despite having several companions to assist him, he was unable to evade this desperate gamble for his life

The blade-winged bat said: "It seems to be the martial arts of the demonic sect"

Zhao Haisong sneered, "Underestimating oneself and seeking one's own demise, indeed." He bent down and began to search in the arms of the Blue Crane Daoist, and soon, he retrieved a talisman stone shaped like a tiger.

The nearby knife-winged bat let out a chuckle, and with a flash of the blade, the arm of the Blue Crane Daoist fell to the ground

Zhao Haisong's mind raced with thoughts; he had an excellent memory. Looking at the young man's back, he immediately searched his memory to see if he could match the figure with anyone he knew.

He held a goose-feather knife in his hand, took a step forward, and shouted: "Who are you? Do you not know that this is a case handled by the Six Doors? Do you wish to oppose the court?"

Zhao Haisong scolded, "These desperate individuals are truly a bunch of fools. They are fighting so hard for two useless children."

After a hurried journey, I discovered two bodies lying on the ground. One of them was a constable from the Six Doors whom they had brought along, while the other was one of the four martial artists who had accompanied the Blue Crane Daoist.

Zhao Haisong, holding a goose feather knife, moved through the rain like a swimming fish, swiftly darting away

The constable fell to the ground, his face filled with astonishment

What an eerie finger technique

The Blue Crane Daoist's robe was tattered, yet he still had his hair standing on end in fury. He turned around and threw a punch, striking towards the Ghost Hook Rat

Zhao Haisong furrowed his brows and stood up, then took off running. Soon, they came across two more corpses.

The ghostly hook rat waved its black iron hook and said with a smile, "This fellow is quite tough."

They are unable to comprehend how this young man accomplished it, and they find it difficult to understand what kind of footwork he employed.

Their clothes were completely soaked, and high above, thunder rumbled and lightning flashed, illuminating the world as bolts streaked down from the night sky. On the other side, the deep pit was so dark that even the light from the lightning could not fill it, a dense blackness that seemed to harbor shadowy figures ready to crawl out from the depths.

These two corpses, however, fell together.

Zhao Haisong crouched down and saw the corpse; there were no injuries elsewhere, but there was a blood hole on the forehead, and the skin around the hole exhibited a strange charred black color, as if it had been burned by fire

Four corpses lay behind him. The last few individuals brought by Zhao Haisong also perished here

The Blue Crane Daoist let out a furious roar: "Scoundrel!" With a single punch, a massive fist descended from above, crashing down towards Zhao Haisong's head, while raindrops danced around the fist.

The iron hook of the ghost hook rat is black, lurking in the darkness, appearing in corners that are difficult for Shi Hao's gaze to detect. From time to time, it darts out like a venomous snake, striking or prodding at sharp angles.

Before long, this young man transformed from an elusive carp into a formidable dragon that they could not rival

The first victim had a wound on the forehead with blood and water oozing out, while the second victim had a wound on the throat with no blood or water remaining. It is evident that the assailant's skill penetrated the victim's body, directly sealing the throat and locking the breath with a finger flame

The person was seen with both hands clutching their throat, and there was no blood seeping through the gaps between their fingers. Their face was contorted, filled with terror

The shadow of the two bats flashed as they approached the young man from the side. In the moment they moved, the young man's speed suddenly increased; his figure flickered and he unexpectedly appeared behind Zhao Haisong.

With a swift motion, Zhao Haisong's goose-feather knife pierced through the side of the Blue Crane Daoist, emerging from his chest, and was quickly pulled back, blood gushing forth like a column

He is unable to understand the thoughts of these people; he merely finds them exceedingly laughable

Thus, Zhao Haisong and the "Double Evil of Mouse and Bat" are merely entangled around him, and do not engage in a direct contest with his divine power

As they conversed, they advanced, and in the blink of an eye, they had swiftly covered more than ten zhang, only to find a corpse lying on the ground, which was that of the constable from the Six Doors whom they had brought along.

The Blade-winged Bat smiled and said, "Brother Zhao, you are quite loyal, and we can naturally trust you."

Zhao Haisong was greatly alarmed; at this moment, he had no time to block with his knife and was left with no choice but to counter with a reverse move

From the perspective of the back, there stood a young man, bare-chested, with his removed shirt tied around his waist

The rat and bat launched their dual assault simultaneously, one with a hook and the other with a knife, stirring up a torrent of rain and waves, attacking the young man

Although the rat and bat duo work together seamlessly, one being righteous and the other strange, with dazzling blades and stealthy iron hooks, they are all perceived in minute detail under the sensing of the Soul-Chasing Locking Steps.

At last, a cold light flashed across him, and he returned to his original form, no longer the towering figure of two men in height. The numerous wounds crisscrossing his body seemed to find their many ruptures at this moment, and blood splattered forth.

Zhao Haisong struck again, severing his other hand, kicking him to the ground, and with a cold and disdainful smile, pointed the knife at his throat: "Do you have any last words to say?"

The young man's finger movements became increasingly strange and mysterious, and his speed also grew faster and faster

The dual evils of the rat and bat, with their iron hooks and blades, work in perfect harmony, creating a series of flashes around him. At times, they collide with each other, using this to change tactics and launch surprise attacks on Shi Hao from unexpected angles

In the storm, the Blue Crane Taoist gasped: "You, you barbaric court hounds, will sooner or later come to no good..."

At a greater distance, beneath the cliff, the hunted girl and boy huddled together, supporting a middle-aged man on either side.

Zhao Haisong realized he had made a mistake, and thus set aside his thoughts about the young man he had encountered at the dilapidated temple

Regardless of the type of opponent, as long as they possess luck, there will be a "qi mechanism". The Soul-Chasing Locking Step can keenly sense the flow of this qi mechanism, thereby locking onto the enemy's position and even their current posture

At this moment, he was engaged in combat with Captain Zhao. His finger techniques, ignited with fire, became increasingly intricate, and his footwork grew ever more profound. Unbeknownst to him, the struggle between the two had transformed into a one-sided suppression by him.

Could it be him? His gaze flashed with a fierce light

Both individuals simultaneously recalled the several corpses they had encountered along the way, each exhibiting peculiar postures in death

At this moment, he battles the dual evils of the rat and bat alone, his figure enigmatic and his finger techniques sharp

It seemed as though he was still familiarizing himself with the mysterious steps that flowed like a shadow through the air. At the beginning, he was like a fish in shallow water, barely able to maneuver in the confined space.

Even with divine protection, the Blue Crane Daoist staggered amidst the splattering blood

With a flash, a bolt of lightning struck down, piercing through the heavens and the earth, illuminating the figure of the youth

The Blue Crane Daoist stumbled forward recklessly, unexpectedly lunging at Zhao Haisong, attempting to seize his throat with the other hand

The blade techniques of the knife-winged bat are as swift as flashes of lightning, swirling around Shi Hao.

He seems to be taking advantage of the opponent before him, continuously familiarizing himself with his own martial arts, and as a result, making rapid progress

In the heights, amidst the flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder, the figure of the youth resembles the electric sparks shot down by the bolts of lightning, encircling them from all directions in layers.

Continuing forward, I sprinted over ten zhang in the rain, and upon seeing the corpse of another warrior, I ran a bit further, only to find the third warrior also lying on the ground

The corpse just now had a gaping hole in its forehead from a blow, with blood oozing out, yet this person was only left with an ugly charred appearance, without a trace of blood seeping out

A lightning bolt flashed across the heights, illuminating the cliffs ahead. They saw a tall figure, with its back to them, gazing up at the cliff face, standing still and resolute

Zhao Haisong stood up and, together with the dual evils of the rat and bat, rushed forward. Soon, there was another corpse, and once again, it was one of their own.

With a sound of a sharp crack, his left palm was forcefully pierced through, and smoke began to rise from the wound, as a wave of fiery energy surged upward along the meridians.

Zhao Haisong could not help but exclaim: "A group of useless people"

The two villains, the rat and the bat, simultaneously gazed at the young man's back, their eyes filled with vigilance

Zhao Haisong asked: "What kind of martial art is this?"

The middle-aged man was also covered in blood, with a knife stabbed in his abdomen and chest, and it was evident that he would not survive much longer

The dual evils of the mouse and bat grow increasingly chilling as the battle continues

It reminded me of that young man who looked like he couldn't fight, who was driven away by him in that dilapidated temple earlier

Shi Hao stepped on the Soul Locking Steps taught by the Fire Enchantress. This Soul Locking Step is truly mysterious and inexplicable; although it is called a step technique, it is in fact an enigmatic manipulation of vital energy.

The knife-winged bat's eyes flickered: "Is he using Captain Zhao to test his skills?"

Every move and technique they employed resembled bait being continuously cast; although they did not hook their opponent, they were rapidly nurturing them instead

At this moment, it has not actually been long; it feels as though they have transformed from being attacked by two individuals to being "surrounded" by this young man alone

Zhao Haisong seized the opportunity to withdraw, intending to stabilize his stance, when suddenly a mouthful of blood was spat out

The young man, with his arms crossed in the pouring rain, coldly stated: "The barbaric Tsing Yi dogs must be exterminated by all."

Three people turned their backs to the corpse lying on the ground and hurried forward. Gui Gou Shu cursed, "Damn it, this terrible weather. It was just drizzling a moment ago, and now, for heaven's sake, it's getting heavier and heavier."

Regardless of how hard they exert themselves, employing their lifelong skills, and regardless of how much effort they put into devising various tricks and schemes, this young man is always able to evade them all with an unpredictable speed and a prescient judgment.

The ghostly hook rat chuckled, "First, let's go catch those two children, then we'll talk. Hehe, that girl is quite pretty after all"

Who exactly is this young man

Zhao Haisong spread his hand apart, revealing yet another charred black hole, the opening of which was not large.

When the Fire Charm Woman was teaching him, he did not realize how powerful this footwork was. It was only when he faced his enemy and employed it that he could clearly perceive the marvel of this footwork, which was truly incredible

The young man suddenly vanished before his eyes, his figure flickering, and he appeared beside Zhao Haisong, pointing a finger at Zhao Haisong's armpit.

More importantly, they are able to perceive that each other's strength is continuously rising.

Zhao Haisong was secretly alarmed, exerting all his strength to swiftly change his position.

Turning back, he saw the two evil creatures, the rat and the bat, staring at the talisman in his hand. Zhao Haisong smiled and said, "Rest assured, both of you, I will not monopolize this treasure. However, there is only one treasure, and it is not suitable for three people to share. Once we capture those two children, we will return and appraise its value, and the three of us will divide it together."

What kind of extraordinary skill and strange method is this, so terrifying and so bizarre

The Blue Crane Daoist was drenched in blood, covered in wounds, and several corpses lay around him, all with shattered bones, having perished under his divine power

In a flash of the blade, Zhao Haisong severed his throat, disdainfully watching him take his last breath

The Ghost Hook Mouse and the Blade Wing Bat watched the battle between Zhao Haisong and the young man. At first, the two were evenly matched, but before long, Zhao Haisong's situation became increasingly perilous.

Shi Hao himself did not expect that he had spent so many days in the Primordial Cave Heaven; upon emerging, it seemed as though only a moment had passed in the mortal world

The Ghost Hook Mouse chuckled, "Three are dead, and with those two children, there is only one left. It seems we won't need to take action... uh." His voice suddenly came to a halt.

Both of these individuals were dismembered by a flurry of blades. Nevertheless, one can still see on their faces, which the rain could not wash away the bloodstains, a frozen expression of indomitable rage

-

He had clearly only suffered a puncture to his palm, yet all the meridians from his palm to his lungs felt as if they were being scorched by fierce flames. The unbearable pain of each inch breaking apart was excruciating. While he sealed his own acupoints, he was filled with great terror.

Later, there were two deceased individuals. By the side of the young man lay four corpses, positioned very closely together, clearly indicating that they had been swiftly killed by this young man in a very short span of time

The Primordial Cave Heaven is indeed so mysterious and so profound, truly beyond belief

If this finger were to strike directly at his heart, he would likely die on the spot

Zhao Haisong did not attend to the two fallen constables' bodies, but instead stepped over the deceased and moved forward directly

The temple wall shattered into bricks and stones, littering the ground. Not far away stood a towering figure, at least two men high, covered in blood and swaying unsteadily.