Comprehending Myriad Techniques as Woodcutter

Chapter 256: Chapter 199: Slaughtering on All Sides, Sweeping Through a Thousand Armies

When the bandit leader saw Xie Yuan’s true face, he didn’t have time to wonder what sort of miraculous Disguise Skill this was. He just stared for a moment, then exclaimed in shock:

"You’re that Sword Sect disciple, Zhang... no, you’re... you’re Xie Yuan!"

Lu the Third had repeatedly failed to track down Xie Yuan, but he was unwilling to give up this chance to obtain the Black Celestial Book—

After all, in his eyes, the kid was definitely involved with Mu Chaoyun. And with his low cultivation, capturing him was easier than finding Mu Chaoyun.

And by finding him, he could follow the trail and likely track down Mu Chaoyun as well.

If the two were truly hot for each other, he might even be able to trade Xie Yuan for the Black Celestial Book!

Thus, instead of avoiding Sword Sect disciples on sight as he usually would, Lu the Third issued a sweeping order to his men: search Yunzhou for a young escort named Xie Yuan and capture him immediately! Furthermore, any news was to be reported to him personally by any means necessary and at the fastest possible speed. He promised a handsome reward and even circulated a portrait of Xie Yuan.

The youth in the portrait was exceptionally handsome. The bandits, unaware of Lu the Third’s true intentions, even thought their commander had been struck by a spring fancy to be making such a fuss. Regardless, they all memorized the man’s face, keeping a constant lookout. If they could find him, they would naturally be set for life.

The leader saw that the person before him was the man from the portrait they had studied so many times—the very same Xie Yuan their Grand Commander longed for day and night. For a moment, he was both shocked and overjoyed.

He tightened his grip, about to capture Xie Yuan, his mind already conjuring images of the Grand Commander rewarding him with gold, silver, beautiful wives, charming concubines, and even Grandmaster-level Cultivation Techniques!

The next moment, however, his joy slowly faded, leaving only shock.

He put his strength into his grip, but this Xie Yuan didn’t budge an inch!

Only then did the leader realize his celebration was premature. This Xie Yuan had appeared out of nowhere, and his strength was no longer what they’d been told—merely at the Fourth Training!

His throat bobbed. A sudden flash of insight struck him. He thought of how Xie Yuan’s face had just transformed, of the commotion in the center of the ruins, and of Lu Xiaosan’s furious roar. Suddenly, it all seemed to click into place. His voice was hoarse as he said:

"You... you’re that Zhang Mountain! You followed us in on purpose!"

"Clever boy. Goodbye."

Xie Yuan smiled, grabbing the leader’s hand with his left arm. He then thrust out his right fist, which produced a deafening BOOM.

Eight Trigrams Mountain-Shaking Fist!

Despair filled the leader’s eyes. He tried to block with his left hand, but at this distance, the force of the punch snapped his arm before the fist landed squarely in his abdomen.

His stomach caved in completely. His body curled up like a shrimp, and his eyes, stained blood-red, nearly bulged from their sockets.

Xie Yuan confirmed the leader had stopped breathing before releasing his grip and watching the body fall to the ground with a THUD.

’You thought you could step on me and whip me? Heh. I’m not one to hold a grudge. I just settle my scores on the spot.’

’Hmm, the physique of someone in the Qi and Blood Metamorphosis Realm really is different. My punch didn’t even go through him, just killed him with the shockwave.’

A chill ran down Xie Yuan’s spine. This leader’s cultivation was not weak. While his punch couldn’t actually shake a mountain, it could definitely shatter rock. Yet the physique of a Martial Artist at the peak of the Fourth Training, having undergone a Qi and Blood Transformation, was tougher than he could have imagined.

If not for his disguise as Li Gou’er, which had left the man defenseless, he wouldn’t have been able to kill him with a single punch.

Xie Yuan looked toward the top of the sand dune. He could faintly make out several figures in white locked in a fierce battle with a large group of bandits. His heart stirred, but he also felt a sense of helplessness.

’My fellow disciples are certainly loyal, but now things are a bit troublesome.’

He hadn’t expected Huang Zifeng and his three companions to actually follow him back. Not even a hundred bandits had been enough to scare them off.

But even if they weren’t afraid of a hundred bandits, there were over a thousand in this entire basin!

Xie Yuan’s gaze swept over the area like a bolt of lightning. He saw that the commotion on the dunes, combined with the chaos he had caused in the ruins, had thrown Lu the Third’s entire bandit camp into an uproar.

The bandits at the Second Transformation and above seemed to still be in the ruins, hesitant to leave. However, the minor bandit leaders at the Qi Blood First Transformation on the outskirts of the basin were already rushing toward the four on the dune!

Xie Yuan’s expression darkened. Huang Zifeng’s group was already surrounded by a large contingent of External Training bandits and locked in a bitter struggle. If a few more bandits from the Qi and Blood Metamorphosis Realm joined the fray, they wouldn’t even be able to escape.

Not to mention, the bandits at the First Transformation on the periphery were now swarming toward the dune like sharks that had scented blood. A quick glance revealed nearly ten of them leading the charge.

’It seems all of Lu the Third’s experts are here...’

He shook his head and seized another bandit leader who had crept close, preparing for a sneak attack.

This was one of the leaders from the squad that had captured him. Having just seen his companion killed, he had stealthily circled back, only to be discovered instantly by Xie Yuan.

Seeing some nearby bandits notice the commotion and start heading over, Xie Yuan held the man and asked with a smile:

"Do you know who I am?"

The bandit struggled a few times but found he couldn’t break free from Xie Yuan’s iron-like grip. Horrified, he stammered:

"You... you’re..."

"Louder. Didn’t you eat?"

The bandit shuddered. In his fear, he had a flash of inspiration. "You’re Xie... I don’t know! I don’t know you! Spare me, brave warrior! I’ll get lost right now!"

"Cut the crap. You definitely know me. Hurry up and say it!"

Xie Yuan was growing impatient and shouted:

"Say it! Say my name!"

"...You’re Xie... Xie Yuan!!"

"Xie Yuan! Xie Yuan is here!!!"

The bandit shrieked, a terrified jolt making his voice tear through the night sky.

Hearing the cry, Xie Yuan nodded in satisfaction and said with a grin:

"Damn right."

With a SNAP, he broke the bandit’s neck and tossed the body aside.

Although this bandit was also at the Qi Blood First Transformation, his cultivation was considerably weaker than the previous leader’s.

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