Chapter 121: Unique Journey

I had long been eager for a good fight, but the Xia family are all brainless fools. Whenever they encounter a real powerhouse, they are bound to be finished.

Chen Chen has been practicing sword techniques these days, the ribbons on his long spear fluttering in the wind. Their family secret skill is corpse control, and they are the same.

After Xia Jiyan rushed backward at high speed for a time, he pinched his hands together, and a figure slowly materialized before him. That figure was the yin spirit, and now Xia Jiyan began to chant incantations nonstop. The yin spirit stirred into motion.

Not only me, the other two also summoned different yin spirits.

I smiled faintly. The Snow Blade in my hand sensed my intention and dragged me forward into the attack. The yin spirit's yin energy grew even stronger, its strength matching mine exactly, at the fifth rank of spirit flower. After two previous encounters, I had thought it was still so weak, but I later realized that the closer the controller stands, the more powerful the yin spirit becomes. This yin spirit now possessed the strength of a quasi fifth-rank spirit flower, its reaction speed on par with mine and even superior in some ways.

I gradually grew serious, and the swordplay in my hand entered its second form. Since this yin spirit had no weapon, it could only attack with its sharp claws. The distance was too short, offering little threat to me. Yet Xia Jiyan was not dead. He pulled a machete from his ring, tossed it to the yin spirit, and commanded it to retrieve it. In this way, pressure mounted upon me, for the yin spirit now surpassed me in every respect.

Not only did my side struggle, but Chen Chen's was passive as well. Li Zijian and Lao Li, however, fared much better. Their flawless coordination forced the yin spirit to retreat steadily.

I was momentarily stunned; my arm was gashed open in a wide wound, blood surging forth instantly. I glanced at the tattered white brocade robe, a surge of fury rising in my heart. I continued attacking with the Snow Blade while pinching out the Thunder Decree. With a thunderous boom, the Thunder Decree struck the yin spirit's body. The finger technique's lethal force left the yin spirit collapsing immediately.

Just as I believed the battle concluded, Xia Jiyan suddenly flashed a wicked grin and shaped his hands in strange gestures. I watched closely to see what new tricks he might employ. Before long, two yin spirits slowly took form before me. I furrowed my brows and infused more spiritual energy into the Snow Blade. The two yin spirits charged at me simultaneously, each now wielding a large machete. Compared to the first, these two possessed far less strength, yet remained formidable.

I blocked while glancing at Chen Chen. His long spear now shimmered with light, temporarily holding its own against the yin spirit. Li Zijian had evidently dispatched one and now faced two, yet he managed to hold his ground. The Snow Blade in my hand smoothly entered its third form. At intervals, illusory blades would materialize near the edge, adding both confusion to enemies and a noticeable boost to my own power. This was presumably the hidden function described in chapter two.

Xia Jiyan's expression gradually lost its arrogance, replaced by seriousness. The moment passed too late; my Snow Blade cut through like a hot knife through butter, striking the two yin spirits repeatedly. With two Thunder Decrees, both yin spirits fell to my blades.

I looked at Xia Jiyan, whose face showed utter disbelief even as his arms continued to move. I rushed forward in several strides and severed his arm with a single chop.

“Ah! ...”

The accompanying wail marked the end of his evil life. The two other duels behind us drew to a close as well. Chen Chen had already slain several yin spirits, his long spear driving straight into the opponent's head. Li Zijian had finished his task earlier and was now tending to his wounds.

I removed the ring from Xia Jiyan's hand and took out a lighter, setting his body ablaze. “How are you? Did it hurt badly?”

Chen Chen had also finished his fight and ran over to join us. “Those yin spirits are no pushovers, but this man was far too weak. He was taken out by Lao Li with one strike.”

Lao Li nodded and explained, “The Xia family’s signature technique is corpse control. Their own strength is inherently weak.”

“Will the car still run?”

I asked the crucial question. Lao Li snapped back to awareness and hurried toward the vehicle. I opened Xia Jiyan's ring. Inside it were pitifully few items: a few machetes, several yellow papers, and a small amount of cash. The ring was the only thing of value on him.

After a while, Lao Li returned, panting. “Impossible. The car’s engine is wrecked; it can’t move.”

He pulled out his phone to check a map. “The nearest town is more than a hundred kilometers away...”

As the words left his lips, Li Zijian began to wail dramatically beside him. “We’re doomed! We’re going to survive in the wilderness...”

We discussed our options and decided to press forward. If we spotted a vehicle, we would take it; otherwise, we could reach the nearest city before nightfall. It was already three in the afternoon. The four of us strode quickly along the empty highway, surrounded by nothing but wasteland. The more I thought about it, the angrier I grew. It seemed that every time I rode in a car, disaster followed. I must hold the record for the most accidents.

Fortunately, none of us had suffered serious injuries, and the gash on my arm had already scabbed over. Yet in this deserted stretch, not even a single vehicle remained. I fretted over how to get home when a large truck slowly approached from behind. I instantly had an idea and turned to the others.

“Watch for your moment and jump onto the truck.”

They understood my meaning instantly. When the truck closed to within a few meters, I leaped hard from the side, seized the running board with both hands, and flipped onto the roof. Li Zijian and the rest followed suit without hesitation. I settled on the truck top, finally able to relax. As long as the vehicle delivered us to the nearest city, all would be well. This was my first time riding on a truck, and the four of us enjoyed the breeze on the roof, feeling surprisingly comfortable. The journey was slow and steady, and before long the truck fulfilled its promise, carrying us into the nearest city before night fell.

Lao Li had already arranged a place for us. We planned to spend one night in the city and return the next day. We spotted the intersection and jumped down together. Walking forward would carry us into the town, but dressed as we were and perched on the truck roof, we would surely attract unwanted attention. So we found a modest hotel nearby.

As usual, the four of us claimed separate rooms—the best suites the establishment had to offer.