Chapter 11: I Knew It

In an instant, countless possibilities flashed through Wei-gonggong’s mind, ultimately turning into deep apprehension.

At that moment, Chen Luo felt invigorated, as if infused with adrenaline, his body radiating heat. The inner qi he had cultivated surged like hormones, coursing through him and keeping him in a state of heightened excitement.

He had just killed someone.

And there was no discomfort whatsoever.

Perhaps due to witnessing numerous corpses before, Chen Luo now felt as though he had merely slaughtered two chickens, his emotions utterly unaffected.

“Little Luo?”

Swallowing nervously, Third Uncle cautiously called out.

“Third Uncle, step back; you don’t want to get splattered with blood.” Chen Luo stared at the old eunuch opposite them, his murderous intent intensifying.

Killing one is murder; killing two is still murder.

With this obvious enemy present, why leave him alive for another day? As for consequences, given the situation they were already in, who could worry about such things? At worst, they’d pack up and retreat into the mountains, becoming bandits together with his third uncle.

Banditry was rampant during these feudal times, and which jianghu wanderer didn’t have a few murders under their belt? Killing this foe would serve as a fitting initiation rite for joining their ranks.

Stunned, Third Uncle retreated two steps, and as soon as he did, Chen Luo sprang into action. With a powerful leap, he charged like a predatory tiger, his hands forming claws mid-air. One claw aimed for the white-haired eunuch’s throat while the other targeted his chest.

His punches swift as wind, emanating a palpable aura of menace.

Boom!

At that moment, Wei-gonggong finally reacted, momentarily setting aside any potential conspiracies behind him; saving his life took precedence.

Their arms clashed with a muffled sound, forcing both combatants to stagger back.

Wei-gonggong retreated three steps, while Chen Luo stepped back five.

“Inner Qi?” Wei-gonggong’s face filled with shock, bewildered by the sudden appearance of such a formidable expert and why they would be hostile towards him. Could this be a contingency measure from those adversaries? The thought darkened Wei-gonggong’s expression further.

“A master at your level cannot remain unknown. Speak, who sent you here?”

Chen Luo remained silent, focusing solely on his relentless assault.

Wei-gonggong’s expression turned grim, wasting no more words. His narrow eyes fixed on Chen Luo, he swiftly extended his left hand, drawing a flexible sword from his waist, which coiled like a spirit snake in his slender grip.

“Alright, alright, alright,” Chen Luo retorted, “For a castrated mutt, you sure have many questions.”

Unaware of the intricate schemes behind these individuals, only one thought dominated his mind:

Take down this damned eunuch.

“You insolent fool!”

The white-haired eunuch’s figure flickered as ghostly shadows appeared beneath his feet, instantly multiplying his speed several times over. With a flash of cold light, a barrage of sword strikes targeted vital points across Chen Luo’s body.

His flexible blade was swift and agile.

In that moment, Chen Luo felt under siege from all directions, overwhelmed by a sense of imminent danger.

‘Use the terrain!’ A suggestion, seemingly from some unknown jianghu wanderer’s thoughts, echoed in his mind. Reacting instinctively, he moved swiftly. The sword glinted, narrowly missing Chen Luo’s cheek but leaving a long, thin wound on his left face.

The remaining arc of the blade struck the nearby pillar instead. By utilizing the courtyard’s structure, he successfully evaded what would have been a fatal attack.

“Die already!”

Chen Luo circled around the pillar, launching himself back with a ferocious counterattack, his arm sweeping like a tiger’s tail.

Pound, pound, pound!

The old eunuch reacted swiftly, exchanging over a dozen moves with Chen Luo in an instant.

As they separated, both their breaths became erratic and heavily fluctuating.

Panting, blood dripped from Chen Luo’s left hand, while the killing intent in his eyes intensified. On the other side, the old eunuch’s hand holding the flexible sword trembled uncontrollably, revealing that he was not as composed as he appeared.

The aftermath of their clash had left the courtyard utterly chaotic. Chairs and tables were shattered, and nearby corpses continued to ooze blood. The sharp scent of gore filled the air, heightening everyone’s unease.

“To achieve such martial prowess at your young age, why not serve the imperial court instead?”

Wei-gonggong, gasping for breath, stared at Chen Luo across from him, discreetly adjusting his breathing to recover.

Chen Luo mirrored his actions.

His energy depletion exceeded Wei-gonggong’s; under normal circumstances, he could never match this seasoned eunuch. Their combat experience was not on the same level, let alone the fact that the old eunuch possessed superior inner qi.

However, Chen Luo held an advantage - the collective knowledge of numerous jianghu warriors within his mind. This granted him extraordinary combat expertise far beyond ordinary individuals.

From swords, spears, knives, axes, staffs, clubs, to tridents, there was no weapon he lacked proficiency in.

“If you’re willing, I can recommend you to His Majesty. Then, serving the Emperor together, wouldn’t that offer a brighter future for both of us?” Seeing Chen Luo remained silent, Wei-gonggong continued.

He had expended significant energy and needed more time to recover. These words were merely to distract Chen Luo; Wei-gonggong was determined to kill him. Who would dare keep such a fearless individual around, unafraid of challenging imperial authority? Despite knowing Wei-gonggong’s affiliation with the palace, Chen Luo held nothing back, showing no concern for potential repercussions or the risk of his entire clan being exterminated.

“Are you rested enough?”

Suddenly, Chen Luo spoke from across the courtyard.

His labored breathing instantly steadied as inner qi surged, propelling him forward. Wei-gonggong, who was still prepared to talk, changed expression abruptly and swiftly raised his soft sword to block, abandoning further nonsense.

Clang!!

Sparks flew.

A terrifying force bent Wei-gonggong’s flexible sword and struck relentlessly against his chest, followed by the sound of cracking ribs. Only then did Wei-gonggong clearly see that Chen Luo had acquired something in his hand at some point.

Half a brick!

During their earlier clash, they had overturned a stone table in the courtyard. In that moment, Chen Luo seized the opportunity to grab this half-brick.

“Aren’t you supposed to fight with your fists?” Wei-gonggong’s face paled as he spat out a mouthful of blood.

The impact had caused internal injuries, instantly breaking the evenly matched stalemate. What infuriated him most was that Chen Luo completely disregarded conventional tactics. Despite being a skilled fist fighter, he resorted to using a brick during combat!

Chen Luo showed no intention of wasting words; strike when the enemy is vulnerable, finish them off! Explaining oneself generously to an opponent was a foolish mistake often made by villains, but it was one he would never commit.

With a flash, Chen Luo charged forward again, brandishing the brick.

Suppressing his injuries, Wei-gonggong reluctantly engaged in another round of battle.

This time, Wei-gonggong felt increasingly frustrated as he fought. Within moments, he suffered two more blows from the brick, leaving his forehead battered and bruised. Blood streamed continuously down his face, making for a gruesome sight.

Chen Luo also sustained injuries; Wei-gonggong’s flexible sword was exceptionally vicious. Cuts marred his arm and back, though they appeared less severe than the brick-inflicted wounds.

“I concede, please give me a chance,” Wei-gonggong gasped, spitting out blood with a burning pain in his lungs.

“Fine.”

Chen Luo took a deep breath and finally halted his movements.

As soon as Chen Luo slowed down, Wei-gonggong could no longer endure it. Dizziness overwhelmed him, weakness surged due to excessive blood loss, and his head spun, unsure if the bricks had caused further damage.

Before the thought fully formed, Wei-gonggong sensed a blur before his eyes.

Looking up, he just managed to see half of a bloodstained brick hurtling towards his face.

Crack!

‘I knew it.’

This was Wei-gonggong’s final fleeting thought as life slipped away.