Chapter 15: Tang Quan
Chapter 15: Tang Quan
From a bird's eye view, Yu City was shrouded in darkness. The night sky was devoid of stars, and even the moonlight was obscured by dark fog, revealing a vague silhouette of the city. The inner and outer cities were distinctly separated, like two sides of a river.
Many areas within the inner city remained brightly lit, and some of the entertainment districts were bustling with activity. In contrast, the outer city was enveloped in darkness and silence, with barely any lights visible. Everything within sight was pitch-black.
In a corner of the vast southern district, two figures were engaged in a battle under the dim and flickering moonlight.
"Hey, it's just a little silver, and yet it attracts the attention of the esteemed District Prefect. How fortunate am I, Tang Quan?"
One of the figures, clad in black, appeared slightly thin. The moonlight occasionally revealed his face, marked by a prominent black scar on the right cheek, as he let out a sinister laugh.
His pursuer, dressed in a white flying fish robe, stood out vividly under the moonlight. Her face was cold and beautiful, and in the moon's glow, she resembled a celestial fairy. But she was none other than the renowned District Prefect of the Southern District, Xu Hongyu.
"Silver is but a fleeting possession. However, some things, even a mere glance, can bring about great calamity. You should understand this principle."
Xu Hongyu spoke with a light tone, and with a slight movement, she became a fleeting shadow, instantly closing in behind Tang Quan. Her flexible sword stirred up a dim moonlight.
Tang Quan swung his sword to block, but it only provided slight resistance before he was overwhelmed. His black robe was torn in several places, revealing a crude iron-colored soft armor underneath.
"I didn't see anything I shouldn't have. Why are you wrongfully accusing me?" Tang Quan said with a bitter expression.
"Perhaps," Xu Hongyu replied with a hint of disinterest.
Some things, even the mere possibility of seeing them, could bring about disaster for certain people. They would leave no stone unturned in their investigations. Even Xu Hongyu, as the District Prefect, had been forced to do menial labor against her will.
Seeing that Xu Hongyu was unwavering, and her sword techniques were clearly lethal, Tang Quan inwardly groaned. He had initially underestimated this female District Prefect, thinking that her position was likely due to her background rather than her abilities. But upon engaging in combat, he realized his mistake. Her body tempering techniques seemed to have reached the level of 'Sinew Transformation,' making her movements agile and her sword techniques powerful, far surpassing Tang Quan, who was still struggling with muscle tempering.
Moreover, her sword techniques were flawless, a genuine manifestation of the Water of the Abyss from the Heaven and Earth Eight Trigrams. She had achieved mastery, and her flowing sword aura was unleashed with every strike. If this sword technique hadn't prioritized defense over offense, Tang Quan, even in his iron scaled armor, would have already been lying dead on the ground. Despite this, he struggled to escape her relentless pursuit.
After a few more exchanges, Tang Quan's body bore seven or eight wounds. Some were blocked by his armor, but his shoulders, upper arms, and other exposed areas were torn and bleeding, the injuries deep and terrifying.
"Xu Hongyu! You're really pushing me too far!" Tang Quan shouted in anger.
Xu Hongyu continued her advance, her sword gleaming in the moonlight. With a swift strike, her soft sword, usually gentle as flowing water, now became a fierce rainbow, piercing through Tang Quan's blade aura.
Sizzle!
Even the iron scaled armor, capable of withstanding blades, couldn't stop this strike. It was pierced through! Tang Quan spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his face grimacing in pain. But his eyes now held a fierce determination. With his right hand, he reached out and produced a strange black orb, throwing it down with all his might.
Xu Hongyu's face paled, and without hesitation, she leaped backward, instantly putting ten meters of distance between them.
Boom!
The black orb hit the ground and exploded, instantly releasing a cloud of gray mist that spread in all directions, covering an area of nearly ten meters. The mist crept over nearby weeds, withering them at a visible rate.
"Corpse Poison Orb?" Xu Hongyu exclaimed, her face turning grim.
According to her knowledge, this object was made from corpse poison and required at least ten thousand corpses to extract. It was a cruel and sinister hidden weapon, and even the imperial court had strictly forbidden its creation, considering its discovery a capital offense.
However, with the court's power waning and its control over regions far weaker than in its heyday, sinister objects like this, once strictly prohibited, were now emerging, causing chaos and disorder.
The gray mist lingered, and Xu Hongyu dared not approach.
When the mist faded slightly, she swung her sword and slashed through the thin fog, but Tang Quan's figure was nowhere to be found.
"You won't get far," Xu Hongyu said coldly, her eyes fixed on the direction he had fled.
Tang Quan had been hit by her sword, a fatal blow that pierced through his chest and abdomen. Even for those with advanced Body Tempering Techniques, this was a severe injury, and thorough treatment might not guarantee a full recovery. If he didn't find help for his wound, he would die within moments.
...
Under the night sky, the alleys were quiet and dark, devoid of any lamplight. The moon was shrouded by clouds and mist, plunging the streets into darkness, making it nearly impossible to see even a hand in front of one's face.
In one of these alleys, Tang Quan staggered forward, one hand tightly clutched over the wound on his chest and abdomen.
"You despicable woman, wait until I get my hands on you..." Tang Quan gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with hatred.
The wound on his shoulder and leg was deep, but he had nearly mastered the Muscle Tempering step of the Body Tempering Technique, allowing him to forcibly close his muscles and temporarily stop the bleeding and suppress the injury with ease. However, the sword wound between his chest and abdomen was no minor matter. Even though he had avoided vital organs, the injury was still severe, and he dared not exert himself for fear of tearing the wound and making it untreatable.
Indeed, he couldn't run far, and without treating the wound, he wouldn't last half an hour before losing consciousness and dying.
A faint beam of moonlight shone down.
Using this meager light, Tang Quan scanned the alley and spotted two dilapidated shacks nearby, clearly belonging to a poor family.
Tang Quan stumbled towards the shacks, reached the door, and pushed it. It was bolted from the inside, but without hesitation, he shook his left hand, producing a piece of wire from his pocket. With dexterity, he inserted the wire through the door crack and quietly unlatched the bolt.
He then cautiously pushed the door open and stepped inside.
But as the door opened halfway, a sudden change occurred.
Pfft!
A handful of white ash was abruptly thrown from within the dark room.
Caught off guard, Tang Quan had been trying to move quietly, focusing more on the outside and other potential threats. He never expected the door to open halfway before this sudden attack. This kind of tactic was something he, a seasoned fighter, would have dismissed as a low-level trick. But who would have thought he'd encounter it now?
Tang Quan hastily closed his eyes and retreated, but he was still a step too late. Some of the white ash entered his eyes, causing an intense burning pain, and he was certain it was not just lime but something more toxic.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
