Chapter 46: Meng Chuan's Third Strike

"We underestimated you," Murong You, with his white brows and golden eyes, said in a low voice. With a whoosh, he turned into an afterimage and darted eastward.

"Escaping?"

Meng Chuan immediately gave chase. He didn't use his soul power, relying only on his normal speed, which was already enough to keep up with Murong You.

The two, one in front and one behind, moved like phantoms across the rooftops in the dark, with only the mournful wail of the wind in their ears.

"Husband, it's quiet outside now."

"It's all quiet," said a scrawny man from inside the civilian house whose courtyard wall had been smashed by Murong You and Deputy Hall Master Tu Shang. He poked his head out from under a fallen beam and cautiously peered outside. In the darkness, he vaguely saw a burly man lying on the ground not far away. The man was about ten feet tall, covered in black fur, and looked like a large black bear at first glance. The sight made the scrawny man's face turn pale, and he quickly pulled back.

"Let's not go out. Whatever happened, just ignore it."

"Husband, what exactly happened?"

"I couldn't see clearly, but it looked like a bear demon lying in our courtyard. It was ten feet tall, much taller than our door frame."

"What? A demon?"

The couple huddled inside, too afraid to go out again.

Murong You fled and Meng Chuan pursued. Within a single breath, they were close to a large river.

"Hmm?" Seeing the river in the night, Meng Chuan instantly understood. "He can't shake me, so he wants to enter the river? I'm not particularly skilled in water combat."

Ordinary swimming or diving skills were not considered true aquatic prowess in front of some powerful cultivators.

Some 'Divine Demon Bodies' with water attributes were even more agile than fish in water, incredibly fast, and could maintain formidable combat strength. Some strong practitioners of the Demon Gate cultivated water-based demonic arts, allowing them to retain significant fighting power in water. However, Meng Chuan's cultivation method was not adept at water combat. If he entered the water, he wouldn't be able to unleash even one-tenth of his strength.

"Hmph, his speed is so immense, he must have a Thunder Divine Demon Body. I don't believe he'd dare to pursue me in the water too." Murong You headed straight for the river.

By this point, Murong You no longer harbored any thoughts of capturing Meng Chuan alive; he only wanted to survive.

Because when Meng Chuan unleashed his full power, his speed was unbelievably fast.

He could even be used to kill Tu Lao Er... being exploited like that was truly confidence-shattering.

"As long as I can escape and report Meng Chuan's information, that will be a great merit," Murong You thought to himself. "This Meng Chuan hides his strength very well. He has clearly comprehended the blade intent, and he's had it for quite some time."

Meng Chuan's blade techniques were exceptionally refined.

They didn't look like someone who had just comprehended blade intent.

In fact, Meng Chuan had indeed comprehended it for over half a year, and he had also incorporated some of the techniques from the Thunder World-Ending Blade. His blade techniques were naturally exquisite. Furthermore, within his ten-zhang domain, he could naturally perform at an even higher level, giving Murong You the impression that Meng Chuan must have comprehended blade intent a long time ago.

"He might have comprehended blade intent at sixteen, no... more likely at fifteen. The time he claims to have comprehended secret techniques must also be false; he probably grasped them at eleven or twelve. I've been cultivating demon core for so many years and he still suppresses me. His talent is terrifying. If reported to the demon race, it would be enough for them to issue a bounty for his assassination," Murong You mused. "Then he'll surely die."

"Hmm?"

As Murong You was still pondering, he suddenly noticed Meng Chuan, who had been pursuing him, abruptly surge in speed, appearing behind him in the blink of an eye.

"He's going all out," Murong You thought with a jolt. He had witnessed Meng Chuan's full-throttle speed when he killed Deputy Hall Master Tu. Yet, seeing it again now was still profoundly shocking.

Truly too fast!

"Whoosh."

Meng Chuan, certain that his opponent intended to escape into the river, stopped delaying.

He had delayed before to wait for his grandaunt to arrive.

Any more delay, and the opponent would jump into the river and escape him.

"Kill," Meng Chuan decided, making his final effort. His soul power integrated into every part of his body, giving him a feeling of 'omnipotence' as he fully controlled his physical true qi. With an explosive burst, he lunged at Murong You, simultaneously unleashing his first strike.

As the blade struck, thunder and lightning erupted within his body.

It was the first strike of the seventeenth form, 'Five Extinctions of the World,' from the Black Iron Heavenly Book's Thunder World-Ending Blade!

If 'Drawing Blade Style' was Meng Chuan's assassination move, then the 'Five Extinctions of the World' afterimage, originating from the Thunder World-Ending Blade, was his most powerful killer move for head-on combat, its might even more terrifying.

This strike was as fast as lightning, possessing a grand and overbearing momentum.

"So fast," Murong You felt. Meng Chuan had arrived too quickly, and the blade light was even faster, bearing an overwhelming dominance that shook the soul.

"He can't threaten me," Murong You thought. In an instant, he even activated a forbidden technique, his strength and speed surging significantly. He skillfully used his pair of curved blades to perfectly block the front. With a clang of weapons colliding, Murong You flawlessly parried the strike.

"Boom."

But Meng Chuan immediately followed up with a second strike.

The second strike, imbued with the momentum of the first, caused thunder to surge within his body, and his true qi flowed in waves. This strike was even more overbearing; though the blade light was only about ten feet long, its power was far greater than that of the Thunder Drawing Blade Style.

In the darkness, Murong You's eyes could barely make out the details, perceiving only dazzling blade light.

"Thud." Murong You's curved blades were indeed formidable; he still managed to painstakingly block the even faster second strike. However, this second strike carried immense force that transferred into his internal organs, jolting them and causing Murong You's body to tremble, a metallic taste of blood rising in his throat.

"Third strike!"

A killing intent gleamed in Meng Chuan's eyes. After several bursts, his soul power was nearly exhausted, allowing him to unleash only one more strike. This would be his final, desperate blow.

The inheritance he received from the Black Iron Heavenly Book's 'Thunder World-Ending Blade' for 'Five Extinctions of the World' was only partial information, consisting of only the first two strikes. He himself didn't know the subsequent three strikes.

However, after the accumulation of the first two strikes, the thunder and lightning within his body surged even more ferociously, and his true qi pounded through his meridians in wave after wave. He couldn't suppress it, nor could he 'borrow power' to unleash a fourth strike. All he could do was unleash all this pent-up power in one massive burst.

"Whoosh."

All the thunder, lightning, and true qi within his body poured into the blade in his hand as he unleashed his final strike.

"Whoosh!"

Completely contrary to the previous two strikes, which were powerful and overbearing, each faster and more dominant than the last, the third strike was utterly soft and subtle. It was 'Waning Moon,' a technique Meng Chuan had diligently practiced for a long time! He had also used this move to kill Tu Shang. But the 'Waning Moon' he unleashed now was significantly faster. After all, it incorporated all the power accumulated from the preceding two strikes, resulting in the most terrifying 'Waning Moon' yet.

The blade technique was gentle yet eerie, its trajectory elusive.

This was a combination move devised by Meng Chuan: the first two strikes of 'Five Extinctions of the World' combined with 'Waning Moon' to form a continuous three-strike sequence!

A fusion of dominance and subtlety.

"Not good." Murong You was accustomed to blocking swift and fierce blade techniques and was already prepared to endure the third strike head-on. But to his surprise, the third strike was suddenly extremely soft and subtle, causing him to panic slightly as he tried to defend.

"Blocked it."

One of Murong You's curved blades met the gentle blade light. Yet, it was like moonlight spilling down, visible but difficult to grasp.

Similarly, the moment Murong You touched the gentle blade light, a strange, rotating force bypassed his curved blade's obstruction. The blade light flashed and was suddenly right in front of him.

"Damn it." Failing to block it, a chill ran through Murong You's heart.

Instinctively, he swung both arms, trying desperately to block with them.

"Splurt."

The flickering blade light flashed.

An arm flew into the air, and a bloody wound appeared on Murong You's chest.

Murong You reeled back, having survived. Yet, he felt no joy, only a deeper chill in his heart.

"Am I going to die at Meng Chuan's hands?" Although he had preserved his life from that terrifying strike, the loss of an arm and the massive chest wound drastically reduced his strength; he now possessed only half of his former power.

He had been suppressed even at his peak.

With only half his strength, Murong You's heart naturally grew colder.

"Didn't kill him?" A chill also ran through Meng Chuan's heart. His soul power was now almost completely depleted, making it impossible for him to unleash another full burst. Without his soul power, his strength was merely on par with that of the two deputy hall masters. Even with Murong You severely wounded, Meng Chuan had no confidence in stopping him.