Chapter 44: Be Careful! He Is the Sect Leader

With a flick of his wrist, he immediately executed the "Lonely Star Piercing the Azure Sky" technique. The Black Iron Sword arced through the air, releasing a crescent-shaped sword energy that forced back two broadswords, temporarily averting the danger.

However, his attack showed no signs of stopping. Before his feet even touched the ground, he fixated on an eighth-level Qi Cultivation member and unleashed a "Three Stars Reflecting the Moon" strike. The latter was startled and immediately raised both broadswords, using their blunt edges to parry the sword.

*Screech!* The two metals clashed, sending sparks flying. But he clearly underestimated Jiang Fan's cultivation level, and even more so, his swordsmanship. *Crack!* After a brief standoff, the blunt edge of his opponent's broadsword was severed. The Black Iron Sword sliced into his shoulder blade, causing the man to cry out in pain.

"Zhao Ming!" roared the Protector wielding a short blade, fiercely thrusting it towards Jiang Fan's back. Jiang Fan gripped the sword hilt with both hands and slashed fiercely. The Black Iron Sword diagonally sliced downwards along the shoulder blade, severing half of his torso.

He had no time to consider the outcome of his attack. Using the momentum from that strike, he spun around and unleashed another slash, perfectly parrying the short blade that the Protector was attacking him with. When two forces clash, the braver one prevails! At this crucial moment, Jiang Fan let out a low roar: "Seven Stars North!" All of his ninth-level Qi Cultivation spiritual energy poured into the Black Iron Sword, unleashing his most powerful strike.

The formidable sword energy instantly numbed the Protector's hand, causing the short blade in his grasp to fly out of his hand, impossible to hold onto. Seizing this opportune moment, Jiang Fan swept his sword horizontally. The Protector paled in shock and hastily retracted his hand, but it was too late. This astonishing sword strike directly severed his fingers and continued across his chest, leaving a long trail of blood.

"This... impossible..." The Protector gazed down at the bloody line on his chest, his eyes filled with disbelief as he slowly slumped to the ground.

"Protector Qiu!" The sole remaining eighth-level Qi Cultivation member, far from being afraid, became enraged. He charged forward with his broadsword, determined to fight to the death.

At the same time, Xu Yining finally arrived. Seeing two bodies on the rooftop and one on the ground, she was surprised. How long had it been? Jiang Fan had already killed three people? She quickly scanned the area. She spotted an elderly Blood Bat Palace remnant, over sixty years old, hastily moving weapons. Her eyes sharpened, and she charged forward with her Green Sword, shouting, "Blood Bat Palace remnant, prepare to die!"

Jiang Fan, who was still entangled in his own fight, saw this and his expression changed dramatically. "Be careful!" he warned. "He's no ordinary remnant!" Although it was only a glance, he could feel that the pressure this old man exerted was in no way inferior to that of the short-blade Protector!

Xu Yining, however, was in no mood to listen. Jiang Fan had taken the lead, claiming three kills, which put her at a disadvantage. She had finally found one remaining enemy; if she couldn't kill him herself, what face would she have left?

"Hiyah!" Xu Yining let out a low cry, straightened her posture, and lunged with her sword towards the old man. Only then did the old man realize what was happening. He had merely gone inside to move some items, and most of his men had already been killed. His heart filled with fury. Seeing Xu Yining thrusting her sword at him, he was naturally enraged and roared, "You seek death!"

His body trembled, and terrifying spiritual energy burst forth from him. Before Xu Yining's sword could even reach him, she was sent flying by the surging spiritual energy. "Foundation Establishment Realm?" Xu Yining gasped in horror, then immediately realized who was before her, exclaiming in terror, "The Blood Bat Palace Branch Master!!!" He had the audacity to infiltrate Solitary Boat City!

"You mere children, how dare you slaughter my Blood Bat Palace elites!" The Branch Master was beside himself with rage. He charged towards Xu Yining with a furious roar.

From the rooftop, Jiang Fan's face changed drastically as he watched. With Xu Yining's strength, she would likely be killed instantly in a single exchange! Anxious, he glanced at the eighth-level Qi Cultivation member who was still stubbornly feigning attacks, then suddenly executed a movement technique to create distance between them. He then decisively unleashed "Seven Stars North." A chilling flash of sword light swept across the man's throat. Without even checking the outcome, Jiang Fan immediately leaped down from the several-zhang-high wall.

The Branch Master was already closing in on Xu Yining. Xu Yining's heart pounded wildly; an overwhelming sense of suffocation filled her with despair. She swung her sword with all her might, attempting to force him back. Yet, her swordsmanship couldn't even break through the spiritual energy emanating from her opponent.

"Die!" the Branch Master roared, shaping his hand into a claw and lunging for her throat! This claw strike was both swift and vicious. It was powerful enough to snap Xu Yining's neck. Xu Yining's face turned ashen; her breathing hitched in terror, as if she could already feel the cold embrace of death. She instinctively closed her eyes.

*Clang!* But the imagined pain never came; instead, there was a metallic clang. She opened her eyes. It was Jiang Fan, standing before her, parrying the attack with his Black Iron Sword.

"Retreat quickly!" Jiang Fan hissed. Facing the power of a Foundation Establishment Realm Layer 2 practitioner, Jiang Fan immediately felt suffocating pressure. Xu Yining stood frozen for a moment before snapping back to reality and hastily retreating.

"None of you will escape!" the Branch Master roared. He squeezed with his bare hand-claw, and to Jiang Fan's horror, cracks began to appear on the Black Iron Sword! Jiang Fan's face fell, but in that desperate moment, inspiration struck. Instead of retreating, he forcefully channeled powerful spiritual energy into the Black Iron Sword, pushing it forward with all his might. The consequence was that the Black Iron Sword couldn't withstand the pressure from both sides.

Finally! *CRACK!* With a violent shattering sound, the blade of the Black Iron Sword fragmented into countless pieces, scattering towards both combatants! One sharp shard ricocheted and struck Jiang Fan's face. However, the metal mask was made of extraordinary material, leaving only an indentation. But the Branch Master was not so fortunate. A thumb-sized fragment violently ricocheted and embedded itself in his forehead.

"Hiss!" The Branch Master gasped in pain. However, this did not cause him substantial harm! Jiang Fan decisively flicked his sleeve, gathering all the scattered fragments hovering in mid-air and sending them hurtling in unison towards the nearby Branch Master! "How dare you... Argh!!" Most of the fragments missed, but one, the size of a fingernail, pierced his right eye. Instantly, blood streamed from his right eye.

"My eye!" the Branch Master roared in fury. He glared fiercely at Jiang Fan with his remaining eye and lunged forward. Jiang Fan's vigilance heightened considerably. He dared not directly confront the now ferocious Branch Master. He immediately activated his movement technique and retreated. The Branch Master, radiating astonishing killing intent, pursued him at a speed not much slower than Jiang Fan's.

The most troublesome part was that Jiang Fan hadn't run far before he spotted Xu Yining, who hadn't managed to get away due to her injuries. He muttered "What a hassle" to himself, and as she let out a soft cry, he wrapped his arm around her slender waist from behind, pulling her along with him as they fled.

Xu Yining turned her head with a gasp, realizing that Shadow Guard Number One was holding her close, their body heat clearly discernible even through their clothes. Her pretty face quickly flushed crimson. Looking back at the Branch Master, whose face was covered in blood and who was now blind in one eye, she was even more astonished. Shadow Guard Number One had actually blinded the Branch Master? Xu Yining gasped; just how strong was this man? Having personally experienced the Branch Master's power, she clearly understood his strength. In front of him, she had been like a lamb to the slaughter, yet this man had managed to injure him so severely and still withdraw! Recalling how she had always resisted his position as Shadow Guard Number One and repeatedly provoked him, her face reddened with embarrassment.

Their chase did not last long, because Ye Qingxue arrived with the other Shadow Guards and cavalry from the City Lord's Manor. Seeing this, the Branch Master could only leap into an alley, filled with resentment. Before leaving, he glared at Jiang Fan with his remaining eye, a look of unparalleled ferocity: "I remember you! I remember you!!!" With venomous hatred, he imprinted Jiang Fan's mask in his memory before vanishing into the alley.

Ye Qingxue approached, observing Xu Yining cradled in Jiang Fan's embrace. A peculiar expression appeared on her face. She mused, if Xu Yining ever found out that Shadow Guard Number One was actually Jiang Fan, what would her reaction be?

"Ahem..." She cleared her throat and asked, "That was a Blood Bat Palace member who just ran off, right? Why were you two being chased by him instead?" Ye Qingxue cast a questioning gaze over both of them. Surely, a few ordinary members wouldn't have caused such a disheveled struggle? If they were truly so incompetent, Ye Qingxue worried that the Shadow Guard she had established would become a laughingstock.