Chapter 54: Slaying the Constable, Beheading Sun Ying

Clang, clang, clang...

The clash of blades and axes echoed through the narrow alley like a death knell, urgent and chaotic, erupting again and again without pause.

In just a few breaths, Shang Lu had already struck dozens of times.

The speed and ferocity of the Wild Cloak Blade Technique were pushed to their limits by Shang Lu; the gleaming blades poured down upon Chief Ma like a breached flood, relentless, each wave stronger than the last.

Under Shang Lu’s storm-like assault, Chief Ma resembled a drifting leaf, on the verge of being torn apart.

He gave everything he had, yet could barely withstand Shang Lu’s onslaught, managing only to hold his ground with difficulty.

Even so, it came at a tremendous cost.

The webs between his fingers had been split open by the shock, blood staining his paired axes red. The muscles in his arms trembled violently, his ten fingers throbbed with pain, and he could barely keep his grip on the axes.

What frightened Chief Ma the most was how his vital energy was being consumed at an alarming rate in this brief and intense exchange, showing signs of exhaustion.

All these circumstances left his mind in turmoil, shocked and terrified:

“How does Shang Lu possess such strength and speed?”

“He’s even stronger than I am! Can someone at the peak of Bone Refinement have such power? Nonsense!”

“Has Shang Lu reached the Meridian Opening stage? No... no, not merely the initiation—this level of strength must be at least early mastery of Meridian Opening!”

“Damn it, when did Shang Lu break through to Meridian Opening? Why was there no sign? Did he already know I was plotting against him, deliberately hiding his strength, waiting for this day?”

Chief Ma’s thoughts were a tangled mess.

The more he pondered, the more fearful he became of Shang Lu. Yet one thing gave him a glimmer of hope: despite Shang Lu’s wild and fierce attacks, he seemed to lack a firm grasp of opportunity.

Several times, Shang Lu clearly had the chance to wound or even kill him, but failed to seize it.

This sparked a sliver of luck in Chief Ma’s heart.

“Though Shang Lu used the fortune from the secret realm to break through to early Meridian Opening, he lacks real combat experience—perhaps this is my chance to turn the tables...”

But before he could act on this thought, it was mercilessly snuffed out.

Shang Lu, after a barrage of chaotic strikes that left Chief Ma flustered, suddenly seized the moment and switched from the Wild Cloak Blade Technique to the Tendon-Severing Bone-Splitting Blade, knocking the paired axe from Chief Ma’s left hand with a single blow.

Chief Ma was alarmed, quickly reaching out to retrieve the weapon.

But Shang Lu, employing Tiger Step, kicked Chief Ma in the abdomen.

Chief Ma grunted, his abdominal muscles instantly tensing, vital energy surging to harden skin and bone like iron.

He had spent years honing his Iron Shirt technique, confident that even if he couldn’t block Shang Lu’s blade, he could withstand the kick.

Boom—

Shang Lu’s foot struck his abdomen, a surge of pain following.

Not only was Shang Lu’s kick powerful as a tiger, it was razor-sharp, piercing through his protective energy and breaking his Iron Shirt.

“There’s a hidden weapon on Shang Lu’s foot?!”

Chief Ma was stunned.

One mistake led to another; misjudging the force of Shang Lu’s kick, he suffered a hidden injury, and his attempt to retrieve the axe slowed.

At that moment, Shang Lu’s left hand shot out like lightning, using a gesture from Ape Movement Technique to snatch the paired axe before Chief Ma could—then launched an immediate attack.

Seeing this, Chief Ma knew disaster had struck.

Only now did he realize that Shang Lu hadn’t missed opportunities earlier, but simply didn’t want to kill him with his own blade, lest it leave evidence and arouse suspicion.

Just like him, Shang Lu intended to frame Xu Biao for the other’s death.

Too late, Chief Ma understood.

Though Shang Lu didn’t know how to wield the paired axes, he certainly knew how to use a sharp blade to slice a throat.

Chief Ma tried to evade, but Shang Lu anticipated his intentions, predicting his movements precisely. His steps were swift as wind, sticking close, the paired axe in hand shadowing Chief Ma’s every move, faster than his dodges. In a blink, the axe caught up and sliced across his throat.

Chief Ma frantically surged his vital energy, hoping his Iron Shirt would block the blow.

But Shang Lu’s strength and energy far surpassed his own, and now, aiming to kill in one strike, he unleashed his deadliest move.

Chief Ma’s vital energy was instantly shattered, his toughened skin sliced open.

Along with it, the artery in his neck was severed.

Blood sprayed forth.

Chief Ma’s eyes widened, desperately trying to stem the flow from his throat, but it was futile.

He never imagined that the paired axes he had sharpened before this operation would not disable Shang Lu, but instead help him slit his own throat.

No, not just the axes. The trap he had painstakingly set tonight, meant to ensnare Shang Lu, ended up being used against himself.

Where had it all gone wrong?

Chief Ma opened his mouth, wanting to demand an answer, but no words came—only a muffled, gurgling sound.

His consciousness rapidly faded. Unwilling to die so easily, he stretched out a hand, reaching for Shang Lu, but grasped only empty air.

After slitting Chief Ma’s throat with the axe, Shang Lu turned away, heading deeper into the alley in pursuit.

Sun Ying was hiding there.

When Chief Ma first made his move, Sun Ying was brimming with confidence.

He was even thinking that once Shang Lu was subdued, he would rush in and hack him a few times to vent his pent-up anger and hatred.

Yet, in just a few short breaths, the situation reversed dramatically!

Not only did Chief Ma fail to take down Shang Lu, he was slain by him instead!

At first, Sun Ying thought he was hallucinating. He rubbed his eyes, confirmed what he saw, and was instantly chilled to the bone. Without a moment’s hesitation, he turned to flee.

There was no thought of saving or avenging anyone—he dared not even consider it!

As Sun Ying sprinted for his life, he wanted to shout, “Shang Lu is a killer!” or “Shang Lu killed Chief Ma!” hoping to draw the nearby constables.

He didn’t expect them to capture Shang Lu—just to entangle him for a moment so he could escape.

However, to Sun Ying’s horror, though his mouth was wide open and he tried to yell with all his might, no sound came out.

It was as though someone had clutched his throat! There was even a strange feeling of suffocation.

What Sun Ying couldn’t see was that a petite, pale hand was indeed gripping his neck.

Luckily for him, Mistress Third disliked killing; otherwise, Sun Ying would not only be unable to speak or breathe, he would have ended up twisted like Shi Fan, neck wrung into a knot.

Whoosh—

Behind Sun Ying, Shang Lu strode forward and suddenly hurled the paired axe.

He knew no special throwing technique—only brute force.

Brute force brings miracles! The paired axe whistled through the air with a shrill scream, spinning as it flew.

Sun Ying didn’t even have time to react, let alone dodge—the axe struck him squarely in the back.

The sharp blade drove into his body, shredding his heart and lungs.

Sun Ying pitched forward, collapsing without a sound, dead on the spot.