Helian Zheng was furious, his face dark as he held a Three-Eyed Fire Gun in one hand and formed a sword gesture with the other, glaring at Chen Shi.
Now, eleven bodies lay on the temple floor.
Apart from the two of them, no one else was standing.
Chen Shi faced Helian Zheng, slowly relaxing his grip, allowing Young Master Zhao Rui's body to slide down the wall.
Helian Zheng stood at a precise distance, about ten feet away.
This distance was the edge of Chen Shi's lethal reach.
If it were any farther, it would be difficult for him to reach instantly.
—Even though he had refined true blood and his body was much stronger than before, beyond ten feet, his speed wasn't fast enough, making it easier for the enemy to take advantage. Therefore, within ten feet was the optimal distance for a fight.
Helian Zheng's positioning made Chen Shi wary, reminding him of another person, Zhuge Jian.
Zhuge Jian, the local officer from Water Buffalo County, had also stood at this distance when testing him, ready to attack or defend.
Helian Zheng, with his rich battle experience, roughly estimated Chen Shi's attack range.
The big, chubby fortune-teller laughed heartily, shouting, "I told you, didn't I? He'll kill you all! He's a fierce spirit, escaped from the underworld!"
Helian Zheng couldn't hear him, and Chen Shi ignored it.
Both men focused on each other.
At this moment, several Imperial Guards rushed into the broken temple. Seeing the blood and bodies everywhere, they were shocked and about to act when Helian Zheng coldly ordered, "Don't come in!"
The Imperial Guards paused, stepping back from the temple entrance.
Chen Shi inwardly sighed, thinking it was a pity. If the guards had entered, Helian Zheng would have been cautious, unable to use his spells freely, making him weaker than before.
The ancient temple was too small; the more people inside, the better Chen Shi's chances of winning.
If it were just the two of them, Chen Shi would be in danger!
Both men observed the bodies and pools of blood, moving their feet slightly to adjust their breathing.
Suddenly, Helian Zheng shouted, stepping forward with a gust of wind, sliding a yard towards Chen Shi, swinging the Three-Eyed Fire Gun at his head!
The power of the Armored Horse Talisman on his leg was still active, making him swift. With his tall and strong build, he was as fast as Chen Shi!
In this move, he unleashed his full strength, the fire gun creating a howling wind, heavy and fierce.
Chen Shi was about to dodge when he noticed Helian Zheng's left hand, forming a sword gesture, move slightly. He became alert and raised his hand to meet the fire gun.
An invisible sword qi sliced down beside him, splitting the floor tiles!
If Chen Shi had dodged, he would have run right into the sword qi.
Chen Shi raised his hand to catch the fire gun, his palm nearly breaking under the force. The massive power pressed down to his shoulder before he caught the blow.
"Boom!"
The Three-Eyed Fire Gun exploded on his shoulder, a thunderbolt pellet shooting out, blasting a large hole in the wall behind him. The flying bricks and shrapnel hit his back, leaving bloody marks!
Though the shot missed Chen Shi, the thunderous sound from the gun deafened him, leaving his ears ringing, unable to hear anything.
Chen Shi tried to grab the gun, but Helian Zheng let go, allowing him to take it.
Chen Shi suddenly sensed extreme danger, using the gun to block in front of him. With a hiss, the Three-Eyed Fire Gun was sliced by an invisible sword qi!
Chen Shi retreated, swinging the two pieces of the gun like snowflakes, but the hissing sound continued, and the pieces were cut inch by inch.
Suddenly, the invisible sword qi reached him. Despite moving swiftly in the temple, Chen Shi was repeatedly struck, with sword marks on his arms, legs, back, chest, neck, and face, soon bleeding from these wounds!
Helian Zheng followed closely, controlling the sword with both hands. The invisible sword qi flew from the divine altar, where the divine fetus sat, mimicking Helian Zheng's movements.
"Double-Handed Sword Qi!"
Chen Shi couldn't see the sword qi's position, but he realized Helian Zheng's spell was different from the Midnight Demon Slaying Sword in the Heavenly Heart True Qi Technique.
The Midnight Demon Slaying Sword had six moves: thrust, slash, wipe, lift, cloud, and chop. Simple but powerful, it could fly twenty yards and still cut down a large tree.
Helian Zheng's spell was also sword-based but not as powerful, though extremely skillful.
He controlled the sword with both hands, the sword qi only about a foot long, staying close to his body, reaching just over a yard, but could move freely, up and down, as he wished!
This spell seemed designed for close combat, specifically against someone like Chen Shi, strong but with thin skin!
Suddenly, Chen Shi kicked a body towards Helian Zheng. Helian Zheng sidestepped, his footwork flowing, and the invisible sword qi, under his precise control, also avoided the body, not harming it.
When he turned around, Chen Shi was gone.
"He escaped through the hole in the wall!" The big, chubby fortune-teller gloated.
Helian Zheng's face was dark as he rushed out through the hole. Though he hadn't heard the fortune-teller, he could see that Chen Shi had used the body to block his view and escape the temple.
Outside, he heard urgent shouts, indicating Chen Shi was clashing with the Imperial Guards along the way.
Helian Zheng hurriedly chased after him, reaching a corner where he found a body, one of his Imperial Guards, with a sunken chest, ribs driven into the heart and lungs, likely killed by a heavy blow, knees driven into the chest.
Helian Zheng continued the pursuit, finding another with a broken neck by the roadside.
This one had been choked, throat bones crushed, then punched to break the neck!
His anger burned as he kept chasing, finding three more bodies along the way.
Outside the village, Imperial Guards activated their Armored Horse Talismans, running swiftly along the road, chasing after Chen Shi.
Ahead of them, Chen Shi was sprinting, not using an Armored Horse Talisman, yet faster than those who did!
"Stop chasing!"
Helian Zheng called to them, and after a while, the Imperial Guards returned, looking at Helian Zheng with fear, unease, and mostly anger.
Helian Zheng seemed to have aged suddenly, shaking his head, "No need to chase. Brothers, you can leave. We failed to protect the young masters and ladies of the Zhao family, and six of them died here. Even if we catch him, it won't absolve us."
One Imperial Guard angrily said, "Sir! This kid killed six of our employer's young masters and mistresses, and so many of our brothers. Are we just going to let it go? This blood debt must be paid in blood!"
"How much does the employer pay you a month?" Helian Zheng asked.
"Seven taels."
"Ha, seven taels a month. Is that all your life is worth?"
Helian Zheng, dejected, waved them off, "The employer pays me thirty taels a month, and I'm leaving. Why wouldn't you? Go your separate ways."
The group hesitated but gradually understood and dispersed.
Helian Zheng didn't linger, choosing a direction and leaving.
With six young talents of the Zhao family dead, the family would be furious. The guards would face punishment, possibly even death.
Even if they caught Chen Shi, they wouldn't escape blame.
And they couldn't catch him anyway.
Leaving was the best option.
As Helian Zheng walked, deep in thought, he suddenly stopped, looking around in confusion before continuing.
After a while, he stopped again, smiling, "Is it Talisman Master Chen? You've been following me for a while. Why not show yourself?"
As he finished speaking, Chen Shi emerged from behind a large tree.
Helian Zheng cupped his hands from afar, smiling, "Young brother, with so many Imperial Guards and experts in the temple, you still managed to kill eleven people and escape from me. I admire your skills. What do you want, following me?"
"Revenge," Chen Shi said.
Helian Zheng frowned slightly, then smiled, "Young brother, we have no past grievances. I was hired by the Zhao family in the provincial capital to protect their young masters, just doing my duty. If I offended you earlier, please forgive me. But I'm no longer with the Zhao family, so our grudge should be over."
"Clang."
Chen Shi tossed a heavy object, which rolled to Helian Zheng's feet.
"For him," Chen Shi said.
Helian Zheng looked closely and saw it was the head of the Three-Eyed Fire Gun.
He was puzzled, then remembered the farmer he had smashed with two blows, his heart sinking. "Are you avenging that farmer? Young brother, he was just an illiterate countryman. Why risk your life to kill me? Was he your relative? Friend? Did he help you?"
Chen Shi shook his head, "Not a relative, not a friend, no favors. Just met him."
Helian Zheng relaxed, smiling, "Since he was a stranger, why make enemies? The world is vast; we might meet again. How about this?"
He took out a silver ingot, about ten taels, stepped back, and placed it on the ground, watching Chen Shi.
Helian Zheng said solemnly, "Take this silver, give it to the farmer's family as compensation. Ten taels for a life, not bad for the countryside."
He turned to leave but stopped after a few steps, looking back to see Chen Shi still following, the silver still on the ground.
Helian Zheng grew angry, sneering, "Young brother, don't think I'm afraid of you. You're just a strong kid, far less skilled than me. Killing you would be easy!"
Chen Shi remained unmoved, "I've been following you. You'll relax eventually. Even if you nap, I can kill you."
Helian Zheng shivered, continuing to walk, with Chen Shi following. When Helian Zheng stopped, so did Chen Shi.
"This kid won't leave me alone. How long will he follow?"
Helian Zheng suppressed his anger, calculating.
With Chen Shi's speed, he couldn't catch him, so he had to wait for Chen Shi to attack and kill him with sword qi!
But Chen Shi only followed, waiting for him to lower his guard.
Helian Zheng had been maintaining his divine altar and divine fetus, consuming his True Qi. If this continued, he'd eventually tire.
"That's what he's waiting for!"
After walking for a long time, Helian Zheng hadn't eaten since noon and was starving. Looking back, Chen Shi was still there, making him grind his teeth.
"If this kid keeps following, it'll be dark soon!"
He gritted his teeth and kept going, watching the sky turn red, the sun stretching thin.
Finally, the sky darkened.
The moonlight was cold and clear, casting shadows as strange sounds came from the forest like ghosts crying.
Huge human heads slowly rose from the woods, absorbing moonlight and inflating like balloons.
The heads were old and young, male and female, some with sparse hair, some with pigtails, some with seductive eyes, some looking bold and capable. They all wore strange smiles, their eyes following the two travelers.
"Heh heh," they laughed, swaying as they floated towards the two.
Helian Zheng's scalp tingled. This was the most common type of evil spirit, called Floating Heads, the first to appear at night.
He was extremely nervous, walking quickly while watching his surroundings to avoid being approached by the Floating Heads, constantly checking Chen Shi's position.
In a short time, he was drenched in sweat, struggling to keep up.
"Chen Shi is gone!"
He widened his eyes, looking back. The Chen Shi who had been following him was nowhere to be seen!
As he worried, a Floating Head silently approached from above, opening its mouth to drop a long, red tongue, forming a loop around Helian Zheng's neck.
Helian Zheng saw other Floating Heads approaching, quickly turning to speed up, but suddenly his neck tightened, and he was lifted into the air!
He remained calm, grabbing the tongue, which tightened, making it hard to breathe.
The divine altar behind his head shone brightly, sending sword qi to cut the tongue.
At that moment, a figure shot forward like lightning!
Chen Shi leaped towards Helian Zheng in the air!
"He used the Armored Horse Talisman, faster than I expected!"
Helian Zheng was shocked, about to release his last sword qi when pain shot through his groin, Chen Shi's kick landing heavily.
Chen Shi raised his right hand, two fingers piercing Helian Zheng's eyes, bursting them. As he withdrew his hand, he punched forward with his left, shattering Helian Zheng's throat.
Then, grabbing his shoulder, Chen Shi spun, his bear-like palm striking the back of Helian Zheng's head, driving the skull into his brain!
"Too fast to react!" Helian Zheng thought.
Chen Shi landed behind him, quickly leaving before the Floating Heads closed in.
Right three, dead!
All twelve in the temple, dead.
Under the moonlight, the Floating Heads laughed, flying higher, carrying Helian Zheng's body to who knows where.