Chapter 136: Confrontation, Sword Shadows and Bloodshed

The sword's edge was as fierce as a dragon, slicing through the empty air. Murderous intent churned and boiled, threatening to swallow the very heavens and earth.

Facing this overwhelming pressure, Li Chao felt a jolt of shock, but he kept his wits about him. With a violent stamp of his feet, his figure retreated like a ghost, cleverly dodging Sha Polang's fatal strike.

However, Yuan Yang was not as fortunate as Li Chao.

After Sha Polang forced Li Chao back, the sharp sword seemed imbued with a spirit of its own, looping back around with a whistling wind, aiming straight for Yuan Yang's chest.

Yuan Yang's expression shifted drastically in an instant. In a hasty panic, he brandished the dagger in his hand, attempting to parry the deadly blade.

"Clang!"

A crisp metallic clash rang out. The dagger and the sharp sword collided instantly, sending sparks flying like the most dazzling meteors in the night sky.

The scorching heat radiating from the sword was like a raging inferno, scorching Yuan Yang's beard and hair to a crisp yellow, and a pungent, burnt odor filled the air.

Had it been a short while ago, Yuan Yang might have relied on his own strength to retreat unscathed.

But now, Sha Polang's power had surged to an unimaginable degree.

Even though Yuan Yang blocked the edge, the shockwave rippled outward like a towering wave, surging forward and slashing directly into Yuan Yang's chest.

Blood spurted like a fountain, staining Yuan Yang's lapel. With a miserable scream, he was sent flying like a snapped-string kite, crashing heavily to the ground—clearly gravely injured.

This sight caused everyone present to gasp inwardly, their hearts filled with terror and unease.

Seeing how fierce and brave Sha Polang was, Shi Wanli, who had long since hidden in the distance, shouted loudly at the top of his lungs:

"Brother, there is no deep grudge between us! There's no need for us to fight to the death over this! I'll just withdraw voluntarily!"

His voice carried a hint of a tremble, evidently intimidated by Sha Polang's might.

However, Sha Polang only burst into roaring laughter, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.

Rather than pressing the attack further, he cast his gaze once more upon Li Chao, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth:

"Now that two of the three are gone, this time, you shall surely die!"

Hearing Sha Polang's words, Duan Tian and the other two wore solemn expressions, as if they saw the shadow of death closing in on them.

As for Liu Zhenhua and the numerous elite tycoons of Huaxi City, their hearts were gripped by panic and dread. They had never witnessed such a terrifying enemy; it felt as though the entire world had been shrouded in absolute darkness.

Liu Lele gripped her hands so tightly that her fingernails dug deep into her flesh without her even feeling it.

Her eyes were filled with worry and fear, as if she were watching the very outcome she dreaded most about to unfold.

Yet, at this moment of life and death, everyone assumed Li Chao was in profound trouble.

Only Li Chao himself maintained a calm and serene demeanor, as though everything remained entirely within his grasp.

He smiled faintly, a smile that radiated boundless confidence and composure:

"Actually, you are wrong!"

Hm?

Hearing this, Sha Polang furrowed his brows slightly, narrowed his eyes, and asked:

"Where am I wrong?"

Li Chao glanced at Shi Wanli hiding to the side and Yuan Yang lying on the ground, then spoke slowly:

"I told President Liu before, whether I have helpers or not, it makes no difference. Because... to kill you, I alone am enough!"

Sha Polang was momentarily stunned before bursting into wild laughter:

"I have traveled the jianghu for many years, but this is the first time I've encountered such an arrogant junior! Very well! To commemorate this, I will leave your corpse intact!"

"Die!"

As the final word fell, Sha Polang gripped his sharp sword and leaped forward like a fierce tiger descending a mountain.

The sword's edge was enveloped in a terrifying wave of pressure, slashing downward at Li Chao from the air, as if it intended to cleave the very heavens and earth in two.

Yet, Li Chao chose not to meet the attack head-on.

His figure dodged away like a ghost, and the red cloth wrapping the divine weapon behind him instantly burst apart.

Countless crimson fabric shreds scattered like falling flower petals, blocking Sha Polang's line of sight.

The moment Sha Polang's vision was obstructed, a brilliant beam of sword radiance slashed down overhead like the Milky Way cascading backward.

The radiance was so dazzling it seemed capable of illuminating the entire night sky; the sword intent was so sharp it felt capable of severing every obstacle in the mortal world.

The hairs on Sha Polang's body stood on end instantly as he sensed an unprecedented crisis.

Having practiced swordsmanship for many years, this was the first time he had ever experienced such a terrifying aura of slaughter.

The power emitted by that sword gleam was so immense it filled him with fear and despair.

In this critical moment, Sha Polang had no choice but to abandon his offensive, throwing his body backward in two rapid steps.

Simultaneously, the sharp sword in his hand lashed out, slashing forward.

Yet, all of this was in vain.

"Crack!"

The two swords collided in mid-air.

However, the stalemate everyone imagined never materialized.

The sword beam unleashed by Li Chao continued to press downward like a torrent, severing Sha Polang's sharp sword into two halves in the blink of an eye.

At that moment, the air seemed to freeze.

Everyone held their breath, fixing their gazes intently upon the scene.

Sha Polang's heart shuddered; he simply could not believe his eyes.

One had to know that the sword in his hand had accompanied him for many years—priceless, capable of cutting through iron like mud, and his most dependable weapon while wandering the martial world.

Yet now, it had been cleaved directly in two by his opponent's weapon!

Alongside his shock, an overwhelming sense of unwillingness and fury surged within him.

To be frank, Sha Polang's cultivation realm was higher than Li Chao's, and his combat experience was far richer. Coupled with the Blood Fiend Pill he had consumed, he should have completely crushed his opponent.

Unfortunately, he had run into a player who was cheating—Li Chao!

Having severed his opponent's weapon, Li Chao seized the moment of distraction and pushed his sword forward with unstoppable momentum, aiming straight for Sha Polang's neck!

With his weapon broken and his mind thrown into chaos, Sha Polang instantly plunged into a disadvantageous position.

Even so, he was ultimately a formidable overlord of his generation. He snapped out of his daze in an instant, gripping the broken hilt to block forward once more.

Yet, all of this was futile.

"Puff!"

Li Chao's sword pressure descended further, shifting abruptly past the hilt to slash directly across Sha Polang's right hand, slicing his wrist clean off.

Sha Polang let out a miserable shriek, then tumbled far away.

Upon hitting the ground, enduring the agonizing pain and ignoring his own wounds, he scrambled to his feet and charged toward Liu Zhenhua and the others in the distance.

His intention was to seize a few hostages to use as leverage against Li Chao, buying himself a sliver of survival.

True to his reputation as an overlord, this kind of reflex and adaptability was something ordinary people could never match.

After all, anyone could see that he was currently no match for Li Chao at all.

Jumping down the mountain meant certain death; the only way out was to use Liu Zhenhua and the others to coerce Li Chao.

As long as a sliver of retreat remained, amidst the vast and boundless mortal world, there would always be a time to make a comeback and stir the winds and clouds once more.

Affairs of the world are like a game of chess, every move brand new; human life resembles the vast sea, wave upon wave rolling.

And a retreat was precisely that solitary leaf of a boat hidden beneath the turbulent waves, carrying one across hardships to seek the distant shore.

However, before Sha Polang could reach that hopeful shore, he saw Duan Tian striding over from the side like a fierce tiger descending a mountain. With a sudden punch accompanied by the sound of wind and thunder, he struck at Sha Polang's already exhausted body.

Blown away like a kite with a broken string by this sudden strike, Sha Polang crashed heavily to the dust, roaring repeatedly in fury and unwillingness:

"How can the Dragon Group act with such perfidy? Was our pact of yesteryear mere empty words?"

With a toothpick dangling from the corner of his mouth and a relaxed demeanor—as if the blow he had just delivered was merely casual—Duan Tian replied indifferently:

"The Dragon Group has always acted by principles. In a formal duel, I naturally would not interfere, but once innocent civilians are involved, that crosses the moral boundary and touches the bottom line of the Dragon Group!"

His words carried an unquestionable firmness.

The grievances between the Dragon Group and Sha Polang ran deep and had long been irreconcilable.

In the past, Sha Polang had acted like a vicious tiger in Huaxi City, running amok, oppressing the common folk, until the Dragon Group finally stepped in. A massive battle ensued, leaving him heavily wounded and forcing him into hiding, where he vanished from the public eye.

Now that he had resurfaced—though outwardly behaving within the rules—the yearning for power within his heart burned like a wild prairie fire. Once he regained influence, he would undoubtedly stir up monstrous waves and become a fatal thorn in the side of the Dragon Group.

Mindful of their reputation and unwilling to dirty their hands directly to avoid giving others grounds for gossip, the Dragon Group was more than happy to let Li Chao do the dirty work and eliminate him once and for all.

Li Chao, a man of formidable martial arts wielding an infinitely powerful divine weapon, would use today's battle to establish his legendary name.

While they spoke, Li Chao gripped his divine weapon once more and closed in.

Beneath the night veil, the sword light curved like a crescent moon, dazzling and radiant, sweeping across all directions!

Within that sword light resided boundless majesty and sanctity, as though it were enough to split the firmament and shatter mountains and rivers, filling all onlookers with awe.

The heavily wounded Yuan Yang had now forgotten his pain. His eyes were wide open, fixed rigidly on that dazzling sword gleam, his heart shaken beyond words.

What rank of weapon could this possibly be?

Why was its aura so terrifying?

It actually caused the heavens and earth to change color and ghosts and spirits to tremble!

In the distance, Shi Wanli stood rooted to the spot, his small eyes flashing with a greedy luster, as though he could already see the divine weapon falling into his own hands.

The rest of the spectators were similarly stunned by the aura, especially Liu Lele, whose red lips parted slightly in utter shock, her eyes holding a mixture of awe and curiosity.

The sword stance was like a prison, sealing off the heavens and earth and locking Sha Polang firmly within its grasp.

At this moment, pinned by the sword light, the space around him appeared empty yet felt bound by invisible shackles, rendering him utterly immobile!

The air seemed to freeze at that instant, and time stood still.

Swoosh!

The blade sliced through the sky like a shooting star cutting across the night, leaving behind a brilliant trail.

That fierce sword Qi, like the sickle of the Grim Reaper, brushed right past the top of Sha Polang's head, leaving behind a thin thread of cold light that vanished in a flash.

The lingering might of that sword Qi, even upon striking the hard mountain rock, carved a long, slender fissure into the stone—like a scar left by nature itself, bearing witness to the brutal cruelty of this life-or-death duel.

All around, everything fell silent, save for the gentle rustling of the wind carrying a trace of chill.

Sha Polang stood in place, his gaze burning as he locked eyes with Li Chao. A tangled web of emotions flickered in his eyes—shock, unwillingness, fury.

In the end, all those emotions crystallized into a deep, smoldering sense of injustice and rage, burning like fire inside his chest.

"You won merely by relying on the power of your weapon!"

Sha Polang's voice was low and hoarse, carrying an aggrieved roar, "An unheroic victory!"

Li Chao gently shook his head, a calm smile curving the corner of his mouth—a smile that held both the confidence of victory and disdain for his opponent.

"Did you forget that you took a medicinal pill yourself?"

He spoke slowly:

"Besides, history is written by the victors; that is the rule of the jianghu. No matter what assistance is used, winning is all that matters! In this world, strength is the ultimate truth."

Heh!

Is success the sole measure of a hero?

Gazing into the distance, Sha Polang bitter-smiled, a nostalgic hue washing over his chaotic eyes.

Those bygone years flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern; past glories and downfalls, laughter and tears, all dissolved into the darkness before him.

In the end, he had lost after all! He sighed inwardly, a wave of powerlessness washing over him.

A bloody trace quietly appeared between Sha Polang's brows, then spread downward across his body like crawling vines, piercing right through him.

That bloody line served as a countdown to his life, foreshadowing his end.

Puff!

With a dull thud, a pillar of blood spurted out. His body swayed and crashed to the ground, twitching a few times before finally falling completely still.

The very existence who had once given the major bosses of Huaxi City sleepless nights of dread,

tonight,

perished upon the peak of Dushan Mountain,

dying at the hands of Li Chao.

"We won! We won! Hahaha!"

At this moment, Liu Zhenhua shed his usual composure, dancing about in excitement. His laughter grew louder and louder, as if venting every ounce of pent-up elation.

His face beamed with the joy of triumph, as though at this very moment, he was the undisputed ruler of all Huaxi City.

"President Li is mighty!"

"President Li is invincible!"

The surrounding family heads of Huaxi City's elite also began shouting, gazing at Li Chao with adoring eyes, as if he were their hero, the shining star they looked up to.

Liu Lele's pretty eyes curved into crescents, tears sparkling alongside her smiles.

She looked at Li Chao, her gaze filled with reverence and adoration, just like someone beholding the peerless hero standing proudly in a martial arts film.

She gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, her heart brimming with anticipation for the future.

Yuan Yang said nothing. He struggled to push himself up.

His gaze complexly shifted between Li Chao and Sha Polang's corpse, a storm of mixed emotions churning within him.

Shi Wanli's gaze remained tightly locked onto the sharp sword in Li Chao's hand—a mixture of curiosity and awe.

Quickly catching this, Li Chao lightly swung the divine weapon, tracing a graceful arc through the air with its tip, and looked toward Shi Wanli with a trace of banter in his eyes.

"Does Sect Master Shi's expression mean you wish to test whether the sword in my hand is sharp?"

Li Chao's voice was low and powerful, carrying a faint, imperceptible threat.

Shi Wanli's body trembled slightly. He quickly averted his gaze from the sword, looked at Sha Polang's corpse sprawled on the ground, and forced a smile, attempting to diffuse the awkward atmosphere.

"President Li jests! Shi was merely captivated by the luster of this fine weapon and felt a bit curious, not daring to covet it."

His words carried humility, yet the gleam in his eyes did not entirely dissipate.

Li Chao sneered, pressing the matter no further.

He walked over to Yuan Yang, casually letting the sharp sword rest near his feet, and gently pressed his fingers against the wound on Yuan Yang's chest.

After a brief examination, he let out a breath of relief.

"Good thing it missed any vital organs."

Carrying a hint of fortune in his tone, Li Chao swiftly retrieved a pouch of silver needles from his pocket and precisely pierced several acupuncture points around Yuan Yang's wound.

As the needles entered, the gushing blood instantly stopped, and color gradually returned to Yuan Yang's face.

"Keep the needles in for now. Once we get down the mountain, find a nearby hospital promptly to properly treat the wound."

Having given his instructions, Li Chao picked up the sword again, stood up, and swept his gaze between Shi Wanli and Yuan Yang.

Yuan Yang expressed his gratitude, yet his gaze remained unable to detach itself from the sword in Li Chao's hand.

That blade seemed possessed of some magical charm, holding his attention hostage.

His eyes flashed with an inexplicable light—a thirst and yearning for power.

Noticing Yuan Yang's look, Li Chao said nothing more.

He walked aside and exchanged a few words with Duan Tian, expressing his gratitude for the latter's assistance tonight.

"Many thanks to Captain Duan for your help this time."

Li Chao's voice carried genuine sincerity.

With a toothpick still hanging from his mouth, Duan Tian smiled casually:

"Small matter."

After Li Chao whispered instructions for Liu Lele to steady him so outsiders wouldn't notice anything amiss,

Liu Lele immediately realized that Li Chao's calm exterior was merely a facade.

Though her heart fluttered with anxiety, she bit her lip hard and supported Li Chao step by step down the mountain.

By the time they reached the bottom steps, Liu Lele's back was completely soaked in sweat.

Anxiously, she opened the car door and climbed in alongside Li Chao.

The moment she shut the door, she noticed Li Chao's aura instantly wither, making even opening his eyes a struggle.

Her heart clenched tightly; only then did she truly grasp the extent of Li Chao's exhaustion.

Pulling him into her arms, she gripped his hand tightly all the way, her expression tense and worried.

Once the car started, it sped away into the distance.

Liu Lele kept a nervous watch over Li Chao's condition the entire ride until they entered downtown Huaxi, whereupon color finally returned to Li Chao's pale face.

He turned his head slightly, glanced at the sharp sword resting beside them, shook his head, and sighed inwardly:

"A treasure is wonderful, but using it too much takes a heavy toll! Every time I invoke it, damn it, I feel completely hollowed out."

Noticing his movement, Liu Lele immediately asked:

"Feeling better?"

Concern and urgency laced her voice.

Li Chao nodded slightly, signaling that he was much better.

Gratefully looking at Liu Lele, a wave of warmth surged in his chest.

He knew that during his moments of deepest weakness, Liu Lele had stayed faithfully by his side, offering warmth and support.

Nuzzling affectionately against Liu Lele's lap to savor her unique fragrance and cozy presence, Li Chao lazily murmured:

"I'm feeling better, but I just don't feel like getting up."

A delicate flush bloomed across Liu Lele's face, though she made no move to push him away, gently letting him rest.

"Let's go back to my place first!" she softly proposed.

Gladly nodding, the two returned to the Splendid Mountains and Rivers residential complex, stepping into the room Li Chao still kept there.

"If you're feeling a bit better, go take a wash first!" Liu Lele asked caringly, adding, "Need any help?"

Half-jokingly, Li Chao smiled:

"Care to help me scrub my back?"

Hearing this, a blushing Liu Lele tossed a towel right at Li Chao's face, scolding playfully:

"Pervert! Scrub it yourself!"

Helplessly shaking his head, Li Chao muttered inwardly:

"Didn't you say if I won, I could do whatever I wanted? How come even a simple back-scrub is off-limits?"

Still, he quickly let it go.

After all, the meat was already in the bowl; eating it was only a matter of time, so there was no need to rush.

Putting aside his distracting thoughts, he placed the sharp sword back onto the second tier of the ancient pagoda, then stepped into the bath for a relaxing soak.

Washing away the fatigue of the night, he stepped out of the bathroom to find that Liu Lele had already prepared a midnight snack and laid it out on the table.

Gazing at the steaming food waiting on the table, warmth flooded Li Chao's heart once more.