Supreme Sword Master - Chapter 4
"Supreme Sword Master - Chapter 4: Wilderness Forest, Ambush!"
Chapter 4: Wilderness Forest, Ambush!
With just a glance,
Gu Han withdrew his gaze and continued on his way.
He had known Liu Ying since childhood and was well aware of her true nature. Beneath her stunning beauty lay a heart that was cold, ruthless, and devoid of emotion or compassion.
Moreover.
In his heart.
Though Liu Ying was beautiful, she couldn't compare to even a fraction of A Sha's worth.
***
Once upon a time.
He was the number one genius of Tianwu City.
She was the number one beauty of Tianwu City.
Everyone assumed they were a pair, and even City Lord Liu Yuan had intentions of bringing them together. Through her deliberate approach, she and Gu Han developed a close relationship.
Of course.
All of this was before Gu Han was crippled.
"Hmm?"
Her expression was caught by the man beside her.
"You know him?"
"Not really."
Liu Ying shook her head, clearly unwilling to discuss Gu Han further.
"But you, Seventh Prince, with your noble status—never would I have expected you to come to this small city of Tianwu."
"Cough, cough..."
The Seventh Prince cleared his throat several times.
"Though Tianwu City is small, the Wilderness Forest stretches for thousands of miles, filled with countless rare herbs and treasures. Coincidentally, Elder Xue came here to search for medicine... Cough, cough—I'm just tagging along for the ride."
"Elder Xue? Could it be... the Divine Physician Xue?"
Liu Ying could no longer maintain her calm demeanor.
Divine Physician Xue—his cultivation was profound, his medical skills extraordinary, and his personality humble and kind-hearted. His reputation in the Great Qi Dynasty was immense.
"That's right."
The Seventh Prince coughed again, his face pale and sickly.
"It's him."
As he spoke.
His gaze turned distant, looking toward the direction of the Wilderness Forest.
I hope...
This time, Elder Xue will have a solution.
The cold poison in my body can't wait any longer.
***
Night fell.
As Gu Han pressed onward, he carefully sensed the changes within his body.
Though his cultivation had only recovered to the fourth level of Qi Condensation, his newly remodeled meridians were extraordinary, making the spiritual energy in his body far purer and more condensed than before.
Naturally.
The power of his attacks now far exceeded that of an ordinary fourth-level Qi Condensation cultivator!
"Roar!"
Suddenly, a roar echoed from nearby.
Gu Han paused in his steps.
A demonic beast!
Swish!
The next moment.
A three-foot-long demonic wolf appeared before him!
Its eyes were filled with bloodlust and savagery, saliva dripping from its fangs as it locked its gaze onto Gu Han.
A first-tier demonic beast!
Just like humans.
Among demonic beasts, there were also tiers of classification.
First-tier, second-tier... corresponding to the various stages of human cultivators.
Legends said that when demonic beasts evolved to higher tiers, they could transform into humanoid forms, calling themselves demon clans. In addition to their innate divine abilities, they could also cultivate human techniques, becoming incredibly powerful.
Gu Han had never seen such a thing.
The highest-tier demonic beasts he'd encountered in the Wilderness Forest were third-tier, roughly equivalent to the Spirit Enlightenment stage in humans.
"Roar!"
The demonic wolf roared again, launching itself at Gu Han with a blur of motion!
"Ahh!"
A Sha instantly woke up, her voice filled with anxiety.
"Young Master, be careful!"
"It's fine!"
Gu Han's tone was steady. "Hold on tight!"
Swish!
As he spoke, he raised his longsword and slashed directly at the demonic wolf!
On the blade.
A faint, almost imperceptible light flashed by!
Pfft!
A soft sound rang out.
The demonic wolf didn't even have time to whimper before it was cleanly split in two by the sword!
The cut was perfectly smooth!
Like a mirror!
Gu Han lifted the sword, gazing thoughtfully at its chipped blade.
This broken sword.
Was found beside him when Gu Tian discovered him years ago. It was the only clue to his origins, so over the years, he had treasured it deeply, never letting it leave his side.
And just now.
The spiritual energy within him had subtly resonated with the sword!
The truth was clear.
The Great Yan Sword Scripture.
Had been hidden within this sword all along!
And as for the golden seal...
"Young Master."
From his back, A Sha's small face was full of amazement.
"You were so amazing just now!"
"Was I?"
Gu Han reined in his thoughts, gently patting her little head and smiling warmly.
"Hungry? Young Master will get you something to eat... Hmm?"
He was about to deal with the demonic wolf's corpse when his expression suddenly changed.
Carefully setting A Sha down, he stared into the twilight-covered distance, his face cold.
"Come out!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
A mocking voice rang out.
"It seems the pill I gave you has helped your injuries recover quite a bit, Young Master Gu. What do you plan to thank me with?"
As he spoke.
A fat figure emerged from the shadows.
It was none other than the fat shopkeeper from the pill shop earlier that day!
"Huh?"
A Sha naturally recognized him.
"It's you?"
"A Sha, you know him?"
"Yes!"
A Sha was delighted.
"Young Master, he's a good person! He gave me that pill..."
She was guileless, completely unaware that she had been deceived. Happily, she recounted the events of the day.
"I see."
Gu Han's eyes narrowed.
"To deceive even A Sha—you truly are scum!"
"Heh."
The fat shopkeeper was unfazed.
"Given your actions, Young Master Gu, I doubt you're in any position to judge me! I never expected that even after being crippled, you'd still have valuable beast cores on you. If you know what's good for you, hand over all the remaining cores, and I might consider sparing your life. But if you refuse..."
As he spoke.
He slowly advanced.
His aura flared outward, revealing a cultivation level of eighth-level Qi Condensation!
Now that everyone in the city knew Gu Han was a cripple, he felt confident he had the upper hand and acted accordingly.
"Beast cores?"
Gu Han's eyes blazed with killing intent.
"Then trade your life for them!"
Gu Tian, his adoptive father.
A Sha, his maid.
These were the only two people he cared about in his life—and they were his reverse scales!
When his reverse scales were touched, what followed was boundless rage and murderous intent!
"Seeking death?"
The fat shopkeeper sneered, charging at Gu Han with a speed that belied his bulky frame.
"Then I'll grant your wish!"
Opposite him.
Gu Han pushed the limited spiritual energy in his meridians to their limit. On the blackened sword, a faint glow suddenly erupted!
In the blink of an eye!
Their figures crossed paths!
Pfft!
A soft sound rang out.
"You..."
The fat shopkeeper froze, a thin line of blood rapidly spreading across his neck as he collapsed forward stiffly!
Behind him.
Gu Han swayed slightly.
Though his cultivation hadn't fully recovered, cutting down an opponent four minor realms above him had required all his strength, leaving him significantly drained.
"Young Master!"
A Sha's face was filled with worry.
"Are you alright?"
"Let's go!"
Gu Han didn't dare waste a moment. He retrieved the beast core from the demonic wolf's corpse and searched the fat shopkeeper's body for anything useful. Then, hoisting A Sha onto his back, he set off deeper into the Wilderness Forest.
He understood.
The fat shopkeeper wasn't the only one after him.
***
Night had deepened.
Much time had passed since Gu Han left.
The fat shopkeeper's corpse naturally attracted scavenger vultures, who eagerly pecked at it.
Flap flap!
Suddenly.
The vultures scattered in all directions!
Under the cover of night, over a dozen figures approached quickly.
"Commander Gu!"
After inspecting the bodies of the fat shopkeeper and the demonic wolf, one person turned to the others behind him.
"The wounds are smooth—just like the deaths of Qian Fu and the others!"
"It's him!"
Commander Gu's gaze shifted to the distant Wilderness Forest.
"He must be hiding inside. Chase him!"
"Commander, the Wilderness Forest is vast, and it's crawling with demonic beasts. With just our numbers..."
"We have to chase him!"
Commander Gu took a deep breath.
"Have you forgotten the Young Master's orders? Find him, show no mercy, and kill him outright!"
"Yes!"
***
The Wilderness Forest was vast and boundless.
Even the outer regions were filled with dense jungles and towering mountains, teeming with countless demonic beasts and venomous insects. Every year, numerous cultivators lost their lives here.
The deeper one ventured,
The greater the danger became.
As for the innermost regions, no one knew what lay there. Perhaps some had gone, but none had ever returned alive.
Of course.
Because of this unique environment.
The Wilderness Forest was home to countless rare herbs, precious medicines, and valuable mineral veins.
Thus, despite the dangers, many wandering cultivators still chose to take their chances here. Even if they couldn't find rare herbs, the beast cores alone were worth a fortune.
***
Pfft!
In a secluded forest.
Gu Han casually killed a first-tier demonic beast, seized its nest, and carefully set A Sha down.
"Young Master."
A Sha winced as her wounds throbbed, tears streaming down her face.
"It hurts so much..."
"Silly girl."
Gu Han was both amused and pained.
She had carried him so far without a single complaint, yet now that they were temporarily safe, her natural vulnerability surfaced.
"Wait a moment."
He softly reassured her.
"I'll tend to your wounds soon... Hmm?"
Suddenly.
His expression tightened.
"Young Master, what's wrong?"
"There's someone talking!"
"I... I don't hear anything!"
"There is someone!"
As a cultivator, Gu Han's hearing far surpassed that of ordinary people. He focused intently.
"It sounds like... cursing!"
"Trouble!"
Realizing the source of the voice, his expression darkened instantly.
That stream of curses...
Clearly originated from within his mind!