I Can Devour Spirits

Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Bloodshed at the Abandoned Temple

Duan Rong then saw that, indeed, there was a pit beside the courtyard wall not far away, with two small piles of dirt debris next to it.

Duan Rong smiled slightly and said, ”This pit, you have dug quite small!”

”Small? I think it’s just right for you,” Kong Bin said coldly.

Duan Rong sighed and said, ”It’s naturally suitable for me! But it’s a bit small for the four of you!”

”At death’s door, still so stubborn!” Kong Bin’s face turned fierce, his teeth clenched with a grinding sound, but he dared not attack Duan Rong proactively, only grasping the Cow Tail Saber with his knuckles turning white.

Duan Rong, however, showed no expression and suddenly, with a whizzing sound, drew the Cow Tail Saber tied at his waist!

As Duan Rong drew his saber, his gaze shifted towards Kong Bin and Zhang Zheng’s direction. Kong Bin still managed to feign composure, standing still, but Zhang Zheng’s face was already pale, unable to resist stepping back two paces!

Holding the Cow Tail Saber, Duan Rong completely ignored Kong Bin and Zhang Zheng, focusing solely on testing the strength of those two bandits!

Kill if possible, retreat if not!

Outside the temple gates, there was still an old horse by the roadside not far away!

Duan Rong’s figure flickered suddenly, moving swiftly like a ghost!

With one slash, he aimed at the face of that skinny monk!

”Why impersonate a monk of all things?! Today, I’ll clean up on behalf of Buddha!”

Duan Rong moved, Zhou Shoushan and Wu Hui’s faces changed!

”What kind of body technique is this?”

Although Wu Hui was shocked, he had survived many life-and-death situations, crawling out from heaps of corpses countless times!

Seeing Duan Rong coming with ill intent, he slightly turned his body and swung a Wolf Fang Club, showcasing the weapon’s unmatched ferocity!

There was a thud!

The Wolf Fang Club instantly shot backwards upon meeting Duan Rong’s saber, crashing into the courtyard wall behind Wu Hui, brick and stone scattering!

The Wolf Fang Club dented the thick courtyard wall, creating a sizable pit before falling at the base of the wall.

Zhou Shoushan and Wu Hui’s expressions changed drastically!

”First Level of Inner Breath! Not enough!” Duan Rong said coldly, and then his figure flickered, with a whistling afterimage followed by a head flying amidst a splash of blood!

Wu Hui’s headless body stood there, monk robe dotted with blood, the severed neck flesh squirming, and blood spraying fountain-like, reaching half a meter high!

Before the head with its monk’s tonsure could touch the ground, Duan Rong’s figure had already moved again!

Almost in the blink of an eye, Duan Rong reached Zhou Shoushan!

And at this moment, Wu Hui’s head happened to land at Zhou Shoushan’s feet, covered in blood, eyes wide in terror, lips still moving, as if yet to die!

Zhou Shoushan, panic-stricken, wanted to flee immediately!

But Duan Rong’s saber shadow was already approaching!

Zhou Shoushan blocked with his saber, and the two engaged in instant combat!

”Inner Breath Realm Second Level!” ”What a fierce saber technique!”

Zhou Shoushan’s heart sank continuously!

An apprentice escort master from Yuan Shun Escort Agency had already cultivated Inner Breath Realm Second Level, with Lightweight Skill and Body Technique to boot!

This was inconceivable!

Kong Bin, seeing Duan Rong go for Wu Hui instead of him and Zhang Zheng, felt a surge of joy, thinking Duan Rong foolish!

In his view, he and Zhang Zheng were the weakest and best point for breakthrough!

But when Wu Hui’s head flew, Kong Bin’s blood almost turned cold instantly!

Moreover, Duan Rong was now battling Zhou Shoushan!

Duan Rong moved like a ghost, darting around Zhou Shoushan and pressing his attack, while Zhou Shoushan fought and retreated, clearly overwhelmed!

Zhou Shoushan was a master of Inner Breath Realm Second Level!

Kong Bin suddenly felt the world become unreal, stunned and defenseless, vision blurring slightly.

”Brother Bin, let’s go quickly!” Zhang Zheng suddenly whispered to Kong Bin.

Kong Bin awoke as if from a dream, fearfully running with Zhang Zheng towards the large banyan tree near the courtyard wall!

Though the temple had collapsed, it was originally built very sturdy, the thick courtyard wall much taller than a regular courtyard!

Even with nearly a month’s cultivation of inner breath, without borrowing strength from that banyan tree, Kong Bin could not jump over!

And the courtyard gate was blocked by the figures of Duan Rong and Zhou Shoushan fighting!

Their only chance of survival was that large banyan tree close to the courtyard wall!

At the temple’s courtyard entrance!

Although Duan Rong had achieved the Second Level of the Inner Breath Realm, he had just reached it not long ago, and his inner breath was still not as solid and thick as Zhou Shoushan’s!

After several chops and slashes, Duan Rong’s wrists were already slightly numb!

This was entirely due to the shock!

But actually, Zhou Shoushan was far more uncomfortable than Duan Rong, as Duan Rong entangled him with ghostly movements, his figure flickering unpredictably!

The angles and positions of his attacks were both cunning and bizarre!

Zhou Shoushan was repeatedly frightened into a cold sweat; had it not been for his years of killing in Jianghu, surviving life-and-death situations, and his understanding of martial arts stripped of any superficiality, he would likely have been defeated!

Moreover, even so, the clothes on Zhou Shoushan’s shoulders and waistline were already slashed open by Duan Rong, revealing the dense hair and flesh beneath!

Zhou Shoushan was not only surprised by Duan Rong’s realm and lightweight skill, but even more so by how a fifteen or sixteen-year-old apprentice escort master, who theoretically should have no actual combat experience, could have such fierce and ruthless saber techniques!

”Young brother! Zhou was also deceived by your two fellow disciples, which aroused my interest in hunting, leading to this misunderstanding!”

”After all, what we do is essentially banditry! Ultimately, this isn’t some deep hatred or animosity!”

”In the city, Zhou has a nice residence. I’ll gift it to Brother Duan as an apology!”

”If you are willing, we can shake hands and make peace, become friends! Brother Duan, what do you think?”

Duan Rong executed his moves silently, only casually saying, ”Sure!”

However, his attacks became even more fierce!

When Zhou Shoushan heard Duan Rong agree, he let out a sigh of relief, thinking: After all, he’s just a fifteen or sixteen-year-old kid, still immature!

But in the next moment, Zhou Shoushan realized Duan Rong’s attacks not only didn’t slow down but became even more fierce!

Zhou Shoushan immediately understood that Duan Rong’s earlier agreement was just mockery!

His eyes instantly filled with intense hatred, but he kept his lips tightly shut and said no more.

In a life-and-death battle, one needs full concentration; speaking not only distracts but also affects the circulation of inner breath!

Normally, this might not matter much, but now, it was an evenly matched duel to the death!

The slightest deviation could lead to a life-or-death turn!

When Zhou Shoushan snapped back to reality, he found that, due to a moment’s distraction, his previously well-maintained and tight defense had been caught by Duan Rong, who seized the flaw and launched a series of attacks!

Originally, even though Duan Rong’s body technique was ghostly, as long as Zhou Shoushan could guard his key areas and dismantle his moves, Duan Rong would have a hard time taking him down!

After all, in terms of inner breath and battle experience, he far surpassed Duan Rong!

Most importantly, the Yellow Springs Saber Technique he had cultivated was also quite adept at defense!

But once a flaw appeared, to regain his defense, he had to attack proactively to drive Duan Rong away from the flawed position before he could regain his defensive stance!

Zhou Shoushan dared not delay, immediately abandoning his defensive stance and launching a fierce attack on Duan Rong!

As soon as Zhou Shoushan attacked, Duan Rong quickly evaded with ghostly movements!

After all, Zhou Shoushan’s inner breath was slightly stronger than his; if he parried every blow head-on, he would be at a disadvantage!

As soon as Duan Rong dodged, he promptly used his movement technique to attack Zhou Shoushan from every unexpected and cunning angle!

But this time, Duan Rong was already familiar with Zhou Shoushan’s defensive saber technique, using real attacks against feints, fast against slow!

Before Zhou Shoushan could stabilize his defense again, Duan Rong suddenly sliced open Zhou Shoushan’s abdomen from the side!

A piece of belly skin, slightly larger than a palm, dangled on Zhou Shoushan’s stomach!

The flipped flesh, blood-drenched, with fat faintly visible...

The intestines inside the belly wound squirmed along with the fresh blood...

Zhou Shoushan grimaced in pain, his eyes nearly popping, his face ashen, but Duan Rong’s fierce attacks continued to flash around, a flurry of saber light like water!

He had no choice but to retreat while blocking, the continuous flow of blood staining his pant leg...

Duan Rong maintained his advantage, striking rapidly with relentless, vicious blows!

At this moment, Zhou Shoushan’s inner fighting spirit was steadily collapsing, but the fear of death drove him to swing his saber to fend off attacks, retreating step by step!

The saber light flashed!

Zhou Shoushan, caught off guard as Duan Rong unexpectedly slashed downward at his throat, had his right hand sliced off!

Zhou Shoushan’s severed hand, clutching the Ghost Head Saber, plunged into the courtyard wall beside him, sending bricks flying!

The severed hand gripping the Ghost Head Saber shook along with the saber handle’s vibration, the diagonal cut of the severed hand a bloody mess, with white bone faintly visible...

Duan Rong, having succeeded in his strike, immediately leapt up and delivered a fierce kick to Zhou Shoushan’s back shoulder!

Zhou Shoushan grunted as the kick sent him rolling toward the center of the temple courtyard!