Ling Tian Sword God

As they pressed deeper into the mountain, Ling Chen and his companions began to encounter other people. These individuals were no weaklings; they simply exchanged glances before going their separate ways, a common occurrence in Mount Taiyue.

Ling Chen’s feet nimbly tapped against a hefty tree trunk, propelling him forward like an arrow. His concentrated gaze observed the sky through the gaps in the forest canopy. He speculated that the Tang Sect must be looking for them at this juncture.

Perhaps the Tang Sect was already aware of their presence in Mount Taiyue.

Fortunately, it seemed their pursuer had no intention of using the Tang Sect’s experts against them. This brought Ling Chen some relief, though he pondered what forces they might employ this time.

In Linjiang City, Bai Shaochuan and the Imperial Court’s Capture Officers had acted against them. Now, who would it be?

As soon as we find the fragments of the Sword Immortal Poetry, we must leave Yi Zhou immediately.

Ling Chen had made his decision. Yi Zhou was Tang Sect territory. Once they left Yi Zhou, the Tang Sect would find it very difficult to track them down.

”Brother Ling Chen, be careful!”

As Ling Chen turned his gaze to the sky, Ling Yin’s expression suddenly changed. Her eyes flashed as an invisible wave of light formed in the air and then swept out forcefully.

SWISH! SWISH!

Simultaneously with the wave of light, more than ten sharp and icy gusts of energy burst forth from within the dense forest. The two forces collided ferociously, and the turbulent shockwave snapped nearby trees.

WHOOSH. As the trees fell, several ghostly figures darted out from behind the fractured trunks. Their ominous gazes fixed upon Ling Chen and his companions.

Ling Chen landed atop a large tree and narrowed his eyes. The four figures before him were peculiar, all dressed in blood-colored robes. Each held a distinctively shaped blade—a Miao knife, a Curved Knife, and a Crescent Knife—with extraordinarily long blades, about a zhang in length, making them strikingly noticeable.

What surprised Ling Chen most was the high degree of coordination in their intertwined auras. When the four stood together, they seemed to merge into a single entity.

”Are you… the Blood Blade Quartet?”

Although Luo Xian’er’s martial arts skills were not exceptional, her knowledge of Yi Zhou and its notable Jianghu personalities was extensive. She recognized the four swordsmen as soon as they appeared.

Her face turned pale; she hadn’t expected to encounter such menacing individuals upon entering Mount Taiyue.

”It seems our reputation, the four of us brothers, hasn’t faded into obscurity yet,” one of them said with a smile, though it exuded a chilling, bloodcurdling vibe.

The Blood Blade Quartet was an infamous bounty hunter group in Yi Zhou, consisting of four individuals. Each possessed Sky Apex Realm strength, with two at the Second Layer. If this were the extent of their cultivation, Ling Chen would have brushed them aside. Unfortunately, half a year ago, the Blood Blade Quartet had collaboratively slain a martial arts expert of the Sky Apex Realm Third Layer, causing quite an uproar.

The individual combat strength of the Blood Blade Quartet members might not be extraordinary. However, when they fought together, regardless of whether their opponents were strong or weak, their combined power amplified exponentially. Thus, they could not be underestimated.

”Your reactions are quite sharp. No wonder you managed to escape from Bai Shaochuan, the Disciple of the Capture God. Sadly, your luck runs out today, for you’ve run into us four brothers,” a gaunt man among the four chuckled, his laughter like that of a predatory wolf, as he stared at Ling Chen and his companions.

”Escape?” Ling Yin retorted contemptuously. ”How could that fellow ever be a match for my Brother Ling Chen? If Brother Ling Chen hadn’t spared him out of kindness, taking his life would have been as easy as flipping a hand.”

”Hahaha! Don’t boast. Bai Shaochuan is the Capture God’s most valued disciple. I might believe he underestimated you, allowing you to slip away. But to say you could take his life? That’s utter nonsense, a complete bluff!” The gaunt man laughed heartily, completely dismissing Ling Yin’s claim.

He had encountered Bai Shaochuan before and knew of his formidable abilities. Even if the four of them joined forces, they weren’t confident of defeating him. For Ling Chen to make such a claim seemed utterly arrogant and ignorant.

No one would believe such a claim.

”I’m not interested in wasting any more words with you. Are you three going to surrender willingly, or do you need some painful persuasion first?” The gaunt man slowly raised his large blade, pointing it at Ling Chen and his companions, a smirk on his face.

The Blood Blade Quartet had a notorious reputation in the Jianghu, built on their ruthlessness and decisiveness in killing. Anyone they targeted would be filled with abject terror, rarely even considering resistance.

Ling Chen offered a faint smile, yet a ruthless glint gradually emerged in the depths of his eyes. He clenched his fist, and the Red Sky Sword materialized.

”Xiao Yin, let’s end this quickly.”

Holding the Red Sky Sword, Ling Chen’s expression turned icy cold, an intense murderous aura spreading from him.

”Alright!”

A grin touched Ling Yin’s lips. She hadn’t had much opportunity to use her martial arts skills on this journey. Now that these fellows had willingly presented themselves, it seemed she finally had a chance to show her prowess.

”Looks like someone beat us to it.”

In the forest, several figures could be seen, having already reached the vicinity. Seeing the standoff between Ling Chen’s group and the Blood Blade Quartet, they abruptly halted, hiding in the shadows to observe.

”It’s the Blood Blade Quartet. Those four brothers certainly work fast.”

A seductive female voice chimed in.

”The Blood Blade Quartet isn’t easy to deal with, but that young man doesn’t look like a pushover either. This clash should be quite a show. Besides, we can also gauge the capabilities of those three.”

”Exactly. We’ll just observe the outcome and then reap the rewards.”

Even after spotting Ling Chen’s group, the figures in the shadows were in no rush to act. They remained concealed, watching the battle from afar, awaiting the perfect moment.

They arrived quickly.

The gaunt man frowned, sensing the approaching auras. He had intended to strike first, capturing Ling Chen’s group to claim the bounty entirely for themselves. He hadn’t expected other bounty hunters to be just as fast.

These people hiding in the shadows were likely waiting for them to wear Ling Chen down before jumping out to snatch the prize.

However, if they acted quickly enough, it wouldn’t be easy for these individuals to snatch the prize from their grasp.

”Attack!”

The gaunt man suddenly roared. If they could capture Ling Chen’s group with lightning speed, they would gain the advantage!

Four blades, imbued with majestic True Qi, slashed out simultaneously. Almost at the same instant, with astonishing coordination, they struck at four openings in Ling Chen’s defense.