Chapter 154 - 152: Upheaval on the River (Part 2)
The shore quickly descended into chaos.
Song Changming had already distanced himself from the riverbank, and the tremors underfoot had only just begun to weaken.
Still feeling uneasy, he retreated a bit further, stopping on a high slope outside the harbor town, continuing to gaze at the river.
After a while, the chaos along the river showed no sign of abating, and the explosive tremors from beneath the riverbed continued.
Many fishing boats and cargo ships had thus dismantled and sank to the bottom of the river.
Even until late into the night, the tremors from beneath the river showed no improvement.
The tremors even spread to the surrounding areas, shaking the mountains and land, creating a massive scene.
The county city seemed to have learned of this early, as a troop of soldiers, along with the General Patrol Guard, rushed overnight.
Many martial artists and Jianghu guests also came upon hearing the news.
The once calm Luolong River suddenly disturbed, such a mutation makes people can’t help but wonder.
The night deepened.
Song Changming remained seated cross-legged on the high slope, not leaving.
He was equally amazed by this strange change of the river, staying at a safe place, want to observe the subsequent developments.
A gust of wind suddenly rose, making the grasses and woods on the slope sway, stones rolling about.
It seemed the massive water vapor rising from the river had caused overcast clouds to shroud the night sky, rendering the moonlight dim and blurry.
Sitting with eyes closed, Song Changming suddenly opened them, his gaze cold and clear under the dim light.
"Come out," Song Changming suddenly spoke aloud.
A sound of footsteps followed, as a figure slowly walked up from behind the slope.
Song Ping’an only then realized, shocked that someone had approached close by without him even noticing.
"Not bad, able to sense my presence." The person’s voice rang out, seemingly indifferent about being discovered.
In fact, he hadn’t intended to hide.
"Who are you?!" Song Ping’an grabbed his long sword, his face full of alertness as he stared at the newcomer, questioning him.
Song Changming immediately recognized the other person as the bandit leader he had seen during the day at the pier, one of the Dongcang Three Dragons.
Luo Haolin casually placed the wine pouch in his hand on the ground, ignoring Song Ping’an’s question, and continued to approach.
Song Changming remembered him, as he remembered Song Changming.
It was Song Changming’s obstruction back then that forced him to flee hastily, almost losing his life at Xiao Mansion.
The two had crossed paths before, and now running into each other again, Luo Haolin decided to take some time from his busy schedule to come alone to settle their past grudges with Song Changming.
Song Ping’an didn’t hesitate to draw his long sword.
Now possessing some strength, when the uninvited visitor arrived, he instinctively took up the role of guarding Song Changming, regardless of whether Song Changming needed it or not.
Song Changming stood up, patted Song Ping’an on the shoulder, and said, "You’re not his match, go wait at a distance."
Upon hearing this, Song Ping’an hesitated for a moment but ultimately followed Song Changming’s instructions and retreated further.
"It doesn’t matter, neither of you will escape tonight," Luo Haolin grinned, slowly speaking.
To him, it didn’t matter who he killed first.
"How time flies..." Song Changming looked at the person before him, with a slight sigh in his heart.
The once invincible master, as time passed, gradually shed the aura of greatness, becoming an ordinary martial artist in his eyes.
Of course, Luo Haolin, once famed as one of the Dongcang Three Dragons, naturally wasn’t weak.
Over the years, he had advanced from Seventh Realm cultivation to Level eight strength!
This level of power was formidable anywhere, with a high likelihood of stepping into the Extreme Realm in the future!
Unfortunately, tonight he faced Song Changming, who had already reached Extreme Realm cultivation...
Luo Haolin never imagined that the little friend from back then would grow so swiftly.
His cultivation strength directly overtook with a shortcut, comprehensively surpassing him.
Now he felt quite good, believing that, upon meeting again, as someone with Level eight cultivation, he could easily resolve this past minor grudge.
"I don’t have much time, if you don’t want too much pain, don’t resist too stubbornly, and let me kill you quickly."
In the past, Luo Haolin was a bloodthirsty person, and though he had subdued his tendencies, the bloodlust in his bones remained unchanged.
Casually drawing his longsword, he approached Song Changming, his sword momentum gathering, the sense of oppression growing stronger.
Song Changming’s expression remained unchanged, unaffected, not even planning to draw his sword.
Luo Haolin, seeing this, thought Song Changming had given up on resisting.
"A wise choice."
Just as he was about to keep his promise and swiftly behead Song Changming.
Song Changming suddenly reached out and grabbed, with three fingers precisely pinching Luo Haolin’s sword-wielding wrist.
The longsword blade fell to one side of Song Changming’s neck, glinting with cold light, yet it couldn’t get close even by half an inch.
Luo Haolin was suddenly shocked in his heart, wanting to withdraw his hand, but his entire lower arm couldn’t be pulled out.
Even though Song Changming only used three fingers to hold it, the immense strength still rendered Luo Haolin’s hand and sword immobile.
"How is this possible!"
In shock, he instantly realized that tonight he had kicked against an iron board far beyond his imagination.
"Let go!" Unable to pull back his hand, Luo Haolin immediately kicked up towards Song Changming’s chest.
Song Changming still neither dodged nor avoided, raising his own leg, and countered first by kicking the opponent’s raised leg bone.
Crack!
With a slight sound of cracking bones, Luo Haolin only had time to groan before being kicked over to the ground by Song Changming.
In the next moment, Luo Haolin, scrambling to stand up, had one of his right legs already looking unnatural, clearly injured just moments ago.
"If you don’t go all out now, you’ll have no chance." Song Changming looked at Luo Haolin, speaking slowly to this martial arts expert whom he formerly had to look up to.
This feline playfulness over a mouse’s neatness made Luo Haolin’s face incredibly cold.
His Level Eight strength turned him into the mouse being toyed with; undoubtedly, the person before him was very likely an Extreme Realm Martial Artist!
Only an Extreme Realm Martial Artist could easily suppress him like this.
Considering this, Luo Haolin even briefly questioned if his memory was faulty, if he had targeted the wrong person this time.
How could the opponent have reached Extreme Realm strength in just a few short years?
Even with immense fortune, the progress shouldn’t have been this rapid...
Luo Haolin was deeply serious, his eyes full of apprehension, pondering how to escape.
"Not much time left now." Song Changming’s killing intent grew stronger.
In the next moment, Luo Haolin drew his sword again, like a streak of white light flashing in the dark night.
The sound of bells erupted by his ears!
Bell Sound Sword Skill, Flying Bell Elegy!
This time, he wielded his sword with all his might, holding nothing back, just to injure Song Changming in a flash and seize a sliver of life for himself!
Song Changming’s eyes flashed, and he drew his knife too.
Flying Swallow Technique, Flying Bell Elegy!
The same bell sound erupted, accompanied by the interwoven sounds of birds chirping.
Silver brilliance poured, instantly engulfing that streak of sword light from the opponent.
In Luo Haolin’s widened and incredulous eyes, the long knife pierced through his chest.
The breath he was holding loosened, and the heavily injured Luo Haolin’s vitality was cut off, unable to escape death this night.
"How could you..."
Before dying, he couldn’t understand why Song Changming’s Knife Form was eerily similar to his own Sword Form.
"So, how is it? Evaluate my slash." Song Changming walked up to him and asked.
His Flying Swallow Technique once expanded into a top martial art, mostly integrating the Bell Sound Sword Skill from the present Luo Haolin.
Thus, when he executed the Sword Skill, the opponent could easily discern traces of his Sword Skill and Sword Form.
Luo Haolin wanted to say something, but ultimately swallowed his last breath, his body turning cold.
Song Changming sheathed his blade, with nothing more to say.
Since practicing martial arts, in recent years, had he not improved so much and cultivated to Extreme Realm, meeting this person again tonight would undoubtedly have been a life-and-death battle.
"Brother Song." Song Ping’an approached now that the opponent had been slain.
He now roughly understood that this person was here to seek revenge on his Brother Song.
Thankfully, the opponent’s strength was lacking, failing in the surprise attack and losing his life instead, leaving Song Changming unharmed, which made him secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
As long as Song Changming was alright, everything was fine.
"Bury the body a bit far away." Song Changming searched the body, found nothing valuable, withdrew his hands, and instructed Song Ping’an.
Once Song Ping’an took the body away, Song Changming’s gaze fell back onto the distant riverbank.
The just-encountered Luo Haolin was merely a minor, insignificant episode brought to his door; however, it did conveniently resolve a small grudge from the past.
His purpose for staying here was still to witness the outcome of the upheaval in Luolong River.
As dawn broke on the horizon, suddenly, from the Luolong River, which had shaken all night.
A dragon’s roar resounded to the heavens and the earth!
...