Chapter 37: The Broken Blade
On the second floor of White Rat Pavilion, by the window, Gao Jun shook his head slightly and said, "It’s about time. This should be the end."
Yang Wei, standing nearby, looked a bit puzzled and said, "Hundred Households Gao, this Gu Zhan isn’t so easy to handle. He still fights fiercely—hasn’t fallen behind at all, has he?"
Gao Jun smiled faintly and said, "Advisor Yang, you’re not a Martial Artist, so you don’t understand. Gu Zhan’s battle power is indeed strong, but right now, he’s been tricked by Wang Bai. I’ve said it before—this is Wang Bai’s turf. Gu Zhan can’t win here.
He’s young and hot-blooded, too impulsive. If he’d coordinated with his men, then maybe it would have been hard to say, but he charged into the siege alone. Don’t be fooled by how White Rat Gang’s been so quiet in recent years—no big movements. That just shows their strength shouldn’t be underestimated. Otherwise, in such a chaotic city like Linjiang, how could they have kept things so stable?"
Yang Wei asked doubtfully, "But is Wang Bai really Gu Zhan’s match?"
Gao Jun nodded slightly and said, "One-on-one, Wang Bai is older, and age loses to youth. He can’t beat Gu Zhan. But the situation isn’t the same now. Wang Bai is relying on Qinggong, looking for openings to ambush Gu Zhan.
Plus, several White Rat Gang experts are attacking Gu Zhan from the front, aided by a bunch of White Rat elites. Gu Zhan looks like he’s holding his own, but he can’t afford any mistakes. Even the slightest slip and his opponents will seize it,
While the White Rat Gang men—their side—can make plenty of mistakes. They’ve got numbers for replacements. But Gu Zhan can’t. Moreover, with time, even the strongest Martial Artist gets worn out. In these conditions, even a First Grade Martial Artist would retreat. Gu Zhan? He’ll lose for sure!"
...
At this moment, in Snow Street,
Gu Zhan’s situation was truly grim.
The South City Embroidered Uniform Guard had been scattered; experts like Ma Lang and Chen Fei were trapped, unable to help.
This left Gu Zhan alone, beset by nearly a hundred attackers. Among them, five or six Middle Three Grades masters, and Wang Bai, who was weaving through with Qinggong, waiting for his chance.
[Experience Points +10]
[Experience Points +9]
[Experience Points +18]
[...]
The long street was in chaos. Gu Zhan was covered in blood, his Horizontal Saber already chipped in several places, the blade twisted and rolled.
He was locked in a desperate battle,
His situation extremely passive,
Fortunately, his saber techniques were broad and powerful, with enough killing force to fight back even against so many foes.
But still,
The longer the fight, the worse things got,
This battle had been fraught with danger from the start.
"Lord Gu, are you regretting now that you ignored the advice of your elders?"
"Lord Gu, resisting like this means nothing. You’re only risking the lives of more of your comrades and brothers—give up! I’ll make it quick!"
"..."
Wang Bai’s Qinggong was truly superb: darting through the fray like a ghost, flinging words to disrupt Gu Zhan’s state of mind.
But still,
Gu Zhan’s face was calm, quietly guarding his Spirit Platform,
Though his arm ache with fatigue, his form never faltered, always keeping himself in solid shape.
"Puchi"
Gu Zhan traded injury for life—taking a blade to his body to kill a Fifth Grade Martial Artist.
[Experience Points +101]
Finally, his experience reached three hundred.
His will moved on its own, summoning the system,
[Use 300 Experience Points]
[Jinghong Saber Technique advanced to Minor Success Realm]
Spirit Platform silent,
In a split second, Gu Zhan entered a subtle, mysterious state. For just that blink, it felt as if he’d lived through years,
Years filled with hatred,
Hate, pushed to its extreme,
To the point of reckless abandon,
This was the intent of Jinghong Saber Technique,
This intent: hatred,
A saber art that channels hatred as power, the original purpose of the Jinghong Blade Master when he created it—revenge, without regard for anything else, able to let go of everything, save hatred!
In the blink between closed and open eyes, Gu Zhan’s eyes seemed shrouded with faint black mist, tainted by endless death... and hate!
In that instant,
A blade—a broken, battered blade—swept down several lesser attackers that came at him,
Gu Zhan’s eyes gradually bloodshot, locking onto Wang Bai, who circled the edge of the battle.
In that moment,
Wang Bai felt a chill,
Gu Zhan was soaked in blood, but his eyes were piercingly clear,
Wang Bai frowned, chuckled to himself,
He hadn’t fought to the death in years, clearly had become timid,
That kid’s just a cornered beast, refusing to die,
Yet he actually made Wang Bai feel fear,
How laughable.
He gripped his Steel Saber tightly, preparing to seize the chance to finish Gu Zhan,
Just then, Gu Zhan exposed a flaw,
Four Fourth and Fifth Grade Martial Artists burst from the crowd, locking him in from every direction—a sure-kill blow!
Taking this chance,
Wang Bai struck—his figure ghostlike, as if merging with swirling snowflakes, vanishing and appearing, showing up behind Gu Zhan in an instant,
This strike—meant to kill!
For facing the siege of four experts,
Gu Zhan, no matter how deep his cultivation or unmatched his strength, would surely reveal a gap,
Unless, he could instantly kill all four,
And, at the same time, block Wang Bai’s fatal blow!
But that’s impossible,
Even a First Grade Expert can’t necessarily do that; only a First Grade Expert in perfect shape might pull it off.
But Gu Zhan wasn’t at his peak—he’d been fighting so long, already exhausted. And he wasn’t a First Grade Martial Artist, either.
So,
This strike must be fatal!
The four experts’ blows hit,
Wang Bai followed, just half a beat behind.
But then, in that moment,
A flash of white light shocked everyone present,
For an instant, amid the snowy crowd,
There seemed only a single blade left,
A blade battered and broken, sweeping aside the drifting snow and shattering the seemingly brilliant attacks of the four experts.
Nobody could comprehend,
How this blade held such power,
A broken saber—hardly a Divine Weapon,
How could it cut through so many hundred-forged Steel Sabers?
Fragments of steel blades scattered,
Bloodlines appeared across the four experts’ necks,
In an instant of shock and confusion,
Blood sprayed, staining the snowy air red.
In Gu Zhan’s hand remained only half a Broken Saber,
But his sword momentum never stopped. His eyes burned blood-red, faint shrouds of crimson mist curling around him,
With that broken blade,
He met Wang Bai’s Steel Saber,
"Klang"
With the clash of metal ringing out,
The broken saber and steel blade shattered together,
Gu Zhan held only a hilt and the last few iron shards on it, slashing across Wang Bai’s throat!