Martial Sage from the Vajra Skill

BOOM!

A torrent of Gang Qi surged forth, forming a massive hand that slapped out, making the air crackle.

A cruel sneer spread across Xiao Chen’s face, as if he could already see Xu Yang being smashed into a bloody pulp.

He had placed twentieth in the Purple Sun Sect Outer Disciple competition. Killing a Martial Artist at Gang Qi Minor Achievement, even a genius from the Ten Heroes List, should be an easy task.

"I’m afraid you don’t know my other moniker," Xu Yang said calmly.

Facing the colossal hand that crashed down with overwhelming force, a faint golden light erupted from his body as a tyrannical aura swept outward.

BANG! BANG!

The two formless auras collided, pulverizing the surrounding vegetation and sending sand and stones flying.

Xu Yang clenched his fist in the empty air. A faint golden Sword Gang, formed from his Gang Qi, rapidly took shape, emitting a brilliant light.

In an instant, a scorching heat radiated out in rolling waves, causing steam to rise from the forest floor and leaves to wither and turn yellow.

He bent his knees and shot forward, his figure vanishing in a blur.

"Golden Gang Qi?" Xiao Chen shrieked, his pupils contracting violently.

SWOOSH!

A sharp whistle of slicing air pierced his eardrums. Before Xiao Chen could react, the faint golden Sword Gang tore through the massive Gang Qi hand, slashing down like a bolt of lightning wrapped in scorching heat.

PSHCHT!

The sound of a blade slicing through flesh rang out. The Sword Gang was unstoppable, cleaving Xiao Chen’s hand starting from between his fingers and cutting straight through to his wrist.

Like a hot knife through butter, it sliced through with ease. A plume of acrid smoke rose, carrying with it the scent of seared flesh.

Xiao Chen’s outstretched hand had been sliced cleanly in two, right down to the wrist.

"Ahhhh—!"

A bloodcurdling scream, filled with agony and terror, echoed through the mountain forest. The searing pain made Xiao Chen’s vision go black; he was just short of fainting.

But he had practiced martial arts for years; he knew that passing out now meant certain death.

Gritting his teeth against the agony, he lashed out with his other hand, striking at Xu Yang’s chest.

Xu Yang’s expression was frigid. He twisted the Sword Gang in mid-air and flicked it upward. Fiery Sun Blade Qi burst forth, and a faint golden Sword Qi shot out.

PSHCHT!

Blood sprayed as a hand, trailing smoke, was sent flying high into the air, spinning as it went.

Another scream ripped from Xiao Chen’s throat. His body faltered in mid-air and began to plummet.

"The Blazing Blade! You’re the Blazing Blade!" he stammered, his voice trembling with the fear of death.

’Both of my hands are useless—one chopped off, the other sliced in two. Of course! How could I not have realized it? The Blazing Blade everyone talks about is Xu Yang!’

’Xu Yang must have killed Ma Jun. The Blazing Blade is Xu Yang. My father and I both underestimated him. We’ve been completely fooled!’

’His Cultivation is terrifying, perhaps even greater than Li Chuyang’s, the top rank on the Ten Heroes List. Xu Yang has been hiding his true power this whole time.’

THUD!

He hit the ground hard. Without a moment’s hesitation, Xiao Chen turned to flee, not even sparing a glance for the severed hand lying on the dirt.

His heart was consumed by terror. ’I have to get away from this demon!’ 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

’He has talent that far surpasses Li Chuyang’s, yet he keeps it hidden. To think we provoked someone like him... I have to tell everyone! Even if it means the Su Family finds out about Lin Wei, I have to get them to kill Xu Yang! Otherwise, my father and I are both dead men!’

But just as he leaped from the ground, a faint golden Sword Qi swept out beneath him. It flew for over a hundred feet, felling several large trees before it finally vanished.

Xiao Chen let out a mournful wail. His legs had been severed at the knees, sending a spray of blood through the air.

His leaping body lost all momentum and tumbled out of the air.

"The first time I laid eyes on you, I wanted to kill you too."

Xu Yang sauntered over, the faint golden Sword Gang in his hand radiating waves of heat.

"If your father wasn’t a Steward, you’d have died ten times over by now."

He looked down with a placid expression at Xiao Chen, who was writhing and wailing on the ground.

All four of his limbs had been severed, the stumps seared by the intense heat. Few could imagine the torment Xiao Chen was suffering.

He thrashed on the ground like a snake with a broken back, letting out incessant wails, his once-handsome face now a contorted mask of pain.

"If you dare kill me, my father will never let you get away with it!" Xiao Chen threatened, his voice stern, but he couldn’t bring himself to look Xu Yang in the eye.

Xu Yang shook his head. "There’s no point in saying such things. Even if I don’t kill you, you and your father would never let me go. I never interfered in your affair with Lin Wei, yet you still tried to have me killed.

You were the one who came to kill me today. Do you really think that just because your father is a Steward, if you fail, I won’t dare to kill you back?"

Xiao Chen’s heart seized. His tone shifted immediately to one of begging. "Xu Yang, my father and I were wrong! Please, spare me! I promise my father will never bother you again."

"I’ll ask the questions, and you’ll provide the answers. Satisfy me, and I might consider sparing your life."

Xu Yang planted his foot on one of Xiao Chen’s severed legs, making him howl in agony once more.

"Ask!" Xiao Chen gasped, his face pale with pain.

Xu Yang nodded, satisfied. "Tell me, where are Senior Sister Lin Wei’s remains?"

This would be for Lin Cheng’s sake.

Xiao Chen answered immediately, "In a valley, five li west of the sect gate."

Xu Yang nodded. "Any last words?"

Xiao Chen trembled violently and shrieked, "Don’t kill me!"

"You love killing people so much, yet you can’t accept it when it’s your own turn? Fine, don’t say anything. In a little while, I’ll send your father to join you."

As Xiao Chen stared in terror, Xu Yang swung his blade and lopped off his head.

He bent down to search the body but found only a hundred or so silver.

’A mighty expert at Gang Qi Great Success, and he has less money than some Qi Gathering Martial Artists.’

Disgusted, Xu Yang crushed Xiao Chen’s head to pulp under his boot and strode away.