Everyone looked at each other, waiting for someone else to make the first move.

Suddenly, a man stepped forward into the center; he was a sturdy fellow dressed in grey attire. He cupped his fists in all directions and declared brashly, "I am Wang Mao! As for my master... I am forbidden to reveal his name, and there's no need for you all to know. Just understand that I am determined to win this sword today, so don't even think about competing with me!"

Everyone exchanged glances, thinking to themselves, who the hell is this bloke swaggering about with no reputation whatsoever? When exactly did such an odd figure leap onto the Jianghu scene? Yet, when it came to challenging him, there was a hint of reservation, feeling that this fellow might not have the temerity to lie and boast in front of all these heroes; he must have some real skills.

This man then challenged, "I'm here for the Immortal Slaying Sword, who here dares to object? Come forward and put up a fight. But let me make one thing clear, we are people of Jianghu, we don't have to play the hypocrite like those scholarly gentlemen with their false modesty. When we throw a punch, we aim to kill, so if you value your lives, don't throw a punch. We resolve disagreements with fists, life and death are preordained, riches and honor are in the hands of the heavens. If I happen to kill or cripple anyone, don't bear a grudge against me!"

His words were rather arrogantly spoken, causing discontent among the crowd. Suddenly, from among the multitude, a young man, not even twenty years old, robust in build with a back as wide as a tiger's and a waist as sturdy as a bear's, bellowed rebukingly, "And who do you think you are to talk like that? Do you really take all the heroes under the heavens so lightly?"

Wang Mao inquired, "And who might you be? Dare to state your name so I can hear which young hero you are?"

The man, filled with a hint of pride, stated, "I hail from the Dou Family Estate in Nanchang Prefecture, Jiangxi. My surname is Dou, and I am called Dou Dadiao!" Glancing at the Tao Jun on the rock, he continued, "A treasure sword that has come into the possession of us folks in Jiangxi ought to stay in Jiangxi. How can it be handed out to outsiders for nothing?"

Wang Mao snorted coldly, "Enough chatter. If you're not convinced and want that treasure sword, then let's put it to the test. But first, warn your parents; the fists and feet have no eyes, and when I beat you to death, your mother will have one less bowl and chopsticks to set tonight, and your father better prepare an early coffin!"

The guy's words were really cutting, and Dou Dadiao's anger flared up, "I'll kill you, you bastard!" He lunged forward, fists swinging wildly.

Wang Mao shifted his stance, parried with one hand, jabbed at Dou Dadiao's eyes with the other while simultaneously delivering a fierce kick to Dou Dadiao's knees.

As the saying goes, you'll know if one is an expert as soon as they make a move.

The moment these two crossed hands, Shi Feiyang could tell Wang Mao's martial arts were far superior to Dou Dadiao's, by more than just a small margin.

However, he wasn't too concerned about these two men; his attention was entirely on the sword in Tao Jun's possession. It was evident that this sword was not the one Xu Wan had refined in the Star Constellations Sea.

This sword was a fake!

Internally, he made his calculations silently, deducing from the Eight Diagrams that the real sword had already reached Yellow Mountain, yet the specific location was unclear in the divination.

Just as he concluded his divination, Dou Dadiao had already been struck three consecutive times by Wang Mao, palms slamming into his chest.

"Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!" Three successive blows shattered his breastbone, caving in his chest as Dou Dadiao spat blood wildly, tumbling to the ground, motionless.

"You! You killed my brother! I demand your life!" cried another young man, resembling Dou Dadiao closely, as he hurled himself forward with a treasure sword, chopping down at him.

Wang Mao leaped back, withdrawing his own treasure sword from behind him and demanded, "Name yourself, for my sword spares the nameless!"

The young man proclaimed as he aggressed with his sword, "I am Dou Dapeng! You killed my brother, I will kill you to avenge him!"

While Wang Mao's hand-to-hand combat skills were only third-rate, his swordsmanship was rather exquisite. Within four moves, he exploited a flaw and pierced through Dou Dapeng's throat, killing him.

No sooner had he retracted his sword than three more young men charged at him, each brandishing a weapon—a single-blade sabre, double hooks, and a short spear—forming a triangular encirclement around Wang Mao.

"And who might you three be?"

"We are Dou Dacheng, Dou Dayong, and Dou Dameng! We'll kill you for our brothers' revenge!" The trio attacked as they spoke.

Wang Mao's footsteps rapidly changed, confronting three at once, his treasure sword slashing diagonally, cutting upward and stabbing downward, hissing through a series of consecutive strikes. After over a dozen exchanges, he first pierced through Dou Dayong's chest with a thrust and, after another two moves, he swung his sword backward, slashing across Dou Dacheng's neck.

The youngest, Dou Dameng, still a teenager, saw his four brothers killed, his heart filled with fear. He wanted to admit defeat and run away, but felt too ashamed to do so. After a moment's hesitation, Wang Mao thrust through his throat, killing him too.

Having slain five men, Wang Mao, sword in hand, demanded, "Is there anyone else? Any more from the Dou Family? Are we done here? Have I wiped them out completely?"

This behavior enraged Li Zhenchuan, who was about to muster his energy and leap forward, when Bai Qi beside him had already beaten him to it, soaring several meters and landing lightly before Wang Mao.

Wang Mao kicked the corpses aside and turned to ask, "And who might you be?"

"I am Bai Qi of the Xiang River Sect, known as the 'Jade-faced Howler!'"

At the mention of his name, the crowd burst into discussion: "The Xiang River Sect, that's Luo Xin's Xiang River Sect!"

Luo Xin, the victor of the earlier swordfight, who had already obtained the Immortal Slaying Sword, was famous across the world.

Wang Mao, unfazed, replied, "Fine, fine, fine, I'll kill you first, and then your Sect Leader can come at me with the Immortal Slaying Sword for revenge. I'll slaughter him too and get my hands on two Immortal Slaying Swords!"

Bai Qi drew his treasure sword and shouted sternly, "Stop daydreaming! How could the Immortal Slaying Treasure Sword fall into the hands of someone like you!"

Knowing Wang Mao's swordsmanship was formidable, Bai Qi brought forth his full concentration from the outset, launching into the thirty-six moves of the Eight Diagrams Mysterious Sword to engage Wang Mao in combat.

Shi Feiyang watched from the sidelines, noting how Bai Qi's swordsmanship was elegant and carefree. When combined with the flow of internal Qi, it indeed bore a resemblance to Xiong Man's shadow.

Luo Ziyuan, Xiong Man, and Xiao Shijiumei, once known as the Three Heroines of Min Mountain, were legitimate female heroes of the Jianghu before they began their sword cultivation, renowned swordsmen whom Shi Feiyang had seen practicing their swordsmanship. He also knew that their teacher, the Seven-Finger Dragon Mother of the ethereal Daoist path, Bai Qi's martial arts were learned from Luo Xin, and Luo Xin's were from Luo Ziyuan. Aside from the swordsmanship, the inner Qi processes were indeed derived from the Dan Method Foundation.

It wasn't a surprise, but what Shi Feiyang found unexpected was that Wang Mao's swordsmanship and inner strength seemed to have originated from the Wutai Sect!

Shi Feiyang had helped to compile the Dharma Collection for the Wutai Sect, and he was thoroughly familiar with the sect's cultivation techniques and swordsmanship. The Wutai Sect had sword techniques at the entrance level that he hadn't thoroughly examined but was still aware of. Earlier, he recognized the set of palm techniques as familiar, but he was too focused on calculating the whereabouts of the Demon Sword to pay close attention. Now, the more he watched, the more he felt all of Wang Mao's skills came from the Wutai Sect.

After the battle at Star Constellations Sea years ago, all disciples of the Wutai Sect were supposedly killed. Could there still be survivors among them, mixing in with outsiders? Then why didn't he return to Wutai Mountain to seek guidance from his ancestors? Or was it that during the years of his seclusion, had the Taiyin Hunyuan Ancestor taken in new disciples?

Though puzzled, Shi Feiyang didn't bother to deduce the entire story. Wang Mao obviously wasn't a good person, so if he died, it would serve as a purification for the Wutai Sect.

Wang Mao's swordsmanship was extraordinary, but Bai Qi was even more formidable. After over fifty exchanges, Wang Mao found himself at a disadvantage.

Bai Qi let out a sharp cry, "Hit!" and with a thrust, he sliced a cut on Wang Mao's arm. After a few more moves, he shouted again, stabbing a hole in his shoulder.

Bai Qi, despising Wang Mao's cruelty, didn't want to kill him quickly but intended to inflict thirty-six wounds on him before delivering the final blow.

Of course, if Wang Mao surrendered and threw down his sword in the meantime, Bai Qi would spare him.

Wang Mao refused to give in, clenching his teeth and persisting a while longer, accumulating more bloody cuts on his body.

Knowing he was outmatched, his eyes suddenly narrowed, and he began to chant. As he chanted, unnaturally, a strange wind rose from the ground, a whirlwind of evil Qi materializing and caught everyone around in its grasp, making the onlookers sway. None of the valiant heroes wanted to appear weak, and they each stabilized themselves firmly on the ground.

This black wind, seeping from beneath the earth, was a surge of evil Qi that formed a tornado, trapping Bai Qi within it. His white garments billowed, and his hair fluttered in the wind, while the spirits of the Dou Family's five tigers and Mao Tai, who had died the night before, appeared in the whirlwind. Their faces twisted in malice and bloodied, they lunged at Bai Qi, seeking to strangle him to death!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.