35: With Xiaotian's intervention, the Black Wind Thieves were annihilated.
One-Blade Immortal's fearsome reputation was widespread in the Prefecture City, not only because of his swift blade but also because he enjoyed torturing his enemies.
Usually, enemies who fell into his hands would be brutally toyed with and tormented before having their heads cruelly severed, meeting a miserable end.
At this moment, Chen Chuanwen was viewed as a plaything by One-Blade Immortal.
However, what One-Blade Immortal did not expect was that this plaything in his hands not only didn't lose his nerve and flee in terror, but was instead exceptionally calm, with a suppressed killing intent faintly radiating from his body.
"Can we talk some more? Any conditions can be discussed!"
Chen Chuanwen sighed softly. After learning that One-Blade Immortal wasn't acting for silver, but because of entanglements with the Clans in the Prefecture City, he became even more reluctant to kill these people, primarily to avoid making enemies with the Prefecture City Clans.
"Kid, don't test my patience for play. I, One-Blade Immortal, have always been a man of my word. What right does a small country landlord like you have to negotiate with us? You must die today!"
One-Blade Immortal looked at Chen Chuanwen with contempt; he could no longer suppress his urge to torture his enemy. If this kid couldn't satisfy his desire for play, he would have to slice him apart piece by piece.
"Sigh, you brought this on yourselves!"
Things having come to this, Chen Chuanwen saw that the other party had no intention of negotiating. He sighed helplessly, then retreated to the carriage and pulled open the black curtain covering the sedan.
Howling Heaven, who was the size of a leopard, slowly leapt down from the sedan and sauntered to the middle of the road, its cold eyes quietly staring at One-Blade Immortal and his men.
An invisible pressure gradually spread with Howling Heaven's arrival.
"A Essence Spirit?"
One-Blade Immortal's expression immediately turned serious. He narrowed his eyes and gripped his saber handle tightly, staring fixedly at the large white-furred hound before him as if facing a formidable foe.
Chen Chuanwen thought to himself that the man was indeed an expert from the Prefecture City, as he had recognized Howling Heaven's identity at a single glance.
"Little brother, since you have such strength, our matters are not non-negotiable!"
One-Blade Immortal lost his nerve. Rumors of Essence Spirits were widespread in the Prefecture City, and he knew that even as a Blood Refining Realm Martial Artist, he was no match for a Essence Spirit.
Unfortunately, the roles were now reversed. Chuanwen, who now held the upper hand, showed only a face of cold indifference. He didn't enjoy torturing his opponents like One-Blade Immortal; he only wanted his enemies to become corpses.
"Howling Heaven, kill them. Leave none alive!"
Chen Chuanwen spoke coldly. Upon hearing the command, Howling Heaven's ears stood erect as it assumed a low, powerful pouncing posture.
"Brothers! Run! Once we're back in the Prefecture City, the Demon Suppression Bureau will naturally exterminate this Essence Spirit!"
One-Blade Immortal had no intention of fighting Howling Heaven head-on. He knew the strength gap between himself and a Essence Spirit; he now only wanted his subordinates to stall for time so he could escape back to the Prefecture City.
Unfortunately, Howling Heaven was faster!
The moment One-Blade Immortal turned to flee, Howling Heaven transformed into a bolt of white lightning, leaping behind one of the men like a ghost.
In his panic, that person swung his saber at Howling Heaven, hoping to block it momentarily, but under Howling Heaven's sharp claws, his saber was as fragile as paper.
Saber shattered, man dead!
Howling Heaven chased after the Black Wind Bandits, picking them off one by one. Each bandit's neck was pierced by Howling Heaven's sharp claws.
Soon, only One-Blade Immortal himself was left fleeing!
Howling Heaven caught up to him, its claws swinging straight for his throat.
One-Blade Immortal was indeed a Blood Refining Realm Martial Artist with quick reactions; he flipped directly off his horse, rolled, and escaped the strike.
But his horse was miserable; its neck was directly severed by Howling Heaven's claws.
"Damn it, do you really have to be so ruthless? Then I'll fight you to the death!"
One-Blade Immortal's mount was dead, and he certainly couldn't escape on foot, so he gnashed his teeth and decided to risk everything!
Seeing that One-Blade Immortal had stopped fleeing, Howling Heaven was in no hurry and slowly walked up to him.
One-Blade Immortal stared fixedly at Howling Heaven, placing his hand on his saber handle. At this life-or-death moment, he could only rely on his ultimate move to break the situation!
What he excelled at most was the Drawing-Blade Slash; often, the opponent would only see a flash of blade-light before their head hit the ground. This was also why people called him One-Blade Immortal.
Today, he would use absolute speed to kill the Essence Spirit before him!
A moment later, One-Blade Immortal adjusted his breathing and suddenly drew his blade. A cold light flashed, and both man and blade were already before Howling Heaven's eyes.
So fast!
At this moment, Chen Chuanwen acknowledged One-Blade Immortal's strength. This strike was too fast, too stunning. It was the fastest blade strike Chen Chuanwen had ever seen in his life!
Unfortunately, though he was fast, Howling Heaven was faster!
Howling Heaven was already an extremely fast hound, and although its enhancement was focused on combat, its speed had also grown.
Howling Heaven dodged the head-on strike with a swift movement, and those sharp claws that could cut iron like clay pierced toward One-Blade Immortal's chest with extreme speed.
In a flash, both the man and the hound were moving so fast that there was no time to change their moves.
Finally, Howling Heaven's sharp claws ripped open One-Blade Immortal's chest.
And One-Blade Immortal's ultimate technique, the Drawing-Blade Slash, also struck Howling Heaven's back.
However, the final outcome was different.
One-Blade Immortal was already lying on the ground, blood gushing from his chest, with only a single breath left.
While Howling Heaven acted as if nothing had happened; that blade strike had hit its body without leaving even a white mark.
Seeing Howling Heaven's powerful defense, Chen Chuanwen cursed under his breath, "What a freak."
If Chen Changsheng were here, he wouldn't have been surprised, because when Howling Heaven was enhanced...
Besides a pair of claws that could cut iron like clay, it also had the "Copper Head and Iron Bones" talent.
With Howling Heaven's Copper Head and Iron Bones, not only could its fur and skin withstand blades and swords, but its bones were even harder than stone. As for wanting to injure Howling Heaven, anyone below the Innate Realm could forget about it.
After the dust settled, Chen Chuanwen had Howling Heaven return to the carriage while he dug a large pit in the Old Crow Forest and buried the bodies of One-Blade Immortal and his group of Black Wind Bandits.
After all, the Black Wind Bandits were connected to the Prefecture City Clans, so he still had to cover his tracks and try not to expose the fact that the Chen family had acted.
Before burying One-Blade Immortal, Chen Chuanwen also searched the Black Wind Bandits' bodies. After all, his father had taught him by word and example since childhood that killing an enemy without looting the spoils was the same as killing them for nothing!
This search actually yielded a surprise. Setting aside the miscellaneous items and silver carried by the Black Wind Bandits, Chen Chuanwen actually found three Secret Manuals on them.
The best among them was One-Blade Immortal's Secret Manual—Drawing-Blade Slash!
When One-Blade Immortal had performed it, that lightning-fast swordsmanship had given Chuanwen a great shock.
The remaining two Secret Manuals found on the Black Wind Bandits were a movement technique, "Grass-Skimming Flight," and a sword technique, "Fuliu Sword."
Although these two manuals were not as stunning as One-Blade Immortal's Drawing-Blade Slash, they could still enrich the Chen family's foundation. One must know that the entire Chen family currently only knew the pitiful Five Tigers Gate-Severing Saber!
After putting away the manuals and burying the Black Wind Bandits' bodies in the large pit, Chen Chuanwen drove the carriage toward Longwei County.
The so-called "Anti-Chen Alliance" had lost the Black Wind Bandits they relied on; now it was Chen Chuanwen's turn to make a move.
"It's my turn to act. First, I'll kill a chicken to warn the monkeys, then I'll take them in as dogs. Which of you is willing to be the chicken?"
Chen Chuanwen gazed toward Longwei County in the distance, a cold smile gradually spreading across his lips!