Chapter 153: Chapter 0153: The Battle with Gu Yang_1
It seemed that a major battle was about to break out between the two sides.
But Zhang Bin had returned, bringing with him an icy aura as he charged out from Great Green Mountain. If not for two beautiful women delaying him, he would have definitely returned before his enemies arrived.
Following behind him were Tian Bingbing, Liu Ruomei, Liu Ruolan, Xiao Fang, and several other women. Liu Ruolan and Xiao Fang had waited at the edge of the forest all night, just in case he suddenly returned.
"All of you, stay back," Zhang Bin said softly. "Find a place to hide so I won’t be distracted."
After speaking, he dropped the backpack from his shoulders and rushed forward, shouting, "Stop!"
"Hahaha... Zhang Bin, so you finally realized there’s no escape?" Turen Xiong shouted excitedly, his face a mask of savage glee.
"Zhang Bin, today you die. Next year, this day will be the anniversary of your death," Diao Huacheng added, his expression triumphant.
"Brother, why did you come back?" Zhao Dawei’s expression changed. Sun Tie and Qian Bing grew tense as well. They knew full well how powerful Gu Yang was; with their strength, there was no way they could stop him. If Zhang Bin hadn’t come back, they might have found a way to protect his villa and wealth. But with Zhang Bin’s return, it was no longer about the villa or his fortune. Zhang Bin himself was now in extreme danger. How could his opponents possibly let him go?
"Don’t worry, I can handle it." Zhang Bin nodded to Zhao Dawei and his men. He drew his Bamboo Sword and faced the viciously grinning Gu Yang. "Old man, since you’ve come here to die, I’ll grant your wish."
"Hahaha..." Gu Yang let out a thunderous laugh, a sound powerful enough to shatter stone and pierce metal. "A snot-nosed brat who still reeks of his mother’s milk, you dare act so arrogant before me? You truly have a death wish."
He then walked forward, step by step. With each footfall, the ground shook, leaving a deep footprint as his aura surged higher. After just a few steps, he seemed to tower like a mountain in everyone’s eyes.
This was a form of spiritual oppression used by powerful cultivators, possessing a mysterious and potent effect. It was like a goat before a tiger, or a mouse before a cat, its spirit broken and mind paralyzed with fear. It was the instinctive reaction of the weak when confronting the strong.
However, this had no effect on Zhang Bin. He stood there, as cold as ice, his sword raised slightly. His eyes shot out a frosty glare that locked onto his opponent as he waited for the perfect moment to strike.
Surprise flickered across Gu Yang’s face. This youth isn’t simple. He seems powerful, not much weaker than me.
But he remained unconcerned. He suddenly stopped, his sword poised to strike, and his voice became a cold whisper only Zhang Bin could hear. "Zhang Bin, hand over your legacy, and I can spare your life. Otherwise, you won’t live to see another sunrise, and your family will suffer a miserable fate."
He was, of course, using a peculiar secret technique. This was the legendary ’voice transmission’ technique. It condenses the user’s voice into a single thread, directing it into a specific person’s ears so that it cannot be heard by anyone else. Only cultivators with a high cultivation level could master it.
My legacy? I’m afraid you don’t have long enough to live to take it! A raging fire ignited in Zhang Bin’s heart. This opponent wasn’t here to back up Turen Xiong at all; he was clearly here to steal his legacy. It makes sense. Being so young and powerful has surely drawn attention. People were probably wary of my supposed master’s sect, which is why they never dared to make a move. Now, someone has finally decided to act, obviously having seen through the fact that I have no powerful sect backing me. After all, if I did, why wouldn’t I have already announced its name?
"Enough talk. Hand it over now, or you’re dead. Killing you will be as easy as crushing an ant," Gu Yang snarled, his body radiating a glacial, murderous aura.
"Gu Yang, if you dare harm Zhang Bin, the nation will never let you get away with it!" Zhao Dawei warned angrily from the side.
"This is a grudge between my Iron Sword Sect and Zhang Bin. Your Special Action Team had best not interfere. Otherwise, the consequences will be more than you can bear," Gu Yang threatened, his killing intent palpable.
"Kill!"
Zhang Bin let out a cold laugh. Taking advantage of his opponent’s momentary distraction, he took a single step forward, his sword exploding in a dazzling flash of cold light aimed straight at the other’s throat.
This was, of course, his most powerful move, ’Sword Release Enemy Cripple.’ The technique was far more formidable than before, as he could now execute twenty-two strikes in a single second—a speed so incredible it could likely block incoming bullets.
WHOOSH...
The sound was piercing, the killing intent soaring to the heavens.
"A good strike." A wary look appeared on Gu Yang’s face as he retreated abruptly, swinging his own sword like a bolt of lightning.
CLANG!
Their swords crashed together with the sound of a blacksmith’s forge, sending sparks flying. Both felt a tremendous force travel up the blade, forcing them to stagger back several steps.
This was no surprise to Zhang Bin.
Gu Yang’s face, however, was a mask of shock and disbelief. This is a kid of only twenty, yet he’s this powerful? Barely weaker than me by a hair? Could he have also opened nineteen meridians?
My god, Zhang Bin is so powerful! He’s barely weaker than Gu Yang! Zhao Dawei and the other members of the Special Action Team screamed in their hearts.
"Xiao Bin, kill him!" the villagers cried out, growing extremely excited. They hated Gu Yang to the bone.
So he’s this powerful? Tian Bingbing and Liu Ruomei thought, watching from a distance with admiration shining in their eyes.
As for Xiao Fang and Liu Ruolan, who knew nothing of martial arts, they were terrified. They trembled, fearing Zhang Bin would be defeated and killed.
"Very good. So you’re a peerless genius. I enjoy nothing more than crushing geniuses like you," Gu Yang snarled as he recovered. He charged forward, unleashing a torrential assault on Zhang Bin, swift and seamless like mercury flowing across the ground.
Zhang Bin felt no fear, raising his sword to meet the charge.
The two became blurry shadows, their swords dissolving into countless flashes of cold light. The sounds of their clashing blades were as dense as raindrops. The very air grew frigid, as if it had turned into the dead of winter.
"Argh..."
A low cry of pain rang out.
The two fighters abruptly separated.
Zhang Bin trembled, a sword wound on his chest. Though not deep, blood still sprayed from it. Meanwhile, a half-inch-deep gash had appeared on Gu Yang’s face, from which blood also trickled.
Clearly, Zhang Bin had gotten the worse of the exchange, his injury much more severe than his opponent’s.
The situation was dire.