World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 87: Shi Qianzhangs Deadly Ordeal

The turn of events was too abrupt. Wang Sheng had been keeping his surroundings covered in his spiritual consciousness, yet he only caught the sudden fluctuation of primal qi the instant Mou Yue was attacked. That alone was enough for him to know that their opponent was no ordinary cultivator.

Mou Yue had just retreated into the room and was about to dodge when a Tang blade that Wang Sheng found somewhat familiar pierced toward her. The blade pressed against her neck, stopping just a hair's breadth away from piercing her smooth skin.

Left with no other choice, she could only stand still.

The blade slowly inched forward, forcing Mou Yue to step back. Her assailant followed her into the hospital room.

Even though the person was wearing a ghost mask, Wang Sheng could never forget his weapon, intent, and eyes. The Yin-Yang Cult swordsman, who had jumped into the water to escape, was standing right in front of him again.

Shi Qianzhang's intuition turned out to be right. He was being targeted, and the ones after him were no small threat.

Ever since Wang Sheng's warning and the previous school incident, the Special Investigation Unit had been on the lookout for the Yin-Yang Cult. However, they were too well-hidden, and they covered their tracks too well and too quickly, leaving no solid leads. To top it all off, despite the city's security being on high alert, they had managed to slip into the hospital.

The masked man walked further into the room, and another man in a white coat and a woman in a nurse's uniform followed him. The white-coated man was smiling faintly, but his expression was unnaturally stiff, likely due to a human-skin mask, and though the woman had an enchanting figure, her face was just as rigid.

Is the Yin-Yang Cult running a human-skin mask wholesale business?

"Daoist Master Shi, where are you headed?" The man in the white coat chuckled lightly. He seemed to be the leader of the three. Due to the mask, his expression remained eerily stiff. "You've been holding onto that talisman since this afternoon. Can't hold back from using it anymore?"

In the corner, Bulldozer, whom Shi Qianzhang had kicked away, had already stood up and was reaching for his lower back. However, before he could draw his gun, the woman flickered like a ghost and appeared before him.

Bulldozer's gun was sent flying, and the hilt of a dagger struck his throat, making him cough up blood and slowly collapse to the floor.

Her footwork was terrifyingly fast—even Wang Sheng didn't have time to stop her. Fortunately, she didn't seem to be trying to kill Bulldozer, likely because he was a Special Investigation Unit member.

A woman with ghostly speed; a swordsman with a demonic blade; and their leader, whose abilities remained a mystery. Had Wang Sheng's legs been in working condition, he wouldn't have feared fighting two at once. However, right now, he was powerless.

Thankfully, his martial aunt was stationed nearby. The Special Investigation Unit had invited her this afternoon and was scheduled to act alongside the Daoist sect experts tonight. However, Jingyun had insisted on taking action earlier and had been assigned to the area closest to Wang Sheng.

By all reasoning, Wang Sheng should have already avoided the storm. Even if the Five Gods Cult wanted revenge, they would have to think twice due to the large number of uniformed soldiers stationed around the hospital. However, no one could have expected Shi Qianzhang to call Wang Sheng for advice or that three Yin-Yang Cult members would come for him right after.

Shi Qianzhang tensed up, seemingly facing a deadly enemy. As someone who had been in countless brawls, he could easily sense the hostility gathering toward him. "Who are you?"

"Us? We're just a few people who enjoy stirring up trouble," the man in the lead replied leisurely, hands clasped behind his back. "Your senior brother has a grand undertaking today. Seeing him all alone, we decided to help remove some obstacles for him.

"Daoist Master Shi, you'd best stay out of this. We don't wish to offend the Longhu Mountains or Daoist Master Qing Yanzi, who's already on the verge of breaking through to the Golden Core Realm. However, if you insist on interfering with your senior brother, then we'll have no choice but to send you to the afterlife, where he'll be waiting for you."

"What did you just say?!" Shi Qianzhang's eyes narrowed, his nostrils flaring slightly in rage. "Qianxing ended up like that because of you!"

The leader shook his head slightly. "You're mistaken. We only recently became acquainted with your senior brother. Had we met him earlier, with his talent, I would have spent every effort and resource to save him. Unfortunately..."

That was it. Shi Qianzhang had mentioned it before, and now the man had confirmed it: the Fire Sage didn't have much time left.

Wang Sheng subtly raised his hand and pressed the hidden button on his wristband, making sure not to draw attention.

"Stay calm, Daoist Brother Qianzhang," he remarked. Their best option now was to stall for time until Jingyun arrived. "Judging by his tone, that man likely holds considerable authority in the world of corrupt cultivators. We're in trouble."

"You overestimate me," the man interjected indifferently. "I merely rely on the shelter of my predecessors, unlike you, who rely on talent, comprehension, and perseverance.

"But I offer you some advice: since you've managed to get out of this mess, why get involved again? You've already eliminated one of the Five Gods Cult's leaders. That achievement alone is enough to secure your standing with the authorities."

Wang Sheng chuckled. "I have a reputation in Jianghu now? That's news to me. From what I know, the Longhu Mountains have a talisman that locks onto anyone who kills their disciple."

"You're absolutely right." The leader laughed softly. "Still, although the Longhu Mountains have many disciples, they'll have to think twice before starting a war with us.

"However, your master is a completely different matter. Your sect only has three people—no, you now have a sharp-witted and adorable junior sister. Regardless, we fear him greatly. We cannot even fathom how powerful a Golden Core Daoist can be, and we certainly do not wish to make an enemy of you. Why not simply observe from the sidelines tonight?"

Wang Sheng just quietly gathered his true essence at his injured bones. Even so, healing them would still take at least three to five days.

Seemingly listening to the conversation, the woman tilted her head slightly. She then whispered, "Young Master, the military around the hospital is starting to move."

They clearly had lookouts outside.

"In that case, we'll have to send Daoist Master Shi ahead of his senior brother," the leader coldly said, his murderous eyes locking onto Shi Qianzhang.

Shi Qianzhang curled his lips, already holding two talismans in his hand. Talisman pouches also appeared on his arms and thighs.

"Go," the leader ordered. "Make sure to only take Shi Qianzhang's life."

In response, the swordsman swiftly kicked Mou Yue aside and charged at Shi Qianzhang. The ghostly woman was even faster, closing the distance to Shi Qianzhang in the blink of an eye. Her slender arms blurred as she tried to slit his throat with two deadly daggers.

A chill ran down Shi Qianzhang's spine. Before the attack could reach him, three yellow talismans affixed to his chest shimmered. Golden light burst out of their intricate patterns.

Vajra Talisman!

The woman's daggers struck his neck, causing two sharp clangs. Shi Qianzhang's face turned red from the force of the impact, but they bounced against his skin. He staggered back, coughing violently.

Before Shi Qianzhang could catch his breath, the swordsman was already upon him. He swung his Tang blade down diagonally with an overwhelming force. In response, Shi Qianzhang flung out two talismans and dodged to the side, but the blade's energy still grazed his left shoulder. Blood spurted from the wound, yet thanks to the Vajra Talisman's protection, it didn't cut deep enough to reach his muscles or bones.

By now, Shi Qianzhang had slapped two talismans onto his thighs: the Ape's Leap Talisman and the Godspeed Talisman, enhancing his agility and speed.

The swordsman's attacks were relentless and as swift as a phantom. With little room to maneuver in the cramped hospital room, Shi Qianzhang could only rely on the Vajra Talisman's durability to stay in the fight. As he retreated, he hurled more than a dozen talismans of various colors.

Shi Qianzhang was not to be underestimated. After all, he had reached the Spirit Convergence Realm. Moreover, his talismans were imbued with immense power, and using them required little expenditure of his true essence and spiritual consciousness.

Just like firecrackers, a talisman's explosion had nothing to do with the flame that ignited it. Its power depended entirely on its quality and materials.

The ongoing battle made it clear why Shi Qianzhang was called a genius in this path.

Fighting for his life, he held nothing back. Yellow talismans erupted into fireballs and icicles, green talismans summoned crane and serpent spirits. He even used his rare black and red talismans without hesitation.

The swordsman managed only two clean strikes before being doused with two handfuls of black dog blood. He recoiled, further forced back by the barrage of spells exploding before him.

Shi Qianzhang's hands blurred as he moved. Two crane spirits took form, entangling the enemies in midair. At the same time, he tried to slap two Slowing Talismans onto them, but the woman sliced the talismans in half before they could take effect.

From the side, Wang Sheng gestured subtly at Shi Qianzhang, signaling him to move toward the hospital bed.

The broken Abyss Listener was hidden beneath Wang Sheng's pillow. If Shi Qianzhang could get close, Wang Sheng could launch a surprise attack, possibly dealing heavy damage to both enemies.

However, a flicker of hesitation crossed Shi Qianzhang's eyes. He cast a guilty glance at Wang Sheng, then quickly averted his gaze.

"Screw it! I'm going all out!"

With a flick of his wrist, he scattered four identical black talismans. Their golden markings flashed as they exploded into a flutter of golden-patterned black butterflies and swarmed his two enemies.

The swordsman let out a war cry as he raised his Tang blade and swept it through the air. The weapon unleashed a burst of blood-red energy, tearing through the incoming black butterflies.

Shi Qianzhang seized the opportunity to dash toward the window. Channeling true essence into his fist, he smashed the glass and jumped out from the third floor.

Luckily, they weren't on the eighteenth floor. Otherwise, even with his cultivation, the fall would have resulted in more than just a broken leg.

The guy had a sense of loyalty, at least. He twisted in midair and shouted, "If you want to kill me, come at me! Leave the others out of this, you sons of bitches!"

Behind him, the swordsman gave chase, while the ghostly woman had already cut him off ahead. To make matters worse, the glow of Shi Qianzhang's Vajra Talisman was beginning to dim.

"Don't let him leave the hospital alive!"

The leader snorted coldly and leaped forward. Before leaving, he glanced at Wang Sheng. His eyes showed coldness, a warning, and a hint of provocation.

Wang Sheng simply sat there quietly. Once the man had jumped, he slowly reached for his cast-bound legs and struggled to remove the sling.

"Daoist Master Wang..." Mou Yue gasped, clutching her stomach in pain. Blood had stained the corner of her lips. "I already sent the signal..."

Wang Sheng remained calm. Getting anxious wouldn't help, especially not with his legs broken and his mobility severely limited.

He had fought Shi Qianzhang and the swordsman before. Shi Qianzhang's speed alone wouldn't be enough to evade his enemies' rapid strikes, but the Vajra Talisman should buy him some time.

The real threat was the ghostly woman. If Shi Qianzhang's Vajra Talisman lost its effect or couldn't be replenished in time, her daggers could instantly take his life.

Her footwork techniques were even superior to Wang Sheng's Seven-Star Footwork.

"Get me a wheelchair and throw it down."

Wang Sheng took a deep breath and reached under the bedsheet, gripping the broken Abyss Listener between his teeth. He then pressed his hands against the bed and launched himself into the air.

His true essence surged as he twisted at the waist and flipped himself upside down. Still in a hospital gown and with two cast-bound legs, Wang Sheng used his arms to push off the bed frame. With a single palm strike, he shattered the window and, still upside down, propelled himself out.

His posture was a bit odd, but his speed wasn't bad.

"Daoist Master Wang!" Mou Yue coughed and then wiped away the blood at the corner of her mouth. Enduring the pain in her abdomen, she forced herself to stand.

After glaring at Bulldozer, who was still unconscious, she staggered toward the door. In just over ten seconds, she came running back with a wheelchair and unhesitatingly shoved it out the window.

Her heart pounded as she looked down anxiously—only to see Wang Sheng bounce off the ground. With a single breath of true essence, he suspended himself in midair, grabbed the wheelchair with pinpoint accuracy, and sat firmly in it just before he landed.

Mou Yue was dumbfounded. "That actually worked?"

This chapter is updat𝙚d by f(r)eew𝒆bn(o)vel.com