Chapter 119: Those Who Offend Me Shall Be Punished Without Mercy

"Are you a human or a demon?"

Gu Dong’s eyes bulged, his expression growing even more ferocious. "Whatever you are, I will kill you to avenge my brother!"

Discarding his magnetic pistol, he drew his machete—a three-foot-long, razor-sharp blade. It was a custom imperial weapon forged from multiple alloys, not only incredibly keen but also possessing metal-memory properties, making it lethally effective.

At such close range, using firearms would only put him at a disadvantage. Gu Dong was decisive; instead of retreating, he lunged forward. With a swift spring, he launched himself like a projectile, his blade sweeping horizontally. A flash of icy light cut through the air like a bolt of lightning, as if attempting to cleave the very space before him in two.

Gu Xi drew an identical blade and charged, gritting his teeth. "So, he has only just reached the Hall-Level realm; he’s no stronger than us." Seeing through their opponent's strength, the two brothers lost their remaining hesitation. The stranger had only relied on secret techniques for his initial sneak attack, and seeing the blood still staining the corners of his mouth, it was clear he was heavily injured—this was the perfect chance for revenge.

A cold glint flickered in Le Kai’s eyes. He didn't break his rhythm with the Return-One Footwork, tossing a "Qi Recovery Pill" into his mouth as he moved. He had already sheathed his bow. To an observer, he seemed at a disadvantage, empty-handed, but Lambo, who knew his style well, didn't think so. Excitement flared in Lambo's eyes as he wiped the blood from his own lips, struggling to crawl toward Wu Meitian to tend to her.

Gu Dong and Gu Xi attacked from front and back, each strike a lethal blow, holding nothing back. Their hatred for Le Kai had reached its zenith.

Le Kai’s body twisted, and his afterimage was torn apart by the terrifying blade light. Due to his immense speed, it appeared as if he had truly been sliced in half. Even Gu Dong was momentarily stunned, overjoyed, but he quickly realized it was too easy—it was impossible.

Upon entering the battlefield, Le Kai had initiated his "Game Tactics," drawing not only the two brothers into the fray but also King Kong and Sang Qing. He had sensed that King Kong was reaching his limit, the effects of the Violent Pill wearing off, which forced him to adopt this extreme approach: a head-on kill.

With a flash of sharp light in his eyes, Le Kai appeared at Gu Dong’s side. A pale red glow erupted from his hand as he drew a curved blade from his wrist-storage—the timing was impeccable. What appeared to be a casual swing was, in fact, a carefully manufactured opportunity he had spent much time setting up, striking from a blind spot where Gu Xi could not intervene and where Gu Dong was poorly positioned to defend.

Already a realm higher than his opponents, this strike, fueled by a reckless expenditure of internal energy, was a flawlessly executed assassination.

Gu Dong’s bewildered gaze remained fixed on Gu Xi’s eyes for a heartbeat before his body slid toward the ground.

"No..."

Gu Xi felt every pore on his body stand on end. With absolute terror, he watched his older brother’s upper torso slide to the ground, collapsing into the swirling dust, while his lower half continued to sprint forward for another ten meters before crashing down with a thud. Such a bloody, harrowing sight was enough to make not only the traumatized Gu Xi lose his mind, but also caused the members of Lambo’s group to turn pale and gag in horror.

Le Kai’s expression remained cold and heartless. Even after bisecting a living man, he showed no change in demeanor. He glanced coldly at Gu Xi, let out a sneer of utter disdain, and abandoned him to charge straight at Sang Qing.

"Ah... monster, you monster, I will tear you into a thousand pieces!"

Gu Xi had gone completely insane, losing all reason. It wasn't just Le Kai’s cold-blooded smile and dismissive gaze that broke him, but the despair of having lost everything.

Meanwhile, Sang Qing was equally enraged and disbelieving. He could not fathom how four peak-level martial artists, who worked in such perfect sync, had crumbled in an instant. The strange beast they had been fighting had suddenly gone berserk, its combat prowess climbing steadily, its attacks and dodges now rivaling those of a true human master. Caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events, Sang Qing had been unable to intervene.

Seeing the beast’s aura fading, Sang Qing had been about to deliver the final blow when this bizarre shift occurred. Seeing the youth charging at him with a blade like a god of war, Sang Qing was livid. A mere Hall-Level master daring to act arrogant before him, a one-star "Micro-Knowledge" realm expert? What was wrong with the world? Were all the creatures on this planet mad?

Sang Qing abandoned his final strike on King Kong. Flicking his long sword, he sneered, "Don't think you're invincible just because you killed a few of my men. You dare challenge me, with my 50,000 Ankes of power, with your measly 10,000? Hahahaha! Very well, I shall grant you that chance. Gu Xi, take care of this beast. I want to see just how talented this prodigy who killed your three brothers truly is."

Sang Qing possessed the pride of a Star-Level warrior. Unlike the Gu brothers, who used any means necessary, he was a true martial artist. Although more cruel and bloodthirsty than the brothers, his warrior’s pugnacious blood could not be denied. Honestly, Le Kai’s ability to ambush three of his men had surprised him, for he knew how terrifying the four brothers were when coordinated—even he would have struggled to defeat them without effort. This earned the youth a grudging sense of mutual respect.

Such a warrior was worthy of dying by his hand.

Watching the fearless Le Kai charge, Sang Qing’s admiration grew, eventually turning into a loud laugh. "I admire your courage, but I dislike your personality. Knowing you face certain death yet coming anyway—that is foolish. Martial artists may strive to conquer heaven and earth, to push beyond limits, but if you are dead, how can you breakthrough? Boy, if I were you, I would have fled as far as I could. Charging here to die like a fool only forces me to end you myself."

Sang Qing slashed casually. The surging sword light, like a pillar of water, whistled toward Le Kai, while he stood proudly, unmoving.

Le Kai’s fighting spirit soared, and he let out a roar. Inwardly, however, he was shocked. Star-Level warriors were truly extraordinary; this sword light was a hundred times more terrifying than Zhang Lang’s. As it descended, it felt as though the very space before him was being sliced apart, and he felt a suffocating pressure.

Fortunately, Le Kai’s mental fortitude was abnormal. Had it been any other Hall-Level master, they would have been immobilized by the sheer mental lock alone. Instead, he shuddered, his immense mental energy instantly breaking the shackles. His curved blade surged with internal energy, turning red-hot and emitting a blinding glow. With a heaven-shaking shout, he swung his blade like a war god reborn.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Though he performed only a single horizontal swing, three distinct explosions rang out. Le Kai had utilized a technique from his "Berserker" training, turning his attack into three waves of impact, striking the sword light in succession. These three strikes were Le Kai’s full-power effort, intended to test the true strength of a Star-Level warrior.

The surging energy scattered, causing the ground to explode and shatter as if it had been plowed.

Gu Xi, who was standing slightly closer, was wounded by the sharp blade and sword energies. Had his own strength not been significant, allowing him to weave his sword into a dense shield, he would have been riddled with holes. The power of two such masters was far more terrifying than any laser attack.

Le Kai groaned, tossed ten meters into the air by the powerful recoil, coughing up several mouthfuls of blood mid-air.

They were indeed not in the same league. No wonder Li Xiuxiang had been so dismissive. The gap in strength was too vast; there was no comparison. A casual strike had defeated him while he was using his full power. If Sang Qing attacked with all his might, could he withstand even a single move?

Relying on the benefits of medicinal pills and profound footwork, he was still defenseless. In his mind, Le Kai calculated rapidly. Even with his "Game Tactics" and Xianxian’s intelligent processing, the result was despairing: he stood no chance, and death was certain.

"Little brother, take advantage of the moment before he attacks again and run!" Xianxian felt the grave danger and advised anxiously.

"If it were just me, I wouldn't have come out to fight. But if I run, can any of these friends survive? It is not that I desire to die, but that there is no path left to retreat!" Le Kai smiled bitterly, downing a few more pills. If not for the many advantages he held as an alchemist, he wouldn't even have the right to stand here and trade words.

Before landing, Le Kai forced his internal energy to surge, activating the "Return-One Footwork." His form appeared on the other side, leaving Sang Qing staring in astonishment as he retracted his sword.

"As expected of someone I, Sang Qing, have taken an interest in. At the Hall-Level, you can unleash the combat power of a Star-Level warrior. This footwork is the most bizarre I have ever seen. If you hand over your cultivation method, I might consider letting you die comfortably." Sang Qing’s eyes brightened with greed. His ancestral "Heart-Breaking Fatal Sword" style was designed for cunning, and if combined with this god-like footwork, its power would multiply. In that instant, Sang Qing was truly tempted, and his gaze toward Le Kai became intense, filled with undisguised lust for conquest.

Le Kai frowned, retorting sharply, "Are you dreaming in broad daylight? If you know what's good for you, kneel and apologize to me, and take me as your master. Perhaps I’ll be soft-hearted enough to teach you a few tricks."

Sang Qing laughed instead of getting angry. "The boy is truly arrogant. I love killing people like you. Since you are so stubborn, I will have to capture you and torture you for the truth."

With that, he turned and shot toward Le Kai. Before he arrived, a blade of sword light detached itself from his sword like a true arrow, its speed so fast it was almost impossible to react.

Le Kai focused, his curved blade vibrating repeatedly, barely neutralizing the strike. Suddenly, he felt the entire space suffocate, as if the air had been sucked away, making it impossible to breathe, the immense pressure turning his limbs soft. The suppression of 50,000 Ankes of power—more than five times his own—was a feeling of helplessness only the one experiencing it could understand.

Le Kai’s face went pale, but he broke free again, flickering to the side.