Gu Shengâs footsteps echoed, yet the man didnât bother to raise his head. After a moment, the swordsman placed the boyâs corpse aside, revealing his true face.
A distinctive black mole on his lower lip.
It was none other than Xiong Jianmei.
He slowly stood up, looked at Gu Sheng, and spoke with a voice void of any surprise.
"Executioner?"
"Yes."
The swordsman said in a low tone, "Good. To thank you for not interrupting my time with Xiao Nian earlier, I can leave your corpse intact."
Gu Sheng narrowed his eyes and grinned, saying:
"So confident?"
"The last executioner who died at my hands said the same thing."
The massive axe behind Gu Sheng somehow slid into his hands, and gripping it with both hands, Gu Shengâs aura grew even fiercer. The distant onlookers couldnât help but feel their hearts clench.
"Unfortunately, I canât afford to leave your corpse intact. I need your head."
Gu Sheng grinned widely, his facial muscles twitching, making him appear ferocious and sinister.
"If you have the guts, come take it!"
Xiong Jianmeiâs gaze tightened as he sensed waves of oppressive force emanating from the brawny man. The moment his words fell, the longsword at his waist rang out with a sharp clang as it unsheathed instantly, its cold edge gleaming with light, faintly laced with a metallic stench of blood.
This was also a ruthless man.
Once annihilating entire clans, shouldering countless lives, and even disregarding the bounty issued for executioners.
He pressed off the ground with the tip of his foot, and his diminutive figure shot forth like an arrow. The treasured sword in his hand was noticeably shorter than average, more fitting for his frame and swordsmanship.
"Xiong Jianmeiâs swordsmanship is renowned for its eerie speed, and his strength ranks among the top in the Jade Skin Realm."
Gu Sheng recalled Xiong Jianmeiâs details from his intelligence file, yet his actions showed no hesitation.
The colossal axe, weighing a full 108 jin, swung in his hands as if it were a mere toy. The blade sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, striking toward Xiong Jianmei.
No matter how bizarre your swordsmanship.
Gu Shengâs axe strike would shatter it completely.
In Gu Shengâs perspective, Xiong Jianmei seemed to have transformed into a chunk of wood, triggering distant memories. âPatternsâ emerged â those were the flaws in his swordsmanship.
Chopping people as though chopping wood!
Gu Shengâs eyes widened with ferocity, his enormous axe parrying the sword and swinging down forcefully.
The broad axe blade crashed down with a deafening roar. For the first time, the First-Level Chopping Wood technique showcased an unprecedented sharpness!
Even without utilizing the Qi Blood Power, the sheer physical strength combined with the monstrous axeâs ferocity was horrifying enough. A strong sense of exhilaration filled Gu Shengâs eyesâit was incomparable to fighting foes with the Iron Stone Fist. This weapon unleashed his deeply ingrained thirst for battle!
Xiong Jianmeiâs expression shifted drastically, his eyes flashing with horror.
The massive axe scraped past his body, leaving a visible blood mark. Had he not retreated swiftly, he might have been cleaved in two by this brute. His heart thudded violently, chills trailing up his spineâtreading into uncharted levels of caution!
This was a formidable foe!
A single misstep could lead to instant death, far surpassing the capabilities of the executioners heâd previously encountered.
Boom!
The massive axe struck again, Xiong Jianmei barely dodging as its blade gouged into the ground, leaving a gigantic crater. This horrifying display left the hidden onlookers gasping in astonishment.
Cold sweat dripped from Xiong Jianmeiâs brow as he sped away, aiming to dart into a narrow alley. His petite frame would grant him an advantage there.
Gu Sheng let out a savage laugh.
His steps thundered forward, faintly echoing a rumble of lightning. Despite his massive frame, his speed was shockingly nimble and agile. Small Success Flying Thunder Leg granted Gu Sheng a considerable edge in movement.
Whoosh!
The axe blade swung in a horizontal arc, the sheer force splitting the very air as it aimed for Xiong Jianmeiâs back.
Indeed, Xiong Jianmei was no ordinary Jade Skin Realm martial artist. Otherwise, even if Gu Sheng had planned to test out his newly acquired weapon, the man wouldnât have lasted more than a few movesâGu Sheng realized this.
Clang!
The longsword struck back with a strange angle, slashing upward.
However, the massive axe weighed over 100 jin, and when paired with Gu Shengâs raw power, it became unstoppable. Gu Sheng spun and slapped, intercepting the longsword instantly.
The sharp clang of metal echoed loudly as the longsword exploded into fragments, scattering in all directions.
Xiong Jianmeiâs face reddened as he spat a mouthful of blood, his figure flying backward uncontrollably.
Gu Sheng seized the momentum.
He leapt high into the air, the axe gleaming coldly in the sunlight as it slashed down with deadly force.
The surrounding onlookers couldnât help but hold their breath.
It felt as though they were witnessing Xiong Jianmei being split into two.
But at that moment.
An unexpected turn of events unfolded.
From his fallen position, Xiong Jianmei suddenly performed a swift roll and sprang upright with agility, stabilizing himself instantly. Not only that, he advanced instead of retreatingâhis hand swiping at his waist, drawing forth a black soft sword that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
The spectacle didnât stop there. His arm began faintly radiating a blood-red hue.
With this sudden surge, the already uncanny soft sword accelerated rapidly, coiling around the axe handle like a venomous snake aiming directly for Gu Shengâs throat. Xiong Jianmeiâs eyes flashed with icy murder, void of his previous panic.
Clearly, everything had been part of his calculations.
"This is... Half-Step Blood Refining Realm?"
Gu Shengâs acute senses detected Xiong Jianmeiâs condition. Though the man had no Qi Blood Power fluctuations, he had evidently reached the limits of his flesh, boasting strength surpassing typical Jade Skin Realm martial artists!
All this time, he had restrained himself, choosing to erupt nowâcoupled with the eerie soft sword ideally suited for his swordsmanship.
Dual killing techniques that would inevitably spell doom for most martial artists!
Gu Sheng seemed to envision the fate of the previous executioner who had perished. Indeed, anyone with a bounty on their head was bound to have tricks up their sleeve.
But alas, he was far from ordinary.
Gu Sheng muttered inwardly:
"Itâs time to end this."