Chapter 131: Release

Chapter 131: Liberation

"Hack him down!"

The moment Yu Kou’s words fell, a mechanical whirring instantly rose from the back of the Yellow Turban Warrior’s head, accompanied by the wet *pu-chi* sounds of sharp blades tearing flesh.

Foot-long blades protruded from the joints of his four limbs, and he slammed bodily into Li Jun!

Control chip, implanted in the mechanical body—it was these things that had defiled the Yellow Turban Warrior’s pure flesh and blood!

This mutation came far too suddenly. Li Jun was just about to withdraw and retreat, but he was ultimately half a beat too slow.

The blade grazed his chest, tearing his martial robe, slicing open two shallow wounds.

"This 'Life-and-Death Talisman' series control core was something this Daoist spent a fortune buying from Dragon Tiger Mountain. It doesn't just control this warrior's life and death; it can also stimulate his potential."

Yu Kou crossed his arms, a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Li Jun, if you have no other trump cards, the path beneath your feet ends here."

The Yellow Turban Warrior landed again, his aura rampant like a wild beast. With a tap of his toes, he stuck close, giving Li Jun absolutely no chance to create distance!

In the split second they were nearly body-to-body, the Yellow Turban Warrior’s figure tilted left. His left foot twisted a deep pit in the mud, and his right leg chopped out like a saber, clashing heavily against the Ink Saber!

*Bang!*

A force far greater than before surged through the blade. Even Li Jun had no choice but to retreat and dissipate the power.

The shattered talismans on the Yellow Turban Warrior’s face simultaneously seeped more blood, yet his offensive showed not the slightest pause.

*Whoosh!*

The leg-saber barely passed, and the Embroidered Spring Saber cleaved through the air again.

The long saber slashed horizontally, its blinding edge aimed straight at his throat. The momentum was vicious, as if sworn to behead Li Jun on the spot!

"I know you are unwilling!"

In the flash of a spark, Li Jun’s figure suddenly dropped, letting the Embroidered Spring Saber graze past his hair.

His footwork shifted, agile as a swimming dragon, stepping close behind the Yellow Turban Warrior.

The Ink Saber in his hand rose, aimed at the back of the warrior's head, thrusting out along the elbow. The saber strike was fierce, like a common soldier facing the enemy on the battlefield, brave and direct, thrusting a spear!

*Shatter the Barbarian Saber, Charge-the-Formation Spear!*

*Clang!*

Metal clashed, the collision high-pitched and cold, more chilling than this miserable cold rain!

Just as the Ink Saber was about to pierce that 'Life-and-Death Talisman', the Yellow Turban Warrior actually raised his arm directly to block behind his head. The blade protruding from his elbow tip happened to block the Ink Saber perfectly!

Stimulated by the chip, the Yellow Turban Warrior’s killing style suddenly became a few degrees more agile.

In other words, he seemed to show signs of being 'alive'!

*Zheng!*

The Yellow Turban Warrior’s right arm, braced behind his head, tensed inch by inch. He turned and flung his elbow, flicking away the Ink Saber while simultaneously turning to pounce and kill.

Not far away, the hovering engraved talismans took the opportunity to stir up trouble. Waves of negative emotions surged in with those ripples, constantly attempting to weaken and erode Li Jun’s spirit and will.

Sabers, elbows, knees—every extremity used to its utmost.

At this moment, the Yellow Turban Warrior was clearly a hideous, terrifying killing machine, clinging to Li Jun like a maggot in the bone.

*Ding. Ding. Ding.*

Saber shadows crisscrossed, airtight. Even the rampant rain between heaven and earth could not find a single gap to slip through!

"I know you are full of rage!"

Saber light surged like a raging tide, yet Li Jun was like a stubborn reef.

Let the wind and waves batter him, he remained unmoved.

Not only that, in his eyes burned a blazing flame, growing ever brighter, ever hotter!

"Put away your little schemes."

Yu Kou seemed to have seen through Li Jun’s thoughts, sneering disdainfully: "If moving one's lips could break the Yellow Turban Warrior's consciousness defense, those people at Dragon Tiger Mountain would have been out of business long ago!"

But the instant his voice fell, the Yellow Turban Warrior’s originally frenzied offense suddenly, inexplicably, slowed by a fraction.

*Clang!*

Right at this moment, a saber hum that pierced stone and split the sky suddenly exploded!

"Didn't resist back then, and still won't resist now?!"

Li Jun’s eyes nearly split, a monstrous aura soaring to the heavens.

The Ink Saber was ferocious as a dragon, directly tearing through the Yellow Turban Warrior’s saber momentum. The sharp, shrill howl it raised even drowned out the clamorous wind and rain in that instant.

The Embroidered Spring Saber flew from his hand, and even the blade on his elbow tip was cleaved into fragments.

A crisp *crack* rang out from the Yellow Turban Warrior’s face; the cracks on the talisman expanded further!

"Hmm? You really do have another trump card."

Yu Kou’s heart sank, his brows furrowing tightly.

*Bang!*

The Yellow Turban Warrior was kicked flying.

While the man was still in mid-air, Li Jun’s figure had already appeared at his side. The gale he brought was so fierce it blew away all the raindrops clinging to him.

The formidable physique of a Martial Eight Peak expert was on full display!

Saber light descended, pressing straight for the face!

Mid-flight, the Yellow Turban Warrior twisted into an extremely contorted posture, raising his knee, trying to guard his head with his only remaining knee-blade.

"Shatter the Barbarian!"

The martial artist glared, round-eyed, his voice like thunder!

The blade shattered, severed limbs flew horizontally.

The warrior’s mutilated body slammed into the mud, accompanied by a scorched smell. Wisps of green smoke rose from his seven orifices!

The battle-array baleful qi contained within the Shatter-the-Barbarian Saber had burned the 'Life-and-Death Talisman' inside his skull to cinders.

*Bang!*

Li Jun bent down and punched, smashing hard onto that engraved talisman embedded in the warrior's features.

*Crack!*

Cracks spread and proliferated under the fist's edge, finally exploding into a sky full of dust with a crisp snap.

Li Jun lowered his eyes. Reflected in his pupils were a pair of pitch-black irises, devoid of a single trace of white.

And a face, shriveled and dry, covered only by a thin layer of skin.

*Zheng!*

"I am Chu Wu... kill me."

The Yellow Turban Warrior’s lips moved, his voice hoarse like grinding gravel.

Upon that skull-like face surfaced an expression mingling relief and sorrow, yet above all, a grim satisfaction and release.

Though the ink-black blade was buried at the Yellow Turban Warrior’s neck, Li Jun did not move a muscle.

Gazing into those eyes brimming with unfathomable complexity, the Yellow Turban Warrior suddenly raised a hand and tore the skin from his own face!

Bared upon the facial bones were densely etched Daoist scriptures, tiny as gnats and mosquitoes, intertwined deeper still with all manner of mechanized bone and neural wiring.

"Look at me! Am I still fucking human?!"

The Yellow Turban Warrior shrieked, his whole body trembling uncontrollably, inching his neck toward the cutting edge!

"Grant me a swift death! Kill me!"

*Whoosh!*

Just then, the sharp hiss of something tearing through the air rang out from afar!

Li Jun’s hand settled on the hilt, and he gave a slight nod. "I shall see you on your way."

The long saber fell like a guillotine; a fountain of blood erupted.

*Thwip!*

The incoming flying sword was snatched clean out of the air by a single palm!

"It seems you’ve hidden quite the arsenal for this act of devouring your master."

A smile still played on Yu Kou’s face, yet his eyes held not a shred of contempt.

With a flick of the ink saber, he severed the neural conduit linking the flying sword’s hilt.

*Clatter!*

The sword dropped, stomped deep into the mud and water beneath a boot.

"Dead fatty!"

Li Jun slowly lifted his head, his eyes blazing with ferocity.

"Things have come to this pass; put away these trash probes. Let’s do this for real."

*Hum!*

Another flying sword drifted slowly from Yu Kou’s sleeve, its cyan tail-flame dancing gently, emitting a bloodthirsty sword-hum.

The smile vanished from Yu Kou’s lips; the eyes hidden within the cracks flared with frigid killing intent.

"Exactly what I wanted!"