Seeking good fortune and avoiding misfortune: Starting with death row inmates

Shen Chen carried a cloth bag containing some dry food and a change of clothes as he walked out of the north gate of Quanya Mountain Village.

The bandits guarding the gate recognized him, politely called him "Master Shen," and let him pass.

The mountain road winds its way through dense forests on both sides.

Shen Chen walked slowly, calculating the route to Blackwater Village in his mind. Starting from here, he would cross two mountains and then walk through a canyon, which would take about three days.

After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the road ahead suddenly opened up.

A huge rock stands in the middle of the road.

Shen Chen stopped in his tracks.

A person emerged from behind the stone.

Wu Long.

He held the black dragon sword in his hand, its blade gleaming eerily in the sunlight.

"Brother Shen, are you in such a hurry to leave?" Wu Long asked with a smile, his tone relaxed.

Shen Chen didn't speak, she just stared at him.

"Master Tang sent me to see you off." Wu Long took two steps forward. "After all, the roads aren't safe when you're traveling."

Wu Long grinned. "Master Tang said that since you're unwilling to hand over the Thousand Cloud Hand, we'll just have to take it from your corpse."

He drew his Black Dragon Blade, the blade pointing at Shen Chen.

"Before I do it, I'd like to ask you, do you regret it?"

Shen Chen didn't reply, but slowly put down the cloth bag on his back.

"Looks like you don't regret it." Wu Long shook his head. "Then don't blame me."

He moved as soon as he finished speaking.

With a push of his feet, he shot towards Shen Chen like an arrow released from a bow, the Black Dragon Blade slashing down with a whistling sound.

Shen Chen dodged to the side, and with a flick of his wrist, the short knife was drawn.

"when!"

The two knives clashed, sparks flying.

Shen Chen's arm jerked, and his hand went numb.

What incredible strength!

Wu Long sneered, his blade still flashing as he swept across the room.

Shen Chen ducked to avoid the attack, then slipped and circled around to Wu Long's side, thrusting his short knife straight at Wu Long's ribs.

Wu Long reacted extremely quickly, turning around to block while simultaneously kicking Shen Chen in the abdomen.

Shen Chen took half a step back to avoid the kick.

The two separated and stood still.

"Not bad." Wu Long cracked his knuckles. "No wonder he dared to refuse Boss Tang."

Shen Chen didn't speak, she just stared at him.

Wu Long's aura was more than twice as strong as before.

Peak of True Qi Realm.

There are even faint signs that he has broken through to the Meridian Opening Realm.

"You figured it out?" Wu Long laughed. "Master Tang transferred some of his true energy to me last night. I'm not someone you can handle now."

Shen Chen gripped the short knife tightly, his tone indifferent: "You talk too much nonsense."

Wu Long's smile vanished.

"court death."

He charged forward again, this time faster and with even more ferocious swordsmanship.

The Black Dragon Blade left afterimages in the air, each strike accompanied by a whistling sound.

Shen Chen could only barely parry; the short sword and the Black Dragon Blade clashed repeatedly, causing his arm to go numb.

"Is that all you've got?" Wu Long became more and more excited as the fight progressed. "I thought you were much more powerful!"

He swung his sword down, and Shen Chen raised his own to block.

"Snap!"

The dagger snapped in two.

Shen Chen leaned back abruptly, the Black Dragon Blade almost grazing his nose.

He rolled on the ground to evade Wu Long's pursuit, while simultaneously drawing another short knife from his waist.

"A spare?" Wu Long raised an eyebrow. "Useless. You're dead today."

His entire aura suddenly changed, the veins on his hand gripping the knife bulged, and a pressure far exceeding the peak of the True Qi Realm burst forth.

The surrounding air seemed to have been sucked out, becoming thick and heavy.

"To die by my move is an honor for you."

Wu Long's voice deepened, carrying an inhuman buzzing sound. He slowly raised the Black Dragon Blade, and the air around the blade began to distort, vaguely condensing into a ferocious dragon phantom, coiled behind him, its silent maw wide open.

"Black Dragon Blade Technique, Dragon Enters the Sea!"

With a roar, Wu Long and his sword became one, and the phantom dragon roared and pounced out!

This is not just a simple sword technique, but a martial arts concept that incorporates one's own essence, energy, and spirit!

In an instant, sand and stones flew, the wind howled, and the entire mountain path was shrouded in this violent aura.

However, Shen Chen did not move.

Faced with this ferocious attack that seemed capable of devouring everything, he simply stood there quietly.

There was no fear, no horror, not even the slightest hint of seriousness in his eyes.

It was as calm as a bottomless pool of water.

No, something is hidden beneath that pool of water.

A pure and extreme killing intent.

That killing intent was formless and intangible, yet it was like a cold needle that pierced through the roaring dragon shadow and the violent blade's momentum, precisely aiming at Wu Long's mind.

Wu Long, who was immersed in the power of his ultimate attack, suddenly felt a "buzz" in his mind, as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over his head.

His martial arts imagery showed a slight instability.

The roaring dragon seemed to have spotted its true natural enemy, and its movements faltered for a moment.

What happened?

What did this kid do?

Just as Wu Long lost his composure, Shen Chen finally spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly penetrating his ears.

"Fancy and overly complicated."

Before he finished speaking, Shen Chen moved.

He neither confronted it head-on nor dodged it, but charged towards the dragon from an unbelievable angle!

He was like a drawn sword, all his energy and spirit concentrated on the cold glint at the tip of the short knife in his hand.

There are no images, no phantoms.

Only the purest, most primitive, and most efficient method—murder.

"puff!"

A soft sound.

It wasn't the clang of metal against metal, but the sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh.

The roaring dragon let out a mournful cry and shattered into nothingness in mid-air.

Wu Long's momentum came to an abrupt halt. He looked down, staring incredulously at his chest.

There, the hilt of a short knife was sticking out.

A flash of light, brushing against the shattered phantom of the dragon, went against the current and finally pinpointed the only flaw that appeared when his mind wavered.

"Pfft!"

The Black Dragon Blade struck Shen Chen's shoulder, splattering blood.

The two stopped at the same time.

Wu Long looked down at the short knife stuck in his heart, his face full of disbelief.

"you……"

He tried to say something, but could only make gurgling sounds in his throat.

Shen Chen drew his short knife, and blood gushed out.

Wu Long clutched his chest, staggered backward, his eyes wide with shock.

He opened his mouth, trying to speak, but couldn't utter a word; his inner energy had completely torn his throat and trachea apart.

Finally, he knelt down, his body twitched a few times, and then he became completely still.

Shen Chen stood there, panting heavily.

The wound on my shoulder was deep and bleeding profusely.

He tore off a piece of his clothing, wrapped it up simply, and then walked to Wu Long's body.

Wu Long's eyes were still open, his death unresolved.

Shen Chen bent down to pick up the Black Dragon Blade and weighed it in his hand.

Good knife.

He raised the knife, aiming it at Wu Long's neck.

"You're right, someone is going to die today."

The knife fell.

Wu Long's head rolled to the side.

Shen Chen threw away the Black Dragon Blade, picked up his cloth bag, and turned to continue walking forward.

After taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped.

He glanced back at Wu Long's corpse.

"Wait, Tang Long will be down to join you soon."

He turned and left, his figure disappearing into the woods.

On the mountain path, only a headless corpse and a blood-stained black dragon sword remained.