Becoming a Martial Master: Starting as a Swordsmith

Xu Zhibao charged forward with his knife, a sharp whistling sound accompanying his strike, aiming straight for the black-faced leader's face!

This slash was swift and ruthless, without any fancy moves; it was a killing technique honed entirely in real combat!

A hint of seriousness flashed in the dark-faced leader's eyes.

He dared not be careless, and with a flick of his longsword, he slashed upwards.

With a clang, the two blades clashed, sending a string of blinding sparks flying in the darkness!

The two separated after a brief touch, but then became entangled again.

The glint of blades crisscrossed in the night, the clanging of metal against metal was deafening, and the dirt beneath their feet was kicked up and scattered everywhere.

Xu Zhibao's swordsmanship is expansive and powerful, with each strike carrying a ruthless intent to perish together with his opponent.

The black-faced leader's swordsmanship was even more cunning and ruthless, with every strike aimed at Xu Zhibao's vital points.

For a time, the two were evenly matched, with neither able to gain the upper hand!

Amidst the clash of swords,

Shen Chu, like a rock, quietly curled up in the shadows.

He was currently activating the [Conceal Breath] skill, his aura completely suppressed.

Even the moths that were right next to him didn't notice his presence.

In the center of the courtyard, amidst the clash of swords and the shadows of battle,

Xu Zhibao and the black-faced leader were locked in a fierce battle, their two long swords clashing and sparks flying, neither able to gain the upper hand for the time being.

Shen Chu assessed the situation.

Judging from the fight between the Black-Faced Leader and Xu Zhibao, my martial arts skills are inferior to theirs.

Therefore he decided,

Instead of interfering in the battle over there for the time being, we should turn our attention to the battlefield on the other side of the courtyard.

Over there, a dozen or so Red Lotus Cult members had already forced their way to the yamen runners and guards.

However, these believers seemed somewhat hesitant in their actions.

Although they outnumbered each other, a trace of unconcealed fear was etched on the faces of every one of them.

In the battle just now, so many people rushed in, but now there are only about a dozen people standing here at most.

What about the rest of the brothers?

They just disappeared without a trace?

Ran?

But the black-faced leader was right behind them, overseeing the battle. Who could escape?

So he's dead?

But if someone is dead, shouldn't there be a body?

But there were very few corpses lying on the ground!

These people seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving not a trace!

This bizarre situation was like an invisible thorn, piercing the heart of every believer!

"Damn it... what on earth is going on?"

"Holy crap, I have a feeling this place is haunted. I clearly rushed in with Lao Qi, but when I turned around, he was gone!?"

"Don't fucking say that, it's giving me the creeps..."

Several believers whispered among themselves, exchanging uneasy glances.

The leader of the cultists swallowed hard, gritted his teeth, and suddenly waved his hand, shouting:

"Stop scaring yourselves! Listen to the leader, take care of these guys first! Charge!"

His roar seemed to embolden himself and his companions.

A dozen or so believers shouted in unison, raised their weapons, and charged at the constables and guards!

Of the four constables guarding the gate, one was already wounded, leaving only three capable of launching a counterattack.

Both guards were also covered in injuries.

Fortunately, the coachmen showed some fierce determination.

At this time,

If you don't put in the effort, you're doomed!

Taking advantage of their location against the door frame and walls, they formed a makeshift defensive line.

A constable swung his long stick, knocking back two steps of a cultist who was charging at the front. Another guard seized the opportunity to thrust out a knife, slashing a gash in the cultist's arm.

The two sides engaged in a fierce tug-of-war at this narrow doorway, and for a time they were deadlocked.

Amidst this chaos, Shen Chu's figure, like a ghost, began to silently wander along the edge of the battlefield.

As he observed the battle around him, he slowly approached the Crimson Lotus Cult members from the shadows.

Before long, he was close behind a believer who was completely absorbed in his worship.

The cultist's entire focus was on his opponent, attempting to break through their defenses.

Completely unaware that there was someone behind them!

It's now!

A cold glint flashed in Shen Chu's eyes. Seizing the opportunity, he swiftly reached out with his left hand and firmly covered the cultist's mouth and nose.

The long knife in his right hand pierced his back with precision, moving upwards.

The cultist's body stiffened abruptly, and after struggling a few times, his arms limply fell to his sides.

Shen Chu supported his body and retreated into the shadows. A thought flashed through her mind...

A wisp of smoke rose, and the corpse vanished without a trace.

[Progress of Fragrance Absorption from All Beings: ......]

After eliminating one of the cultists, Shen Chu didn't pause. He flickered and disappeared back into the darkness.

A moment later, he appeared in another location and did the same thing.

This time, the target is a cultist who fell to the back of the group.

The cultist had barely pushed the mask up to his nose, and before he could even catch his breath, a cold blade was already pressed against his throat from behind.

A gentle swipe!

Another wisp of smoke!

[Progress of Fragrance Absorption from All Beings: ......]

The battle is still ongoing.

But the Red Lotus followers gradually discovered something that sent chills down their spines.

The people around them are disappearing one by one!

At first, no one noticed this.

Everyone is focused on attacking, so who has the mind to care about others?

But when someone glanced back casually, they discovered that their companion, who had been standing behind them, was gone.

He paused for a moment, then turned to look at the other side.

The person who was just wielding a knife has also disappeared!

"The third brother? The third brother?!"

One of the believers couldn't help but shout.

No one responded!

"Fourth brother?! Sixth brother?!"

His voice began to tremble.

Still no response!

He looked down at the ground again, and the same few corpses were still lying there!

He finally panicked completely!

Looking around, they found that the original team of more than a dozen people had dwindled to only seven or eight people still standing in the field!

Those who disappeared left no trace!

Without a trace, without a body, without even a scream, they simply vanished into thin air!

"There's a...there's a ghost! There's a ghost here!"

With a clang, the knife in his hand fell to the ground, and he seemed to have all his strength drained away. His legs went weak, and he tumbled backward.

The cultist's shout was like igniting a powder keg.

The remaining believers also broke down!

They no longer cared about attacking; one by one, they threw down their weapons and scrambled to escape towards the courtyard wall.

It was also making terrified screams:

"Run! Run! This place is haunted!"

In the blink of an eye, the courtyard gate, where a fierce battle had been taking place, was now only occupied by the yamen runners and the Li family members, who looked at each other blankly.