Becoming a Martial Master: Starting as a Swordsmith

The voice has not fallen,

Xu Qingqing suddenly took a step forward and chopped down like a mountain-splitting axe, bringing with it a dull sound of air being cut!

The speed and power of this move were no less than any of Shen Chu's previous attacks!

Shen Chu's pupils contracted slightly.

This Xu Qingqing is actually also at the Bone Forging Realm!

As fellow experts in the Bone Forging Realm, her fist techniques were steady and precise, and her attacks were composed, clearly demonstrating years of experience in actual combat, far from being just empty showmanship.

Because the other party made the first move, and because Shen Chu had previously defeated several people from the Xu Family Escort Agency, he was already inclined to back down and therefore did not use his full strength.

Seeing Xu Qingqing attack, he raised his arm to block.

With a muffled thud, Xu Qingqing's chopping hand slammed heavily onto his arm.

The force was so strong that it made his sleeves tremble slightly.

As a woman, Xu Qingqing was naturally a little weaker in strength, but in order to save face for the Xu family's escort agency, Shen Chu deliberately took two steps back after blocking, his feet leaving two shallow drag marks on the muddy ground.

To onlookers, it appeared as if Xu Qingqing's attack had forced Shen Chu back several steps, giving her the upper hand.

"Impressive skills!"

The Xu Family Escort Agency members had been holding their breath for a long time, and seeing Shen Chu being outmatched, they immediately cheered loudly.

"That's all there is to it!"

A hint of disdain flashed in Xu Qingqing's eyes, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. She was about to press her advantage.

Suddenly, a gust of wind howled past, and a piercing scream tore through the night sky.

One of the bodyguards standing on the perimeter suddenly fell to the ground, frantically scratching at the ground with his hands, his fingernails ploughing up large patches of soil and grass, as if he were struggling desperately for something.

However, to no avail, as if an irresistible force in the darkness swiftly dragged him into the shadows.

The screams faded into the distance and then stopped abruptly, as if they had been swallowed whole by something.

The scene fell into a deathly silence.

All the laughter, cheers, and chatter vanished at that moment. The torchlight flickered in the night wind, casting an unpredictable shadow on everyone's faces.

"Oh no, there's something here!"

Xu Zhibao was the first to react and shouted sternly.

"Everyone inside! Quickly!"

The bodyguards snapped out of their daze and hurriedly raised their torches to illuminate their surroundings, only to see messy finger marks and a pool of fresh blood on the ground, which gleamed with a dark red luster in the firelight.

A bodyguard described the scene with trembling hands: he saw a dark figure grab his legs and drag him backward at an incredible speed, leaving him no time to react.

However, before everyone could recover from their shock, another scream came from the other side.

The second bodyguard was also dragged into the darkness, unable to utter a complete cry for help.

In the chaos, a young bodyguard mustered his courage and hurled his torch in the direction the shadowy figure had passed.

The brief flash of fire illuminated a terrifying silhouette.

The monster had a brown and black bear head, and its eyes gleamed with a blood-red light.

Its body is about three meters long, burly and strong, and its five fingernails gleam with a chilling light in the firelight, as sharp as blades!

The monster let out a low growl after being struck by the torch.

But it didn't stop; it simply grabbed the bodyguard's legs and pulled him to the ground before disappearing into the night.

"It looks like a black bear! Everyone, hurry inside!"

Xu Zhibao's voice even changed slightly.

As if waking from a dream, everyone scrambled back into the dilapidated temple.

Several veteran bodyguards quickly boarded up the doors and windows with thick wooden planks, while the others held their breath and dared not utter a sound.

A novice bodyguard, gripped by fear, began to breathe rapidly. The experienced bodyguard beside him immediately covered his mouth and nose with his hand, only releasing his grip once the novice calmed down.

Shen Chu leaned against the wall, his heart pounding, but his mind was unusually clear.

He saw it very clearly just now.

The monster moved like the wind, its speed astonishing, but he vaguely caught a detail:

Although the monster moved swiftly, its movements seemed somewhat unnatural, as if it were injured.

He secretly pondered that if he were to encounter one of these monsters in its healthy state, he would probably be no match for it.

But if it's an injury...

The outcome is still uncertain.

Thinking of this, a surge of courage welled up within him, and a fighting spirit quietly rose within him.

He longed to take his sword and go out to confront the monster head-on.

After all, they had missed too many opportunities to slay demons and gain experience points, and with the addition of practicing new martial arts, the skill points for [Fragrance of All Beings] were already running low.

But after looking inside, he couldn't help but abandon that plan.

At this moment, Xu Zhibao and Xu Qingqing both looked as if they were facing a formidable enemy, while the other bodyguards were even more terrified.

On the contrary, Li Chengwen, although his face was also a little pale, actually bravely stood in front of Madam Hu and Hu Bai, which surprised Shen Chu.

Inside, only the crackling of the campfire remained, while the wind howled outside.

Every slight sound made my heart skip a beat.

Shen Chu looked around, his gaze sweeping across the crowd, and suddenly noticed that a familiar-looking bodyguard was missing.

He thought about it carefully.

The man had been sitting by the campfire and had even nodded and greeted him, but now, only a small bag of food remained on that spot, lying forlornly on the ground.

His heart sank. He carefully counted the number of people and confirmed that the person was indeed missing.

The old bodyguard beside him followed his gaze, understood, lowered his eyes, and sighed softly:

"Life and death are predestined..."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a loud "bang" was heard.

Something slammed into the wooden plank of the window!

The immense impact nearly knocked the two bodyguards who were holding onto the wooden plank off their feet. Two other bodyguards rushed over to hold them down, barely managing to keep them steady.

Xu Zhibao made a quick decision and ordered his men to fetch fire in preparation for a counterattack.

However, just as he reached out to catch the torch, the wooden plank was knocked open again, and a dark figure rushed in, knocking the torch away!

"Get out!"

Xu Qingqing and the other two bodyguards simultaneously swung their swords, the three cleavers striking the dark figure with full force, producing a dull metallic clang.

The dark figure was forced back a step, and another bodyguard quickly picked up a torch from the ground and hurled it at the figure.

The monster, ultimately fearing the flames, used the force to leap backward and vanished without a trace through the window.

Everyone was finally able to catch their breath.

In the firelight, every face was as pale as paper.

Xu Qingqing and the other two dropped their knives and looked down. Their hands were already mangled and bloody from the impact, blood trickling down the hilts of the knives.

The force of the recoil just now was incredibly domineering!

Xu Zhibao took a deep breath and finally calmed himself down. He ordered everyone to continue blocking the windows and stay until dawn.