Demons and monsters wreak havoc: gain one new confidante every day.

Shen You finally realized that Huang Yaoshi's reputation was no threat to his third senior brother.

No, it's not that he can't be deterred at all, it's just that Zhu Rusong, as a son of a concubine in the Zhu family, bears more pressure from his family.

As he himself said, he had no choice.

"So I have to prove that he can't kill me..."

Shen You clenched her fists secretly.

"Otherwise, if there were even the slightest possibility of him killing me, he would have been forced to act under pressure from the Zhu family..."

only……

"...Faced with a third-rank martial artist attacking me with all his might, how can I prevent him from killing me...?"

At this point, our thinking seems to have reached a dead end.

No matter how hard Shen You thought about it, he couldn't come up with a way to break the deadlock.

"Does that mean I can only rely on that old lady to protect me? And then after she leaves, I'll go find Old Ghost Huang and have him keep this Third Senior Brother in check?"

Although this was a feasible method, Shen You still felt unwilling to give up.

Not only am I unwilling to accept this, but I also feel insecure.

A third-rank martial artist was constantly lurking nearby, ready to kill at any moment. From then on, he couldn't even sleep peacefully!

"I have to confront him head-on...!"

Shen You gritted her teeth inwardly.

"According to him, as long as he can prove to everyone that he can't kill me even if he goes all out, he will naturally have a reason to answer to his family."

"He didn't want to kill me, he just needed a reason."

"Therefore, I can only demonstrate my strength here! I absolutely cannot run away!"

The conflict is irreconcilable; avoidance will not solve the problem.

"What do we do? What do we do?!"

Shen You racked her brains.

"Even if it's a third-rank weapon, I'm sure I can find a way to break this deadlock."

"I believe I can do it!"

"You're so dense, think of something!"

The immense pressure from the third-rank martial artist, coupled with the determination to confront him head-on, caused Shen You's mind to race faster than ever before.

He seemed to feel his life potential being gradually unleashed.

"I can do it! I can do it!!"

Suddenly, an idea struck him; he had already thought of it.

"Oh, right! My greatest strength isn't anything else, it's actually... the title of 'Successor of the Pig Slaughterer'!"

Shen You's gaze instantly fell on Aunt Dou.

"Auntie!" Shen You shouted.

"What's wrong?" Aunt Dou turned around in surprise.

"Lend me your butcher knife!" Shen You said firmly.

His thoughts became clearer and clearer. If he followed the method he had in mind, he might actually be able to unleash his strongest potential and, under seemingly impossible circumstances, block Zhu Rusong's attack.

"You want... a pig-slaughtering knife?" Aunt Dou asked in confusion.

"That's right!" Shen You nodded, her eyes shining.

"Alright..." Aunt Dou muttered, pulling out a butcher's knife from her waist and handing it over. "But what use is my knife to you..."

Shen You took the butcher knife, and as soon as he grasped the handle, a feeling of complete control over his own body surged up.

It should be noted that he previously possessed the talent of being a "pig butcher's successor," and could wield a large knife with great skill and ease simply by holding it.

But now he held the real pig-slaughtering knife, which was the true essence of his decades of knife-wielding experience.

Shen You felt as if he could unleash immense power with a casual swing of a butcher's knife.

"As expected! My strongest form is when I wield the butcher's knife!"

Shen You thought excitedly, gripping the knife tightly in his hand, and exuding a fierce and menacing aura like that of Aunt Dou.

Aunt Dou raised an eyebrow, thinking to herself, "Strange, how come young Shen is so good at using a butcher knife? Is his talent so great that he learned it after just watching me use it a few times?"

Aunt Dou was unaware that Shen You was using the same pig-slaughtering skills that she had inherited.

At this moment, the people around saw Shen You holding the butcher knife and became slightly agitated.

They didn't think Shen You was acting recklessly, nor did they underestimate him because of the butcher knife; after all, the imposing aura emanating from Shen You was undeniable.

They were all martial artists, and they could tell at a glance that Shen You had truly used his most powerful techniques.

They were simply curious about what kind of move Shen You would use to meet Zhu Rusong's attack.

After all, Zhu Rusong is a third-rank official, while Shen You is only a first-rank official. What kind of earth-shattering move would Shen You need to show to save his life from Zhu Rusong?

Zhu Rusong remained indifferent, gazing silently at Shen You without urging her, as if waiting for her to be ready.

So Shen You didn't stand on ceremony, gripped the butcher knife with both hands, and slowly closed her eyes.

Taking up the butcher's knife was just the beginning. He still needed to circulate his internal energy to unleash his most powerful offensive attack.

"My strongest martial art right now... it really is still the 'Golden Snake Skill,' isn't it?"

"Da Cheng's 'Tiger-Slaying Saber Technique' is not bad, but it is, after all, derived from the 'Tiger-Taming Saber Technique,' and has inherent shortcomings."

"So, could I perhaps find a way to combine the 'Tiger-Slaying Saber Technique' and the 'Golden Snake Skill' to create a unique, ultimate saber technique that's just for me?"

"And within swordsmanship, I'll add my greatest advantage, something very few can comprehend... 'Sword Stance'!"

"What level of power would that swordsmanship possess back then? Could it withstand a strike from a third-rank expert?"

Shen You already had a general idea in mind.

Just like his "Tiger-Slaying Saber Technique," which he created himself.

Now he wants to create another sword technique, combining his strongest "Tiger-Slaying Sword Technique," "Golden Snake Skill," and "Sword Stance."

Only under such circumstances can he be considered to have truly unleashed his full potential.

"And this was also a way to use the pressure from Zhu Rusong to force me to grow!"

Shen You thought to himself:

"I have to grow up eventually... Otherwise, with Old Ghost Huang plotting against me, and the mastermind behind my being reduced to an apprentice lurking in the inner courtyard, and given my tendency to cause trouble everywhere, if I can't become stronger quickly, I'll just be at their mercy!"

"I don't want to be like meat on a chopping board, only to be manipulated by others. I want to...take control of my own destiny!"

With this thought, Shen You felt a sense of clarity wash over him, and he no longer felt any confusion. His path was difficult, but there was no need to overthink it; he just needed to forge ahead and keep pushing forward!

"There's no obstacle I can't overcome!"

"I am... the strongest!"

Shen You took a deep breath and, in this unprecedented and wondrous state, first felt the butcher knife in his hand.

He gradually felt that the butcher's knife had become one with him.

Then he activated the "Tiger-Slaying Saber Technique".

A fierce aura capable of slaying a tiger slowly gathered around him.

An airflow rose without wind and began to swirl around his body.

Next up is the "Golden Snake Skill".

He imagined his arm, along with the butcher's knife, transforming into a golden snake.

The golden snake coiled and spun, raising one head and flicking its tongue.

Amidst Shen You's fierce and sharp aura, a touch of femininity and ruthlessness gradually crept in.

Finally, there is the "sword stance".

As usual, Huang Yaoshi's old face appeared in Shen You's mind, and the hatred and killing intent in his heart surged out in an instant.

His killing intent surged, seemingly directed straight at the butcher's knife in his hand.

A streak of blood slowly appeared on the dark pig-slaughtering knife.

Those around Shen You watched this scene and felt a chill creeping up on her.

The wind, which arose out of nowhere, grew stronger and stronger, fluttering Shen You's clothes.

A chill ran through everyone, and they couldn't help but swallow hard, as if they could foresee that Shen You's next strike would be a devastating blow.

"bring it on!"

Shen You gathered his aura to its peak, then suddenly opened his eyes and roared.

"very good!"

Zhu Rusong spoke up calmly from the front.

He suddenly made a move, his body sliding out like a gecko, his arm springing out like a snake.

He appeared calm and collected, yet he had actually accumulated terrifying power.

The moment he made his move, the phantom of the golden snake seemed to coil around his arm, turning it golden.

This is precisely the secret behind the "Golden Snake Skill"—its ability to inflict harm by stealth.

The attack came without warning, yet it was a sure-kill blow.

Moreover, he almost mastered the "Golden Snake Strength".

His golden arms can pierce through any chest!

He wasn't lying; he genuinely intended to deliver only one powerful blow.

This strike will take Shen You's life!