The kick from a level-four Martial Artist was incredibly powerful.
Chu Lie instantly spat out a mouthful of blood. His sternum had cracked from the force of the blow, and the intense pain made his eyes turn red.
"Lie."
"Lie!"
The other two from Chu Family Village hurried to help Chu Lie up.
"COUGH... COUGH... My brothers, it's all my fault. I was useless. I'm afraid... we won't be making it back to Chu Family Village this time..."
Chu Lie coughed up more blood as he spoke apologetically.
"Don't say that, Lie. Even if we die today, we won't surrender!"
"That's right! Even if I die, I'll take a piece out of those Zhao Family Castle bastards!"
The three men from Chu Family Village faced death without fear, ready to fight to their last breath.
"Damn it, everyone from Chu Family Village is the same pathetic lot."
"Zhao Guang! Zhao Er! Kill them for me. Today, I'm going to make this Chu Lie suffer an even worse fate than Chu Meng!"
Zhao Lan sneered.
Meanwhile, Chu Qingyun and Ye Qi were slowly approaching.
"Ye Qi, have you ever killed anyone?"
As he watched Zhao Lan and his men tormenting Chu Lie, Chu Qingyun's expression grew cold.
His Three-star Vine Martial Soul had come from Chu Meng. Because of this, Chu Qingyun had always felt a faint sense of shame.
And now, he had run into the very men who had murdered Chu Meng.
Combined with what had happened to Chu Xiaocui, Chu Qingyun's hatred for the Zhao Family Castle had reached its absolute limit.
"Kill someone?"
Ye Qi started, then shook her head.
She didn't understand why Chu Qingyun was asking.
"I haven't either. But in a moment, I'm going to kill those three. I need you to back me up."
Chu Qingyun's voice was filled with a cold intent.
Just then, Zhao Guang, who had been moving faster, reached Chu Lie and his men.
Of Chu Lie's group of three, one was heavily injured, and the other two were only a level-one and a level-two Martial Artist. They were no match for him at all.
"You worthless scum from Chu Family Village, die!"
Just as he was about to strike, a dark green vine suddenly shot up from the ground.
The vine whipped around, binding Zhao Guang tightly before dragging him toward Chu Qingyun.
After he had advanced to a level-three Martial Artist, the maximum length of his Three-Star Vine had increased from five meters to an astonishing ten.
Zhao Lan and his men were so arrogant that they failed to notice Chu Qingyun's Three-Star Vine slithering silently across the ground toward Zhao Guang.
"Bastard, what the hell is this?"
"Break!"
Primordial Power surged through Zhao Guang's body. He unleashed the full force of a level-three Martial Artist, trying to break free and tear the vine apart.
However, Chu Qingyun's Three-Star Vine possessed the passive Soul Technique: Tenacity.
As a fellow level-three Martial Artist, Zhao Guang couldn't break free at all. In fact, the vine only tightened its grip, and soon he couldn't even muster the strength to struggle.
"A Three-Star Vine?"
"Chu Meng!?"
Zhao Lan, Chu Lie, and the others were all startled.
The Three-Star Vine Chu Qingyun had just used was almost identical to Chu Meng's.
But after a closer look, they all shook their heads.
Even though Chu Qingyun was wearing a mask, the difference in his build compared to Chu Meng's was too obvious. They weren't the same person.
"Friend, we're from the Zhao Family Castle. Whatever you're thinking of doing, I advise you to stay out of it."
Zhao Lan said, his eyes turning sinister.
Chu Qingyun had captured one of his men right in front of him, causing him to lose a great deal of face.
"What am I thinking of doing?"
"I'm thinking... of killing someone!"
A murderous glint flashed in Chu Qingyun's eyes. Another vine shot out, instantly wrapping around Zhao Guang's neck.
The vine tightened abruptly.
CRACK.
With a soft snap, Zhao Guang was instantly strangled, denied even a chance to beg for his life.
"You bastard! You're courting death!"
"How dare you kill someone from the Zhao Family Castle! You deserve to die!"
Zhao Lan and Zhao Er were both stunned and furious.
In this region, the Zhao Family Castle was a famously powerful settlement. They had even changed their name from Zhao Family Village to Zhao Family Castle to reflect this.
Whether at this Yuan Stone Ore Vein or anywhere else, it was always the Martial Artists from the Zhao Family Castle who bullied others. When had they ever been on the losing end?
So when one of their own was killed, Zhao Lan and Zhao Er flew into a rage. They drew the broadswords from their waists and lunged at Chu Qingyun.
"Mouse Stab!"
"Rotting Flesh Slime!"
Zhao Lan's Martial Soul was a field mouse, while Zhao Er's was a disgusting slug.
A ray of black light and a glob of sickening, pale green slime shot toward Chu Qingyun from two different directions.
Meanwhile, the two men themselves, broadswords in hand, closed in on Chu Qingyun, looking for an opening.
Their tactic was to first disrupt their enemy's footing with Soul Techniques and then use the opening to launch a surprise attack.
They had defeated many people in the Yuan Stone Ore Vein with this well-coordinated strategy.
"Three-Star Vine!"
"Autumn Leaves!"
Chu Qingyun executed two moves at once.
He activated his Three-Star Vine Martial Soul. A vine instantly grew to five meters, lashing out like a long whip to strike the black light of the Mouse Stab.
The black light was instantly shattered, but most of the vine snapped in the process, falling limply to the ground.
Even with its Tenacity Soul Technique, the vine could barely block a Soul Technique from a level-four Martial Artist.
At the same time, Chu Qingyun swung his sword in a horizontal slash. A chilling Sword Aura instantly shredded the mucus-like slime.
"Now's our chance!"
"Kid, die!"
Zhao Lan and Zhao Er seized the moment when Chu Qingyun's attack had just ended—his old strength spent, new strength yet to be summoned—and lunged at him.
Their two broadswords glinted with a deadly aura as they hacked down toward Chu Qingyun.
'Oh no, the masked man is going to lose.'
'Those men from the Zhao Family Castle are so shameless, ganging up on him.'
Chu Lie and his men felt their hearts tighten with anxiety.
But just then, Chu Qingyun's eyes filled with a mocking smile. 'Die? You're the ones who are about to die.'
"Rise!"
With a cold shout from Chu Qingyun, Zhao Lan and Zhao Er suddenly felt something tighten around their ankles, and they were hoisted into the air.
It turned out that while he was dealing with their Soul Techniques, Chu Qingyun had been controlling two other vines, having them slither silently across the ground to their positions.
Just as they launched their attack, when their guard was at its lowest, the vines had sprung up and ensnared them both in a single move.
'He's controlling three vines at once!'
At that moment, both the heavily injured Chu Lie and the suspended Zhao Lan were filled with utter shock.
Even after awakening a Martial Soul, it took a great deal of time and practice to master its power.
Take Chu Meng, for example. He had awakened his Martial Soul nearly five years ago but was only ever able to skillfully control a single vine. Using two at once was already a great strain.
Yet this masked man, who looked young, was controlling three vines at once while simultaneously performing a Sword Technique!
After hoisting the two men into the air, Chu Qingyun viciously flung Zhao Lan to the side but pulled Zhao Er toward himself.
"Damn it, break! Break!"
"Rotting Flesh Slime! Corrode it! Corrode this thing!"
Zhao Er struggled desperately, using all the power of his broadsword and Martial Soul in an attempt to sever the life-stealing vine.
But unfortunately, the vine's Tenacity Soul Technique once again displayed its terrifying power.
The power of a level-three Martial Artist was simply not enough to break the vine.