Unorthodox Wuxia: While Others Practice Martial Arts, I Cultivate Immortality - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: The Rescue at the Execution Ground (Part 2)

Too late—Feng Baobao’s palm struck her squarely on the back. She spat blood and flew several meters, crashing to the ground.

To everyone’s horror, frost began to spread from the point of impact across her back, her lips turning purple within seconds.

It was the terrifying power of Feng Baobao’s signature technique—the Netherworld Ice Palm.

Feng Baobao was just about to strike again and finish Xu Hongshao off when, at the critical moment, Xue Huaiyan arrived, sword in hand, intercepting Feng Baobao’s attack.

Forced to defend, Feng Baobao withdrew his palm and met the sword head-on.

With his right hand—clad in a pair of silver gloves—he lightly pinched the blade, and Xue Huaiyan’s sword instantly stopped in place, unable to move an inch further.

Seeing this, Xue Huaiyan murmured to himself,

“Weapon Ranking No. 16, Silver-Thread Gloves!”

Feng Baobao chuckled.

“As expected of the Gentleman Sword, Hero Xue—you have good eyes.”

The Weapon Ranking was a list published by the Hall of Omniscient Scholars, cataloging 108 famous weapons known throughout the martial world.

The weapons weren’t necessarily the strongest, but all were renowned. The Gentleman Sword in Xue Huaiyan’s hand was also listed, ranked No. 96.

Just moments before, Feng Baobao had been smiling as he praised him. Now his expression darkened.

“Though we’re both First-Grade martial masters,” he said coldly, “there’s still a gulf between us. Today, I’ll show you the difference between heaven and earth.”

He released Xue Huaiyan’s sword, flicked it lightly with a finger, and the blade let out a mournful ring.

Then he thrust his palm forward. Xue Huaiyan quickly raised his sword to block, but the palm—laden with freezing inner energy—struck the blade again, making it wail like a living thing. The impact sent Xue Huaiyan staggering backward.

Their fight carried them up onto the rooftops surrounding the execution ground.

A battle between First-Grade masters was no small matter; their inner force could lash out beyond their control, harming anyone nearby. The watching crowd screamed and fled in panic. Among them, the Empress’s daughter, Princess Yuan, looked on in terror.

Blow after blow, the two combatants drifted toward the area where the human traffickers had hidden their “goods.”

Xue Huaiyan slashed, sword-energy ripping through the air. Feng Baobao dodged aside, and the energy struck the buildings below with a thunderous crash.

A moment later, Xue Huaiyan coughed up a mouthful of blood. His face went pale, and a layer of ice formed over his chest, sealing his meridians.

Feng Baobao flashed forward, seized him by the throat, and sneered,

“I told you—there’s a difference even among First-Grades. The gap between us is a chasm.”

“Pah!” Xue Huaiyan spat in his face.

“You eunuch cur who’s plunged the court into chaos—you’ll die without a grave!”

The spittle splattered across Feng Baobao’s face. His expression turned to ice.

With a small twist of his fingers, a crack sounded—Xue Huaiyan’s neck snapped. He was dead.

“You won’t live to see my end,” Feng Baobao said coldly, “but I’ll make sure to witness yours.”

He lifted the corpse and flew back toward the execution ground.

***

There, the gravely wounded Xu Hongshao was still struggling to resist. Most of her followers had already been slain by the guards.

The Duke of Zhen Guo called out to her: “Sister-in-law, while Huaiyan holds off Feng Baobao, you must go! If you truly wish to save me, then find your elder sister-in-law—they should already be on the road to exile.”

Xu Hongshao was about to reply when something heavy landed before her with a thud. She looked down—it was Xue Huaiyan’s corpse.

“Hero Xue!” she screamed in disbelief.

“Huaiyan!” cried the Duke, grief-stricken.

But Xue Huaiyan was long gone.

A moment later, Feng Baobao descended from the sky, his face twisted with malice.

“Lady Yuan, long time no see. You people claimed to have withdrawn from court affairs—so why meddle again in these muddy waters?”

“You dog! Die!”

Without hesitation, Xu Hongshao raised her twin blades and charged.

Feng Baobao extended his gloved fingers and flicked—both blades shattered instantly, and Xu Hongshao was thrown backward by the force.

“Since you seek death,” he said, “I’ll oblige you.”

He raised his palm and struck toward her.

Just then, a masked man in black dropped from the sky, seized Xu Hongshao, and leapt away at lightning speed—so fast that even Feng Baobao couldn’t react in time.

Watching the figure vanish into the distance, Feng Baobao’s expression remained calm.

A brocaded guard rushed up.

“Director, shall I take men to pursue?”

Feng Baobao waved a hand.

“No need. A mere woman—she poses no threat.”

He already knew full well who had rescued her.

“Yes, sir.”

Turning, Feng Baobao addressed the terrified execution official, who had been hiding under a table.

“Continue the execution.”

“Y-yes… yes, sir!” the man stammered, scrambling to his feet.

At his command, the executioners—now replaced entirely by the brocaded guards after the previous ones had been slain—raised their blades.

With a single motion, every male of the Duke of Zhenguo’s household was beheaded.

Blood flooded the execution ground.

Feng Baobao glanced once at the corpses, his face composed, then waved a hand.

“Collect the Duke’s remains and see that he’s buried properly. After all, he was the Empress’s elder brother. If Her Majesty takes offense, that would not be good.”