The Martial Artist cultivates both externally and internally. External cultivation is divided into external forging of the skin, flesh, and bones.
Even just the external forging of the skin can make one's skin tough like that of an old ox, hard to injure even with a blade.
Liu the Sixth should have only just begun his external skin forging, otherwise, this wound wouldn't have been so deep.
But even with just the initial stage, his skin had already become significantly tougher, able to absorb part of the attack.
"Hmph!"
Liu the Sixth grunted, suddenly turned around, and clawed at another man's temple with a fierce peck.
Splurt!
Blood spurted out, and that man's eyes rolled back as he died instantly.
Having killed two people in succession, Liu the Sixth's aura intensified, and merely the glare in his eyes seemed more intimidating than before.
Seeing this, the last man turned pale, and in panic, turned to flee.
The three of them had joined forces only to have two killed in the blink of an eye; naturally, fear seized his heart.
But Liu the Sixth didn't intend to let him escape. Enduring the pain in his back, he stomped on the ground. With the burst of power, the ground slightly dented, and his body, like a spring, crossed several meters in an instant.
He extended his hand, grabbing the man's shoulder, then twisted it backward.
With a crack, the man's neck was snapped.
"Huff, daring to ambush Master Liu, without even considering if you have the skill."
Liu the Sixth panted slightly and sneered coldly.
If any one of the three had the external forging of the skin stage, he might have had a tough fight. But since they were just ordinary folks who had practiced some Pile Skill and had a bit of power without proper martial arts training, he naturally didn't take them seriously.
"As expected of someone who has undergone external forging; strength, stamina, and speed are far superior to an average person."
Bai Ziyue's heart tightened, feeling under pressure as the opponent swiftly killed three people.
"This is bad, he spotted me."
Suddenly, Bai Ziyue's face changed.
He saw Liu the Sixth suddenly stoop, pick up a long knife, and rush towards him swiftly.
"There's another one, a child? Whose son is he? Today I'll reunite your family in death."
Liu the Sixth said coldly, raising his knife to chop down ruthlessly.
"Hmph, I am your father!"
Bai Ziyue shouted angrily, then quickly stepped back.
"Huh?"
Liu the Sixth was momentarily stunned, his eyes turning cold instantly, and he slashed down again fiercely.
Clang!
The sound of metal clashing echoed.
In a flash, Bai Ziyue raised his blade.
Slaughter Saber!
Although he seemed young and fragile, under the perfection of Zen Meditation Posture, his physique and strength far surpassed the previous three men. In terms of strength, he was only slightly inferior to Liu the Sixth who had begun external forging.
With all his might, Bai Ziyue completely parried the downward strike.
"Such strength?"
Liu the Sixth felt a jolt and finally realized the unusual prowess of the boy before him.
An average person in their teens could never possess such strength.
Caught off guard, Bai Ziyue didn't dare to lose focus.
This was his first real battle since learning martial arts. From the moment the opponent rushed at him, he was fully concentrated.
Eighteen Linked Blades!
Bai Ziyue channeled his inner power, his Slaughter Saber slashing like lightning.
Yesterday, after mastering the entry level of Eighteen Linked Blades, Bai Ziyue immediately advanced it to the Small Success stage.
At Small Success, three blades could be combined into one, effectively doubling its might.
This strike from Bai Ziyue appeared as one blade but contained the force of three burst points simultaneously exploding.
Despite his combat experience, Liu the Sixth quickly reacted with surprise, raising his long knife to block while his other hand tensed and darkened, morphing into an eagle claw, aiming to use the momentum to kill the boy.
But just as his long knife met Bai Ziyue's Slaughter Saber.
Crash!
A crisp sound followed immediately by a powerful force far exceeding his expectations surged from the Slaughter Saber, displacing his long knife.
His body momentarily stalled from the overwhelming force.
"Kill!"
Taking advantage of this opening, Bai Ziyue didn't hesitate. Inner power surged through him, and his other hand instantly grew thicker, throwing a punch.
One-character Punch!
The Great Success level One-character Punch fiercely landed on Liu the Sixth's stomach.
Bang!
Liu the Sixth's stomach caved in, and the powerful force surged like a firecracker explosion, tearing his clothes and resilient skin, sending his body flying several meters before crashing down like a ragdoll.
Quickly approaching, Bai Ziyue raised his Slaughter Saber and mercilessly hacked down.
Splurt!
The Slaughter Saber cut into Liu the Sixth's neck, the blade fully embedding.
"Didn't expect even with all my strength, it only severed half his neck. Comparing this, that executioner's strike on the Beheading Platform was absolutely extraordinary."
Looking at Liu the Sixth who was finally dead, Bai Ziyue unexpectedly recalled the executioner's stunning strike when he first arrived at Qinghe Town.
Back then, he only thought it was incredibly swift.
Now, he realized it wasn't just fast but also extremely powerful.
Considering that even the initial stage externally forged Liu the Sixth's neck was tough to sever, it was horrifying to think how the Fourth Village Chief of Ghost Head Stronghold, Wu Liang, an Inner Cultivation Level expert, met his end with that single strike.
...
During the fight, Bai Ziyue was tense and excited, but upon killing Liu the Sixth, his heart inexplicably calmed, facing the bloody scene without discomfort.
Of course, Bai Ziyue knew this wasn't the time for sentiment. After confirming Liu the Sixth was dead, he immediately untied the man's bundle.
From start to finish, Liu the Sixth had kept a bundle on his back.
He wasn't sure if the External Forging Technique was inside, or if Liu the Sixth might have given it to someone from the Wuwei Escort Agency for safekeeping.
But Bai Ziyue had no choice.
He couldn't storm Bullhead Mountain and seize it.
Obviously, the Wuwei Escort Agency had members far more powerful than Liu the Sixth.
This included himself as well.