The man in black began using the dagger in his hand, he cut from the bottom to upper part of her clothing.
The fabric ripped away, exposing her abdomen and chest.
Her breast rose as she struggled, but they were met with a layer of clothing that still covered those peaches, preventing full exposure.
Despite her weakening state, she fought to move but she can't.
"Hehe, young lady just keep struggling, you're just making me horny," the dagger guy said with a wolfish smile.
"Yeah, me too, me too!" the big guy said patting the dagger guy in the back.
The two followers of the big man, their sword were already ready, not the sword but the sword made of flesh :D
Just as they were about to cut away the last remaining layer of her clothing, she bit her lip and closed her eyes, bracing herself for the worst.
Suddenly, a voice rang out, breaking the tension, "Why is it so lively here?"
All 5 of them were startled as they glanced at the side and there, they saw a teenager that looks like a beggar.
But each of their faces were serious except for the two who's swords were prepared.
"You beggar what the heck are you doing here so late at night? can't you see were doing some business,"
"That's right, don't tell me you want to have a taste of this girl as well"
The two voiced out angrily, as they walked towards him with their swords swinging wildly making Damien disgusted.
"Cover your things or I will render it useless," Damien said coldly.
The two stopped walking for a moment as they laughed at each other, then their faces turned ferocious.
Without wasting any moment, they rushed forward since the kid in front of them is small compared to them.
"You two idiots come back," The big man shouted aloud.
But it was too late. As they closed in, Damien's aura flared, and an overwhelming presence spread out around him.
The very air seemed to split as if sliced by invisible blades, and his eyes sharpened, radiating a deadly intent.
Holding a small stick, Damien waved his hand. In an instant, a blinding sword energy, forged from the wind itself, shot out, passing effortlessly by the two men.
As their feet hit the ground, their bodies split apart, leaving the remaining three staring in stunned silence, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
The girl seeing this, her eyes could not help but passed out finally losing her will to stay awake.
"Tsk, those bunch of idiots," the big man growled angrily.
"Can't they think for a moment? What kind of ordinary beggar would survive deep in this forest?" the big man kicked the dirt below, clearly angry.
Since those two had been his best men.
The cobra man then eyed him warily, as he asked, "Who are you, fellow cultivator?"
The man in black, still holding the dagger, was trembling. His mouth hung open in awe, but he quickly shook his head, attempting to calm himself down.
"I should be asking you the same thing," Damien said calmly.
"Who are you three, and why are you hunting a young girl?"
His expression showed no sign of distress, as though nothing in this world could ever frighten him.
The three men remained silent, exchanging glances. In that brief moment of communication, they shifted into position, encircling him in a tight formation.
"You dared to kill my followers, this blood must be paid by blood," The big man voice was tint with resentment.
Damien stood there, holding the stick as his weapon. The cobra man and the big man charged forward, each preparing to unleash their skills.
The spear in the cobra man's hand seemed to merge with the snake coiled around his neck, exuding a poisonous aura.
Meanwhile, the big man was engulfed in a surge of destructive Qi, his presence growing fiercer by the second.
As the two rushed forward, debris scattered and the very air itself, trembled before them. As they got closed Damien just sighed as he looked at them.
"Ninefold Heaven-Cleaving Sword" he uttered in a low voice.
"First Form" he closed his eyes.
"Heaven's whisper," he finished his eyes turned sharp and bright.
Then a pulse of silence spread out.
The roar of Qi vanished, as the wind stopped. The snake hissed, but no sound followed. Even the heartbeat of the world seemed to falter.
Then, it happened.
The cobra man froze mid-lunge. His eyes widened, but his body no longer moved. The poison dripped from his spear, hanging midair like frozen time.
The big man, moments away from smashing down his big heavy sword, stumbled forward in confusion.
A thin red line traced across the serpent's spear. Then another, across the brute's chest.
Neither man had seen Damien move. The stick never gleamed. There was no flash, no aura, no thunder.
Just stillness. And in that stillness, death had already arrived.
The spear cracked in two. The serpent let out a silent scream as its form dissolved into mist.
The big man's eyes rolled back before his massive frame slammed into the earth with a muffled thud.
Damien lowered the stick, his expression as calm as ever. Shifting his gaze, he looked at the man in black.
"Aren't you going to join them? Why are you just standing there?" Damien asked coolly.
The man with the daggers trembled, his legs shaking uncontrollably.
His face went pale, and his hands quivered so violently that the daggers fell from his grip, clattering to the ground.
"Swo... Swordd,"
"In... Tenttt" he finished stuttering as he spoked.
"That's sword intent! You… you're at the 4th stage of sword cultivation," the man stammered, pointing at Damien in terror.
Damien gave him a strange look, then with a casual swing of the stick in his hand, he mimicked the same form.
The man, panic filling his eyes, tried to dodge, but it was too late. The strike was already in motion, and within an instant, he was dead.
A huge slash of the sword was visible on its chest, as blood gushed out from his mouth his eyes was lifeless.
With that Damien walked towards the unconscious girl and saw her state.
"Luckily, I'm not too late. You're in luck for surviving this long," Damien muttered as he lifted the girl and began to carry her away from the battlefield.
The smell of blood began to linger in the air, and he knew that if he stayed there, powerful beasts might be drawn to the scent.
Or worse, a horde of them could arrive, and that would be troublesome. As he moved, he activated his technique to conceal his presence, ensuring he remained undetected.
A line of blood dripped from Damien's lips. Seeing this, he wiped it away with his thumb.
"My body still can't handle the technique. I should've just used brute force," he muttered under his breath.
As he searched for a way forward, he knows that if it weren't for the Crimson Flame Bamboo, he wouldn't have been able to use any of his sword techniques.
His sword technique had a total of nine forms. The one he had used earlier was the first form, and it's just enough for his body to handle at this point.
Thanks to the boost from the Crimson Flame Bamboo, along with the system's effects on his spiritual energy and physique, it felt as though he had just spent an hour cultivating.
But if he did cultivate, he would have already broken through to the next stage or higher.
After walking for a while, Damien spotted a small cave hidden by trees and vines. He carefully entered, still carrying the unconscious girl in his arms.
He made a fire and gently placed the girl on the ground, positioning her close to its warmth.
Afterward, he explored the cave and found no immediate danger. Satisfied, he sat down on the ground and began to cultivate.
At that very moment, he closed his eyes.