I Can Merge Techniques-Chapter 138 - 105: Nine Blood Soul Blades Perfection, Archery’s Second Limit Break, Killing Zhou Ye, Slaughtering Long Zhan
Chu Fan loosed an arrow. The moment it left the string, he felt as if his consciousness was attached to it, allowing him to vaguely perceive its trajectory and point of impact.
[Hundred-step Piercing Willow Arrow Skill Experience Points +3]
["Hundred-step Piercing Willow Arrow Skill" has reached its limit. Breaking the Limit requires 20 Spiritual Essence Points. Consume?]
Chu Fan suppressed the wild joy in his heart and willed it so.
As the Spiritual Essence Points were consumed, the panel immediately changed...
The wondrous sensation that came with Breaking a Limit swept through his body once more.
[Technique: Hundred-step Piercing Willow Arrow Skill (Second Limit Break 1/2500) (Traits: Pursuit; No Distance)]
[No Distance: Your archery skill has begun to touch upon the principle of "where the mind goes, the arrow follows." Loosed arrows can now largely ignore the constraints of mundane distance. Even from a thousand paces away, your arrow will fly true, its speed undiminished, its force unerring, and its precision as if fired from point-blank range. At this stage, the so-called "Hundred-step Piercing Willow" is merely Entry-Level.]
The Second Limit Break’s Trait was "No Distance."
This Trait granted him the ability to strike beyond visual range, increasing his bow’s effective range.
He would have to test it to see exactly how much the range had increased.
’It probably hasn’t reached a literal state of "No Distance," though.’
’After all, this was just the Second Limit Break for a Basic Archery Skill, not for Moon Eclipse Arrow.’
Chu Fan put away his bow, the cold glint in his eyes intensifying.
He changed into a plain set of coarse cloth robes, put on a wide-brimmed straw hat, strapped on a Long Saber, and slipped out of his house without a sound.
He made his way toward the Inner City’s gate...
Before long, he came to the mouth of a long, deserted alley.
This was the very alley where he had once sent an arrow-borne message to Xia Huanhuan and Zhou Ye. It was also a path the two of them were forced to take every day.
Chu Fan sat down in a patch of darkness, becoming like a stone statue as he melted into the corner’s shadow. He suppressed his presence to the absolute limit, with only the occasional glint in his eyes colder than the night itself.
The few people who passed by never even noticed his existence.
Time ticked by...
Before the sky began to lighten, the long, deserted alley still seemed to be submerged in cold, black ink.
Two familiar figures appeared at the far end of the alley, walking side-by-side and conversing in low voices—it was none other than Zhou Ye and Xia Huanhuan!
Chu Fan tugged down the wide brim of his straw hat, completely concealing his face, and donned a black cloth mask. He then stepped out of the shadows, walking toward the pair at an unhurried pace.
His footsteps fell upon the flagstones, producing a clear, rhythmic sound that was particularly stark in the silent alley.
The alley was quite narrow, forcing the three of them to brush past one another.
Xia Huanhuan, who was approaching him, slowed her pace. Her right hand went to the hilt of her sword as her left gently tugged on Zhou Ye’s sleeve.
Zhou Ye paused, glanced at the man in the straw hat, and frowned as he moved closer to the alley wall.
They were no longer walking side-by-side; Zhou Ye now walked in front with Xia Huanhuan behind him, maintaining a distance of about ten feet between them.
The distance between them closed in silence.
Thirty feet, twenty feet, ten feet...
Chu Fan brushed past Zhou Ye and came to stand before Xia Huanhuan.
The very instant they were about to pass each other!
Chu Fan moved!
His figure blurred like a phantom, leaving a faint Residual Image behind as his True Body, propelled by the uncanny speed of the Ghost Shadow Illusionary Body Step, instantly appeared before Xia Huanhuan!
"How dare you, you cur!"
Though startled, Xia Huanhuan remained composed. The longsword she had already drawn hummed, striking like a viper. It carried a sharp Sword Qi as it lunged straight for Chu Fan’s heart!
The strike was fast and vicious, revealing her solid foundation in Swordsmanship.
Yet, faced with this lethal strike, Chu Fan neither dodged nor retreated. His left hand shot out like lightning, a dark luster flowing between his fingers as he precisely caught the sharp blade!
"What?!"
The color drained from Xia Huanhuan’s face, her eyes wide with disbelief.
Catching a blade bare-handed wasn’t unheard of, but it required either a complete crush in terms of strength or the use of special gauntlets.
She was at the Bone Tempering Realm. Only an expert at the Entering the Realm of Strength, someone capable of condensing terrifying Qi Blood Power in their palm, would dare to make such a move!
But based on the Qi Blood and aura pulsing from this person, there was no way he was at the Entering the Realm of Strength!
Xia Huanhuan violently jerked her right hand, trying to use the motion to cripple her opponent’s hand, but she found the longsword was held as if in an iron vise. She couldn’t pull it free at all!
A vicious glint flashed in her eyes. She lowered her stance, then raised her head and opened her mouth...
PFFT!
She spat three silver needles from her mouth, which shot like lightning toward Chu Fan’s face!
This was a move she hadn’t even used during her fight with Liu Qing in Luofeng Valley a few days prior!
They were so close to each other...
In the blink of an eye, Chu Fan threw his right hand up in front of his face.
DING! DING! DING!
The three Flowing Cloud Flying Needles struck Chu Fan’s palm, producing the sharp clang of metal on metal.
"How is that possible?!"
Xia Huanhuan was stunned yet again when she saw her own Flowing Cloud Flying Needles strike her opponent’s bare palm and send a shower of sparks into the air!
’What kind of monster is he?!’
In the instant that her mind reeled from the terrifying sight, Chu Fan’s left hand, still gripping the sword, gave a sudden, violent twist!
The longsword in Xia Huanhuan’s hand was instantly twisted like a piece of dough, wrapping around his arm!
The force of the impact split open the webbing of the hand she used to grip the hilt, and blood began to flow freely.
She instinctively tried to back away, forgetting that the alley wall was right behind her!
That single moment of carelessness cost her her life...
Chu Fan’s right hand, shrouded in a bone-deep chill, shot out like a phantom and struck Xia Huanhuan squarely in the chest!
"Extreme Night Cold Prison Hand—Soul-Devouring!"
PUH!
The Cold Palm Force surged into her body. Xia Huanhuan let out a muffled grunt as blood spilled from the corners of her mouth. She slammed into the alley wall, shaking loose a shower of dust.
"Huanhuan! You bastard!"
It had all happened too quickly. Zhou Ye, who was already several paces ahead, had only just now realized what was happening. Filled with a mixture of shock and fury, he roared and lunged, stabbing his sword at Chu Fan!
CRACK!
Without even trying to dodge, Chu Fan caught Zhou Ye’s thrusting longsword with his right hand. Then, he brutally kicked his right foot into Zhou Ye’s stomach!
He didn’t even need to circulate his Qi Blood Power...
His Vajra Iron Leg struck Zhou Ye’s abdomen like a sledgehammer!
