I Have 10 Equipment Slots-Chapter 56 - 50: I Am Your Opponent

Night.

A full moon hung high in the sky, the dark clouds retreating before it.

At the foot of a slope on the outskirts of Cyan Bamboo Mountain.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

With the sound of wind being torn asunder, two figures flew down from the top of the slope and landed before Gu Zheng.

"Mr. Gu, all the hidden sentries and traps have been dealt with," Tao Liu said in a low voice.

"Mm."

Gu Zheng replied softly, "Yan Hongxue has already led his men to the rear mountain. You and Xue take a group and secure the main eastern exit. We will move at first light. Remember, not a single person gets away!"

"Understood!"

Tao Liu cupped his fist, and along with An Xiaoxue, quickly vanished into the darkness again.

The western side of Cyan Bamboo Mountain was a dead end of sheer cliffs, while the other three sides were covered in bamboo forests.

Deep within this endless sea of bamboo was the Main Altar of the Blood Drop Sect.

Gu Zheng wasn’t here for a personal assassination; he was here to annihilate an entire sect.

It would naturally be more convenient to strike in broad daylight.

The fifteen hundred County Soldiers conscripted from three counties had already surrounded the other three sides, leaving only the western cliffs open.

When the darkness receded and the fish-belly white of dawn emerged from the clouds, Gu Zheng waved his hand.

SHH-SHH!

Under the command of their Captains, eight hundred fully-armed County Soldiers immediately moved out, charging into the bamboo forest from the main southern entrance.

Zhang Ning and Zhang Boshong followed close by his side.

As they advanced, the County Soldiers formed groups of ten, raising their long spears and readying their crossbows.

Without the hindrance of hidden sentries and traps, the spread-out army of County Soldiers quickly advanced deep into the sea of bamboo.

"What the—?"

WHOOSH!

A crossbow arrow tore through the air, shooting out with ferocious speed. It pierced through an early-rising member of the Blood Drop Sect, the force of the bolt carrying him backward for some distance before—THUD!—pinning him to the wall of a building. The fletching of the arrow quivered and hummed without end.

First blood.

The troop of County Soldiers continued to advance, keeping their footsteps as quiet as possible.

However, there were too many of them, and the sounds of their movement were ultimately noticed by those inside the buildings.

"We have a situation! Ring the bell, quick!"

"This is bad, it’s the Imperial Army! The Imperial Army has broken in!"

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

The urgent ringing of the bell shattered the morning’s tranquility.

The doors to one room after another flew open, and members of the Blood Drop Sect charged out.

"It’s the Imperial court! Kill them!"

"How did the Imperial Army sneak in? Are the mountain sentries all dead?!"

"Charge! If you don’t want to die, charge out with me!"

"..."

Screams of shock, furious roars, and desperate shouts instantly echoed throughout the sea of bamboo.

In a state of shock, panic, and tension, the members of the Blood Drop Sect brandished their weapons and tried to break out toward the east and the rear mountain.

No one charged south. Seeing the County Soldiers in Iron Armor everywhere, they knew they wouldn’t even have time to flee.

But...

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The sound of tearing wind, wrapped in a shrill whistle, as one crossbow arrow after another shot out with ferocious speed.

THWIP! THWIP! THWIP!

"Argh!"

"Run...!"

Screams of agony and the sickening sound of tearing flesh rose and fell, accompanied by sprays of blood that blossomed in the air.

SHINK! SHINK!

Group after group of County Soldiers continued to advance, the rustling of their armor plates blending into a single, continuous sound.

They pursued the fleeing members of the Blood Drop Sect, firing their crossbows.

Wherever they passed, no one could stand against them. The sect members fell in row after row.

"Argh! Fight them to the death—!"

WHOOSH!

THWIP!

Blood splattered everywhere as one corpse after another fell into pools of their own blood.

On a rooftop, Gu Zheng stood with his hands behind his back, surveying the entire scene. He watched as the so-called experts, masters, and powerhouses of the Blood Drop Sect’s Martial World fell, unable to block the volleys from the rows of crossbows.

Faced with an organized military force, these so-called martial arts masters were no different from archery targets. They had no choice but to flee.

WHOOSH!

A fierce wind suddenly erupted.

Just as Gu Zheng was surveying the battlefield, a figure suddenly burst out from a house. His ferocious aura was like that of a starving beast. Wrapped in a gale of wind, he cleaved through the volley of crossbow arrows and charged toward the nearest squad of County Soldiers.

SHING!

A flash of a blade suddenly lit up from the side, slicing diagonally through the air to intercept the charge head-on.

BOOM!

Powerful Qi blasted outward, exploding in midair.

"I’ve been waiting for you!"

Zhang Boshong shouted coldly, wielding his Half-Spiritual Soldier as he slashed at the attacker, Meng Yeshang.

"Imperial lapdog, die!"

Meng Yeshang roared as the Divine Wondrous power in his body surged, erupting in a blue glow.

SHING! SHING!

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The moment the two clashed, the battle became white-hot. Sparks flew from the collision of their blades, and waves of Powerful Qi swept out in all directions.

The advancing squads of County Soldiers all steered clear of them.

Meng Yeshang, Grand Elder of the Blood Drop Sect, an Alien Body Xianfeng.

But the long blade in his hand was also a Half-Spiritual Soldier.

He was evenly matched against Zhang Boshong; neither could gain an advantage over the other.

Gu Zheng glanced at them before shifting his gaze to scan the other corners of the battlefield.

After firing their crossbows, the spread-out squads of County Soldiers advanced in rows with long spears in hand. They gave the members of the Blood Drop Sect no chance to get close, stabbing them to death with a flurry of spears.

The counterattacks from the Blood Drop Sect members—arrows and spiked nets—landed on the Iron Armor with clanging sounds, unable to injure a single soldier.

This continued until an old man with a white beard and hair, holding a greatsword, burst through a roof. His roar echoed throughout the sea of bamboo.

"All you Imperial lapdogs must die!"

SWOOSH~

The greatsword cleaved out a wave of visible Sword Qi that shot across the air, sweeping toward the County Soldiers on the ground.

SHING!

At the same time, a Sword Gang descended from the sky, striking the Sword Qi and instantly shattering it into nothingness.

"Wu Qingzhou."

Gu Zheng took a step and leaped into the air, the Celestial Frost Blade in his hand erupting with a dazzling light. "Your opponent is me."

WHOOSH!

A fierce wind erupted, sweeping toward Gu Zheng with incomparable ferocity.

BOOM!

Wu Qingzhou, greatsword in hand, stomped on the rooftop and launched himself into the air. While airborne, he slashed out with his sword.

SWOOSH~

The Sword Qi, born from condensed Divine Wondrous power, cut a long ribbon through the air.

Gu Zheng neither dodged nor evaded, meeting the attack head-on with a downward slash of his blade.

SHING!

"BOOOM—!"

A deafening, muffled boom echoed across the land.

The resulting shockwave kicked up a gale that flattened the surrounding cyan bamboo.

Terrifying waves of powerful qi rolled forward, layer by layer, crashing down on Wu Qingzhou.

He wanted to retreat, but he was a step too slow.

"Pfft—!"

With a muffled groan, Wu Qingzhou was thrown uncontrollably backward for several dozen meters, crashing into a patch of bamboo forest.

However, he managed to shed most of the force before he landed. He then snapped five bamboo stalks under his feet to stabilize his body as he touched the ground.

"Alien Body Shadow?!"

Wu Qingzhou’s face was flushed red, his eyes wide with disbelief.

’I’m an Alien Body Shadow too! Why was I defeated in a single blow?’

’Is it a True Skill?’

Wu Qingzhou’s eyes flickered as his mind raced. ’Did that man just use a True Skill? And one at the Great Success realm... no, the Perfected realm!?’

’Damn it!’

Wu Qingzhou cursed inwardly and decisively turned to flee toward the rear mountain.

WHOOSH!

WHOOSH~

The mountain wind blew, rustling the bamboo leaves.

Gu Zheng leaped through the air, caught up to Wu Qingzhou, and as he overtook him, he brought his blade down in a slash.

"Sect Leader Wu, surrender. Surrender, and I might give you a chance."

’Surrender?’

Wu Qingzhou dodged pathetically, his body shifting as he burst forward at his top speed.

’Surrender my ass!’

"You Imperial lapdogs will not die a good—"

WHAM!

With a heavy, muffled crash, dirt and stone flew. A large swath of bamboo snapped, sending splinters flying.

Wu Qingzhou’s shouting was cut off as one of his arms flew high into the air. His entire body pitched forward, face-planting into the dirt.

"I... I surrender!"