I Have 10 Equipment Slots-Chapter 72 - 66: Pursuit

WHOOSH!

A foul, viscous, hot wind swirled up as the giant man walked in, sweeping over Sun Zhenyao and his group.

"Ugh!"

"BLECH!"

Of the two constables supporting Yan Hongxue, one’s face flushed red while the other doubled over and vomited.

Sun Zhenyao’s vision also blackened. He grew dizzy, and an unbearable bloating sensation swelled in his chest and stomach.

SWOOSH!

A figure suddenly shot out from the inner hall, blocking the way in front of the group.

WHOOSH... WHOOSH...

A night breeze, carrying a hint of moisture, blew through and cleared the air.

The afflicted group around Sun Zhenyao immediately felt a great sense of relief.

"Take Lord Yan to the back,"

Gu Zheng said calmly, his eyes fixed on the massive, well-built man.

The giant’s hair was a fiery red, each thick, long strand writhing messily like a snake.

His aura, besides being foul and scorching, carried a strange quality that bored into one’s soul and stirred feelings of lust.

"Yes... Yes, my lord!"

Having recovered slightly, Sun Zhenyao quickly helped Yan Hongxue retreat to the back.

"...Mr. Gu... be careful..."

Yan Hongxue’s consciousness was clearing. As she was helped away, she said weakly, "He... he’s the Flaming... Python... Xie... Xie Family..."

"Did I say you could leave?"

The giant man barked, his lips splitting into a grin as a long, crimson snake’s tongue flickered out. As his eyes fixed on Gu Zheng, his pupils suddenly became vertical slits. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"A Commander of the Demon Slayer Bureau? You dare block my path!"

WHOOM—

His lightning-fast movement shattered the air, creating an explosive boom.

The giant’s massive frame, wrapped in a terrifying aura, was like a truly savage python, opening its scorching, cavernous maw to lunge and bite at Gu Zheng.

"BOOM—!!"

The colossal noise rocked the courtyard of the County Magistrate’s Office.

Scorching energy tore through the air chaotically, shattering and erupting into a shockwave that swept sideways, destroying tables, chairs, flower pots, and rockeries.

A few constables who were a step too slow in retreating were sent flying, spitting blood as they were thrown through the air and slammed hard onto the ground.

Only the area directly behind Gu Zheng remained untouched. Amidst their terror, Sun Zhenyao and the others supported Yan Hongxue and fled with all speed.

CRACK!

The ground beneath Gu Zheng’s feet sank three inches, and a large area of it fractured.

His long hair whipped back in the gust of wind.

The punch he had thrown, concentrated with power, not only withstood the giant’s attack but also sent a shockwave back, forcing the massive man’s burly frame to stumble back two steps.

"Good!"

Xie Bufeng let out a low growl, his slitted pupils locked onto Gu Zheng. He spoke in a hoarse voice, "Your power is nearly at the peak of the Alien Body..."

SWISH!

The flash of a blade appeared, transforming into threads of light that pierced the void and wrapped around Xie Bufeng, cutting off his words and forcing him into a hasty, clumsy defense.

TCHH— TCHH—!

Lines of blood sprayed into the air.

Xie Bufeng’s slitted pupils widened, and his roars intensified as fiery red Snake Scales rapidly spread from his chest up to his neck and cheeks.

But...

SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!

The blade flashes were like lightning, its aura tearing through the air.

Gu Zheng’s slashes were so fast they left no afterimage. Using precise footwork, he closed the distance with Xie Bufeng, thrusting directly at his vitals—the neck, the eyes.

TCHH— TCHH—

Xie Bufeng raised his arms to block, each parry drawing new lines of blood.

The foul stench from his body suddenly swelled, erupting outward to blast Gu Zheng.

His thick thigh immediately followed with an incredibly agile sweeping kick.

"BANG!"

A heavy, muffled thud.

Xie Bufeng’s massive body was suddenly launched into the air, flying backward.

It was Gu Zheng. As he swung his blade, he had ducked down, taken a step forward, and gathered all his strength into a vicious kick to Xie Bufeng’s chest. Even as the kick sent the man flying back, Gu Zheng instantly infused his Celestial Frost Blade with divine power, causing it to erupt with a blinding light as he delivered a brilliant slash.

"No—"

SCHLICK!

The cry of alarm had just begun before it was drowned out by the grotesque sound of a sharp blade slicing through flesh.

A great spray of fresh blood splattered into the air as a thick, severed arm flew high.

WHOOSH!

Xie Bufeng’s massive body flew out of the County Magistrate’s Office gates.

Blood gushed uncontrollably from the stump of his left arm, spilling all over the ground.

"THUD."

The severed forearm landed on the ground.

BAM!

Outside the gates, Xie Bufeng crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

But the instant he landed, a cloud of red mist erupted from his body, exploding outward to blanket the entire street outside the County Magistrate’s Office.

Gu Zheng, who had given chase, immediately sensed several foul, acrid, and nauseating scents.

It was now impossible to track Xie Bufeng by his aura alone.

SWOOSH!

He leaped into the air, soaring two hundred meters high.

As he slowly spiraled down, Gu Zheng scanned the ground below, sensing for auras farther away.

He detected a scorching, frenzied aura crossing the city walls and fleeing south.

BOOM—

While still in midair, he stomped hard, using the force to execute a Triple Jump, and vaulted across the sky in pursuit to the south.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The night wind blew.

Under the cover of the mist, most of the moonlight was blocked.

Gu Zheng activated his Dark Vision and glided through the air, chasing after Xie Bufeng.

Xie Bufeng, now several hundred zhang away, seemed to sense him. His speed suddenly skyrocketed, his massive body becoming a fiery red afterimage as he smashed through trees and rocks, vaulted over mountains, and crossed rivers in a desperate flight for his life.

Within a few breaths, the chase—one on the ground, one in the sky—had covered twenty li.

On a mountaintop, Yuan Qianjun, Qing Yixiao, Qing Yimei, and another man and woman were sitting cross-legged and chatting idly. Sensing the commotion, all five looked up at the sky at the same time.

"It’s Gu Zheng!"

Qing Yimei raised an eyebrow, remarking in surprise, "That midair jumping Secret Technique of his is rather interesting."

"Isn’t it more interesting why Gu is hunting someone down in the middle of the night?" Yuan Qianjun stood up. Gazing at the fleeing, fiery red figure on the ground in the distance, he grinned. "If I’m not mistaken, that guy running away is one of the Xie Family’s Flaming Pythons, isn’t he?"

"It is someone from the Xie Family. I’ve run into Xie Bufeng and Xie Buping before," the man with the vertical mark on his forehead chimed in softly. "This Gu Zheng you speak of, to be able to chase after the likes of Xie Bufeng... his strength must be at the peak of the Alien Body stage."

"Anyone who can become a Commander in the Demon Slayer Bureau is at least at the Alien Body Shadow stage," the white-haired woman sitting next to the man agreed. "But I’m more curious about how this Gu Zheng got into a conflict with the Xie family. And why he’s so relentless in his pursuit."

"What other reason could there be? The Xie family must have gotten into trouble over their lechery again."

Yuan Qianjun sneered contemptuously. "The Xie Family of the Flaming Python lineage—men and women alike, every last one of them is a depraved deviant. Once they set their sights on someone, who can escape, aside from us noble youth?"

"They just picked a fight with the wrong person this time. Gu isn’t like the other Demon Suppression Guards who don’t dare to lay a hand on noble youth. As long as the Xie family dares to harm commoners, Gu will take them down!"

"Huh? For real?" The white-haired woman was surprised to hear this, then said with interest, "In that case, this Gu Zheng, this Commander Gu, seems like a pretty decent person."

"Yes, yes."

Qing Yimei grew interested as well. "A man who protects a woman who has nothing to do with him is a good man!"

"Hearing Yuan say that, I’d also very much like to get to know this Commander Gu."

The man with the vertical mark on his forehead smiled. "Qing, Miss Dugu, shall we follow them and see what happens next?"

"Let’s go!"