CH 16

Chapter 16: Dusk of the Tiger

Name: Xue Banjou (Slightly famous elite strategist)

Age: 52

Skill: Seven Cuts Blade

Hidden Setting: None

Cheng Dalei hid himself in the shrubs and saw the entire murder scene. The sharpness of Xue Banjou’s movements and his decisiveness in killing had utterly shocked Cheng Dalei. Thus, he hurriedly used the system to check Xue Banjou’s status. And just as expected, it’s an elite strategist.

Cheng Dalei knew that it’s no easy thing t reach elite level. Qin Man as an elite bandit could take on a hundred men, and an elite strategist will obviously be far scarier than an elite warrior.

Xue Banjou suddenly tossed a cold glance his way, making Cheng Dalei shudder. If he faced that guy now, then he’d likely die for sure.

However, Xue Banjou merely got off his horse, grabbed Han Xuanzhi’s corpse, and pointed back the way they came with his saber.

“Return.”

The order was absolute. A hundred horses turned about as one. They left just as sudden as they came.

Only then did Cheng Dalei get up from the bushes he hid in and wiped away the sweat on his forehead. There are talented people in this age after all, and it’s not like everyone is as incompetent as Xu Shenji.

Suddenly, Cheng Dalei who just relaxed seemed to have remembered something and he stomped his feet while letting out a long sigh towards the heavens.

“My sword.”

Beep. [11th Base defense] completed. Reward: Random draw x1x. Would you like to draw now?

“Not right now. Let’s get wait until we get back to the base first.”

Cheng Dalei rested his axe on his shoulder as he got back on his horse. This time the system was at least decent about it, given that it gave a random draw chance. Random draws is something that depends on luck, but Cheng Dalei’s luck… Has been kind of terrible recently.



Time: Night

Location: Blackstone City, Lord’s mansion.

On an enormous bed, there were two pale and slender bodies with the same heights, appearances, and identically moist and emotional eyes.

They were the pair of slaves that the lord of Blackstone City dotted on the most. Right now, the two of them were bound together like a pair of fleeced lambs. An old and bloated body was piled on top of them, bearing white hair and even some visible liver spots on his face.

The bronze pillars were set with oil lamps, brightly lighting up the room. On the bed, the red sheets were crumpled, limbs intersected, and seductive moans rang out from the soft beddings.

“My lord, my lord…”

A sorrowful voice ranged out. Xue Banjou intruded in while holding Han Xuanzhi and dropped to his knees.

“My lord… The young master is dead!”

“What!”

Han Huju shouted in surprise as he stepped forth, still naked. What entered his sight was Xue Banjou covered in blood, with his saber at his side still bloody. His son had a wound on his neck, having long since died with a disbelieving look still imprinted on his face.

The sweat on his round face rained down. The fat on his body jiggled. It was obvious that he was in both extreme pain and rage.

Xue Banjou had his head bowed, but suddenly a cold gleam passed through his eyes. He grabbed his saber and slashed up. With a tearing sound, it cut a wound into Han Huju’s belly. His bloated body fell back until he leaned against the main pillar of the room as he looked disbelievingly at Xue Banjou.

“It was you?”

“it was me!”

Xue Banjou had already gotten up then, his blade held at the ready. At that moment, he stood tall and determined, while still bearing a hint of caution.

“My lord, you’ve already held this seat of yours for long enough. It should be my turn no.”

The moment he said that, he also swung his saber. The blade moved even stronger and quicker with the rotation of his body. Han Huju didn’t have a stitch on him as he backed off awkwardly until he suddenly impacted the bronze lamp post in the room. He then rolled on the ground, grabbed the bronze post, blocked that saber swing, and pushed Xue Banjou away.

“Why, why!” Han Huju held himself up using the post as he breathed heavily.

“My lord… Chaotic times are upon us… The Empire has lost its way. The various heroes of the world rises… Seeking to take the world… Yet you are still lost in your pleasures. Since you won’t take the world… I will!”

With a slash accompanying every statement, the Seven Cuts Blade were fully used. Flashes of the blade filled the room, obscuring the person wielding it. The twins on the bed were already shaking in terror. Ho would have thought that the gentle and elegant strategist of Blackstone City actually had such martial prowress.

“You want it huh… You think you’re worthy…”

Han Huju pounced, swinging the bronze post. He didn’t have a stitch on him, and the bloated fat on his body jiggled, but his movements were actually vicious and dangerous. Right now, while naked, he was like an enraged boar.

As the saying goes, a forest hold one boar, two tigers and three bears. Thus, calling him a boar isn’t an insult.

Bang!

The post slammed into Han Banjou’s chest. Thus, he backed off staggering as he vomited out blood.

“Like hell I need you to tell me that. Like hell I’m feared just for this little bit of skill!” Han Huju stared down at Xue Banjou with contempt, “The hell you think you are? If it wasn’t for me raising you up, you’d still be some woodcutter up on the mountains. You think you can take the world just because you read some useless book? Even if the Empire isn’t able to keep the world, it won’t be you who’ll be taking it!”

The muscles on Xue Banjou’s face twitched as he clenched the blade in his hand even tighter. Yet Han Huju merely stood there as he continued belting out insults.

“You’re just a dog that I took in to help watch the house. You can’t even be a dog properly, and yet you want to try to become the master? I’m smarter than you even if I used my toes to do the thinking, and you’re just a self-deluded idiot who tries to make up for your stupidity with enthusiasm.”

“My lord truly is of great talent. This Banjou truly pales in comparison!”

“Don’t be fucking jealous. I’m telling you that you don’t have that kind of talent. With your abilities, just governing a city will be hard, never mind a country. You want the world? You could work yourself to death and there would still be no share of the world for you. And I’ve slept with more women than you’ve seen people. I’ve killed enough to dam up the moat. So what if you die! Even with your entire life, all you’ll be is a deluded fool who worked yourself to death!”

“Kill!” Xue Banjou’s eyes turned red. He suddenly roared out, charging forth with blade in hand.

“Come then!” Han Huju answered with a roar of his own.

Suddenly the pair of beautiful slaves huddled together on the bed suddenly pounded like they were leopards. One grabbed his neck while the other bound up his leg, and their golden hairpins viciously stabbed into Han Huju’s body.

Han Huju screamed out in pain. He shook his body and threw the two female slaves away. Yet, during that time, Xue Banjou’s blade had already stabbed into his heart.

Han Huju’s eyes suddenly dilated. His body shook thrice before he fell, facing down.

Xue Banjou knelt down and looked into his eyes as he spoke, “I know that I can’t compare to my lord, but I just want to try. What if I succeed? Just like with today.”

“B-Black…”

Han Huju opened and closed his mouth as he desperately tried to say something, but it couldn’t be clearly heard. Xue Banjou frowned slightly as he moved his ears down to Han Huju’s lips to try to hear his words.

“Black… Stone City is the gate to the Empire… D-don’t let the barbarians… Invade… The Great Wu…”

Han Banjou was stunned for a moment as he looked disbelievingly at Han Huju. Before his eyes, Han Huju’s head fell, finally dying.

Xue Banjou stepped outside the room, grabbed the Tiger Talisman to order all the soldiers in the city. On that night, the lord’s mansion was burned to ashes.