Only after confirming the other two weren’t nearby did Yang Kai drop down from the treetops and begin tracking the weakest of them, Junior Brother Wu.
Junior Brother Wu was at the ninth level of the Qi Movement Realm, a fairly capable fighter in his own right. But with his strength sealed, he could now use less than forty percent of his true power. Right now, he was cautiously searching the dense woods for traces of Yang Kai. He’d been following bloodstains, but they’d vanished a tea-time ago.
The valley was thick with trees, making it genuinely difficult to find anyone.
Junior Brother Wu didn’t overlook any suspicious spot, glancing up at the treetops now and then. The dim light here only made the search harder.
*Better not let the other two get to him first!* If they found Yang Kai before he did, that Earth Grade Artifact would be out of his reach.
An Earth Grade Artifact! Just thinking about it made Junior Brother Wu’s heart race. If he could possess it, his status within the Blood Battle Gang would soar. With such an artifact, even defeating a warrior at the Separation-Union Realm wouldn’t be difficult.
As he searched, a sudden rustling noise came from behind him.
Junior Brother Wu spun around in alarm. “Who’s there?!”
He scanned his surroundings, gripping his longsword tightly, ready for anything. He saw nothing, but the rustling continued—it was just the eerie wind blowing through the nearby trees, making the leaves shiver.
*Getting spooked by every shadow!* Junior Brother Wu mocked himself inwardly. In this valley, besides his fellow Blood Battle Gang members, there were only Yang Kai and that woman. They were barely managing to protect themselves—why would they come looking for death?
With a soft chuckle, he turned back, ready to continue.
The moment his guard dropped, a searing heat suddenly surged from above. His entire body tensed as a sensation of death rushed toward him.
Startled, he looked up. His eyes widened in shock, and he gasped, “Yang Kai—!”
Before the name had even fully left his lips, Yang Kai was already descending upon him, head downward like a hawk diving for prey. One palm, wreathed in blazing red light, was already striking down toward the top of his head.
Everything happened in a split second. Junior Brother Wu managed only to deflect with a flicker of his sword before Yang Kai’s attack landed.
In a panic, Junior Brother Wu twisted his head aside, barely dodging the vital blow.
**Boom!** Yang Kai’s palm slammed into his shoulder. A crisp *crack* sounded as Junior Brother Wu’s entire arm was driven downward, snapping under the force.
“Ah!” Scorching energy flooded into his body, and he let out a shriek of pain. His sword flashed again, slashing at Yang Kai’s neck.
Yang Kai flipped backward in midair, his feet grazing the flat of the blade to narrowly avoid the strike. The moment he landed, he shot forward like a snake from its hole, both feet pushing off the ground as he closed the distance. His hands, moving as deftly as a butterfly threading through flowers, entwined around Junior Brother Wu’s sword arm. With a push and a pull, he destabilized his opponent, then executed a flawless shoulder throw, hurling him cleanly to the ground.
The sequence was lightning-fast, a dizzying blur of motion that flowed together seamlessly.
Hitting the dirt, Junior Brother Wu coughed up a mouthful of blood. Yang Kai pressed his knee into the man’s shoulder and suddenly twisted with both hands.
*Snap!* Junior Brother Wu’s right arm broke with a sickening sound.
A scream of agony tore from his throat. In a single exchange, both of his arms were shattered, and he was now pinned beneath Yang Kai’s foot.
Yang Kai looked down at him coldly, his expression devoid of emotion. With a flick of his foot, he scooped up the longsword Junior Brother Wu had dropped and aimed it straight at the man’s chest.
“You… how could you possibly…?” Blood foamed at the corner of Junior Brother Wu’s mouth as he stared at Yang Kai in utter disbelief.