บท 144: Crimson Flame Whip
With a broad grin, I graciously accepted the Wolf King's intentions. Jack, driven by a murderous instinct, along with the power of the Fruit of Desires and the heart of a Druid warrior, would inevitably pose a threat to us. Eliminating him was a consensus among us, and I immediately joined the fray with a stealthy ambush.
The rings on my middle fingers, forged from the essence of vampires and the ethereal Glimmering Sword, had not been removed since their creation, granting me the ability to manifest as a specter and wield vampiric powers at will. There was no need for courtesy when confronting Jack; with two breaths of death, I blinked and unleashed a flurry of eighteen sword strikes, each one a testament to my skill. Had no one intervened, Jack would have undoubtedly been reduced to a bloodied heap.
Gu Yali could not tolerate witnessing a murder before her eyes. She had already discerned the Wolf King's intentions. The lithe, red-haired beauty bent slightly, like a cat preparing to pounce, then gracefully propelled herself into the air, lightly tapping the ceiling before hurtling toward me with a fierce roar.
Though she was a woman, Gu Yali's movements were fierce and formidable, resembling a powerful female leopard ready to strike. The Wolf King's newly acquired abilities granted him tremendous strength, yet his speed and agility fell woefully short. Gu Yali exploited his weaknesses, darting past him with breathtaking speed to target me directly, a strategic maneuver of impeccable precision.
As I prepared to strike, I anticipated Gu Yali's approach, reserving a breath of death for this violent woman. Before she could descend from the ceiling, the dark magic sword, adorned with skull patterns, had already pointed the way to the underworld for her.
I held great confidence in my swordsmanship, a skill honed through countless trials on Skull Island. However, Gu Yali continued to astonish me even as she remained suspended in midair. A fiery long whip, borne from her flowing red hair, lashed down from above.
The clash of magic sword and flame whip resulted in a cacophony of over a hundred exchanges, each contact sending my blood surging. The fierce energy from the flame whip scorched my insides, leaving me burning with intensity.
It was no wonder that Juliere claimed every formal member of the Demon Sealing Mercenary Corps possessed at least one tenth-level martial art. My unnamed martial arts technique had yet to reach even the sixth level, and engaging in direct confrontation was far too risky.
In the midst of calamity, I had grasped the source of power, breaking through the limitations of my martial arts card. Even without collecting all the martial arts cards, I could ascend to higher levels. However, the time had been short, and lacking substantial progress, I was still significantly outmatched by seasoned mercenaries like Gu Yali.
Were it not for the solid foundation I built in swordsmanship on Skull Island, allowing me to deftly counter Gu Yali's fierce whip techniques, I would have been sent flying within mere exchanges.
Even so, pushing through the struggle left me dizzy and on the verge of vomiting blood. Sensing the tide turning against me, the Wolf King let out a mighty roar and rushed to my aid. As chaos erupted, Meishu, both amused and exasperated, shouted and joined the fray alongside Gu Yali. Among our group, I still held the highest personal combat prowess, yet even I could only last for a handful of exchanges before Meishu and Gu Yali subdued me in tandem.
As for Jack, Baijing Zhenfu, and the Wolf King, they fared even worse. Once the turmoil within our ranks had been quelled, Meishu, somewhat resigned, exchanged a nod with Gu Yali, effortlessly lifting me onto her shoulder and beckoning Guan Ling to follow.
"Gu Yali! The remaining individuals are in your charge. Do not hesitate to discipline those who disobey; let them understand the rules of the Demon Sealing Mercenary Corps. These two, however, I shall train separately."
"You don't seem to notice, Wang Lin, but you possess quite a violent streak; you and Gu Yali complement each other remarkably well!"
"Do not associate me with that violent woman; I find it insulting."
Meishu, rarely serious, managed to elicit a chuckle from me with that remark. She tossed me aside playfully, feigning sternness as she declared, "While dueling is not prohibited within the mercenary corps, private fights are strictly forbidden. I will not pursue today's events, but regardless of your reasons, should I witness such chaos again, I will not be lenient."
"What can you do to me if you're not lenient?"
"Hmph! Once I master my martial arts, capturing you will be a trivial task!"
The battle just fought did not instill in me a sense of caution; rather, it bolstered my confidence. Though I was swiftly defeated by the combined efforts of Gu Yali and Meishu, this encounter clarified that the gap between me and these formal members was not as insurmountable as I had imagined. If I focused, I might very well seize victory during a moment of their inattention.
Once I perfected the unnamed martial arts technique, I would no longer fear these two women.
Perhaps, as Juliere suggested, I possessed a natural talent for martial arts. Despite having entered Demon Island not long ago, I was already capable of holding my own against mercenaries who had been there for countless years.
"What a combative little boy you are! This is a gift I intended to surprise you with tonight, but my enthusiasm has waned."
Meishu smiled as she handed me five cards. Guan Ling, curious and a bit envious, snatched them up first. After a glance, she scoffed, "So it's a set of incomplete martial arts cards; they hold no real value."
Guan Ling fanned out the five cards, allowing me to see them clearly. My heart raced with a mix of shock and delight as I realized they were the five remaining unnamed martial arts cards I had long sought and given up hope of finding.
In that moment, my overwhelming emotion was not joy at completing the set, but a profound fear. How had Meishu discovered that I had acquired this set of martial arts cards at the auction on Demon Island? Just how extensive was the influence of the Demon Sealing Mercenary Corps?
I struggled to fathom it. The thought of leaving this mercenary corps after the training camp now felt uncertain. If the Demon Sealing Mercenary Corps maintained such strict control over its members, escaping the grasp of this all-powerful organization would seem nearly impossible.
Burdened by these unspoken concerns, I offered little gratitude for Meishu's kindness, merely nodding in acknowledgment. Meishu, undeterred by my cool demeanor, responded with a charming smile, "As a formal member of the Demon Sealing Mercenary Corps, regardless of your preferences, you must hone a martial art to the tenth level. Wang Lin, you must cultivate this unnamed martial arts technique, and Guan Ling, perhaps it is time to reconsider your Great Roc's Soaring Technique; it is exceedingly difficult, and you may spend your entire life striving to master it."
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