Xiangzi’s Record of Immortal Cultivation-Chapter 47: Captured Alive

The blade was an ordinary long knife, but its speed was ferocious,
a smooth arc humming through the air, slicing toward Luo Er’s armpit.
A martial artist’s foundation rested on two words: blood energy.
Blood energy comprised
jing
, the strength of bones, blood, and sinews, determining a martial artist’s physical resilience; and
qi
, the vortex in the dantian, dictating their force.
As the old saying went,
“Hold a breath, and your moves never falter.”
With an unbroken qi vortex, one’s techniques could be seamless.
But this vicious strike caught Luo Er at the precise moment his qi was about to wane.
Even a ninth-rank martial artist like him couldn’t parry in time.
The timing and angle of the blow were ruthlessly precise.
Regardless of the attacker’s strength, this keen judgment alone was astonishing.
Splurch!
A crisp sound.
The knife tore through flesh, its tip drawing a string of crimson beads.
Luo Er grunted, his spiked mace sweeping to knock the blade away.
Using the distraction, he could no longer focus on Xiangzi.
Xiangzi finally caught his breath.
But when he saw the attacker, he froze—
Jin Fugui gripped the knife, his palm split open, blood seeping out. Had it not been for his natural strength, Luo Er’s mace would’ve sent the blade flying.
Yet he seemed oblivious, his eyes cold as ice, locked on the scarred Luo Er—
the man who killed Skinny Monkey.
With only Blood Energy Barrier cultivation, he’d blocked Luo Er’s blow fueled by raw, raging blood energy.
Without hesitation, another glint of steel flashed.
Jin Fugui lunged, each move a life-for-life gamble.
Xiangzi exhaled softly, his short spear trembling, its tip blooming like a flower, striking like a viper at Luo Er’s legs.
Wounded, Luo Er’s blood energy weakened, his mace less fierce.
When Uncle Jie arrived with his long spear, three against one flipped the battle.
Xiangzi and Uncle Jie, with short and long spears, moved like dragons, their strikes drawing blood.
Both were a hair’s breadth from ninth-rank, their coordination flawless. Soon, Luo Er was a bloodied mess.
Finally, Xiangzi spotted an opening, his spear sweeping to smash Luo Er’s ankle.
With a wail, the exhausted Luo Er collapsed.
At that moment,
Jin Fugui’s eyes flashed. His blood-soaked knife swung for Luo Er’s neck.
As Luo Er fell, Xiangzi’s heart eased,
but seeing Jin Fugui’s move, he shouted, “
Stop!
”
His spear flicked, its tip barely deflecting the blade.
Instantly, Uncle Jie’s long spear rested at Jin Fugui’s throat.
Uncle Jie’s voice was icy. “Fugui, don’t move. Drop the knife!”
Unable to kill the man who slew Skinny Monkey, Jin Fugui knew his chance was gone. With a bitter laugh, he let the knife fall.
His bloodshot eyes fixed on Xiangzi. “Xiangzi, you’re sparing him?”
Xiangzi didn’t answer, binding Luo Er tightly with rope before turning. “Jin Fugui, if he dies, none of us survive.”
“
Heh…
” Jin Fugui, drained, gasped like a broken bellows. “He killed Skinny Monkey.
I must kill him!
”
Xiangzi turned coldly. “Jin Fugui, whether you helped me sincerely or not, I owe you one.”
“But he’s our bargaining chip. If he dies, we’re locked in a fight to the death with the bandits.”
Jin Fugui ignored him, glaring. “
Fine, you sanctimonious Xiangzi…
”
Xiangzi paused but didn’t turn, saying softly, “If he hadn’t killed Skinny Monkey, I’d have killed him. Want revenge for Skinny Monkey? Put it on me.”
Jin Fugui froze, silent.
Uncle Jie lowered his spear slightly, saying coolly, “Fugui, Skinny Monkey colluded with bandits and got what he deserved. Don’t pick the wrong target for revenge!”
Jin Fugui, hunched, picked up his knife.
Blood dripped from his split palm along the blade.
His voice aged a decade. “Skinny Monkey was my brother.”
Uncle Jie sneered, his long spear splitting into two short ones.
But seeing the watching pullers, he restrained himself and returned to the slope’s front.
He’d decided—once today’s crisis passed, Jin Fugui had to die.
Xiangzi and Wen San escorted the bloodied Luo Er to the slope’s crest.
As they appeared, the bandits below exchanged shocked glances.
A ninth-rank second-in-command, caught by these stinking pullers?
Even Zhang Dachui gaped, stunned.
The bandits cast awed looks at the towering figure atop the slope.
Xiangzi, face calm, called out, “Which hero below is the leader?”
“Let’s talk!”
Below the slope,
a few uneven wooden stakes served as a makeshift table.
Zhang Dachui stared at the young man, eyes wide as bells—
My god, just a half-grown kid?
In his shock, he forgot the plan he’d cooked up with Triangular Eyes.
Catching his strategist’s winks, Zhang Dachui snapped back, slamming a stake as planned. “You big oaf, read too many tales, thinking you’re some hero meeting me alone?”
“Think I won’t kill you?”
Instantly, a dozen menacing bandits rushed forward.
“Boss, let’s chop this kid and charge to avenge Second Boss!”
“Yeah, avenge Second Boss!”
Amid the clamor, the bandits seemed ready to hack Xiangzi to pieces.
Zhang Dachui smirked—
this’ll scare the greenhorn witless!
Triangular Eyes had called it
a show of force!
Just like the heroes in the tales!
But Xiangzi wasn’t fazed. Amid the glinting blades, he sipped his tea slowly and said, “Leader, you really want to leave empty-handed? Don’t you want your Second Boss?”
Zhang Dachui growled, “Fine, I’ll chop you—”
He stopped, mouth agape. “What? Second Boss?”
Xiangzi nodded. “If you retreat, I’ll release Second Boss and his men!”
Zhang Dachui blinked, scratching his head, glancing at Triangular Eyes—
What now? This kid’s not following the script!
Second Boss is alive?
That bloodied mess is alive?
For a moment, Zhang Dachui felt a pang of regret!
Triangular Eyes was stunned too.
Xiangzi, impatient, said, “Make up your minds quick, or the city’s reinforcements will arrive.”
Zhang Dachui snapped, “Retreat, my ass! You think we came all this way to be bossed by a puller?”
“Then we fight to the death!” Xiangzi stood, his voice resolute.
His words sparked the bandits’ fury, their shouts rising.
Even Zhang Dachui yelled, “Chop you and avenge Second Boss!”
But Xiangzi sensed a flaw in their bluster—
if they meant to fight, why all this noise?
And this bearded leader seemed awfully wary of his second-in-command being held.
Is he afraid of something?
A sly smile curved Xiangzi’s lips. “Leader, I don’t know your crew, but such an elite force must have a name in the jianghu!”
“You dare hit an ore route but hide your identity—
guess you don’t want Forty-Nine City’s big shots noticing you!
”
His words hit home. Zhang Dachui deflated—
the city’s elites are one thing; I can hide in the Three Strongholds and Nine Territories.
The real problem is that she-devil.
If King Chuang learned he’d snuck out to raid the ore route, they were all done for!
Seeing his reaction, Xiangzi grew confident, saying gravely, “If you retreat, we part ways cleanly, never to meet again in the jianghu!”
“No matter who in Forty-Nine City asks, my men and I will say nothing—
just that refugees hit us!
”
Triangular Eyes bristled. “How do we know you pullers keep your word?”
Xiangzi’s heart leaped—
they’re tempted.
He replied earnestly, “We walk this ore route daily, seeking only stability. Who’d dare lie to greenwood heroes?
Think we’re tired of living?
”
His candid words left even Triangular Eyes speechless.
Zhang Dachui’s face showed a flicker of thought.