4 Chapter 4: The fisherman's words are a little bit sad

Wu Wei's sudden shout startled the two men.

Zhang Fengshan was alert and reacted quickly. He quickly took a defensive stance, watching Wu Wei's movements as he turned to look in the direction Wu Wei was looking.

Li Xiu, who was a hundred and ten paces away, also tensed up and was about to turn and run. Fortunately, he reacted quickly and did not reveal his location, thus avoiding a fatal fate.

Looking carefully in the direction Wu Wei was shouting, he noticed that although the person was shouting in his direction, the subtle position was not right.

'Could it be a trick?' He thought.

Li Xiu was extremely tense, hiding behind the green stone bamboo and also turning to the left.

Through the gaps in the bamboo, he saw a waist-high tangle of weeds shaking about ten paces away.

Unlike Zhang Fengshan and the others, Li Xiu had a clear view, and he could barely see that there was no shadow of a person behind the tangle of weeds.

Could it be a small animal that had run into the weeds and was shaking and struggling?

The doubt flashed through Li Xiu's mind and he began to worry about other things. His heart was beating faster and faster.

If someone was spying on their secret transaction, the two men would definitely go and check out the tangle of weeds, even if they didn't find anything, they would have to stop and look around. He couldn't be more conspicuous.

If he was discovered, could he escape with his life in the hands of the two men? Damn it, how could his luck be so bad?

Zhang Fengshan's eyes were sharp, and he quickly noticed the still-shaking weeds. A flash of fear and suspicion crossed his face.

He was even more tense than Wu Wei. If the news of him exchanging his martial arts skills with others leaked out and the sect found out, it would be a luxury for him to die.

After the incident with Xie Xun more than twenty years ago, the five elders of the sect had considered the Seven Harms Fists manual taboo.

Even now, when he thinks back to when his own master, Chang Jingzhi, gave him the Seven Harms Fists manual and spoke of Xie Xun, he remembers the hatred and desire to eat his flesh and crush his bones.

He is not Xie Xun, and he cannot rely on his strong martial arts skills and status to make the Kongtong Sect helpless and smash their teeth down their throats.

If all the resentment and anger accumulated over the past twenty years were to be directed at him, he would be finished.

After Wu Wei shouted a few more times to no avail, a worried Zhang Fengshan stepped forward to check it out.

Wu Wei asked with a hint of suspicion: "Brother Zhang, do you think it could be a wild rabbit or something?"

"It's hard to say, let's have a look..."

Halfway through his answer, Zhang Fengshan suddenly felt a violent sound coming from above.

"Someone from above! Be careful!"

Zhang Fengshan reacted faster than Wu Wei, thinking that if there was something, Wu Wei would also be of help, so he quickly shouted a warning.

Hearing this, Wu Wei moved his feet, and his sharp sword also shook in his hand, like a hungry tiger pouncing or a poisonous snake emerging from its hole.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Cold light flashed! A muffled grunt and a few drops of fresh blood!

One hundred and ten paces away, Li Xiu, with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, looked at the strange and shocking scene in front of him with some surprise.

There was an open space in the bamboo forest. The wind had just died down, and there were still pieces of bamboo leaves spinning in the air without falling to the ground.

Wu Wei held the sword with a determined face and pointed it diagonally, the blood on the sword dripping to the ground.

Not far away, Zhang Fengshan, who had just looked down on the others with contempt, now sat weakly on the ground, his chest pierced by a sharp sword.

The wound was horrible and the blood flowed like a river.

A green and shiny crossbow arrow was stuck in the ground between the two men.

Zhang Fengshan looked at Wu Wei with a fierce and dark look, as if he wanted to skin and bone the person in front of him.

He knew exactly what had just happened. He had noticed the sound coming and had warned Wu Wei as he was retreating upwards to block it.

However, he never expected that instead of retreating to avoid him, Wu Wei would suddenly launch a full-force sneak attack with his sword.

Zhang Fengshan had just blocked the crossbow arrow and was too tired to do anything else, and he had not yet collected his hands when he saw a cold light flash and retreat.

Even if Zhang Fengshan had struck him with his palm in panic as he retreated, it would only be a desperate move and would not be fatal.

Under Zhang Fengshan's gaze, Wu Wei looked calm. He had already noticed the panic and even fear in Zhang Fengshan's eyes, but it was only a facade.

The sword had just been stabbed by him, and Wu Wei was well aware of the extent of Zhang Fengshan's injury. Although he had not hit his heart, he had definitely lost the ability to fight.

"This deal was clearly in your favour, but I never expected you, Wu Wei, to be so greedy and despicable."

Zhang Fengshan gritted his teeth and spoke with resentment.

At this moment, Wu Wei, who had been in control of the situation, was no longer the foolish and easily provoked person he had been before, but instead laughed recklessly.

"So what? Zhang Fengshan, I want the Seven Harms Fist manual, but I won't give you the Pour Rain Sword manual. What can you do to me now?"

"I know you're trying to provoke me into a desperate move and take me down with you, but I won't fall for it. What can you do to me?"

"You..."

Hearing these words, Zhang Fengshan was so enraged that he spat out another mouthful of blood and the light in his eyes dimmed.

As Wu Wei basked in his triumph, he continued to hurl insults at Zhang Fengshan.

"A mere disciple of a major sect? That's all you are!"

"Zhang Fengshan, I know you look down on me because I'm not from a prestigious sect, but ironically it was the little tricks I learned while escorting caravans in my early years that allowed me to create an opportunity to strike against you just now."

"When you came here earlier, you flinched at the sight of me bowing to you. During our exchange of secret manuals, whenever I finished reading first and made a casual movement with my hands, you would sneak glances in my direction."

"When the first mechanism was activated, I shouted and drew my sword, pretending that someone was there. You immediately became cautious and looked in that direction. Later, when the second mechanism was activated and the crossbow arrow was aimed at you, you observed me to see if I intended to attack you and only spoke up to warn me when you realised that I hadn't noticed the attack."

With each word, Wu Wei's tone became more deliberate: "I must say, Zhang Fengshan, it was quite difficult for me to kill you."

"But haven't you almost succeeded now?"

Zhang Fengshan seemed to have lost his mind and muttered incoherently.

"Indeed, then please leave now!"

Wu Wei felt that it was about time. Zhang Fengshan's large robe was already stained red with blood, and his already pale face was now completely bloodless, obviously unable to defend himself.

He walked towards Zhang Fengshan with his sword, slowly, step by step, the slow pace putting great pressure on Zhang Fengshan, and Wu Wei enjoyed seeing the panic and desperation spread across Zhang Fengshan's face.

But then something unexpected happened. Wu Wei had not even taken a few steps when he felt his foot go soft and he almost fell over.

At first, Wu Wei thought that the internal injury caused by the palm strike he received earlier had suddenly flared up, but he didn't pay much attention to it and continued to walk forward.

But after a few more steps, Wu Wei felt his head get dizzy and his hands and feet lose control.

He shook his head and tried to regain his senses, but realised that he had already collapsed to the ground, unable to move a finger with all his strength.

Lying on his side on the ground, Wu Wei's face was covered in dust, drool dripping slowly from his mouth, and he looked extremely embarrassed.

As he looked up, he saw that Zhang Fengshan, who had previously looked terrified, now had a smug expression on his face as he watched Wu Wei.

The once towering figure now looked more like a mocking jester lying on the ground, causing Wu Wei to feel bitter and extremely fearful.

In an instant, the situation had turned around, and Zhang Fengshan, who had previously been at a great disadvantage, now had the upper hand.

"Damn it! What the hell is going on?"

Wu Wei wondered, feeling helpless. He couldn't even find the strength to speak now.

As Wu Wei lay there in silence, Zhang Fengshan spoke weakly: "You were afraid that I would try a desperate attack, so you said some nonsense about waiting until I was weak and powerless. But you didn't know that I was also trying to buy time."

As he spoke, Zhang Fengshan tried to stand up.

Seeing Wu Wei's shocked and confused look, Zhang Fengshan chuckled and continued: "Don't think too much about it. Being hit by my Yin-Yang Grinding Palm isn't really that harmful if it isn't combined with the power of the Yang Palm."

"Your current condition is mainly due to the Seven Harms Fist manual you've been carrying around with you all this time."

Zhang Fengshan said as he struggled to stand up.

Hearing this, Wu Wei seemed to remember something and his heavy breathing stirred up a cloud of dust.

"Don't get so excited. If the elders of my sect find out that I traded your Pour Rain Sword manual for the Seven Harms Fist manual, I won't be able to live."

Zhang Fengshan continued, pausing for a moment before looking up at Wu Wei with a cold stare.

"...That's why I always feel a little uncomfortable when you're alive."

"You've probably never heard of Heart Flower Essence, it's a kind of poison that's not very effective. It can numb the body and make you unable to move, but it only works if it enters the body through a wound".

"There are more convenient drugs that can cause unconsciousness and paralysis, and there are many poisons that are effective when applied to a wound, so Heart Flower Essence is not considered very good."

"Your sword technique is very fast and explosive, which puts a lot of strain on your fists. The last time I saw you, your fists still had old injuries, and it must have been recently that you had a hard fight."

"That's why I applied Heart Flower Essence to every part of the Fist Manual and folded the manual, thinking that you would surely unfold it for convenience..."

"Damn it! If I hadn't been afraid that the sword technique was fake, I would have used the blood-sealing poison and killed you right away!"

"Otherwise, I wouldn't be in this situation now..."

Zhang Fengshan stopped speaking and instead, a hint of sarcasm appeared on his lips. It was unclear whether he was mocking his own badly injured state or Wu Wei, who was lying helplessly on the ground.

His earlier plan had gone well, but things had not gone as he had expected. He stumbled forward a few steps and picked up Wu Wei's sword, which had fallen when he was unable to move. Zhang Fengshan dragged his feet and leaned on the sword as he approached Wu Wei.

"He's close! He's close!"

Both men thought to themselves, one's desire to kill growing, the other's fear increasing.

Finally, the dust raised by Zhang Fengshan's footsteps reached Wu Wei's face.

Zhang Fengshan's face, already pale from excessive blood loss, flushed with a hint of red and his eyes regained some of their gloom. He trembled as he grabbed the hilt of his sword and lifted it with great effort.

Wu Wei knew that Zhang Fengshan's life force was almost gone at this point, and that the only thing keeping him alive was the desire to kill him out of spite. Once this burst of power was gone, Zhang Fengshan would collapse.

The problem was that he was unlikely to survive Zhang Fengshan's strike. Wu Wei glared at him angrily, unwilling to accept his fate.

The sword was raised high, the blade still stained with some of Zhang Fengshan's dried blood, and the tip pointed directly at Wu Wei's throat.

"Die!" The voice was low but full of killing intent.

"Thud!" "Clink!"

The body fell and the sword hit the ground, clattering against the stones.

Zhang Fengshan struggled to turn around, a clear shoe print visible on his lower back. Despite his shaky appearance, he stretched out his scarred hands, which bore the marks of years of martial arts training, and pointed at a young man with a slumped posture and unusually short hair.

Zhang Fengshan's eyes were a mixture of surprise, confusion and anger - a complex range of emotions.

"You!..."

Zhang Fengshan started to speak, but the young man cut him off with a wave of his hand: "Don't get too worked up, it's not good for your health."

"Thud."

The head tilted and the hand fell, and the renowned hero of the martial arts world, Zhang Fengshan, collapsed powerless to the ground, never to make another sound.