Chapter 39: Take His Head!

With Chu Mu's sudden transformation, the black-robed man let out a soft "eh?" of surprise. The way he now looked at Chu Mu was clearly tinged with doubt and wariness.

But the situation gave him no time to be distracted.

Chu Mu's arrival had diverted most of his attacks. Although the several hesitant inspectors nearby seemed timid and posed little threat on their own, the glinting blades in their hands were no less capable of injuring—or even killing—a man.

As for the armored brute, though severely wounded, he clearly hadn't lost his ability to fight. Those sweeping, thunderous iron fists still posed a very real danger to the black-robed man.

Not to mention—these few inspectors weren't the only ones who had entered the mountain.

With the situation shifting, the black-robed man's intent to retreat became increasingly obvious. A flurry of strikes forced Chu Mu back again and again. Then, with a feint, the man suddenly disengaged and attempted to escape.

Chu Mu, even with the enhancement of "Spirit Radiance," could only barely hold his ground and protect himself. Launching a counterattack was simply beyond his means.

Just as the black-robed man was about to break away, the heavily injured brute exploded with one final burst of strength.

The iron chains wrapped around his fists unfurled, and with a mighty swing, the chain snapped taut like a long whip, lashing out to block the black-robed man's escape.

He moved to parry, but Chu Mu closed in from behind, slashing once more—trapping him in a pincer assault.

"Out of my way!"

The man roared in fury and panic. His iron blade flashed like a silver ribbon, sweeping in an arc as he desperately fended off attacks from both directions.

But with that, his retreat was completely cut off!

"There! Hold him! Don't let him get away!"

"Scum!"

From deep in the forest, the faint sound of shouting could now be heard. The black-robed man's already panicked expression turned even more frantic. His desire to flee had grown desperate.

Realizing reinforcements were arriving, the cowardly inspectors who had been hanging back finally gathered their courage. Yelling to pump themselves up, they raised their blades and charged at the black-robed man.

Their swings were sloppy and lacked force—basic, untrained hacks. Chu Mu was confident that even without Spirit Radiance, he could have blocked them with ease.

But for the black-robed man—already besieged, desperate to escape—these weak attacks were anything but harmless.

"A master craftsman can still fall to a flurry of clumsy strikes."

That old saying was proving quite apt.

The pressure from Chu Mu's relentless blows, the brute's crushing iron fists, and now this unpredictable storm of blades—

The black-robed man was clearly unwilling to be tied down. His retreat was frantic.

And in that frenzy—he finally exposed an opening.

For Chu Mu, still under the boost of Spirit Radiance, even the tiniest flaw looked like a gaping hole—an unmistakable opportunity!

His blade, rarely used to thrust, now turned from slash to stab. The tip drove forward, aiming straight for the man's vital spot.

Startled and horrified, the man tried to twist his body, doing his best to avoid a fatal blow. He managed to shift enough to spare himself a mortal wound.

But even so—the blade sank deep into his torso.

To Chu Mu, that thrust was as clear as it was inevitable.

He'd aimed for the neck, but as the man dodged, Chu Mu didn't hesitate.

The blade pierced through the abdomen, meeting little resistance. It felt like stabbing a wooden stick into rain-soaked earth—smooth, yielding.

The only difference? That vivid splash of crimson, which instantly washed away the blade's shine.

The man's body jolted like he'd been struck by lightning. He froze, mid-motion, his eyes wide in disbelief, mouth agape in a silent scream.

Chu Mu didn't stop. He yanked the blade free, blood spraying in its wake, then slashed again.

This time—he struck to behead.

The tip of the blade swung toward the man's neck.

Its purpose—take his head!

The man finally panicked completely. With a near-hysterical scream, he leapt backward, trying to escape the deadly arc.

Bang!

A sudden iron fist crashed into him.

The blow caved in his chest, sending him flying like a broken kite, tumbling helplessly through the air.

Chu Mu kicked off the ground, leaping after him like a wild goose gliding across the sky. His blade reversed once more from slash to thrust, and with a wet squelch, it pierced the man's body again—clean through.

Then—

Draw. Raise. Strike!

Thud! Thud!

Two heavy crashes hit the snow-covered ground.

Chu Mu remained in a low, slashing posture, blade held steady.

Before him, the black-robed man had collapsed in a grotesque heap, his neck split wide open. Blood sprayed out, staining the snow a brilliant red.

His head lolled at a strange angle, face contorted, pupils wide and round, still showing a trace of disbelief.

Thud.

Another heavy noise rang out. Chu Mu collapsed to the ground without dignity, breathing hard—his strength utterly spent in just those few intense moments.

"Good! Good! GOOD!!"

The armored brute roared with joy, his face flushed red. Then—thud—he fell stiffly to the ground as well.

"Quick, get him! Carry him over!"

Chu Mu forced himself to stop gasping, shouting weakly.

The remaining inspectors, finally coming to their senses, rushed to the brute's side, stumbling over each other as they lifted him up and hurried toward the commander's position.

"Hah…"

The forest returned to silence. Chu Mu didn't dare relax. He staggered upright and bent down to retrieve his blade—then suddenly glanced at the black-robed man's corpse.

Hurrying over, he searched the body. When he felt something hard and papery, his expression lit up.

"A martial arts manual on the body? Now that's main character treatment!"

But a moment later, Chu Mu just stared at the thick wad of banknotes in his hand, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

No martial arts secrets.

But this stack of cash… Even the infamous pleasure house of Nanshan Town—Fengyue Pavilion—would be enough for him to spend a few wild nights in style.

"Not bad either."

Chu Mu smacked his lips, casually stuffing the money into his clothes. Then he glanced at the black-robed man's weapon.

The blade looked nearly identical to the inspectors' standard swords—but the material was clearly far superior.

Despite such a brutal battle, its edge showed no chips, and the blade had not a single scratch—gleaming as if brand new.

With a fine blade in hand, Chu Mu couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement. He gave it a few test swings—and surprisingly, it felt quite comfortable.

"Nice."

Chu Mu praised it aloud, found the scabbard on the man's corpse, and sheathed the weapon.

Holding it gave him a newfound sense of security.

He still vividly remembered the moment his old blade snapped—that crushing helplessness was impossible to describe.

With this treasure sword, at least... it wouldn't be broken so easily again.

*(End of Chapter)*