69: Chapter 69 Unrivaled General

Just then, the last consultant in the arena who dared to step forward to fight was forced into a pathetic state by a barbaric horizontal sweep from that Barbarian. Failing to dodge in time, his shoulder blade was grazed by the edge of the axe blade, causing his entire arm to hang limply. He exited the fray while screaming in pain.

At this point, there was no one left in the arena who dared to step forward to challenge his sharpness.

Having scattered the crowd, the Barbarian seemed to have exhausted a great deal of stamina. He stood leaning on his twin axes amidst the chaotic scene of corpses and the wounded, his chest heaving violently, emitting heavy, beast-like panting from his mouth.

Fresh blood was still slowly dripping from the axe blades, and his entire being exuded an Aura of incomparable ferocity that intimidated everyone present.

Only then did Gao Feng finally arrive.

His footsteps were not fast, yet every step seemed to tread upon everyone's heartstrings. That calm and powerful Aura instantly attracted everyone's attention, including that Barbarian who had just experienced a bloody slaughter.

"So you're the one causing trouble here?"

The Barbarian raised his head, his murky eyes, which carried a beast-like vigilance, staring fixedly at Gao Feng.

He seemed unable to fully understand Gao Feng's words, but he sensed an unprecedented Aura of danger from Gao Feng.

He let out a low growl, like a wary beast, and gripped the twin axes in his hands even tighter.

"Guest Elder High, be careful! This Barbarian has infinite Divine Power and is impervious to blades and spears!" Old Fu from the side hurriedly warned.

Gao Feng ignored him. He knew that when dealing with a "beast" that acted purely on instinct, any words were superfluous.

The only way was to use even greater strength to completely beat him into submission!

He stopped wasting words and flicked his right hand. The oilcloth wrapping the "three-pointed, double-edged blade" tore apart with a "ripping" sound!

The dark cyan blade flowed with a soul-captivating cold light.

Battle Intent surged instantly!

The Barbarian seemed to sense the astonishing Battle Intent erupting from Gao Feng. He stopped roaring and instead concentrated all his focus.

The next second, he let out a sudden, explosive shout and stomped his feet heavily on the ground. The hard bluestone floor was actually cracked into two shallow pits by his stomp!

He launched himself like a cannonball, carrying an incomparable, violent Aura, rushing straight toward Gao Feng!

The two giant axes in his hands, one high and one low, carved out two arcs of death, sealing off all of Gao Feng's space for evasion!

What a fierce fighting style!

But Gao Feng did not retreat. Facing this earth-shattering strike, he chose the most direct and overbearing way to respond!

A head-on collision!

He also wanted to test whether his strength was greater, or the opponent's strength was greater!

He took a deep breath, the Tiger Venerable Art surged wildly, and the muscles on his arms instantly expanded a size!

The "three-pointed, double-edged blade" in his hands did not dodge or evade, meeting the two giant axes as he swept it across fiercely!

"Clang—!!"

A deafening sound of metal clashing rang out like a clap of thunder on flat ground, echoing through the entire gambling den!

A violent shockwave exploded outwards, centered on the two of them!

The surrounding broken tables and chairs were swept up by this shockwave and instantly turned into flying sawdust filling the sky!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Gao Feng only felt an overwhelming and irresistible terrifying force surging from the blade, shaking his hand until it went numb, and he uncontrollably retreated three large steps!

Every step left a deep footprint on the hard ground!

Shocking!

Gao Feng did not expect the opponent's strength to be this great!

Ever since he began to Cultivate the Tiger Venerable Art and was nourished by the spirit spring, his strength had been extremely formidable.

Yet the Barbarian before him had innate Divine Power that was not inferior to his own in the slightest!

It was estimated that even Big Fool wouldn't be much stronger than him.

Moreover, this person had Cultivated martial arts, and his explosive power and application were even superior to Big Fool's!

The Barbarian, having taken the blow head-on, was also not having an easy time.

Although he had the upper hand in strength and forced Gao Feng back, his two giant axes, forged from refined steel, had actually been hacked with two deep, bone-reaching notches by the "three-pointed, double-edged blade"!

His hands holding the axes were also shaken until they felt sore and numb, and for the first time, a look of gravity appeared in his eyes.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Gao Feng was not alarmed but delighted. A long-lost feeling of excitement from finding a worthy opponent surged from the bottom of his heart!

He laughed out loud, his Battle Intent soaring into the clouds like a raging fire!

"Come again!"

He no longer held back and immediately changed his tactics.

He knew deeply that going head-to-head with this kind of strength-type monster was the worst possible strategy.

To deal with him, the only way was to use skill to break strength, and speed to beat slowness!

He changed his footwork, and he executed the Following Wind Willow Catkin Movement Technique to its limit!

His whole person seemed to instantly lose weight, turning into a flickering, indistinct cyan phantom, moving at high speed around the slightly clumsy-looking Barbarian.

The Barbarian roared repeatedly, the twin axes in his hands dancing like a giant death windmill, kicking up howling gales, yet he couldn't even touch the hem of Gao Feng's clothes.

He had high attack and high health, and astonishing explosive power, but speed, endurance, and slowness in changing moves were his most fatal weaknesses!

And Gao Feng's tactics happened to restrain him perfectly!

"Swish!"

Gao Feng seized an opportunity. The "three-pointed, double-edged blade" in his hand, like a viper emerging from its hole, thrust out from a tricky angle, precisely tapping the exposed gap under the Barbarian's armpit as he swung his axes!

The Barbarian let out a cry of pain, suffering his first injury, and blood instantly flowed out.

In pain, he became even more violent, his axes swinging without any order, yet even more fierce.

Gao Feng did not clash head-on with him. Once a strike landed, he retreated immediately, like the most patient hunter, constantly moving around, constantly consuming the prey's stamina, and constantly leaving one wound after another on his body that were not fatal but could continuously cause bleeding.

The back of the knees, elbows, back of the neck, ankles...

Gao Feng's attacks were precise and efficient, each one landing on the opponent's joints, where his defense was weakest and which most affected his movement.

The great battle lasted for a full several hundred rounds.

The two fought from the open ground at the entrance into the gambling den, and the entire hall had completely turned into ruins.

The Barbarian had by now become a blood-soaked man.

He was panting heavily, the speed at which he swung his axes getting slower and slower, and his footsteps becoming staggering.

His stamina, under Gao Feng's high-intensity attrition tactics, was finally exhausted.

And Gao Feng, although also consuming a huge amount of energy, had breath that remained long and steady.

"It's over."

A flash of light gleamed in Gao Feng's eyes as he seized the biggest opening the opponent revealed due to lack of stamina!

His figure, like a ghost, cut into the opponent's embrace!

The "three-pointed, double-edged blade" in his hand did not use its sharp edge; instead, he rotated the blade, using the heavy shaft to strike fiercely against the Barbarian's knee bend!

"Ah!"

The Barbarian let out a reluctant, sorrowful roar, and his body, as sturdy as a stone tower, could no longer support itself. With a "boom," he knelt on one knee to the ground!

Before he could struggle to stand up, the Merchant Guild guards, who had been waiting for a long time, swarmed up and used specially made refined steel chains as thick as a child's arm to bind him tightly!

The dust had settled!

Only when that Barbarian, who was as fierce as a demon god, was completely locked up and unable to move, did the surrounding gambling den staff and gamblers, who had been silent as cicadas in winter, seem to wake up from a nightmare.

They looked at the devastated scene before them, then looked at their companions who had suffered heavy casualties, and their hearts were still filled with lingering fear.

Subsequently, everyone's gaze focused in unison on that tall, straight figure standing with a blade.

Their eyes were filled with extremely complex emotions—shock, awe, gratitude, and even more, a heartfelt worship for an absolute powerhouse!

"Won... won! Guest Elder High won!"

Don't know who it was, but the first person shouted out in a trembling voice.

This sentence was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand layers of waves!

"Too... too strong! Simply not human! That Barbarian is a monster who even sent Consultant Wang flying with one axe!"

"More than just strong! Did you see that? Guest Elder High was at ease from beginning to end! That Barbarian couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes! This is the true demeanor of an expert!"

"Yes! I thought Guest Elder High's strength was inferior to that Barbarian and he would suffer! I didn't expect that it was just Guest Elder High testing him! He was fighting with wisdom! He exhausted that stupid ox to death!"

"Guest Elder High is mighty!!"

For a time, the people who had survived the disaster erupted into a mountain-shaking, tsunami-like round of cheers and flattery.

The eyes with which they looked at Gao Feng no longer held any trace of contempt or doubt, only a fanatical reverence, as if looking up at a god.

Facing everyone's flattery, Gao Feng's expression remained calm and undisturbed.

He just calmly wiped the blood off the "three-pointed, double-edged blade" clean, then carefully wrapped it up again with the oilcloth.

It was as if the thrilling battle just now was, to him, nothing more than a trivial warm-up.

The more indifferent he appeared, the more unfathomable his image became in the eyes of the crowd.

Old Fu from the side quickly stepped forward, bowed deeply to Gao Feng, his tone filled with the joy of surviving a disaster and heartfelt gratitude.

"Guest Elder High, if you hadn't taken action in time today, this Four Directions Gambling Den would likely have been bathed in blood! On behalf of the Helmsman and everyone in the Merchant Guild, I thank you for saving our lives!"

Gao Feng smiled slightly: "It is my duty; no need to thank me."

Because Wulu had killed and injured more than twenty guards and gamblers in the gambling den, causing extremely bad losses and influence, Su Meiniang was furious.

After Gao Feng captured him alive, she immediately ordered that the fierce Barbarian be locked in the Merchant Guild's most heavily guarded dungeon, and publicly announced that three days later, he would be beheaded in the city's busy market to serve as a warning and to restore the Face of the Four Seas Merchant Guild.

The dungeon was dark and damp.

Through the iron bars, Gao Feng looked at the Barbarian, who was bound to the wall with thick iron chains, covered in wounds yet still having red eyes, growling low like a trapped beast. A feeling of cherishing talent arose in his heart.

In the subsequent interrogation, they finally figured out the Barbarian's background.

His name was Wulu, and he was not some heinous villain, but the young Clan Chief of a Barbarian tribe called "Black Stone" from the distant Million Great Mountains.

Barbarians matured early, and due to being exposed to the elements all year round, he looked like a man in his thirties or forties, but his real age was actually just sixteen!

He encountered a merchant caravan while out hunting.

The people of the caravan used fine wine, silk, and various exquisite novelties he had never seen before to gain his trust. With sweet talk and the excuse of 'taking him to see the more prosperous world outside the mountains,' they tricked him into leaving the mountains where his people had lived for generations.

However, when he was brought all the way to Hanyang City, he realized with horror that these people were not friendly merchants at all, but a group of human traffickers!

They actually intended to sell him, a Barbarian with natural Divine Power, to the shady underground arenas in the city as a gladiator for entertainment and gambling!

After realizing he had been deceived, Wulu, in a fit of rage, relied on his raw brute strength to injure the traffickers and escape.

Penniless and famished, he stumbled into the Four Directions Gambling Den looking for food, but because he did not understand the rules, he clashed with the gambling den's thugs.

In the end, besieged and mocked by the crowd, he completely lost control, which led to the subsequent disaster.

After the truth came to light, Su Meiniang felt that this man's actions were understandable, and more importantly, she saw the terrifying potential in Wulu.

If she could subdue him, he would definitely be a great asset to the Four Seas Merchant Guild.

Therefore, over the next two days, Su Meiniang sent people into the dungeon repeatedly to persuade him to surrender.

She promised him high official positions and generous rewards, guaranteeing that as long as Wulu was willing to serve the Four Seas Merchant Guild, she would let bygones be bygones, allowing him to live in luxury and enjoy a revered status.

However, having experienced the betrayal of being deceived, Wulu was filled with extreme distrust and deep-seated hatred for everyone from the outside world.

"You outsiders... are all liars!"

In the Face of all these promises, he only responded with this one sentence and angry roars.

After several failed attempts to persuade him to surrender, Su Meiniang's patience gradually wore thin.

To uphold the dignity of the Four Seas Merchant Guild, she finally made up her mind to maintain the original verdict—beheading in public three days later!

This news soon reached Gao Feng's ears.

He knew well that a fierce warrior with natural Divine Power like Wulu was incredibly rare and hard to come by!

He was like an unpolished piece of jade; although full of rough edges, with a little polishing, he would definitely be an unparalleled fierce general in the future, capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with Big Fool, charging into battle and unstoppable by ten thousand men!

To let such a person die so unjustly on the execution ground because of a misunderstanding was truly a waste of a great talent.

Gao Feng decided he would save this Barbarian.

As for whether this man could be used by him in the future, that would depend on fate!

That night, deep in the night.

Using his status as a Guest Elder, Gao Feng entered the gloomy dungeon alone, unimpeded.

The damp air was filled with the smell of blood and mold.

Gao Feng walked through the long corridor and arrived at the deepest cell where Wulu was imprisoned.

Wulu was locked up by heavy chains, covered in wounds, his Aura weak.

But when he saw Gao Feng approach, his murky eyes immediately ignited with flames of vigilance and hatred, and a low growling sound of "woo-woo" came from his throat.

Gao Feng did not speak; he simply tossed a steaming package wrapped in oil paper through the gap in the bars.

The oil paper package opened to reveal a plump, roasted chicken, charred yellow and dripping with oil.

Wulu's nose twitched, and a thunderous "gurgle" came from his stomach.

He had not eaten for two days, and the tempting aroma was almost impossible for him to resist.

But he still looked at Gao Feng vigilantly, not moving.

Gao Feng tossed a waterskin in as well, then leaned against the cold wall, sat on the ground, and spoke in a flat tone.

"They all say you are a Barbarian, a beast that only knows how to kill. But in my eyes, you are just a foolish boy who didn't know what to do after being tricked."

His voice carried no emotion, as if he were stating the simplest of facts.

Hearing the words "liar" and "foolish boy," Wulu's body trembled visibly, and the fierce glint in his eyes dimmed slightly.

Gao Feng continued: "They want to kill you, not because you did anything wrong. But because you killed their men, ruined their business, and made them lose Face. Therefore, they must kill you to regain Face and intimidate others."

"And I," Gao Feng paused, his gaze fixed on Wulu's eyes, "want to save you now. It's not because I'm so kind, but because I think you are still useful."

These direct words, which made no attempt to hide the analysis of pros and cons, touched Wulu's simple and wounded heart far more than any sweet-talking persuasion.

He hesitated for a moment, but finally could not resist; he grabbed the roasted chicken and began to tear into it ravenously.

Watching his disheveled way of eating, Gao Feng knew his first step had succeeded.

After Wulu had stuffed the entire roasted chicken and the waterskin of water into his stomach, Gao Feng stood up and walked to the iron bars.

He did not speak immediately, but instead used a scrutinizing gaze to look up and down at the heavy shackles locking Wulu.

"This lock is crafted from hundred-refined steel mixed with black iron; the craftsmanship is not bad."

He said this as if talking to himself, and then ordered Wulu in the cell: "Stand up, come closer, let me see."

Although Wulu remained vigilant, the food in his stomach had restored some of his strength, and combined with the irresistible Aura Gao Feng exuded, he hesitated for a moment before dragging his heavy chains and struggling over to the iron bars.

Gao Feng's gaze fell on the very center of the shackles, on the complex and exceptionally sturdy lock core.

He suddenly reached out, passed his hand through the gap in the bars, and grabbed the cold lock core.

"What are you trying to do?!"

Wulu stiffened, instinctively wanting to retreat, but he was firmly held by Gao Feng's hand and could not move.

"Don't move." Gao Feng's voice was low, yet carried a magical power.

His five fingers, like five pieces of red-hot steel, were clamped tightly onto the lock core.

Under Wulu's gaze, which was filled with overwhelming shock, Gao Feng's fingers began to slowly exert force!

There was no earth-shattering loud noise, nor were there any unnecessary movements.

Wulu only heard a very faint, teeth-gritting "creak," like the sound of metal fatigue, coming from beneath Gao Feng's palm.

Immediately following that was a series of almost imperceptible, fine "click-clack" sounds of internal mechanisms shattering!

Gao Feng's hand covered the entire lock core; from the outside, the lock still appeared intact.

But Wulu could clearly feel an indescribable, terrifying power, condensed to the extreme, seeping continuously through Gao Feng's fingers into the interior of the lock core, crushing its most core and complex structure inch by inch!

From start to finish, it took no more than three breaths of time.

Gao Feng let go, and the lock core, which still looked indestructible, appeared unchanged on the surface.

But Wulu knew that it was already ruined inside!

This man had actually used only the strength of his five fingers to... crush a specially made prison lock forged from hundred-refined black iron?!

Wulu was completely stunned; he opened his mouth wide, looking at Gao Feng as if he were looking at a god or demon walking among mortals!

Fear, awe, disbelief... various emotions intertwined in his eyes, finally turning into the purest shock!

Only then did Gao Feng speak in an extremely low voice that only the two of them could hear: "Now, this lock looks intact from the outside, but its lock core has been shattered by me. Tomorrow, you will be taken to the execution ground."

"Listen," Gao Feng's tone became serious, "when you are taken out of the dungeon and near the execution ground, you will hear the sound of a carriage losing control; that is the signal I am giving you. When you hear the signal, break free from your shackles immediately, seize a weapon, and then don't worry about anything else—just run directly toward the south of the city!"

"Don't look back, don't get entangled in battle! Once you are out of the city, dive into the mountains to the south! Whether you can survive will depend on your own good fortune!"

After saying this, Gao Feng did not linger any longer; he turned and disappeared into the depths of the dark dungeon corridor.

Leaving Wulu alone, sitting there blankly.

He looked at the half-eaten chicken leg in his hand, then looked in the direction where Gao Feng had disappeared. In his murky eyes, for the first time, a complex light appeared, other than hatred and vigilance.

He did not know whether what this powerful outsider said was true or false.

He knew even less whether this was another more sinister trap, or his only chance of survival.

But he knew that tomorrow, he would have no other choice.

He could only take a gamble!

...

The next day, at noon.

The execution ground in the West Market of Hanyang City was already a sea of people, packed so tightly that not even water could pass through.

The news that Wulu was about to be beheaded in public had spread throughout the city as if it had grown wings.

The common people all wanted to come and watch the excitement, to see what the Barbarian from the Southern Border, who had turned the Four Seas Merchant Guild upside down all by himself, actually looked like.

The execution ground was heavily guarded.

Rows of Four Seas Merchant Guild guards, dressed in tight-fitting martial attire and holding steel sabers, surrounded the execution platform like an iron barrel with solemn expressions.

The branch leader, Su Meiniang, dressed in luxurious palace attire, sat upright on the execution supervision platform, her pretty Face frosty, exuding authority without anger.

Beside her was Yan Beigui, a Disciple of the Wind and Thunder Sword Sect, who had also come to "maintain order."

Today, he had changed into a snow-white silk robe, holding a folding fan, gently shaking it with a slight smile. His expression was arrogant; he was purely there to watch the show and enjoy the feeling of being high above, controlling the life and death of others.

At the hour of the horse, third quarter, the dull sound of drums rang out three times.

The dungeon gates slowly opened.

Escorted by two rows of guards, a figure, dragged along by heavy shackles, walked step by step toward the center of the execution ground.

It was Wulu.

He was covered in blood, his hair disheveled, but his eyes were no longer murky; they were startlingly bright.

He scanned his surroundings vigilantly, like a wounded lone wolf about to step into a hunter's trap.

The moment he was escorted to the center of the execution ground and was about to kneel.

A sudden change occurred!