Chapter 273 Uncontrolled Fight

Chen Mu's gaze narrowed as he looked toward the sound.

In the depths of the temple hall, the dim candlelight revealed a distorted figure.

Jiang Yuheng stood in the shadows to the left of the shrine, half of his body hidden in the darkness while the other half of his face was illuminated pale by the candlelight. His eyes were blood-red, as if his pupils had been soaked in blood. Combined with that distorted expression, there was not a trace of his usual arrogance left; he looked exactly like a madman.

His hand was tightly gripping Zhuifeng's neck.

The small black dog was kicking its four limbs incessantly, its tail wagging frantically, yet it could not break free from Jiang Yuheng's iron-like grip. It kept letting out "woo-woo" whimpers from its throat, the sound growing weaker and weaker, and its struggles becoming smaller and smaller.

Chen Mu's pupils constricted suddenly, and the temperature around him plummeted.

That chill came so fast and so fiercely that even Qi Huan couldn't help but shiver. He instinctively turned his head to look at Chen Mu; his face remained calm, yet for some reason, the hairs on the back of Qi Huan's neck had already stood up.

Ling Xiaoning, however, could not care about all that.

"Let go of Zhuifeng!"

He shouted angrily and raised his foot to rush inside, but was grabbed by Qi Huan.

"Don't move!"

Qi Huan lowered his voice, staring fixedly at Jiang Yuheng.

Something was wrong, very wrong.

Those eyes were blood-red, not with anger, not with madness, but with a kind of almost trance-like emptiness, as if what stood there was not a person, but a shell controlled by something else.

Meanwhile, Chen Mu's figure flickered, and the soul-slaying blade was already unsheathed.

The blade's light was like a streak of silk, aiming straight for the back of Jiang Yuheng's neck.

This strike held no probing, nor did it leave any leeway, and the sound of the blade cutting through the air was sharp and piercing.

But Jiang Yuheng seemed to have eyes in the back of his head; just as the blade was about to reach him, he suddenly sidestepped, simultaneously drawing his long sword. The sword light flashed, stabbing straight at Chen Mu's throat.

"Clang!"

Blade and sword crossed, sparks flew, and Chen Mu felt a massive force travel from the blade, his web between thumb and index finger slightly numb, causing a shock in his heart.

He had fought Jiang Yuheng before and knew his strength well. He knew that although this person was arrogant, his foundation was solid, but he was definitely not at the level where he could contend with him.

But that sword strike just now, whether it was the speed of the strike or the power attached to the sword, was more than a notch stronger than that day.

Moreover, his strike was fast and ruthless, the sword momentum sharp; it was clearly aimed at taking his life.

Chen Mu did not retreat but advanced instead, slashing the soul-slaying blade horizontally, forcing Jiang Yuheng to retract his sword to block.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Three consecutive strikes, each vicious, each lethal.

Jiang Yuheng received them in a sorry state but managed to withstand them. His swordsmanship was exquisite, his sword momentum continuous. Although he was clearly being suppressed by Chen Mu, he never revealed a fatal flaw.

Chen Mu's gaze deepened slightly. This person not only had good swordsmanship but his footwork was not weak either. Chen Mu had pushed the Divine Void Step to its limit, yet he could only barely contend with him.

At this moment, a figure lunged out from the side.

Ling Xiaoning.

He had somehow circled behind Jiang Yuheng. Taking advantage of the moment Jiang Yuheng was unsteady, he lunged up, wrapping his hands tightly around the arm Jiang Yuheng was using to grip Zhuifeng, pulling down with all his might.

"Let go of Zhuifeng!"

Ling Xiaoning roared, his eyes red. His strength was far inferior to Jiang Yuheng's, but at this moment, he acted as if he didn't care about his life, gritting his teeth hard, his fingernails digging into Jiang Yuheng's flesh, forcing the arm open by a gap.

Zhuifeng also seized this glimmer of hope, struggled violently, broke free from Jiang Yuheng's hand, and fell to the ground, rolling twice.

Jiang Yuheng was instantly enraged, sweeping his sword horizontally to force Ling Xiaoning back, and raised his foot, intending to stomp on Zhuifeng.

But how could Chen Mu let him get his way?

He pushed the Divine Void Step again, his figure flashing like lightning, the soul-slaying blade aiming straight for Jiang Yuheng's back. Jiang Yuheng was forced to turn around to block, and the two fought again.

Ling Xiaoning seized the opportunity to lunge over, scooping Zhuifeng into his arms, and scrambled back toward the temple door.

"Zhuifeng! Zhuifeng!"

He held the little black dog, his voice trembling. Zhuifeng was gasping violently in his arms, its tongue lolling out, the strangulation marks on its neck shocking to the eye, yet those eyes with golden light were still open, looking brightly at Ling Xiaoning.

"Woo-woo..."

Zhuifeng let out a very low whimper, extended its tongue to lick Ling Xiaoning's hand, and then looked longingly toward Chen Mu.

Ling Xiaoning felt a sourness in his nose, his tears almost falling. He hugged Zhuifeng tightly, lifted his head, and looked at the two fighting figures inside the temple.

The battle between Chen Mu and Jiang Yuheng had entered a white-hot stage.

Jiang Yuheng's swordsmanship became increasingly wild, every strike carrying a desperate ruthlessness. His eyes were so red they looked like they were dripping blood, and he gasped incessantly, as if he had lost his sanity, leaving only the instinct to kill.

Chen Mu's blade, however, became increasingly steady. The soul-slaying blade traced dark golden arcs in his hands, each strike precisely blocking Jiang Yuheng's sword, each strike forcing him to reveal a flaw.

The two fought from in front of the shrine to the corner, and from the corner to the door.

Ling Xiaoning huddled by the door, holding Zhuifeng, watching with his heart pounding in fear.

"Chen Mu..."

He murmured, but dared not make a sound, fearing he might disturb Chen Mu.

Chen Mu did not look at him; his gaze remained fixed on Jiang Yuheng.

Zhuifeng was safe, and he originally had no desire to kill the other party.

Although Jiang Yuheng was arrogant and at odds with him, he was, after all, a member of the Demon Suppression Division. The crime of killing a colleague was a major taboo in the Demon Suppression Division. Moreover, the massive Jiang Family stood behind Jiang Yuheng, and he did not want to become their enemy for now.

As long as Jiang Yuheng was willing to stop, as long as he was willing to cease.

Chen Mu forced Jiang Yuheng back with a strike and shouted in a deep voice.

"Jiang Yuheng, Zhuifeng is already safe. Stop now, and let this matter end here."

Jiang Yuheng turned a deaf ear. His hand holding the sword did not tremble in the slightest. He stared fixedly at Chen Mu, as if he hadn't heard his words at all.

The next instant, he lunged forward again, the sword light like a streak of silk, aiming straight for Chen Mu's throat.

Chen Mu dodged to the side, blocked horizontally with the soul-slaying blade, parrying the sword again. His brows furrowed slightly, his voice even deeper.

"Jiang Yuheng!"

Jiang Yuheng still did not respond, only wildly striking, striking, and striking again, each sword strike faster, more ruthless, and sharper than the last.

Chen Mu's blade style also began to change. From the initial defensive counterattacks, it gradually became sharp and aggressive. After every block, there would be a fierce counterattack, and each counterattack forced Jiang Yuheng to retreat repeatedly.

But Jiang Yuheng did not retreat.

He did not retreat, nor did he stop.

Although he was clearly at a disadvantage and had been forced into perilous situations by Chen Mu, he was like a madman, knowing only how to attack, knowing only how to fight, knowing only that he wanted to pierce Chen Mu's body with his sword.

The chill in Chen Mu's eyes grew stronger.

Another sword strike came, the tip aiming straight for his heart. This strike was fast and ruthless; if he were struck, he would undoubtedly die.

Chen Mu did not hesitate any longer. He slashed the soul-slaying blade horizontally, forcing away Jiang Yuheng's long sword, while simultaneously activating the Wind and Rain Induction Mantra. The airflow within three feet of his body changed suddenly, and an invisible wind force propelled his figure, making his speed suddenly increase by a notch.

Jiang Yuheng clearly had not expected this move. His sword momentum was already spent, and he had no time to recover his defense, so he could only watch helplessly as that blade light slashed down.

"Clang!"