"Wildfire!"
The masked man's tiger mouth trembled. This move, a horizontal slash, required extreme coordination of the body and muscles, with the tip of the foot as the pivot. He had spent about a week just learning the 'form' of this single move!
Yet, the man before him had learned two moves in half a day, or less than half a day. Such talent was unparalleled in the Chi Xiao Sect, even surpassing the Sect Leader himself!
This was the kind of talent every cultivator dreamed of.
However, it was also true that Ren Yuanhao possessed a heaven-blessed system, and the system maiden had created a phantom space for him. The cultivation time within was completely different from the outside world. Without this advantage, Ren Yuanhao wouldn't have been able to learn even a single move.
"How about it? I told you, I know more than just one move!"
Ren Yuanhao withdrew his slightly trembling right hand. The irreconcilable amplitude generated by the collision of the two blades was causing him immense discomfort, but it didn't stop him from feigning toughness.
Just then, the masked man suddenly realized a crucial issue – the man before him seemed to have never used any special abilities!
He grinned suddenly (though Ren Yuanhao couldn't see it, he could hear a cold snort from beneath the mask). "Hey, you're an ability user after all. Are you really going to duel me with just swords today, without using any abilities? If that's the case, you'd better be careful. I'm about to get serious!"
Hearing the masked man, Ren Yuanhao suddenly felt pathetic. Although his previous ability sounded like a cool system ability, it didn't seem to have practical significance in combat compared to abilities like 'teleportation' or 'ocular arts'. The second ability, 'devour', was even more troublesome; he still didn't know what it was. As for the third, he couldn't even get a hint from the system!
All in all, he had no combat-oriented abilities he could show off.
Yet, despite this, Ren Yuanhao had to put on a show of having 'awesome abilities'. He said dismissively, "To deal with scum like you, I need to use my abilities? Do you really think I hold you in high regard?"
"Very well, don't come crying to me for mercy later!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the masked man lunged like a coiled spring. His figure flashed and suddenly vanished. Ren Yuanhao could only rely on his extremely powerful agility perception. The true qi within him surged like a vast ocean, wave after wave flowing into his limbs. The Dragon Soaring Claw was already prepared.
—To the right?
Ren Yuanhao seemed to hear the rustling of straw from the grass to his right. But when he looked closely, a chill ran down his spine!
There, hiding, was a little girl of only seven or eight years old!
"Shhh!"
Ren Yuanhao raised a finger towards that direction. But at that very moment, with his defenses exposed, the masked man wouldn't waste such an opportunity. He unleashed a mid-air slash, showing no mercy.
By the time Ren Yuanhao sensed the masked man's blade intent, he was already half a beat too late. And at this critical moment, Ren Yuanhao felt his vision blur uncontrollably. He felt as if he was being pulled by an invisible vortex into an extremely dark space, and slowly closed his eyes.
"Die!"
The little girl hiding in the grass suddenly crawled out from the gap, only to be pulled back by a small hand, her mouth covered tightly. Looking closely, there was another boy, almost her age, wearing tattered clothes and with his face full of scrapes.
As they watched Ren Yuanhao about to be cut in half by the masked man, they couldn't help but close their eyes, forcing themselves to remain silent.
But at that moment, Ren Yuanhao, who had been waiting to die with his head bowed, suddenly came back to life. As he turned his head, the masked man had a fleeting sense of being stared at by a cornered demon. This gaze caused his blade to falter for half a beat!
However, even with that slight hesitation, the blow was enough to lop off his head.
At this moment, a cold moon hung in the sky, the wind was sharp like a knife, the heavens and earth were somber, and a bleak desolation filled the air.
But just as the blade was still four or five centimeters away from Ren Yuanhao, the masked man's blade seemed to be forcefully stopped by something invisible, unable to advance any further!
"Heh, this guy actually acquired such a formidable ability~"
Ren Yuanhao's voice was a little low, but it was precisely this tone that made the masked man, frozen in mid-air, turn pale with shock.
The masked man quickly retracted his blade, having already spotted the two children who had been hiding. It was precisely these two children that had caused him to reveal a flaw. He thought, could those two be his relatives or someone important? With these two...
With this thought, the masked man flashed, grabbed the girl, and slowly walked out from the grass, lifting her by her collar.
"Let me go, you pervert! Let me go!"
The little girl dangled in the air, flailing her limbs, trying to grab onto anything for leverage to alleviate her fear. The boy also chased out, but he couldn't possibly match the masked man's speed.
"Kid, I don't know what just happened, but I seem to have found something fun."
As the masked man dangled the little girl, he felt a sting on his leg as if from an ant. He saw that it was another boy, using his last weapon – his teeth – to gnaw at his leg.
"Little brat, are you looking for a beating?"
With a casual punch from the masked man, the boy was sent flying two or three meters. The boy, like a kite with a broken string, fell onto the soft grass, straw covering half his body.
"Brother!" The little girl turned her head to look at the boy lying in the grass, tears streaming down her face. Her limbs scratched frantically, but she couldn't break free from the masked man's grip.
Seeing this, Ren Yuanhao suddenly clutched his head. "Hmph, my consciousness clearly didn't want to save them, but that kid's consciousness was too strong and started interfering with me. So, if that's the case," Ren Yuanhao seemed to be talking to himself as he pointed at the masked man, his eyes as cold as knives, and said in a muffled voice, "Let go of that girl, or the consequences will be dire."
The masked man chuckled, "Sure, come and get her yourself!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the masked man tossed the girl high into the air. The moonlight slanted across her, making her look like an ascending angel.
But this angel would likely be smashed to pieces once she landed.
Ren Yuanhao rushed forward. Using only his true qi and the Dragon Soaring Claw, his skill was nowhere near his previous level. However, for the masked man, as long as this man dared to save the little girl, his plan would already be more than half successful!
"Seeking death."
As the masked man's voice fell, he suddenly vanished from his spot. In the next instant, Ren Yuanhao barely managed to catch the falling little girl. Simultaneously, he felt a radiant cyan light descend from above!
"Ocular Art: Jade Eye Sight!"