Chapter 252: Chapter 147 Zhao Honglie’s Transformation Zhao Honglie had given Qian Jin quite a few silver notes earlier, but now that they were in his pocket, there was naturally no reason to hand them back! Qian Jin didn’t care whether Zhao Honglie truly had no money or was just pretending. If Zhao Honglie had money, he’d kill him and split it with Bai Yuqi; if not, taking Zhao Honglie’s life would at least give Bai Yuqi an explanation. Either way, Qian Jin stood to gain without losing. Qian Jin was ruthless. Just days ago, he was sharing drinks and calling Zhao Honglie a brother, yet now, as he attacked, there wasn’t a hint of mercy. The steel fork in his hand repeatedly stabbed toward Zhao Honglie’s kidneys, buttocks, and groin—those critical parts. Zhao Honglie realized that reconciliation was impossible now. As a bandit, the kind of fearless ferocity unique to those who had nothing to lose surged forth. His teeth clenched lightly as the Boiling Blood Pill hidden beneath his jaw was swallowed. Although the Boiling Blood Pill didn’t greatly enhance someone at the Bronze Bone Realm, Zhao Honglie had no other choices at this moment! A slight increase in strength was a slight increase in his chances of survival! The Boiling Blood Pill took effect; the powerful surge of vitality around him formed a faint blood mist. Zhao Honglie moved. His legs bent as he launched upward with tremendous force, his long blade raised high before hacking downward with full might. The blade glimmered with red light, and a chilling sense of malice spread in all directions. Clang! The long blade struck Qian Jin’s steel fork, producing a crisp ringing sound. In the next moment, the steel fork in his hands snapped into several pieces. This steel fork was the one Qian Jin had bought at a merchant’s shop during his trip to Red Cloud Prefecture for eight thousand taels. Though it couldn’t compare to his previous weapon, it was still top-tier among ordinary steel gear. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect Zhao Honglie’s strength to reach such terrifying levels! The fat on Qian Jin’s chubby face trembled uncontrollably, his eyes flashing with panic. Zhao Honglie didn’t pause for a second after landing the blow. His steps shifted and his long blade danced wildly. Guided by his movements, the malice and blood-tinged aura enveloping him transformed into arcs of Sword Qi resembling crescent moons! These arcs carried immense destructive power; as his blade swung, the wooden corridors nearby were instantly shattered into splinters. Though Qian Jin was corpulent, the martial arts he practiced focused on stealth and assassination. This kind of direct confrontation was far from his forte, and with his weapon broken, he found himself on the losing side, retreating in a state of panic. "Ah! Ow, damn it, that hurts like hell!" Suddenly, Qian Jin let out a sharp scream. Unable to dodge in time, Zhao Honglie’s blade slashed against his leg. Despite Zhao Honglie’s sheer power, the long blade in his hands was just an ordinary smith-forged tool. While it sliced through Qian Jin’s flesh, it wasn’t enough to sever his leg bone. Bronze Bone Realm martial artists had bones tougher than iron armor, and Qian Jin’s own physique contributed as well. His layers of fat served some purpose after all, helping to absorb much of the impact. Otherwise, while his leg bone might not have shattered, he’d have been disabled for a while. Zhao Honglie was seeing red now. Watching Qian Jin injured only made his attacks grow harsher. Qian Jin cried out and rolled away like a meatball. Evading another attack, Qian Jin glanced angrily at Bai Yuqi, who remained rooted in place. "Are you planning to help or just stand there? This bastard’s been hiding his skills; he’s stronger than both of us! Neither of us is in peak condition right now. If he takes us out one by one, you won’t fare any better!" Bai Yuqi looked at his pierced hand and sneered, "Alright, alright, I’m coming now!" Reaching into his robe, Bai Yuqi drew out another batch of refined iron feathers. "Heh, let’s see if anyone else in this little town of Canghe County can survive my Thousand Feather Sakura Illusion Kill!" With a sudden motion, Bai Yuqi whipped his hand forward, sending the iron feathers flying. Instantly, they split into three separate streams attacking Zhao Honglie from different angles. Confronting the Thousand Feather Sakura Illusion Kill head-on for the first time, Zhao Honglie finally understood the overwhelming power of this top-tier martial arts technique! Every iron feather carried an aura that made his heart tremble with fear. Zhao Honglie’s expression turned grim as he swung his long blade faster and faster, the dense blood mist and malicious aura forming a thin shield before him. "Thud thud thud!" Zhao Honglie had underestimated the destructive force of the Thousand Feather Sakura Illusion Kill. Over a dozen iron feathers easily pierced through the aura shield. While his blade managed to knock away a few, the rest struck him squarely. More than ten refined iron feathers embedded themselves in Zhao Honglie’s limbs and torso, the searing pain causing his grip on the blade to weaken. With a metallic clunk, the weapon dropped to the ground. Half-kneeling in agony, Zhao Honglie relied on sheer willpower alone not to collapse entirely. "Clap clap!" "Impressive, impressive! No wonder it’s a top-tier martial art!" Having roughly patched up the wound on his leg, Qian Jin watched in awe, couldn’t help but applaud, giving words of praise. Bai Yuqi heard this and smirked, his eyes brimming with arrogance. "Of course! This is a top-tier martial art!" "Enough talk! Finish him off and let’s collect the money! Something feels off about Canghe County—I’ve had this constant feeling of being watched!" While the Thousand Feather Sakura Illusion Kill was powerful, its stamina drain was equally severe. Having come all the way from Canghe County without much rest, Bai Yuqi was already feeling fatigued. Leaning against a pillar, he urged Qian Jin to finish the job. Having been struck by so many iron feathers, Zhao Honglie had practically lost all combat ability; even his breathing had become faint and weak. For an easy kill like this, Qian Jin certainly wasn’t going to refuse.