Chapter Seventy: Pursuit and Escape

This barbarian’s head and face sprouted white fur, resembling a fox... Classmate Zhang Xiaorou once said that fox barbarians and tree barbarians excelled at concealment—even if you spoke to them face-to-face, you would never realize their true identity. She was absolutely right. Once exposed, the strength of this foe increased dramatically... From behind, a fierce wind howled as a tail, like a whip or staff, lashed through the air with astonishing speed.

“This must be your final desperate killing move? Then I won’t play with you any longer.”

With his opponent’s power surging after revealing his true form, and following a string of ruthless battles, Xiao Nan had fully fused his martial experience from his previous life with all he had learned in this world. The frenzied assault from this fox barbarian became the perfect catalyst for that transformation.

In his previous life, Xiao Nan had mastered the art of channeling force, making his entire body capable of both hardness and softness in perfect harmony. He could strike with a single strand of hair, or unleash power from every inch of his skin.

Such mastery of force was the pinnacle of both hardness and softness in this world. Before, he had been unable to use it only because of physical limitations and a lack of bodily control. Now, every movement was at his command, his energy circulating freely and without obstruction.

As the fox tail struck from behind, Xiao Nan did not dodge. Instead, he drew in his chest and arched his back, thrusting himself backward.

His back swelled, muscles bunching.

The fox’s tail crashed down as if striking leather, bouncing off with a sharp snap.

“Other than being much faster and cleverer, this fox barbarian is far behind the bear barbarian in strength and defense, and has little in the way of technique,” Xiao Nan judged silently. “All in all, easier to handle than the one at the bookstore.”

Abandoning any further thought of probing, he shifted his sword technique. Before him, sword shadows overlapped like a mountain, weaving a dense net that flashed with thunder and lightning.

With a low shout, a sudden silver light flared—the flying dagger was sliced to fragments with a crisp, ringing clang.

Shards scattered, peppering the walls with countless tiny holes.

With the recoil from that sword, Xiao Nan slammed backwards, his back swelling, meeting the fox tail head-on.

Boom...

Like a war drum, the impact resounded. The white-robed fox barbarian cried out in pain, several bones broken by the shock.

Blood welled from his lips, terror filling his eyes. No longer daring to attack, he kicked off the chandelier, body darting away.

The curtains billowed open, letting in a cool breeze. The room seemed empty.

A figure leapt through the air, plummeting fast.

This time, he meant to escape.

Having unleashed all his skills, Xiao Nan had shattered the fox barbarian’s steel-whip tail with a single strike, wounding his foe. How could he now allow him to flee?

Today, he had used his unique swordsmanship and movement skills. Though he had disguised himself, given enough analysis and investigation, his identity would inevitably be uncovered.

Even aside from security, a barbarian hiding in Yuanjiang City and weaving conspiracies must have some grand scheme.

Letting this foe escape would be to invite endless trouble.

And after all, when humans and barbarians meet, it’s always a matter of life and death.

One needs no excuse to kill a barbarian.

With a single bound, Xiao Nan shadowed his prey to the window, not pausing even for a moment, diving out after him.

His sword flashed like a wheel as he spun, slashing downward with blinding speed.

A wet, slicing sound—the fox barbarian howled in agony. His tail was severed at the root, a long wound appearing down his back.

Forced to defend with his tail in midair, he could do nothing against the sharpness of Xiao Nan’s chrysanthemum-patterned steel blade.

Gone was the ferocity and mockery from before. Landing, the fox barbarian rolled and sprang forward, not looking back, bounding low and fast toward a nearby alley.

Two shocked cries rang out in the street—a man and woman entwined in an embrace screeched at the nightmarish sight.

Xiao Nan landed without caring if anyone saw him. Sword in hand, his eyes fixed solely on the wounded fox barbarian. He stamped down, stone fragments scattering as he dashed after his quarry.

Twice now in one day he had sprinted—once to save his sister, now to hunt. At this rate, he thought wryly, he ought to change his name to Xiao Runner.

Yet as he ran, his heart pounded, blood surging, energy coursing through every limb and bone. He felt his body utterly unburdened, filled with an exhilarating vitality.

It seemed as if he were born to run wild across forests and grasslands, every cell awakened, able to sense the dance of the wind and the gentle fall of rain.

At some point, a fine, misty rain had begun to fall. In wind and rain, he ran ever faster.

He had chased the fox for over four hundred meters, through three alleys and two broad streets, until their paths converged once more.

“Even a fox can’t outrun me now. I must be invincible,” Xiao Nan thought with a wry smile, though a chill of murderous intent rose in his heart.

Wind and rain—perfect weather for slaying barbarians.

The alley opened onto a broad expanse—a wide lawn, an artificial lake shimmering with clear ripples. In the distance, a cluster of grand white buildings gleamed like palaces.

Lawns, lakes, rock gardens, guard towers...

Whose residence was this, to be so lavish?

Xiao Nan had never been here before; unfamiliar with Yuanjiang City, he could still tell this was no ordinary neighborhood.

Luxury cars lined up by the lakeshore, gleaming blue, green, and silver under the soft yellow lamps.

Not far off, near a rock garden, a six-story white octagonal tower stood silent, a hidden red light pulsing within.

Using a scenic tower as a guard post—how novel.

The fox barbarian was running straight for this estate. Blood streamed down his back, but joy appeared on his face, and his pace quickened.

A final burst of effort.

Xiao Nan, with his keen senses, noted this and felt a pang of doubt.

“Does he think rescue awaits him? Are there more barbarians inside?”

Everything he had learned—from school and from Zhang Xiaorou’s gossip—said that barbarians were beasts reviled and hunted in the human world, forced to hide like rats in the dark.

Yet this scene belied that: this fox barbarian wore a tailored suit, dabbed with perfume, sipping red wine...

He lived well, spoke fluent Imperial, hardly the image of a hunted creature.

It was laughable!

Xiao Nan felt as if an invisible net was cast over Yuanjiang City. This was no mere collusion with barbarians, but a brazen occupation...

What shocking secrets lay behind this, he neither wished to know nor had the right to meddle in.

For now, all he wanted was to cut down the fox barbarian who thought he had found hope.

“Kill...”

Xiao Nan’s face flushed crimson, his limbs suddenly swelling with power, cold light glinting in his eyes.

He had used this blood-burning attack once before, escaping the blood-ritual house by sacrificing his body and burning his energy for a burst of power. It could not last long—soon his energy would fade, leaving him weak.

But now, with the situation so dire, he held nothing back.

With a sharp shout, Xiao Nan leapt like a tiger, a faint, bloody wind trailing behind. With a flick of his toes, his sword traced a snow-bright arc, slicing the air, leaving a thin, pale ripple.

“No—”

The fox barbarian’s white-furred face still bore traces of hope, but despair swiftly filled his eyes.

He roared, twisting his body and diving for the ground.

A soft sound—though his body leaped forth, his head flew into the air, blood spraying.