Star Martial Era: The Way of Star Light Cultivation-Chapter 52 - 48 Desperation and Strangulation

You take everyone and retreat the way we came, make a quick escape back to Heshui County on fast horses.

A one-star warhorse’s speed can’t be matched by them.

As long as you escape to the Heshui County Government, they wouldn’t dare to attack there…”

Boom!

Niu Gui hadn’t finished his instructions.

Then suddenly, a loud crash sounded.

A hundred meters behind the group, a massive boulder had fallen, and several tall pear trees, branches and leaves included, were thrown down, instantly blocking the escape route.

A bare-chested man with starlight shimmering on his chest leaped down from the high ground, clapped his hands, and sat cross-legged on the boulder, placing his Iron Rod horizontally across his knees, and then he just quietly watched Niu Gui and his group.

Blocked in front, escape route cut off behind, and now facing a Star Refining Realm expert, every disciple’s face was white, some already sweating on their foreheads.

Niu Gui turned to stare intently at the bare-chested man, “Xiong Tiegun, you, at the Seventh Layer of Dining Dawn, instead of thinking about Star Casting, you’ve also come to muddy the waters?”

“Somebody promised me one visit to the Star-picking Tower, so I came!” Xiong Tiegun replied calmly.

“You believe that?”

“I can only choose to believe.

Otherwise, I have no opportunity to enter the Star-picking Tower to Star Cast!” Xiong Tiegun said.

Niu Gui snorted coldly, then turned his gaze to Yue Chong, “Yue Chong, you at Second Layer of Star Refining, and the lot of you, daring to ambush us Star Patrol Guards, aren’t you afraid that after this the Governor will exterminate all of you?

Do you really think the Governor’s nickname ‘Blood Slaughter’ is for nothing?”

Yue Chong stood with his arms crossed, also smiling, “Of course, I’m afraid.

But Blood Slaughter’s fearsome reputation is limited to Jinshan County.

Kill all of you, get the reward, and I’ll leave Jinshan County immediately.

What can Blood Slaughter do to me then?”

“All of you think this way?” Niu Gui looked around at everyone.

Some averted their gaze, but soon they looked back determinedly.

“Yue Chong, can you spare us a way out?

Do you know what these scumbags have done?

Not to mention the pillaging and rape, there are children who are…”

“What’s that to me!”

Yue Chong interrupted Niu Gui bluntly, “Talking about justice with me, have you forgotten how Military Governor Tian earned the name Blood Slaughter?”

“Niu Gui, we’ve met and I respect you as a man.

Make your choice.

Hand over everything, all the valuables, and I’ll make your end quick.” Yue Chong issued the ultimatum without mincing words.

In the time it took for this conversation, Niu Gui gave rapid instructions to Xu Jin in a low voice, “Among the other seven people, there is one at the Sixth Layer of Dining Dawn, another at the Fifth Layer.

The rest are all between the Fourth and Third Layers.

There’s no chance of winning.

I’ll charge back in a moment to engage Xiong Tiegun.

When Yue Chong comes after me, I’ll use the Star Emblem to stop him.

You take the opportunity to get past the barricade and retreat.

Don’t look back.

Save as many as you can.”

In that moment, Niu Gui had come to a resolution to die.

He wanted to buy some time for others, but how many could escape depended on fate.

And the reason he gave these instructions wasn’t just to help Xu Jin escape.

More than that, from below him in rank, Xu Jin had the strongest practical combat ability, only slightly inferior to his own, and he was quick-witted; the highest likelihood to survive and get out.

As long as Xu Jin could survive, not only would he be able to complete the Governor’s mission, but Niu Gui’s letters and wealth could also be safely delivered to his family, and they might even be taken care of in the future.

“Yue Chong, let’s make a deal.

We’ll hand over all the goods and valuables, I’ll stay behind, let these kids go.

They’re only in their teens,” Niu Gui continued to parley.

While parleying, he began ordering the young ones, “Come on, hand over all your valuables,” while at the same time winking at them, actually signaling for the youngsters to spread out, to make it easier to turn their horses when the moment came.

The horses might not be able to break through, but a charge could create enough chaos to make an opportunity.

Xu Jin took only half a second to make up his mind.

There was no need to hide and protect what he had to save his own life.

If he kept what could save his life and just watched Niu Gui go to his death, Xu Jin would never forgive himself for the rest of his life.

“Brother Niu, we can try another way,” Xu Jin suddenly spoke up.

“Hm?”

Still trying to create a chance for the young disciples to escape, Niu Gui paused for a moment, “In this situation, fancy tactics won’t help, the strength gap is too big.”

Niu Gui thought Xu Jin was unwilling to give up and wanted to try a different tactic for one last fight, but what Xu Jin said next made him freeze.

“Brother Niu, I also have one of those, it should be able to kill him,” Xu Jin said, glancing over at Yue Chong.

A burst of surprise filled Niu Gui’s eyes.

That was the surprise of moving from death to life.

Aside from being astonished, he was a bit incredulous, “Really?”

Xu Jin nodded in affirmation.

On the other side, Yue Chong was growing impatient, “Niu Gui, quit stalling for time with these tricks.

No reinforcements are coming!

Don’t blame me for not giving you a chance, ten more breaths.

Decide whether you want to leave a whole corpse or die without a burial place!”

The next instant, Yue Chong called out, leading the seven Dining Dawn Realm cultivators who had been behind him.

They jumped down from the boulder and slowly began advancing.

Xiong Tiegun remained seated on the giant rock a hundred meters behind, his iron rod across his knees, seemingly determined to seal off the retreat and not engage in the battle for the time being.

Opportunity!

“Fuck!”

“To be whole in death is to still die, to fight is also to die!

If death awaits either way, I’ll risk it all just to take a chunk out of you!”

With a roar, Xu Jin leapt down from his horse and charged toward his fellows, shouting, “Brothers, death is certain either way, let’s fight them!”

“Let’s fight!”

“Goddamn it, let’s fight!”

Qian Xiaohu, Song Ye, and Qiao Ruonan swiftly dismounted and joined Xu Jin, their eyes burning red with fervor.

Their spirit ignited the same fire in the other disciples.

This caused Yue Chong’s expression to change.

Although he was powerful, his main adversary was Niu Gui of the Sixth Layer of Dining Dawn, a seasoned military man known for his ferocity in battle, boasting achievements as impressive as combating those from the Star Casting Realm.

Now clad in armor and with assistance, even if Yue Chong could slay Niu Gui, it was estimated that he would pay a heavy price.

Yue Chong had earlier sought to crush their spirits to eliminate them with minimal cost.

He had to defeat them with the least cost possible.

Because after dispatching them, he, Yue Chong, would need to flee far from Jinshan County.

The fearsome reputation of Blood Slaughter was not unfounded.

But now, it was clear he had failed.

Seeing Xu Jin jump out first, Yue Chong thought of killing him instantly to set an example, “Courageous fool, since you’re so eager to die, I’ll slaughter you first, then the others!”

While he spoke, starlight erupted around Yue Chong, who then accelerated toward Xu Jin.

The seven men behind him tried to keep up but were significantly slower.

“You cover me, I’ll make the move!”

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Xu Jin whispered just six words and Niu Gui understood instantly.

“Fuck, might as well die gloriously, let’s fight!”

Facing the ferocious onrush of Yue Chong from the Star Refining Realm, Xu Jin didn’t back down, instead sped up to meet him head-on.

Simultaneously, Niu Gui shouted and charged from the side toward Yue Chong, “Yue, you’re up against me!”

Behind them, Xiong Tiegun sat unmoving on the boulder, his iron rod across his lap.

Clearly, he believed that as long as the rear was blocked, Yue Chong could handle everyone.

“Court death!”

Watching Xu Jin and Niu Gui rush toward him, Yue Chong sneered through gritted teeth and increased his speed.

His long sword cleaved downward, emitting a three-meter-long blade light aimed at Niu Gui.

Niu Gui rolled away to dodge, but Yue Chong’s sword, spewing three meters of starlight, relentlessly pursued Niu Gui like a shadow.

Niu Gui raised his sword to block.

In just one clash, Niu Gui’s standard-issue long sword was sliced in half by Yue Chong.

Desperate, Niu Gui thrust forward a Star Shield to fend off the blade light, while in his left hand, a pattern suddenly appeared.

A Star Emblem glittering with starlight.

“I knew it!”

Yue Chong, who had been wary of Niu Gui’s move, instantly retreated like lightning when he saw the Star Emblem in Niu Gui’s hand, and simultaneously slashed his sword repeatedly, each strike forming a Star Shield floating before him.

It was at this moment.

As Xu Jin, about to engage with another Sixth Layer Loose Cultivator, suddenly stepped back and to the side, he threw the Vortex Blade Emblem he had been holding, infusing it with Star Power.

Almost the moment the Vortex Blade Emblem was thrown, infused with Star Power, it instantly erupted into a massive Blade Wheel, measuring over one meter in height and two meters in width.

Spinning rapidly, the Blade Wheel thunderously hurtled toward Yue Chong.

Yue Chong had indeed been keeping an eye on Xu Jin, a necessary precaution on the battlefield.

But when Niu Gui’s Star Emblem appeared, Yue Chong prepared defensively against him alone—after all, that was a potent killing device.

A moment’s distraction could cost him his life!

And unexpectedly, from the side came a Blade Wheel.

The powerful aura of Star Power forced Yue Chong to swiftly turn, and in that instant, he saw the dazzling Blade Wheel, like a flash of starlight, bearing down on him.

Too late for much reaction, he directed all his Star Power toward his chest where a Star Shield instantly congealed.

A basic Star Shield.

This was one of the few Star Skills Yue Chong could cast instantaneously.

But it was useless.

Under the impact of the Starlight Blade Wheel crafted by Ning Yuchan herself, Yue Chong’s basic Star Shield was shattered in an instant.

The next moment, Yue Chong’s Inner Armor and entire body were sliced into more than ten sections by the Blade Wheel, then pulverized.

After decimating Yue Chong, the Blade Wheel’s residual force blasted into the nearby hillside, scattering rubble.

Everyone was shocked by this sudden turn.

No one had expected Yue Chong, a great Second Layer expert of the Star Refining Realm, to be killed by this mere youth.

However, while Niu Gui was surprised, his actions didn’t stop.

He knew the crisis wasn’t over yet—the remaining bandits were still formidable.

Almost the instant Yue Chong was shredded by the Blade Wheel, Niu Gui lunged forward, immediately infusing Star Power into the Star Burst Emblem he held, throwing it, and slightly guiding it with Divine Soul Power.

The next moment, a burst of starlight exploded beside two closely positioned Loose Cultivators!