Chương 30: Assassination! A Third-Grade Inner Armor Saves Su Zhe's Life!

A Third-Grade Inner Armor Saves Su Zhe's Life!

"Why does it feel like this fish is deliberately luring me?" Su Zhe had been chasing the Rainbow Trout Treasure Fish for nearly fifteen minutes when a sense of unease crept over him. Whenever he burst forward at full speed, the fish accelerated as well. But whenever he deliberately slowed down, the fish slowed down too. What did that mean? It was fishing. The Rainbow Trout Treasure Fish was fishing. And the fish it was trying to catch...... was him. The realization sent a chill down Su Zhe's spine.

Something was wrong. His entire body tensed. The Rainbow Trout Treasure Fish was incredibly valuable, and the prospect of obtaining it had clouded his judgment. Now that he'd calmed down, the situation seemed suspicious from every angle. Cold sweat trickled down his back. Every hair on his body stood on end. Even underwater, the sensation was overwhelming. Suddenly— Splash! The current exploded. A triangular steel trident shot through the water like a striking viper, aimed directly at Su Zhe.

Its razor-sharp prongs flashed with cold light. As it sliced through the river, it produced a shrill, piercing howl. The sound was so intense that Su Zhe's eardrums ached. Sound traveled exceptionally well underwater—faster, in fact, than through air. Su Zhe's heart sank. In an almost impossible motion, he twisted his waist and rotated his body. Barely. Just barely. He dodged the trident. But the torrent generated by its passage struck him like a giant hammer. There really was an ambush!

His body immediately sank toward the riverbed.

"Did I get him?" The masked assassin frowned.

"No internal force. Physical strength and vitality... probably only a Second-Grade martial artist."

"How could a mere Second-Grade warrior keep up with a Rainbow Trout Treasure Fish?"

"Could he be some rare genius born with an affinity for water?" This attacker was none other than Mad Shark. Though his sneak attack had landed, he felt no joy. Something felt off. Still... It didn't matter. If the boy died by his hand, then fate had simply run its course. Mad Shark swam closer. The moment he reached Su Zhe— Su Zhe's tightly shut eyes snapped open. Die! His eyes blazed with fury. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

In his right hand, a fifty-pound forging hammer appeared. The strength of four oxen erupted without restraint. BOOM! The riverbed seemed to explode. White shockwaves tore through the water, turning the surrounding river into a boiling cauldron. Mad Shark's eyes widened.

"He's alive?! How is that possible?!" He nearly lost his mind. He was a Third-Grade martial artist. His attack carried internal force. Even wounded, that strike should have been impossible for anyone below Third Grade to survive. Forget Second Grade. Even among the Third-Grade experts of Lu County, surviving one of his underwater attacks would be a feat worth bragging about for decades. BANG! Mad Shark raised his trident to block. A terrifying force crashed into him. Pfft! He spat out a mouthful of blood.

His heart shook violently. What monstrous strength! The youth possessed no internal force whatsoever. Yet his raw power was absurd. That hammer technique— The Savage Ox Hammer Art!

"Damn it! Since when did Sun Tiexin take in a monster like this?" Mad Shark cursed inwardly. Using the recoil from the collision, he immediately attempted to flee. But at that moment— A stream of light flowed across Su Zhe's body. The Demon-Scale Inner Armor materialized beneath his clothes.

"Trying to run?" Rage surged through Su Zhe.

"If not for Master's Third-Grade inner armor, I'd already be dead!" Since arriving in this world, he had advanced cautiously, calculating every step. Yet today, he had truly brushed against death. This man had used the Rainbow Trout Treasure Fish as bait to lure him into an assassination attempt. And he had almost succeeded. There were several reasons Su Zhe had survived. First, his body was extraordinarily powerful. Second, he had sensed danger in advance and remained on guard.

Third, the Third-Grade inner armor stored within the Creation Immortal Cauldron had dramatically enhanced his defenses. All three factors were essential. Remove any one of them, and he would have died. The thought only fueled his fury. His forging hammer swept wildly through the water. The power of four oxen erupted. The riverbed exploded into clouds of mud and shattered stone, turning the entire area murky. Mad Shark was affected as well.

Caught in the chaotic currents, he was tossed about like a dead leaf in a storm. Su Zhe seized the opening. He struck after his opponent's movement had already begun. Savage Ox Horn Charge! A martial killing technique. Gathering every ounce of strength into a single attack, Su Zhe hurled the forging hammer. Mad Shark's speed had been drastically reduced by the turbulent currents. With no choice, he spun his trident rapidly, forming a defensive vortex before him. BOOM! CRACK! His right arm shattered instantly.

The trident flew from his grasp.

"Monster!" Mad Shark's face turned pale.

"How old is this kid? Has he already mastered the Savage Ox Hammer Art?" As one of the former overlords of Lu County, he knew the major factions and their most talented disciples. Yet he had never heard of a genius remotely comparable to this boy. Realizing he couldn't win, Mad Shark endured the agony of his broken arm and forcefully circulated a final burst of internal force. His legs kicked. Invisible energy erupted through the water. The recoil launched him forward like an arrow.

"Just my luck..."

"Of all people, I had to run into a monster."

"But I've survived on these waters my entire life. If I want to escape, he can't stop me!" Steadying his nerves, Mad Shark transformed his body movements into those of a fish, weaving and darting through the water with astonishing speed. Meanwhile, Su Zhe's heartbeat thundered in his chest. That was internal force. He's really a Third-Grade martial artist. And now... I'm about to kill a Third-Grade expert. He activated the Flood Dragon Sea-Entering Technique. Wave-Stepping Sprint. Flood Dragon Tail Sweep.

Every muscle in Su Zhe's body rippled like scales. His muscles contracted and expanded rhythmically. His legs churned ceaselessly. His body became supple and fluid, resembling a dragon swimming through the depths. White currents exploded behind him. The distance between the two rapidly shrank. Closer. Closer. And closer still. Mad Shark glanced backward. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

"The Flood Dragon Sea-Entering Technique!"

"That's the Flood Dragon Sea-Entering Technique!"

"How can he have reached the Minor Mastery stage?"

"I stole that technique from Sword-Forging Manor and spent five years training it. Even now I haven't reached Minor Mastery!"

"How is this possible?!" The technique was unmistakable. He knew it better than anyone. The Flood Dragon Sea-Entering Technique was notoriously difficult to learn. After five years of effort, Mad Shark had only barely reached the entry level. If he had achieved Minor Mastery, he would likely have broken through to Fourth Grade long ago instead of ending up in his current miserable state. Yet this youth wielded it with ease.

"Is he from Sword-Forging Manor?"

"No... impossible."

"He's definitely a disciple of Sun Tiexin. That hammer technique proves it."

"Then where did he learn the Flood Dragon Sea-Entering Technique?" Suddenly, realization struck.

"I understand now!"

"Wang Shan wasn't lying."

"Huang Mazi really was killed by this kid!" The countless clues swirling in his mind suddenly connected, igniting a single horrifying conclusion. At that moment, Su Zhe caught up. He appeared directly behind Mad Shark. His eyes were cold. Bottomless. Like an abyss. Mad Shark forced himself to remain calm.

"The kid is strange, but he's lost his weapon."

"At worst, I'll take a few punches and kicks."

"Once we reach shore, there might still be a chance to survive."

"If necessary, I'll beg for mercy." A man like him knew when to bend. He had dominated Lu County for years and hadn't survived this long through pride alone. Yet as he turned around— His expression froze. Terror flooded his eyes. Su Zhe slowly raised a hand. Divine light gathered in his palm. Then— A savage, killing-intent-filled saber materialized out of thin air.