Chương 31: Su Zhe Actually Killed One of Lu County’s Overlords?!

The river churned violently. Mad Shark froze for a split second. Those weapons... Where had this kid pulled them from? It was as if he had conjured them out of thin air. Once again— He had miscalculated. Slash! Mad Shark's head separated from his body. Blood spread through the river. He was dead. The King of the River Bandits of Lu County—a man who had escaped repeated hunts by the Canal Guild, the Blacksmiths' Guild, and even the government itself—had finally met his end. Not at the hands of any great power.

But on the floor of the Su River. Killed by an unknown nobody named Su Zhe. The Rainbow Trout Spirit Fish watched as its master died and the river turned red with blood. Disoriented, it lost all sense of direction. A large hand suddenly shot forward. The fish tried to flee. Crunch! Its skull shattered in a single grip. The river surface had only just calmed when it exploded upward again. A towering column of water erupted several meters into the air. Su Zhe burst from the river.

His hair hung wet and disheveled across his forehead. His face showed obvious fatigue, and he gulped down deep breaths. Yet his back remained straight. His gaze was sharp as an eagle's. At his feet lay: A severed head. A corpse. A steel trident. And a Rainbow Trout Spirit Fish. After climbing ashore, Su Zhe caught the scent of smoke. Following it, he discovered a hidden waterside cave.

"So this was the bandit's hideout?"

"Cleverly concealed. No roads lead here, and the area is surrounded by water like an isolated island."

"A perfect place to lure someone in and kill them." With a cold smile, Su Zhe carried all his spoils into the cave. He was curious why the man had wanted him dead. Very curious. But he also knew his limits. Anyone capable of devising such a vicious trap was not someone he could safely interrogate or control. Curiosity could easily get him killed. Shaking his head, Su Zhe dismissed the thought.

In the novels and dramas of his previous life, heroes often captured enemies, reformed them, or even turned them into loyal allies. To Su Zhe, that was nonsense. Moments earlier, if he had hesitated to kill the man, then once the bandit recovered, the one lying dead would have been him. Even if he had somehow subdued him alive, Su Zhe had no confidence he could avoid being manipulated by such a schemer. Recalling the desperate underwater battle, he still felt lingering fear.

A Third-Rank martial artist possessed Internal Force capable of leaving the body and striking from a distance. Such warriors were far beyond ordinary fighters. It was a risk he dared not take. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"That man's swimming ability was terrifying, though he seemed to be carrying an old injury."

"If I hadn't equipped water-affinity gear and cultivated the Flood Dragon Diving Art to the Minor Mastery stage, I would be the dead one." Sitting on a stone inside the cave, Su Zhe slowly exhaled. The life-and-death struggle had given him new insights into martial arts. But the danger of it still left him shaken. Just as the novels from his previous world often said: Life-and-death combat accelerated martial progress. But one mistake meant total defeat—and a one-way trip to reincarnation.

After calming himself, dizziness washed over him. His blood vitality had been severely depleted. Fortunately, the cave had been the bandit's residence. There was a crude stone stove along with basic cooking utensils. Very convenient. Su Zhe cleaned the Rainbow Trout Spirit Fish, scooped up a ladle of river water, and soon prepared a pot of fragrant fish soup. His appetite was monstrous. The fish weighed at least twenty pounds. Within minutes, he devoured every scrap of meat and drained the soup clean.

Soon afterward, his blood vitality began boiling inside his body. His skin flushed crimson.

"Time to train!" Su Zhe immediately recognized what was happening. The medicinal power contained within the Rainbow Trout Spirit Fish was simply too potent. Even a Third-Rank martial artist would gain tremendous benefits from consuming one. For a Second-Rank warrior like him, the effects were overwhelming. The Demon Tiger God-Slaying Saber Art erupted into motion. Cold saber light flashed. Murderous intent filled the air. The Savage Bull Rock-Splitting Hammer followed. Martial killing techniques exploded forth.

Each strike carried the force to shatter mountains. He trained for a full hour. Only then did Su Zhe finally settle down. His cultivation had advanced to the middle stage of Second Rank. More importantly, his Demon Tiger Saber Art had broken through to the Intermediate Mastery stage in one leap. Su Zhe's talent was now nothing short of monstrous. His natural aptitude was already approaching Grade A. With his equipment bonuses stacked on top, it nearly reached the upper limits of Grade A talent.

He had long since cultivated the Demon Tiger God-Slaying Saber Art to Minor Mastery. Now, empowered by the Rainbow Trout Spirit Fish and the martial memories stored within the Demon Tiger Saber itself, he successfully pushed the technique into Intermediate Mastery.

"This saber is truly extraordinary."

"The martial memories within it can guide me all the way to Major Mastery. Beyond that, I'll need a true Martial Killing Move to deduce the final Perfection stage." A Martial Killing Move... Only Wang Shan of the Breaking Army Hall—or a few core disciples—possessed such techniques. Su Zhe's eyes flickered thoughtfully. Ever since learning that the Flood Dragon Diving Art was connected to the Breaking Army Hall, he had felt uneasy. Wang Shan was not someone he trusted.

Which made obtaining a Martial Killing Move much more difficult. At Minor Mastery, the Demon Tiger God-Slaying Saber Art granted the Tiger's Majesty Manifestation. Without anger, one inspired fear. Authority and killing intent naturally radiated outward. At Intermediate Mastery, one gained Tiger Fiend Aura. Blood vitality could be infused into every strike, transforming into a terrifying killing aura capable of shaking an opponent's spirit.

Now, Su Zhe possessed both the Bull's Strength Manifestation and the Tiger's Majesty Manifestation. His height had increased again, reaching nearly six feet one inch. His physique resembled an iron tower built from solid muscle. His features were stern and imposing, carrying an unmistakable kingly presence. The two beast manifestations merged seamlessly into his body, creating a remarkably mysterious effect. After finishing the fish, Su Zhe turned toward the masked bandit's corpse.

Or rather— The corpse and head lying separately.

"This man's swimming skills were extraordinary, and his martial attainment was equally impressive. If he hadn't been injured, I wouldn't have stood a chance even underwater."

"He definitely wasn't some nobody."

"Worth looting." Su Zhe stepped forward and began the sacred ritual shared by protagonists everywhere: Looting the corpse. Being born poor in a martial world had fundamentally altered his mindset. He belonged to the sort of person who felt he had lost money if he walked past a coin on the ground without picking it up. If he were about to die, he would probably compare coffin prices before taking his last breath. The first item was a steel trident.

When examined through the Creation Immortal Cauldron, it turned out to be a top-tier Third-Rank Mortal Weapon, every bit as valuable as his Demon Scale Inner Armor. Blackwater Steel Trident Grade: Third-Rank Mortal Weapon Description: Forged from the spine of a Blackwater Serpent harvested from the Tempering Lake controlled by the Sword-Forging Manor of Tang Prefecture. Refined with black iron, refined copper, and a small amount of meteoric iron used in treasure weapons.

Equipment Requirements: Exceptional swimming ability. Equipment Traits: Blackwater Affinity (Third Rank): Enhances swimming ability, increases overall combat effectiveness underwater, and boosts water-based martial arts. Blackwater Force (Third Rank): Contains a trace of power normally found in treasure-grade weapons. Consecutive attacks build momentum like rolling waves, each strike stronger than the last. Special Benefits: Improves innate talent. Enhances comprehension.

Increases cultivation speed of water-based martial arts.

"A treasure!"

"And it actually came from the Sword-Forging Manor!" Delighted, Su Zhe immediately stored the Blackwater Steel Trident inside the Creation Immortal Cauldron. Then he continued searching. The first thing that caught his eye was the mask. Its material was highly unusual. A faint gray sheen shimmered across its surface, making it appear refined and valuable. Yet when he touched it, the texture felt rough, almost like sandpaper. Tiny scales covered the mask. Diamond-shaped and overlapping.

Like countless jagged teeth woven together.

"Gray luster... scale armor..."

"This is sharkskin!"

"Lu County doesn't produce anything like this. It only comes from the Eastern Sea beyond Yang Province!" Su Zhe's expression changed dramatically. A flash of inspiration exploded through his mind. Sharkskin. A mask. Exceptional swimming skills. Possibly one of the strongest Third-Rank martial artists alive. Countless clues converged like fireflies gathering in the dark. Then everything clicked. The earlier battle had been so sudden and desperate that he hadn't had time to think.

But now— A certain infamous name surfaced in his memory. The River Bandit King. Mad Shark. A ruthless criminal whose reputation shook all of Lu County. A master of martial arts. A man who never showed his true face. A man known for always wearing a sharkskin mask. Mad Shark. The River Bandit King. Su Zhe stared at the corpse. Then at the severed head. His eyes widened.

"Holy hell…"

"I'm actually that strong?"

"I killed one of Lu County's overlords?!"