Chapter 10: Battle, Comprehension

“Hahahaha, Boss, look—he’s running toward us.”

“Is this kid crazy? Does he really think he can take on all five of us alone?”

“Damn it, all of you shut up! No one in the Wilderness should be underestimated!”

The bald man truly had the makings of a leader. After scolding his subordinates, he turned his gaze solemnly toward Jiang Yan, who was sprinting toward them.

“This young man…”

“Everyone, get serious! There’s something off about this guy.”

Jiang Yan pushed his Body Tempering Perfection to its limits, charging forward with 【Haste】. A fierce wind swept past as he ran, the long saber in his hand dripping with blood, while a faint Killing Intent emanated from his body.

Killing Intent could not be seen or touched, yet it was undeniably real. After a day of battle, 【Heaven Rewards Diligence】 had fully refined this Aura within Jiang Yan’s body. Now, erupting all at once, it startled the group, making them glance sideways in alarm.

The bald man’s expression faltered. Having survived in the Wilderness for so long, he knew exactly who to provoke and who to avoid.

“Is this really a student?”

Gripping his long saber, Jiang Yan closed in on the group. The Perfection of 《Basic Saber Technique》 carried no special effects—only the pure edge of the blade as it slashed down toward one of them.

“You little brat, do you really think you’re invincible?”

The target was the skinny archer. Cursing angrily, he drew a short blade from his sleeve, forcefully blocking Jiang Yan’s strike.

The long saber and the short blade traced elegant arcs through the air before colliding, sparks flying in all directions.

Skinny Man: “Something’s wrong… the force is off.”

Clang!

The short blade was sliced in half as if it were mud. The skinny man’s pupils contracted as the long saber, its momentum undiminished, swept toward his neck.

Slish—

Head separated from body, blood gushing like a fountain.

The saber’s edge gleamed even brighter, sending shivers down the spines of the remaining four.

“Attack together!”

The bald Boss reacted first, donning a pair of iron gauntlets and launching a fierce strike toward Jiang Yan.

Jiang Yan narrowed his eyes. The bald man’s Aura was stronger than his own.

“Blood Coagulation, is it?”

He licked the corner of his lips, the Battle Intent in his eyes intensifying.

“Bring it on!”

The saber’s edge swept forward, blocked by the iron gauntlets. Meanwhile, the others quietly appeared behind him. However, ambushes were utterly ineffective against Jiang Yan, who possessed the Truth of Desperation.

As if endowed with a spider-sense, he leaped into the air, evading the sneak attack from behind.

【System Log Updated】

“You are engaged in intense combat. Battlefield intuition slightly improved.”

“You are trapped in a one-against-many desperate situation. Savage Sturdy Body greatly enhanced.”

Jiang Yan looked at the group as if they were an undiscovered Treasure Trove, his excitement nearly overflowing.

“Then let your lives be the offering to my saber!”

His saber strikes grew even faster, his figure weaving like a phantom among the four, leaving wounds on them one after another.

The more they fought, the more uneasy the group felt. Jiang Yan’s Saber Technique grew increasingly fluid in their eyes. Though they saw no Martial Skill effects, the sheer, tangible pressure he exerted was undeniable.

“Could this damn well be 《Basic Saber Technique》…?”

A wave of shock washed over the bald man’s heart. After fighting for so long, he still hadn’t discerned what Martial Skill Jiang Yan was using. Damn it, it suddenly dawned on him—it was that common, widespread 《Basic Saber Technique》.

“Is this kid a monster? To have trained 《Basic Saber Technique》 to this level?”

The bald man felt increasingly unsettled, his confidence waning with each exchange. Even the thought of retreat began to creep into his mind.

His stamina was starting to falter.

In contrast, Jiang Yan was full of vigor, growing stronger with each strike, suppressing them until they couldn’t lift their heads.

Squelch—

Jiang Yan’s saber tip pierced through the throats of two more men. Only the bald man and another woman remained standing in the arena.

“Damn, looks like there’s no other choice.”

The bald man pulled a white medicine bottle from his pocket. Just as he was about to take it, a flash of saber light swept past.

“Ahhhhh!”

A brown arm flew through the air. Mid-flight, the saber blade swept across it repeatedly, slicing the severed limb into pieces.

The medicine bottle fell to the ground and was crushed under Jiang Yan’s foot. A calm voice came from his mouth:

“No doping during fights.”

Crunch!

The bottle shattered under his foot.

After losing his arm, the bald man’s strength greatly diminished. With a few swift moves, Jiang Yan drove the saber into his chest.

Bald man, deceased.

Now, only one woman remained.

“Don’t… don’t kill me!”

“Big brother, I’ll do anything, please don’t kill me!”

The woman frantically tore off her clothes, tears streaming down her face, filled with regret for ever trying to rob this Demon Lord.

A flash of the saber blade, and the woman’s movements froze.

Thump, thump…

She saw her own kneeling body.

Jiang Yan sheathed his saber.

System Log updated:

“You have accomplished a feat of one against five with your saber, enhancing your understanding of the blade.”

“Your Savage Sturdy Body has withstood numerous injuries. After the battle, it seems to be beginning its Metamorphosis.”

“After an exhilarating fight, your Physical Body has slightly improved.”

Jiang Yan closed his eyes, sensing a noticeable change in his body.

He saw the opportunity for Metamorphosis, but it wasn’t enough!

He needed more battles.

After searching the bodies of the fallen, aside from some useless bank cards, Jiang Yan collected around ten thousand Star Coins.

He also found a pair of gloves, a longsword, and various miscellaneous items that seemed somewhat useful.

Stuffing everything into a large bag, Jiang Yan headed toward the exchange.

Jiang Yan was still covered in blood, but instead of drawing ridicule, his appearance deepened people’s impression of him, adding a touch of respect in their eyes.

Little Shorty was already waiting at the spot from this morning.

Jiang Yan walked over and placed the large black bag on the ground, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

“Congratulations on returning fully loaded,” Little Shorty flattered.

Jiang Yan didn’t want to waste words and asked directly, “Did you bring Burst Step?”

Little Shorty nodded with a smile. “Yes, yes, I brought it.”

With that, he retrieved a yellowed book from behind his black robe.

“How much?”

“Fifty thousand.”

Jiang Yan frowned slightly. “Too expensive. How dare you sell a black-market item for so much?”

Little Shorty chuckled. “Customer, we can negotiate.”

Jiang Yan: “Then ten thousand.”

Little Shorty nearly spat out blood in frustration. He forced a bitter smile. “Customer, ten thousand is too little. Unless…”

Jiang Yan: “Speak plainly.”

Little Shorty grinned and pointed at the large black bag on the ground. “Unless you sell me the things inside here.”

Jiang Yan understood—this guy wanted to expand his inventory.

After a moment of thought, Jiang Yan agreed:

“How about this: I’ll sell all the Materials I harvest in the Wilderness to you from now on, and you sell all your black-market items to me at a 10% discount?”

Little Shorty beamed with joy. “Deal!”

A win-win.

Jiang Yan’s supply volume was large, so selling at the original price was no issue. Little Shorty’s black-market stock was limited, sold piece by piece, and Jiang Yan wouldn’t need too much, so selling at a 10% discount wouldn’t be a significant loss.

Jiang Yan counted the items in the black bag and calculated their total value for Little Shorty based on the market price at the trading grounds.