With the Blade-Chapter 49 - 46: Even Among the Inhuman, There Are Gaps

Chapter 49: Chapter 46: Even Among the Inhuman, There Are Gaps

The situation is even more troublesome than what the grassland warrior reported.

Others may not have realized it yet, but He Xiqing knew very well that the family-herited axe in his younger brother’s hands was stained with at least a hundred lives.

Such abundant bloodlust and Evil Qi, aside from someone like his brother, a seasoned warrior honed by the harsh winds of the Northern Desert, anyone who held this weapon would lose their sanity and become a maniacal demon obsessed with slaughter.

However, the problem lies exactly here.

Having already been driven to madness by the bloodlust and Evil Qi, the demon naturally wouldn’t go insane again because of more bloodlust.

In other words, the more people the demon kills now, the stronger it becomes.

And now, the demon had already slain fifteen people.

"Why did it have to be at this time..."

An ominous premonition surged within He Xiqing’s heart.

"We must deal with that monster as quickly as possible."

As He Xiqing rode out, the horrific scene that appeared before him was indeed far more gruesome than what the grassland warrior had reported.

Corpses, bodies littered the streets. The grassland warriors who had been wreaking havoc on the streets were now scattered on the ground, mixed with the slaughtered townspeople.

"...Wait? These aren’t the marks of an axe!"

Just a quick glance at a distant corpse made He Xiqing’s brows furrow.

It was the body of a grassland rider. Judging by its position, the rider seemed to have been charging with a lance before some long-bladed weapon intercepted the lance from a considerable distance.

Then, in a crisscross of movements, the horse’s head, along with the rider’s upper body, was sheared off by a sharp blade.

Regarding that family-herited axe, He Xiqing understood it better than anyone.

The axe could never inflict such cuts.

"It’s not just the axe..."

He Xiqing’s sense of foreboding grew stronger.

As he rode forward, He Xiqing frowned more deeply, for different wounds began to appear on the bodies of the grassland warriors.

Some wounds seemed to have been made by a razor-sharp weapon, the cuts smooth and clean; others appeared to have been stabbed by chaotic knife thrusts, tearing the body into shreds. Some seemed to have been smashed into the ground, their internal organs shattered, while others had their entire heads, helmets and all, crushed into their chests.

Yet most noticeable to He Xiqing were the burn marks on the bodies.

These were no ordinary flames; he sensed a familiar sensation.

This made He Xiqing stealthily grip the hilt of the saber at his waist.

"Could it be that the monster has reached this level too?"

He Xiqing’s expression grew increasingly grim.

It’s well-known that wielding weapons and killing too much can root bloodlust within, leading to gradual madness and inhumanity—but few know that even among the inhuman, there are ranks and gradations.

Through conscious slaughter, He Xiqing had accumulated enough Evil Qi to step into that realm.

That’s why he felt the headache even more keenly now.

Only he, and it could only be he, could contend with such a monster, for those soldiers who too were filled with bloodlust...faced with a monster that had stepped into the next realm, at their mere mortal level, they wouldn’t last a single round.

Just like how governor Liu Yanran couldn’t withstand his single strike.

This was a qualitative difference, an absolute gap.

Yet now, the monster had similarly grasped such strength, stepping into a level close to his own.

"Killing it might be more troublesome..."

He Xiqing continued riding forward.

It was then that he finally caught sight of the familiar family-herited axe.

The ancient axe whistled mournfully as it cleaved open the head of a grassland warrior, helmet and all, right before a Five-foot Long Saber slashed diagonally at an incredible angle and distance, slicing another grassland warrior.

More grassland warriors swarmed in, their eyes already blood-red from bloodlust, transformed into bloodthirsty demons knowing only killing. But a blaze of intense flame blocked their path. At the moment they hesitated, a figure darted from the firelight, instantly turning the leading warrior into a sieve.

Until now, no one had clearly seen how the figure wielded the blade.

Except He Xiqing, who rushed in from afar.

"Fall back! You are no match for him!"

With just one glance, He Xiqing identified him.

It was this person, and only this person.

The murderer who killed his younger brother was right in front of him!

"Fall back! I will kill him myself!"

Hearing He Xiqing’s command, the grassland warriors, despite being blood-red from slaughter, gritted their teeth and stepped aside.

As He Xiqing’s direct subordinates, he was their sky.

"So it was you who killed my...hmm?"

He Xiqing dismounted and unsheathed his sword, his brow suddenly knotted.

Not only did the grassland warriors retreat, but even the figure holding the axe sheathed his weapon and withdrew into the distance. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"What..."

Before He Xiqing could even speak, the murderer of his brother had already mounted a horse, galloping away into the distance.

"Well done, big brother!"

"Incredible! As expected of big brother!"

"With just a glance he scared off the monster! Truly something only big brother could achieve!"

Witnessing the once-slaughtering fiend now fleeing in panic, the grassland warriors, though their eyes were bloodshot from killing, couldn’t help but praise He Xiqing’s might.

With just a glance, the enemy retreated; who but the powerful He Xiqing could achieve such a feat?

"No...no!"

Regaining his senses, He Xiqing swiftly mounted his horse.

"Chase! Quickly chase! Don’t let him escape! He’s human! He hasn’t gone insane at all!"

"This..."

Though they didn’t fully understand why their big brother suddenly grew anxious, the grassland warriors still followed He Xiqing’s orders, finding their horses and pursuing.

But after this long delay, they could hardly catch up to the distant, horse-riding figure.

"Big brother, what’s wrong?"

Towering at nine feet tall like an iron tower, Mu Ershu rode alongside He Xiqing.

"If we can’t catch up today, perhaps let it go. After all, the warriors have been fighting all day and are somewhat weary...and considering the murderer has roots at Yang Family Fort, no matter how he flees, he can’t escape our pursuit..."

"You’re wrong, Mu Ershu."

He Xiqing’s face was ashen.

"It’s not us hunting him now. It’s him hunting you."

Gazing at that blood-red figure in the distance, unwilling to leave, He Xiqing clenched his saber hilt.

"The enemy is hidden, we are exposed...remember how we took down the Jizhou governor’s mansion?"

"He’s using my tactics, preparing to take you down first."