Chapter 6

"Girl, your life is now in my hands." Bai Cangdong was very interested in the martial technique Li Xiangfei mentioned, but he had no interest at all in the knight thing.

"You don't know how precious that martial technique is. If you don't swear an oath to become my knight, I will never give it to you, even if it means your death." Li Xiangfei turned her face away, trying to free herself from Bai Cangdong's hand that was gripping her chin.

"Is that so? You won't give it to me no matter what?" Bai Cangdong's gaze roamed over Li Xiangfei's body with ill intent, making her feel a burning sensation every time his eyes touched her exposed skin.

"What are you going to do?" Li Xiangfei was afraid and wanted to back away, but she was already leaning against a tree trunk, with no room to retreat.

"What do you think I'm going to do?" Bai Cangdong lifted Li Xiangfei's battle skirt and placed his large hand on her white, tender thigh, which was exposed due to a broken piece of armor, and said with a smile.

Li Xiangfei's body stiffened as the warmth from his hand made her shiver, her pores standing on end.

"You can't... you can't..." Li Xiangfei tried to struggle, but her strength was severely depleted, and she had little energy left. The movement of his hand under her battle skirt made her body weak and powerless.

The more she struggled, the wider the range of his hand's movement became. Li Xiangfei's face turned red, and her voice trembled. "You win, let me go, I'll give you the martial technique."

Bai Cangdong withdrew his hand and took a step back, looking at Li Xiangfei.

Li Xiangfei glared at Bai Cangdong, biting her lower lip. "How do you guarantee that after I give you the martial technique, you won't... do anything bad again?"

"Don't worry, I have no interest in underdeveloped little girls."

In the world of Light and Dark Martial Arts, people's bodies and appearances stabilize at the age of twenty. Li Xiangfei was only sixteen and still developing, which is why Bai Cangdong called her a little girl.

For some reason, Li Xiangfei, who should have been relieved, felt angry and blurted out, "Who are you calling underdeveloped? I have D..."

Realizing what she had said, Li Xiangfei stopped abruptly, her face burning. She quickly changed her words. "Remember this, these are the incantations of the martial technique. I will only say it once, and if you can't remember it, that's your problem."

"I guarantee you will say it many times. Otherwise, I'll check if you really have D." Bai Cangdong gave a serious look at the armor covering Li Xiangfei's chest.

"You..." Li Xiangfei was both ashamed and angry, but she didn't dare say anything more, fearing Bai Cangdong would really do something. She angrily recited the incantations of the martial technique, word by word.

Bai Cangdong focused on memorizing it. After Li Xiangfei recited it once, Bai Cangdong had already memorized it, but he made her repeat it three times to ensure it was exactly the same as the first time. Then he began to carefully ponder the martial technique.

This martial technique was called "Blade Step," and its main characteristic was the word "risky." It was like walking barefoot on a blade, dancing on the tip of a sword. Each step had to be taken with utmost caution, aiming to achieve the maximum effect with the smallest movement, finding a sliver of hope in the midst of a thousand enemies. It could be described as finding a way through the gaps.

"Blade Step... Blade Step... Why does it sound so familiar..." Bai Cangdong muttered to himself, then his eyes lit up. "Blade Step, isn't that the famous martial technique of Earl Dao Lun, known for its unparalleled sharpness?"

"Who are you to Earl Dao Lun?" Bai Cangdong asked Li Xiangfei, knowing that anyone who knew "Blade Step" must have a special relationship with Earl Dao Lun.

"Earl Dao Lun is my father." Li Xiangfei said proudly, lifting her chin slightly.

"Very good." Bai Cangdong nodded and said no more, focusing on learning "Blade Step."

No matter how powerful Earl Dao Lun was, he could not break through the barrier to enter the altar area. Therefore, whether Li Xiangfei's father was Earl Dao Lun made no difference to Bai Cangdong. To survive and escape, he had to rely on himself.

"Blade Step" was easy to learn but difficult to master, emphasizing details and mental calmness. These were precisely Bai Cangdong's strengths. During the years of hunting Little Blade Demons, Bai Cangdong's greatest gain was calmness and patience, striving for a one-hit kill. Practicing the Painful Blade Technique also required attention to subtle changes, which were exactly what "Blade Step" needed.

In less than an hour, Bai Cangdong had already grasped the basics of "Blade Step," moving with a semblance of proficiency, lacking only practical application.

Li Xiangfei watched Bai Cangdong practice "Blade Step." At first, she didn't think much of it. She had revealed "Blade Step" mainly because she was afraid of being alone in the jungle, and Bai Cangdong gave her a sense of security, so she came up with this plan to stay by his side.

In fact, Li Xiangfei didn't believe Bai Cangdong could master "Blade Step" in a short time. She herself had spent a year practicing it to the point where she could use it in actual combat. Even her talented father, Earl Dao Lun, had taken half a year to apply "Blade Step" in combat. It was not a martial technique that could be mastered quickly.

However, after watching for a while, Li Xiangfei's expression became increasingly strange. In just half an hour, Bai Cangdong had already moved smoothly, as if he had practiced for months. If she hadn't seen him stumble and almost fall at the beginning, Li Xiangfei would never have believed he had only practiced for half an hour, and she might have even suspected he had learned "Blade Step" before.

By the time an hour had passed, Li Xiangfei felt her young heart was deeply hurt. Bai Cangdong's "Blade Step" was already on par with her, who had practiced for years.

"It must just look similar. The most important part of 'Blade Step' is practical application. After just one hour, he can't possibly use it in combat." Li Xiangfei thought to herself.

"We can go now." Time was pressing, and after grasping the basics, Bai Cangdong stopped practicing.

"Where are we going now?" Li Xiangfei asked.

"Not 'we,' but you go east, and I go west." Bai Cangdong said calmly.

"How can you do this? You're going back on your word..." Li Xiangfei was furious.

"When did I ever promise to stay with you?" After a pause, Bai Cangdong continued, "I'm going to the altar. You would only be a hindrance. I came from the east, and most of the Skull Demons there are already dead. Be careful, hide for a while, and when I break the Crystal of Eternity, go back to Dao Lun City."

"Sounds like you're sure you can break the Crystal of Eternity. Don't get your head chopped off by the Skull Demons." Li Xiangfei felt a bit of satisfaction inside, but she didn't let it show in her words.

"That would be a fitting revenge for you. You should thank the Skull Demons." Bai Cangdong then disappeared into the jungle, heading towards the altar.

"You haven't even told me your name yet!" Li Xiangfei called out urgently, but received no response.

"If I ever see you again, I'll make you pay." Li Xiangfei vowed to herself.

Suddenly, the direction Bai Cangdong had gone in echoed with the roars of Skull Demons. For some reason, Li Xiangfei's heart tightened, and she ran towards the sound without thinking.

Before she had run far, she saw a dozen Skull Demons surrounding Bai Cangdong, their massive axes swinging wildly.

Li Xiangfei was about to rush over, but she froze when she saw what was happening.

Bai Cangdong moved gracefully, each step of "Blade Step" allowing his sword to strike a Skull Demon at an impossible angle. The demon's body would then twist, and it would be pierced through the heart by a second strike, vanishing in a flash of light.

Bai Cangdong moved like a butterfly among the Skull Demons, heading towards the altar without looking back. The dozen Skull Demons all vanished in a flash of light, none surviving.

"He really mastered 'Blade Step' in just an hour!" Li Xiangfei's expression was complex, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

A brief test of "Blade Step" and the Ling Luo Sword left Bai Cangdong very satisfied. With "Blade Step," he had a chance against a group of Skull Demons, and the lightness and sharpness of the Ling Luo Sword made it easier for prolonged battles and quick kills.

"I will definitely survive and leave this place." The closer he got to the Undying Altar, the more cautious Bai Cangdong became. The lack of human and other creature corpses along the way, and the nauseating smell of blood in the air, reminded him of the fragility of life.

"Stop." As Bai Cangdong reached a stream, several people suddenly jumped out and surrounded him.

"Who are you?" Bai Cangdong was surprised to encounter living people here, as the Undying Altar was only seven or eight miles away.

"Stop talking nonsense. If you want to live, follow us." One of them waved impatiently.

Bai Cangdong wanted to see what they were up to, so he didn't resist and followed them upstream. They soon reached a ravine, where many people were hiding, roughly a hundred in total.

"We've returned with water and found another live one by the stream." The people distributed water bags, and one of them pointed at Bai Cangdong.

"Take off your mask." A man with a mark on his forehead, indicating he was a baron, ordered Bai Cangdong.

"I was disfigured in a fire as a child, and my face is very frightening. I haven't taken off this mask since I put it on." Bai Cangdong said calmly.

"Rude." The baron was angry and rushed over, punching Bai Cangdong in the face.

Bai Cangdong nimbly sidestepped, watching the baron's fist pass by his cheek. He then struck the baron's throat with a finger, causing him to clutch his neck and cough as he stumbled back.

"If you attack me again, next time it won't be a finger in your throat." Bai Cangdong looked at the baron coldly.

The baron's face changed, wanting to get angry but also fearing Bai Cangdong. He glared at him but said nothing.

"Alright, we are gathered here to discuss how to break the Crystal of Eternity and survive. No more fighting among ourselves. I am Du Changlong, the Iron Sword Baron. What is your name, sir?" Another baron stepped between them and asked Bai Cangdong.

Bai Cangdong recognized this man; he was one of the people who had been with Li Xiangfei.