Hu Shi'en tossed aside his hostage and drew the sword hanging nearby. Not only was this his dungeon, but also his training ground. How could an outsider easily escape from here?

Zhou You noted the weighty sword in Hu's hand. It made sense why they were called the Heavy Sword Sect. The marks on the walls of this secret chamber were likely from such a sword. Though the opponent wielded the sword clumsily, its power was undeniable. Even before the sword struck, its force disturbed the surrounding air. Pushing Li Yunxi aside, Zhou You confronted him with his dagger.

The dainty dagger seemed almost insignificant against the hefty sword. As their weapons clashed, many expected the dagger to shatter - Hu Shi'en included. Yet, Zhou You's blade not only remained intact but slid down the length of the sword, sending sparks flying, before lunging at Hu Shi'en.

With a flourish, Hu Shi'en deflected the dagger's assault. He then mustered strength and pushed Zhou You back several steps.

The swords of the Heavy Sword Sect weighed as much as 500 kilograms. To wield such a sword, one needed immense strength. Despite being an elderly man of slight build, Hu Shi'en's power ranked among the top in the entire Jiangnan base.

"Seeking death!" Hu Shi'en's aura surged, and a forceful gale grazed Zhou You's face. Retreating a step and releasing his dagger, Zhou You bent backwards, evading the descending blade. Then, leaping, he delivered a powerful kick. The opponent tried to block it with his sword, but Zhou You's internal force traveled through the blade and slammed into Hu Shi'en.

Even armored in his bath, Hu Shi'en felt a jolt of pain and a rush of blood.

Such power! He was taken aback. Known for his strength, Hu Shi'en could pack a punch weighing three tons. He hadn't anticipated this young man to be so formidable. Who was this master from the Jiangnan base?

"Who are you?"

"Your worst nightmare." Zhou You lightly flicked off a piece of fabric from his dagger. It had been sliced from Hu Shi'en's robe. While Hu Shi'en's upper body was armored, his lower half was shamefully exposed – a ludicrous sight.

Chapter 052: Scum Like This Doesn't Deserve to Live.

Li Yunxi was astounded by Zhou You's skills. She had imagined he knew martial arts, but not that he was such a master. To think they had treated him like an ordinary man all this time, offering the most basic accommodations, and he never once complained.

Tears welled in her eyes. Zhou You had saved her once, and here he was, rescuing her again. He was truly like a guardian angel to her.

"You are indeed skilled. Which sect's elite disciple are you? If you're only here to save this woman, I can let you both go. She wasn't my captive," Hu Shi'en said, wary of engaging with such a formidable opponent.

But Zhou You had no intention of letting him go. For every moment he spent in this chamber, his urge to end Hu Shi'en's life intensified. When a martial artist chooses to do evil, the consequences are far worse than any ordinary man's crimes. Just today, countless had died. Who knows how many had perished in this chamber?

"Scum like you shouldn't walk this earth."

"Very well, young man. Trying to play the hero? I don't wish to be your enemy, but if you won't be sensible, then don't blame me for what happens next." Retreating a step, Hu Shi'en swung his sword, severing a chain. A cage dropped from above, but Zhou You rolled away just in time.

A streak of sword energy followed, and Hu Shi'en seized the moment to strike. Zhou You parried with his dagger, finding himself forced to the ground. Seeing this, Li Yunxi hoisted a cage and hurled it at Hu Shi'en. She was incredibly strong; even without her usual weapon, these cages made for apt substitutes.

As Hu Shi'en slashed the cage apart, a hidden mechanism was triggered. From openings in the walls, bullets sprayed indiscriminately, targeting everyone.

Zhou You dove at Li Yunxi, shielding her, and then kicked the broken cage towards the openings. The cage crashed into the wall, deactivating the hidden weapons.

However, the disturbance set off more concealed traps. Walls revealed ports releasing bullets or poison arrows. Soon, every piece of equipment in the chamber was peppered with holes.

Zhou You evasively maneuvered around, shielding Li Yunxi from harm. Dodging projectiles alone was manageable for him, but with Li in tow, it proved more challenging. At any slight misstep, Li's arms or legs would suffer grazes from bullets or poison darts.

Li Yunxi ingested an antidote pill, thankfully having brought the emergency kit her brother prepared for her everywhere she went.

Zhou You pried up a metal panel from the floor to shield Li Yunxi, urging her to stay put in a corner. He then went to assist the seriously injured individual, who, fortunately, had taken cover beneath the staircase at the first sign of danger from Hu Shi'en and only suffered minor scrapes. Zhou You provided him with a metal shield and set out to dismantle the wall traps.

As the walls were compromised, the building began to sway ominously. Zhou You realized the danger – while he could rely on his inner energy to protect himself, Li Yunxi and others wouldn't be so fortunate.

Hu Shi'en leapt onto the steps, brandishing his sword to break down the secret chamber's door. Witnessing this, Zhou You unleashed a flurry of twelve flying knives, aiming them at Hu as he was about to strike.

Having built the chamber himself, Hu Shi'en was well aware of the door's resilience. As he swung with all his might, he sensed impending doom from behind. It was too late to deflect the threat; though his sword pierced the door, his body was swiftly and ruthlessly sliced by the incoming flying knives.

As his heavy sword crashed to the ground, he turned to Zhou You, uttering weakly, "You... you are... the...," before collapsing lifeless.