Supreme Sword Exalt

The slight delay allowed the Tier-4 demonic beast to catch up to the young barbarian. It was over ten zhang long and covered in sharp spikes. Moreover, its pair of red eyes brimmed with violent intent. The beast spread its massive, blood-drenched maw wide, about to swallow the youth whole.

The youth’s face held utter despair. “It’s over... Mom...”

At that moment, a flash stopped the demonic beast. The light in its eyes dimmed as it collapsed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and smoke.

The child stood completely dumbfounded. Huh? It’s dead?

Considering how powerful the demonic beast was, not even a hundred of him could have stood against it. Why did it suddenly die? Could it be...?

Subconsciously, he looked at Gu Han. “D-did you kill it?”

Gu Han nodded faintly. “If you want to thank someone, thank yourself.”

Since nearly all the barbarians he had encountered were enemies, he had little interest in saving a young barbarian. He only acted because of the youth’s well-intentioned warning.

The youth crossed his hands before his chest and performed a bow. “Benefactor!”

The demoness gasped. “That’s the highest courtesy of the barbarian tribe!”

Just as Gu Han was about to speak, his expression shifted. He helplessly stared off into the distance.

The demoness was stunned. “Again?”

Cursed as Gu Han was, his luck was a complete mess. Although the youth had brought the demonic beast here, she refused to believe it had nothing to do with the curse.

Gu Han slowly raised his sword. “They’re here. There are quite a few this time.”

Dozens of surging vital qi closed in from all directions.

The youth’s face paled. “W-what’s happening?”

The barbarians within his perception were far, far stronger than the demonic beast. In just a few breaths, dozens of figures rushed over from three directions, surrounding Gu Han and the other two.

Unexpectedly, leading them were three Half-Step Transcendent realm experts, while the weakest among them was at the Heavenly Tribulation realm.

No one paid the youth any mind. A barbarian like him had the lowest status in the barbarian tribe, practically a slave.

One of the barbarians appeared excited. “By the barbarian ancestor above, we’re pretty lucky!”

Another was equally filled with emotion. “We just came to check out the commotion. I didn’t think we’d actually find him. He's the one we’re looking for, isn't he?”

The last said with absolute certainty, “Definitely! He’s not a barbarian, and he uses a sword. It’s definitely him!”

Very few barbarians had actually seen Gu Han. To them, his defining traits were that he wasn’t a barbarian and wielded a sword.

A barbarian then fixed his gaze on the demoness. “Oh? Keep the woman alive! I’ve never seen a woman this beautiful before! We’ll take her back and have some fun later!”

Gu Han remained silent. After a moment, he replied, “First, it’s not that you guys are lucky. It’s that I’m unlucky. Second, your luck is even worse than mine!”

A strand of sword qi compressed. With one move, he went all out. Leaving an afterimage in his trail, he instantly reached the barbarian who had insulted the demoness. He then slashed down. For some reason, he felt this barbarian was even more detestable than the others.

Even though the barbarian was at the Half-Step Transcendent realm, he still didn't get the chance to even fight back. With a flash of sword light, Gu Han cleaved him in two.

“Attack!”

“This guy is stronger than we imagined!”

The remaining barbarians panicked, shouting continuously as they charged at Gu Han.

Their actions suited Gu Han just fine. For a time, he transformed himself into a sharp sword, weaving freely among the barbarians. Sword light flickered intermittently as blood and severed limbs rained down from above.

The young barbarian was dumbstruck. After all, he normally had to look up to each of the barbarians, yet against Gu Han, they seemed as weak as the vicious beast from earlier.

At that moment, Gu Han’s invincible image took root in the young barbarian's heart. It would stay with him for his entire life.

The remaining Half-Step Transcendent realm barbarian’s face turned ashen. Gone was his earlier joy at discovering Gu Han. “Why... is he so strong...?”

He finally understood why Gu Han had said their luck was bad. Encountering him meant courting death.

At that moment, he noticed the demoness, who wore a relaxed expression, staring at Gu Han with infatuation. I have to seize this woman and threaten that man into lowering his sword!

He was also a decisive sort. His vital qi erupted heavily as he reached for the demoness.

The youth cried out instinctively, “Watch out!”

The demoness seemed not to notice and continued staring at Gu Han.

The barbarian rejoiced inwardly. This little wench! She’s so pretty, but maybe she’s slow?

Just then, he only felt a chill at his neck, and his vision spun rapidly. Where’s my hand? Why won’t it obey me?

That was the final doubt lingering in his mind.

Having finished off the last one, Gu Han landed once more beside the demoness with a dark expression. “You couldn’t be bothered to dodge?”

The demoness happily hugged him, her eyes curving into crescent moons. “I can’t dodge. Besides, you would have saved me for sure.”

Just then, the youth walked over excitedly. “Benefactor, you’re amazing!”

Even though he was still young, he stood two heads taller than Gu Han.

Gu Han was taken aback. “Oh? You don’t hate me?”

The youth was also stunned. “Huh? Why would I hate you?”

“You saw it. I’m not a barbarian.”

“But you saved me.”

“I also killed many of your fellow tribesmen.”

The youth scratched his head. “But you’re still my benefactor. Without you, that demonic beast would have eaten me. And those fellow tribesmen of mine wouldn’t have saved my life anyway. They never treated us like people to begin with.”

The demoness stared at the youth with surprise. “Oh? What’s your name?”

The youth had never seen someone as beautiful as the demoness. Her gaze made his face redden. Lowering his head, he said softly, “My name is Ah Man...”

Gu Han thought, Ah Man... Simple nature. Simple name, too.

Just as Gu Han was thinking, Ah Man asked again, “Benefactor, it seems like they’re hunting you?”

Gu Han shook his head. “It’s not just them. All the barbarians are hunting me.”

The youth’s face went pale, then his eyes lit up as if something had occurred to him. “Benefactor, come to my home. It’s very secluded. No one has ever discovered that place, and I also have a very powerful friend. Maybe they can help you.”