Chapter Seventy-Four: Zhang Ning, the Great Pig Hoof

Of course, Zhang Ning didn't stand there helplessly like the heroine witnessing her suitors fight; on the contrary, he was frantically shutting down all sorts of formations on the ship, feeling as if he was treading on thin ice. After all, his fourth senior brother, Han Zhifei’s flying artifact was also a product of the Grand Freedom Demon Sect, identical to their third senior brother’s, bristling with all manner of offensive formations. Now, with the two fighting without restraint, every one of those formations was being activated.

As a result, not only did Zhang Ning have to dodge the aftershocks from their attacks, but he also had to deal with the various formation strikes erupting everywhere, aimed at him and the two combatants. At first, Zhang Ning was so terrified his scalp went numb!

He felt like he was trapped in a room lined with “supercharged Thunderbolt Buttons” from the Tang Fortress, with two huskies leaping around recklessly, constantly setting off the countdown for explosions. If Zhang Ning wanted to survive, he had to frantically deactivate each button as it was triggered... even if he had eight arms, it wouldn’t be enough!

The problem was, the two had already thrown themselves wholly into the fight, displaying complete trust in Zhang Ning as they ignored any formation backlash, focusing only on their duel. Zhang Ning had no choice but to look after them. Even if those two didn’t care about their own lives, Zhang Ning certainly cared about his!

Fortunately, Zhang Ning had been through something similar before. Afterwards, he had skimmed through “The Basics of Formations” (authored by his master, annotated by third senior brother), just enough to grasp the basics and memorize the essential steps for activating or deactivating formations. His skills were about on par with someone who’d just learned to turn a computer on and off—he never expected it would save his life now, though he found no comfort in that fact.

Zhang Ning kept shutting down the formations, while keeping most of his attention on the two fighting men. Both were clearly high-offense types; if these attacks landed on any ordinary martial artist, death would be instantaneous. Even for them, it would be a rough ordeal.

What puzzled Zhang Ning, though, was that Han Zun—whose cultivation was only at the Martial Master level—was fighting evenly with fourth senior brother Han Zhifei, who had just advanced to Martial Emperor. After what had happened with Steelspike and Yun Ke, Zhang Ning wouldn’t have been surprised if Han Zun fought a different Martial Emperor to a standstill, but this was the fourth senior brother!

As Zhang Ning’s mind wandered, he suddenly saw Han Zun flash behind fourth senior brother, twin daggers in hand, striking in an instant. Without hesitation, fourth senior brother brought his blade across to block. In that instant, both exerted their full strength, and the resulting shockwave left Zhang Ning’s head ringing.

Just as Han Zun was about to be knocked flying, he somehow managed to free his right hand and, with flawless precision, snatched Han Zhifei’s sword sheath! Only then was Han Zun sent flying, barely managing to hover midair, grinning triumphantly at Han Zhifei.

Rage was plain in Han Zhifei’s eyes. Wordlessly, he loosened his grip on the weapon; the blade, bereft of its wielder, plunged into the deck with a sharp clang.

Watching the trembling blade, Zhang Ning suddenly realized something. Of course! Fourth senior brother wasn’t a swordsman! The Blackwater Blade technique he’d just used was one of the Grand Freedom Demon Sect’s signature skills, but Han Zhifei’s true claim to fame was his fist technique—he was none other than “Han Zhifei the Blood-Heavy Fist”!

Human memory is a strange thing. Just a moment ago, Zhang Ning hadn’t thought of this at all, but as soon as he recalled fourth senior brother’s title, all the intel on Han Zhifei came flooding back.

Han Zhifei practiced a fist art known for its oppressive force—the Blood-Heavy Fist. Anyone struck by this technique, if lucky enough to survive the first blow, would find their blood flowing in reverse. After a while, their bodies might simply explode from the pressure. Thus, whenever Han Zhifei took action, his opponents would often end up with their faces flushed red before bursting apart—a reputation that inspired terror.

Yet even that wasn’t what made this fist art truly infamous. It wasn’t a blood-path technique. Its real horror was that, even if an enemy escaped, they’d never forget the oppressive force they’d felt during the duel—it would haunt them for life, leaving a permanent psychological scar, making them never again dare face anyone who used that fist art.

My god!

So fourth senior brother hadn’t even gotten serious yet! The moment Zhang Ning saw Han Zhifei clench his fists, he felt his own blood begin to boil.

If this was how it looked without anyone getting serious, then what would happen if fourth senior brother really let loose...?

As Zhang Ning pondered this, the two had already squared off again, about to charge at each other once more. At that critical instant, Zhang Ning finally took action!

The most orthodox Cloud Freedom Visualization Method of the Grand Freedom Demon Sect surged through his meridians, smoother and more forceful than ever. He unleashed the Grand Freedom Hand, and the seventeen deadly techniques he’d mastered during the recent life-and-death beast tide—skills he hadn’t yet had a chance to use—were now woven seamlessly into the style.

From Zhang Ning’s perspective, it felt as if he extended both hands and flicked his fingers left and right, as if snapping marbles—only this time, he didn’t miss!

Han Zhifei and Han Zun both felt a gentle but irresistible force strike them. Startled by the sudden attack, they both responded in the best way possible: letting themselves be flung away.

The moment Zhang Ning flicked his fingers, he sensed something was amiss. The biting wind on the deck snapped him out of it at once. (Yes, they'd fought their way onto the deck.)

“Heavens, what have I done? Have I become the fool who, when his wife and lover start fighting, doesn’t rush to make peace, but instead beats up both of them? No, what a ridiculous analogy!”

Zhang Ning curled his toes, tempted to turn and run. But just then, fourth senior brother Han Zhifei, who’d been a step slower before, was the first to return. But now, as he looked at Zhang Ning, all traces of murderousness were gone, replaced by pure joy. “Junior brother, you’ve broken through again!”

Instantly, all the tension drained from Zhang Ning’s body. That’s right—how could I forget? Men and women really do focus on different things!