Chapter 25: Class A Combat Assessment

Among weapons, the sword is the god of weapons; the knife is the ancestor of weapons; yet the axe is the overlord who subjugates everything with force!
Axe techniques place greater emphasis on using strength to win, representing an unstoppable momentum that overwhelms the enemy even before battle begins!
Although sword and knife techniques of the same level are light and skillful, axe techniques also have their unique tricks and advantages—outperforming others in terms of strength, lethality, and defense.
The third chief, who had reached the pinnacle of his skills, though his Five Elements Chain Axe technique had not yet reached the level of a master, was still highly skilled, barely approaching the threshold of the tenth level. Against an ordinary member of the Murong family, armed with only a sword and despite being injured in his leg, he still held a overwhelming advantage.
Whoosh!
A gust of wind!
The gleaming axe, carrying the force to tear through everything, swept past Happy’s side, cutting off a small piece of his blue robe. Before Happy could draw his sword, the axe changed from a downward strike to a horizontal cut—fluid and powerful. Happy’s heart tightened; it was clear that the third chief not only had great strength but also his Five Elements Chain Axe technique was at a high level. It was almost impossible for the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Sword to win.
In terms of weapons…
The Five Elements Chain Axe had astonishing offensive and defensive capabilities, while the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Sword, though agile, had little chance of harming the third chief. Moreover, the latter possessed profound internal energy, and with his advanced skill level, the gap became even greater. Prolonged stalemate would be disadvantageous for Happy.
“No! I can’t keep delaying. To save Xiuniang and Gan Daniu, we must act quickly!”
His gaze darkened!
On the second move, Happy resolutely put away his Gentleman Sword. Abandoning his weapon, he darted into the third chief’s fierce axe attacks. His fleshy palms clashed with the third chief, who was at the peak of his skills. At that moment, the few women watching screamed, thinking the young hero who had descended from the sky had been killed by the brutal third chief.
Yet…
Although Happy’s actions seemed foolish and dangerous, risking being split in two by the chain axe, he actually had complete confidence.
The Five Elements Chain Axe, originating from the Eighteen Green Forest Strongholds, was indeed a good technique, but in terms of speed, it was far inferior to the Shaolin Long Fist…
By giving up his weapon, Happy became even more agile. With swift movements, he dodged the fierce axe blows several times, blocked the third chief’s elbows and forearms mid-air, and effortlessly closed the distance, getting close to him. At that moment, the third chief’s expression changed!
Every weapon has its strengths and weaknesses.

Although the Third Camp Leader wielded a giant axe, whose killing power far surpassed that of Happy’s meaty palms, at close range, his sweeping axe strikes seemed to hit an invisible wall, failing to exert their intended deterrent effect!
Hey!
Once he reached the Third Camp Leader, Happy stopped holding back. Using a series of brutal techniques—such as consecutive palm strikes, Golden Dragon Claw, Lotus Hand, and Eagle Claw—many of which were not part of regular Shaolin boxing—he unleashed his full strength in the most fierce manner possible.
Up until now…
Happy, who used wolves and hooligans as sparring partners, had always held back, avoiding vital areas to prolong their training time.
But this time!
He truly gave it his all without reservation. Every strike targeted the Third Camp Leader’s seven orifices, heart, and key acupoints. Even at the tenth level of Shaolin Boxing, its lethality was astonishing.
By the time half of the sequence was completed, the Third Camp Leader, unable to defend against the weight and momentum of the axe strikes, took them all. Finally, he was kicked into the “Wild Goose Falling” stance. Even then, Happy didn’t stop—pulling his hands to his waist, he swung them with force.
Thud! Thud!
Accompanied by the Third Camp Leader’s muffled screams, two willow-leaf daggers pierced deep into his right arm and abdomen before falling limply to the ground. The daggers sank into his body, and with one final kick, he died instantly!
“Th-Third Camp Leader!”
It was only then that the bandit guarding the carriage realized the danger he faced. He never imagined that the mighty Third Camp Leader could be easily killed by a young boy. By the time he realized what was happening, it was already too late.
As he tried to run in panic, a dagger, as if having eyes of its own, chased after him from behind…
Ugh!
At the moment his consciousness faded, the desperate bandit could clearly sense that the sound of this dagger cutting through the air was barely audible—seemingly more stealthy… and faster!
Thud!
The bandit’s body collapsed lifelessly by the roadside.
Happy stared in shock at his own hands, then at the dead body of the Third Camp Leader not far away, his expression filled with disbelief and excitement.
He had advanced!
Another A-grade evaluation…
The fight with the Third Camp Leader not only improved his Shaolin Boxing skills slightly but also raised his dagger skills, which had reached the eighth level, straight to the ninth.

No wonder I immediately felt that my technique had become smoother and faster after throwing that knife just now, with almost no sound at all.
“Who’s there?”
At that moment, loud footsteps and sharp shouts suddenly came from not far away.
Turning around, they saw the seven bandits led away by Gan Daniu returning—fourteen pairs of eyes all fell on the corpse of the man in the colorful robe with the fierce face:
“Ah! It’s the Third Chief!”
“Did this kid do this?!”
“Let’s fight together! Avenging the Third Chief!”
“Kill them!!”
“Young master, be careful…” “Young master, run quickly.”
The death of the Third Chief gave the women in the carriage a glimmer of hope for survival. Finally realizing the situation, they began to warn each other repeatedly.
Kai Xin glanced at the seven men in black. For some reason, she felt unusually… calm…
It was strange.
If it had been before fighting the Third Chief, facing seven bandits attacking at once, Kai Xin thought she would surely feel panicked and nervous… But now, for some reason, facing those seven bandits, her heart was like a calm lake, untouched by the breeze.
This inner peace didn’t mean her actions were equally calm.
Without even thinking, she swiftly thrust two willow-leaf knives into the foreheads and chests of the two leading bandits…
The two men shuddered and fell back dramatically, unable to keep up!
Seven became five.
Seizing the opportunity, she threw two more knives…
The ninth level of her “Willow-Leaf Knives” once again proved effective—two more bandits collapsed halfway, unable to continue. Before they could even get close, nearly half of them had already been eliminated.
By the time they realized something was wrong and panicked, Kai Xin calmly struck several more times, knocking them all to the ground.
Watching the bandits fall without any chance of resistance, Kai Xin finally stopped. Unconsciously, she thought of that night in the Murong family’s sword tomb.
Her mastery of the “Willow-Leaf Knives” was probably… already beyond that tomb-raider, Lao San…