Thunder Annihilates the Enemy

"Brother Qian, don't be angry. We all decided on this together, so of course we won't go back on our word. But will the Zhao Household find out we did this behind their backs?"

Seeing Qian Kang's anger, a muscular man hurriedly gave him an apologetic smile, though his voice still held some unease.

"Find out? How would they? We were ordered out on patrol, and we haven't been delayed for long. Besides, even if they do find out, the people we killed were Yang Household cultivators.

"Don't forget, the Zhao Household and the Yang Household are sworn enemies. Even if they learn what we did, they'll only praise us. Why would they punish us?"

Qian Kang's expression softened as he patiently explained, and only then did the others set their minds at ease.

"Speaking of which, those Yang Household people were really loaded. Spirit medicines, Spirit Pills, Law Artifacts—they had everything."

One of them patted his Storage Bag and spoke with a grin.

"It wasn't their wealth. Those things were probably stock purchased for the Yang Household's Purple Moon Pavilion. Otherwise, why would there be so much? And why do you think I picked them as our targets? It was because I had my eye on those resources!"

Qian Kang scoffed, then took out a pot of Spirit Wine and drank it slowly.

"So that's how it was. How did you know these people were procuring supplies for the Purple Moon Pavilion, Brother Qian?"

The female cultivator from before asked curiously, and the others all turned to look at him.

Qian Kang grinned and said, "This mountain hermit has his own clever tricks, hahaha!"

He refused to say more, and the others did not dare press him. After all, Qian Kang had the highest cultivation, at the Qi Refining eighth layer, and he was ruthless, stopping at nothing to get things done. They did not dare provoke such a ruthless character.

Elsewhere, after flying nonstop for several hours, Yang Tianyou finally reached Peak Valley Ridge.

He landed and put away the Twin Blades. Then he took out two First-Tier Middle-Grade Spirit Concealment Talismans, affixing one to himself and the other to Fengling.

Fengling nodded gently, then concealed himself and vanished from sight.

Man and wolf split up to search. Yang Tianyou went from east to west, while Fengling went from west to east.

The Spirit Concealment Talisman lasted for one hour. Yang Tianyou wasted no time, flitting like a ghost through the trees.

He activated his Great White Gold Eyes. Within a li before him, neither trees, rocks, nor soil could block his vision. Their ability to see through matter was brought into full play here.

Time trickled by, and Yang Tianyou soon reunited with Fengling, but neither of them had found any clues.

"Something's wrong. Not much time has passed. There's no way their traces could have completely dissipated."

Yang Tianyou frowned slightly. After some thought, he took Fengling to the place where Li Yunhao had been ambushed.

Grass and trees lay broken, and furrows of varying depths scarred the ground. Yang Tianyou activated his Great White Gold Eyes and examined the area carefully. After the time it took an incense stick to burn, his eyes lit up.

He walked over to a pit and swept his sleeve, stirring up a fierce gust that sent dirt flying and exposed a scrap of clothing the size of a fingernail.

"Found it..."

Yang Tianyou smiled faintly, then held the scrap of clothing in front of Fengling's nose.

Fengling's nose twitched slightly. Then he turned and flew north, veering slightly east, with Yang Tianyou close behind.

Soon, man and wolf arrived at a pool. There was nothing in front of them, but Yang Tianyou was in no hurry.

His Great White Gold Eyes glowed faintly, and the wondrous runes deep within his pupils trembled. A power capable of seeing through illusions became an invisible divine light that shot from his eyes.

Qian Kang and the others' Concealment Array was immediately exposed. More frightening still, Yang Tianyou's gaze passed straight through the Formation without drawing the slightest notice from Qian Kang and the others.

"At last, I've found you!"

Yang Tianyou gave a chilling smile. Beside him, Fengling bared his sharp fangs, his wolf eyes filled with bloodlust.

One Qi Refining eighth-layer cultivator, one Qi Refining seventh-layer cultivator, and two Qi Refinement Sixth Layer cultivators. No wonder they had dared ambush Li Yunhao. They were indeed strong.

Although Yang Tianyou did not take these people seriously, it was better to use some methods to be cautious.

With a thought, man and wolf quietly vanished.

In less than the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a streak of golden light suddenly flew in from the distant sky. A potbellied Qi Refining seventh-layer cultivator was flying over on a Law Artifact.

Qian Kang and the others, who were chatting and laughing, immediately noticed him. Qian Kang frowned but chose not to attack.

They had gained plenty of resources from the Yang Household people earlier. This man's cultivation was not low, and he might have some trump card. It was better not to invite needless complications.

With that thought, Qian Kang signaled the others to stay calm and let the cultivator pass.

Yang Tianyou flew over on the Sky-Piercing Blade. He was the one disguised as the potbellied man. He had intended to draw Qian Kang and the others into attacking, feign weakness, and seize the chance to ambush them, but he had not expected them to be so cautious.

In that case, he would attack head-on. They should not expect Yang Tianyou to ambush them so suddenly.

With that thought, he flew the Sky-Piercing Blade toward the spot directly above Qian Kang and the others.

The distance closed bit by bit. Yang Tianyou circulated his Spiritual Power, slowly pouring it into the Sky-Piercing Blade beneath him. At the same time, the Twin Blades in his Storage Bag hummed and trembled, poised to strike.

"Now, Blade-Controlling Technique!"

The instant he flew directly above Qian Kang and the others, Yang Tianyou shouted in his heart. Spiritual Power surged from his Dantian like a tide. His pure Late Qi Refinement Spiritual Power could already drive the Sky-Piercing Blade at full power with ease.

Moreover, Yang Tianyou had practiced the Blade-Controlling Technique frequently over the past three years, bringing this First-Tier Superior-Grade Law Technique to the realm of Great Perfection.

With the two combined, the Sky-Piercing Blade instantly transformed into a dazzling streak of golden light, trailing layers of ripples. Amid a piercing Blade Cry, it slashed viciously at Qian Kang directly below.

That was not all. Yang Tianyou took out two Golden Sword Talismans and activated them without hesitation. Two giant golden swords swept across the sky, close behind the Sky-Piercing Blade.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye. By the time Qian Kang and the others reacted, the three attacks were already upon them.

"Ah..."

Under the crushing threat of death, Qian Kang let out an angry roar. He took out a Law Artifact to meet the attack in haste while hurriedly slapping a defensive Talisman onto himself.

His reaction could hardly have been faster. Clearly, he had ample experience in life-and-death combat.

The others were far worse by comparison. Their movements were sluggish, and they reacted half a beat too slowly. Yet that half beat was the difference between life and death.

Boom!

The three attacks struck one after another. The Sky-Piercing Blade targeted Qian Kang, while the two Golden Sword Talismans targeted the other three.

The blade light was like water, shimmering brilliantly, but its power was terrifying.

In a single instant, it knocked away the Law Artifact Qian Kang had unleashed, then cleaved unstoppable through the azure defensive shield. At last, with Qian Kang staring in horror, the blade struck his neck.

Swish!

The blade flashed, and his head fell to the ground. Even in death, Qian Kang did not know who the person before him was.

Elsewhere, after Qian Kang died, the other three followed in his footsteps. The two Qi Refinement Sixth Layer cultivators were cleaved in half from the head down by the golden swords.

The other Qi Refining seventh-layer cultivator was severely injured. Then Fengling, like an assassin, quietly appeared behind him.

First, Purple Moon Divine Light immobilized his soul. Then Fengling swung his wolf claws and severely injured him.