After receiving definite news, Wang Dingtian was clearly exhilarated. What he needed to do now was seek justice for his younger brothers. At last, there had been progress, and naturally, joy filled his heart.
To that end, he immediately summoned several minor commanders and ordered them to properly muster the cavalry today, so they could accompany him tomorrow to bring the people back.
Having received their orders, the men quickly began gathering their subordinates from all around. With the stronghold now resuming operations, it unexpectedly regained some of its former bustling vitality.
The blazing sun hung overhead. It was mealtime, and the bandits began lining up in batches to collect their food. Wang Dingtian's meal, meanwhile, was delivered directly to his residence.
Looking at the lavish spread of fish and meat on the table, Wang Dingtian could not help recalling the days when he and his two younger brothers had drank and laughed together. He sighed again and again, then grabbed the wine jar and took a huge swig.
But at that moment, all kinds of strange noises suddenly came from outside.
It sounded like people and dining trays falling to the ground, and the sounds continued without end. Wang Dingtian immediately sensed that something was wrong.
When he emerged from the room, he saw people collapsed everywhere throughout the stronghold. Each one lay sprawled on the ground, their meals scattered beside them.
Quickly finding a minor commander among the crowd, Wang Dingtian grabbed him and hauled him up. "What's wrong with you? What happened?"
"Reporting to the First Boss... the food... was poisoned..."
One of the underlings endured the weakness coursing through his body and the stagnation of his True Qi as he spoke with difficulty.
The commander was about to answer, but he seemed to see something. His pupils suddenly widened.
Noticing the commander's abnormal reaction, Wang Dingtian suddenly felt a chill rise in his heart, icy cold shooting from his tailbone straight to the crown of his head.
Without the slightest hesitation, Wang Dingtian hurled the commander before him backward.
The next instant, a streak of blade light blossomed through the air, and the commander was cleaved vertically in two like an earthworm!
Blood sprayed everywhere. The instant Li Yan landed, his eyes met Wang Dingtian's.
The moment Wang Dingtian saw Li Yan's face, he froze for an instant. Then his expression swiftly twisted into savagery, bloodshot veins spreading through his eyes.
"It's you! Wan! San! Huo!"
His earth-shaking roar sent nearby birds flapping their wings as they fled in panic.
"Good. Very good!"
"I had planned to use that bitch from the Shangguan Family as an offering for my brothers first, then hunt you down and avenge them."
"Who would have thought that you'd come knocking on my door yourself!"
"Perfect. Today, I'll roast you alive properly. Tomorrow, I'll bring that bitch here and use the blood of you both to properly honor my two younger brothers!"
Hearing this, Li Yan gave a chuckle. "What a coincidence. You want to kill me, and I never intended to let you live either."
"You have no idea. These past few days, you've appeared in my nightmares every single night, disturbing my peaceful dreams!"
For a moment, the two stared straight at each other, neither making any effort to conceal the killing intent between them!
"Heh heh... Hahahahahahaha! Good, good!"
Suddenly, Wang Dingtian burst into wild laughter. The next moment, gold and silver True Qi surged around his body, and in the blink of an eye, his entire figure was covered in golden radiance and silver gleam.
"Kid, don't even think about dying peacefully today!"
As his words fell, the bluestone beneath Wang Dingtian's feet shattered. His body shot toward Li Yan like a cannonball.
Yet the instant Li Yan saw the absurdly robust True Qi around Wang Dingtian, his mind began buzzing.
But he had no time to think. He unleashed the Treading Waves Step, his figure as unpredictable as shattered waves, and after several swift maneuvers, he evaded Wang Dingtian's first charge.
"Damn brat, where do you think you're going!?"
After finally waiting for Li Yan to show himself, Wang Dingtian naturally would not give him a chance to flee. He immediately pursued him and continued attacking.
The gulf in their True Qi was like a heavenly chasm, making it impossible for Li Yan to confront him head-on. He could only rely on the advantage of his movement technique to keep dodging while his mind raced.
He had clearly watched the tampered food get delivered into Wang Dingtian's residence before leaving. He had also calculated the timing, only using the Muscle Softening Powder when the crowd was at its densest.
Most of those present had clearly collapsed from the Muscle Softening Powder, so why had the Ice Heart Qi Condensing Powder on Wang Dingtian failed to take effect?
Could it be that this man's cultivation was too strong, allowing him to withstand the medicine's effects?
"Hmph! You dare space out while fighting me!?"
A roar rang out, followed by a terrifying pressure from a fist. By the time Li Yan reacted, the punch was already before his face.
In that soul-frightening instant, Li Yan drew his blade and shifted his footing. Relying on Waning Moon's toughness and his nimble movements, he barely avoided taking the punch head-on.
But the moment he landed, his organs churned violently. Sweetness rose in his throat, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Damn it, this went too far!
Whatever the reason, Wang Dingtian had clearly not been affected by the Qi Condensing Powder!
What was one supposed to do when facing an enemy a whole major realm above oneself, an enemy who also bore the hatred of slain brothers?
The wrong answer was to turn tail and run!
The other side's strength far surpassed his own. If he chose to flee at a time like this, the final result would be getting caught and tortured to death.
But if he could not run, what should he do?
"Hahahahahahaha! Kid, don't be afraid. I definitely won't kill you too quickly!"
"The pain of losing my brothers, the terror they felt before death—I'll make you taste every bit of it, one by one!"
As his words fell, Wang Dingtian charged at Li Yan once more.
Seeing this, Li Yan could not spare any concern for his surging blood and Qi. As he rolled aside to evade, he raised his hand and cut down a minor commander beside him.
He reached out and took every Attribute Point that fell from the man's body.
Strength +2 Speed +3 Constitution +2 True Qi +0.8
The instant those small amounts of attributes entered his body, his previously turbulent blood and Qi settled considerably.
Wang Dingtian did not care that his strike had missed. As for Li Yan killing one of his subordinates, he cared even less.
A commander was nothing. There were plenty of brothers under him qualified to fill the position. Let alone one dead commander—even if everyone here died, it would not matter much.
Compared to that, what Wang Dingtian wanted to see was Li Yan fleeing in such a miserable state.
He wanted this murderer of his brothers to suffer torment beyond torment, the pain in his body accumulating bit by bit, the blood within him draining drop by drop.
Then, amid endless pain and regret, he would bring this tragic life to an end.
"Kid, don't die too fast! Hahahahahaha, take this!"
With an enraged roar, Wang Dingtian's attack arrived again.
Just as before, Li Yan always evaded at the critical moment, then struck at the mountain bandits around him. Sometimes one died; sometimes two.
Before long, the stronghold was awash in blood. Not one of the dozen or so minor commanders remained alive.
Looking at Wang Dingtian's savage grin, then at Li Yan's bloodstained blade, the surrounding mountain bandits felt their hearts turn cold.
No, you two are fighting to the death. Why are we the ones dying?
Before you continue