The group hurried several hundred li and arrived at a certain spot, where a figure darted out from the woods.
"Who goes there?"
Everyone tensed, and Lin Qingxue raised a hand, sending out a streak of Sword Qi.
"Friend!"
The newcomer used his sword to deflect the Sword Qi. Once he steadied himself, the group saw that he wore the robes of a Divine Water Sect disciple and was covered in wounds and blood.
"Li Deyou, why are you here?"
"Elders, we were ambushed. This disciple was ordered to return to the sect and call for help."
"What is the situation up ahead?"
"Reporting to the elders, the Heavenly Martial Sect dispatched no fewer than five Condensing Truth Realm experts. Elder Qin and several senior brothers were locked in a stalemate with their Condensing Truth Realm fighters in order to cover our retreat.
We disciples moved westward, only to be pursued and intercepted by another group of Heavenly Martial Sect disciples. The casualties were devastating."
Lin Qingxue and the other Peak Masters exchanged glances. Without overthinking it, they immediately said:
"We will split into two groups. Three Condensing Truth Realm cultivators will go support Senior Brother Qin and the others. The remaining one will lead the disciples to reinforce the other group."
"Alright."
The group immediately divided into two parties. Lin Qingxue and two other Condensing Truth Realm cultivators departed, while the remaining one led the disciples toward the other side.
Following behind them, Lu Wangchuan raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Something isn't right."
Chen Qingquan asked in confusion:
"What isn't right?"
"That kid's heartbeat. It's a little too fast—not like it was caused merely by rushing here."
Lu Wangchuan had not revealed his cultivation, but his strength was already the highest here. There were practically no one capable of fighting him.
Of course, it was not his cultivation alone that allowed him to notice the other man's heartbeat. More importantly, after cultivating the Life Nurturing Art for so long, his physique had long surpassed those of the same level. Though he was only at the Condensing Truth Realm Late Stage, his five senses were no weaker than those of a second-level Celestial Human Realm expert who had reached the Sea Transformation stage!
That was why he could easily see things that even several Condensing Truth Realm experts could not.
"Maybe he was just nervous. He had only just clawed his way out of a deadly battle. Isn't a racing heartbeat perfectly normal?"
"Hopefully I'm just overthinking it."
Even so, Lu Wangchuan still informed the Peak Master leading the group. They were fellow sect members, after all. A reminder would not kill anyone.
Unfortunately, after hearing him out, the man not only failed to take precautions, but even darkened his face and sneered at him.
"Li Deyou is a disciple under my peak. With no evidence whatsoever, you claim he may have a problem based solely on his heartbeat. Are you doubting him? Or are you doubting that I cannot teach my disciples properly?"
"Besides, I am a dignified Condensing Truth Realm expert, yet even I heard nothing unusual in his heartbeat. You are merely in the Physical Body Realm and have not even broken through to the Celestial Human Realm. Could you possibly be stronger than me?"
Fine. He had been meddling where he was not wanted.
Lu Wangchuan was not angry. He silently fell back, merely keeping a few extra precautions in mind. Along the way, he watched carefully, even filtering the air he breathed through spiritual energy.
Before the group had hurried another seventy or eighty li, an accident suddenly occurred. Several violent explosions rang out through the air, and the massive shockwaves made the earth tremble.
Several disciples were flung away on the spot, while those nearest the front were grievously wounded, on the brink of death.
Although that Peak Master was in the Condensing Truth Realm, the explosions still left his blood and qi churning violently.
Before he could react, several fierce gusts shot toward him like lightning.
He did not dare lower his guard and immediately unleashed his protective aura to block them. The other disciples were not so fortunate, their bodies pierced through on the spot.
Lu Wangchuan grabbed Chen Qingquan by the shoulder and used his movement technique to dodge swiftly. They pressed themselves flat against the ground, barely escaping disaster.
"What happened?"
He could not help crying out. When he looked ahead, his entire body shuddered.
At this moment, the Divine Water Sect disciples on the field were nearly wiped out. Even the Condensing Truth Realm Peak Master had several Special Steel Guns embedded in his body. He was critically wounded, barely holding on only through the formidable strength of the Condensing Truth Realm.
The protective aura around a Condensing Truth Realm cultivator was harder than steel, yet their steel guns had pierced through his defenses. Clearly, these were no ordinary steel guns, but weapons specially designed to deal with Condensing Truth Realm experts!
At that moment, several figures swiftly closed in from every direction. Judging by their attire, they were all disciples of the Heavenly Martial Sect.
"Hahaha! Li Deyou, you did well this time. You rendered a great service the moment you joined our Heavenly Martial Sect. When we return, I will certainly report it to the Sect Leader and see that you are handsomely rewarded."
"So we really walked into an ambush? You actually called it."
Chen Qingquan's heart pounded wildly as despair surged up within him.
Lu Wangchuan calmly observed his surroundings, his sharp eyes rapidly searching the forest for any other hidden Heavenly Martial Sect experts.
The cautious lived long; the careless died fast.
"Don't panic. When they are not paying attention later, immediately flee back to the sect and relay what happened here."
"What about you?"
"Someone has to stay behind and buy time. Your cultivation is too weak. Staying would only mean throwing your life away."
Chen Qingquan did not know whether he should feel happy or angry. In the end, he could only say softly:
"Good brother, don't you dare die. Once we get back, I'll treat you to a drink."
"Don't speak. Be careful they don't discover us."
The dying Peak Master's eyes were bloodshot as he furiously questioned Li Deyou.
"Li Deyou, you beast! Have I ever mistreated you? Why did you betray my Divine Water Sect?"
Li Deyou looked ashamed.
"Peak Master, I had no choice. They forced me to kill several fellow disciples. Even if I returned to the sect, it would be a capital crime. I could only join the Heavenly Martial Sect. I don't want to die. I only want to live."
"Wretch! I'll kill you!"
The old Peak Master roared and charged at him with his last shred of strength, only for the Condensing Truth Realm expert leading the Heavenly Martial Sect to step forward and thrust a sword through his heart, sending him down with overwhelming unwillingness.
"Old bastard, you're nearly dead and still hopping around so much."
After slaying him with one sword strike, he immediately ordered the others:
"Finish them all off. Make sure no one is left alive."
"Yes!"
Just as they stepped forward to finish off the wounded, Lu Wangchuan suddenly sprang up from the ground.
"Run."
Hearing the command, Chen Qingquan turned and fled, unleashing a speed he had never achieved before. In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the forest.
At that same moment, Lu Wangchuan threw both fists, striking two Heavenly Martial Sect disciples squarely in the chest.
Bang—!
With a thunderous blast, the two Open Source cultivators were killed on the spot, Lu Wangchuan's fists punching straight through their chests.
He had not used the Prajna Dragon Elephant, only the Mountain Splitting Fist.
There was no need to use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken. Even the Mountain Splitting Fist at the Condensing Truth Realm Late Stage was not something these Physical Body Realm disciples could withstand.
The enemy clearly had not expected Lu Wangchuan and Chen Qingquan, those two sly old foxes, to turn the tables and launch a surprise attack.
The Condensing Truth Realm expert immediately roared:
"Don't let that brat escape! Kill this one too!"
Many thanks to readers Qing Yuhuan and Lord Wei 66 for the rewards. My deepest gratitude.
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