And clearly, all of this had been planned out between the father and son long ago. That was precisely why, when Song Kai led men to the Black Tiger Gang, Song Nanjun quietly doubled back.
His purpose was to seize the chance to kill the county magistrate after Qin Ming left.
After all, if they did not strike first now, the county magistrate would likely find a chance to strike at them later. They understood well enough that one mountain could not hold two tigers.
As for whether they could succeed, that was not even worth considering!
Without Qin Ming's personal protection, what chance did a county magistrate who was not even a martial artist have of surviving?
Song Nanjun paid no attention to the county magistrate's reaction. After taking another sip of wine, he casually waved at the few people behind him.
Upon receiving the order, the four or five men gripped their broadswords and stepped forward, preparing to kill him.
"Whoosh."
"Whoosh."
"Whoosh."
But at that moment, the county magistrate's lips curled slightly, revealing a cold smile.
He swiftly swept aside his robes, drew a slender flexible sword from his waist, and leaped into the air, actually taking the initiative to attack.
In the blink of an eye, the sword in the county magistrate's hand struck like a venomous snake flicking its tongue, taking their lives before they could react—or before they had ever expected it.
"Clang."
Seeing this, Song Nanjun's wine cup fell straight to the ground.
He quickly rose, gripped his broadsword, and kicked the table flying toward him, but the county magistrate easily dodged it.
Song Nanjun stared at him coldly, his expression grave, and said in a deep voice, "It seems everyone was deceived by you. You are not an ordinary man powerless even to truss a chicken."
"Hahaha!"
Hearing this, the county magistrate burst into laughter. Wiping the blood from his flexible sword, he said coldly, "When did I ever say I was an ordinary man powerless even to truss a chicken? That was merely what you assumed."
"Even when I said I was not a martial artist, you believed it without seeing it with your own eyes. Doesn't that just make you a pack of fools?"
"I did not act before because there was neither an opportunity nor a need. But now, I no longer want to see the Black Tiger Gang or the Ten Thousand Blades Sect in Changqing County, so all of you must die!"
Upon hearing this, Song Nanjun clearly understood everything, but it was already too late.
The county magistrate had already shot toward him. There was no time to think; he could only fight to the death.
He had originally thought that even if the other man was a martial artist, the few Bone Refining Realm martial artists he had just killed had merely been caught in a sneak attack. It was nothing much, and Song Nanjun himself could have done the same with ease.
With his own Late Viscera Refining Realm strength, he could kill the other man in a direct fight.
But who could have expected that the instant they clashed, he would be thoroughly suppressed by the county magistrate?
"Whoosh."
"Whoosh."
"Whoosh."
The county magistrate seemed to be merely loosening his limbs, not taking the fight seriously at all. He looked utterly relaxed.
Yet even so, his sword came faster with every strike, and Song Nanjun was already struggling to parry.
With a cold smile, the county magistrate said, "Enough. This ends here. You should die first."
"But do not worry. I will soon let you father and son reunite."
"No..."
The moment his words fell, before Song Nanjun could say anything else, his chest was pierced. He collapsed directly into a pool of blood.
His eyes were filled with unwillingness as blood continuously spilled from his mouth. There was no saving him now.
The county magistrate looked expressionlessly at the dead Song Nanjun, his face utterly devoid of emotion.
In his view, even if Song Nanjun had not come seeking death himself, he would not have lived much longer anyway. The county magistrate had merely done it personally now.
After sheathing the flexible sword at his waist, he muttered calmly, "It is time to make a move. Let's begin with the Ten Thousand Blades Sect."
"Since I said I would kill your entire family, then I will kill your entire family. I am quite trustworthy in that regard."
Then he left directly, leaping toward the Ten Thousand Blades Sect.
Half an hour later.
The county magistrate arrived at the outskirts of the Ten Thousand Blades Sect's territory, on a nearby street.
A man dressed in black suddenly appeared behind him and said in a deep voice, "My lord."
"Mm."
The county magistrate was clearly not surprised by his appearance. This had all been arranged beforehand.
Looking at the Ten Thousand Blades Sect in the distance, he asked calmly, "What is the situation inside? How many people remain?"
"Including women, children, and the elderly, no more than three hundred."
"Good. Charge in. Leave none alive."
"Yes."
Upon hearing this, the man in black nodded respectfully, then let out a sharp whistle.
From the shops on both sides of the street, a large number of people carrying weapons swiftly gathered behind the county magistrate.
At the man's wave, he personally led them charging inside, beginning a one-sided massacre.
A few minutes later.
Wails, curses, pleas for mercy, and other sounds came from within.
But before the merciless slaughterers, tears only met the descending cleavers; they gave no one any chance of survival.
The county magistrate remained expressionless, like a cold-blooded creature without the slightest emotion.
As he looked at the women, elderly people, and children already lying in pools of blood, it was as though he had long grown accustomed to such sights.
No one would have imagined that the county magistrate, who usually wore such a beaming smile, could be so cruel.
Not much time passed before the group of black-clothed men appeared again, their bodies covered in blood. No other sounds remained here.
Respectfully, the man said, "County Magistrate, everyone has been slain regardless of age. There are no survivors."
But upon hearing this, the county magistrate merely glanced at him calmly before turning and heading in another direction.
Seeing this, the many black-clothed men behind him immediately followed.
Meanwhile.
Over at the Black Tiger Gang, the great battle was still raging.
But Bai Ze had already arrived in the inner courtyard of the main hall. Since everyone was fighting outside, there was no one else here.
After swiftly searching through every room, he found only a small amount of silver and nothing else of value.
However, Bai Ze did not give up. He leaped to Black Tiger's residence and slipped inside, but his gains were equally meager.
The Black Tiger Gang had been in Changqing County for so many years. How could they possibly have nothing?
Bai Ze could not help muttering to himself, but he quickly thought of a secret chamber.
He whispered, "This is the Black Tiger Gang's main hall. The gold, silver, and other valuables accumulated over so many years must be here."
"After all, with the Old Gang Leader Black Tiger stationed here, nowhere could be safer than this place."
"The reason I have found nothing yet must be that it is all hidden in a secret chamber."
At that thought, Bai Ze could no longer concern himself with anything else and quickly began searching through Black Tiger's residence.
He had to find what he wanted and get away quickly before the battle outside ended.
Before you continue