Second Master of the Li Family was an Innate Realm martial artist, and his strength had reached Inner Qi Realm Layer 6.
Such strength might not have been the very pinnacle in Pingfeng City, but he was still one of its foremost experts. How could he suddenly have been severely injured by someone else?
But this was not the time to dwell on that. Getting back safely came first.
Uncle Li suppressed the doubts in his heart and said in a deep voice, "So what? The Li Family has stood firm for hundreds of years. How could we be swayed by a mere Inner Qi Realm martial artist?"
"If you retreat now, I can pretend that nothing happened."
"But if you refuse, then do not blame us for being impolite. Besides, wiping you out would be nothing to us."
"Haha, you're still dreaming."
Blood Wolf sneered, then suddenly turned fierce, his voice brimming with killing intent. "Give it up. Since we came today, we never intended to let you leave here alive."
"Besides, if I'm not mistaken, the one inside that carriage is the Li Family's Eldest Young Lady, isn't she?"
"Perfect. My eighteenth wife died just a few days ago. How about making her my nineteenth wife of the stronghold?"
"Brother Wolf, what good fortune you have!"
Pang Feilong, standing nearby, could not help but laugh as well. "I have no interest in that, but I care more about the Innate Cultivation Method."
"When the time comes, we can all share it. As long as we join forces and break through into the Innate Realm, what would the Li Family amount to?"
"That's right. Brother Feilong speaks sense."
"I say we stop wasting words with them and kill them outright."
"To be honest, I can hardly wait any longer."
The several Great Leaders nearby had clearly become utterly unrestrained, arrogant beyond measure, as though they already had their prey in the bag.
After all, they outnumbered the caravan by several times over.
Moreover, they had several veteran Blood Changing Realm martial artists, while Blood Wolf had broken through to Inner Qi Realm Layer 3 not long ago. How could the other side possibly be a match for them?
The great battle was on the verge of erupting, and there was clearly no way to avoid it now.
At Blood Wolf's command, he personally led his men in a charge, heading straight for Uncle Li.
Uncle Li gripped his spear tightly and met them head-on without yielding an inch.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
With his spear in hand, Uncle Li was like a Veteran General tempered through a hundred battles, sweeping through every direction as his spear shot forth like a dragon.
Yet Blood Wolf showed not the slightest fear. His Nine-Ringed Saber was unstoppable, and every swing seemed to trail streaks of bloody light.
The violent collisions were deafening. Neither side gave an inch, every move aimed directly at the other's life.
The remaining bandits also all joined the battle.
Although the Li Family Caravan's guards were formidable, all martial artists of the Bone Forging and Viscera Refining Realms,
they were clearly inferior in Blood Changing Realm martial artists. Coupled with the disparity in numbers, they were beaten back again and again.
After all, Blood Changing Realm martial artists charging into the guard formation were like wolves entering a flock of sheep.
Bai Ze had already drawn his longsword. Like the others who had temporarily joined the caravan, he assisted the guards in fending off the bandits' attacks.
Just then, a bandit charged in from the side. Just as Bai Ze was about to kill him,
Old Wang rushed out from beside him and viciously chopped off the man's head with a single stroke.
"Kid Bai, stop trying to rush forward. Hurry back and defend with us," he warned.
"Once Uncle Li finishes the battle over there, no matter how many bandits remain, there will be nothing to fear."
"Alright."
Bai Ze did not refuse. He shifted back a little.
Even if Old Wang had not acted just now, Bai Ze could have easily dealt with that man himself.
Watching the guard formation retreat step by step, Bai Ze saw their defensive circle shrink inward once more.
No matter what, the key to deciding this battle lay in the outcome between Uncle Li and Blood Wolf.
Just then, a figure leaped out from the carriage in the center, moving with astonishing speed.
Bai Ze saw it clearly. It was the Li Family's Eldest Young Lady, Li Qiuyu.
She wore white, her long hair flowing in the wind. Her beauty, capable of eclipsing the moon and shaming the flowers, seemed carved by the supernatural craftsmanship of ghosts and gods.
The longsword in her hand drifted unpredictably as she danced gracefully through the crowd like a fairy descending to the mortal world.
Yet every stroke of her sword brought forth sprays of blood, reaping the lives of the enemies before her.
Seeing this, Bai Ze thought to himself, A Blood Changing Realm martial artist.
"Isn't she especially beautiful?"
Old Wang had seen the scene as well and could not resist teasing him.
As he spoke, he slashed down another bandit who had charged over.
After all, most of the bandits were being held back by the guards, so the pressure on people like them was not too great for the moment.
But as time passed, the guards' numbers rapidly dwindled amid the slaughter, and casualties inevitably began appearing among them.
Hearing that, Bai Ze calmly glanced at him and nodded. With an expressionless face, he swung his longsword and pierced through the chest of the man before him.
However, Old Wang seemed to suddenly recall something and said with a laugh, "The Li Family's Eldest Young Lady I was talking about wasn't Li Qiuyu. She hadn't even been born back then."
"But don't worry. I've been through this sort of thing many times. There won't be any problem."
"I hope so."
Bai Ze replied lightly, then turned his attention tensely toward the battle on the other side.
If the Li Family Caravan could not hold out and was defeated, he would not hesitate to seize the chance to leave.
After all, whether it was the Li Family Caravan or the beautiful and captivating Eldest Young Lady, they were nothing more than passing clouds to him.
"No, it isn't safe here. Let's retreat farther inside."
"Over there. With the Eldest Young Lady there, the defenses are stronger."
"Alright."
Bai Ze did not object. He nodded and followed after him.
Many martial artists far stronger than him had already been left without even bones or corpses, yet Bai Ze, with only early Viscera Refining Realm strength, had roamed the world for so many years and remained safe and sound. There was a reason for that.
Though Old Wang was usually somewhat of a chatterbox, ever since the battle began, Bai Ze had realized that he had brought the art of fishing in troubled waters to its very peak.
His creed was stability above all else. Unless driven into a corner, he would avoid danger whenever he could.
Just like now, wherever was relatively safer, that was where he went.
Bai Ze likewise had no intention of revealing his true strength.
He would not be like those characters in novels, casually displaying his strength to save someone from peril and win a beauty's favor.
If you possessed the absolute power to turn the tide, that was one thing. But if you did not, wouldn't that make you a complete idiot?
Besides, the crucial battle ahead was still unclear. What if Uncle Li lost?
By then, Bai Ze would have already drawn attention to himself. Facing so many Blood Changing Realm martial artists, perhaps even Innate Realm martial artists, would he not simply be asking for trouble?
Although Bai Ze was extremely confident in his own strength, he was not so confident that he believed he could kill an Innate Realm martial artist.
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