Demonic Qi Surges

Chapter 5: Demonic Qi Surges

Duke of Wei's Estate in Jingkang Ward, Gongzhou City.

Top Jianghu Experts and hastily arrived guards from the Martial Rites Division were gathered here. Duke Wei, Li Guoyuan, sat at the head of the main hall, maintaining a stable demeanor befitting his high position.

He stroked his long beard and stood to toast the assembled guests. "I will have to rely on all of you these coming days. If my daughter can be kept safe, I will reward you handsomely."

A square-faced swordsman in black clothing spoke, "Young Master Silver Flower, a Demon Lord, has reappeared in the Jianghu. All Righteous Path Cultivators should strike him down. I, the Sword Saint, am not here for mere Gold and Silver. Upholding justice and slaying demons and devils is our duty."

Another middle-aged man in official robes seemed more eager to curry favor with this powerful figure of the Great Zhou Dynasty. "As a member of the Imperial Relatives, and considering we are protecting the sister of Consort Li, there is no reason why I, Zhongxing Du, would not give my all."

Lu Canghai, whom Gao Xian knew, was among them. His injuries, not severe to begin with, seemed to have improved. He sat in a chair, holding his sword and resting his spirit, and uttered only one sentence: "Today, if Young Master Silver Flower does not die, then I will."

Everyone remained in the main hall, silent. Martial Rites Division sentries were alert at various posts, ready to signal at the slightest disturbance.

Suddenly, Lu Canghai's eyes snapped open, his ears twitching. "They're here!"

As soon as he spoke, intense fighting erupted from a lady's chamber in the rear courtyard. However, it was quickly quelled. Everyone present rushed towards that courtyard, and a large contingent of soldiers emerged, surrounding the building.

In an instant, dozens, nearly a hundred people, appeared outside the lady's chamber in the rear courtyard. A dashing young man holding a folding fan appeared on the rooftop in the distance, looking at the people who had gathered to ambush him today.

"Sword Saint Xu Bayuan." His gaze swept over the swordsman in black, who met his stare with anger.

"Zhongxing Du, when did you become a dog of the Great Zhou?" Zhongxing Du's face turned red with anger upon hearing Young Master Silver Flower's words.

"And there's an ignorant fool, is your name Heart Sword Lu Canghai? Do you think reaching the Heavenly Secrets Ranking and Sword Ranking once allows you to roam the world?" Lu Canghai expressionlessly tightened his grip on his sword hilt.

"I was quite looking forward to this before I came, but I didn't expect to be met by a group of mere chickens and dogs."

With that, Young Master Silver Flower leaped up, as if merging with the bright moon in the sky.

With Peerless Lightness Skill, he arrived with Treading the Moon, Singing the Journey.

Wherever Young Master Silver Flower passed, invisible silver flowers fell like illusions.

"Be careful, the Demon Lord uses poison!"

Heart Sword Lu Canghai was very familiar with this technique, as if he had suffered from it before.

But even with prior preparation, people inside and outside the courtyard fell in droves. The wet cloths they used to cover their mouths and noses were useless.

In an instant, the ground was covered with fallen figures. Apart from a few experts, everyone else couldn't even get within several meters of Young Master Silver Flower.

Several Jianghu experts charged forward for a desperate battle.

"Old Demon Silver Flower, die!" Swords were drawn, and blades flashed.

A top-tier battle between Jianghu experts instantly erupted.

The few peak Jianghu experts fought ferociously. Within moments, the Duke of Wei's Estate was littered with corpses. The experts who had surrounded Young Master Silver Flower were almost all injured.

Sword Saint Xu Bayuan unleashed a saber strike, his saber intent dominating heaven and earth. However, Young Master Silver Flower's folding fan, made of some unknown material, shattered gold and broke steel, blocking their combined assault.

He then struck Sword Saint Xu Bayuan's chest with a palm, sending him crashing into a house, which instantly turned into rubble.

With a flick of his fan, he parried Lu Canghai's sword strike and then kicked him away, causing him to crash through the wall behind him.

Several people attacked Young Master Silver Flower with incredible speed, and the outcome was decided in a very short time.

Several of them were either dead or injured. At this moment, a commotion erupted from a neighboring house in the distance.

Lu Canghai and Sword Saint Xu Bayuan's expressions changed immediately. "Not good!"

Just as they spoke, four men dressed like clowns, carrying a sedan chair, flew from the distance towards the west of the city.

Seeing that he had achieved his goal, Young Master Silver Flower did not linger and followed closely after repelling the attackers.

The closed ward gates could not stop the Jianghu experts. In the darkness, figures streaked through the air, leaping several meters at a time, as graceful and free as willow catkins in the wind.

Leading the way were the Four Ghosts of Silver Flower Palace carrying the sedan chair. A woman sat inside, like a bride-to-be – it was the Duke of Wei's second daughter, Li Rong'er.

Young Master Silver Flower followed behind the sedan chair at a safe distance, as if victory was assured, and it seemed there were arrangements outside the city.

Even though they had long since switched and hidden the target, and had deployed heavy troops, this Young Master Silver Flower seemed to have seen through everything. He easily broke through their defenses, using himself as bait to create a diversion, allowing the Four Ghosts to accurately capture the Duke of Wei's second daughter.

Li Rong'er was as described in the legends, her elaborate hair adorned with a golden hairpin. Her simple, wide-sleeved robe could not conceal her proud, full figure. She wore a fur coat, exuding an air of nobility.

Her appearance was beautiful, with a fair and slender neck, distinct collarbones, and a graceful figure.

One's gaze was involuntarily drawn from her face, down her jade neck, and along her beautiful collarbones to her waist, which seemed small enough to be held in one hand.

Her appearance was secondary; the key was her demeanor, a classical elegance that modern people could not achieve through plastic surgery, makeup, or skincare. She was alluring but not vulgar.

However, Li Rong'er's face was filled with terror at this moment, yet she was completely restrained, unable to move even a finger. Thinking about the rumors she had heard about this Demon Lord, her fear of Young Master Silver Flower intensified.

Legends said that every woman the Demon Lord abducted would be controlled with a Mysterious Western Region Poison. It was said that once afflicted, the poison caused unbearable pain when it flared up, yet felt like ascending to heaven when it was consumed.

Even the Divine Maiden Saintess eventually succumbed, willingly falling prey to the Old Demon Silver Flower's manipulations. Such methods had instilled fear in countless women across the land.

Behind them, the injured Sword Saint, Lu Canghai, Zhongxing Du, and many other chivalrous heroes were in hot pursuit, as if they were risking their lives to keep the Demon Lord here.

In this regard, these three were true righteous heroes, willing to risk their lives to kill Young Master Silver Flower, a demon lord who plagued the Jianghu.

Young Master Silver Flower was also somewhat injured. Facing the life-and-death struggle of three top experts, he did not dare to linger in Gongzhou City after capturing his target and headed straight for the city walls, which were now in sight.

"My Lightness Skill is the best in the world, how can a few trash like you stop me?"

Young Master Silver Flower looked back and mocked his defeated pursuers who were desperately chasing him. However, as he turned back, he suddenly froze.

Standing on the city wall under the moonlight was a figure. He wore a simple Taoist robe but possessed eyes that shone through the night sky.