The Man Holding the Umbrella!

"He would surely become a Peak Expert—a true Peak Expert."

Watching Huo Yuanhong's departing back, Fang Shiyu suddenly spoke.

"Why? He doesn't seem any different from the others to me."

Fang Shixin was somewhat puzzled.

"You don't understand."

Fang Shiyu, the Fang Family's first heir, looked somewhat lost in thought. "Without the resolve to press onward without retreat, without the spirit to use a life as slight as three feet to contend with Heaven itself, how could one become a true Peak Expert...?"

"The first generation of Peak Experts were all people of such immense spirit, hacking through thorns and brambles and carving out a bloody road. It was simply that not many people remembered that anymore..."

"He did what I never dared to do. I admire him! I admire him from the bottom of my heart!"

Fang Shiyu sighed sincerely, raised his cup toward Huo Yuanhong's distant back, drained it in one gulp, then turned and left.

Only Fang Shixin remained standing there, somewhat bewildered and utterly at a loss.

Could it be that, in her brother's eyes, this young man of humble origins—who had only earned the right to speak alongside them through a little talent for martial arts and the support of a Peak Expert behind him...

Was actually more outstanding than those Peak Experts standing at the summit of the Celestial Empire, more outstanding than the Pillars of the Sea behind those great families...?

"Cough..."

After taking up the Great Spear and running for only a short while, Huo Yuanhong saw Old Xu.

"Old Xu."

Huo Yuanhong stopped and bowed respectfully.

"Have you thought it through? As long as you do not interfere in today's affair, once the Chauffeur's Association's remaining people have all died, you can completely cast off your past, cast off your roots, and gain a new life among the great families..."

"You have the potential to become a Peak Expert. If one of your descendants becomes a Peak Expert in the future, you could even establish an entirely new great family. Is it truly worth fighting and killing for these hopeless people at the bottom?"

Old Xu stood amid the torrential rain, hands clasped behind his back and body stooped, speaking slowly.

"The peak is too far away, but the enemy is right before my eyes."

Huo Yuanhong said quietly, "I do not want to reach the summit, then Look Back and find that only I remain. Even if I am invincible beneath Heaven, it will already be too late to hold on to anything..."

"The peak is too far away, but the enemy is right before my eyes..." Old Xu murmured it several times. A smile gradually appeared on his wrinkled face—a deeply affectionate smile.

"Go."

Just like that night, Old Xu smiled. "Go without worry. Go and do what you wish to do. The young should be wild and unrestrained; do not leave behind any regrets..."

"I am old, but I still have some use left in me. I can protect you for a while longer. You need not have any worries behind you."

After saying that, Old Xu saw Huo Yuanhong silently looking at him and could not help but smile.

"Rest easy. I still wish to see the day you become a Peak Expert, invincible beneath Heaven. I will endure until then. Perhaps I may even need you to save my life when that time comes..."

Huo Yuanhong fell silent for a moment. In the end, he said nothing, only gave the old man a deep bow.

Then, dragging the Great Spear and stepping through splashing water, he strode away once more.

He did not know whether his choice was right or wrong.

But he knew that if he missed today, then even if he became a Peak Expert or a Martial Immortal in the future, regret would still remain.

He was actually... a very greedy person.

Greedy enough to stretch out his hand, trying to seize every last wisp of regret.

"Old Yu, you finally made it. Did you bring the medicine?"

Amid the torrential rain, the Red Robe Society Leader spoke with a smile. Beside him, Old Ghost Luo held an umbrella, sheltering the two of them and another man beneath it.

"The medicine is here."

The Carriage Firm owner stood in the downpour without an umbrella. Expressionless, he took out a cloth bag and revealed the half-stalk of counterfeit medicine that had long been prepared inside.

"Good. You have kept your word."

The Red Robe Society Leader laughed as he also took out the half-stalk of Great Medicine in his hand.

The two each placed their half-stalk of Great Medicine beneath the eaves nearby, then drew apart and took their positions.

That was the rule of a wagered duel. To prevent one side from flying into a rage and directly destroying the medicine, both sides had to place their medicine some distance away, then rely on their own abilities to seize it!

Rumble!

The rain poured down in sheets, obscuring the view until everything was blurred. From even a slight distance away, one could only vaguely make out human silhouettes.

In an instant, the Carriage Firm owner was the first to erupt. His force was like a drawn bow, his body like an arrow loosed from the string. He sprinted wildly, charging straight for the Red Robe Society Leader's half-stalk of Great Medicine!

"Why the hurry?"

The Red Robe Society Leader moved at an unhurried pace. Only when the Carriage Firm owner rushed close did he shift, the force beneath his feet exploding! With waist and stance united, his blade tore through the curtain of rain and chopped toward the Carriage Firm owner!

He had every confidence. With secret backing from a certain force, he had already entered Qi Harmony, while the Carriage Firm owner was merely at Intent Harmony. One slash would surely force the other man back.

People from gangs like theirs still often used Intent Harmony, Qi Harmony, and Strength Harmony to refer to Heart-Mind Unity, Intent-Qi Unity, and Strength-Unity!

"Get lost!!!"

The Carriage Firm owner roared. At some point, his plump body had become much thinner. Like a cannonball fired from its barrel, he shot forward, utterly ignoring the Red Robe Society Leader's slash. With his blood and qi boiling under the effects of Boiling Blood Powder and his eyes bloodshot, he directly slammed into him with an Iron Mountain Lean! At the same time, he held his saber in reverse, tearing through the rain curtain as he thrust it toward the Red Robe Society Leader!

Clang!

Seeing such a life-risking style, the Red Robe Society Leader's expression changed, and he had no choice but to pull back his blade to defend.

Screech—!

Sparks burst from the two blades. Their violent friction produced a piercing shriek, and the Red Robe Society Leader was knocked back a step by the impact.

Seizing that chance, the Carriage Firm owner kicked off the ground. His plump body sprang up with startling agility, passed over the Red Robe Society Leader, and charged straight for the half-stalk of Great Medicine!

Seeing this crazed scene, Old Ghost Luo and the Red Robe Society's vice leader did not dare block him head-on. Their strength was far inferior to the Carriage Firm owner even in his normal state; they had only been there to support the Red Robe Society Leader's attack.

If they truly dared intercept the Carriage Firm owner now, crazed after taking Boiling Blood Powder, they would likely be taken away by a single slash!

"It's here, it's here—the medicine is in hand!"

Rushing up, the Carriage Firm owner looked at the half-stalk of Great Medicine in his hand and felt it over several times to confirm it was real. Ecstasy surged through his heart as he hurriedly stuffed it into the medicine case he had prepared long ago.

In truth, with the depth of his accumulation, he could have entered the second stage of cultivating Dark Force, Qi Harmony, long ago. But the martial arts he had practiced before were too crude, and he had lacked medicinal materials to nourish and replenish himself. He had injured his body through training, leaving him stuck at the peak of Intent Harmony.

But after obtaining the medicine given by the Fang Family, he had made up for the hidden injuries caused by training without nourishment and successfully entered Qi Harmony!

Now, under the effects of Boiling Blood Powder and with a completely life-risking fighting style, he had actually broken through the obstruction of the Red Robe Society Leader's group of three in an instant and seized that half-stalk of Great Medicine.

"Go! Leave now!"

The Carriage Firm owner knew full well that his true opponents were not the Red Robe Society Leader and the others. He had never considered those Red Robe Society people his opponents at all.

With the ferocity of his fighting style, if he had not been trying to seize the medicine, then after entering Qi Harmony, he could have directly killed all three of them in a one-against-three fight!

But he could not. He could not linger, nor could he waste strength. He had to remain on guard at all times against other gang experts who might be hidden in the dark!

He could not stay even half a moment longer. He had to kill his way out immediately! Even if he died, he had to deliver the medicine before dying!

With Qi Harmony strength, combined with Boiling Blood Powder, he still had some confidence. Otherwise, if he knew there was not the slightest hope, he would not foolishly come here to throw away his life.

"As long as I can deliver the medicine to the Martial Arts Hall, it will all be worth it!"

The Carriage Firm owner fled down the road, his blood seeming to boil throughout his body, surging madly, scorching and searing!

Fast! Faster! Faster still!

Just as he was about to rush out of this area...

Clang!

The sound of a blade leaving its sheath rang out. A man turned out from beneath the eaves, the long saber in his hand driven by overwhelming force as it whistled through the rain curtain.

With a single slash, he sent the saber in the Carriage Firm owner's hand flying!

Then he kicked out. Amid a dull thud, he sent the Carriage Firm owner's plump body flying, breaking several of his ribs!

Strong...

The man who had emerged from beneath the eaves was simply too strong!

In just one exchange, he had crushed the Carriage Firm owner, who had already reached Qi Harmony and taken Boiling Blood Powder!

"Ah!!!"

The Carriage Firm owner howled. His face twisted from the agonizing pain of his broken ribs, yet he did not dare pause for even an instant. The moment he hit the ground, he erupted with force again, rolled over, sprang up, and fled madly in another direction!

"Kill my way out! I must kill my way out! I have to deliver the medicine to the Martial Arts Hall!"

The Carriage Firm owner had nearly gone mad, fleeing desperately.

Unfortunately...

He had only just reached a corner when another person turned out. The long staff in that person's hand howled as it tore through the downpour, directly blasting him flying again.

With a bang, the Carriage Firm owner's plump body crashed heavily into a puddle. He rolled miserably several times before barely dispersing the impact and opening the distance from the staff-wielding expert.

But by then, the blow from the staff had scattered the force throughout his body. He could not raise his qi at all, and even the medicine case had fallen to the ground.

These two men who had appeared were far too terrifying, whether in strength or fighting style!

They were unbelievably strong, utterly beyond anything he could contend with!

Even risking his life, he could not break through!

"Step, step, step, step, step..."

The sound of feet trampling puddles came from several directions at once. Shadowy figures appeared and vanished amid the torrential rain, wearing all manner of masks like demons and monsters.

Looking at the ghosts and fiends in the rainstorm, the Carriage Firm owner propped up his upper body with both elbows and tried to rise.

But after several attempts, he could not summon any strength. That staff strike had knocked the breath out of him, and he could not recover.

He could not even crawl up anymore.

It was over!

The Carriage Firm owner lowered his head in despair, watching the rain fall before him and smash out one puddle after another.

He did not regret that he was about to die.

There was only regret.

His final gamble had still failed. He had not managed to seize the medicine for A-Hong.

Splash...

Just then, the Carriage Firm owner suddenly froze. He discovered that the torrential rain was no longer striking his body.

The rain had stopped.

The Carriage Firm owner raised his head and saw a young man who had leaped down from the eaves. He opened a large umbrella and handed it over, blocking the pouring rain outside.

"Take it. Leave the rest to me."

The man holding the umbrella carried the Great Spear across his back and strode forward, charging into the oncoming ghosts and fiends!