30 (Xie Qingning, Alliance Leader)

"Who!!?" Sima Guangtu's whole body stiffened as he shouted from behind.

He had not expected that, even at a time like this, someone would launch a sneak attack.

No one answered.

Sima Guangtu narrowed his eyes and scanned the surroundings. From his angle, he could not see Zhang Rongfang hiding behind the large tree.

He immediately raised his bow and aimed at Zhao Dacong.

Since the other party had come out to save someone, then—whoosh.

Suddenly, Zhao Dacong's body lying on the ground moved, sliding sideways to the left.

A thin string was tied to her left hand.

That brief delay made Sima Guangtu inwardly cry out in alarm, but it was already too late. Zhao Dacong had been pulled behind a large rock to the side.

"Get up there! Press forward together!" Sima Guangtu was furious.

The dozen or so remaining mountain bandits looked at one another and slowly moved forward.

Suddenly, one man halted and used his Kaishan Saber to poke through the grass in front of him.

Thud.

With a muffled sound, a crude animal trap in the grass was triggered. Sharpened bamboo stakes viciously stabbed into the dirt, startling him badly.

"Leader, there's a trap ahead!"

The group immediately stopped.

They had spent so long surviving in the mountains and forests that they were familiar with the animal traps used by hunters.

As long as they were not careless, they could clear them out bit by bit. It would just waste some time.

But time was exactly what they lacked most right now.

"Second Leader, that person's already crippled. Hurt that badly, she can't stir up any more trouble. Might as well forget it. There are people fighting behind us too," one underling said, unwilling to risk his life.

That half-crippled Zhao Dacong had just killed two of their men. Now this newly emerged fellow had killed someone the moment he appeared and even set animal trap snares.

They could kill him if they went up there, but who wanted to risk their life under these circumstances?

That person had only come to save someone, anyway.

Sima Guangtu reconsidered and found that it was true. Though he still felt displeased, he said, "If that's the case, withdraw! Get back and keep your stories straight. That ugly woman died, understand?"

"Understood, understood. That woman definitely won't be getting back up after injuries like that. Tsk, tsk," the minor leader said with a flattering smile.

The group stopped wasting words and rapidly retreated.

Supporting Senior Sister Zhao Dacong, Zhang Rongfang carried her on his back behind the tree trunk. Hearing the people behind them retreat, he quietly let out a breath of relief.

That sneak attack just now had required him to unleash his full strength in an instant. The mountain bandit had also only been an ordinary soldier with no martial arts skill, which was why he had succeeded.

But if the ten-plus men behind them had charged all at once, he would have had no option besides running.

He did not have three heads and six arms, nor was he made of steel and iron. Many of those men carried weapons, and there was also an archer watching them.

A direct confrontation was definitely impossible.

And that was assuming they were all ordinary soldiers. If there had been one or two graded experts among them, the situation would have been even worse.

Fortunately, he had scared them off. He stopped thinking further, used clothing to tightly bind the blood vessels and arteries to help stop the bleeding, then picked her up and hurried back toward Qinghe Temple.

If he was any slower, Senior Sister Dacong might lose too much blood. Then even the gods would be powerless to save her.

Xiao Rong lay on the ground, his chest and back covered in blade wounds.

Blood dyed his Daoist robe red and stained clumps of grass nearby crimson as well.

Not far away, Xiao Qingying had cried herself hoarse. She could only wriggle on the ground, making dry, rasping sounds.

But at this moment, no one cared about the father and daughter anymore.

Huang Jude and a group of mountain bandits were confronting Chen Wuyou, Jiao Teng, and the six Qinghe Temple martial cultivators who had arrived later.

Among the Qinghe Temple arrivals, the leader was surprisingly a white-bearded old Daoist.

The old Daoist had snow-white hair and stood with his hands behind his back. A broad, thick black iron ruler was strapped across his back as he stood before Zhang Xintai, Qi Shan, and the others.

"I never expected that it truly was you people causing trouble. Chen Wuyou, regarding what you and your father did before, I had always kept one eye open and one eye shut. But..."

The old Daoist sighed softly.

"Originally, I thought that although you were obsessed with infighting within the sect, you still retained a shred of bottom line when it came to our faith's Daoist principles. But now..."

"Supervisor Tang! You think that with so few people, you dare spout such wild nonsense here?" Chen Wuyou's face darkened.

He had never imagined that the Supervisor himself would personally lead people here.

Supervisor Tang Sha was one of Qinghe Temple's three strongest figures in the open, a genuine Fifth Grade Master who had fought his way to that rank!

More importantly, Tang Sha's martial arts were particularly suited for use in mountains and forests like these.

Though these mountain bandits looked numerous, most of them could only fight when the wind was at their backs. Their physical condition and courage had long been worn away by repeated flights for their lives.

Even more fatal was the fact that once Huang Jude's people saw the situation turn bad, they would absolutely not risk their lives alongside them.

"Numerous people? Heh heh." Tang Sha sneered. "Lord Chen, we'll have to rely heavily on you this time."

The moment his words fell—

Large numbers of officers rustled out from the surrounding woods.

They were all regular Great Ling troops wearing leather armor and iron conical hats.

The man at their head was broad and towering, with a great belly. He wore leather armor so thoroughly sealed that even his head and eyes were completely hidden.

The heavy, tightly wrapped leather armor seemed to weigh nothing on him.

He walked with light steps, holding a saber and a round shield, striding at the forefront of the many officers.

"Just as Daoist Tang expected, we finally lured these rats out." Lord Chen laughed heartily.

"The credit for this journey goes to you, Daoist!" With a wave of his hand, the dozens of officers around them surged forward.

"Uncle Qi Shan, move!!" Chen Wuyou suddenly rushed to the side and roared.

Unfortunately, the Daoist Qi Shan in his eyes stood motionless where he was, merely casting him a mocking glance.

"Qi Shan, this time I have you to thank for reporting the news to me in advance." Tang Sha smiled.

"Chen Father and Son disregarded the Dao Palace, treated human lives like grass, and committed bloody sins. They were destined to suffer this calamity," Daoist Qi Shan replied with lowered head.

"Only Xiao Rong... what a pity." He regretfully glanced at the dying Xiao Rong on the ground.

"To set the board, necessary sacrifices are unavoidable. Besides, I gave him advice before. What a pity." Tang Sha also looked regretful.

Xiao Rong had not been clear-headed and had needlessly harmed his own daughter.

Though Xiao Qingying had people Tang Sha placed under Chen Father and Son keeping watch over her, preventing anything major from happening, she was still an unmarried young woman who had fallen into a nest of starving mountain bandits for so long.

Even if her body truly remained untouched, no one would dare marry her. The two immediately stopped looking at Xiao Rong and Daughter. One after the other, they stepped forward to join the officers in surrounding and suppressing the mountain bandits.

Zhang Xintai, standing behind them, also sighed deeply.

That was why he and his father had been unwilling to involve themselves in the Dao Palace's struggle for power. They simply guarded their own little patch of land and lived their days.

Xiao Rong and Daughter had indeed been blind, unable to judge people clearly.

But Supervisor Tang Sha was equally cold and heartless.

For profit, for power—how many people in this age could truly hold fast to their original hearts?

At once, he stopped hesitating and charged forward, joining the others in surrounding and suppressing the mountain bandits and the Chen Family Forces.

Only then did Xiao Qingying, lying on the ground, understand that she and her father had merely been pawns used by others.

Now that their usefulness was gone, no one cared whether they were still alive.

With his rival gone, the Supervisor would inevitably become Palace Master in the future.

She suddenly understood the entire scheme. The Supervisor had used Chen Father and Son to collude with the mountain bandits, eliminating the bandit threat in one stroke and doing the Garrison General an enormous favor.

At the same time, he had removed his competitor and secured the position of Palace Master.

Only she and Father had been abandoned pieces. With the Palace Master position secure, they no longer had any value.

For a moment, Xiao Qingying felt icy cold all over. The kindly Supervisor Grandpa she had once seen in everyone now seemed to carry a sinister wind around him, so eerie that he filled her with loathing.

The battle and slaughter did not last long. Soon, Huang Jude and Chen Wuyou used the people beside them as human shields and desperately broke out alongside Jiao Teng.

One was Fourth Grade, while the other two were Second Grade.

When the former fought desperately, his might was truly terrifying. No one wanted to block him head-on; they only shot arrows from afar or fired High-Power Slingshots.

In the end, he still forced his way through an opening.

Chen Wuyou and Jiao Teng seized the chance to follow through the gap Huang Jude had broken open, escaping while injured.

Aside from those three, everyone else was either killed on the spot or captured.

Just then—

Zhang Rongfang, carrying Senior Sister Zhao Dacong back toward Qinghe Temple, abruptly stopped. He raised his head and looked ahead with focused attention.

He had just heard movement from the side.

After thinking briefly, he swiftly moved his Senior Sister into the nearby grass while quietly slipping into bushes on the other side to hide.

Soon, three figures came fleeing miserably through the woods to the side.

They were none other than Huang Jude, Chen Wuyou, and Jiao Teng.

After gathering together and breaking out of the encirclement, the three had run all the way here.

Of the three, only Huang Jude, who had led the charge, was seriously wounded. The other two had only suffered light injuries.

Chen Wuyou and Jiao Teng were both Second Grade, while Huang Jude was Fourth Grade. With the three working together, no one had been willing to meet them head-on.

They continued ahead, still some distance from where Zhang Rongfang and the other were hiding.

The three were about to pass by this area.

If they went another dozen or so meters forward, they might discover Zhang Rongfang and the other hidden in the grass.

"Wait! There's a blood scent!" Huang Jude was the first to stop. He alertly looked around.

"There's a blood scent nearby!"

"Old Huang..." Chen Wuyou's expression shifted as he was about to speak.

"You! Go scout ahead!" Huang Jude suddenly turned back, his eyes fixed viciously on him.

Chen Wuyou's heart jolted. Even wounded, Huang Jude was not someone he could handle.

It would have been fine if Father were here, but he... still fell far short.

Fortunately, Jiao Teng was beside him.

"Old Huang, that's not appropriate, is it?" Chen Wuyou took a step back and patted Jiao Teng.

"We're not your subordinates. We won't risk our lives for you." He swiftly pulled Jiao Teng over to his side.

Jiao Teng understood at once, knowing that he first had to join Chen Wuyou in dealing with this.

"Since we've already broken out, let's go our separate ways!"

He too was wary of Huang Jude right now. This fellow still had subordinates on the other side that he could use.

If he truly harbored ill intent... the two of them would not be able to deal with him.

Huang Jude snorted coldly, glanced at the two cowards, then headed in the direction without the blood scent. Before long, he vanished into the forest.

"We should go too," Chen Wuyou said solemnly.

"Wait!" Jiao Teng suddenly shifted his gaze and fixed it on a patch of grass to the side.

"There's someone there!"

"Who is it? Get out here!" he suddenly barked.

"Don't! Don't attack!" Zhang Rongfang emerged from the grass, trembling all over and covered in blood that had stained him from Zhao Dacong.

His face was full of terror as he hid behind a tree trunk, looking frightened out of his wits.

"Second Senior Brother, Senior Brother, it's me," Zhang Rongfang hurriedly identified himself.

"Zhang Rongfang?" Jiao Teng said in surprise, then immediately flew into a rage. A useless piece of trash who had not even entered a grade had actually made them waste so much time here! "Get lost!!"

He could not be bothered to deal with him further and sprinted toward the direction they had chosen earlier.

Chen Wuyou also breathed a sigh of relief. He glared fiercely at Zhang Rongfang, then rushed after Jiao Teng.

He had not forgotten that he was fleeing for his life. If the officers behind them caught up... this carefully laid scheme had been ruined by that Old Undying Supervisor. Now all their efforts had gone down the drain, so they could only return first and plan anew.

Having endured and suppressed himself for so long for the sake of this scheme, only for it to be destroyed in a single day, made Chen Wuyou more and more furious the more he thought about it.

As he passed Zhang Rongfang, evil suddenly rose in his heart.

Why did he have to flee for his life now, while this piece of trash before him was perfectly fine?

Why!?

This useless kid was irritating just to look at. Might as well kill him! With a swish, Chen Wuyou suddenly struck at the back of Zhang Rongfang's head.

Striking from behind, and moving quickly, he had truly aimed this blow to kill.

Pfft! Chen Wuyou's face stiffened. His striking arm hung in midair, only a palm's distance from Zhang Rongfang's head.

But that palm's distance was one he could never cross.

At the soft part of his abdomen, Zhang Rongfang's hand had reached its target before his own.

His palm formed a blade and stabbed deeply into his abdomen before pulling outward.

With a wet tearing sound—

Chen Wuyou staggered back several steps. His organs and intestines had been forcibly dragged out of his belly, trailing across the ground.

His face rapidly turned pale.

"You!!?" He pointed at Zhang Rongfang in disbelief, his eyes filled with suspicion, humiliation, fury, pain, and unwillingness.

"My apologies, Second Senior Brother." Zhang Rongfang looked utterly sincere. "You're too strong. I was afraid I couldn't beat you, so I had no choice but to use this strategy."

Before his words had even faded, he lunged forward and punched Chen Wuyou squarely in the forehead.

Bang!!! Chen Wuyou's head snapped back. With a crack, his neck bone bent backward and broke, killing him on the spot.

Without stopping, Zhang Rongfang turned and charged toward Jiao Teng.

Jiao Teng had already run some distance. Startled by the commotion behind him, he looked back just in time to see the scene.

He stared in dumbstruck shock. Seeing Zhang Rongfang pursuing him, a chill ran through his heart.

But the confidence of a Second Grade expert made him roar as he unleashed Mountain Rockfall with all his strength, striking at Zhang Rongfang.

"Die for me!!"

Zhang Rongfang's expression remained blank. With a turn of the Dragon Snake Movement Technique beneath his feet, he narrowly evaded the punch.

The gap between their footwork was far too great.

His entire body was like a great python, circling to Jiao Teng's side in the blink of an eye.

Yue Type Talisman.

He spread his arms wide, muscles writhing and twisting like a great python sprouting wings.

Heavy Mountain!

His twin wings came crashing down like enormous shears.

Bang!!

Jiao Teng raised his right arm, trying to block the blow.

But the tremendous force still smashed his face red.

"You!!?" His pupils dilated, his mind nearly going blank.

He had never imagined that Zhang Rongfang was not at the Tendon Forging level at all. The power behind this strike was even far greater than his own Second Grade strength.

The right arm he had thought could block the attack was knocked aside by the blow.

Zhang Rongfang's hands drove straight in, chopping viciously into his neck.

Crack.

Jiao Teng stood rigidly in place, the light in his eyes slowly dimming.

He struggled to breathe, still trying to draw in even a trace of fresh oxygen from the outside.

But with his neck practically broken, even his windpipe had been crushed into a lump along with the fractured neck bone.

Am I dreaming??

Thud. Jiao Teng fell backward onto the ground, gradually losing all signs of life.