Prelude I

Pure Yang Palace is the largest True One Sect Dao Palace in Ze Province.

The Palace Master Daoist Qingxiao, with a kind and gentle expression, quietly explained the Civilian Skill to his many disciples below.

His voice was melodious and varied, occasionally uttering verses; his tone was deep and resonant, possessing a unique rhythm. Everyone present was captivated.

Few people know that he used special martial arts secrets in every sermon.

He was the head of the entire True One Sect in Ze Province.

After losing three of the Ming Mountain Five Sons, Daoist Qingxiao set his sights on one of the positions.

After all, he was a master who could be stationed in Ze Province, the stronghold of the Great Dao Sect.

Even among the masters of the True One Sect, he was considered to be among the top in strength, and there was still hope for him to improve further.

After the sermon, the event ended, and Daoist Qingxiao left the stage and returned backstage.

Just as he was about to rest, his close disciples, who were serving him, immediately came up to him.

"Your Palace Master, the Special Envoy Team sent to Qingchuan has mysteriously disappeared. We have also received an imperial decree to send people out to cooperate. What do you think?"

"The Special Envoy Team has gone missing. Their purpose was to investigate the Daoist Daozi of the Great Dao Sect. This is not a good matter," said Daoist Qingxiao calmly.

He had heard about the strength of the Special Envoy Team. The only explanation for such a powerful force suddenly disappearing was that a powerful force of equal strength had intervened.

With his small frame, he dares to go and join in the fun? Isn't that just courting death?

"Brother Qingxiao, how were you so full of vigor back then? How come you've become so timid and hesitant to show your face now?"

Suddenly, the only light at the small doorway leading to and from the backstage area was blocked by someone.

The man was dressed in a black robe, obscuring his face, but his voice sent a chill down Qingxiao's spine.

"It's you?" He seemed to recognize the other person.

"It's me. I helped you back then, and now it's time for you to repay that favor," the man said with a smile.

"You're here for the Special Envoy Team and Zhang Ying too?" Qingxiao frowned and said in a deep voice.

"Of course. But we all know our own limitations. If we really had to confront the Reverse Time Society behind it, none of us could withstand it. But what if we didn't send you to deal with the Reverse Time Society?" the man said with a smile.

"What do you mean?"

"The literal meaning," the visitor continued. "It can now be confirmed that Dao Child Zhang Ying most likely possesses the ultimate secret of the Eastern Sect, which is the special secret that can restrain the Worship God Expert."

Such a secret must never be revealed! Otherwise...

"Can you find him?" Qingxiao's heart stirred.

"We can't find Zhang Ying, but we can find his close subordinates. I've received information that his subordinates have started packing their bags and heading to other provinces. So we can intercept them halfway."

"Whether it's used as bait or as a way to give an explanation to those above, it's a solution. Don't you think so?" the man said casually.

"If we can't defeat the force behind the Special Envoy Team, can't we at least not deal with a bunch of ordinary people like you?" Qingxiao still had concerns.

"If you don't tell, and I don't tell, who will know it's us?" the man laughed.

Qingxiao's close disciple was taken aback upon hearing this, then his expression changed slightly, and he took a step back.

Pfft! Too bad it's too late.

Daoist Qingxiao struck out with lightning speed, landing precisely on the center of his forehead.

His brain matter immediately ruptured.

The disciple collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

He didn't Worship God and even planned to cultivate himself further, but unfortunately, "You're still the same as ever, decisive enough," the visitor clapped and laughed.

"When do we make our move?" Qingxiao asked in a deep voice, withdrawing his hand.

"Now."

The winding mountain Official Road halfway up the mountain resembles a giant python coiled around the mountain.

The grayish-white expanse stretches into the distance, sometimes thick and sometimes thin, making it exceptionally conspicuous from afar.

At midday, the winter sun was cold and pale, its light reflecting off the falling snowflakes.

At the summit, beneath a grove of snow-covered pines, Zhang Rongfang gazed silently at the convoy on the distant Official Road.

He was waiting.

They are waiting for someone to come and arrest him.

Since setting off yesterday, he has ostensibly separated from the team, but in reality, he has been secretly protecting them from the outside.

The purpose was to use the convoy as bait to lure out all the forces secretly targeting him.

Given his current special talent, using war to sustain war is the best way to deal with this situation.

As for those around him, no matter how many more people come, they are all a burden to him.

If he were alone, he could fight and retreat at will, coming and going as he pleased.

They waited and waited until noon the next day, but no one showed up.

But he wasn't in a hurry. Not at all. At the speed of the caravan, it would take at least a month and a half to travel from here to Wushan Prefecture.

Therefore, he still has a long time to spare.

Suddenly, Zhang Rongfang's expression shifted slightly as he looked in another direction into the distance.

"They're here." He looked in that direction from afar. With his Dark Light Vision activated, he could vaguely assess the speed of their movements and the strength of their qi and blood.

Without hesitation, he lightly touched the ground with his foot and dashed off in that direction.

As he passed through the vast Snow Forest, he could see in the distance a group of masked men dressed in white rapidly approaching the convoy through the snow.

Behind these masked men, a tall man in silver armor followed closely, with a long black scarf tied around his neck that fluttered in the wind.

The masked man stood tall and straight, carrying a long knife on his back. The moment Zhang Rongfang lunged out of the Woodland, he looked in his direction.

"Who!?" he shouted in a low, sharp voice, gripping the hilt of his knife.

His answer was a rapidly approaching gray phantom.

Snow powder exploded beneath Zhang Rongfang's feet, and he moved like an arrow, suddenly creating a zigzag line as he flashed past more than a dozen masked men, leaping and weaving through them.

A tiny drop of blood splattered from his hand.

One by one, the masked men roared and slashed with their knives, displaying various moves, but all of them were ineffective.

Their moves were only halfway through when they were exposed and their throats were pierced.

Everyone remained frozen in place, maintaining their original posture.

Then, the instant Zhang Rongfang landed, everyone collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

"There's one left."

Zhang Rongfang landed lightly a few meters in front of the leader, blood slowly dripping from his fingers hidden in his sleeve, and walked towards the other person step by step.

The latter looked terrified and kept backing away.

***On the other side.

The convoy from the Aloeswood Manor drove at a leisurely pace along the winding mountain road, heading into the distance.

Zhang Yunqi rode at the very front, with a dozen or so High Grade Expert from the Rebel Sect protecting the rear of the group.

Zhang Zhenhai and Sun Chaoyue were together, positioned in the middle of the group, protecting the transported goods.

From a distance, such a team composition appears to consist of only a few Super Grade experts, which would be considered very stable in peacetime.

But now chaos is emerging, and many masters are emerging from their secluded places.

Not to mention that Aloeswood Manor is now being watched by many powerful forces, so this amount of guarding power is far from enough.

Whoosh. Suddenly a cold wind blew by, scattering the petals of a plum tree growing diagonally above the Official Road.

White petals twirled and drifted down, gently brushing past the carriage, over the windows, and near the Great Dao Sect inscription etched on the wheels, before landing.

Whoosh! Suddenly the carriage stopped rolling.

Everyone in the group stopped and stood still.

Zhang Yunqi raised his hand, his eyes scanning forward warily.

The Official Road ahead was flanked by a mountain wall on the left and a cliff on the right, offering no place to hide anyone.

But for some reason, he was feeling uneasy.

"What's wrong, Father?" Zhang Zhenhai asked softly, lifting the carriage curtain.

"Something's not right," Zhang Yunqi replied in a deep voice. "Be on guard!"

"What's the point of being cautious? What's the use of being careful?" A clear voice interrupted him, drifting down from the side of the mountain wall.

Immediately, everyone looked up at the sky.

On the Plum Tree above the Official Road, a Gray Cloaked Figure stood gracefully.

The newcomer held Long Sword black sheath, his face was covered, except for two holes gouged out for his eyes.

"Is this all the direct forces under Zhang Ying's command? They're far too weak!"

"He himself is only a Super Grade, so he's not very strong. The key is the power behind him. Forget it, let's deal with him as soon as possible and leave with our men. Then this matter will be considered settled."

On another cliff face, a person dressed in white also covered their face with a white mask. The mask looked like a simple cover bought casually from a street stall, like a child's toy.

This person was none other than Daoist Qingxiao.

I need to give an explanation to my superiors, and I also need to repay a favor.

The most appropriate option was to secretly target Zhang Ying's direct subordinates.

So he came.

As True One master in charge of a province, he was already being extremely cautious this time.

The annihilation of the Special Envoy Team made him realize that he had to come up with something useful in order to deal with the criticism from above.

He didn't dare to touch Zhang Ying's side, so he changed his approach.

The two men hung on the mountainside, looking down at the convoy, exuding an aura of complete control.

"Take action. Otherwise, things might change!"

Qingxiao looked at the other person and urged him on.

The other masked man nodded.

Whoosh! The two of them simultaneously swooped down from the sky, rushing towards the center carriage of the convoy.

They had already investigated thoroughly before they arrived.

In reality, there are only three people who truly belong to Zhang Ying's core subordinates here.

Zhang Yunqi, Zhang Zhenhai, and Sun Chaoyue.

Zhang Zhenhai and Sun Chaoyue are both young and beautiful women, suspected to be Zhang Ying's lovers and have a close relationship.

Therefore, they are the primary targets for arrest.

The two men rapidly approached the central carriage, while guards from the convoys on both sides and members of the Rebel Sect drew their swords and fired arrows, attempting to intercept them.

But it was to no avail.

The two moved as if they had anticipated everything, easily dodging all attacks and passing through the gaps.

The masked man in the straw hat suddenly drew his long sword, severing all the blades around him with a single stroke. He then grabbed at Sun Chaoyue, whose pretty face had turned pale, through the car window with one hand.

"I'll get to taste Zhang Ying's woman!" The man in the straw hat laughed, reached into the car window, and grabbed Sun Chaoyue's shoulder.

Smack

He gripped firmly with all five fingers and pulled back.

Huh!?? It's not moving at all?? What's going on?!?

The smile in the masked man's eyes vanished abruptly.

The laughter abruptly stopped.

"What's going on?!" He suddenly realized that his whole body was stiff and motionless, as if he were completely paralyzed.

Suddenly, he seemed to remember something and lowered his head with difficulty.

His pupils contracted in an instant.

A large, strong hand was gently pressing on his heart.

The five fingers of his hand pierced deep into his heart, yet strangely, no blood flowed out.

Didn't the people from the Western Sect tell you to stay out of the way?

Zhang Rongfang stood behind him, his face calm, looking down at him.

"I!!?"

In an instant, the masked man's head was grabbed by a large hand and spun around.

Click!

It rotates 360 degrees in an instant.

His body collapsed to his knees with a thud, his entire body rapidly drying out and losing blood.