Ambush!

"What? We're supposed to work with those clan parasites?"

"Cooperate? I'll never cooperate with the murderers of our Martial Arts Department brothers!"

"Is it the Li Family or the Yang Family?"

"Hmph, neither of them are any Good Thing!"

"..."

Murmurs broke out. The Li and Yang Families were notorious, especially their Martial Arts Departments—many brothers on duty had died from their schemes.

Now that they heard they'd have to cooperate with these two families, opposition erupted instantly.

"Quiet!"

Wang Long bellowed, his voice cracking like thunder in their ears, and everyone fell silent.

"This mission is to assist the Wu'an Army in wiping out rebels, but ridding the people of harm is also our duty as the Martial Arts Department!"

"Just because there are people we dislike, are we supposed to stop hunting bandits and let them run rampant in our territory?"

"How the Wu'an Army operates and who they invite is none of our concern. When the time comes, you only need to follow my orders. Put all your strength into catching the thieves—don't let the Wu'an Army officials look down on us!"

"Yes!" Though reluctant, the crowd eased a bit after hearing Wang Long's words and responded in unison.

While Wang Long issued orders and deployed his men, at the same time, in Heyuan County, at the Li Family estate.

Inside one of the luxurious rooms, a young man sat cross-legged in cultivation. Above his head swirled a mass of blood-red mist, slowly condensing into a skull shape, within which faint, tiny, hideous infant cries could be heard. This man was none other than the Li Family heir, Li Ming.

A moment later, sensing movement outside the door, he drew the blood-red mist back into his body and opened his eyes.

"Young Master, a secret report from the county office." A Servant spoke from outside.

"Enter."

A Servant came in and handed a sealed letter to Li Ming.

"Oh? News from the county office?"

Li Ming tore open the letter and saw it was a list.

Reading to the end, a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth. "Good. Finally willing to leave the city. Holed up in town for half a month—I really thought you'd never come out."

"Go, call Third Uncle over." Li Ming waved his hand.

Soon, the Servant left, and a Bald Brute appeared in the room.

"Ming'er, you called for me?"

Li Ming immediately stood and said respectfully, "Third Uncle, it's like this. This morning, someone from the Wu'an Army came and asked our Li Family to send a Xiantian Master to assist him."

"I've heard about that." The Bald Brute nodded.

"Before Father went into seclusion, he specifically told me not to offend the Wu'an Army, so I'd like to ask you to go, Third Uncle."

"Besides that, I also want you to handle one more thing."

"Speak." The Bald Brute said casually.

"To eliminate a Ninth Stage Houtian Martial Artist traveling with the county office—or at least cripple his dantian."

"To eliminate a Ninth Stage Houtian?" The Bald Brute frowned. "This involves someone from the Wu'an Army leading it, and Wang Long from the county office is going along too. It won't be easy. Besides, is a mere Ninth Stage Houtian Martial Artist worth such seriousness?"

"Third Uncle, you don't know the full story." Li Ming gritted his teeth. "This man's name is Shen Zhui. He was just a Seventh Stage Houtian before, so I didn't pay him any mind."

"But a while ago, he broke through to the Eighth Stage. Not only did he escape an ambush by two of my Elite Squads, he even killed a Ninth Stage Houtian in return. After that, he stirred up Wang Long to act and save him."

"Later, I looked into this man's information and found out he's only been training in martial arts for three years, yet he's already reached Major Accomplishment in technique and Minor Accomplishment in movement. And now he's broken through to the Ninth Stage Houtian!"

"What?" The Bald Brute was slightly startled.

Three years to reach the Ninth Stage Houtian wasn't that shocking—with enough resources, Houtian Martial Artists were easy enough to train.

But three years to reach Major Accomplishment in technique and Minor Accomplishment in movement—that was terrifying!

It meant that once this man stepped into the Xiantian Realm, he'd likely become the next Wang Long, with few peers at the same level.

"What do you need me to do?" The Bald Brute said in a low voice.

Li Ming handed the list to the Bald Brute and said softly, "Third Uncle, when you all..."

From the moment Wang Long gathered the fifteen men from the Martial Arts Department and met up with that Wu'an Army official, a faint sense of crisis lingered in Shen Zhui's heart.

Especially when he saw that this pursuit operation involved four Xiantian Masters, he knew this was a tough case.

Along the way, listening to the Wu'an Army official named Lin Ze explain the plan, the four Xiantian Masters would each take a position to surround the manor where the Wu'an Army traitor was resting.

Meanwhile, their Martial Arts Department men would guard the perimeter outside the manor from all sides, to prevent the enemy from escaping through tunnels and to clean up any possible accomplices.

"Everyone, that thief isn't particularly strong, but he's quite skilled at escaping and preserving his life. I've invited you all just to prevent his escape. If everything is arranged properly, there won't be much danger. If we successfully capture the traitor, I, Lin, will surely reward you handsomely."

When they reached a Small Mountain forty li outside the city, Lin Ze spoke again.

A few li away, there was a fiery red maple forest, and within that forest, a manor was faintly visible. This was Lin Ze's destination—Red Leaf Manor!

"Lord Lin, you're too kind." A burly man carrying a Wolf Fang Club grinned. "To have the chance to work with a young talent like Lord Lin is my Yang Mou's good fortune."

"Indeed, ridding the people of harm is also accumulating virtue. Lord Lin needn't be so polite. We'll naturally give our all." The bald man also exchanged pleasantries.

"Hmph, 'accumulating virtue,' is it?" Wang Long snorted coldly. Ridding the people of harm, accumulating virtue—did those two even deserve to say such things?

Lin Ze noticed Wang Long's cold attitude toward the Li and Yang Families and suddenly recalled the information he'd gathered before coming.

"I'd heard that the county office and the clans in Heyuan County don't get along, but it seems it might be even worse than I thought..." Lin Ze mused. "Still, I only need their cooperation, not their life-and-death efforts. It should be fine."

Lin Ze didn't meddle. The reason he could invite these Xiantian Masters was entirely due to his reputation as a member of the Wu'an Army. As for true strength, he was only a bit stronger than Li Zhong and the other man. Wang Long, the county office's expert, was no weaker than him—in fact, his aura was faintly stronger.

"Everyone, suppress your auras. Let's move."

The fifteen members of the Martial Arts Department split into four groups, surrounding the manor from four directions.

"This time, the bandit is a Qi Cultivation True Person, slightly stronger than a martial artist. Don't take this lightly. If you spot the bandit's movements, just shout loudly—don't engage."

Shen Zhui, Zhao Hu, and He Tong formed one group, guarding the back gate. The other positions each had at least one martial artist at the Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm leading, with three at the Eighth Stage.

"Understood." Shen Zhui and Zhao Hu both nodded.

Xiantian Martial Artists' battles were something they had little qualification to join. They were only brought along in case the enemy tried to slip away unnoticed.

"Especially you, Shen Zhui. You're someone the county magistrate values. Don't be reckless." He Tong cautioned.

"Thank you, Uncle He." Shen Zhui felt a flicker of gratitude. He Tong had taught him some Martial Skills before and was usually easy to get along with, though he tended to be quiet.

In their group, He Tong was a Peak Houtian martial artist who had fallen from the Xiantian Realm. Wang Long had deliberately assigned Shen Zhui to follow He Tong. Together, Shen Zhui figured they wouldn't be instantly killed even in a direct confrontation.

The encirclement slowly tightened. When they were less than three li from the manor, a long howl suddenly erupted from within.

Shen Zhui looked up ahead and saw a flash of fire in the distance. A figure wreathed in flames shot into the sky.

"Lin Ze!! I'll fight you to the death, Laozi!" The flaming figure suddenly expanded, turning into a sea of fire. Hovering in midair, he condensed into a massive Fireball and hurled it down toward the manor.

"My god..." Shen Zhui watched from afar, nearly breathless. "So this is a Xiantrain Realm Qi Cultivation True Person?"

The Yuan Qi churned violently. The Fireball blazed as if it would burn through the sky itself, the air warping and blurring.

Shen Zhui finally understood why Qi Cultivation True Persons were stronger than martial artists. This kind of long-range Daoist art inherently held a massive advantage.

"Rebel, die!" Lin Ze's voice rang out.

From another direction, dozens of Ice Walls suddenly appeared, extending endlessly upward until they reached over ten zhang high.

Like an icy prison, they trapped the flaming figure inside.

From the other three directions, Wang Long charged in with his sword. The burly man with the Wolf Fang Club also soared into the sky. The bald man sent by the Li Family fought bare-handed, his robe billowing as if inflated, carrying trails of Gang Qi.

Four Xiantian Masters joined forces to surround and kill!

"Boom!"

The Ice Walls exploded violently. The flaming figure turned into a streak of light, darting left and right in an attempt to escape.

But for the moment, he couldn't break through the four-man encirclement.

Under their combined assault, the flaming man was gradually forced toward the ground.

Yet Shen Zhui faintly noticed that the battlefield was slowly shifting.

It seemed to be drawing closer to his side.

Realizing this, Shen Zhui felt something was wrong and prepared to retreat.

Just then, the unexpected happened!

The bald man, who had been defending flawlessly, suddenly let out a loud cry and stepped aside, sending a Fireball hurtling straight toward Shen Zhui's group.

"Shh—" At the same time, a bone-chilling wind swept in from the side. A blade light flashed.

The blade light was so fast that it reached Shen Zhui just as he began to retreat.

Shen Zhui's eyes nearly split as he watched the strike descend, barely able to believe it.

"He Tong!"

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