Defeat and Retreat

Three dull thuds rang out as Birdman's grasping eagle claw collided fiercely with Meng Zhao's hammer-like heavy fist.

Gales of force burst outward, and even the ground seemed to tremble.

Birdman, who had been brimming with confidence, narrowed his eyes. He had never expected such a turn of events.

Almost instantly, a savage force sent him flying. He landed with a whoosh.

The powerful impact made him roll backward uncontrollably. His back scraped against the ground and jagged stones, burning with pain.

Grass clippings and dust naturally clung to him, leaving him gray and filthy, a thoroughly bedraggled sight.

Birdman trembled as he propped himself up with his right hand, half-kneeling as he raised his head to stare at Meng Zhao, who still stood calmly atop the carriage. His eyes were full of shock.

The numb, aching pain in his arm, like ants gnawing at it, made him replay that punch over and over in his mind. It had seemed slow, yet struck with blinding speed.

Fierce, overbearing, packed with power, and timed perfectly for the grab.

Was this really something a Young Master who had never received guidance from any family expert and had been raised as a mascot in a temple could deliver?

That was not all. Birdman raised his right hand before his eyes. The talons that could crush steel, each nail like a small blade, had been shattered by that terrifying force. They were bloody and gruesome beyond measure.

He hesitated. Taking down a Meng Zhao with such formidable martial arts would likely be difficult in the short term. So what was he to do next?

On the other side, Meng Zhao stood tall and steady atop the carriage, as immovable as a boulder. He appeared calm and unruffled, carrying himself with the bearing of a true master.

It was as if driving back a powerful attacker single-handedly had been nothing more than a trivial matter.

But in truth, he too was at the end of his tether.

This Birdman possessed formidable inner force, stronger than his own. The claw technique he cultivated was also fierce and razor-sharp, capable of rending anything—after all, he could crush a Steel Saber barehanded.

Though Meng Zhao appeared to hold the advantage in their head-on clash, his right fist was actually completely numb and had lost all feeling. There was no possibility of throwing another punch.

If not for the protective properties of the Pure Yang Child Qi refined by the Arhat Young Monk Skill, which had blunted some of the sharp force in his opponent's claw at the instant of their clash, he would likely have been crippled by now.

Even so, Meng Zhao did not panic. Whether in expression, gaze, or demeanor, he looked as though he held all the wisdom in his grasp, as if everything had unfolded exactly as he expected. Without even blinking, he looked down from above and said,

"Your kung fu is decent. It has a little to look at, but it still cannot kill me.

"Tell me, who sent you? If you reveal the one behind this, I can spare your life."

His tone and words made it sound as if he held absolute superiority and could take lives at any moment.

Yet combined with the current situation and that astonishing punch he had unleashed, it was indeed rather convincing.

Of course, Meng Zhao was not without means to fight back. Without his right fist, he still had his left. Without his fists, he still had both legs.

Even if pushed into a corner, he could abandon the carriage and flee, using the Black Scale Horse to maneuver around them.

He had calculated everything from the very beginning, unless the enemy possessed crushing strength.

But if that were truly the case, there would have been no need for them to go to such lengths to divide the battlefield and lure Lü Yue away.

Birdman snorted coldly without answering. Regret flickered in his eyes as he surveyed the entire battlefield.

Lü Yue had only realized something was wrong when Birdman appeared. He had disregarded everything to force back that hidden-weapon expert and rush back.

Though Scarface and Wang Tao could not break free, they already held a considerable advantage and could kill their opponents and come to assist at any time.

Then there was Meng Zhao, whose martial arts were unfathomable, who had just sent Birdman flying and beaten him senseless with a single punch.

This operation could be said to have fallen short at the final step. There was no longer any chance of success.

With matters having reached this point, Birdman made his choice without hesitation.

He slowly rose to his feet. Rather than losing his mind and pressing forward, he stomped his foot and swiftly retreated, while letting out a piercing, clear cry, high and urgent.

When the enemies at the various battlefields before the Purple-Leaf Maple Forest heard that sharp cry, they knew it was time to withdraw and began deliberately fighting as they retreated.

But the Meng Mansion guards were no pushovers. They clung tightly to the group's heels, refusing to let go, and left several more corpses behind.

As for the nimble little dwarf entangling Scarface and the bizarre hidden-weapon expert, they retreated safely.

From the enemies' surprise attack to their retreat, less than a minute had passed. It had been a lightning war, but the fighting was brutal. More than a dozen corpses already lay on the ground, and blood had stained the maple forest red.

The refugees who had previously blocked the way before the Purple-Leaf Maple Forest had long since fled without a trace.

At the sight, Meng Zhao finally let out a long breath and solemnly looked at the right fist he had hidden behind his back.

Several thin red marks, as though drawn with a brush, lined the surface of his fist. They had been inflicted by Birdman's talons.

Fortunately, the wounds were not deep.

For Meng Zhao, who had undergone a Cleanse Marrow and Essence and whose physique and bones had been strengthened by the Arhat Young Monk Skill, they were merely minor injuries and nothing to worry about.

At this moment, Lü Yue, whose face still retained some youthful innocence, ran before Meng Zhao with a face full of remorse and regret. He dropped to both knees, lowered his head, and pleaded guilty.

"This servant deserves to die. I actually allowed you to face danger alone and even suffer injury. Please punish this servant, Young Master."

As he spoke, he raised the long whip in his hand, bristling with sharp spikes, high above his head.

The meaning was clear: he wanted Meng Zhao to take the whip and lash him fiercely, so that he might feel a little better.

It was clear that Lü Yue truly blamed himself beyond measure.

Meng Zhao's ability to drive back the enemy and emerge unscathed was his master's own capability. That did not mean Lü Yue bore no responsibility.

On the contrary, Lü Yue felt that he had been foolishly led around by the nose, allowing Young Master to fall into danger. He deserved a beating.

Scarface and Wang Tao of the Mountain-Splitting Hand also rode over with grim expressions, then dismounted with swift, clean movements.

They then tacitly knelt on one knee to Lü Yue's left and right, and pleaded guilty as well.

Lü Yue had at least managed to handle that Strange Man who used hidden weapons and had fought desperately to protect Meng Zhao.

The two of them, however, had not even had the chance to prove themselves before their opponents pinned them at the front and rear, preventing them from returning to aid him.

Moreover, the route of the party and the allocation of their formation had both been arranged by the two of them.

Meng Zhao had also placed sufficient trust and importance in them, letting them handle the matter freely.

Yet they had fallen into an ambush prepared in advance, causing a tremendous mess and nearly bringing harm to Young Master.

Under such circumstances, Scarface and Wang Tao bore even greater responsibility than Lü Yue.

If anything had truly happened to Meng Zhao here—whether he had been abducted or killed—they would have had to atone with their lives.

Meng Zhao did not think as much as the three of them did. He shook his right hand, which was gradually regaining feeling and beginning to ache, and said in a deep voice,

"Get up. This happened suddenly; it is not your fault. Stop kneeling on the ground.

"What you need to do now is tend to the wounded, redistribute the guards, and clear the scene.

"Also, check the dead. See whether there are any clues that can reveal the origins and identities of this group."

There was no furious rage or sinister edge in Meng Zhao's tone. He did not seem disappointed in them. Scarface and Wang Tao rejoiced inwardly and hurriedly shouted,

"Yes."

Lü Yue, however, remained downcast. He silently rose to his feet and stood rooted where he was like a wooden post.