Betrayed by All

"Arrogant! With heroes from every corner of the martial world gathered here today, how can we allow an evildoer like you to run wild!"

Yu Zhentian let out a furious roar, his beard and hair bristling as he reached out and seized the sword at the waist of his eldest disciple, Zhu Fang.

Though his body appeared aged, his blood and vitality surged like boiling waves, white vapor rising from him. Sword Qi flashed fiercely along the blade in his hand as he slashed diagonally upward.

Scum Third sneered. Without moving an inch, he raised his saber and hacked straight down to meet the Sword Qi.

Saber light and Sword Qi collided with a thunderous crash, erupting in an ear-splitting clang of steel. Powerful shockwaves scattered in all directions, sending roof tiles and beams flying.

In the courtyard, Yu Zhentian staggered back several steps before dispelling the force from his body, supported by his disciples.

With a crack, the beam beneath Scum Third's feet snapped. Borrowing the force, he kicked off and soared into the air, landing atop another roof.

"Old fool, your skills haven't completely rusted away." Killing intent chilled Scum Third's eyes.

Seeing that Yu Zhentian was evenly matched with his opponent, quite a few guests below temporarily stopped in their tracks.

The Yu Family Martial Arts School was one of the strongest martial arts schools in all of Shun'an City. Yu Zhentian, its old master, had been famous for decades, and everyone in the region knew the extent of his martial prowess.

If he could handle this bandit, there would be no need for them to flee.

But just then, a series of dull whistling sounds cut through the air from afar.

Five masked figures clad in black leaped up in several bounds, landing on the roofs around the residence and forming a pincer formation that surrounded everyone in the courtyard.

At this sight, the martial-world guests who had come for the ceremony were struck pale with shock. Without a doubt, these newcomers had to be the other five members of the Scum River Seven Bandits.

"Second Brother, you're late."

Scum Third spoke in a muffled voice. One of the black-clad men, with wrinkles on his forehead and graying hair at his temples, opened his mouth in a slightly hoarse voice.

"No rush. We still have the time it takes to burn one incense stick."

Scum Third slowly nodded. He then looked at the many guests in the courtyard and smiled unhurriedly.

"Time is running out. You have six breaths left!"

At those words, the guests in the courtyard no longer hesitated and fled in droves.

They had come today to pay a visit and bring gifts, not to throw away their lives.

The Scum River Seven Bandits were notorious for their brutality. Just one of them was no weaker than Yu Zhentian; the Yu Family Martial Arts School had no chance of stopping all six.

"Master Yu, an urgent matter has arisen at home. I'll take my leave first."

"My skills are too meager. Brother Yu, take care of yourself!"

"If Brother Yu can eliminate evil and uphold justice today, Shun'an City will remember you."

Several prominent figures from the martial world and Shun'an City hurriedly tossed out a few polite parting words before leaving in succession.

Every one of them feared that if they moved too slowly, they would be fish caught in the pond when the city gate burned, left separated from head to body.

Yu Zhentian's face darkened as he watched the guests rapidly disappear. He stood there with a grim expression, saying nothing.

He had no way to ask them to stay, and he knew he could not keep them even if he tried.

Moreover, once Scum Second and the others arrived, the internal energy emanating from those bandits—each no weaker than his own—made Yu Zhentian understand clearly that these motley people would be of little use even if they remained.

"Brother Zhang, if you want to leave, then leave. No one's stopping you."

Li Musheng was shoved aside by the surging crowd. He turned back to look at the muscular man whose face was full of conflict.

Zhang Dazhuang gripped his staff with both hands, tightening and loosening them, then loosening and tightening them again. As the courtyard grew emptier and emptier, he was anxious but could not make up his mind.

"We're all from the Yu Family Martial Arts School. Will those fiends let us leave?" Zhang Dazhuang asked hesitantly in a low voice.

The oppressive aura unintentionally leaking from the six people on the surrounding rooftops weighed on him so heavily that he could barely breathe.

"I think it'll be fine. Your surname is Zhang, not Yu."

Li Musheng rubbed his chin, glanced at the saber-wielding Scum River Seven Bandits on the rooftops, and smiled.

"If you're really unsure, just ask them whether they'll let you go."

Zhang Dazhuang jumped in fright at those words. He hurriedly grabbed Li Musheng and said in terror, "You brat, you've got some nerve! You dare talk to these fiends? Are you tired of dying too slowly?"

While the two spoke, more than half the guests in the courtyard had already fled.

Some had been so desperate to outrun one another that they left shoes, hairpins, jade pendants, broken silver, and other scattered belongings on the ground.

The disciples, apprentices, and servants of the Yu Family Martial Arts School had not fled yet, but they were equally hesitant.

Everyone knew that the Scum River Seven Bandits were infamous and incomparably vicious. They never left survivors, and staying behind was practically a road to certain death.

Yet Yu Zhentian's authority had long weighed heavily upon them. They truly did not dare flee in the face of battle. Besides, they shared Zhang Dazhuang's concern—would the Scum River Seven Bandits even let them leave?

"Brother Hao, these bandits dare commit violence and evil in broad daylight in Shun'an City. Their audacity is outrageous! Today, you and I shall join hands and rid the martial world of this scourge!"

Yu Zhentian tightened his grip on his sword and turned to speak in a deep voice. Powerful internal energy billowed through him, sending his silver hair flying.

Hao Shen, who had not yet left, glanced at Yu Zhentian and slowly nodded.

"Brother Yu is right. As the lord of Shun'an City, naturally I cannot allow these bandits to commit evil within the city."

Yu Zhentian's heart eased slightly at those words. Hao Shen's martial arts were profound; with his assistance, the pressure on Yu Zhentian would be reduced considerably.

However, Hao Shen's next words sent a chill through his heart.

"However, the Scum River Seven Bandits possess astonishing martial arts. The two of us alone likely cannot deal with them. I ask Brother Yu to hold on for a moment while I gather the city guards, then we can wipe out these bandits in one net."

With that, wind seemed to rise beneath Hao Shen's feet as he leaped swiftly toward the courtyard exit and departed.

The Scum River Seven Bandits on the rooftops merely watched coldly, making no move whatsoever to stop him.

Pfft!

Seeing this, Li Musheng could not help laughing aloud. He turned and said, "I told you Old Man Yu was too stingy normally. Look at this—when it matters, not a single person is willing to help him. I reckon he's about to be betrayed by all and abandoned by everyone."

Zhang Dazhuang propped his tall body against his staff. Seeing everyone cast looks their way, he instinctively shrank his head and patted Li Musheng.

"Keep your voice down. They all heard you. Besides... the old master isn't stingy all the time. Every now and then, he can be generous once."

At those words, Yu Zhentian, whose face had turned utterly unsightly, abruptly turned his head and shot Li Musheng and Zhang Dazhuang a vicious glare.

However, he had no energy to deal with the two apprentices of the martial arts school who only knew three-legged cat tricks. Instead, he turned to his disciples and said, "What are you standing around for? Pick up your weapons and fight! There are no cowards in my Yu Family Martial Arts School!"

The disciples instinctively moved to obey, but when they saw that the three figures beside Yu Zhentian remained utterly motionless, they slowly stopped.

Those three were Yu Zhentian's most prized disciples. Aside from Yu Zhentian himself and his eldest son, they were the three strongest martial artists in the entire school.