Sudden Attack

"Young Master Zheng was right!"

Tu Yanghao, who wore an honest expression but harbored a venomous heart, was always proper and polite toward Zheng Qian.

"I never imagined this world... actually had an Orthodox God, as well as the Lord of Black Mountain... Since the divine edict still exists, we must make the most of it. If our fortune is deep enough, perhaps one day we too may become Orthodox Gods... Old Tu, you've truly rendered a great service. I'll be sure to put in a good word for you with Big Brother..."

Zheng Qian said.

"Thank you, Young Master!"

Tu Yanghao was also secretly thrilled.

He wasn't as ambitious as Wu Ming. To become a god after death and retain his consciousness was already a blessing that came once in three lifetimes.

What was more, if he received a divine edict and became an Orthodox God presiding over a region, he could protect his Lineage through accumulated virtue, build up its fortune, and set it on the path to prosperity. He might even secure its fortunes for the next several hundred or thousand years!

This generous reward stirred not only Tu Yanghao but also Ma Lao San and even several newcomers. Their blood rushed to their heads, and they could hardly resist shouting their loyalty aloud.

"Heh!"

Just then, a dark shadow flashed past the window, followed by a cold laugh.

"Who's there?"

Tu Yanghao's expression darkened. He moved in an instant, lunging two zhang forward like a flood dragon surging out of the sea or a ferocious tiger charging down a mountain. A powerful gust of air followed as he struck with a palm. Crash! The window shattered into pieces, mulberry-bark paper fluttered everywhere, and an outer robe drifted slowly to the ground.

"Not good! A feint to draw us east while attacking west!"

Tu Yanghao's face turned black. A thunderous crash rang out behind him, and Wu Ming charged inside with a cold expression. Without even looking, he sent a streak of dark light flying from his hand.

"You!"

Ma Lao San managed only a single word before the dark light struck his neck, tearing it open. Blood gushed out like a fountain, as if it cost nothing. He collapsed and writhed on the ground.

"Ah!"

The other newcomers had never experienced a fight to the death. At the sight of this, they screamed in panic, infuriating Tu Yanghao. "What the hell are you yelling for? Do you want to bring the constables down on us?"

They were in the county seat. If they caused trouble, the four gates would be shut and the whole city searched. Even he would have reason to worry.

After all, he wasn't a god or immortal yet, and couldn't fly through the sky or burrow into the earth. Faced with several-zhang-high city walls guarded by soldiers, he'd still find himself powerless to escape.

But in the next moment, he had no time to think about that.

Wu Ming's face was stern, his hands shaped like claws, and he was already upon him.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The air exploded around them. His nails sprang out with sharp whistles as they sliced through the air.

Amid the noise, the muscles in Wu Ming's right hand swelled and blue veins crisscrossed it. His skin, once clear and jade-like, turned an iron-black blue, as if it had been cast from steel.

Even someone with an indestructible Vajra body would likely lose several ounces of flesh if caught by those claws.

"Adamantine Great Strength Eagle Claw Hand?"

Seeing how fierce the claw wind was, Tu Yanghao didn't dare be careless. Both his hands turned pitch-black. "Take this! Iron Sand Palm!"

Bang!

Their hands collided—hands that looked more divine than human. Wu Ming and Tu Yanghao both staggered back a step.

"Innate?!"

Wu Ming's heart stirred. Feeling the force in his hand, he realized his opponent had already reached the Innate realm. His strength had been refined into a single force, taking him from the acquired to the Innate. Neither the quantity nor the quality of his True Qi could compare with Wu Ming's.

But in a fight, losing the first move meant falling behind at every turn. Wu Ming had launched a fierce assault, exploiting the cracks in his opponent's composure. With his own peak True Qi and Half-step Innate cultivation, he was managing to hold his ground.

"Take this! Thirteen Eagle Claw Strikes!"

After the first clash, Wu Ming pressed his advantage. While Tu Yanghao was still catching his breath, Wu Ming leapt into the air, both hands becoming sharp claws as he rained down attacks without pause.

Throughout the history of martial arts, moves that launched the user into the air to attack from above had always been perilous.

Though the high ground gave the user a forceful advantage, it also exposed his weaknesses to the enemy. If he couldn't defeat his opponent in one sustained assault, he would be left scrambling to defend against the counterattack—and might even lose his life!

That was why, when Feng Han had taught Wu Ming, he had earnestly warned him: once he unleashed these thirteen consecutive strikes, he had to leave his opponent powerless to fight back!

"Ha!"

Claw shadows swept across the sky!

Wu Ming surged forward with unstoppable momentum, keeping his opponent firmly suppressed. His thirteen Eagle Claw Strikes flowed together, crashing down like a torrential downpour.

"You..."

Tu Yanghao felt the countless claw shadows bearing down on him like a surging river, their force overwhelming. Though he struggled to hold his ground, his courage had already crumbled. He was also anxious about whether his enemy had reinforcements. In an instant, his mind faltered, and the claw wind slipped through his defenses.

Thump!

The two figures flashed apart. Tu Yanghao grunted and fell to the ground. Blood streamed from his arm, and a strip of flesh was missing.

Everything had happened in a flash. Wu Ming had broken through the door, thrown a hidden weapon, killed a man, and fought Tu Yanghao in just a few swift exchanges—so fast that the others hadn't even had time to react!

By taking advantage of the time and place, a fifth-stage Body Refinement Realm martial artist with True Qi in his body had defeated a sixth-stage Innate expert!

If word of this battle got out, it would surely leave everyone stunned. Even Feng Han would be delighted, and would surely declare Wu Ming ready to go out on his own.

"Die!"

Having caught his opponent off guard and brought all his martial arts to bear, Wu Ming's eyes flashed coldly after defeating Tu Yanghao. He moved in to press his advantage and finish him off.

Since Tu Yanghao had sent people to murder him, he couldn't be allowed to live.

Besides, Wu Ming had wounded him only by catching him off guard and seizing the initiative from the start.

If they fought again, Wu Ming couldn't be sure he'd win. What was more, leaving Tu Yanghao alive would bring countless complications to the mission. He had to die!

A cold light gleamed in Wu Ming's eyes. He moved like lightning, lunging forward with the five fingers of his right hand spread wide, forming a sharp claw that reached for Tu Yanghao's head.

If that claw landed, Tu Yanghao's brains would burst across the ground.

"Prostrate!"

At that moment, a soft command rang out, imbued with the Dao. Several dark shadows abruptly lashed toward Wu Ming, twisting like poisonous snakes and long whips.

Smack! Smack!

Wu Ming changed his claw into a grab and caught the shadows. Pain pricked his palm. He flung them away, and saw that several vines had somehow sprouted from the ground. They were dark green, with tiny thorns along their edges.

"Daoist magic?"

Wu Ming shook his right hand. It returned to its clear, jade-like state, without a single mark.

After all, he had circulated True Qi through both the palm and back of his hand when he attacked. His skin was thick and his muscles hard, no less formidable than those of an Iron Sand Palm practitioner.

"Looks like... you're the real mastermind behind the Blood Oath Alliance!"

He lowered his hand and fixed his gaze on Zheng Qian, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Zheng Qian looked at the newcomers, who were still stunned, at Ma Lao San lying dead in a pool of blood, and at Tu Yanghao slumped on the ground, apparently gravely wounded. His expression was hardly pleasant.

After all, he'd merely been distracted for a moment, yet the enemy had stormed in, killed one man, wounded another, and crippled two major fighters. Anyone would have been furious.

"Nine Heavens, spring breeze, turn to sweet rain—edict!"

Yet Zheng Qian's face remained as still as water. He formed a Daoist Incantation with his hands and pointed at Tu Yanghao.

A gentle breeze passed. A burst of green light appeared over Tu Yanghao, misting around him as it staunched the bleeding and began to close the wound.

At the same time, several vines coiled around Wu Ming like poisonous snakes, weaving back and forth as if waiting for a chance to bite.

"Thank you, Young Master Zheng!"

Tu Yanghao rolled to his feet, his face twisted into a sneer. "You brat... you're dead!"

Wu Ming had already confirmed that Tu Yanghao was gravely injured, with damage to his meridians. But now he could move again, and the wound on his arm was gradually stopping its bleed. Wu Ming couldn't help feeling impressed.

Zheng Qian said, "To come here alone... you certainly have courage to match your skill. Too bad you think so little of us..."

He moved his fingers. The vines and Tu Yanghao were about to pounce.

"Is that so? The one who dies might not be me..."

Wu Ming smiled. "Did you think I'd come here alone without making preparations?"

"What?"

Zheng Qian's expression changed, but before he could say anything, a commotion broke out outside.

"Catch the thieves!"

"Someone's set a fire!"

"Get the constables!"

In an instant, the area outside was teeming with voices. The noise drew nearer, growing louder and more crowded. Torches came into view, along with burly men carrying hoes and cudgels, and a few night watchmen. They were all closing in, their faces filled with anger.

"This is your residence, after all. Heh... and with your origins so murky that they won't withstand an investigation, you can't wriggle out of this..."

Wu Ming smiled. He wasn't a fool. If he planned to storm into the enemy's ranks alone, he'd made preparations beforehand.

If he could crush them in one strike and raid the place from end to end, so much the better. If not, these angry townspeople he'd drawn here would be his means of escape.

"Well? I wonder how much of your divine power and Daoist magic you'll have left when you're up against military and official qi."

Wu Ming watched him with a grin.

Zheng Qian hesitated, glaring furiously at Wu Ming. Seeing Tu Yanghao stagger weakly, he knew his own Daoist skills were too shallow. His minor healing spell could only suppress the injury for a while. He could still deal with Wu Ming alone, but against a crowd, he'd be powerless. His anger deepened. "We're leaving!"

"We saw him! The thief who stole things and set the fire ran into this courtyard!"

Shouts came from outside. Torches closed in from every side, and a dignified voice rang out. "The government's constables are on duty! All bystanders, stand aside!"

"Damn it! How many things has this brat done? He's got everyone up in arms!"

The government's constables were low-ranking functionaries, but as they were acting in the name of the law, they carried the government's fortune with them. It wasn't impossible for Daoists to oppose them, but their magic would inevitably be weakened, putting them at an even greater disadvantage.

Zheng Qian no longer hesitated. He and Tu Yanghao hurried toward the back courtyard.

"Boss... wait for us!"

At the same time, the other newcomers followed after them in a panic.

"Not one of you gets away!"

Wu Ming gave a cold laugh, pulled on a face covering, and pursued them...

"What is this..."

At dawn the next day, when Shan Lan and the others saw Wu Ming enter and toss down a man, they were stunned.

"Huh? Isn't this Wang Xia, Brother Wang? Weren't you with Tu Yanghao? How did you..."

Lin Qizhi rubbed his eyes and looked at Wu Ming. Then he understood, his face filling with anger. "How could you do such a thing? How could you?"

Shan Lan shot Wu Ming a knowing glance, then squatted down with a smile and looked at the man, who was trembling all over. "Your name is Wang Xia, right? I have a few questions to ask you. I hope you'll answer honestly. Otherwise..."

"Hmph!"

Ling Guhong snorted and, right on cue, drew his sword.