Enemies Don't Flee, They Dare to Assemble

Chu Ge's eyelids drooped slightly, hiding his killing intent.

After retreating into the alley, the burly bandits opposite were already charging wildly, their faces showing relaxed smiles of breaking through.

Whoosh!

The bandits crossed a corner and rushed into the alley.

However, at the same time, Chu Ge suddenly struck. His eyes widened, and the hidden killing intent erupted instantly.

His body moved like a fierce tiger leaping across a ravine, his Qi and Blood boiling. He crouched slightly and threw a fierce punch.

The Crouching Tiger Fist struck like a tiger descending a mountain, its power surging like a tidal wave.

The force was so strong that it stirred up a gust of wind the moment it was thrown, and the muscles in his arm bulged.

The bandits opposite were caught off guard, their faces changed drastically. They hastily raised their right arms to block with their palms.

With a "bang," their fists and palms met.

The bandit let out a scream, and his arm made a horrifying crisp cracking sound, twisting and breaking.

The bone in his forearm protruded from his elbow, bringing with it a spray of fresh blood.

The broken bone acted like a short spear, forcefully slamming and pressing against his own chest.

However, this impact produced a muffled "clang."

The bandit's vision went black, and he staggered back several steps, crashing hard against the wall. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turning deathly pale.

"Huh? He's wearing inner armor?!"

Chu Ge's expression was surprised. He was about to step forward to finish the opponent.

Suddenly, his ears twitched. He sensed two chilling killing intents enveloping him from behind, approaching instantly. The sound of wind breaking reached his ears, and his expression couldn't help but change slightly.

"There are actually other experts hidden around!?"

"Save me!!"

At this moment, the bandit who had spat blood roared, as if performing some forbidden technique. His pale face suddenly flushed red as if filled with blood, his Qi and Blood surging to the extreme, his aura becoming ferocious.

He charged again as if fighting for his life.

He struck Chu Ge with his left palm, his Qi and Blood filling his hand as it moved, making it seem to swell slightly.

"Swish swish--"

Two more figures quickly emerged from the rear alley to provide support, and two narrow sabers stabbed towards him from different directions.

"Kill--"

With a muffled "bang!"

The bandit's eyes turned red, and he slammed a heavy palm onto Chu Ge's hard back.

It was like waves crashing against an unshakeable dark green reef. Not only was the force dispersed, but his own palm also felt somewhat numb.

In the alley, Chu Ge's body stood firm. The muscles in his bulging chest instantly turned dark green, filled with Qi and Blood.

His spine was like a solid iron plate, strong and domineering, bulging with an astonishing arc like expanding dough, like a terrifying ghost face.

Hardened Training, Fierce Tiger Style!!

At this moment, his arms were like cast iron as he fiercely grabbed the wrists of the two people who had emerged from the alley.

The sharp tips of the two sabers were only an inch away from his steel-like abdomen.

"You?!"

All three bandits were shocked, simultaneously sensing something was wrong, a hint of fear appearing in their eyes.

Chu Ge's eyes were cold as he slowly circulated his Qi and Blood, quickly building up his momentum.

"You really hid experts to cover your retreat. I was so careful, and I almost fell into your trap."

"Kill!--"

The two bandits holding sabers suddenly exerted force. However, their faces were flushed red, yet they only felt that the hands holding their wrists were unmoving. The terrifying aura emanating from the person opposite them became even more terrifying.

The injured bandit behind them, after exerting force, was directly repelled by the terrifying power of Chu Ge's bulging back muscles. His face was filled with horror.

"Let go!"

Chu Ge's eyes blazed, and his Qi and Blood surged sharply as his palms exerted force.

With two crisp "cracking" sounds, the wrists of the two bandits were directly crushed, and the short sabers and daggers in their hands clattered to the ground.

Before their screams could even escape, a "boom" of air explosion erupted!

Two palms, in the state of Hardened Training with bulging veins, struck simultaneously like twin bees piercing ears, landing fiercely on the heads of the two bandits.

"Bang!--"

The two heads instantly collided, the sound of bones shattering spreading out, their eyeballs almost popping out of their sockets.

The bandit behind them was so terrified that his hair stood on end, his legs trembling, and he instinctively screamed and retreated.

"Die!"

Chu Ge suddenly turned and pointed, his attack sharp and powerful.

The bandit's scalp tingled, and with a yell, he quickly raised his left hand to block.

With a "poof!"

The moment their palms met, the bandit felt as if struck by lightning.

He felt a current surge from his palm to Chu Ge's fingertips, spreading throughout his body. The pain was unbearable, his heart convulsed, and he was so suffocated he couldn't even speak.

Qi attacking the Heart Meridian, this is a Blood Transformation Realm expert!

The bandit stared at Chu Ge with wide, terrified eyes filled with disbelief.

"Bang--"

Chu Ge kicked the bandit, whose arms were broken, out of the alley. He then glanced around, confirmed no one was nearby, and collected the bodies of the two waiting bandits and their weapons into the Dragon Bell. He then turned and walked towards the alley entrance.

"Kill him!"

Just then, footsteps sounded from outside the alley, and figures rushed in, swords and sabers slashing towards the bandit.

Chu Ge quickly calmed his Qi and Blood.

Watching the bandits outside the alley being stabbed by swords and sabers, they couldn't even let out a scream.

Amidst the splashing blood, he quickly stepped forward and delivered two fierce kicks, ending the bandit's sinful life.

The many people who had rushed over looked at the corpse on the ground, then at Chu Ge, who was burly, tall, and exuded a sense of security.

An excited junior disciple from the Tiger Martial Arts School with bushy eyebrows exclaimed, "Senior Brother Chu! Amazing! This guy just injured Senior Sister Liu and Senior Brother Chen, and you fought him and broke both his arms?"

Beside him, several constables holding swords and sabers also breathed a sigh of relief, looking at Chu Ge and smiling politely.

"We have Chu Gongzi to thank for arriving in time this time. Otherwise, this guy would have probably escaped."

"Not at all. It was also thanks to you all having worn down some of his Qi and Blood beforehand; otherwise, I might not have lasted this long."

Chu Ge politely waved his hand.

He saw that the fighting outside had also ended. Many of the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult bandits were either killed or captured. He finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He then recounted his encounter with Constable Little Qin outside the city.

Afterward, he inquired about the whereabouts of City Guard Captain Tian Youji and Hu Xuezhi.

A constable replied, "The City Guard Captain and Master Hu were fighting the leader of these bandits outside the Wang Family.

They are Blood Transformation Realm Experts, so we couldn't intervene. The fight is likely over by now."

"The Wang Family."

Chu Ge nodded. Learning from the constables that his area had not been ransacked by the bandits, he immediately abandoned the idea of returning home first and headed to the Wang Family with the constables to check the situation.

At this moment, in the devastated courtyard of the Wang Family.

Five people were gathered, exchanging words. Among them were City Guard Captain Tian Youji and Hu Xuezhi.

"...Thank you, Brother Zhu, for your timely support this time. Otherwise, our losses would have been even more severe. I didn't expect this Incense Cult stronghold to have so many experts. Our men were almost killed."

"Alas, Lord Tian, there's no need for pleasantries. Your Linyuan City and our Linyun City are separated by just a river. If you fall, we suffer. Helping you is helping ourselves. It's a pity... the Envoy still escaped this time. He's likely already fled the city."

Tian Youji nodded slightly. "His movement techniques were bizarre and swift, his strength was formidable, and he was skilled in Exotic Power secret arts. In the end, he managed to break through our encirclement.

Fortunately, Lord Lin from the Demon Suppressing Division arrived afterward. With him in pursuit, even if he can't capture him, he should be able to deter him and make that Iron Token Envoy lay low for a while."

As he spoke, he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, gave a wry smile, clasped his hands, and said, "This plan to lure them out using the Wang Family's merchant caravan, to set a trap for them, wasn't a complete failure.

Speaking of which, we have to thank the informants on your side. Otherwise, we wouldn't have known they would feint to the east while attacking in the west. They are truly cunning!"

"The Heaven and Earth Incense Cult is inherently evil and mysterious, most skilled at manipulating people's hearts. Now that we've freed up our hands, let's go out and check, just in case there are any stragglers."

As the few were talking, a team of constables suddenly walked in from outside, reporting that the bandits outside had all been dealt with. They then announced that someone was requesting an audience.

"Oh? Is it my disciple Chu Ge? At this time..."

Hu Xuezhi was surprised. Thinking that Chu Ge was also a wealthy merchant, his expression changed slightly, and he immediately took the initiative to walk out of the martial arts school.

A short while later.

Hu Xuezhi and Chu Ge entered the courtyard, chatting. After hearing Chu Ge's situation, Hu Xuezhi breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

"Good, it's good that you're alright. But you were too reckless this time, going out of the city and fighting bandits. Fortunately, there were no mishaps."

"Thank you for your concern, Master. Perhaps it's my luck, but recently my Qi and Blood have been vigorous and restless, and my bones feel itchy. I might be on the verge of a breakthrough, so I'm more inclined to action than stillness."

Chu Ge said with a half-joking tone, proactively revealing the news of his impending breakthrough.

These were chaotic times. No matter how much he concealed his strength, it was time to reveal more of it.

When he first arrived, wary of the Divine Marvel Building incident, he had been extremely cautious. But now, the Divine Marvel Building had been gone for sixty years and was presumably completely destroyed.

Displaying his strength appropriately would make it easier for him to act at any time. Secondly, it would prevent him from being underestimated and treated as a pushover, thus avoiding some trouble.

Hu Xuezhi, however, was moved. "Vigorous and restless Qi and Blood, and itchy bones? It seems you are truly on the verge of a breakthrough? No wonder you borrowed the fourth level of the Tiger Crouching Technique last time."

He sighed with emotion, his heart filled with pride. His disciple was too outstanding. Having only practiced martial arts for two and a half years, he was already close to breaking through to the third realm of Bone Tempering.

This speed was comparable to the top geniuses of some major families in the prefectural city, more than twice as fast as he himself had been in his youth. If his Spiritual Aptitude were sufficient in the future, his prospects would be limitless.

"Hahaha, my dear nephew, if you can break through, then do it quickly. The city is in chaos right now, and if you have the strength to protect yourself, we can all be at ease."

At this moment, the City Guard Captain, Tian Youji, arrived with his men, laughing. He glanced sideways at Hu Xuezhi and said, "Old Hu, are you really hoarding the Tiger Crouching Technique? You're even hesitant to lend it out? Why don't you just give this disciple to me, and I'll pass on my Golden Wind Technique to him."

Hu Xuezhi twitched his mustache and glared, retorting, "Get lost! You're trying to snatch disciples now? And you haven't even paid me the commission you promised for this time yet."

Though he said this, he felt a pang of bitterness inside. He truly wanted to take Chu Ge as his final disciple, but the problem was that Chu Ge was simply too wealthy and also possessed excellent talent.

Thinking this, he lost the confidence to make the offer.

Chu Ge smiled as he watched the two banter. He then raised his hand in a fist salute, humbly thanking Tian Youji for his kind regard. He then turned serious and said, "Captain, I heard that the leader of the bandits who brazenly charged into the city and attacked us this time was an Envoy from the Heaven and Earth Incense Cult. Has this person been apprehended?"

(Asking for monthly votes for this big chapter)