Shocking Change! Underestimating the Ambush!

Six days after coming out again, Chen Dengming felt as if the Gathering Place had a completely different environment.

The streets, which had been quite lively before, were now desolate and deserted all around.

It was nearing noon, yet frost had formed everywhere along the roadside.

The few pedestrians were all Mortals with sallow faces and ragged clothes, seemingly out to gather firewood or forage for food.

The Cultivators seemed to have collectively vanished. The occasional ones seen were wary and hurried.

Chen Dengming glanced at Zanhua Tower as he passed by.

He noticed that although the tower was open, business was slow.

There were no distinguished guests coming out, and only a hoarse, weak melody could be heard from inside.

His heart sank.

It seemed the Gathering Place's environment had truly worsened, with Zanhua Tower's business as withered as the plants by the roadside.

"Has anything happened recently?"

He asked Wu Chen.

Wu Chen nodded gravely, looked around, and said, "People from Iron Forest Hall clashed with Hutong Street yesterday. One of Qian Yuan's strongholds was raided. You asked me to investigate who was behind those bootleg gu-making workshops, and it turns out Qian Yuan was the one. After Iron Forest Hall raided his stronghold and workshop, they looted all the supplies."

"Iron Forest Hall is this reckless?"

Chen Dengming was dumbfounded.

This was practically declaring war on Hutong Street. Could Qian Yuan swallow this insult?

Furthermore, this seemed to be a further provocation from the Zhu Family towards the Lüo Family. After all, the Rogue Cultivator forces they supported had this incident happen.

Wu Chen said solemnly, "Hutong Street is likely to confront Iron Forest Hall today, but I'm not optimistic. Flower Rain Gate might get involved."

Upon hearing Flower Rain Gate, Chen Dengming understood and asked, "Did Qian Yuan find the Workshop Master?"

Wu Chen shook his head, "How could he? Even if he did, the Workshop Master wouldn't..."

He shook his head and added, "The Workshop Master instructed us to act low-key and not get involved."

Chen Dengming felt a headache coming on.

At a time like this, they didn't even understand the principle of "lips and teeth" and were still fighting amongst themselves.

However, if the Golden Character Workshop truly intended to join forces with Hutong Street to oppose Iron Forest Hall and Flower Rain Tower, he wouldn't be able to stay out of it. If a real fight broke out...

"Even if they don't fight, once Hutong Street falls, it will soon be Golden Character Workshop's turn. Isn't Xu Ning in a hurry?"

Chen Dengming felt that Xu Ning wasn't in a hurry, but he himself was. His desire to leave grew stronger, and he even wanted to turn back right now to grab his luggage and flee.

During this time, he had been preparing to flee at any moment. His luggage was already packed, even divided into several bags and hidden in different locations.

As he was thinking this, the group had already left the Gathering Place and reached the small path outside.

Taking the shortcut along the path, they would soon reach the vicinity of the Gu-refining grounds.

The trees lining the road were bare branches, their twigs resembling charcoal, looking around restlessly and coldly.

There was no wind, yet an bone-chilling cold permeated the air.

Chen Dengming inexplicably felt something was off.

In the formation disk at his waist, the little formation spirit also felt a bit anxious. Just as he was about to speak to Wu Chen, a premonition flashed through his mind, and he immediately dodged.

"Whoosh—"

A spear, like a golden lightning bolt, instantly pierced through Wu Chen's chest as he was speaking. Flesh and blood splattered, with a few drops of warm blood mixed with meat scraps directly hitting the back of Chen Dengming's neck.

That warm, sticky sensation felt like a perverted old devil licking him, causing goosebumps to erupt on his neck and a strong sense of danger.

"Enemy!"

The sudden change happened too quickly.

The other two Cultivators were also splashed with blood and flesh. It was only then that they reacted.

One screamed and retreated, while the other took out a Talisman, preparing to counterattack.

But in the next instant, the air heated up rapidly, and several more fireballs and golden spears attacked.

Before the two Cultivators could launch their counterattack, they were blasted down. The violent roaring sound was like gasoline bottles exploding, deafening their ears.

Chen Dengming's movement speed was extremely fast, and he had already dodged.

Turning his head, he saw six Iron Forest Hall Cultivators in black robes approaching menacingly from the hillside.

The Spiritual Might emanating from the leader was very strong, at least at the fourth level of Qi Cultivation. He was Lin Jun, one of Iron Forest Hall's high-ranking members, who pointed at Chen Dengming.

"Take him down! Bring him back!"

"Damn it!"

Chen Dengming immediately cast the Divine Speed Technique and fled quickly, his face extremely grim.

He had just thought that Iron Forest Hall was only at war with Hutong Street and hadn't officially declared war on Golden Character Workshop. Even if he turned around now, he would still have enough time to prepare his valuables and escape.

But then, they attacked out of the blue.

And they were coming straight for him, looking to capture him, a Gu Master, and use him as a tool.

This was truly unexpected. Just when you thought everything was planned perfectly, reality would hit you with a thunderclap. Everything that was formalized, everything that was set in stone, was merely a script, a fantasy.

If not now, then when?

Chen Dengming's figure shot forward like an arrow, his speed astonishing. In an instant, he covered over forty zhang, the shadows of the trees on either side blurring past.

However, at that very moment, a powerful, sharp energy that felt almost tangible struck from behind, its Spiritual Might pressing down.

Chen Dengming's heart leaped. Knowing it was a Magic Item, he didn't dare to delay. He immediately formed a hand seal and used the Artifact Control Art, listening to the wind and pinpointing the direction.

Whoosh--

The flying sword he'd obtained from the short-lived ghost shot out, colliding with the Magic Item behind him with a "clang," and the flying sword let out a mournful tremor before being knocked aside.

A mid-tier Magic Item!

Just then, two figures suddenly burst from the woods ahead, their auras stern and imposing as they jointly attacked.

One had already activated a Talisman, while the other coldly sneered and controlled a Magic Item.

This was clearly a trap! Iron Forest Hall's target was indeed him. If he were captured, he would likely become a tool for refining Gu in the future.

"Get lost!"

Chen Dengming roared. Knowing there was no turning back, his ferocity erupted. He suddenly drew the Ice Spirit Blade and slashed out fiercely.

Boom!

Several zhang of blade energy, fierce and oppressive, descended like an army of a thousand soldiers, like Mount Tai crushing down. The killing intent was as cold as frost, striking the two attackers head-on and plunging them into an icy abyss with its desperate, ferocious aura.

Bang!

The incoming fireball exploded into countless sparks.

Chen Dengming's magic robe surged with golden light, forming a protective shield around him.

His speed remained unchanged as he charged out of the fire. He unleashed another strike in the air, following a strange, curved trajectory, suddenly accelerating and fiercely cleaving into the pursuing Magic Item.

'Clang!'

The Magic Item was knocked away.

The Cultivator wielding the Magic Item felt a tightness in his chest, struggling to breathe. He was actually intimidated by Chen Dengming's tiger-like ferocity.

Almost simultaneously, a dark shadow attacked.

"Careful!"

Lin Jun shouted a warning from behind.

The Cultivator quickly retreated, his Spiritual Might erupting, his robes fluttering. He raised his hand and summoned a mirror-like Magic Item, shining it on the dark shadow, which actually froze the Blood Centipede Gu for a moment.

"Another Qi Cultivation Fourth Level!?"

Chen Dengming's eyes narrowed. Sensing the threat attacking from behind, he roared. As he crouched low in a bow stance and charged forward, he cast the Artifact Control Art. The Ice Spirit Blade instantly shrank, transforming into a flying dagger.

He moved with his blade, the flying dagger leaving his hand, its momentum suddenly accelerating, and the airflow it generated became even more powerful.

But to the two opponents, it was merely a flash of light.

Pfft--

Blood splattered, turning into ice crystals before it even hit the ground.

The mirror's light shattered, and the Blood Centipede Gu shrieked, darting past.

Screams and gasps erupted simultaneously.

Chen Dengming forcefully drew on his Qi. While the Divine Speed Technique was still active, his body "prostrated" and then shot out faster than a gale, instantly covering over forty zhang.

Lin Jun and the other Cultivators only saw a blur of movement. Chen Dengming had already broken through their pincer attack, even launching a golden spear attack.

"Clang!--"

Lin Jun casually used a Magic Item to shatter the golden spear. Just as he was about to pursue, he suddenly stopped, his expression shocked as he looked at his companion beside him.

A Cultivator who had been part of the interception suddenly had his eyes dim, a bloody gash from a flying dagger appearing on his forehead. Then, the blood froze into ice, and he fell backward.

"Ah!-- It hurts so much!"

On the other side, the Qi Cultivation Fourth Level Cultivator holding the mirror-like Magic Item screamed and quickly used his Magic Item to sever his own left arm.

The moment the left arm landed, it spewed out dark green blood. The wound, hidden by his clothes, was covered in strange Gu poison.

"Gu worm?"

Lin Jun and the others were horrified. They immediately stopped in their tracks. Glancing at Chen Dengming, who had long since disappeared into the distance, they were all shaken and broke out in a cold sweat.

What was this guy's strength? He had instantly killed a Qi Cultivation Second Level Cultivator and severely wounded a Qi Cultivation Fourth Level Cultivator.

And his speed of escape, why did it feel faster than any of them using the Divine Speed Technique?

At this thought, they exchanged glances. Looking at the corpse and the severed arm on the ground, their hearts grew heavy. They could see the extinguished desire to pursue in each other's eyes. The tense and solemn atmosphere gradually relaxed.

They were all Rogue Cultivators. In this freezing weather, they were just trying to make a living. Sweating and bleeding was one thing, but a life-threatening job... they'd rather not.

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