Betrayal

The mountain path grew deeper and steeper.

The forest of Black Wind Ridge grew increasingly gloomy, with vegetation standing thick like a ghastly ghost's beckoning hands. The air was filled with the stench of blood and decay, as if it had long since transformed into an Asura realm.

The moment Gu Chang'an and his party stepped past the jagged ridge, an aura of chilling killing intent rushed right at them.

Halfway up the mountain ahead, three figures stood atop a giant boulder.

One of them was wrapped in a red robe, with a short and sturdy build, yet his entire body was as heavy as an iron tower.

His face was ugly, with a flattened nose and a crooked mouth, and his flesh-covered face resembled a malevolent ghost. In his hand, he dragged a spiked mace that was nearly as tall as him, with cold light faintly flashing and stained with blood.

He was none other than the right protector of the Firewood Gang—Liang Hu.

[Liang Hu: Physique 308]

From this physique of 308, it could be seen that Liang Hu was exceptionally gifted, and he had already cultivated to the very pinnacle of the Ninth Grade.

He was merely a hair's breadth away from the Eighth Grade...

As for the figures to his left and right, one wore a light white robe and had a refined yet handsome face, but his expression was cold and his gaze was as sharp as a sword's edge.

He had a soft sword hanging at his waist, his hand gestures were agile, and his aura was like a wandering snake, which sent chills through people's hearts.

[Pei Xuan: Physique 225]

The other person had a rugged appearance, bald and bare-chested, with a roaring fierce tiger tattooed on his chest. He wielded a large axe in both hands, possessed a stern face, and had bloodshot eyes.

[Duan Lie: Physique 255]

The three of them stood on the heights, their killing intent compelling, resembling three ghost-gods descended from the netherworld.

Liang Hu grinned, his voice sounding like grinding stones crushing iron:

"That old dog Wang Hao really couldn't hold back after all. Did you truly think a few greenhorns like you could level Black Wind Ridge?"

Pei Xuan coldly added: "Wipe us out? Delusional."

Duan Lie slammed an axe against the ground, causing the earth to tremble:

"I've been waiting for you lot for a long time! Come on, I'll have every single one of you die right here!"

Faced with three Ninth-Grade powerfighters, the expressions of the constables behind shifted abruptly, and the atmosphere instantly tightened. Gao Ling let out a low gasp:

"Three Ninth-Grades? Can we hold them off?"

Yet Gu Chang'an kept his expression calm, the killing intent in his eyes growing even more intense, and he said in a deep voice to the people beside him:

"Jiang Yuan, Zheng Zhen, leave those two incense masters to you. Redye and I will join forces to kill Liang Hu!"

Jiang Yuan said not a word as his double hooks slid out of their sheaths, the battle intent in his eyes burning like fire, and he nodded in agreement.

As for Zheng Zhen, he glanced at Gu Chang'an, his gaze dark, yet he merely nodded slightly and spoke in a low voice: "Understood."

His tone was flat, but a dark glint flashed in the depths of his eyes as he harbored unspoken thoughts.

Liang Hu had already pulled out her iron whip and stepped to Gu Chang'an's side, her red robes fluttering wildly, her gaze as sharp as a blade: "This ugly thing looks an eyesore just to watch."

Gu Chang'an gave the order: "Attack!"

In the blink of an eye, Gu Chang'an launched the initial assault, hacking down with an enraged slash. The Mountain Shattering Saber Technique carried an imposing momentum like a collapsing mountain and a crashing thunder, enveloping a formidable force as it pressed straight toward Liang Hu!

Liang Hu darted forward like lightning, her whip winding around Liang Hu's waist and abdomen like a swimming dragon in an attempt to disrupt his center of gravity.

Liang Hu grinned fiercely, his massive spiked mace sweeping horizontally with a sudden, violent motion that whipped up a gale. The air emitted a cracking sound around him as he met Gu Chang'an's blade head-on!

"Hmph, brat, your strength packs quite a punch!"

"You must be Gu Chang'an. I didn't expect you to grow to this extent in such a short amount of time."

"If I'd known a few days ago, I would have listened to my younger brother Liang Biao and cut you down."

"Still, it's not too late now..."

"Go die, little punk..."

Liang Hu's feet sank as he executed the Ground-Crushing Force, his arms swinging violently. The spiked mace came crashing down straight ahead like a falling meteoric iron.

"Bang!"

Gu Chang'an blocked horizontally with his saber, his thumb-and-forefinger web violently jolted as his figure retreated slightly.

"Hahaha, who dies isn't certain yet..."

Faced with Liang Hu's powerful offensive, Gu Chang'an advanced instead of retreating, using the momentum to slide his steps and press forward relentlessly as he unleashed a second slash!

Meanwhile, Liang Hu struggled to parry with his spiked mace, his complexion changing drastically.

This brat's strength was actually not inferior to his own?

Simultaneously, Li Hongye moved as swiftly as a phantom, her iron whip bending and turning to seal off Liang Hu's flanks. One whip strike lashed across his shoulder, only managing to shake loose a bloody trace while failing to break his protective copper skin.

"What a tough hide!"

Li Hongye furrowed her brows slightly, though she did not retreat, her whip shadows rising anew like a torrential downpour.

On the other side of the arena,

Jiang Yuan traded blows with Duan Lie's twin axes. One was as swift as a fierce eagle, while the other was as heavy as a mountain peak. Qi forces spilled outward with a shocking momentum.

Pei Xuan and Zheng Zhen had also clashed, their sword qi stern and light and shadow intertwined.

Pei Xuan's Startling Snake Sword was like a boneless, spirit snake, shifting unpredictably.

Yet Zheng Zhen remained as steady as a monolith; every sword strike seemed slow, yet it sealed off every direction impenetrably as the two probed each other through offense and defense in a fierce standoff.

Even so, right now the battle between Gu Chang'an, Li Hongye, and Liang Hu was considerably more intense.

Gu Chang'an and Li Hongye joined forces against Liang Hu, their long saber and iron whip cooperating seamlessly.

Gu Chang'an's Mountain Shattering Saber Technique was like boulders smashing into the earth, every strike heavy and fierce with a grand momentum.

As for Li Hongye, her movement technique was agile, and her iron whip traversed like a spiritual snake, continuously checking Liang Hu's offensive.

One static and one dynamic, one rigid and one pliable, the two fought in an interlaced assault.

Though Liang Hu possessed boundless strength, with every strike of his spiked mace carrying mountain-shaking force, he was nonetheless driven step by step backward under Gu Chang'an's suppression.

Li Hongye's iron whip coiled around his body like a wandering dragon, rendering him unable to move freely.

"Little brat!"

Liang Hu roared, his aura surging wildly as he swept across with a mace, only for Gu Chang'an to intercept it with a single saber strike. Veins bulged on both his arms, and the collision of saber and mace emitted a thunder-like roar.

Gu Chang'an said coldly: "You are nothing more than a thick-skinned brute."

Liang Hu laughed out of extreme anger, and just as he was about to erupt his True Qi for a desperate clash, abruptly—

"Clang—!"

An abrupt, metallic ringing suddenly sounded!

A streak of silver light slashed diagonally from the flank, aiming straight for the back of Gu Chang'an's neck!

It was none other than Zheng Zhen—he had suddenly broken away from Pei Xuan and launched a sneak attack on Gu Chang'an's back with a sword, his sword stance cold and vicious, carrying a resolve to die!

Li Hongye cried out in alarm: "Watch out!"

Yet Gu Chang'an acted as though he had long been prepared; his figure dropped abruptly, his Flowing Wind Steps turning beneath his feet, and his body evaded the fatal blow like an illusion!

"What?!"

Cold light surged fiercely in Zheng Zhen's eyes without a pause as his second sword cleaved diagonally downward!

Gu Chang'an's gaze was ice-cold, his long saber inverted as Mountain Shattering force infused the blade edge, and he countered with a lightning-fast slash!

"Splat!"

Blood burst forth.

Zheng Zhen's right arm, along with his long sword, was cleanly severed, flying out several feet before crashing heavily into the bloody mud!

"Ah, ah, ah—!"

Zheng Zhen shrieked as he retreated, vomiting blood profusely. He dropped to his knees, his complexion as pale as paper while his gaze was filled with shock and disbelief.

"How is this possible? That sword of mine... how could you anticipate and defend against it ahead of time!"

Gu Chang'an stood with his saber drawn, his gaze as cold as frost and his voice low:

"Because from the very beginning, you weren't right."

"Your gaze was too scattered, and every strike of yours looked precise while actually holding back your full strength. Worse still, at critical moments, you repeatedly glanced back to check my position."

"I've been guarding against you for a long time."

Li Hongye followed closely behind, momentarily dazed,

"Junior Brother, then when you were fighting Liang Hu with me just now, you weren't using your full strength either?"

Her heart was filled with shock.

She hadn't expected that Gu Chang'an, who had broken through to the Ninth Grade only half a month ago, would already surpass her so quickly.

And by such a vast margin.

This talent truly made one envious.

Gu Chang'an nodded and said calmly:

"With a poisonous snake by your side, if you don't guard against it in advance, aren't you just digging your own grave?"

His gaze grew stern as he swept his eyes over Zheng Zhen. "Have you always been Daoist Chai's man, or... were you just bought off recently?"

Zheng Zhen gritted his teeth, his face full of venom, yet not a single word escaped his mouth as his eyes filled with humiliation and terror.

"Since you betrayed the Martial Guard Division, you deserve to die."

Gu Chang'an stepped forward, raising his long saber with blade light like snow.

Zheng Zhen screamed shrilly: "No—"

Yet the response to him was a flash of cold light.

"Swish!"

Blood splashed three feet high, and Zheng Zhen's head hit the ground.

At that instant, Pei Xuan's figure abruptly stalled, cold points of light surging wildly within his eyes as he roared angrily:

"Damned thing!"

Meanwhile, Gu Chang'an had already turned around, once again facing Liang Hu with battle intent surging like a tide:

"Next up, it's your turn!"

"Now the balance is restored, three against three..."