Night Attack!

Claude had been waiting for a long time. When Lan Aotian entered, he hurriedly bowed. "Your Majesty, you and Sect Master Ning..."

Lan Aotian waved his hand. "Starting tomorrow, travel with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

Claude was stunned, then overjoyed!

Being able to travel with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect meant their safety would be greatly improved!

The prestige of Jian Douluo Chenxin was enough to intimidate any petty villains!

"Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!" He bowed repeatedly, his voice trembling with excitement.

Lan Aotian ignored him and merely stood with his hands behind his back at the tent entrance, gazing at the night sky sinking into darkness in the north.

Spirit City.

The Finals.

Tang San.

Tang Hao.

Bibi Dong.

And the forces hidden in the shadows.

This grand drama was becoming more and more interesting.

The corners of his lips lifted slightly, and a trace of anticipation flashed through his eyes.

Meanwhile, inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's camp.

Ning Fengzhi stood inside the Main Tent and handed the small jade bottle to Chen Xin.

"Uncle Jian, take a look at this."

Chen Xin took it, pulled out the stopper, and a trace of shock instantly flashed across his aged face.

"This is..."

He drew in a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.

"Such a pure Life Source... This person is certainly no ordinary man."

Ning Fengzhi nodded and recounted the conversation from earlier in full.

After listening, Chen Xin was silent for a moment before slowly asking, "Sect Master, can this person be trusted?"

Ning Fengzhi pondered. "He cannot be trusted completely, but he can be put to use. Since he took the initiative to propose a deal and even gave us such a precious deposit, he at least won't become our enemy in the short term."

He paused, his gaze profound. "Besides... he was right. We need allies—an ally powerful enough, yet with no conflicting interests with us."

Chen Xin nodded and said nothing more.

Outside the tent, the night wind continued to blow.

The two convoys quietly rested in the darkness.

What they did not know was that this seemingly simple trade would soon unleash tremendous waves.

Late at night.

Outside Heaven Dou South Pass, the two convoys camped and rested about half a mile apart.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's camp was brightly lit. The guards patrolling the outer perimeter were alert and spirited, with visible and hidden sentries arranged in overlapping layers. Their defenses were extremely tight.

The Spirit Hall convoy was much more low-key. Several carriages formed a semicircle, the guards taking turns standing watch, while the two Red Robe Cardinals, Claude and Jason, personally held down the fort.

Lan Aotian sat cross-legged inside his tent, eyes closed as he regulated his breathing.

There was no moon tonight. Sparse stars dotted the sky, and the heavens were as dark as ink.

A gust of night wind swept past, gently stirring the tent curtains.

Lan Aotian opened his eyes.

They're here.

He rose and walked out of the tent.

Claude was patrolling with several guards. Seeing Lan Aotian emerge, he hurried over. "Your Majesty, do you have any orders?"

Lan Aotian did not look at him. His gaze was fixed on the dark wilderness beyond the camp.

"Someone is here."

Claude was startled and instinctively tightened his grip on his weapon. "An enemy attack?"

Lan Aotian shook his head slightly. "They're not coming for us."

He raised his hand and pointed toward the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's camp.

"Over there."

As soon as he finished speaking, dazzling Soul Power erupted at the edge of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's camp!

Boom!

A huge fireball descended from the sky, smashing into the fence around the camp and exploding into sparks that filled the heavens!

"Enemy attack! We're under attack!"

The shouts of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's guards pierced the night sky, immediately followed by one burst of Soul Power after another, the clang of metal, and screams!

At least twenty black-clothed figures charged toward the camp from three directions at once!

These people moved swiftly, coordinated perfectly, and struck viciously. They were clearly well-trained assassins!

Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's guards were elite, they had been caught off guard. For a time, they were suppressed, and their defensive line retreated step by step!

"Protect the Sect Master! Protect the young miss!"

A guard captain shouted fiercely and led more than a dozen guards in a desperate interception, but three Soul Emperor-level assassins entangled him, leaving him unable to break free.

The curtains of the tent where Ning Rongrong was staying were thrown open. The girl in white poked her head out, her small face filled with panic.

"Rongrong, go back!"

Ning Fengzhi's voice came from the Main Tent. He charged out with two Soul Douluo-level elders and rushed toward Ning Rongrong's tent.

But the assassins' target was clearly Ning Rongrong!

Five more assassins sprang from the darkness, bypassing the front line of defense and lunging straight at Ning Rongrong!

The leader was shockingly a Soul Saint!

"Miss, be careful!"

Two personal guards desperately tried to intercept them, but the Soul Saint sent them flying with one palm each. They spat blood and collapsed, unable to rise.

The Soul Saint grinned viciously and reached for Ning Rongrong with his large hand!

Ning Rongrong's face went pale with terror, and she instinctively closed her eyes.

At that moment.

A streak of sword light flashed.

The sword light was so fast that no one saw where it had come from.

The Soul Saint's outstretched right hand was severed at the wrist!

Blood gushed forth!

"Ah—!" The Soul Saint shrieked, clutching his wrist as he stumbled backward!

Chen Xin's figure appeared in front of Ning Rongrong like a ghost.

He still looked like a frail old man in the twilight of life, thin and hunched, as though a gust of wind could blow him over.

But blood dripped from the tip of the Seven Kill Sword in his hand.

"Grandpa Jian!" Ning Rongrong cried out in delight and shock, her eyes reddening.

Chen Xin did not turn around. He merely said calmly, "Young girl, hide behind Old Man."

The Soul Saint with the severed wrist looked ashen, staring at Chen Xin as if he had seen a ghost.

"Retreat! Retreat now!" he screamed hoarsely.

Chen Xin shook his head.

"Since you've come, don't leave."

He raised his hand and swung his sword.

It was still an utterly ordinary-looking strike.

Yet wherever the sword light passed, the severed-wrist Soul Saint and the four assassins behind him were all sliced in half at the waist!

Blood and organs spilled across the ground, and they did not even have time to scream!

The other assassins were scared out of their wits and frantically fled into the darkness!

But Chen Xin had already moved.

His figure was like silver lightning, carving streak after streak through the night sky. Every time a streak fell, an assassin died.

In less than ten breaths, more than twenty assassins had all been slain!

The entire camp was permeated with a thick stench of blood.

Ning Fengzhi hurried over, his expression solemn. "Uncle Jian, is Rongrong all right?"

Chen Xin returned his sword to its sheath and shook his head slightly. "She's unharmed. These assassins... are of average strength, but they were well trained. They don't seem like dead soldiers raised by an ordinary faction."

Ning Fengzhi crouched down and examined the clothing of one of the corpses.

A moment later, he stood up, his face grim.

"People from the Shadow Tower."

Chen Xin's brows furrowed slightly. "The Shadow Tower? Why would they target Rongrong?"

Ning Fengzhi fell silent for a moment, his gaze turning toward a certain direction in the darkness.

It was the direction of the Spirit Hall convoy.

"Perhaps they weren't targeting Rongrong." He spoke slowly. "Someone wants to create chaos so that we won't have the time to attend to anything else."

Chen Xin's eyes narrowed. "You mean..."

Ning Fengzhi nodded. "Divert the Tiger from the Mountain."

As soon as he finished speaking.

A violent fluctuation of Soul Power suddenly erupted in the direction of the Spirit Hall convoy!

Rumble!

That was an attack at least at the Soul Saint level!

Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin exchanged a glance, their expressions changing simultaneously.

"Go!"

Chen Xin grabbed Ning Rongrong, while Ning Fengzhi followed close behind. The three figures sped toward the Spirit Hall camp!

At this moment, inside the Spirit Hall camp.

The battle had already erupted.

Fifteen black-clothed men charged out of the darkness and lunged straight at the three specially made metal carriages!