The night was hazy, and all was silent in Zhaojiang City.
Suddenly, a bolt of lightning split the sky, illuminating the plaque above the Li Mansion's gates.
Rumble!!
Thunder boomed.
At the mansion entrance, the lightning illuminated the tall figures of two guards on duty.
"Who's there..."
The guards' pupils shrank as they spotted a strange figure who had appeared out of nowhere at the gate.
The figure wore black, a long saber at his waist, and a Black Dragon Mask over his face. Bathed in the silver light of the lightning, his features looked sharply defined and exceptionally cold.
The two guards were shocked. They had no idea when the stranger had appeared before them.
His icy expression filled them with a sense of danger, and their instincts urged them to shout for help.
Clang!
Suddenly, the long saber left its sheath, and a flash of blade light appeared!
A streak of silver blade light, like a bolt of lightning across the heavens, merged with the flash and illuminated their eyes.
As the lightning vanished, the blade light fell silent as well.
"Gah..."
The two guards stared wide-eyed as their bodies crashed to the ground.
"Tonight... I'll slaughter them all!"
Liu Chu looked up at the Li family's grand plaque, its lettering bold and flamboyant, then strode inside.
"Who goes there? How dare you trespass on Li family grounds!"
He had not gone far when he spotted a Tendon Refining Realm martial artist patrolling the Li Mansion with several Skin Refining Realm martial artists.
The Tendon Refining Realm martial artist immediately bellowed at Liu Chu.
Liu Chu said nothing. His right hand gripped his saber, its blade angled toward the ground, as he sprinted forward. His figure was like a tiger charging through the forest as he dragged the saber behind him and suddenly lunged for the kill.
"Bad news! We're under attack!!"
The Tendon Refining Realm martial artist immediately sensed something was wrong and shouted. He then swung his saber and charged at Liu Chu.
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
The patrolmen beside him charged at Liu Chu as well.
Whoosh!
Liu Chu's saber cut through the air, its dazzling blade light blossoming in a cold gleam like a sorrowfully beautiful crescent moon.
As the saber came slashing down, the Tendon Refining Realm martial artist at the forefront felt a chill rise in his heart, and his pupils shrank.
"Not good. My opponent is too strong..."
His expression turned grave. He hurriedly summoned all his strength and swung his saber in a fierce slash, trying to block the attack.
Clang—Bang!
The two blades collided, and a dull metallic crash rang out.
The Tendon Refining Realm martial artist felt both arms shudder as a torrent of force surged toward him. He could not help but stagger backward again and again.
"He actually blocked one of my strikes!"
Liu Chu raised his eyes slightly, surprised.
This Tendon Refining Realm martial artist patrolling the Li Mansion was a cut above the two Tendon Refining Realm martial artists who had come to capture him. He had actually blocked one of Liu Chu's strikes.
Though startled, Liu Chu did not slow down. His figure turned into a猛虎, the muscles in his legs tensing as he moved so fast that only his afterimage could be seen.
Whoosh!
His figure flickered, and he was suddenly right in front of the Tendon Refining Realm martial artist.
"Damn!"
The man's pupils shrank. He was off balance, his blood and qi roiling within him, and there was no time to block. He could only watch helplessly as Liu Chu's saber came down.
Whoosh!
The blade flashed and vanished. The Tendon Refining Realm martial artist's eyes went wide as a line of blood appeared across his neck. His body crashed to the ground.
Only then did the several Skin Refining Realm martial artists under his command arrive, but it was already too late.
The two had fought too quickly. In just two exchanges, the victor had been decided.
"Kill!"
Liu Chu's expression was cold. His long saber whipped up dazzling streaks of blade light, swift and deadly. In the blink of an eye, he had cut down all the martial artists.
As long as there weren't more than ten Skin Refining Realm martial artists, he could usually finish them off in just a few strikes!
These few Skin Refining Realm martial artists couldn't stop the blade in his hand at all!
After killing the patrolmen, Liu Chu dragged his saber along and continued forward.
Inside the hall of the family head.
"Something's wrong!"
A figure rushed into the hall, hurrying forward with a panicked expression. "Something terrible has happened..."
"What is all this frantic rushing about? Have you no manners?"
Inside the hall, an elder rebuked him sharply.
But the other elders' expressions changed. "Could it be that the Great Elder..."
The family head frowned and stared at the man. "What happened? Speak quickly. Did the Great Elder return injured? Where is he now?"
"N-no!"
The man was still terrified, though he calmed down a little upon reaching the inner hall. He hurriedly continued, "Someone has fought their way into the Li Mansion!!"
"What?!"
"Who would dare storm the Li Mansion?!"
"Has he got a death wish?!"
Several elders exclaimed in anger and shock.
But once the shock and anger passed, they remembered why they had been keeping watch in the hall. A chill ran through them.
"Could it be that the Great Elder really failed, and the enemy has come right to our doorstep..."
The elders' expressions changed. Incredulous, they felt a storm surge through their hearts.
How could the Great Elder have failed?
He was a Bone Refining Realm expert!!
The elders could not believe it, but the family head reacted first. He quickly made up his mind and ordered, "Quick, take the armor and crossbows from the storehouse!!"
Upon learning that the Great Elder had failed and the enemy had stormed their home, the family head immediately sensed that something was terribly wrong.
By all rights, even if the Great Elder had failed, the most the opponent should have managed was to escape.
But now that the enemy had come to their doorstep, it meant the Great Elder's failure had likely been more than a mere slip-up. He might already have met with disaster!
Their opponent was far stronger than expected!
In that instant, the Li family head realized that what he had considered cautious planning was still nowhere near cautious enough.
They had vastly underestimated their opponent's strength!
In the blink of an eye, the Li family head made the right call: use the armor and crossbows they had kept in reserve!
"The family head's judgment is sound! Hurry and bring out the armor and crossbows!!"
"Quick, go get the crossbows and armor!!"
The elders also came to their senses, realizing how terrifying their opponent was. They immediately barked out orders.
"Yes, I'll take care of it right away!"
The disciple quickly turned around, intending to lead a group to the storehouse and bring out the armor and crossbows to fend off the enemy.
However, just as he stepped out through the courtyard gate of the main hall—
Boom!
A dull impact rang out. The disciple's body flew backward like a sandbag and crashed straight into the doors of the hall.
"What happened..."
The Li family's leaders inside the hall were startled and rose to their feet.
Outside, in the courtyard, the Li family martial artists were already standing ready, staring fixedly at the courtyard gate.
Under everyone's watchful gaze, a black-clad figure slowly strode over, his long saber angled toward the ground as blood dripped from its edge.
The black-clad figure wore a Black Dragon Mask. Beneath the hazy moonlight, he seemed mysterious and evil, like a transformed evil dragon. His deep, shadowy eyes were captivating, as if he were about to devour anyone who crossed his path!
"The Black Dragon Gang... Gang Leader!"
The Li family head stared at the black-clad figure entering the courtyard. His pupils shrank, and shock rocked his heart.
Though he had already expected this, seeing the man break into the Li Mansion as if no one were there, then suddenly appear before him, still left him shaken.
"The Black Dragon Gang Leader really came here! How is that possible? Has the Great Elder been killed?!"
The Li family elders were struck as if by lightning, unable to accept what they were seeing.
Only the Black Dragon Gang Leader stood before them. The Great Elder was nowhere to be seen, and that alone foretold his fate.
"Seize him! Surround him and kill him!!"
The Li family head knew there was no time to fetch the armor and crossbows now. He immediately shouted an order.
"Move! Surround him and kill him! Don't let him escape!"
The elders also ordered the family martial artists guarding the hall to act, and they moved into action themselves.
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