My Territory, My Rules

Chapter 50: My Turf, My Rules

Xu Yue's words were not the usual Star Mark transmission used by Reincarnators, but a direct shout from her own mouth.

Xia Hui's expression shifted; she instinctively dodged backward, keeping a wary eye on Nightingale.

Nightingale was no fool in combat. While his right hand held his magic wand steady, his left hand, hidden beneath his cloak, gestured back and forth.

With every angle he shifted, Xia Hui's position was forced to change in response, flickering to and fro.

It looked effortless, but in less than ten seconds, Xia Hui's face had turned pale.

The more powerful an ability is in one domain, the greater its flaws often are in another.

The luck-based ability was indeed overpowered—at first glance, it seemed impossible to counter—but its combat drain was far more severe than ordinary abilities.

Xia Hui was only a one-star, after all, and could not control her ability with ease. Every time Nightingale made a move, she would instinctively shift her position.

This excessive caution against unfavorable situations ended up causing unnecessary exhaustion.

Just as Nightingale used his Portkey to suppress Xia Hui's ability, Wu Que immediately launched a thunderous assault on the Taoist, wielding his folding fan with a weight that belied its appearance, bringing it down toward the Taoist's head.

The Taoist parried left and right with his talisman sword, struggling to keep up, let alone use his talismans to assist the Butcher.

Meanwhile, Xu Yue immediately took over Nightingale's support role, sending whirlwinds of ice and snow toward the Butcher. The Butcher's momentum was finally halted, his movements becoming increasingly ragged.

Xu Feng, who had previously been on the back foot, saw his momentum surge. He unleashed a flurry of punches and kicks, pouring everything he had into the Butcher.

Just as the tide of battle seemed to turn, a figure suddenly rose from the ground behind Wu Que, fingers curled into claws, striking toward his heart.

"Grandson!"

Wu Que let out a sharp shout, spinning around to slash with his fan, using the Incense-Cutting Sword Art to strike at Tu Xingsun.

Ever since their contract was terminated, the two had become enemies. Having been on guard this entire time, how could he be caught by a sneak attack?

"Let's see how long you can keep defending!"

Tu Xingsun let out a shrill laugh, but he didn't force a confrontation. He struck and immediately retreated, diving into the wall and vanishing.

As long as there was soil, his Earth-Escaping Technique could be deployed, allowing him to move freely and making him impossible to guard against.

With him joining the fray, the numbers returned to four-on-four. Wu Que and Nightingale could no longer suppress the Taoist and Xia Hui, and the situation shifted once more.

A moment later, the Butcher went on a rampage again, his heavy swings and cleaves forcing Xu Feng to be sent flying yet again.

"The situation is dire!"

Blood was already trickling from the corner of Xu Feng's mouth as he fought and retreated. Xu Yue pursed her lips, her eyes flickering.

She had overestimated the opponent as much as she could, but the Butcher—a being who had descended from a three-star rating—was simply too terrifying. His close-combat advantage was practically overwhelming.

If they kept fighting like this, they would only exhaust their stamina and mana, eventually being crushed by the Butcher or incapacitated by a sneak attack from Tu Xingsun.

To win, they had to either take out Tu Xingsun in a short window to return to a four-on-three, or meet force with force and defeat the Butcher.

After a brief calculation, Xu Yue sent a message through her emblem, and Xu Feng, Wu Que, and Nightingale gave almost imperceptible nods.

The two sides had been battling all the way through the Worry-Free Cave, moving further away from the Imperial City and toward the south of the city.

Though the front line seemed stretched, given the Butcher's unstoppable attacks, not much time had actually passed.

Seeing Tu Xingsun emerge from the ground once more to backstab Xu Feng, Wu Que suddenly turned, throwing his folding fan, while Xu Yue and Nightingale shifted their targets, attacking Tu Xingsun in unison.

"I knew it!"

Tu Xingsun knew he drew too much aggro and had been on guard.

As the pincer attack arrived, his reaction was lightning-fast. His figure flickered, and he actually split into two identical phantoms, each lunging in a different direction before vanishing into the soil without a scratch.

However, although Tu Xingsun escaped, Wu Que's flying fan curved in mid-air, slamming into the Butcher's back with a loud thud.

The Butcher stumbled, forced to take a step forward, and Xu Feng leaped from his knees, throwing a fierce punch.

It was no longer just a burst of energy, but a solid fist, carrying the immense power of nine bulls and two tigers, slamming into the Butcher's chest.

That mechanical heart pulsing beneath his chest was too obvious; everyone had guessed that it was the source of the Butcher's two-star strength despite his demotion. If they destroyed it, the battle would be half-won.

Therefore, the pincer attack on Tu Xingsun was merely a feint; their true target was the Butcher.

It wasn't just Wu Que and Xu Feng; Nightingale pointed his magic wand repeatedly, casting Laxity and Shatter in succession upon the Butcher's arms.

The blood-red aura on the armor flared up, neutralizing some of the magic, but the Butcher's movements still stiffened.

Xu Yue's ice magic roared past, blocking the Taoist and Xia Hui from intervening while frost crept up the Butcher's waist.

At the same time, a massive ice flower, shaped like a tortoise shell, landed on Xu Feng.

This was his exit strategy.

The detail of leaving oneself an out was truly critical, preventing a total collapse.

In the blink of an eye, just as Tu Xingsun dove into the ground, that punch containing the strength of nine bulls and two tigers struck true, landing squarely on the Butcher's heart.

Yet, under their expectant gazes, beyond the sound of mechanical parts cracking, an indescribable low growl echoed out.

The mechanical heart was indeed damaged, but this did not paralyze the Butcher. Instead, it broke some sort of shackle, awakening a dormant power within him. A demonic sound erupted, and the blood-red aura on his armor and greatsword suddenly boiled, clawing at the air.

Xu Feng had not bet his entire victory on that single punch; after the attack, he drifted backward, keeping at least a meter of distance from the Butcher.

Even without direct contact, the mere sound of that demonic voice entering his ears left him as if struck by lightning; ensnared by blood energy, he froze in place.

Beneath his helmet, the Butcher's face revealed a complex expression, one part mockery and one part sorrow. Breaking free from the shackles of the curse, he swung his blade violently, slashing toward the immobile Xu Feng.

At the same time.

Within the Imperial Academy.

Huang Shang's Zhuge Pen paused, and his brows furrowed slightly.

He sensed waves of power rapidly approaching this location from deep underground.

The Literary Qi from the statue of Confucius filled the heavens and earth, radiating across the entire Capital City. Huang Shang did not directly absorb this immense power, but throughout the imperial examination, his senses had expanded along with it, allowing him to keenly perceive the clash of the Reincarnators within the Worry-Free Cave.

Among them was a force that filled him with deep loathing.

It did not belong to Xu Feng, Xu Yue, Wu Que, or Nightingale; it could only be another Reincarnator.

From Western Xia?

Or the Liao Kingdom?

Huang Shang had been studying with undivided attention and was unaware of Western Xia's schemes, but there was no doubt that the other party had not come to offer goodwill; they had come to cause destruction.

To disrupt the currently stable situation of the Great Song and profit from the chaos!

If the nation fell into turmoil, not only would he be affected, but if the four of them were defeated and replaced by a new wave of Reincarnators, would their attitude toward him remain as expected?

Therefore, at this moment, Huang Shang channeled the Literary Qi of Confucius. His pen moved like a dragon or a snake, and the square, neat, and spirited Three Academies Regular Script on his examination paper began to emit a faint light. The characters pierced through the paper, forming a phantom essay that descended toward the depths of the earth.

"You wish to act so recklessly? Have you asked for my permission?"

(Seeking recommendation votes on Monday, it is very important!)

Thanks to book friend "Gui Tianrong" for the tip.