The Ambush

The next day.

In the Origin Mulberry Field in Emerald Cloud Valley.

A handsome young man with clear features and eyes stood bare-chested, holding a long saber as he practiced the Army-Breaking Saber Technique in the clearing before the Bamboo Shed.

Under the blazing sun, crimson steam rose from his skin and lingered in the air.

After each practice of the Army-Breaking Saber Technique, the young man would pause to rest and take a sip of wine brewed from Origin Mulberry Fruit. Once he had recovered a little strength, he would begin another round of practice.

That man was, of course, Shen Mu.

After making their plans with Hong Jingcheng the previous night, he had risen early and returned to the same training routine he had followed every day.

Meanwhile, Hong Jingcheng had arrived long ago and was now lying in wait inside the Bamboo Shed, ready to catch his prey.

"This guy is a real monster."

Watching the scene outside through the Bamboo Shed, Hong Jingcheng couldn't help feeling secretly astonished.

In all his years in Emerald Cloud Valley, he could hardly think of anyone who matched Shen Mu's dedication to cultivation.

Practicing the Army-Breaking Saber Technique took an enormous amount of strength. After a single round, a person felt as though every last bit of energy had been drained from him.

An ordinary person would need at least half an hour to recover before starting again.

Shen Mu was different. He rested for less than half an incense stick's time before launching into the next round.

Like an ascetic monk, he showed no hint of fatigue, practicing again and again...

"No wonder he advanced to the second level of Boiling Blood in just two months after entering the valley. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if he reached the third level in another two."

Hong Jingcheng couldn't help feeling a measure of admiration.

He knew he couldn't spend an entire day cultivating with the same single-minded focus as Shen Mu.

Time slowly passed. Shen Mu practiced the Army-Breaking Saber Technique over and over outside the Bamboo Shed, while Hong Jingcheng lay hidden inside, quietly waiting for his target to walk into the trap.

As the sun sank in the west and the clouds turned the sky blood-red, Shen Mu once again stood with his saber planted beside him, crimson steam swirling around his body.

"Phew, phew, phew..."

Shen Mu sat cross-legged on the grass, enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

Just then, two figures appeared in the direction of the valley entrance and followed the path through the fields toward the Bamboo Shed where Shen Mu was.

"They're here."

Seeing the two figures, Shen Mu's lips curled into a cold smile.

"Guo Jinchuan, if I hadn't been prepared, Emerald Cloud Valley would have become my grave..."

"But I'm afraid your plan to repay your gambling debts is going to fall through."

Shen Mu thought to himself.

He was glad he had accompanied Guo Jinchuan to Cloud Dragon County the day before, then secretly followed him when his suspicions arose.

Otherwise, his life would likely have ended right there.

At the same time, Hong Jingcheng saw the two figures approaching along the path through the cracks in the Bamboo Shed.

"Guo Jinchuan, you finally came."

Hong Jingcheng grinned, baring his teeth in a bloodthirsty smile.

If he had still harbored any doubts about what Shen Mu had told him, Guo Jinchuan's arrival had now dispelled them completely.

"Brother Shen."

Still some distance away, Guo Jinchuan smiled and called out to Shen Mu, who was sitting on the grass.

Behind him was Yue Kun, dressed in the uniform of the Firewood Gang. In the dim evening light, his lowered face was hard to make out.

"Brother Guo, what brings you here?"

Shen Mu greeted him with a smile as well, as if he hadn't noticed the danger drawing near.

Guo Jinchuan's expression was inscrutable as he smiled. "Brother Shen, I came here today to ask you for a favor."

"Oh?"

Shen Mu raised an eyebrow and feigned ignorance. "What do you need help with, Brother Guo?"

By then, Guo Jinchuan and Yue Kun had followed the path to the Bamboo Shed. They were only three zhang away from Shen Mu.

"Here's the thing."

Looking down at Shen Mu, who sat on the grass, Guo Jinchuan smiled. "I'd like to borrow your life, Brother Shen!"

Before the last words had even left his mouth, Yue Kun abruptly lifted his head, his eyes flashing.

He drove off with both legs, leaving two deep footprints in the ground, and launched himself toward Shen Mu. His right fist cut through the air with a howl, aimed straight at Shen Mu's face.

"Bang!"

But just as Yue Kun's punch was about to land, he was suddenly struck as if he had run into a truck. He spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward even faster than he had come, crashing heavily to the ground.

At some point, a figure had appeared beside Shen Mu. It was none other than Hong Jingcheng.

He had burst from the Bamboo Shed and struck Yue Kun in the chest with a punch, moving faster than his opponent could react and sending him flying.

"Pfft."

Yue Kun's face went deathly pale. He spat out blood and struggled to get up.

Hong Jingcheng's punch had nearly shattered every rib in his body. Even the slightest movement felt as though countless blades were stabbing into his flesh, leaving him in too much pain to cry out.

Seeing Hong Jingcheng standing beside Shen Mu, Yue Kun's face turned ashen.

"Hong... Hong Jingcheng?!"

Regret surged through him.

Why had he teamed up with Guo Jinchuan to steal the Origin Mulberry Fruit?

Why had he listened to Guo Jinchuan's suggestion to rob Shen Mu?

At that moment, Yue Kun understood that it was all over.

"Guo Jinchuan, you..."

Yue Kun spat out another mouthful of blood and shot Guo Jinchuan a venomous look. Then his eyes rolled back and he passed out.

The sudden turn of events made Guo Jinchuan's expression change drastically.

"Brother... Brother Hong!"

Guo Jinchuan's face turned deathly pale, and he trembled all over.

Why was Hong Jingcheng here?

Having witnessed Hong Jingcheng's methods before, he knew he was now nothing more than fish on a chopping block, waiting to be carved up.

"You're worse than a pig or a dog. How dare you call me Brother Hong?"

Hong Jingcheng's face darkened. He sneered, "You conspired with outsiders and lured the Dark Gold Red Tiger into the valley, causing more than a hundred casualties!"

"Guo Jinchuan, I've always treated you well. We shared every opportunity to make money, and I never once left you out. Who would've thought you'd stab us in the back like this!"

Guo Jinchuan immediately fell to his knees and crawled all the way over to Hong Jingcheng, weeping bitterly. "Brother Hong, I was wrong. I really was wrong. I was blinded by greed, blinded by greed!"

"Please spare me this once. I'll be your ox or horse from now on. I can even offer you my younger sister..."

"Spare you?"

Hong Jingcheng sneered and kicked him. Guo Jinchuan flew several zhang through the air like a kite with its string cut.

"Pfft."

Guo Jinchuan spat out blood, scrambled to his feet, and knelt before Hong Jingcheng again.

"Brother Hong, I was wrong. Please spare me!"

Guo Jinchuan kept kowtowing.

Hong Jingcheng looked down at him, utterly devoid of pity. "If I spare you, who will spare the brothers who died or were injured?"

Guo Jinchuan hurriedly explained, "It was an accident. I planned to lure an unranked demon beast into the valley. I never expected a Dark Gold Red Tiger to show up..."

Before he could finish, a dagger suddenly appeared in his left hand. He sprang up and slashed at Hong Jingcheng's throat.

He knew that what he had done was almost certainly punishable by death. His only choice now was to fight for a slim chance of survival.

If he could just kill Hong Jingcheng, he might still make it out alive!

Hong Jingcheng's expression changed drastically. He hadn't expected Guo Jinchuan to suddenly attack at a moment like this.

But the difference in their cultivation was simply too great, especially with Guo Jinchuan's right arm broken and his body badly injured from Hong Jingcheng's kick.

Hong Jingcheng merely leaned back a little, evading what seemed like a deadly strike.

Seeing his first attempt fail, Guo Jinchuan stepped forward and changed the dagger's course, thrusting it straight at Hong Jingcheng.

"Hmph!"

Hong Jingcheng snorted and reached out with his right hand. He caught the incoming dagger between his index and middle fingers, then drove another punch with his left hand into Guo Jinchuan's left arm.

"Crack!"

Guo Jinchuan's left arm broke with a sharp snap. A jagged piece of bone even pierced through his sleeve, and blood gushed out, soaking his clothes in an instant.

"Ahhh!"

Guo Jinchuan let out a shrill scream that echoed throughout Emerald Cloud Valley.

Shen Mu watched coldly, without a trace of pity.

Guo Jinchuan had brought Yue Kun to his door intending to take his life.

They had no old grudges or recent quarrels. Just because Shen Mu had a sizable sum of silver, Guo Jinchuan had tried to harm him...

A man like that deserved to die!

If Shen Mu hadn't brought help, the two men's fate would have been his.

"Quiet!"

Hong Jingcheng kicked Guo Jinchuan away once more.

Like a hunched-over shrimp, Guo Jinchuan could only lie on the ground, lifting his head to glare venomously at Shen Mu.

"You followed me last night?"

By now, he understood.

Hong Jingcheng had shown up because Shen Mu had followed him the previous night and discovered his plot with Yue Kun to harm him.