The Trap

In the eyes of the townspeople, even though Jiang Feng possessed talent that made the heavens jealous, he did not know how to endure in silence. He had even followed his temper and killed Wei Changqing, offending Nie Hu. In the end, he was bound to be wiped out completely by the Qi Family.

They believed Jiang Feng should never have displayed his strength so arrogantly. Instead, he should have kept a low profile, lain dormant in cultivation, and swallowed his grievances.

Now that Nie Hu had invited people from the Qi Family, Jiang Feng's days were as good as over.

When they saw the guards from the prefectural city pushing through the crowd, the steward beside Nie Hu whispered a few words by his ear.

"Master, the two men at the front are the two deputy commanders of Qinghe Prefecture City's city defense army. When Young Master Qi heard that Jiang Feng had actually reached the Black Martial Realm, he was shocked and sent these two deputy commanders here."

"The man on the left, with a face full of bristling beard and a broad build, is called Yuchi Hong. His cultivation is at the peak of the ninth level of the Black Martial Realm. The body-tempering method he cultivates, Black Tiger Tyrant Body, gives him two hundred thousand jin of strength, and the toughness of his flesh is equally astonishing. He is skilled with a pair of Mountain-Shaking Hammers."

"The man on the right, with handsome features and a long, slender build, is called Su Di. His cultivation has already reached perfection in the Black Martial Realm. He lacks only a trace of insight before he can break through to the Earth Martial Realm. The body-tempering method he cultivates, White Cloud Floating Willow, excels in speed, and paired with his sword art that has already formed sword intent, its power is immense. He has never tasted defeat within the same realm."

"Good... good... good!" Nie Hu said "good" three times in a row. That young master of the Qi Family truly was preparing to take Jiang Feng's life, to have actually sent two experts like this.

"Jiang Feng, even if your talent defies the heavens, I refuse to believe you can still defeat these two experts!"

Nie Hu's heart settled. He strode forward and cupped his hands to welcome them.

"My two lord commanders have graced our little town with your presence. This is truly the fortune of Zhushan Town..." The moment he opened his mouth, it was all empty pleasantries.

However, the two commanders riding on the Black Brocade Mounts seemed not to put him in their eyes at all, still sitting upright on their mounts.

Su Di lowered his head and fixed his gaze on Nie Hu, looking down from on high. "You must be Town Mayor Nie." His voice was fine and smooth, yet carried a trace of chill.

Nie Hu did not dare feel the slightest dissatisfaction because of the other man's arrogance. He still wore a beaming smile. "That is this humble one, that is this humble one."

"Have our lodgings been arranged?" Yuchi Hong beside him spoke in a rough voice. "We are weary from the journey and need to rest. Whatever matters there are can wait until tomorrow."

Nie Hu immediately nodded and bowed, signaling for his men to lead the way.

Seeing Su Di and Yuchi Hong leave, the steward stepped forward with a face full of indignation and said softly:

"Master, those two truly don't put you in their eyes at all."

Nie Hu stared in the direction the two had gone and said flatly, "People of the Qi Family—let alone a mere little town mayor like me, even the city lord of the county city would not be put in their eyes."

According to the rules, the lord of a county city had to be a martial artist of the Earth Martial Realm. For two Black Martial Realm martial artists not to put an Earth Martial Realm martial artist in their eyes sounded somewhat neither fish nor fowl when spoken aloud. But everyone understood that it was only because the two of them had special identities: they were people of the Qi Family.

Within Hengshan Prefecture, anyone who had even the slightest connection to the Qi Family would naturally leap several steps in status.

That night, the two deputy commanders finally agreed to receive Nie Hu.

Su Di slowly spoke. "Town Mayor Nie, the purpose of us brothers coming to your esteemed town this time is to eradicate Jiang Feng on behalf of the Qi Family. In terms of strength, the two of us can naturally send him to his death with ease. However..."

His tone shifted, and Su Di rose to his feet. "However, Young Master Qi wants this matter done beautifully. He does not want people to feel that the Qi Family is relying on power to bully others and leave behind something for people to seize on. Do you understand what I mean?"

Nie Hu naturally understood. Although everyone knew the Qi Family relied on power to bully others, Jiang Feng's identity was different. Jiang Feng had begged by order of the Qi Family, and now he had risen against fate and displayed heaven-defying talent. If the Qi Family made a move to kill and destroy him without even a scrap of explanation, it would leave behind words for others to laugh at.

"I understand, I understand!" Nie Hu nodded repeatedly. The Qi Family simply wanted to first pin a crime on Jiang Feng before putting him to death. Just like when they dealt with Jiang Yunhai back then: they casually pinned the crime of embezzling military pay and lining his own pockets on Jiang Yunhai, let Wei Changqing, the deputy captain, step out as a witness, and directly demoted Jiang Yunhai into a slave.

As for pinning a crime on Jiang Feng, Nie Hu had long since prepared a trap. As long as Jiang Feng came out of seclusion, there was no fear he would not jump into it.

"My two lords, rest assured. I have already arranged everything properly," Nie Hu said with solemn confidence. "It's just that I must remind you two lords that this Jiang Feng's talent is extraordinary. At only fourteen years old, he already has cultivation in the Black Martial Realm, and he was even able to kill our town guard captain in a one-on-one fight on the arena. I hope you two lords will be a little more cautious when the time comes."

"Hmph. Just a snot-nosed brat. Even if he has uncommon talent, he is not worth worrying about." Yuchi Hong did not put Jiang Feng in his eyes at all. "The two of us are people who deal with Magic Beasts attacking the city year-round. How could our methods and experience be something a mere child like him can compare to?"

"Exactly. There is no need for the town mayor to trouble himself over this," Su Di said with a soft laugh. "You only need to do your own part well. That will be enough."

Nie Hu still wanted to offer a couple more reminders, but seeing the two men's attitude, saying more would only add displeasure for nothing. Besides, he also trusted the two men's strength. Taking down Jiang Feng should not be a problem.

"Hmph. That Jiang Feng's learning ability is extraordinary. After only seeing it once, he could learn and improve Wei Changqing's Evergreen Fist. Even Wei Changqing's Burning Passion Spear Technique—he only had to see it once to comprehend a realm that not even Wei Changqing had ever reached. These two are underestimating the enemy. When the time comes, perhaps they will suffer a bit for it. That can count as giving them a lesson."

Nie Hu was also somewhat dissatisfied with Su Di and Yuchi Hong in his heart. If Jiang Feng could make the two suffer a little when the time came, it would count as venting the hatred in his chest, and he would be extremely happy to see it.

Of course, the prerequisite was that Jiang Feng had to die.

Nie Hu believed that facing Su Di and Yuchi Hong, Jiang Feng was dead without question!

On this day, in the central square of the town, where the arena had originally been built, a massive wooden stake towered high. At the top of the stake, a blood-covered youth was hanging with both hands bound in iron chains.

The youth's hair was loose and messy, blocking his face. His naked upper body was covered in wounds and stained with blood, and it was impossible to tell whether he was alive or dead.

It was utterly miserable!

Beneath the wooden stake, guard soldiers wore armor, gripped black spears tightly, and faced the surrounding crowd of onlookers, standing sternly on guard.

"Sigh, this is what happens when you go against Nie Hu."

"Exactly. Xiang Pang was too stupid. He actually dared to accept Jiang Feng's Meridian Opening Pill. Now look—forget the Meridian Opening Pill being seized, he's very likely going to lose his life too."

"Xiang Pang is still better off. Because he became a martial artist, he managed to keep his life for now. I heard Zhuang Yan was even killed on the spot by Nie Hu's mansion soldiers, his head and body separated. Truly pitiful."

"That's right. That Nie Hu really is ruthless and vicious. He actually made a move just like that. He casually pinned the name of theft on the two of them, and now their life and death are in his hands."

"To think Xiang Pang was also a favored child, yet now he has fallen to such a state."

"Speaking of it, he really is pitiable. Xiang Pang's talent was no worse than Nie Xiaoyue's, but now the gap between their statuses will probably only grow wider and wider."

"That's right. I heard Nie Xiaoyue went to Huilong Academy a few days ago. Is that really true?"

"That's right. Nie Xiaoyue set off for Huilong Academy three days ago. In the end, the Meridian Opening Pill Jiang Feng gave Xiang Pang still fell into Nie Xiaoyue's hands. I heard that by borrowing the power of the Meridian Opening Pill, she actually broke through two meridians in one go. She now already has cultivation at the fourth level of the Yellow Martial Realm."

"No wonder she could enter Huilong Academy. To have cultivation at the fourth level of the Yellow Martial Realm at fourteen years old—even among the children of those great clans, she can count as outstanding. Being recommended into Huilong Academy is only natural. In the future, with Huilong Academy's training, she will have tremendous room to improve."

"Counting it out carefully, Jiang Feng should come out of seclusion today. Given the situation, this is obviously the grand gift Nie Hu prepared for Jiang Feng!"

"Yes. Nie Hu long ago invited experts from the commandery city to help him. If Jiang Feng really dares to make a scene at the execution ground today over Xiang Pang and Zhuang Yan, then this will be the day he dies!"

"Nie Hu's move struck right at Jiang Feng's vital point."

"What if Jiang Feng doesn't come?"

Just as everyone was talking at once, a burst of commotion came from beyond the watching crowd.

"It's Jiang Feng. He really came."

"That's right, it really is him!"

"Good heavens, can't he tell this is a trap prepared for him? He actually dares to come!"

The watching crowd automatically opened a path. Under countless staring eyes, a young man was approaching the wooden stakes step by step, his expression dark and murderous.

The young man was none other than Jiang Feng, who had just come out of seclusion!