Ershui City.
At this moment, the front and rear city gates were tightly shut. Not a single commoner could be seen on the streets; they were utterly empty. The silence was so profound that even birdsong sounded piercing, and a cold, desolate loneliness blanketed the entire city.
The surrounding walls were packed with fully armored soldiers. Row after row of archers drew their bows, nocked their arrows, and aimed into the city in unison.
Suddenly,
Roars like peals of thunder exploded through the tranquil city.
"Kill the Demonic Cult, revive the Divine Incense Cult!"
"Kill the Demonic Cult, revive the Divine Incense Cult!"
Groups of Divine Incense Cult disciples carried the cult's great banners, shouting as they searched everywhere through the city, running rampant with absolute tyranny.
The other factions were also hunting for the Demonic Cult, forming surging torrents of pursuit that turned Ershui City upside down.
On one street,
Zhao Jie led the martial academy disciples and joined up with the subordinates led by the Dark Energy disciples, immediately forming a fairly sizable force.
Wang Sheng stood to one side, quietly waiting as Zhao Jie spoke with those senior brothers in the Dark Energy realm. Just then, a group of Divine Incense Cult disciples hurried past. Wang Sheng looked over, and his eyes immediately widened in surprise.
The one leading this group of Divine Incense Cult disciples was unexpectedly Ox Cyclone of the Golden Bull Gang.
Clearly,
The Divine Incense Cult had absorbed the Golden Bull Gang.
For such a large force from the Divine Incense Cult to suddenly emerge in Ershui City, there naturally had to be roots behind it. The great masters in the Transformative Energy realm came from the authorities and a few powerful aristocratic clans. A large portion of the remaining Dark Energy and Bright Energy martial artists had been drawn from small gangs and minor factions like the Golden Bull Gang and White Tiger Gang, or even street ruffians.
"Go, Qingfeng Inn."
Someone shouted, and a group of Zhao Family Martial Arts Academy disciples quickly followed Zhao Jie toward Qingfeng Inn. Braving the biting cold wind, they surrounded the inn completely.
Wang Sheng wore Iron Armor beneath his clothes and a short shirt over it. Pretending to be drenched in sweat, he was assigned to the outermost edge of the encirclement to make up the numbers.
"Kill!"
Vigorous force surged around Zhao Jie like rolling mist. His expression was icy as, with a sharp shout, he led four Dark Energy disciples in smashing through the doors and windows, charging directly inside to kill.
The other five Dark Energy disciples were responsible for intercepting any Demonic Cult disciples who tried to flee.
"Junior Brother, you're not that young anymore. It's time you married and had children. I have a cousin who is gentle and virtuous—"
With nothing better to do, Luo Zhengwen suddenly got the idea to introduce his younger sister to Wang Sheng.
Wang Sheng's mouth twitched. No matter where he went, he could not escape being urged to marry. Besides, he was only eighteen. What was the point of marrying so early?
Wang Sheng thought for a moment, then said something that made Luo Zhengwen's face darken, leaving him speechless.
"Senior Brother Luo, did my father really never serve as a slave in your household?"
"Get lost!"
Luo Zhengwen cursed and moved away on his own.
In truth, even he himself had no idea what was going on.
The key was that Wang Sheng really did look somewhat like Luo Zhengwen's younger brother. It sent a wave of lingering fear through Luo Zhengwen's heart, and he did not dare dwell on it.
"You brat, you look honest, but you're not honest at all!"
Wei Yu was standing nearby. Hearing their conversation, she felt as if she had been tricked. Her long, powerful, snow-white leg suddenly kicked Wang Sheng in the backside, and she looked somewhat angry.
Wang Sheng was speechless, his teeth itching with annoyance. Yet he had no choice but to pretend that Wei Yu's kick had nearly knocked him over.
Woman, you'd better stop provoking me. Otherwise, I really will xxx you!
Wang Sheng cursed inwardly.
Bang...
Suddenly,
More than a dozen figures burst through the windows on the third floor of Qingfeng Inn.
"Split up and run!"
An elderly man covered in blood roared loudly.
"Zhao Jie, I, Old Man Lone Star, have neither grievance nor grudge against you. Why are you striking with such venomous cruelty?!"
The old man shouted furiously. He had no intention of escaping. Only by risking his life to hold back Zhao Jie and his pack of Dark Energy wolves and tigers could he give his disciples a chance to flee.
"You are of the Demonic Cult. Naturally, you must be killed."
Zhao Jie stood with his hands behind his back, looking down from the third floor of the inn as he spoke indifferently.
"Bullshit! My Lone Star Sect fled here as refugees from Southern Ridge Prefecture, and we bear a blood feud against the Heavenly Mandate Cult. You, Zhao Jie, are nothing but a bandit taking advantage of the chaos to loot!"
The old man cursed angrily.
"Anyone from Southern Ridge Prefecture must die!"
Hearing the old man's curse, Zhao Jie's eyes flashed with cold light. He immediately rushed forward, assisted by several disciples at Late Dark Energy and Dark Energy Perfection.
Elsewhere,
The dozen or so disciples of the so-called Lone Star Sect scattered in an attempt to break through.
Even the five Dark Energy experts left behind by the Zhao Family Martial Arts Academy were caught off guard. They could only each intercept one person first, fixing their attention on the Dark Energy enemies.
Wei Yu, Li Hu, Qi Changsheng, and the other Bright Energy Perfection disciples all wore ugly expressions. They could only grit their teeth and intercept the others.
"Courting death!"
One Lone Star Sect martial artist in the Early Dark Energy realm who had not been stopped darkened his face. Seeing that a group of Bright Energy martial artists actually dared to come forward, he flew into a rage and threw a punch.
A Bright Energy Mid-stage disciple standing nearby had his chest punched straight through.
Seeing this, Li Hu could only immediately swallow a Blood Burst Pill. The veins throughout his body instantly bulged, bloodshot veins filled his eyes, and his strength greatly increased.
But Dark Energy truly surpassed Bright Energy by far too much. Before long, that grim-faced martial artist heavily wounded Li Hu and several other Bright Energy Perfection disciples.
If Li Hu had not cultivated martial arts in both disciplines and kept holding on after taking the Blood Burst Pill, Wei Yu and the others would have died long ago.
"I'm going to kill you all!"
The grim-faced martial artist fixed his gaze on Wei Yu, who had retreated farther away. Seeing how beautiful she was, the desire to torture and kill her in his heart grew even stronger.
Wang Sheng stood right beside Wei Yu. He had just been about to run.
Blood seeped from the corner of Wei Yu's mouth, and her face was deathly pale. Her delicate body trembled as she watched the Dark Energy martial artist charge toward her with a savage expression. Her lips quivered, and despair plunged her heart into an abyss. Without turning back, she murmured softly, "Run! Junior Brother!"
"Fuck me!"
Wang Sheng cursed inwardly and lowered his head as he ran wildly.
Wei Yu's flying body moved even faster than he did. She landed directly in front of him and fainted.
Seeing that the alley he had chosen as an escape route was close by, Wang Sheng hoisted Wei Yu onto his back and ran.
At that moment, Luo Zhengwen's scream came from behind him.
Luo Zhengwen seemed to have intercepted that grim-faced martial artist for a moment.
He flew over Wang Sheng's head, crashed onto the ground, and passed out.
Wang Sheng was speechless. He grabbed Luo Zhengwen with one hand and continued running madly.
He saw that both Wei Yu and Luo Zhengwen wore inner armor woven from golden-threaded beast hide. They would not die even if they endured a few Dark Energy attacks head-on.
After a few breaths, Wang Sheng, carrying one person and dragging another, darted into the alley.
However,
What Wang Sheng had not expected was,
The moment he set the two of them down, preparing to see how badly they were injured,
That grim-faced martial artist followed right after him into the alley.
"I want revenge, I want revenge!"
His expression was twisted and ugly, tears in his eyes. He ran wildly all the way, muttering to himself.
He did not take Wang Sheng seriously at all. He only intended to kill Wang Sheng and the others in passing while fleeing. All he could think about was his master, who had stayed behind to cover their retreat, and revenge.
"You really are courting death."
Wang Sheng rose to his feet. Seeing the grim-faced martial artist charging toward him, he remained unhurried, his expression calm, his eyes lowered as he spoke softly.
The other two people in the alley were unconscious, so he had nothing to hold back for.
The grim-faced martial artist thought Wang Sheng had been frightened stupid and did not pay him any attention. The moment he rushed before him, he intended to punch straight through him and be done with it.
A heavy muffled thud rang out.
A palm caught the incoming fist and stopped it steadily.
The grim-faced martial artist, who had been gritting his teeth and thinking that he would definitely seek revenge once he escaped, suddenly froze.
Dark Energy?
"Did you enjoy beating up my senior brother and senior sister just now?"
Wang Sheng tilted his head slightly. His expression was as still as water, and the grim-faced martial artist's heart suddenly sank.
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