Cry for Help

At night, Jiang Changkong ran through the mock exam again and took the reward.

He left the martial arts school and walked alone down the street.

"Again?"

Jiang Changkong frowned. He had sensed someone following him again.

Could it be Zhang Tao?

With injuries that severe, had he recovered so quickly?

The strength of the person tailing him from the shadows was about the same as Zhang Tao's before.

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Changkong slipped into the street and broke into a swift run.

The person following him also quickened his pace, just like last time, launching a sneak attack from behind.

This time, however, the ring of a sword came from behind him.

He had drawn a weapon!

Moving-Blocking Hammer!

Jiang Changkong did not hesitate. A faint Taiji diagram manifested, and he met the strike head-on with a punch.

Boom!

The two forces clashed, powerful energy blasting out in all directions. Wherever it passed, the ground cracked like a tortoise shell.

Both sides slid backward at the same time. After several meters, the two of them steadied themselves.

"Your strength has improved quite a bit."

Zhang Tao held his sword and looked at him coldly.

"Senior, nonprofessional martial artists aren't allowed to carry swords on the street, let alone use them."

Jiang Changkong's expression was icy.

"Do you dare expose what you've done?"

Zhang Tao sneered, the tip of his sword pointing diagonally toward the ground. "Even if I butcher you today, it'll only be to recover the school's losses."

"And how do you know this isn't a good thing?"

Jiang Changkong looked at him coldly.

"I'll give you one last chance. Hand over all the Star Stones you got, and I can pretend nothing happened."

A faint red light glowed on the sword in Zhang Tao's hand. He had activated his Star Power.

"You..."

Jiang Changkong had just opened his mouth when his brows suddenly twitched, and he shifted sideways.

Pfft, pfft!

A streak of red sword energy flew over and landed where Jiang Changkong had just been standing.

"Who's there?" Zhang Tao's expression changed. He turned to look, and when he saw a young man walking over with a sword in hand, he blurted, "Li He?"

"Zhang Tao, and here I thought you were my good brother. There's a benefit to be had, and you wanted to keep it all to yourself?"

The young man said viciously.

Jiang Changkong narrowed his eyes slightly. The two men who had chased Zhou Wen were both here now.

"Did Gu Xiaoyu tell you?"

Zhang Tao's expression turned slightly ugly, then he said, "I just didn't want you taking the risk. Take him down, and we split it evenly."

"Fine."

Li He's gaze shifted to Jiang Changkong. He activated his Star Power and rushed over, rainbow light flashing across his sword.

The martial arts the two of them practiced should have been more or less the same.

Jiang Changkong could feel the scorching aura radiating from the red light on that sword.

Two people made things somewhat troublesome, but only troublesome—not impossible.

Their weapons were only top-tier first-rank weapons.

If they had been second-rank, his earlier exchange with Zhang Tao would not have been so easy.

So he had no intention of calling the police!

Two sword lights came at him at the same time. Taiji diagrams appeared in both of Jiang Changkong's palms.

He leaned to the side, dodging one sword, while his other hand manifested a Taiji diagram and met the other blade.

Extreme softness dispelled force; four ounces deflected a thousand pounds.

Jiang Changkong guided Zhang Tao's longsword, making it stab toward Li He.

"You're courting death."

Zhang Tao shouted angrily, his sword energy shuddering as his Star Power abruptly surged.

Li He gave a soft shout, and crimson sword qi flashed as he charged at Jiang Changkong.

Jiang Changkong crossed his palms, using Taiji to shed the force, and sparks flew everywhere.

After Copper Skin Iron Bone Technique had broken through, his Star Power had grown much denser, and the Taiji Fist Classic could draw on even more Star Power as well.

Although he could not shed all of the sword qi, he could still divert most of it.

As for the small portion that remained, he did not care. He grabbed the sword blades directly with both hands.

A faint sensation of pain came through, but he was not injured!

Hiss, hiss.

Sparks scattered in every direction, and the two of them stared at his hands in shock.

Sparks—these were the sparks of steel striking steel, not their Star Power!

There were no alloy steel plates on his hands!

A pair of bare flesh palms had clashed head-on with two top-tier first-rank longswords!

"How is that possible?"

A trace of horror flashed across their faces. Was the man before them a Star Demon?

No, that was not right. Even a Star Demon did not have such strong defense!

"The impossible part is still coming!"

Jiang Changkong snorted coldly and pushed out with both hands. Star Power and the Power Runes erupted at the same time.

Boom!

Two surges of power blasted out at once. The two hurriedly retreated, swinging their longswords to hastily shed the force.

Jiang Changkong flew forward. Now he was absolutely confident.

After the utmost softness of Taiji Fist shed their force, although the two of them could still make him feel pain, they could not injure him.

Unless they struck the same spot several times in a row, they would not even break his skin.

Boom!

This time, Jiang Changkong changed his cautious approach and fought with direct violence. The first to bear the brunt was Zhang Tao.

Zhang Tao hurriedly raised his sword to block.

The Taiji diagram fell with Jiang Changkong's fist, first shedding force, then turning into fierce, unyielding power.

Clang!

The longsword shook violently. Under the eruption, the webbing between Zhang Tao's thumb and forefinger split open, and he nearly lost his grip on the sword.

Li He's sword qi had already come attacking. Jiang Changkong could only turn back, changing his palm into a fist.

Thud!

The sword fell, and this time Li He saw it clearly.

His sword had accurately stabbed the fist, yet it was as if it had struck an iron wall.

It could not advance even an inch!

What the hell was the point of fighting this!

He had struck with all his strength, and still could not break the defense?

What was he supposed to fight with?

Li He was cursing inwardly. Where had Zhang Tao gotten the confidence to target someone like this?

Jiang Changkong did not give them any time to regret it. After blocking the sword, he pressed forward along with it.

Boom!

Li He's body shook, crimson light spilling out in all directions, his aura extremely unstable.

Jiang Changkong seized the chance, grabbed the sword blade, and yanked hard, snatching it over directly.

Now that Li He had lost his weapon, Jiang Changkong feared him even less.

Before, they had not been his match even when they still had weapons. Now, he could beat them however he liked.

"Li He, hold him off. I'm going to call for help."

Zhang Tao left those words behind and ran again.

Li He: "..."

Jiang Changkong froze slightly. Last time Zhang Tao had abandoned Gu Xiaoyu, and this time he was ignoring Li He too?

He had no sense of loyalty at all.

But it was fine. A beating would fix that.

Jiang Changkong's fist fell, and this time Li He spat blood outright.

With a crack, Li He's arm went limp.

"Spare me, big brother, spare me..."

Li He begged again and again, his left hand broken.

If the beating went on, he was afraid he would die here.

Jiang Changkong gave no answer. Just as his next punch was about to fall, his phone rang.

Someone had sent him a message. He did not have many contacts: Zhou Wen, Ji Ziling, and Li Qiuchuan.

Could it be that he had been exposed?

With that thought, Jiang Changkong flashed away.

He could not afford to delay his proper business.

As he ran, he opened his phone. It was from Zhou Wen.

Several messages had come in one after another, all very urgent: "Tell senior, save us."

"Hurry and tell her. Don't call. We're surrounded by Star Demons."

"This is the location. Come quickly."

"Senior Ying Yanxue is in danger."

"Reply when you get this."

There was also a location pin.

Jiang Changkong's steps paused. He could not call, and Ji Ziling was probably still leading people to scoop up money right now.

"Got it."

Jiang Changkong replied with two words, then immediately called Li Qiuchuan. "Go to the iron tower and find Senior Ji Ziling right now. Tell her to check her phone. Something major has happened, and it concerns Ying Yanxue's and Zhou Wen's lives."

"Okay." Li Qiuchuan replied with one word and hung up.

"Senior still hasn't replied. She probably hasn't seen it yet. Changkong, I'm counting on you," Zhou Wen sent.

Jiang Changkong asked, "How long can you hold out?"

Zhou Wen: "Depends on the Star Demons' patience. If they attack regardless of the cost, we can only hold out for six hours. If we're lucky, a little longer."

"Okay. Don't worry."

Jiang Changkong did not go home. He turned and rushed toward the outside of the city.

"Tell senior to be careful. This time it's a Star Demon squad, more than twenty of them. The weakest are Late Star Qi Stage..."

Zhou Wen sent another message.

Jiang Changkong's heart tightened. The weakest were Late Star Qi Stage.

There were Nebula Level ones too. No wonder even a super top student like Ying Yanxue had to call for help.

What he had not expected was that after not seeing him for this period of time, Zhou Wen had actually gone off to hang around with Ying Yanxue.