A Dark and Windy Night

A Dark and Windy Night

The bright moon hung high, and the stars spread across the sky like a platter.

At the outskirts of the Magical Beast Mountain Range east of Wutan City, a magical beast carriage was slowly making its way toward Wutan City.

"Lord Yun, the Long River outside Wutan City is about three li away. Our group is too conspicuous, so we cannot go any farther. It would be best not to expose our secret assistance to the Jia Lie Clan too soon, or the Jia Ma Empire may intervene!"

A middle-aged man in a black robe spoke fearfully to the young man inside the magical beast carriage.

The young man stepped out with his hands behind his back and stood atop the carriage frame, his body straight as a spear. No matter how the mountain wind howled and battered him, he remained utterly unmoved.

The escort guards watching him were filled with reverence.

A pattern of gilded stars was embroidered upon his gray robe—the mark of a nine-star Great Dou Master.

"You may return."

The young man spoke slowly.

His gaze seemed to cross those three li and fall upon the opposite bank of the Long River.

Everyone nodded slightly. Then they saw the young man take a step forward. Dou Qi erupted like rocket exhaust, and with a thunderous boom, he shot into the distance like a meteor chasing the moon.

"Th-This..." Everyone paled in shock as the magical beast carriage was instantly blasted into dust.

"Lord Yun truly is the youngest genius of our outer sect!"

The leading middle-aged man's eyes were filled with disbelief. "That is a high-grade Profound-class movement Dou Technique—Cloud Soaring Step!" As his words fell, Yun Tianbing was already standing atop the Long River. Treading on splashing water as if walking on solid ground, he left behind a long white trail as he sped toward Wutan City.

On the opposite bank of the Long River, in the southern outskirts of Wutan City.

Jia Lie Bi stood by the river with his hands clasped behind his back, staring at the dark Magical Beast Mountain Range in the distance with a faint frown.

Besides the three-star Great Dou Master Jia Lie Hua, more than a dozen black-clad men at the Dou Master level stood beside him. They were the Jia Lie Clan's most elite forces, and the strongest among them had reached the nine-star Dou Master level.

At this moment, Jia Lie Hua glanced at the moonlight, impatience appearing on his face. "When exactly is Yun Tianbing coming? We have already waited for three hours."

"There is no harm in waiting. Yun Tianbing is the foremost among the outer sect's young disciples. Even Nalan Yanran is far inferior to him." A vicious glint flashed in Jia Lie Bi's eyes. "With his help, the Xiao Clan is doomed to defeat this time!"

"Patriarch, look! What is that?"

Everyone turned to look and saw a white streak continuously extending toward them across the pitch-black Long River.

"What is that? It's so fast!"

The question had barely arisen in their minds before the sight before them left them stunned.

The white streak flashed past, and a human figure became clearly visible.

"It's Yun Tianbing! He can walk upon water—he may have already entered the Dou Spirit realm!"

A Dou Spirit expert!

Everyone was frightened stiff. They stared blankly as the figure lightly tapped the water's surface, flipped through the air on a burst of force, circled overhead like an eagle, and finally landed before Jia Lie Bi.

The force accompanying his landing swept up dust and scattered it in every direction.

The entire scene fell silent. Other than the howling wind, there was no sound.

Under the moonlight, the dust dispersed, revealing a young figure. Not a trace of water marked his body.

The river wind made him seem elegant and carefree, yet his sinister gaze was filled with icy coldness.

"L-Lord Yun?"

Feeling that terrifying aura, Jia Lie Bi trembled as he spoke.

"That's right. It's me." Yun Tianbing looked at him with eyes as sharp as blades. Though Jia Lie Bi was the head of a clan, he could not suppress the terror in his heart, and even his speech became halting.

"You are Jia Lie Bi? Looks like I came to the right place."

Yun Tianbing swept his gaze around, barely sparing Jia Lie Bi's elite subordinates a second glance. The corner of his lips rose slightly. "As one of Wutan City's three major clans, this is all the strength you have?"

"Our remote little city naturally cannot compare to Lord Yun..."

Having witnessed Yun Tianbing's imposing arrival across the river, Jia Lie Hua no longer dared show the slightest disrespect. He hurriedly lowered his head and flattered him. "Among the three major clans, our Jia Lie Clan is the weakest. Xiao Zhan of the Xiao Clan has already reached the level of a five-star Great Dou Master..."

"Xiao Zhan is nothing. My purpose in coming here is simple: to take Xiao Yan's and Chen Qiye's heads back with me..."

Yun Tianbing asked directly, "If the Xiao Clan dares to interfere, then there is no need for it to continue existing."

The moment he spoke, killing intent raged within ten meters of him, sending chills through everyone's hearts.

Jia Lie Bi felt it even more keenly. Before Yun Tianbing, his strength as a four-star Great Dou Master likely would not even allow him to withstand a single move!

"With Lord Yun taking action, the Xiao Clan is surely doomed!"

Jia Lie Bi flattered him, then cautiously asked in a low voice, "It is only that Chen Qiye is no longer in Wutan City. It seems he has already left..."

"No matter!" Intense killing intent gathered in Yun Tianbing's eyes. "Kill Xiao Yan first, and Chen Qiye will have no choice but to show himself."

Meanwhile, at the Ao Ba Clan's main residence.

"Mr. Xu, we invited you here this time to ask you to deal with the Xiao Clan. As long as you help our Ao Ba Clan destroy the Xiao Clan, our Ao Ba Clan is willing to offer one hundred and fifty thousand gold coins."

The Ao Ba Clan's main residence was brightly lit deep into the night. In the hall, Ao Ba Pa, the usually arrogant patriarch of the Ao Ba Clan, stood respectfully to one side and spoke to a gray-robed middle-aged man seated in the place of honor.

"Heh, does a mere Xiao Clan with only Great Dou Masters deserve for me to act?"

Mr. Xu wore a lofty expression. His gaze swept across the Ao Ba clansmen below as he toyed with a purple flame in his hand, revealing a sinister smile. "One hundred and fifty thousand gold coins is too little. Add twelve virgins."

Bathed in the purple firelight, Mr. Xu's expression appeared especially terrifying.

"Twelve virgins?"

Ao Ba Pa gritted his teeth in shock. Then an idea suddenly flashed through his mind, and a cold glint entered his eyes as he said darkly, "Mr. Xu, that demand is no problem at all. There are quite a few young and beautiful women among the Xiao Clan..."

"Hahaha! Good. When the time comes for me to act, I will do so."

As his voice faded, Mr. Xu's figure vanished from the seat of honor like a ghost.

Ao Ba Ka took a deep breath, fear showing on his face. "Mr. Xu may already be a Dou Spirit expert..."

"Mr. Xu is only a nine-star Great Dou Master, but..."

Ao Ba Pa shook his head, then paused before changing the subject. "Pass down the order. At dawn, massacre the Xiao Clan!"

"Yes, Patriarch!" Ao Ba Ka licked his lips and broke into a cruel smile. "After today, the Xiao Clan of Wutan City will become history."

That night, the bright moon above Wutan City was gradually obscured by dark clouds. The stillness was unsettling, as though a violent storm was about to sweep in!

And at that moment, a blue phantom gradually appeared in the distant sky!

Chen Qiye had returned with the Little Fairy Doctor!

(End of chapter)