Rush to Lin'an City

The convoy sped along the official road.

Hooves pounded urgently, and the wooden wheels rolled over the road with a dull rumble.

Zhou Qi lifted the carriage curtain and glanced at the sky outside. The sun had already tilted westward; in another half hour, night would fall.

"Faster," he said in a low voice.

Yang Hong, who was driving the carriage, answered and lashed the horses' backs. Stung by pain, the horses ran even faster.

Zhou Qi lowered the curtain and leaned against the carriage wall.

The scene at the mine earlier still replayed in his mind.

The instant Jinshi's head flew into the air, he had known this matter could not end peacefully.

As long as even one of those scattered Black Armor Army soldiers escaped back, the Marquis Estate in Blackstone City would receive the news by tomorrow at the latest.

And even if the Black Armor Army did not report it, the Zhao Family and Li Family people would certainly do something to protect themselves.

Those who came then would absolutely not be trash like Jinshi.

Foundation Establishment.

At least Foundation Establishment.

Zhou Qi closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The pressure weighed on his chest like a massive boulder.

But did he regret it? No!

That slash had not cut down Jinshi—it had cut through all the humiliation and compromises he had bottled up over the past month.

His Dao heart had cleared. Nothing was better than that.

The carriage traveled for another half hour.

The sky had already darkened. The trees lining the official road had become blurred silhouettes, while a few lights could vaguely be seen in the distance—the direction of Lin'an City.

Just as Zhou Qi was about to urge them onward again, Yang Hong suddenly lowered his voice.

"Elder Zhou, there's a convoy ahead!"

Zhou Qi's heart tightened. He lifted the curtain and looked ahead.

A massive convoy was slowly approaching on the official road.

There were at least twenty or thirty carriages in the convoy, stretched out like a long dragon. The carriages were lavishly decorated, pulled by tall, powerful horses, and exquisite patterns were carved upon their compartments.

On the foremost carriage stood a large black banner.

The flag snapped in the evening wind, with a golden character embroidered upon it—Marquis.

Zhou Qi's pupils abruptly contracted.

Blackstone City! The Champion Marquis?

So soon?

His hand instinctively pressed against his sword hilt, every muscle in his body taut.

But in the next instant, he forced himself to calm down.

No.

This convoy had come from the south and was heading north.

Lin'an City lay south, Blackstone City lay north, and Blackstone Mine stood between them.

The Black Armor Army soldiers who had fled the mine should still be on their way to Blackstone City.

Then this convoy...

A thought flashed through Zhou Qi's mind.

Had it come from Lin'an City?

He recalled what Jinshi had said: "As for the rest of the Yang Family, someone else will deal with them."

So that was what Jinshi had meant.

The Champion Marquis Estate had dispatched two groups—one to Lin'an City, one to Blackstone City.

Then had this convoy finished its business in Lin'an City and returned?

There was no time to think further. The two convoys had drawn closer and closer.

Zhou Qi lowered the curtain and said sternly, "Lower your heads. Don't make a sound, and don't look up."

Yang Hong understood and pulled the bamboo hat on his head lower.

The guards in the convoy also lowered their heads, hiding their faces.

Fortunately, when they left the mine, Zhou Qi had made everyone change into worn hemp clothing. At this moment, they looked like an ordinary merchant convoy, utterly inconspicuous.

The two convoys passed one another.

Zhou Qi peered outside through a gap in the curtain.

The other convoy's carriages rolled past one after another. Every carriage was tightly sealed, making it impossible to see what was inside.

Every guard radiated a formidable aura. The weakest were at Qi Refining Third Layer, while the leaders possessed even stronger presences.

His heart sank.

Foundation Establishment.

At least Foundation Establishment.

Just as the convoy was nearly past, the curtain of the carriage in the middle suddenly lifted.

A face appeared.

Zhou Qi's pupils abruptly contracted.

That face...

He knew it far too well.

It resembled Jinshi to an astonishing degree. The features, the contours, even that arrogant expression of looking down upon everyone—all seemed carved from the same mold.

The information displayed by the system panel made his entire body turn cold.

[Name: Jin Tie]

[Realm: Foundation Establishment, Sixth Layer]

[Technique: ...]

Zhou Qi's breathing stopped for an instant.

Jin Tie.

Jinshi.

Those two names...

Brothers.

They had to be brothers.

Jin Tie's gaze swept over the ragged "merchant convoy," and his brows creased slightly.

His gaze lingered on Yang Hong for an instant, then swept over the guards with lowered heads before finally settling on Zhou Qi's carriage.

Zhou Qi felt a chill rise from his spine, as though a venomous snake had fixed its eyes on him.

He forced himself not to move, even making his breathing as light as possible.

Fortunately, Jin Tie merely glanced once before withdrawing his gaze and lowering the curtain.

The carriage continued onward.

The two convoys crossed paths and soon vanished into the twilight.

Zhou Qi leaned against the carriage wall, his back already soaked in cold sweat.

"Elder Zhou..." Yang Hong's trembling voice came through. "That... that was..."

"Don't speak." Zhou Qi cut him off. "Keep moving."

Yang Hong did not dare ask again and lashed the horses onward.

Zhou Qi closed his eyes and took several deep breaths before suppressing his wildly pounding heart.

Jin Tie.

Foundation Establishment, Sixth Layer.

Would he come to avenge Jinshi after Jinshi's death?

He would.

He definitely would.

Zhou Qi opened his eyes, his gaze turning sharp.

There was not much time left.

"Yang Hong," he said in a low voice.

"Here."

"Prepare a horse for me. I'm heading back to Lin'an City first."

Yang Hong froze. "Now?"

"Now." Zhou Qi lifted the curtain and leaped down from the carriage. "The convoy is too slow. I can't wait. You take the convoy and travel slowly. Be sure to... properly send the Fifth Elder's body back."

Yang Hong's eyes reddened as he nodded forcefully. "Rest assured, Elder Zhou."

Zhou Qi led a horse out from the convoy, mounted it, and squeezed his legs. The horse let out a long neigh before charging away at full speed.

Twilight closed in, and the trees lining the official road flew rapidly backward.

Zhou Qi bent low over the horse's back, letting the cold wind lash across his face.

He calculated rapidly in his mind.

Jin Tie's convoy had gone north toward Blackstone City, with the mine lying between them.

Jinshi and Jin Tie were brothers. Jin Tie would certainly stop by the mine to take a look as he passed. Once he learned of Jinshi's death, he would inevitably race back to Lin'an City.

No, he would likely use a Foundation Establishment cultivator's technique to travel. That made things even more urgent.

In other words, Zhou Qi might have only two or three short hours left.

Two or three hours were far too little to accomplish anything, but there was no other way.

He had to reach the Yang Family first and demand the antidote to the Soul-Splitting Pill in his body.

If Yang Zhenshan remembered Zhou Qi's desire for vengeance, all would be well. But if he cast aside their former bond...

A cold gleam flashed through Zhou Qi's eyes. Then he could only seize it by force!

Half an hour later, the outline of Lin'an City appeared in the night.

The city gates had already closed, but that could not stop Zhou Qi.

He found a secluded stretch of city wall, unleashed Gale Step, and moved like a swallow. After several rises and falls, he vaulted over it.

The city was much quieter than usual.

There were few pedestrians on the streets, and most shops had shut their doors. The occasional passersby hurried along with their heads lowered, not daring to look around.

Zhou Qi's heart sank.

Something was wrong with this atmosphere.

He quickened his pace toward the Yang Estate.

After turning a corner, the Yang Estate's gate came into view.

Zhou Qi halted.

That majestic red-lacquered gate, ordinarily so imposing, was now utterly dilapidated. Several white seals had been pasted over it, fluttering noisily in the wind.

Broken wood chips and spirit paper lay scattered across the steps, blown everywhere by the night wind.

Two stone lions had toppled to one side, and one of them even had its head shattered.

Zhou Qi stood at the entrance in silence for a moment.

Then he pushed open the gate and walked inside.

The front courtyard was a complete mess.

Flowerpots were shattered, flowers and grass had been trampled into ruin, and the doors to several servants' quarters stood open, with no one inside.

Passing through the central courtyard, the farther he went, the more voices he heard.

The main hall in the rear courtyard was brightly lit.

Zhou Qi quickened his steps and reached the entrance.

The sight inside the hall made his pupils contract.