Brother Lu Truly Is a Hero

After breaking through to the Eighth Layer of Meridian Opening, Lu Li's strength had surpassed seven thousand pounds, and he also possessed a Treasure Artifact.

It could be said that even when facing a martial artist in Early Astral Condensation, he could still fight them fiercely for a while.

Most importantly, he knew what these people feared. The Xue Household did not merely have members of the Myriad Life Sect guarding the Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva Temple—they had also used the Buddhist sect to occupy land and raise eight hundred Buddhist Soldiers.

All of them were proficient in military formations.

If there had only been a Drooping-Ear Monk, there were plenty of people in the martial world capable of killing him.

But martial artists feared injury most of all. Once injured, flesh and blood bodies simply could not exert their full strength.

The difficulty of the sacrificial site lay in the Buddhist Soldiers guarding it. Surrounded and attacked by military formations, trapped amid a sea of people—even Astral Condensation Realm martial artists would certainly die if they were injured.

However, Lu Li possessed Intransigent Qi and feared no injury whatsoever. Moreover, the Erosion Essence Scripture feared group assaults least of all.

The Intransigent Qi Field Domain was practically a divine weapon meant for fighting many with few. After reaching the Second Layer of Heart-Breaking Buddha Body, his force could even be combined with crossbow bolts.

A battlefield like this was nothing but advantageous to him.

In fact, the more people there were, the more power he could unleash!

Especially now that he possessed movement techniques and lightness skill.

When he had fought Huang Shang before, it was because Huang Shang had been too good at dodging and too fast.

Yet once Lu Li struck him head-on with a single slash, he had directly severed his arm.

If Lu Li were sent to kill Huang Shang now, he could blow apart his head in a single exchange.

If Lu Li had to fight an Astral Condensation Realm martial artist, there might still be some uncertainty. But if he had to fight eight hundred Meridian-Unblocking Realm martial artists, there was no problem at all. He even wished for it.

"I'm serious. Tomorrow, the enemy will deploy heavy troops along the road. I'll clear the way ahead. If I manage to break through, you can rescue the infants inside."

After Lu Li said this before everyone, he saw that they still did not quite believe him.

He raised the mechanical crossbow and fired a bolt directly at his own throat.

Peng Wan'er and the others were horrified at the sight.

"Careful!"

Yet when the arrow came within an inch of Lu Li's throat, an invisible force deflected its momentum. Its trajectory was directly altered, and it shot in another direction.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

After hearing the arrows slice through the air, everyone heard another sharp crack. Looking toward the source, they saw that the bolt Lu Li had fired at himself had embedded itself halfway into the wall.

Its fletching trembled without end.

Witnessing this scene, everyone's eyes widened in utter astonishment.

"Rest assured, everyone. This is not reckless overconfidence. Even if I'm caught in a military formation, I have a way to escape."

Lu Li lowered the mechanical crossbow and smiled faintly at them.

Peng Shan was utterly stunned where he stood.

He had personally crafted all these mechanical crossbows. No one knew their power better than he did.

At such close range, against such an attack, even a Late Meridian Opening martial artist would have their body pierced through.

If someone possessed sufficiently abundant inner qi, they might be able to protect their vital points and survive, or shift their acupoints and meridians to avoid the strike. But there was absolutely no way they could simply deflect it.

Peng Shan stared at the bolt embedded halfway into the wall. Only after a long while did he suppress his shock and say, "Brother Lu, this protective technique of yours is truly the finest I have ever seen in my life."

Lu Li waved his hand repeatedly. "You flatter me."

Liu Qi took a deep breath and suppressed the shock in his eyes. Still feeling that this was not safe enough, he tried to persuade him.

"How about I return tonight and gather all the men of the Heavenly Righteousness Society? We can go with Brother Lu."

Lu Li directly shook his head and refused.

Eight hundred Buddhist Soldiers, all there for him to harvest—after one round, their blood qi might even be enough to support his cultivation up to Middle Astral Condensation.

The quality of their blood qi might not compare to that of Astral Condensation martial artists, but there was simply too much of it.

Lu Li was extremely firm in his insistence on going alone.

Seeing that they truly could not persuade Lu Li otherwise, and recalling the display of his qi force just now, they could only agree to his plan.

If Lu Li managed to break through tomorrow, they would directly rush into the sacrificial site to rescue the people, then set fire to the temple. If he could not, they would do everything in their power to stop the Evil Armament from being forged.

Seeing that everyone had agreed, Lu Li clasped his hands to them.

"Until tomorrow, everyone!"

They all returned the gesture.

"Brother Lu, you truly are a hero!"

As Yan Dan was leaving, he deliberately turned back for a glance at Lu Li's retreating figure and sighed deeply.

Peng Shan and Liu Qi wholeheartedly agreed, nodding along.

Facing eight hundred Buddhist Soldiers head-on, not many people would dare do such a thing even in the Astral Condensation Realm.

Wind-and-Rain Tower.

"Sir, Drooping-Ear Monk's side has agreed to forge the Evil Armament ahead of schedule. However, he says the shortage of sacrifices is still considerable, and they must be gathered as quickly as possible."

Xue Shaokan spoke slowly.

"There are still over a hundred sacrifices missing, but the city authorities told me they need to slow down their actions. So many infants disappearing in such a short time could easily cause panic. They fear they may not be able to suppress it."

Yin Duanyue gently fanned himself with a feather fan. After listening, he gazed quietly out the window, a shadow passing through his eyes.

"Young Master, this matter cannot be delayed. Order the city authorities to gather all the required sacrifices within three days at the latest!"

Xue Shaokan was slightly startled. He frowned in confusion and hesitated.

"But..."

"There are no buts!"

A trace of gravity appeared between Yin Duanyue's brows.

"I have investigated all of Qingzhou City, yet I have found no likely suspect for that mysterious expert... Someone who could so easily kill two Meridian-Unblocking Realm martial artists."

"Such an expert is lurking in the shadows, and it leaves me uneasy."

As he spoke, Yin Duanyue's expression turned severe.

"Therefore, delays breed change. Even with eight hundred Buddhist Soldiers, we cannot relax in the slightest. We must begin forging the Evil Armament as quickly as possible and catch those mud-legged fools from the Hidden Heroes Alliance off guard!"

Xue Shaokan's expression shifted. Then he gritted his teeth, abruptly rose, and headed for the door.

"Sir is right. I'll personally make a trip to the city authorities at once."

A cold, savage light flashed in his eyes.

"There are so many people in this city. The ones being taken are not from wealthy households anyway, only destitute families. Could they possibly turn the heavens upside down?"

"In Qingzhou City, my Xue Household is heaven!"

Only then did Yin Duanyue's expression ease somewhat. "Security at the sacrificial site outside the city must also be tightened. There cannot be the slightest mistake."

What he meant was that the flow of people in Qingzhou City needed to be controlled, restricting people's entry and exit.

Xue Shaokan nodded lightly, not sparing a thought for the effects that controlling the movement of people would cause.

In his eyes, everyone in this world was lowly. How could they compare to even a fraction of his status as a member of an aristocratic household?

Ever since he had beaten a servant to death as a child, he had understood that this world was divided into ranks.

And he, Xue Shaokan, stood above others—the highest of the high!

Within Qingzhou City.

From midnight onward, the entire city had been placed under martial law. Outside West-Completion Gate, along the main road leading to the Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva Temple beyond the city, layer upon layer of checkpoints had already been set up.

After hearing the news, traveling merchants and martial wanderers in the vicinity all avoided the area that day.

As noon approached, the blazing sun hung high in the sky. Heat waves rolled in all directions, and dust filled the air. Even the soldiers at the first checkpoint on the main road had grown weary.

Within the swirling dust, a figure slowly emerged.