Dark Force Expert

On the first day of escorting the shipment, nothing happened. It passed in complete safety.

That night, the steward, Old Zhang, brought out some premium meat stew and divided it among Lu Fan and the other two. He then arranged the night watch: Wang Hu for the first half of the night, Zhou Haiyan for the second half, and Lu Fan at dawn.

Lu Fan had no objections to the arrangement.

He had just replenished himself with meat. He could not waste this free boost to his vitality and blood.

As the meat entered his stomach, his body, depleted from days of hardship, felt like a parched riverbed flooded by a stream of heat.

Under the hundredfold amplification, the vitality and blood contained in the meat rapidly fused into his limbs and bones. Every inch of his meridians greedily absorbed the essence.

Lu Fan guided the torrent of vitality and blood through his body, circulating it again and again.

After ten cycles, he slowly opened his eyes.

The vitality and blood within him no longer surged wildly. Instead, it flowed like a tamed river, steadily and powerfully washing through his meridians.

He clenched his fist, and his joints let out a string of low crackles. It was a sign that his strength had reached the limit of Bright Force.

Only a thin layer remained between him and Dark Force.

By the time the sky began to pale, the others woke one after another.

The night had passed without incident.

On the second day, the carriage successfully arrived near Feng City.

Just as the convoy passed through a small path and was about to enter the city, a group of men blocked the way ahead.

At their head stood a tall, bald man.

Simply standing there, his vitality and blood felt as dense as a mountain, and an intense pressure bore down on them.

Old Zhang hurriedly got down from the carriage.

The moment he saw the bald man's face, his expression changed drastically.

"Gu De? Aren't you from Thunder Martial Hall? What are you doing here?"

As soon as he spoke, the Qin Household servants' expressions turned grim.

Thunder Martial Hall was another martial hall in Chi City, as famous as Blackstone Martial Hall. Three Dark Force martial artists presided over it, while its hall master was a Late Dark Force expert. It had over a hundred disciples.

More importantly, Thunder Martial Hall had close ties with the Feng Household of Chi City, a great Lineage with several centuries of foundation in the city.

Lu Fan and the others, who had also gotten out of the carriage, heard this as well.

"Gu De? Wait, that underground boxer Gu De who once killed three Late Bright Force fighters?"

Wang Hu's mouth twitched, and panic rose in his eyes.

"Heh, so someone still knows my name."

Gu De licked his lips, his icy gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"Those with any sense should get the hell out of here. We only want one thing: the Qin Household's goods. If you're not from the Qin Household, leave now, and we won't pursue you."

Joy bloomed across Wang Hu's face as he quickly glanced at Old Zhang.

"Sorry, Old Zhang, but I can't throw my life away over this little bit of silver. This is the Qin Household's business. It has nothing to do with me."

As he spoke, he turned to persuade Zhou Haiyan.

"Miss Zhou, this has nothing to do with us. Let's leave. Making an enemy of Thunder Martial Hall is far too unwise."

Zhou Haiyan gave him a faint look and asked, "If they really intended to let people leave, why did none of those previous shipments return alive?"

Wang Hu's heart sank at her words.

"Hahaha, I didn't expect you to see through it."

Gu De gave a disdainful smile, his gaze settling on Zhou Haiyan.

"But it doesn't matter. Late Bright Force, right? You've got some skill. I'll give you a chance. Become my woman, and I'll spare your life."

Zhou Haiyan sneered, unleashing her vitality and blood with a roar. "We're both Late Bright Force. What makes you think you've got us in the bag? Besides, we have two Late Bright Force fighters on our side."

As soon as she finished speaking, Lu Fan stopped concealing himself and stepped forward.

A dense, majestic aura burst forth, faintly overpowering even Zhou Haiyan's.

Excitement flashed in Old Zhang's eyes.

That was right. Though Gu De's name was fearsome, they had two Late Bright Force experts on their side. They might not be without a chance.

Old Zhang forced himself to step forward and cupped his hands. "Brother Gu, Thunder Martial Hall and the Qin Household have never held any grudge. This shipment is merely some ordinary—"

"Enough nonsense." Gu De could not even be bothered to look at him. "Old fool, everyone from the Qin Household dies here today."

Old Zhang's hand froze in midair before finally dropping helplessly.

Then Gu De smiled, his expression carrying a hint of smug mockery.

"Late Bright Force? Who told you I was still Late Bright Force?"

The moment he spoke, his aura changed abruptly.

The air seemed to be clenched by an invisible hand. Everyone present suddenly found it hard to breathe. It was the instinctive trembling of Bright Force martial artists in the face of Dark Force.

"I'm a Dark Force expert."

Gu De's words changed everyone's expression.

Zhou Haiyan, who had still held some confidence moments ago, now looked exceptionally grim.

The gap between Dark Force and Bright Force was enormous.

Old Zhang looked utterly despondent. Even with two Late Bright Force experts on their side, they would not last long against a Dark Force expert.

Zhou Haiyan gritted her teeth and lowered her voice to Lu Fan. "Old Chen, Dark Force martial artists are strong, but if the two of us join forces, we may still have a chance. I'll take the lead, and you—"

"No need."

Lu Fan's voice was calm as still water. Without explaining anything, he took a step forward.

He had waited his entire life to enter the martial path. Even he did not fully know how much power lay beneath this deadwood-like body.

After reaching Bright Force Peak last night, he had grown even more eager to learn the extent of his own strength.

Now, with a genuine Dark Force expert standing before him, he naturally wanted to know just how far he was from one.

"I alone am enough."

Lu Fan's words stunned Zhou Haiyan.

"Old Chen!" Zhou Haiyan said urgently. "It's far too dangerous for you to face him alone. I—"

"Leave it to me."

Lu Fan cut her off. His tone was mild, yet carried an authority that could not be questioned.

"The others are yours."

Zhou Haiyan opened her mouth, wanting to say more.

But when her gaze met those calm, ancient-well-like eyes beneath the cracked mask, she could no longer speak her words of persuasion.

Those calm eyes were filled with resolve.

"Whew... A quarter hour—no, half a quarter hour." Zhou Haiyan took a deep breath and said gravely, "Old Chen, I'll find a way to support you within half a quarter hour."

Lu Fan did not reply.

He had already walked up to Gu De.

"Oh? Done discussing it?"

Gu De folded his arms and studied the masked old man before him with interest. "You discussed it for so long, and you're the only one coming up to die? That woman beside you seemed pretty bold. What, in the end, she pushed an old fool out to die?"

Lu Fan did not answer. He merely watched him quietly.

The smile on Gu De's face slowly faded.

This old man stood there without exposing a single opening. Moreover, the rich vitality and blood radiating from that half-buried body made Gu De's heart skip slightly.

This old man was completely different from that cowardly piece of trash from before.

Interesting.

Gu De licked his lips and casually pointed at his men behind him. "Surround them. Don't let a single one escape."

His men quickly spread out and encircled the convoy.

Only after that did Gu De turn his gaze back to Lu Fan.

He rolled his neck, his bones producing a string of sharp crackles.

"Old man, do you know that ever since I stepped into Dark Force, I haven't had a proper fight?"

He grinned, revealing ghastly white teeth, his gaze incomparably cold.

"Don't die too quickly!"