Dog Rong Kingdom, Zhou Zhenbei

Seeing that Cao Ling and Xue Yong wanted him to make the call, Lu Hao's thoughts spun as he looked at them. "Do you have any Blood Essence Pills on you?"

The two nodded.

"Take the Blood Essence Pills and restore your Blood Essence to its peak first."

Both Cao Ling and Xue Yong showed hesitation.

"Isn't it a bit too wasteful to replenish Blood Essence directly with Blood Essence Pills?" Cao Ling said, distressed.

The Black Tiger Gang only issued Cao Ling two Blood Essence Pills a year. Xue Yong received a little more—twelve a year. But both of them were aiming to break through to Dark Force Martial Artists, and the Blood Essence Pills were meant to smash through bottlenecks during breakthroughs. They had never been willing to use them to replenish Blood Essence in ordinary times.

Lu Hao looked at them. "We don't know whether those coming are enemies or friends. If they come with ill intent, we must be fully prepared."

After hesitating for a moment, the two each took a small porcelain bottle from their robes. They poured out a Blood Essence Pill, looked at it once, then swallowed it.

After taking the Blood Essence Pills, the two looked at Lu Hao again. "Don't you need to replenish your Blood Essence?"

"I already took a Blood Essence Pill yesterday."

In truth, while standing watch last night, Lu Hao had secretly activated the Equipment Slot, absorbed the Qi-Blood from the beef, and converted it into Blood Essence. The Blood Essence in his body was already full to the brim. But he could not tell them the truth.

The three came to the cave entrance and saw several figures drawing ever closer.

When they clearly saw the man at the front, Cao Ling and Xue Yong spoke almost in unison. "Zhou Zhenbei!"

Hearing Zhou Zhenbei's name, Lu Hao was startled as well.

Zhou Zhenbei was the elder brother of Zhou Zhennan from the Water Serpent Gang, as well as an elder of the Water Serpent Gang. When Lu Hao had gone to negotiate with the Water Serpent Gang a few days ago, Zhou Zhennan had died by his hand.

Feng Feiyi had told him that Zhou Zhenbei was a Lower Bright Force Martial Artist.

Ever since then, Lu Hao had worried that Zhou Zhenbei would come seeking revenge. He trained bitterly every day precisely so that, should he encounter Zhou Zhenbei, he would possess the strength to fight him.

Lu Hao thought that, now that he was Upper-Grade Bright Force, dealing with Zhou Zhenbei, a Lower Bright Force Martial Artist, should be effortless.

Behind Zhou Zhenbei followed six burly men in beast-hide robes. Curved sabers hung at their waists, longbows were slung across their backs, and quivers rested behind them. At a glance, their attire was clearly not from the Jin Kingdom.

Neither Lu Hao nor Cao Ling recognized the attire, but Xue Yong's expression darkened slightly. "People from the Dog Rong Kingdom?"

The two looked at Xue Yong.

Xue Yong explained, "Bluestone County Seat lies at the northernmost edge of the Jin Kingdom. The Jin Kingdom and the Dog Rong Kingdom are separated by the Cangwu Mountain Range. Green Ox Mountain is one branch of the Cangwu Mountain Range. The only passage between the Jin Kingdom and the Dog Rong Kingdom is Cangwu Pass, where the Jin Kingdom has heavy troops stationed. The Dog Rong Kingdom has attacked Cangwu Pass many times, but never managed to take it."

"Who would have thought that people from the Dog Rong Kingdom would cross over Green Ox Mountain into our Jin Kingdom?"

"Prepare for battle! If they discover this cave, the people of the Dog Rong Kingdom will certainly fight us."

After saying that, Xue Yong looked puzzled. "I just don't know how Zhou Zhenbei ended up mixed in with people from the Dog Rong Kingdom."

Zhou Zhenbei held a beast-hide map in his hand, with six men from the Dog Rong Kingdom behind him.

Following the markings on the map, they arrived before this cave.

Zhou Zhenbei turned his head to a brawny man beside him. "Amur, take someone in and search this cave. See whether that little girl from the Zhi Clan is hiding in there."

Amur answered, then looked at Zhou Zhenbei. "If we catch that little girl Zhi Chupei, can you let the brothers have a taste first? Those two long legs of hers are slender and long, and the shape is so pretty!" After saying that, Amur swallowed.

"Once you catch her, play with her however you like! The Hunt Chief only wants the key on her."

Amur swallowed again, gave two lewd chuckles, then headed toward the cave entrance with another man.

The two drew the curved sabers from their waists.

The moment they stepped into the cave entrance, Lu Hao unleashed Black Tiger Throat-Piercer. His fingertips sank into the other Dog Rong man's throat, while a stream of icy Blood Baleful Intent surged toward Lu Hao's dantian.

Cao Ling and Xue Yong wielded twin staffs and simultaneously smashed them toward Amur's head.

Amur reacted with extraordinary speed. He raised his curved saber to block, and with a muffled clang, all three staggered back together.

Xue Yong retreated two steps and sucked in a cold breath. "Upper-Grade Bright Force Peak!"

Hearing the commotion outside the cave, Zhou Zhenbei charged forward with the remaining four men.

When he saw Cao Ling and Xue Yong, he frowned. "People from the Black Tiger Gang?"

Then he shifted his gaze to Lu Hao, narrowing his eyes. "You... are Lu Hao?"

"My brother Zhou Zhennan died by your hand. I had people from the Clear Water Hall of the Water Serpent Gang draw your portrait. You look exactly like this!"

After saying that, Zhou Zhenbei threw back his head and laughed.

"Ha ha ha! Heaven truly has eyes! I was planning to settle the Hunt Chief's assignment before finding you to settle scores. Who would have thought I'd run into you by chance on Green Ox Mountain today?"

"The Dog Rong Kingdom has a Yurt Office, specifically responsible for gathering intelligence and carrying out assassinations. The Hunt Chief is the local person in charge of the Yurt Office," Xue Yong explained from the side.

"Lu Hao, hand over your life!"

Zhou Zhenbei's figure flashed, and he arrived before Lu Hao.

After exchanging a punch, they each retreated four or five steps.

Lu Hao was shocked. He was now Upper-Grade Bright Force, and his Blood Essence was far more abundant than that of Martial Artists at the same level. Yet his all-out strike had merely ended in a draw against Zhou Zhenbei.

He looked at Zhou Zhenbei. "Aren't you Lower Bright Force?"

Zhou Zhenbei snorted coldly. "Of course I'm not Lower Bright Force. I'm Peak Bright Force. I only disguised my realm as Lower Bright Force to conceal my identity."

Lu Hao suddenly remembered what Feng Feiyi had said: a Lower Bright Force Martial Artist had not even lasted ten moves against Zhou Zhenbei before being beaten to death. So Zhou Zhenbei had never been Lower Bright Force to begin with.

Xue Yong stared at Zhou Zhenbei from the side and said in a deep voice, "Zhou Zhenbei, why are you mixed in with people from the Dog Rong Kingdom? This is treason! A crime that costs your head!"

Zhou Zhenbei threw back his head in wild laughter, then said, "My brother and I were originally from the Dog Rong Kingdom. Many years ago, we were ordered to infiltrate the Jin Kingdom. Zhou Zhenbei and Zhou Zhennan were not our real names!"

Both Xue Yong and Cao Ling froze. So Zhou Zhenbei and Zhou Zhennan were spies from the Dog Rong Kingdom.

Zhou Zhenbei charged at Lu Hao again, and the two clashed.

Zhou Zhenbei's moves were fierce, every strike aimed straight at vital points, each one carrying the powerful force of Peak Bright Force.

Lu Hao's Blood Essence raced madly through his meridians. His hand blade was wrapped in faint crimson force as he fought Zhou Zhenbei.

After they had exchanged dozens of moves, Zhou Zhenbei saw that he could not prevail for a long while and suddenly took a large step back. He drew a half-broken blade from behind his back, gripped the blade in his left hand, and slashed hard. After absorbing his blood, the broken blade suddenly flashed with bloody light.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. Zhou Zhenbei pounced forward again.

This time, Zhou Zhenbei was much faster than before.

After equipping the Great Ring Saber, Lu Hao's hand-blade speed had increased by twenty percent.

Yet after Zhou Zhenbei blood-sacrificed the broken blade, his blade speed was actually a hair faster than Lu Hao's.

A cold gleam flashed. Lu Hao only felt a chill on his shoulder before a wound was cut across his left shoulder.