In the dense forest outside Flame Dragon City.
Ning Chuan used the Wandering Dragon Movement Technique to weave through the forest at top speed, racing toward the Spirit Stone Mine.
Worry and fury filled his heart. He had never expected the Li Family's retaliation to come so quickly. They had colluded directly with the Black Dragon Stronghold, intending to catch every Shen Family member in one net.
Killing intent filled his heart. He wished he could reach the Spirit Stone Mine at once and slaughter every last Li Family member.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
But just then, a series of sharp whistles pierced the air. From deep within the forest in every direction, dozens of razor-sharp arrows suddenly shot toward Ning Chuan.
"Hm?"
Ning Chuan's gaze turned cold. Someone had actually laid an ambush here. Could they be members of the Li Family?
The arrows sealed off his paths forward and back. Ruthlessly aimed at the vital points all over his body, they were clearly meant to kill him.
Whoosh!
Spiritual energy erupted within Ning Chuan. Pushing the Wandering Dragon Movement Technique to its limit, he sharply drew a breath and shot several yards into the air in an instant, dodging every arrow.
Boom!
But at that very moment, a saber gleaming with cold light suddenly slashed down toward his head with unparalleled force.
The attacker had calculated Ning Chuan's reaction, intending to finish him here.
A cold gleam surged in Ning Chuan's eyes. Light flashed in his palm, and the Purple Thunder Spear appeared. He thrust it out fiercely.
Clang!
Sparks flew in every direction, and the air hummed.
The Purple Thunder Spear collided with the saber's gleaming edge with a dull crash. Savage force surged through Ning Chuan, jolting his entire body and smashing him out of the air.
Thud!
The earth shook. Several cracks spread outward from beneath Ning Chuan's feet, a testament to the ferocity of that force.
"You skulking rats, get out here!"
Ning Chuan's gaze was razor-sharp as he roared.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
As soon as his words fell, agile figures rushed out of the surrounding forest, their faces vicious and their eyes filled with icy killing intent.
"Hahaha... As expected of someone who could defeat Li Zhenfei! Dying at my hands will be something you can take pride in!"
A burst of wild laughter rang out.
A tall, burly man stepped out from among them, holding a Ghost-Head Saber. A scar across his face made him look utterly savage, and his gaze brimmed with mockery as he looked at Ning Chuan.
"The Dao Foundation Realm? You're not from the Li Family. Are you Black Dragon of the Black Dragon Stronghold?"
Ning Chuan's eyes flashed as he stared at the burly man before him.
He could sense a violent surge of spiritual energy within the man, powerful enough to pose a considerable threat even to him. The man's cultivation had already reached the Dao Foundation Realm.
"You're fairly sharp! But I'm not Black Dragon. I'm Yuan Ying, second chief of the Black Dragon Stronghold. Someone wants your life. How would you like to die?"
The burly man stared at Ning Chuan and sneered.
The dozen or so warriors surrounding him were all skilled fighters from the Black Dragon Stronghold. Every one of them had reached the Spirit Sea Realm, and they held bows with their arrows trained on Ning Chuan.
They seemed to be waiting only for Yuan Ying's command before unleashing a storm of arrows and shooting Ning Chuan dead.
"So it seems your target wasn't the Shen Family, but me! You deliberately lured me out of Flame Dragon City so you could attack me?"
Ning Chuan sneered.
His thoughts raced, and he grasped the Li Family's purpose almost immediately.
With Yuan Ying's Dao Foundation Realm cultivation, Shen Song could never have escaped into Flame Dragon City alive to bring word. That meant they had deliberately let him through.
Their purpose was plain: lure Ning Chuan out, then strike at him!
At that realization, Ning Chuan felt slightly reassured. Since he was their true target, Shen Qianxun and Shen Wan were probably not in too much danger.
The second chief of the Black Dragon Stronghold, a Dao Foundation Realm warrior, and more than a dozen Spirit Sea Realm warriors-the Li Family certainly took him seriously!
"You're right. The Li Family's target is you! Ning Chuan, you ruined our plans. Today, this place will be your burial ground!"
Just then, an icy voice came from the distance behind Ning Chuan.
Li Hu, the Li Family's Grand Elder, strode toward him with a battle saber on his back. His face was utterly cold, and the killing intent in his eyes seemed almost tangible.
"Two Dao Foundation Realm warriors? The Li Family really does think highly of me!"
Ning Chuan sneered.
Though two Dao Foundation Realm warriors hemmed him in from front and back, and an icy killing intent had locked onto him, there was not a trace of fear on his face. Instead, he grew even calmer.
"To remain so composed with death at your doorstep-you're quite a man, Ning Chuan. Unfortunately, you have only yourself to blame for offending someone you shouldn't have!"
Yuan Ying gave a faint smile.
"Attack together! Kill him!"
Li Hu suddenly roared, his gaze chilling. He drew his battle saber, its snow-white blade flashing with a keen edge, and struck first, slashing toward Ning Chuan.
"Kill!"
Yuan Ying gave a curt shout, his eyes turning vicious. At his command, dozens of arrows left their bowstrings and shot toward Ning Chuan in an instant.
Dragging his enormous Ghost-Head Saber, he too surged forward amid raging spiritual energy and brought the blade down at Ning Chuan with the force to cleave Mount Hua!
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