Senior

As Liang Shenglou saw the black-clothed figures rush in, he calmly stepped on the Big Dipper formation, gradually increasing his offensive. His internal energy was already much deeper than Peng Tianxiao's. Now, as he unleashed the Hundred Pace Divine Fist, his punches were sharp and fierce. Although Peng Tianxiao had the advantage of a weapon, he didn't dare to meet the attack head-on. He used the Entwine Skill to evade and engage in a mobile battle.

After forcing Peng Tianxiao to stop his frontal assaults, Liang Shenglou stomped his foot and suddenly retreated, crashing into the figure behind him. The black-clothed man behind him was in the middle of a horizontal slash, but Liang Shenglou slammed into him, striking his chest and abdomen heavily with both elbows. Instantly, the sounds of breaking bones and ruptured internal organs could be heard. The man was killed instantly by Liang Shenglou's collision and strike.

Although Liang Shenglou killed the black-clothed man who had flanked him, Peng Tianxiao seized the opportunity during the brief pause. He launched the Solely Cleave Mount Hua directly at Liang Shenglou, with unstoppable momentum and a murderous aura. Liang Shenglou's hands had just struck the black-clothed man behind him and he had no time to block. However, he was prepared. He let his body fall with the corpse behind him, his toes kicking the steel saber in the black-clothed man's hand. The saber flew up, slightly delaying the speed of Peng Tianxiao's cleave. Liang Shenglou used this momentary opportunity to perform a Lazy Donkey Roll and escape the encirclement.

Although Liang Shenglou delayed the speed of Peng Tianxiao's cleave, he was still cut across his back during the roll, bleeding profusely. However, he ignored it. As soon as he rolled out of the encirclement, he darted towards the left window frame of the temple. He knew there was another black-clothed man on the roof, but he wasn't worried about not being able to get past. Even injured, he couldn't let Peng Tianxiao catch up. Of course, as he darted towards the window, he took the time to shout, "Go quickly!"

Since his debut, Du Yuhan had been largely unbothered by those with higher cultivation due to his master's reputation. Dealing with those of lower cultivation was naturally a piece of cake. Occasionally, he would defeat those slightly stronger than him by relying on his exquisite sword techniques. This had fostered a sense of arrogance in him, making him believe he could handle a top-tier expert. Seeing Liang Shenglou decisively flee, he immediately panicked. As his mind faltered, his hands slowed, and Cao Chuyu seized the opportunity. His left sword flashed in an unbelievable angle, piercing several of Du Yuhan's vital acupoints. Du Yuhan collapsed to the ground, crying out in terror, "Don't kill me! Don't kill me! My master is Heavenly Sword!"

Due to Du Yuhan's identity, Cao Chuyu did not deliver a fatal blow. He planned to discuss the matter with Peng Tianxiao and the others later, as he was not the one who made the decisions among those present. Seeing Du Yuhan fall, he followed closely behind Peng Tianxiao, pursuing towards the left side of the temple.

Cheng Ying, Du Yuhan's attendant, saw his master fall. He immediately opened his stance, preparing to repel the black-clothed man fighting him. To his surprise, the opponent was experienced. Seeing Cheng Ying's impatience, he engaged in a mobile fight, found an opening, and thrust his sword through Cheng Ying's abdomen, then casually sealed his acupoints.

After Shi Xuan killed a black-clothed man with a pebble, he felt no remorse about taking a life for the first time. After all, in Daoist Magic cultivation, the most important thing was to control one's soul and state of mind. Shi Xuan's current cultivation allowed him to remain as clear as a mirror in such a situation. Seeing the escort agency's people in dire straits, Shi Xuan kicked twice, sending two small pebbles flying with sharp whistling sounds towards the two black-clothed men. When Shi Xuan observed the arrival of many people outside, he had not only cast talismans on himself but also picked up seven or eight small pebbles.

The two black-clothed men facing the escort agency's group, most of whom hadn't even cultivated internal energy, were like tigers entering a flock of sheep. Apart from the head escort, He Dahai, a first-class expert, only He Xiangshan and Xu Ying, who had opened one or two of the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, were worth noting. Although He Yuqing possessed considerable internal energy and had seen many bloody scenes, she had never encountered opponents so strong with such a vast disparity in skill. Her hands and feet felt weak, and her swordplay was feeble. If He Dahai hadn't desperately protected her, she would have already perished.

He Dahai protected his daughter, retreating while fighting. He had already sustained several wounds. In a moment of carelessness, a black-clothed man deflected his sword and lunged at He Yuqing.

He Yuqing's hands and feet went numb. She couldn't raise her sword to block in time. Her eyes widened in terror as she watched the black-clothed man's sword approach. At that moment, a whistling sound came. The black-clothed man seemed to try to dodge, but it was too late. He Yuqing saw with terrified eyes a blood hole suddenly appear on the black-clothed man's forehead, and then a small pebble flew out from it, falling to the ground after flying a few steps.

The black-clothed man's sword was less than two inches from He Yuqing's chest, unable to advance further. Blood and brains gushed from his forehead, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.

He Yuqing stood frozen on the spot, her gaze vacant. He Dahai finally reacted and looked forward. The other black-clothed man from the escort agency had also fallen, and seven or eight people stood scattered around, looking bewildered. The remaining escort agency members lay on the ground, their fates unknown.

After a moment of stunned silence, they looked forward again. Everyone's gaze fell upon the young Daoist priest from before, who stood calmly, a gentle smile on his face. He lightly kicked his foot, and two more small pebbles transformed into two dark shadows, shooting out and rapidly pursuing the two black-clothed men who were rushing towards the left window frame of the temple. Then, with two dull thuds, they pierced through their bodies. The two black-clothed men took two more steps before falling dead.

Liang Shenglou crashed through the window frame and lunged out of the temple. As he flew out, before he could land, a sword light flashed, like the sun rising in the night, brilliant and dazzling.

Liang Shenglou had originally intended to trade injury for injury and escape quickly, but he now realized that his opponent's martial arts cultivation and exquisite techniques were on par with his own, surpassing Peng Tianxiao and Cao Chuyu by half a step. Being in mid-air with no support, and his eyes blinded by the dazzling sword light, he could only use the Iron Chain Across the River to protect his vital center. Unfortunately, his opponent, having planned and being well-rested, dispersed his sword light, striking the vital acupoints in Liang Shenglou's legs. When Liang Shenglou's technique was exhausted and he began to fall, his opponent thrust his sword into Liang Shenglou's chest at the Zhongchong acupoint, paralyzing all his movement capabilities.

At this moment, Peng Tianxiao and Cao Chuyu flew out of the window one after another. Seeing that the black-clothed man outside the temple had subdued Liang Shenglou, their hearts were instantly at ease. Peng Tianxiao said with a smile, "As expected, second brother, you are the most capable. The Alliance Leader even said that with you on the job, Liang Shenglou would surely be captured."

The black-clothed man shook his head and said, "In terms of exquisite techniques, I am stronger than big brother, but in terms of internal energy cultivation, he is half a step stronger. This time, it was a planned attack against an unsuspecting opponent. Big brother probably didn't expect the Alliance Leader to send all three of us out at once."

Liang Shenglou lay on the ground and chuckled, "I never imagined, never imagined! The three brothers I've known for twenty years have come to hunt me down together. Well done, well done, Sun-Revealing Divine Sword, Gao Wenqi, I have no regrets dying at your hands."

Gao Wenqi said gently, "The Alliance Leader saved your life, big brother. Without him, you would have died at Zuo Xingqi's hands years ago. Later, you secretly joined the Alliance Leader and became the head of our Great River Alliance's Four Great Protectors. Both publicly and privately, big brother, you shouldn't have taken the Longevity Treasury and betrayed the alliance to flee. You also know that the Alliance Leader has been stuck at the Half-step Subtle Realm for nearly twenty years. Such a peerless secret manual is exactly what the Alliance Leader needs for reference."

"I know, I know. When the third brother and I stumbled upon this manual left by the Guangyang Hermit, the first thought was to present it to the Alliance Leader. But on my way back, I thought, after giving it to the Alliance Leader, how long would it take him to reach the Subtle Realm? Would he help me get revenge on Zuo Xingqi then? Impossible, impossible. Zuo Xingqi entered the Subtle Realm over ten years ago, and no one knows his current state. The Alliance Leader would absolutely not challenge him for my personal grudges," Liang Shenglou said dejectedly, then continued, "And after the Alliance Leader mastered it, would he let me practice it? No. This kind of manual left by a congenital expert who achieved Shattering the Void would only be used as the sect's supreme martial art for the future Alliance Leader. It wouldn't be given to an old man like me with no great merits. I'm almost sixty, and in a few more years, I'll have no hope of advancing further. I can only watch the villain Zuo live freely. This is my last chance, and I have no regrets."

"I only regret that heaven didn't give me a chance for revenge. Damn Zuo! Damn him!" Overwhelmed by rage, Liang Shenglou fainted.

Gao Wenqi was silent for a moment and said, "Third brother, fourth brother, carry big brother into the temple, and then search him thoroughly for the manual. If it's not there, wake him up and ask him where he hid it."

Peng Tianxiao and Cao Chuyu carried Liang Shenglou and followed Gao Wenqi through the window, heading into the temple.

The three of them fully expected their subordinates to have cleared out the others. To their surprise, upon entering the temple, they found several people from the escort agency still standing in the courtyard, and the unremarkable young Daoist priest was smiling by a pillar.

The people from the escort agency, who had been stunned, came to their senses when they saw the three carrying Liang Shenglou in. Realizing the other side still had experts, they quickly retreated to Shi Xuan's side, led by He Dahai. Upon reaching Shi Xuan, He Dahai bowed respectfully and said to him, "Senior's chivalrous heart is deeply appreciated by us juniors." He thought to himself, this person looks less than twenty, how could he possess profound martial arts? Could he be an old monster who had found the secret to eternal youth, or perhaps an old demon whose appearance was stunted due to cultivation errors? For example, the Northern Desert Blood Saber, due to cultivation errors in his early years, has always maintained the appearance of an eleven or twelve-year-old.

He Yuqing stared blankly at Shi Xuan, unable to comprehend how the handsome and elegant Young Master Du had been defeated, while this unassuming young Daoist priest had turned out to be a hidden master. Recalling the unpleasant things she had said about him earlier, she buried her head low. Then, remembering the moment of life and death just now, she felt a wave of fear and unconsciously moved closer to Shi Xuan, feeling safe only by staying near this young Daoist priest.

Seeing their subordinates lying motionless on the ground, Gao Wenqi and the other two raised their guard to the highest level. However, turning to flee at this moment would be even more dangerous. Partly confident in their martial arts, and partly out of sheer nerve, they put Liang Shenglou down and advanced steadily towards Shi Xuan.