Six left

The peerless martial art that the Rolling Curtain Sect's deputy sect master had taken thirty years of cultivation to comprehend was, in theory, an ultimate technique combining the Lion's Roar Technique and the One Yang Finger.

It really was formidable!

The next second, those twenty-odd people leaped into the air, treading on empty space as they charged straight at Zhang Qingyuan.

Once internal power reached a certain level, even someone who knew no martial arts could inflict some damage simply by projecting it outward.

Once internal power reached a certain level, even someone who had never practiced lightness arts could tread on leaves and fly.

Of those before him, the short man in black robes charging at the very front had an especially contorted expression, as though he had suffered the greatest injustice under heaven.

He held a silver hook, and black mist emanated from his body.

Zhang Qingyuan leaped down, grabbed Li Qiuran on the ground, and raced outside.

Against twenty-odd experts of equal caliber, he naturally had nothing to fear if they came at him individually. Unfortunately, they had no martial virtue. To keep Tang Jie's house from being destroyed, he had to lure them elsewhere.

Clasping Li Qiuran's hand, he had no attention to spare for its delicate softness. Li Qiuran did not think much of it either, and the two fled straight out of the city.

Li Qiuran looked back and warned him when she saw the group, "Those people in black robes are the Heavenly Principle Sect's Four Great Guardians and two Vajras.

"The Dragon Gate experts are its six masters and the nine Dragon Bodies beneath them."

"What complicated titles they've come up with."

"That little fellow is Daoist Yin, one of the Four Great Guardians. The tall one is Daoist Yang, and the two behind them are Qian and Kun. All four practice different martial arts. They..."

"There's definitely no time to explain now. Save your strength and come with me!"

Seeing the distance between them grow, Daoist Yin cursed from behind, "You brat! Weren't you so impressive just now? Stop if you've got the guts!"

Only an idiot would stop.

Ascending the Clouds was fast, but its greatest strength was how high it let him leap.

Lightness arts were not the cloud-riding magic of immortals. No matter how incredible they were, they could not escape the bounds of heaven and earth. However high one leaped or long one stayed airborne, one eventually had to come down.

As a transmigrator, Zhang Qingyuan understood perfectly that as long as he ran fast enough, his enemies could not catch him. Thus, the first thing he had done after leaving the mountain was modify his lightness art.

Ascending the Clouds lived up to its name. It did not require a solid object to push off from. True Qi was drawn below the waist and abdomen, supporting the body with a cushion of Qi. At a profound level of mastery, goose feathers, snowflakes, and even ethereal clouds could provide a foothold, allowing the practitioner to ascend into the clouds.

Of course, that was only the theory.

But Zhang Qingyuan was indeed pushing his lightness art to its limits now. Leaves, roof tiles, and even birds flying through the air became things he could push off with a tap of his toes.

As they leaped through the air and over rooftops, their pursuers could see only two figures, one blue and one yellow, darting and weaving. Before long, they bounded onto the city wall and vanished.

Such lightness arts truly opened their eyes. Daoist Yin gritted his teeth. "Keep chasing! He's fast, but that doesn't mean he can keep it up!"

Before long, they too reached the city wall and pursued them outside.

Only after chasing them into a forest outside the city did they find the pair in front of a clearing.

Zhang Qingyuan leaned against a large tree, his forehead covered in cold sweat as he panted heavily, supported by Li Qiuran.

Li Qiuran watched them warily, reaching out to channel internal power into Zhang Qingyuan.

"How are you? Can you still use your lightness art?"

"Hah... hah..." Zhang Qingyuan also watched them close in little by little.

"No. I've only cultivated for three years. I have too little internal power to keep running like that for long. Qiuran, leave first. I'll handle things here."

"Don't waste your breath. You helped me last time. Now it's my turn."

"You're the one wasting your breath. We can't both stay here. Don't worry. Before I die, I can at least take that little runt with me," Zhang Qingyuan said, looking at Daoist Yin.

"Heh, who would have thought the Bamboo Green Fairy, renowned throughout the martial world, had a lover like this?" Daoist Yang said with a chuckle.

He was very tall and sharp-tongued. He had just handed Zhang Qingyuan an assist; otherwise, Daoist Yin would not have been so angry.

Daoist Qian teased him too. "Zhang Qingyuan, I don't think you lack internal power. You're just physically exhausted, aren't you? With such a great beauty by your side, it's perfectly normal to have a weak body and depleted kidneys."

Li Qiuran glared at the two of them. "How dare you!"

"Oh my, the Bamboo Green Fairy's getting angry."

"What's so impressive about bullying a woman? Come at me if you've got the guts!" Zhang Qingyuan said through gritted teeth.

"Heh, what happened to that sharp tongue of yours?" Daoist Yin said smugly.

"Revered Daoists, I believe we should deal with them quickly. If we let that little Daoist recover his internal power, he'll be even harder to catch."

The Dragon Gate expert, who had advocated a swift resolution all along, offered his suggestion from the side.

His name was Dragon Master, and he was one of the Dragon Gate's seven masters. There had originally been eight, but Dragon Lord had already died at Zhang Qingyuan's hands.

The leader of the Dragon Gate's eight masters was its sect master, the Dragon King. But the Dragon King had not come today, leaving only six masters, led by the second-in-command, Dragon Master.

Having spoken, Dragon Master turned to Zhang Qingyuan, his brows tightly furrowed. "Boy, did Dragon Lord die at your hands?"

"Yes."

"Good. I don't care what schemes or tricks you used to kill him. You won't escape death today. I'll use your blood to honor Third Brother's spirit in heaven!"

The Dragon Gate members immediately stepped forward, multiplying the pressure.

Zhang Qingyuan hurriedly shouted, "Don't come any closer!"

"Heh, now you're scared?"

Their faces darkened. Dragon Master said, "Daoist Yin, please give me this opportunity. I want to seize him myself."

"Fine, but before we kill him, I want to pull out every tooth in his mouth myself!"

Zhang Qingyuan hastily stepped back, shielding Li Qiuran tightly behind him.

"Go, now."

"I'm not leaving!"

"Hahaha, what touching devotion." Dragon Master said cruelly, "Unfortunately, neither of you is leaving today."

Before his words had faded, the Dragon Gate experts unleashed their protective internal power. Their skin took on the color of steel, and the earth seemed unable to bear their weight as their feet sank into the ground.

The next second, the dozen-odd Dragon Gate experts spread into a semicircle and charged toward Zhang Qingyuan in great strides.

"Ah!"

Bang, bang, bang...

After a cloud of dust, the scene they had imagined did not materialize.

At some point, a large pit had appeared in the flat ground before Zhang Qingyuan, and several thick logs overhead smashed down into it.

As they charged forward, they had stepped straight into the trap in the ground. At the same time, several logs hidden in the trees came crashing down on their heads.

"AAAH!!!"

Cries of agony rose from the crowd inside the pit.

Thick smoke drifted out of it.

Knowing that the Dragon Gate would send people to take revenge, how could Zhang Qingyuan have made no preparations? Ever since he had been whittling wooden spikes that day, he had been considering how to win by the simplest means possible.

A smile of success immediately appeared on Zhang Qingyuan's face.

"Oh dear, what a pity. You lot actually didn't join in."

"You... you despicable bastard!" How could Daoist Yin fail to realize that this little brat had been making a monkey out of him?

He had deliberately lured them here to lead them into a trap he had prepared in advance.

Zhang Qingyuan wagged a finger in protest. "Don't put it like that. I already warned them not to come closer. They insisted on charging ahead, stomping their feet as they went. How's that my fault?"

"To think even the aloof Bamboo Green Fairy would resort to such underhanded methods!"

Li Qiuran did blush a little. She could hardly blame them for saying it; even she felt that this method was far from open and aboveboard.

Seeing what was troubling her, Zhang Qingyuan reassured her, "There's no shame in using a few tricks in a fight to the death."

Why should only villains get to use dirty tricks, while the righteous have to grit their teeth and fight head-on?

The Heavenly Principle Sect experts no longer looked as though victory was in their grasp. Their expressions were grave, and they trembled with anger.

"Wait. The Dragon Gate members have body-hardening arts protecting them. Even if they fell into a trap and got hit, surely they should still be able to get out?" Daoist Yang asked in confusion.

To his surprise, Zhang Qingyuan immediately explained.

"Simple. I planted lots of wooden spikes inside the pit, and there's also poisonous smoke I prepared in the trap.

"The smoke won't kill them, but it can temporarily rob them of their internal power. Without internal power supporting them, their physical strength alone can't hold up those thick logs or withstand the wooden spikes underneath."

"You despicable bastard!"

Zhang Qingyuan was ashamed too. Drawing the Questioning Heart Sword, he said, "I had no choice. I know these methods aren't honorable. I'd like to lie low and cultivate for five or six years before coming out to fight you head-on too, but time won't allow it.

"Besides, back at the Tang Household, my attitude already made it clear that I'm not a righteous man in the traditional sense. They were the brainless ones who kept charging forward. What could I do?"

Who wouldn't want to charge alone into the enemy camp like Qiao Feng and crush the enemy head-on?

Zhang Qingyuan also wanted to win through martial arts, just as he had intimidated that crowd of rough martial artists before.

But his martial arts had not reached that level, so he could only use a few little schemes.

Come to think of it, aren't villains supposed to show up one level at a time?

Why am I facing a boss as soon as I enter the martial world?

At that thought, he felt somewhat regretful.

"I promise, once I comprehend more profound martial arts, I definitely won't use these underhanded methods again."

He raised his head and looked at the six Heavenly Principle Sect Daoists.

"With them out of the picture, I'm still confident I can kill you six head-on. Blessings of the Immeasurable Heavenly Venerable."

"Such arrogant words!"

Li Qiuran looked coldly at the six of them. "Before that, I want to ask you something. Did you have anything to do with the destruction of the Heavenly Yin Mysterious Maiden Pavilion?"

Daoist Yang smiled. "What do you think?"