Unexpected

--Double Brightness Trade Market

Deng Baichuan glanced coldly at Yue Feng, who was blocking his way, and asked in a chilling voice, "You, surnamed Yue? You dare to stop me?"

Yue Feng glanced at Deng Baichuan and the patrol team behind him, his voice laced with sarcasm. "He just couldn't stand that the city magistrate was going to take others to their deaths. These people wouldn't make any difference even if they went to the Chongming Sect."

Deng Baichuan sneered, "There's no need for you Attendant Yue worry about these matters. I've already spoken with these people, and they're all willing to serve the state court."

Yue Feng's lips curled slightly as his gaze swept over the crowd opposite him, lingering on Shao Meng, who was at the back and wearing a white flower in her hair, before he spoke to Deng Baichuan, "You people from the capital region have a consistent problem of not valuing other people's lives after you become officials."

"Get out of the way!" Deng Baichuan drew his sword halfway out, its cold light gleaming. After reaching the Foundation Establishment, this disciple of the Acting Sima Gun seemed to have become even more arrogant.

Gui Xiang, standing behind Yue Feng, drew his twin swords and shouted sternly, "The City Commandant's violent temper is a bit too much."

"How I act is none of your business, you lowly son-in-law!" Deng Baichuan was about to explode in anger.

He wasn't genuinely worried about the Chongming Sect, but rather that Fei Shuhe was still within the Chongming Sect. If something were to happen to him, Fei Nanying were to take his anger out on him afterward, even his master Gun Shilu, might not be able to save him.

Gui Xiang remained unmoved by the insult, showing no sign of joy or sorrow. Deng Baichuan, with his temperament, paid no heed to such things. Seeing the former's indifference, he was so enraged that he glared at him and was about to draw his sword for a fight to the death.

The atmosphere was so heavy that even the Qi Refinement present seemed to struggle to breathe. Shao Meng's beautiful eyes narrowed, and a resolute glint appeared in her gaze as she looked at Gui Xiang. But Yue Feng stepped forward at this moment:

"Haha, why are you in such a hurry, City Commandant? I'm just accompanying you to rescue Magistrate Kang."

"You... you want to come with me to rescue Kang Dabao?!" Deng Baichuan exclaimed in disbelief.

Yue Feng read softly, "The conflict between Jingyun and the others within the prefectural court is nothing more than brothers fighting amongst themselves; but now, the trouble caused by the Chongming Sect at the Hongyi Sect is an invasion by an external enemy. I Yue Feng, have gained the trust of the Earl and have been promoted to the position of Attendant in Double Brightness Trade Market; I must understand the bigger picture."

After hearing this, the doubt on Deng Baichuan's face gradually faded, and he thought to himself, "Putting on appearances is something these natives of the border region are capable of. After all, most of them don't have much ability, and they rely on these things to curry favor with the Earl."

Deng Baichuan pondered for only a moment before abandoning the idea of entangled with Yue Feng any further. He nodded and said, "Then let's go. Let's make this clear first: if you become cowardly after entering the formation and try to leave, I will enforce military law on you."

Hearing this, Yue Feng smiled. He first spoke softly to the fire chiefs in the patrol team, led by Shao Meng, "If you were to get involved in this matter, I'm afraid most of you would be killed or injured."

If you still have any doubts at this moment, you can still back out. If you do, then speak up. That's a battlefield with more than a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators, and there might even be a fake Core Formation Master present. Don't risk your own lives for a bit of chivalry."

The noisy arena suddenly fell silent. Yue Feng's lips curled into a slight smile, a sense of smugness rising in his heart. "What gratitude, honor, and support? In the end, it's nothing more than Spirit Stone and resources. When it comes to one's own cultivation and life, how can these opportunistic Rogue Cultivator be trusted in the slightest?"

Judging from this, there are no reliable clues about the people Kang Dabao summoned. Therefore, regardless of whether that fellow died or lived after being beaten by the Hongyi Sect cultivators, the patrol team of Double Brightness Trade Market will probably need a major overhaul.

Deng Baichuan was extremely anxious when he saw that the people behind him had been swayed by Yue Feng's Three Words, losing their will to fight and becoming somewhat trembling with fear. He cursed inwardly, "How can this Yue fellow be so clueless about timing in his Chongming Sect struggles! Is he going to save Chongmingzong or not!"

Deng Baichuan was so angry that his eyes were bloodshot, and he was about to lash out when he saw Shao Meng, with white flowers in her hair, walk out of the formation.

After stepping out of the formation, the female cultivator didn't speak to the three Foundation Establishment in the arena. Instead, she turned to the group behind her and said, "I, Shao Meng, will certainly go. As for the rest of you, brothers, I won't force you. Even if you came with my sister and me and the Feng Household Brothers, it's up to you whether you go or not."

But you also need to think about what kind of life you had under Ma Heipao, what kind of life you had under my brother and me, and what kind of life you had after that man surnamed Kang brought you to Double Brightness Trade Market!

The previously silent line instantly erupted into a cacophony of voices and chatter. Deng Baichuan, enraged, shouted, "What's all this commotion? Get to the point! Those who wish to follow me, step forward!"

"I'm going! I managed to be a decent human being under Magistrate Kang for a few years. You're willing to go back to being those heart-wrenching Bandit Cultivator who spend their days tearing out their own hearts? I, Master Fu, have no such intention! At worst, I'll risk my life to repay all the kindness and favors I've gained over the years, with interest, to Magistrate Kang!"

"Haha, Fu and Guo are always inseparable. Since Master Fu has gone, I, Guo, cannot fall behind!"

"Those bandits dare to go, why wouldn't we, the members of our Fellow Cultivators Association, dare?! Damn it, even after Xie Liusheng committed such a grave mistake, Sect Leader Kang didn't give us a hard time. He remembers the friendship between Lord Shan and Association Leader Qin, how can we possibly disrespect them?!"

"Go away, go away! At worst, we'll just leave those two or three hundred pounds in the Cold Crow Mountain Range. We are hunters and herders; since we are nourished by the mountains, we should nourish them in return. It's only right that way."

To Yue Feng and the others' surprise, following Deng Baichuan's stern shout, about 54 patrolmen stepped forward.

Not only did Yue Feng's handsome face show surprise, but even Shao Meng, who spoke first, looked astonished. Gui Xiang remained expressionless, but his heart was in turmoil. "When it comes to bewitching people, Kang Dabao really has some skills."

Deng Baichuan merely nodded, showing no sign of delight.

Just as Yue Feng said, even if these Qi Refining Qi Refinement in the Thief-Catching Office have some courage, with only sixty or seventy patrolmen in formation, even if the formation is well-organized and leak-proof, they can at most restrain one Foundation Establishment from the Hongyi Sect, and it is not certain that they can play a significant role.

However, the Hongyi Sect had all the advantages. Deng Baichuan had only brought the patrolmen along for the sake of safety. He had only been in the Foundation Establishment stage for a short time and thought that he would have a hard time defeating even a Hongyi Sect cultivator in the early stages. Bringing the patrolmen along would at least give him more help.

Although their innate courage can come and go as it pleases, and it's hard to say how long it can last, this kind of courage is not something everyone can possess.

Deng Baichuan and Yue Feng looked at the patrolmen in the field with perfect understanding. There were about twenty of them, and they all looked dejected.

In the blink of an eye, without Deng and Yue exchanging a single word, two terrifying Sword Qi shot out from the arena in a crisscrossing pattern.

The sword light came too suddenly, and in the blink of an eye, it cut the unsuspecting and cowardly people in the arena into pieces.

A fierce glint appeared on Deng Baichuan's handsome face; he was truly furious. "You bunch of bastards are nothing but bandits and local tyrants? Do you think I'm some kind of peaceful cultivator?!"

Do you really think I can't kill people? You've received plenty of favors from the state government all this time, do you think you can decide whether to go or not just based on your own desires?! Anyone who dares to back down again will be killed without mercy!

However, this outburst visibly dampened the previously high morale of the crowd.

Yue Feng, who was also ruthless with him, smiled faintly, clearly pleased with this. But Deng Baichuan was not as clueless about human nature as Yue Feng thought.

Deng Baichuan then said, "The living will be rewarded, and the dead will be cared for. As long as you all fight bravely in this battle, those who return to the battlefield will be introduced to Foundation Establishment masters and begged for daughters from great clans!"

Regardless of how intense the gazes of these patrolmen were, even Yue Feng, who was standing shoulder to shoulder with Deng Baichuan, was taken aback for a moment, then smiled.

It seems that this young man from a respectable family in the capital region Cloud Horn Prefecture, has not wasted his time here and has learned something before returning home.

"Let's go!" Deng Baichuan boarded the flying boat first. After the last patrolman boarded, a young couple also jumped on. Without thinking much, he urged the boat to set sail.

--

The Daoist Black Shoes was injured, but after fighting Xue Wu for only a quarter of an hour, the Listening to the Spring Sword already showed a nick, and even the spiritual power in his body was almost completely depleted. This False Core was indeed not someone that an ordinary Foundation Establishment could defeat!

To be honest, the fact that Daoist Black Shoes, a mere early-stage cultivator, could fight him alone for a quarter of an hour without being defeated was actually beyond Xue Wu's imagination as a newly promoted Pill Master.

"What a pity! If the Supreme Elder hadn't specifically instructed me to come and recruit you, I wouldn't have wanted to get involved in this mess!" Xue Wu felt a pang of regret for his lack of talent.

Such talent is rare even in the entire Shannan Circuit region. It's a real pity that the Daoist Black Shoes was destined to achieve the Golden Core, only to be defeated by this fellow villager.

You reap what you sow! As a local cultivator of Cloud Horn Prefecture, you don't get closer to the Two Instruments Sect, but instead collude with the Cloud Horn Prefecture Court.

Among the few resident high-level cultivators in the Two Instruments Sect, can you name even one with a good temper?! Do you really think they'd just sit idly by and watch you smoothly progress to the Golden Core stage?!

"Why are you so inconsiderate, getting so close to Kuang Liuting?! Even if you included all the emperors of Great Wei royal family, could you possibly name a single good person?"

Xue Wu sighed again for the Daoist Black Shoes. The Two Instruments Sect was deeply rooted in these border states, and its position as local tyrant was as solid as Rock. As long as the Great Wei clan could not subdue the true master of Shannan Circuit, Star-Picking Pavilion, this fact would never change.

Even if Kuang Liuting becomes more lively after he Core Formation, it will be nothing more than a minor ailment to a behemoth like Star-Picking Pavilion.

Xue Wu saw things clearly and had unwavering faith in the views of his own Supreme Xie Yi, Jieyi Shangxiu. This was also why these high-ranking cultivators in charge of the Hongyi Sect, even though they all knew that the Two Instruments Sect was using them as pawns, had always accepted it willingly.

While the Two Instruments Sect cannot be entirely trusted, the Great Wei clan is absolutely not to be trifled with!

Seeing that the False Core -Daoist Black Shoes still had no intention of giving up and was still fighting with his sword, Xue Wu could no longer help but let out a sneer.

"Even a cornered beast will fight! Even now, why hasn't Kuang Liuting sent anyone to rescue you! You're a worthless Golden Leaf, utterly stupid as a pig. You rely on neither the Two Instruments Sect nor the Cloud Horn Prefecture Court, thinking yourself carefree, but you're nothing but a two-faced coward. It's no wonder no one came to your rescue!"

Overjoyed, Xue Wu conjured a watery ray in his hand. It was only a foot long and as thin as a thorn, yet it shone with dazzling light. Even the people in the two battle groups in the distance couldn't help but squint because of the ray.

The Daoist Black Shoes dared not be careless, and used his remaining spiritual power to slash with his sword.

"A mere grain of rice's light, how dare you?" Xue Wu had just finished laughing when he saw the water's radiance extinguished instantly by the Sword Qi. His tone faltered, and anger rose within him. "What a killing machine! I underestimated you!"

The last sword Sword Qi, comparable to that of False Core cultivator, dissipated along with Xue Wu's watery aura. The Daoist Black Shoes's face remained resolute, though a hint of uncertainty flickered in his eyes.

Enraged, Xue Wu brandished his long sleeves, ready to unleash his full power, when he heard a bloodcurdling scream from behind him.

He didn't stop moving, but instead extended his Divine Sense. It turned out that Kang Dabao saw that the Daoist Black Shoes was in dire straits. Relying on his Primordial Ancient Body, he survived a fierce blow from a short-clothed Foundation Establishment cultivator and still managed to rush to the front of the small-eyed Foundation Establishment.

This Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivator only possessed two top-grade magic Law Artifact —a sword and a shield—how could he possibly withstand the humanoid beast that Sect Leader Kang Da?!

His natal Spirit Artifact had already been destroyed, so he had no chance to run away. In the blink of an eye, Kang Dabao's iron palm gripped his neck. The small-eyed Foundation Establishment felt that the veins on Sect Leader Kang Da's arm were three times longer than his own life.

"Crack!" At this moment, Kang Dabao's hands were full of flesh and blood from the small-eyed Foundation Establishment cultivator being squeezed into a muddy mess. The latter's long tongue was sticking out, and its two eyeballs rolled to the ground. All the bones in its body were shattered by the compression.

With injuries like that, how could he possibly survive!

Just as he was feeling quite invigorated by the sight of his silver blade stained red, the Foundation Establishment in short robes suddenly felt a chill and was about to ask Wu Cangyun and the others, who were still locked in a fierce battle with Jiang Qing and the other two, for help.

However, Kang Dabao, who was already full of momentum, did not even look at him. Instead, his face was full of madness. He held the Black Abyss War Banner bowl, with spiritual light at the sharp tip of the banner. He rushed towards Xue Wu, who was about to deliver a fatal blow to the Daoist Black Shoes.

For a brief moment, everyone in the room was stunned.

A moment later, screams erupted!

"Son-in-law, wait!"

"Madman!"

"Are you looking for death?!"

"Senior brother!" Jiang Qing abandoned all defense and suddenly sprang up, his White Dew splashing out, startling the mid-stage cultivator opposite him into giving way. However, he was still slashed on the shoulder by a sword and cried out in pain.

However, with his spiritual energy nearly depleted, it was impossible for Jiang Qing to leave. He only took half a step before Wu Cangyun stopped him.

The old cultivator had lost most of his fighting strength, but even though he was being overwhelmed by the crazed Jiang Qing, he showed no fear. The more frenzied Jiang Qing became, the happier he was. "A spent arrow cannot pierce even the finest silk," he thought, his madness wouldn't last much longer!

If I take the head off this Ice Leaf Foundation Establishment first, and after my master has dealt with Daoist Black Shoes and Kang Dabao, looking back, I might still be able to salvage some of his impression of me.

The Daoist Black Shoes also showed a strange look when he saw Kang Dabao rushing desperately towards Xue Wu. How was this any different from a moth flying into a flame?! But in that instant, Kang Dabao's robust figure seemed to overlap and merge with the image of the upright and unyielding man in his mind.

"Uncle-Master, run!"

This shout made the Daoist Black Shoes tremble. The guilt he had suppressed for many years surged up in his heart again, and his shame was so obvious that it seemed to bleed.

The flicker of uncertainty in his eyes vanished instantly. The Daoist Black Shoes glared and gritted his teeth, his mind made up. He took out something, determined to slaughter this villain before him!

"What audacity!"

I've been far too kind, which has emboldened all sorts of people to act aggressively towards me!

Enraged, Xue Wu laughed coldly. He paused in his movements, formed a mysterious hand seal, and the water light dissipated. Countless water droplets condensed into ice points, transforming into thin blades that reflected back behind him, intending to slice the arrogant fellow into dust.

Despite the fury of the False Core, Sect Leader Kang Da showed no fear whatsoever.

He miscalculated. When he used Wu Cangyun and his grandson as bait, he only thought that the Daoist Black Shoes was almost invincible under the False Core, but he did not expect that the Hongyi Sect would be so bold as to actually send out False Core.

If the calculation was wrong, then it was wrong. Kang Dabao could not possibly sit idly by and watch the Daoist Black Shoes perish here.

Sect Leader Kang Da had thought that the wisp of Azure Smoke of Creation within his Primordial Gourd could be preserved for a while, so that he could eventually take away a Golden Core cultivator, Nascent Soul True Person cultivator, or even use it to meet Kang Yilong again. But unexpectedly, today, Xue Wu, a False Core cultivator, would enjoy this blessing.

Just then, Deng Baichuan, Yue Feng, and Gui Xiang also sailed their flying boat to the outside of the battle zone.

The scene before us may seem complicated and redundant, but it's obvious to anyone with a discerning eye.

All three, like Kang Dabao, were only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage. Upon seeing this scene, they all showed expressions of shock and fear.

Deng Baichuan's arrogance vanished, replaced by a hint of respect; Yue Feng, on the other hand, wore a solemn expression, lost in thought; Gui Xiang, suppressing his joy, felt a sense of relief, as if reborn.

On the flying boat, Shao Meng's beautiful eyes were filled with tears, her white hair at her temples faded, and she was about to sob aloud. At the stern, Jin Shilun, holding his beautiful wife, cried out in anguish, "Master!"

Neither Sect Leader Kang Da nor Xue Wu could see the surrounding scene. The former only saw that the banner in his hand had been frozen by the ice blades, making it look like cold iron and unable to unfurl in the wind.

His already bloodshot eyes stung from the cold air, and two more streaks of blood flowed down them.

Even though the endless ice blades were already within reach, the Primordial Gourd hanging at his waist remained motionless. Sect Leader Kang Da couldn't help but panic, feeling the chill seep into his heart.

If it weren't for Jade Leaf Dao Foundation risking his life to generate a large amount of jade energy that rapidly flowed from his Dantian through the eight extraordinary meridians and twelve regular meridians, he would have been in a hopeless situation without even needing the ice blade to strike him.

"Could it be that I miscalculated?! There was only one wisp of the Azure Smoke of Creation in the gourd, and it was used on the Eldest of the Liu Household?" Despite being in an icy prison, Kang Dabao was shocked and his whole body was burning hot.

The fine sweat that was about to seep out from his forehead froze into ice, and even the large amount of heat emanating from his Baihui acupoint instantly turned into snow crystals.

"Fool!" Xue Wu merely sneered. Such are the people who have only just entered the Foundation Establishment stage. How dare they offend False Core Formation cultivator? They deserve to be killed!

The Daoist Black Shoes looked anxious, the hesitation in his eyes had long since vanished, and a precious object in his arms shone brightly. Just as he was about to take it out, the Daoist Black Shoes saw the change in Kang Dabao and his face lit up with wild joy, his movements faltering.

Just as Kang Dabao was worried that the gourd at his waist was not moving, an ice blade was about to cut into the Primordial Ancient Body that he had relied on for so long.

Suddenly, Sect Leader Kang Da noticed a change happening to him; a surge of violent lightning power erupted from his shoulder. Just as he sensed something amiss, his robes burst open, revealing a lifelike Thunder Swallow Rune on his shoulder.

Kang Dabao was shirtless in the icy prison, but he didn't feel cold. Instead, he felt that the rune made him feel incredibly warm, and his hands and feet were sweating.

Thunder Swallow appeared, dark clouds gathered, and a fierce wind suddenly arose.

Unlike the radiant Sect Leader Kang Da, the sect leader's face suddenly fell, revealing a different side of Xue Wu, whose confidence had been building.

In a mere instant, the imposing ice blade prison that the False Core had originally constructed for Kang Dabao collapsed with a deafening roar. The Thunder Swallow Rune had barely appeared when the ice blades were struck back to their original form by the thunderous energy, turning into dewdrops and losing all their ferocity.

"This is bad!!!" Xue Wu Fang Yi clearly, and a chill ran down his spine. He unleashed all his best defensive techniques—talismans, Spirit Artifact, array plates—without holding back!

Since it's False Core, why would it do anything useless?

As a bolt of white lightning descended from the sky, sounding like the horn of a charge, Kang Dabao felt a heat on his shoulder as the Thunder Swallow materialized, its cry rising high.

With a "boom," a huge swarm of Thunder Swallow suddenly burst forth from Sect Leader Kang Da's shoulder, their sheer number almost blotting out the sky.

"Aaaaaah!!!!" Xue Wu's face was filled with horror. "How could this be?! How could Kuang Liuting have left such a trick on such a lowly person?! Impossible!"

Even though Xue Wu found it hard to believe, the flock of Thunder Swallow rushing towards them was absolutely true.

"Is this the method by which one can capture Golden Core cultivator alive?!"

Seeing that Xue Wu's defensive measures had been shattered by the surging Thunder Swallow, leaving not even a trace, and that the situation was already precarious, the Daoist Black Shoes couldn't help but feel a hint of envy. He withdrew the treasure in his bosom, his ambition already formed, unbreakable.

"Regret!!" The Second-Tier Supreme-Grade protective array plate was shattered with a bang. Seeing that there was no chance of turning back, Xue Wu shed tears of blood and closed his eyes to await death.

With no one coming to the rescue, the momentum was unstoppable. Thunder Swallow converged, mercilessly reducing Xue Wu to ashes.

Today Hongyi Sect suffers a series of setbacks, losing both the Foundation Establishment and the False Core!

As the smoke cleared and the Thunder Swallow subsided, Xue Wu, who had occupied a large area, was now reduced to scorched earth. This once arrogant False Core was now indistinguishable from the barren land.

This happened so suddenly that even the main Sect Leader Kang Da, was not immediately recovered from his shock, let alone the others. He touched his shoulder, where the Thunder Swallow Rune had disappeared, leaving only snow-white skin, and wondered in astonishment, "When did the Earl of Nan'an plant this life-saving measure in himself?!"

Looking at the pile of Xue Wu, he curled his lip and said, "This Thunder Swallow is even more powerful than the Azure Smoke of Creation; not even a single hair can be left behind."

Wu Cangyun was much more reliable than Sect Leader Kang Da. Seeing the Daoist Black Shoes had once again picked up the Listening to the Spring Sword, he instantly remembered his mission, his legs trembled, and he knelt on the ground. "I surrender! I surrender!!"

The remaining members of the Hongyi Sect were clearly very intelligent. Looking around, they saw Kang Dabao, who had killed the False Core cultivator; the Daoist Black Shoes, who had withstood the False Core cultivator without a moment's defeat; Jiang, Sun, and Mo, who had fought fiercely without losing; the three newly arrived Foundation Establishment cultivators; and a whole ship full of Qi Refinement.

Intelligent people naturally learn quickly.

The Spirit Artifact fell to the ground, and his knees buckled. Being afraid of death isn't shameful; if given a choice, Xue Wu, even if he were buried in the ground, would probably be willing to pull himself back up and kneel here.

High above in the void, Kuang Liuting withdrew his slightly surprised gaze and smiled at Li Yun before him, saying, "Sect Leader Li, did you stop me just to let me sit and watch this scene?"

Li Yun ignored Kuang Liuting's sarcastic remark. "Earl of Nan'an, shall we talk?!"

Thank you all for reading, subscribing, voting, and commenting!

(I'll make up for all the donations and monthly tickets tomorrow; it's gotten colder today, and I'm really struggling to stay awake.)