Slaying an Enemy in Battle

"Middle!"

Ye Zhengwen held the Ruyi and unleashed a seven-colored ray of light, burning through the robes of a middle-aged True Cultivator with red hair and red eyes, revealing his back covered in rotten flesh.

Ye Zhengwen could even see the red-haired True Cultivator's internal organs writhing inside, but when the screams rang in his ears, there was not a trace of pity in his eyes.

A soft-hearted person would find it difficult to survive in the cultivation world of Shannan Circuit, let alone attain the Foundation Establishment. If the roles were reversed, this red-haired True Cultivator would still not hold back.

The red-haired True Cultivator was severely injured, but he dared not stop for even a moment and continued to flee for his life.

However, a talisman appeared beneath Ye Zhengwen's feet, and his Movement Method became much faster. The Ruyi Scepter in his hand shone Ruyi light again, and the red -True Cultivator haired cultivator, unable to dodge in time, had his internal organs, which were completely exposed, pulverized by the light. With such injuries, how could he possibly still be alive?

After picking up the red-haired True Cultivator's Storage Bag, Ye Zhengwen sighed. This opponent was no weaker than him, yet he had died so easily at his hands.

However, just looking at the endless stream of pursuing troops behind them, although they were completely chaotic and disorganized, each of them was full of imposing momentum, one could understand why the red -True Cultivator haired cultivator dared not stop for even a moment.

In such a situation, fleeing for one's life might offer a sliver of hope for survival, but staying behind to entangle with the pursuers would only make one a scapegoat for those who escaped faster.

Ye Zhengwen had cultivated for many years and experienced countless battles, but this was the first time he had ever seen a battle where a Storage Bag could be picked up so easily. He couldn't help but feel a little regretful, thinking that if he had brought the Azure Jue Guard with him, the younger generation could have made a small fortune as well.

The moment this thought crossed his mind, Ming Zhe, who had fallen behind, caught up. The latter had just fought against a fellow cultivator of the same level with three or four Zheng Household True Cultivator; there was no reason why he couldn't defeat him.

The Zheng Household was surprisingly generous. Ming Zhe had a brand-new low-grade Spirit Artifact flying sword hanging at his waist, and a look of joy appeared on his face.

"Senior Martial Uncle Ye, Ming Zhe is late."

Ye Zhengwen smiled and indicated that it was alright. He looked up and saw that this time the pursuit had covered at least three or four hundred miles, but he still couldn't see his sect leader. Heaven knows where Sect Leader Sect Leader Kang Da had gone with several Pill Masters.

Ye Zhengwen still retained his rationality and was not swept forward by the red-eyed people behind him. Instead, he pulled Ming Zhe out of the crowd and stood in a quiet corner to calm his mind.

"We've taken advantage of enough; let's rest for a bit. Even a rabbit will bite when cornered; our cultivation levels are not high enough, and it would be too dangerous to act rashly."

Ming Zhe was very respectful, and after responding, a hint of worry appeared on his face. "But Senior Martial Uncle Ye, our Grand Master Uncle is still ahead, what about us?"

Ye Zhengwen narrowed his one eye, a smile on his face, "It's alright. Although the sect leader is greedy, he's also very good at seeking advantage and avoiding harm. In this skill, not to mention we're far inferior, even those high-level cultivators are probably not as good as him. You don't need to worry about it, kid."

That's what the elders all said, so although Ming Zhe couldn't say he was completely at ease, he still took the pill and began to regulate his breathing.

Few in the arena acted like them. The Storage Bag was so tempting, and their opponents were so cowardly; taking their lives would be effortless. How many could still retain their rationality?

You see, if they could kill just one more person of the same rank this time, they might save themselves years of hard work. Who wouldn't be tempted?

The large group of people hurried past the uncle and nephew. Some were indifferent, some looked surprised, some snickered, and some, seeing that the two were alone, harbored malicious intentions.

Cultivators blinded by Spirit Stone are unlikely to retain their rationality. After all, this team was assembled rather hastily, with not only various sects that obeyed the state court coming to serve, but also those audacious rogue Rogue Cultivator came to earn resources.

In this chaotic world, anyone who sees a weak but wealthy person is slaughtered without hesitation. I doubt anyone can clear up the mess afterward.

However, the moment this audacious individual approached Ye Zhengwen and Ming Zhe, he was dazzled and his mind was cleared by the six-petaled blue lotus Dao seal on their clothes.

"Damn it, people from the Chongming Sect."

Even now, the title of Sect Leader Kang Da still carries considerable weight, no less so than that of an ordinary False Core. After all, his reputation for being "vindictive and fond of bullying women" is so widespread—how many Rogue Cultivators in the entire Shannan Circuit could possibly be unafraid of him?

Ye Zhengwen was perfectly clear-headed. Although he was prepared, he was not flustered. He simply smiled and bowed to the Rogue Cultivator in front of him, which was considered a greeting. However, no matter what expression he had, his face was not friendly, which immediately frightened the Rogue Cultivator, whose face darkened and who bowed and took his leave.

Ming Zhe suddenly lowered his grip on the sword hilt and sighed softly, "Senior Martial Uncle Ye is right. These Rogue Cultivator are all afraid of power but lack virtue; they are nothing but a menace."

Ye Zhengwen smiled, said nothing more, did some quick calculations, pondered for a while, and then said to Ming Zhe, "That's enough, it's time to go back."

Ming Zhe was taken aback. Before he could ask any questions, he heard a commotion ahead. Ye Zhengwen's expression turned serious, and he grabbed Ming Zhe and turned to leave.

What happened?

Those with quick legs caught up with the two in a few strides, only to be stopped by Ye Zhengwen and questioned. They were initially impatient, but not wanting to get entangled with the former, they could only briefly call out:

"They rushed ahead too quickly. The reinforcements arranged by the Two Instruments Sect didn't come to help. Instead, they set up a trap and arrayed their forces, trapping and killing many of our comrades!"

"Phew, so even the Two Instruments Sect has someone knowledgeable in military affairs." Ye Zhengwen murmured, but he was no longer as confident as before and began to worry about the safety of Sect Leader Kang Da.

At this point, it would be impossible to turn back and search. The fleeing soldiers, out of control, would dare to slash even Golden Core Law Artifact with their magic weapons. How could an ordinary person possibly rush past them?

However, after only about fifteen minutes, Ye Zhengwen noticed that the line behind him was starting to thin out.

"What other unexpected event has occurred?" Even Ming Zhe began to have doubts. Ye Zhengwen did not want to dwell on it. Taking the former back to Old Ox Mountain to make some preparations and wait for news was the safest option, even if it was fruitless.

But the surrounding comments made him stop in his tracks.

"The enemy has turned the tide again! Fei's Yingshan army arrived and broke through the great formation. Pu Yue, the main commander of the Liangyi Sect, was killed by Yue Lin, the main commander of the Liangyi Sect, and the formation collapsed completely!"

"All eleven Pill Master of the Two Instruments Sect Fang Yi were defeated and fled, none of them escaped injury!"

"Sect Leader Kang of the Chongming Sect possesses unparalleled halberd skills. In a single battle, he slew four opponents of the same rank, including Changning Sect Ge Qinglan of Changning Sect. His bravery is unmatched!"

"Yingshan Army abandoned their pursuit of the Golden Core cultivator and caught up? In that case, the Dan Master Pu Yue's fault lies not in the battle itself. No matter how ingenious his plans were, how could he possibly stop them?! It's a pity that all his hard work was wasted and he still lost his life."

Ye Zhengwen murmured to himself for a moment, then turned back with Ming Zhe.

However, this time it wasn't to find someone's Storage Bag, but rather because he was in a hurry to check on the safety of Sect Leader Kang Da.

With so many rumors circulating, who can say for sure how much of them are credible? Heaven knows whether Sect Leader Kang Da was actually surrounded by Ge Qinglan and her Ge Household's True Cultivator, or whether he truly killed her.

After initial victories followed by defeats, and then victories again, the ranks became even more chaotic. The majority tried to pursue, while smaller groups tried to escape, resulting in a chaotic and disorganized scene. Ye Zhengwen and Ming Zhe exerted considerable effort to finally squeeze a path through the crowd. After about half an hour, they saw a battalion of soldiers returning, their ranks neatly arranged and their movements cautious.

Those cultivators who were still hoping to take advantage of the situation at the front calmed down upon seeing this scene, slowed their pace, and turned back.

Anyone could see that the Cloud Horn Prefecture Court was backing down, or, according to those cultivators, that they hadn't completely broken ties with the Two Instruments Sect after all.

After all, although this event seemed quite lively, with Fei Nanying making his first move after achieving the Golden Core stage, it was actually just a minor skirmish. Not a single Golden Core cultivator died, so there was no real conflict. Therefore, the state court was probably Ruyi with the small gain it made.

In particular, even now, Fei Nanying and the other cultivators still don't know what Mo Hegu is looking for within the Five States.

A battle can be fought, but a foolish battle should be avoided if possible. Perhaps, in Fei Nanying's opinion, figuring out the truth of this matter is far more important than eliminating these Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement cultivators who have betrayed us.

Ye Zhengwen snapped out of his thoughts and took a closer look. He realized that the person walking in front of the Ying Mountain Army was none other than the Sect Leader Kang Da!

Kang Dabao, riding a tall, spirited steed that he had somehow managed to seize from some unfortunate cultivator, was chatting and laughing with Fei Bofeng and Fei Zhongyun as they rode in front of the army formation.

Judging from his appearance, he showed no signs of being seriously injured, let alone looking disheveled.

Ye Zhengwen was relieved. He led Ming Zhe forward to greet the two deputy generals of the Ying Mountain Army, and then silently followed them to the front of Sect Leader Kang Da.

Those who had rushed over to take advantage of the situation realized they were too slow, which was regrettable, but they also knew the gravity of the situation. So they stopped and returned with the Ying Mountain Army.

The atmosphere in the group was excellent. Although many families lost their children and disciples during the pursuit, the Storage Bag in their arms provided some comfort, so they were not too heartbroken.

Compared to the other side who lost face and money, their situation was much better, so they should be happy. The cries of grief were quickly drowned out by the noise. Some impatient people wished they could just set up a barter fair on the spot.

However, the Ying Mountain Army, commanded by the brothers Fei Bofeng and Fei Zhongyun, remained disciplined and vigilant, far superior to the disorganized and unruly troops around them.

Fortunately, the journey was uneventful. The Two Instruments Sect had indeed suffered a defeat and was temporarily unable to find trouble with the Ying Mountain Army.

Only half a day after the group arrived at Old Ox Mountain, Kang Dabao and his two companions received orders to disperse and Gui Household. According to Fei Granny Liu and the Acting Sima Gun, Fei Nanying had gone to chase after Mo Hegu and had no intention of keeping Sect Leader Kang Da behind to give him any instructions.

The latter's original plan to take advantage of the great victory to Fei Nanying to invite Jiang Qing back to his clan was thwarted. However, there was nothing he could do but return to Little Ring Mountain with the instructions to "go back and search carefully, and report any abnormalities in time".

Along the way, Kang Dabao ran into an acquaintance again. Zhou Yun, Senior Cultivator Wufeng's prized disciple, didn't look too good, but Sect Leader Kang Da considerately didn't ask any questions.

However, based on his private speculation, it was probably because Senior Cultivator Wufeng had difficulty retrieving the black arrow Law Treasure that Huang Siniang had taken away, which was why Zhou Yun, as his disciple, was also in a bad mood.

After racking his brains for a long time, Sect Leader Kang Da finally picked something good to say in his greetings, "I've heard that Senior Wufeng will soon be establishing his sect in Ding Prefecture. When that time comes, please don't forget to tell me that I must pay a visit to offer my congratulations."

"Not at all. Everyone around here knows that you, Daoist, are skilled in management. Even the stewards of wealthy families are far superior. In the future, I, Zhou, will have to visit you often to seek your guidance on the methods of governing the clan. I hope you will not hesitate to offer your instruction."

Even after Senior Cultivator Wufeng's sect was established, there were still many loose ends to clean up.

Now that Senior Cultivator Wufeng has lost his natal magic Law Treasure, his abilities are likely to decline further. Afterwards, Ding Prefecture will probably become even more unstable due to the attacks by Tai Shang Jieyi Xie Yi of the Hongyi Sect.

However, there was no need to tell these worries and troubles to an outsider like Sect Leader Kang Da. Zhou Yun and Kang Dabao agreed to visit each other in a few days to discuss matters concerning the management of spirit fields and markets, and then they parted ways.

With no outsiders around, Ye Zhengwen suddenly asked, "Did the sect leader really kill Ge Qinglan?"

The Sect Leader Kang Da, was slightly taken aback by the question, then nodded. He took out an item and handed it to Ye Zhengwen, saying, "Please offer this as a small token of respect at Junior Brother Chu's grave."

Ye Zhengwen took the head without expression. Ming Zhe leaned closer to the head and saw that the old woman's expression was extremely ugly. Her face, which resembled a withered tree, was filled with disbelief.

Ming Zhe thought to himself, "Perhaps this is what they mean by 'dying with eyes wide open'?"

Ge Qinglan probably couldn't have foreseen that, after only a few years, when she met Kang Dabao again, the latter would be able to easily and effortlessly remove her head without expending any effort, as if it were a casual remark.

After doing all this, Kang Dabao felt no sense of satisfaction at having avenged his great enemy; it was as if he had done something ordinary.

The matter of the Changning Sect will not end with the death of an old woman like Ge Qinglan. We should take it slow. In any case, it is they who are now restless and unable to eat or sleep.

Ye Zhengwen carefully put away Ge Qinglan's head, then said, "I'll handle this matter after we return to the sect. We can also call Junior Brother Pei out to join us. He's been secluded in his alchemy retreat for a long time; this is a good opportunity for him to get some fresh air."

"No, leave this matter to Ming Zhe."

The remaining two were startled by the voice, but Sect Leader Kang Da said again, "Old Ye, you should come with me to Chongming City first. The things that Two Instruments Sect Mo Hegu found must be of great importance. All the lives lost today are due to this matter. If they are really hiding within our Chongming Sect's territory, I'm afraid it will cause a huge problem."

"Understood,"

"Yes,"

After the two responded, Kang Dabao, who had been fighting fiercely, finally couldn't resist the drowsiness in his heart and sat cross-legged on the flying boat to take a nap. When he opened his eyes again, he saw that Ye Zhengwen had already driven the Kui Star Shuttle to the Chongming City the city gates were tightly closed.

----- In Chongming City

The slightly creaking, mottled red door made an unpleasant sound when it opened.

Shang Baijiang glanced at the old steward behind him, whose face had turned pale with fright. He took a deep breath and cautiously peeked out. Seeing that it was the military officer who had inspected the house a few days ago, his face immediately lit up with a fawning expression. "What brings you here today, sir?"

The military academy officer frowned, and after confirming that the young cultivator behind him showed no unusual expression, he reprimanded, "What are you trying to get close to? I don't have time to chat with you today. Open the door quickly, don't delay the immortal master's inspection."

"Yes, yes, yes! I will open the door to welcome you right away!" Shang Baijiang trembled at the shout and immediately opened the main gate wide.

He Chang had considerable influence in Chongming City. The house that Kang Rongguang chose for the Shang Household was in a very good location, with three courtyards, and even the money, food, and servants were readily available, so they could move in with just their satchels.

Despite He Chang's considerable influence, this family of unknown origin still received special attention during the city lord's massive search operation.

The rest of the Shang Household were unremarkable. Even their leader, Shang Baijiang, was only rudimentary in martial arts. Despite being over forty, he had not yet reached the level of Bone Refining and had little future to speak of.

The old man they pulled up was the only one with many suspicious points. The military academy that was investigating had come with people, and they dared not neglect him and reported to the city lord's mansion. The Rogue Cultivator Daoist Ning had also come, and he felt that he was indeed an ordinary martial artist, but he was not sure, so he reported it as well. This attracted the attention of Song Cheng, the patrol disciple of the Chongming Sect Punishment Hall, who came to investigate in person.

As Shang Baijiang led the way, his tone was filled with remorse. "I dare not deceive you, Immortal Master. I have always been a kind-hearted person since I was a child. I just never thought that after saving this old man in the middle of the river, it would cause you, the soldier, and the Immortal Master to come and check on me again and again. It is truly my fault."

No wonder he was somewhat apprehensive about the military academy's visit; the extensive search over the past few days had yielded few unusual findings, but a large number of local scoundrels and sycophants had been swept out of Chongming City.

Whether they are local tyrants who oppress the good and kind, or martial arts masters who run the Unity Society, if they commit crimes, they will only be dragged to the city center and beheaded.

With heads rolling in, how could Shang Baijiang not be afraid?

Song Cheng smiled and offered a few words of reassurance, but the military academy urged Shang Baijiang to hurry up. Before long, the group arrived at the room where the old man in the black robe was being housed.

It was clear that Shang Baijiang had put in a lot of effort; the earthen bed in the room was very warm, and a pretty maidservant was attending to him in case anything happened.

"There's nothing unusual." Song Cheng examined the area, his brows furrowing as he did so.

The military academy student's expression relaxed, and Shang Baijiang also let out a long sigh, "Phew, thanks to the Dao Ancestor's protection! Immortal Master, you have no idea how anxious I've been these past few days! I consulted several doctors, and they all said this old man couldn't be cured. If I wasn't afraid of being accused of having a guilty conscience, I would have dragged him out and thrown him away long ago! In this world, how can saving someone lead to disaster! Really!"

Song Cheng didn't find Shang Baijiang's rambling annoying; instead, he listened attentively and, after understanding the whole story, said, "Since Shang's friend has no kinship with him and the doctor can't cure him, it's better to relieve him of his suffering."

"Ah?! Yes!! Immortal Master is right!" Shang Baijiang, who was used to killing people, immediately understood the meaning behind Song Cheng's words and drew his short knife, stabbing it towards the black-robed old man's heart.

"Pfft"

The black robe ripped open along with the old man's skin, and blood spurted out, soaking Shang Baijiang and the military academy officer, but they didn't get close to Song Cheng. The latter, his brow furrowed, was still uneasy seeing that the old man had truly stopped breathing, and so he gave another instruction:

"Burn it. Since you, Friend Shang, are so kind-hearted, why don't you make room for this old man in the ancestral hall and share some of the offerings?"

"Absolutely! Absolutely! The Immortal Master has considered everything so thoroughly!"

Without a second thought, Shang Baijiang, ignoring the pale-faced maid beside him, picked up the still-warm old man in black robes and shoved him into the earthen bed.

Song Cheng opened his eyes and saw that the old man was indeed being charred by the fire in the kang (heated brick bed), and only then did he feel relieved.

He wasn't heartless; he just felt that in these turbulent times, it was best to be cautious. Even if he were to take a step back, he was just an old martial arts practitioner of unknown origin, already struggling to survive.

"Sorry to bother you!"

Song Cheng ignored the mortal military officer who had brought him there and immediately left with his fists clasped. Shang and Jun bowed deeply and saw him off with great ceremony. The pretty maid was so frightened that she burst into tears, which annoyed Shang Baijiang. After Song Cheng left, he sent her away.

The moment the pretty maid left, Shang Baijiang's once vibrant complexion vanished, and the military officer beside him also had a face as pale as paper.

The opening of the kang (a heated brick bed) was gently pushed open from the inside, and a large, charred hand emerged first, followed by a blackened, charred corpse.

The "charcoal corpse" stood up, glanced in the direction Song Cheng had left, a few bits of debris were squeezed off his eyelids, and then all the charred dead skin on his body fell off, revealing his original appearance.

"That's cautious enough, but unfortunately, caution is useless."