Chapter 376: Fierce Battle

Wei Ziyang and the others walked along the city wall for over an hour.

They had ascended the city wall from the East City Gate, circled a large loop along the wall, and descended from the North City side.

The group descended from the city wall and headed toward the County Government Office.

They turned from an alley entrance into West Street and walked forward a distance, when Wei Tian, who was following behind, suddenly felt his eyelids twitch; he saw that the small, thin beggar was huddled there at the base of a wall not far away.

In truth, Duan Rong had been following them the whole way, and had only huddled in this spot a short while before them.

As the group walked past, Wei Tian could not help but take a few extra looks at the little beggar, seeing his hair full of grease and dirt, matted into clumps, a patch of sores growing on his face, and his arms, exposed by his tattered clothes, as thin as hemp stalks...

Wei Tian looked for a few moments and could almost be certain that this little beggar's lethality was near zero; even a slightly fierce wild dog could harm him.

Wei Ziyang and the others walked directly into the County Office, while Wei Tian returned once more to that dilapidated carriage; seeing that Wei Ziyang had already entered the County Office, he fished a handful of melon seeds from his pocket and began to gnaw on them slowly.

Wei Ziyang walked straight with long strides into the flower hall in the back courtyard of the Ya Men, sat down unceremoniously, looked at the few people, and said, "Alright! I have seen what I needed to see. I will be leaving in a moment!"

Sun Qian and Ruan Fengshan were both startled. They had not expected Wei Ziyang to be so swift and decisive, without any hesitation. But Ge Qinglei just sat there expressionlessly, evidently already accustomed to Wei Ziyang's style.

Sun Qian pondered slightly, as if he still wanted to say something.

Wei Ziyang said in a deep voice once more: "I am taking the map of the Xiangu County layout on the desk! Also, one of you two must come with me to the Total Altar!"

"Ah..."

Neither Sun Qian nor Ruan Fengshan had expected Wei Ziyang to suddenly make such a request.

Ge Qinglei said, "What are you 'ah-ing' about? You should be happy. Having one of you go means Lord Wei intends to report the situation in Xiangu to the Total Altar in detail. This shows he values you. Let's do this: Sun Qian has an official position after all and cannot be away for long. Ruan Fengshan, you go with Lord Wei to the Total Altar."

Ruan Fengshan's eyes flickered, as if he were weighing the matter.

Ge Qinglei said, "What? Still thinking about something? This is an honor for you, kid! Even I, a Hall Master, can only go to the Total Altar when I receive a summons."

Ruan Fengshan then cupped his hands and said, "Fengshan will strictly obey the order!"

Ruan Fengshan had already thought it through; in Xiangu County, he still had those two big troubles, Duan Rong and Xiao Yu, and he could not keep hiding in the Secret Chamber. He would just take this opportunity to go to the Total Altar with the Dharma Envoy. After the business at the Total Altar was finished, he would not be in a hurry to return, but would hide outside for a few months.

He would leave those two troubles, Duan Rong and Xiao Yu, for Sun Qian to resolve.

Sun Qian looked at Ruan Fengshan, seeing through his thoughts as clearly as a fire. But letting Ruan Fengshan go to the Total Altar was the order of the Dharma Envoy Wei Ziyang, and he could only obey.

"Very well! There is no time to lose, we leave now!" As Wei Ziyang spoke, he stood up from the grand armchair with a 'thump'.

Outside the County Office, it was already the Shen hour of the afternoon.

Duan Rong was huddled at the base of the wall, but the eyes hidden behind his greasy hair were flashing with a clear, bright light. At this moment, on West Street near the County Government Office, there were over a dozen experts of the True Qi Realm disguised and lurking in various places. Having followed and investigated all the way, he had locked onto every one of them.

Duan Rong looked up again at the deep blue sky, where a few white clouds were floating peacefully. He had heard from Wei Ziyang's words in the flower hall of the County Government Office that they would be leaving immediately, but where was the Sect's support?

It is no wonder the Filthy Blood Sect has not been suppressed for so many years; this Sect has truly become rotten!

With two such big fish, even when given the chance, you are still useless!

Thinking this, Duan Rong glanced faintly at the teahouse diagonally opposite. He knew that Ximen Kankan and the others were sitting in that teahouse, waiting for his decision.

Should he strike or let them go?

At a street-facing window on the second floor of the teahouse, Ximen Kankan, Shen Mizhi, and Liu Shushan were sitting around a table.

At another window two tables away, Yang Zhen was sitting there; Yang Zhen was only here to watch, and with his cultivation realm, he could not participate in a battle of this level at all.

Shen Mizhi lowered her voice and said, "When exactly are we going to move? We've been sitting here dryly for a whole day!"

Ximen Kankan pinched a lotus bean and chewed it in his mouth; he stared at Duan Rong, who was still huddled opposite, and ignored Shen Mizhi.

Just at this moment, Duan Rong suddenly stood up.

Ximen Kankan's gaze immediately tightened, and he said, "It's coming!"

Shen Mizhi and Liu Shushan also immediately fixed their eyes on the scene across the street outside the window.

Duan Rong had been hesitant before; after all, the Sect's support had not arrived, and attacking Wei Ziyang and Ge Qinglei was still a bit risky.

But he had suddenly heard that Wei Ziyang was going to take Ruan Fengshan to the Total Altar, and Ruan Fengshan had agreed.

If he allowed Wei Ziyang to take Ruan Fengshan away, once Ruan Fengshan left, who knew when Xiao Zongting's revenge would ever be avenged!

He had investigated for days and gathered people from everywhere; if he couldn't even keep Ruan Fengshan in the end, how could he have the face to answer to Xiao Yu?

Having reached this point, he had no choice but to strike!

Wei Ziyang was at the True Qi Realm Great Perfection, Ge Qinglei was at the True Qi Realm Fourth Layer, and the rest were not worth mentioning!

But in truth, the person Duan Rong feared most was still Wei Ziyang. He always felt that a Total Altar Dharma Envoy could not have only this much skill!

However, he had already thought of how to deal with Wei Ziyang. It was precisely because of this consideration that he had the confidence to strike!

When Duan Rong stood up from the base of the wall, Wei Tian was slightly stunned, his gaze immediately locking onto the little beggar; he saw that after the little beggar stood up, he only walked with slow steps into an alley not far away...

The moment Duan Rong walked into the alley, Ximen Kankan had already stood up from his seat; Duan Rong walked into the alley and suddenly looked up toward a window on the second floor of the teahouse.

Duan Rong and Ximen Kankan looked at each other across West Street. Duan Rong then suddenly leaped into a courtyard at his side.

In the cramped courtyard, Xiao Yu was sitting on the threshold of the main room, having already waited impatiently.

The moment Duan Rong leaped in, she stood up with a start.

The two looked at each other, but neither spoke.

Xiao Yu knew that the moment for true revenge had arrived!

The bones all over Duan Rong's body suddenly let out a series of crackling sounds, and his figure grew larger in circles amidst this sound; after a few breaths, he had recovered his original stature.

Duan Rong dashed into the kitchen, tied the Minghong Saber to his waist, strapped the quiver containing nineteen black iron Arrows to his leg, and then, gripping the Black Python Bow, stood in the center of the courtyard.

Duan Rong's Divine Sense was still extended; he saw that at the gate of the County Government Office, Wei Ziyang had already walked out.

Wei Ziyang and Ge Qinglei walked in front with long strides, while Ruan Fengshan followed behind the two, holding a scroll of drawings. Sun Qian saw the three off, walking all the way to the outside of the gate; since there were many people in the market, they only nodded in farewell, and Wei Ziyang, Ge Qinglei, and Ruan Fengshan stepped onto that dilapidated carriage.

Wei Tian pulled the reins and whipped the old horse twice; only then did the old horse snort through its nose and pull the dilapidated carriage forward with a creaking sound.

Sun Qian stood there, watching the carriage move away.

Inside the carriage, Wei Ziyang seemed tired and began to close his eyes to rest as soon as he entered. Ge Qinglei sat there coldly, not saying a word. The carriage was somewhat cramped, and as it swayed, Ruan Fengshan's body would occasionally bump into Wei Ziyang beside him, which he could not help but find somewhat awkward.

Sun Qian stood at the entrance of the County Government Office, seeing that the dilapidated carriage had already moved about three zhang away from the office; he was just about to turn back, but at this very moment, as the carriage passed a certain spot, two strange 'whoosh' sounds suddenly rang out from the wall of a residence nearby!

Duan Rong stood in the courtyard, bending his bow and nocking an arrow, while Xiao Yu also stood not far from his side, her hand gripping the hilt of the Qingling Saber!

Duan Rong's Divine Sense pierced through the wall, perceiving everything on the street outside as if it were transparent.

When that dilapidated carriage reached the optimal distance, the True Qi within Duan Rong's body surged instantly; the Black Python Bow in his hand was suddenly drawn to a full moon, True Qi poured in, and with a 'Boom—' of the string, the Iron Arrow vibrated and flew out!

The Iron Arrow, wreathed in airflow, pierced through the wall in front like paper, and the stone chips and bricks instantly turned into powder!

The Iron Arrow's momentum did not diminish as it shot straight toward Wei Tian, who was driving the carriage!

One arrow fired! Duan Rong paused almost not at all, bending the bow and nocking an arrow again, his body tilting at a minute angle, and the second arrow shot through the wall once more!

Two Iron Arrows, wreathed in airflow, passed through the wall, yet the wall before them did not collapse; instead, two fist-sized round holes appeared prominently upon it.

Those two round holes were curled in shape, just like two blooming chrysanthemums.

Two Iron Arrows, wreathed in airflow, took aim at the carriage driver Wei Tian from different angles!

This was also Duan Rong's strategy of slaughter! As the saying goes, it is better to sever one finger than to injure all ten! What he wanted was to kill Wei Tian the moment he struck!

Wei Tian was driving the carriage leisurely, passing that courtyard. At this moment, he was less than half a zhang away from the courtyard wall when two pitch-black Iron Arrows suddenly shot through the wall, aiming straight for his head; how could he possibly react in time?

The moment those two 'Whoosh—' strange sounds rang out, the dilapidated carriage shattered instantly, and a figure flashed out from the ruined carriage like a ghost.

It was Wei Ziyang, who had sensed the danger; his right hand was blood-red, as if it had been soaked in pus and blood, and with a single palm strike, he intercepted one of the Iron Arrows shooting toward Wei Tian!

But the other arrow had already shot toward Wei Tian, and no matter what, he could no longer stop it!

"Tian'er!" Wei Ziyang let out a loud cry, his eyes flooding with blood.

But Wei Tian's head had already exploded, blood and gore splashing everywhere!

Wei Tian was Wei Ziyang's only son; although Wei Tian had joined the sect, he had never let him practice the Filthy Blood Divine Art! At that very moment, Wei Ziyang deeply regretted this past decision of his.

With Wei Ziyang's crimson blood hand, True Qi billowed in his palm, and that Iron Arrow he had intercepted was still spinning rapidly before his palm.

Just at this moment, two specks of firefly-like light were suddenly flung from the tip of the Iron Arrow, as if it were spinning in the True Qi and had rubbed out two sparks.

Those two specks of firefly-like light, the moment they appeared, flashed into the center of Wei Ziyang's brow, sinking right in!

The scenery before Wei Ziyang's eyes became like fleeting shadows, suddenly blurring and shifting...

And all of this had happened in the blink of an eye.

At this time, inside the courtyard that had fired the two Iron Arrows, almost at the same time the two arrows flew out, two figures leaped up; they were Xiao Yu and Duan Rong!

And on the second floor of the teahouse diagonally opposite, three figures also drifted down like willow leaves riding the wind!

Xiao Yu leaped over the courtyard wall and attacked Ruan Fengshan with a blade, shouting, "Ruan Fengshan, return my father's life!"

Ruan Fengshan was still sitting inside the broken carriage, not having grasped the situation at all; before the fragments of the shattered carriage had even finished falling, he saw a beautiful figure, eyes flooded with red, killing intent biting, the blade in her hand gleaming with cold light, striking straight for his throat.

Ruan Fengshan was greatly alarmed. "Xiao... Xiao Yu?!"

Duan Rong, however, leaped and stood upon the courtyard wall, bending his bow and nocking an arrow again, True Qi pouring in, the string moving like muffled thunder, and an Iron Arrow shot out once more, aiming straight for Ge Qinglei, who was sitting beside Ruan Fengshan in the carriage.

Ge Qinglei's brow twitched wildly; the moment Duan Rong drew his bow and fired, a great sense of crisis welled up in his heart. It was a danger that could cost him his life!

By the time Ge Qinglei reacted, that Iron Arrow was already close, wreathed in airflow, its momentum astonishing!

Ge Qinglei almost did not think; blood threads all over his body exploded instantly. The blood threads around Ge Qinglei were different from the first and second layers of the Filthy Blood Divine Art that Duan Rong had seen. Although Duan Rong did not know which layer Ge Qinglei's Filthy Blood Divine Art was, the blood threads around his body were already emitting a foul stench like pus and blood.

The foul-smelling, pus-like blood threads floated and squirmed, actually blocking this arrow from Duan Rong!

A large mass of blood threads gathered and dissipated, the True Qi of the Iron Arrow also vanished completely, and with a 'Clang—', it fell to the ground!

On the other side, Xiao Yu, Ximen Kankan, Shen Mizhi, and Liu Shushan were surrounding and engaging Ruan Fengshan and Sun Qian in a fierce battle!

Sun Qian had rushed over the moment the carriage shattered, just happening to encounter Ximen Kankan and the others jumping down from the teahouse!

Ximen Kankan and the others, four against two; seeing a life-and-death crisis, Sun Qian and Ruan Fengshan dared not hold back, and blood threads exploded all over their bodies instantly!

Sun Qian and Ruan Fengshan had actually both achieved the third layer of the Filthy Blood Divine Art; the attacks from Ximen Kankan and the others were all blocked by the floating and squirming blood threads!

And those dozen or so True Qi Realm experts who had originally been disguised and lurking on West Street, suddenly seeing such a great commotion here, all drew their weapons, displayed their movement techniques, and rushed toward this place!

Duan Rong stood upon the courtyard wall, his Divine Sense fully unleashed, locking onto everyone rushing over!

He bent his bow and nocked an arrow, True Qi pouring in, the string moving like muffled thunder, and an Iron Arrow, wreathed in airflow, suddenly flew out, passing through a withered pomegranate tree, passing through the noodle stall's sign, carving a visible trail of airflow through the air!

One arrow exploded the head of the person furthest away! His body's blood threads had already squirmed and exploded, but how could they withstand this arrow from Duan Rong, who was at the True Qi Realm Great Perfection!

The commoners nearby, seeing a dead person, and moreover one whose head had exploded with blood threads squirming all over, screamed and fled in all directions!

Another person who had been disguised and lurking was not far from that spot; seeing the crowd behind him suddenly erupt and scatter, he turned his head and saw that headless bloody corpse in the middle of the street not far behind him!

But the moment he turned his head, another Iron Arrow, wreathed in airflow, let out a 'Whoosh—' strange cry and blasted his head into a pulp as well!

Ge Qinglei's heart hammered wildly; he looked at the ragged youth standing on the courtyard wall with a resolute face. He had first killed the person furthest away among this group, which meant he intended to kill them all, leaving not a single one alive!

Ge Qinglei glanced at Wei Ziyang not far to his side; he was like a statue, still in the posture of having struck out with one hand, motionless! He did not know what had happened to Wei Ziyang, but he knew he had to stop the slaughter of the youth on the wall, otherwise, once he finished killing those people, it would be his turn!

Ge Qinglei's figure darted, intending to close in on Duan Rong!

Although Duan Rong was busy shooting and killing those disguised True Qi Realm Filthy Blood Sect experts, he had also been paying attention to Ge Qinglei's movements.

The moment Ge Qinglei's figure moved, Duan Rong fixed his gaze upon him, his Divine Sense locking onto his figure, and a Soul Piercing Needle stabbed toward the center of Ge Qinglei's brow!

Ge Qinglei's head suddenly felt a great pain, as if it were about to split open; his figure stalled, and he nearly fell! In an instant, he broke out in a cold sweat all over!

Only after a few breaths did he regain his senses. "This is...?!"

And in just those few breaths, Duan Rong had already bent his bow and nocked an arrow, shooting and killing five people in one breath!

Those disguised True Qi Realm experts who had originally been gathering toward this place all turned around and fled in all directions!

But under the lock of Duan Rong's Divine Sense, he bent his bow and nocked an arrow, as smooth as flowing water, without a single moment of hesitation or stagnation!

One headless bloody corpse after another lay scattered around!

A full eleven of them! All shot and killed!

The moment Duan Rong turned his head to look at Ge Qinglei, Ge Qinglei, who had crawled out from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, actually shivered!

Just at this moment, above the Cangqiong, a loud and high-pitched eagle cry rang out over Xiangu County!

Duan Rong raised his head to see a black dot circling beneath the blue sky and clouds!

"Cloud-Feather Mad Eagle?!"

"Finally here!"

(End of chapter)