Chapter 207: Signal

"Who are you? Where are you heading?"

At that moment, the experts of the Fallen God Peak who had set up the roadblock stopped the scar-faced man and others, beginning to interrogate them.

"Reporting to the noble of the Shengfeng, we come from the Xishan Blade Sect; this journey is to offer birthday congratulations to the Peak Lord himself."

The scar-faced man bowed and scraped, appearing extremely humble.

At the same time, he fished a gold ingot from his sleeve cuff and respectfully handed it to the young man asking the questions.

The young man, dressed in Cloud Peak Dark Robes, wore a cold expression on his face; he casually took the gold and tossed it into a clay jar on a nearby table.

Immediately, he and the other three beside him began inspecting the carriages.

"A total of five carriages of tin ore; they were already listed in the birthday gift register a month ago."

The scar-faced man followed behind explaining, while that young man glanced at him, seeming to read his mind, and sneered:

"Rest assured, we certainly will not covet the Peak Lord's birthday gifts."

Hearing this, the scar-faced man's eyes darted, and he repeatedly exclaimed that he dared not.

"Are they with you as well?"

At that moment, the young man finished inspecting the carriage, but suddenly shifted his gaze, squinting as he looked at the old man in hemp robes and Hu Rui'an and others.

The scar-faced man's face flickered with changing expressions; he was about to speak, but the young man had already walked toward Hu Rui'an and others.

"Within Lan Province, ignoring the rules of our Fallen God Peak and meeting us without dismounting: for a first offense, fifty lashes; for a second, death without mercy."

"What? Do you expect me to invite you out personally?"

The young man's face grew gloomy; he casually drew the long whip from his waist, and the fierce qi force he unleashed instantly roared with a boom.

However, before he could approach the carriage, Wu Shang, sitting silently on the horse back ahead, raised his hand and struck with a sword, aiming directly for the young man's neck.

Facing this sudden killing move, the young man's eyes immediately changed; he roared loudly:

"As expected, there is a problem!"

Instantly, the entire person suddenly whipped the blade to block the sword, while he himself, seemingly prepared beforehand, immediately flashed backward to retreat.

At the same time, the other dozen or so experts of the Fallen God Peak reacted at once; in the blink of an eye, they drew their knives and swords, surrounding Hu Rui'an and others completely.

Seeing this scene, the scar-faced man was instantly terrified, his soul nearly fleeing his body; he never expected that Hu Rui'an and the others would, without a word, directly attack the people of the Fallen God Peak before them.

This was Lan Province! On the Fallen God Peak's territory, how dare they?

"It's over..."

The scar-faced man stumbled, nearly falling to the ground.

Hu Rui'an and others were traveling together with them; the Fallen God Peak would certainly think they were a gang. In this situation, it was truly like mud falling into one's trousers; no matter how they explained, it would be useless.

"Who are you? What boldness!"

At that moment, a middle-aged man with a gloomy face stepped out from behind the crowd of Fallen God Peak disciples, slowly sizing up Hu Rui'an and others with his gaze.

"Junior Uncle, this group has an unknown origin, and hiding within the Xishan Blade Sect to deceive their way through; they must have evil intentions."

The young man who had previously retreated from Wu Shang's sword quickly clasped his hands and spoke, while at the same time casting a cold, sinister glance back at Wu Shang and the others.

Hearing this, the middle-aged man waved his hand and said:

"In that case, capture them first, then interrogate them."

Having spoken, he waved his hand; the next moment, the experts of the Fallen God Peak said nothing more and directly attacked Hu Rui'an and others.

On the territory of Lan Province, they did not need a reason to kill people; moreover, the behavior of those before them was already suspicious, so naturally, there was no need for inquiry or any evidence.

"It seems there is no other way; I originally thought we could travel smoothly."

Hu Rui'an shook his head, then flicked his finger; a wisp of martial arts true qi shot forth from his hand, subsequently transforming into a dozen streaks of flowing light that descended upon the Fallen God Peak group.

In the blink of an eye, those streaks of light pierced straight through the foreheads of the many Fallen God Peak experts.

Those who had originally leaped into mid-air with swords drawn and knives held, in the next instant, had their bodies instantly blasted backward, crashing down with a boom onto the dusty road, each dying on the spot.

This scene happened too fast; in the blink of an eye, the experts of the Fallen God Peak were reduced to just the middle-aged man and the young man.

Both men were now greatly shocked; immediately, without hesitation, they sent out a signal.

A wisp of purple flame shot into the sky, then exploded with a bang high above everyone's heads.

Hu Rui'an watched this scene without stopping it, but instead gave a look to Cheng Zhong behind him.

Cheng Zhong nodded slightly, then similarly ignited a green-gold flame that rose curling into the air.

After doing all this, Hu Rui'an finally looked at the remaining two of the Fallen God Peak and said with a mocking expression:

"Still sending a signal? Unless the Peak Lord of your Fallen God Peak comes personally, no matter how many come, they will all die."

Upon hearing these words, the faces of the two from the Fallen God Peak changed again; the middle-aged man suddenly roared deeply and said:

"Escape separately!"

Having spoken, he turned and ran toward the rear without a care; seeing this, the young man's face turned ugly, but he could only flee in another direction.

However, before he could take a single step, a flash of cold light arrived instantly; his head was thrown high into the air, blood splashing three feet.

And the middle-aged man, who had fled only a few zhang ahead, met the same fate; cold light arrived in the blink of an eye, and then the entire person was separated from his head.

In an instant, the dusty road fell suddenly silent.

The scar-faced man and the disciples of the Xishan Blade Sect all clutched their heads and sat on the ground, trembling in fear, daring not to make a sound.

The old man in hemp robes, who had stood aside from start to finish without fighting and without speaking, likewise just stood there saying nothing.

At that moment, Hu Rui'an glanced at the old man in hemp robes, then came before the carriage, flipped off his horse, and transmitted his voice:

"Your Highness, the signal has already been sent; if the Commander sees it, he will know we have safely arrived in Lan Province."

The green-gold flame signal was somewhat special; it was not a secret signal of the Tianjin Guard, but one specifically entrusted to him by the Commander, Fu Qiwen.

This act was naturally for the sake of Li Musheng, the Eighth Imperial Prince; the other party ordered him to find a suitable opportunity to send it after entering Lan Province, obviously having other arrangements for Li Musheng.

Hu Rui'an had not sent the signal until now for two reasons: first, there was no opportunity, and second, he was unclear about Li Musheng's intentions.

But as they drew closer to the Fallen God Peak, unless they disguised their tracks while moving forward, they would inevitably have to fight and clash with the people of the Fallen God Peak, and this forced Hu Rui'an to make a decision.

For a moment, Li Musheng's expression turned thoughtful; he naturally understood Hu Rui's meaning.

Previously, he had never regarded Luoshen Peak as worthy of notice, and thus had made no plans or considerations for how to surround and capture it.

Even throughout this journey, most of his time had been spent revising the Azure Dragon Cangming Scripture, and he had scarcely discussed Luoshen Peak with Hu Rui.

After all, in his view, there was no need for any of it.

(End of Chapter)