Chapter 218: Take the First Step

In an instant, the room was swept by a gale like a tidal wave, and all the heavenly qi within the hall condensed, then crushed down upon the men from Luoshen Peak.

The tables, chairs, and the landscape screen beside them turned to dust in an instant, and even the entire Baixiang Pavilion trembled.

An old man beside Zheng Zi sank his gaze and immediately punched forward, a purple aura forming an arched barrier that blocked all incoming attacks.

At that moment, Zheng Zi, who had remained calm throughout, suddenly spoke in a low voice:

“They’re trying to escape—stop them!”

Simultaneously, after delivering a palm strike, the hemp-clad elder seized the little girl beside him, leapt through the window, and fled beyond the Baixiang Pavilion.

The old man who had punched nodded and immediately gave chase without hesitation toward the hemp-clad elder’s direction.

Yet, as he took but a single step, the bodies of several large men previously thrown aside by the hemp-clad elder suddenly stirred, drawn by a hidden aura.

Instantly, a dense sound of collapsing bones filled the air; the bodies of the large men collapsed inward like deflated balloons, then exploded violently like barrels of gunpowder.

Shattered bones became sharp projectiles; blood expelled from their bodies instantly vaporized into crimson mist, then, under powerful qi manipulation, wove into a terrifying crimson spiderweb of killing intent, engulfing Zheng Zi and the others.

“Watch out!”

The remaining old man roared and acted at once to block this sudden killing technique.

But because the hemp-clad elder’s move was too stealthy and sudden, and the old man had acted hastily, he could not fully repel the crimson spiderweb’s force.

As a result, Zheng Zi and Yuwen Feng, unable to resist the escaping shockwaves, were blasted backward and slammed hard against the wooden wall behind them.

“Cough… cough…”

Soon, Zheng Zi burst out from the shattered wood, coughing violently, wiping blood from his lips, and snarling with a venomous expression:

“Chase them!”

At the same time, Yuwen Feng, also wounded, charged forward and shouted to the old man who had been beside him:

“That old bastard is strong—Shen Changlao, go with him! Bring him back alive!”

Hearing this, Shen Changlao, who had been standing by Yuwen Feng, hesitated visibly and said:

“If I leave, what of your safety, Young Master?”

Zheng Zi waved his hand, glancing at the middle-aged man beside him, and said:

“He’s enough.”

Then he swept his gaze over the scar-faced man and Li Muxian in the hall and added:

“Besides, can these two possibly threaten us in the slightest?”

He then coldly ordered:

“Send word immediately to seal off Bailian City—do not let that old bastard escape!”

At these words, the two old men exchanged a glance, said nothing more, and promptly rushed off in the direction the hemp-clad elder had fled.

In an instant, the ruined hall was left with only Zheng Zi’s group, Li Muxian, the scar-faced man, and the Baixiang Pavilion’s courtesans.

The courtesans huddled trembling in the corners of the hall, clearly terrified by the hemp-clad elder’s sudden attack.

The scar-faced man had stood frozen in place the entire time, not daring to move.

Now he trembled violently, struggling to look at Li Muxian seated on the soft chair, his lips quivering as he whispered:

“That old man ran off alone… now it’s just you and me.”

“Before I die, I only want to know one thing… why did you drag me to my death? If you don’t tell me, I won’t rest in peace…”

Hearing this, Li Muxian glanced at him, utterly indifferent, and turned his gaze instead toward Zheng Zi and the others in the hall.

At that moment, Zheng Zi walked toward Li Muxian and the scar-faced man, his face dark:

“It seems you two aren’t allies. Now that the old man’s gone, you have no one to rely on.”

“Tell me—who gave you the nerve to cause trouble on my turf?”

Before the scar-faced man could speak, Li Muxian calmly looked at Zheng Zi and asked:

“I just realized something—you said you’re the young master of Bailian City, and the peak lord who controls Bailian Peak is your father?”

Hearing this, Zheng Zi halted, narrowed his eyes at Li Muxian, saw no martial qi radiating from him, then laughed harshly:

“You’re about to die and still act tough? Do you even deserve an answer from me?”

With a flick of his hand, he unleashed a surge of martial qi, sending a powerful gust of air flying through the space toward Li Muxian.

If this palm strike landed, any ordinary martial cultivator would have been flung back and grievously wounded by the shockwave.

Yet, to Zheng Zi’s utter shock, Li Muxian made no move—and yet the air blast did not harm him in the slightest.

Li Muxian remained seated on the soft chair, utterly motionless.

“What’s going on?”

Zheng Zi frowned, sensing something was wrong.

Behind him, the middle-aged man—who had remained still until now—suddenly moved to Zheng Zi’s side, his expression grave:

“Young Master Zheng, be careful—this man is suspicious. There may be a hidden expert behind him?”

He then eyed Li Muxian warily, scanning the entire hall as if searching for the hidden assailant.

Hearing this, Zheng Zi immediately stepped back, activating his martial qi to shield himself, and growled:

“Miao Qianshi, find that hidden person!”

Behind them, Yuwen Feng frowned, growing wary as well.

With both Luoshen Peak elders gone, if Li Muxian truly had a hidden expert backing him, their situation was dire.

“You who hide in shadows lack dignity—why not show yourself?”

After searching briefly and detecting no trace of a hidden aura, the middle-aged man spoke into the air.

At that moment, Li Muxian raised an eyebrow, his expression thoughtful, and asked Zheng Zi:

“I just thought of something—if I spread word that you’ve been killed, will your father, the peak lord of Bailian Peak, come personally to Baixiang Pavilion to avenge you?”

The hall fell utterly silent.

Zheng Zi’s face darkened with murderous intent; he glared at Li Muxian and turned to the middle-aged man:

“Miao Qianshi, can you or can you not find that person?”

Hearing this, the middle-aged man frowned tightly but said nothing—he sensed no aura of anyone nearby.

The next instant, his gaze darkened and he spoke:

“Looks like we must force him out.”

With that, he lunged forward, reaching out to seize Li Muxian where he sat.

(End of Chapter)