Chapter 85

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

A mountain-splitting axe was wielded by Zhang Laosan with tigerish vigor; ordinary people dared not approach.

But everyone has a point of exhaustion; Zhang Laosan was only at Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation, and whether his own spiritual power was abundant depended on who he was compared with.

Every single one of the people before them was a ruthless character; Zhang Laosan could still ensure he did not fall behind for a short time, but as time dragged on, Zhang Laosan increasingly could not keep up.

Clang—Bang————

The half-man-tall mountain-splitting axe snapped at the haft with a responding sound, the axe head fell to the ground, striking out the sound of colliding objects.

Rolling backward to dodge the opponent's incoming momentum, Zhang Laosan climbed up from the ground and hid behind his own side's highest combat power, Eldest Brother.

Sun Tao held his own against two without falling behind, but bandits gathered more and more around them, their own people grew fewer and fewer, and Sun Tao grew increasingly anxious watching it.

"Third Brother, go find the Chu Family people next door and ask if they are willing to join hands against the enemy."

Sun Tao forcefully pushed away the two pressing toward him, turned and kicked them away.

"The Thirteen Knife Bandits were infamous in their early years, killing and looting with accumulated sins.

The Chu Family is a prominent clan of Yue Luo City with extensive business; if they let the Thirteen Knife Bandits go, how would they dare walk out the door in the future?"

These bandits do the business of uprooting completely; once they make direct contact, no matter who it is, all will become dead souls under their knives.

The people before us are in a you-die-I-live relationship.

Hearing Sun Tao's words, Zhang Laosan turned and ran to the Chu Family side to make contact.

Several sides clashed; the Chu Family could not escape unscathed, even the scholar and book boy were hacked down, life or death unknown.

Soon, the Chu Family and Sun Tao's group joined hands against the enemy, but their side's strength could not match the opposition; even though the Chu Family young master had two Foundation Establishment Late Stage elders protecting him, the Chu Family's other servants and bodyguards suffered heavy casualties, which also caused them great psychological burden.

This battle reached its finale; the encirclement of the Chu Family and Sun Tao's people shrank further.

The Chu Family had only that young master and two elders left; Sun Tao's side, including Sun Tao himself, Zhang Laosan and Qian Laoer clung to their last breath; as for the others, all had fallen.

The cruelty of struggle lies in this.

Worldly affairs are impermanent; the previous moment they were still laughing and chatting, the next moment they were already separated by life and death forever.

Besides looking forward, people have no other way.

The bandit leader's face was ferocious as he told them to surrender, "Then I'll give you a quick death, otherwise"

Coldly snorting, not waiting for Zhang Laosan and the others to answer, another wave of horizontal knife wind chopped over.

"Cheng Qi, those bandits, there seems to be something off about them."

Shen Yao hid inside the array, gaze fixed on the fiercely attacking bandits.

Every move and style was somewhat formless, as if artificially pieced together.

But the marvelous thing was, as the frequency of their knife techniques accelerated, Shen Yao could feel their proficiency with the moves.

This — aren't they said to be born bandits? They should have skill.

Looking up at Fu Hengyan, who had worn a very serious expression from the start, Shen Yao's expression shifted; she always felt it was strange.

Fu Hengyan spoke, "These bandits are people who have returned from the dead."

"Returned from the dead?" Shen Yao understood; no wonder their movements were unfamiliar — this is just the result of excessive bodily stiffness.

"Magic Qi"

After Fu Hengyan finished these two words, the long sword had already flown out from his hand.

In merely an instant, under the rumbling of sword qi, the originally arrogant bandits were all decapitated.

Shen Yao: ……? ！！！

Fu Hengyan's sudden action not only startled Shen Yao beside him, but also shocked the people outside considerably.

Having successfully killed the bandits, the flying sword circled and did not return, but rushed straight at the group lying on the ground.

Lying on the ground, the book boy of unknown life or death nimbly leapt up from the floor, a ghost banner as tall as a person in hand, the Black Wind Banner billowing, ghosts wailing and wolves howling.

"Which ignorant junior dares to act and ruin this True Person's affair."

What should have been a clear, beautiful, and cute child's image spoke with a gloomy, rough voice.

Especially that tender face, yet showed the twilight air an old person should have.

Expression sharp as he looked around; pity he detected nothing.

The book boy old man was very indignant; the long banner in his hand suddenly accelerated its dance.

"Woo wow wow wow！！！"

A cry like weeping and howling burst from inside the long banner, enveloping the entire great hall.

As the book boy old man acted, a pressure belonging to Golden Core swept across everything.

Sun Tao and the others instantly trembled with fear, teeth gnashing.

Thinking it was mountains heavy, waters complex, doubting no road — willows dark, flowers bright, another village's sudden openness — unexpectedly it was the mantis stalking the cicada, the oriole behind, a boundless purgatory.

This, this what exactly should be done? Can they really escape with their lives, pick back a life?

No one cared about Sun Tao and the others' psychological changes; as the book boy old man continuously used the black banner in his hand to exert pressure on the entire temple, Fu Hengyan first rapidly laid several defensive arrays around Shen Yao, then rushed out to face the book boy old man head-on.

Fu Hengyan's sudden appearance made Sun Tao and the others' eyes brighten.

Especially since Fu Hengyan's body also carried pressure belonging to Golden Core Stage.

The two entangled; in merely a moment, Fu Hengyan already had the upper hand.

Golden Core and Golden Core also differ; even though the book boy old man had many magic artifacts, compared to Fu Hengyan's One Sword Breaks Ten Thousand Laws it was still not enough to watch.

Sword light cold and severe, pressure imposing; the long banner in the book boy old man's hand snapped.

"You! Sword cultivators truly deserve to die! Once this True Person catches you, I will torture you ruthlessly, to comfort this True Person's suffering in refining."

The refining method of the Long Howl Hundred Ghosts Banner is extraordinary; the Bookboy Elder spent nearly a hundred years to barely form it.

As a result, just after he brought it out to show it off, he suffered a devastating blow from another.

The Bookboy Elder was so angry he nearly went mad, baring fangs and brandishing claws, wishing he could knife Fu Hengyan to death with his eyes directly.

Fu Hengyan, however, did not care; he focused on his own sword moves, every move fatal.

In no time at all, the Bookboy Elder fell to the disadvantage in the fight, his whole body in a miserable state.

"True Person, watch your back!"

A ghostly figure suddenly appeared, lunging from outside the door to attack Fu Hengyan.

The long sword stood upright across his back, blocking the incoming offensive; Fu Hengyan turned sideways and raised slightly, Star Shattering held in hand, left and right lightly patting, directly flinging both sides into the great hall.

The people crashed into that headless Buddha statue in the center, making thumping sounds.

Rock fragments tumbled and fell; Fu Hengyan also saw clearly the person who had sneak-attacked him.

It was the bookboy who had gone out earlier and never returned; unexpectedly he actually appeared now.

The long sword reached the other's throat; Fu Hengyan decisively and cleanly sealed both their meridians.

Turning his head, he nodded to signal Sun Tao and the others; Fu Hengyan waved his hand toward the direction Shen Yao was in.

A person suddenly appeared on the empty ground; Shen Yao in a floor-length skirt hurried over to Fu Hengyan's side.

"Wait a moment, need to handle the matter at hand."

The voice transmission ended; Fu Hengyan opened his mouth to question Sun Tao and the others who had already come over.

"True Person" "True Person"

Although they did not know Fu Hengyan's surname or given name, the Golden Core pressure surrounding him did not seem fake.

Sun Tao and the others exchanged glances several times, all hurrying over to Fu Hengyan's front.

Because he had already taken action to deal with the Bookboy Elder and his retinue of bookboys, Fu Hengyan was now a life-saving benefactor in Sun Tao and the others' eyes.

"Speak in detail; those knife bandits, and them, how much do you understand?"

Fu Hengyan placed his hands behind his back, his gaze calm as he looked at Sun Tao and the others.

"Replying to the True Person, those knife bandits are all bandits who bring disaster to one side, known as the Thirteen Knife Bandits, their name shaking Luoxing Commandery.

The matters of killing people and seizing goods they have done are countless; the great clans in Yue Luo City have all suffered their plundering.

Ten years ago, the Thirteen Knife Bandits were already jointly exterminated by the Imperial Court and Tianjian Sect's experts; unknown why they would reappear at this moment.

The bandit leader has a scar on the front of his head and a ring on the back of his head; the other twelve all have the same mark; if the True Person does not believe, you may examine them yourself."

As a proper Imperial Court runner, Sun Tao understood banditry quite well.

After a brief consideration, he had already explained clearly that group of bandits lying on the ground.

As for the two bookboys captured alive by Fu Hengyan, Sun Tao was not very clear.

"This junior is a Tianjian Sect outer disciple, Chu Renjie of the direct line of the Chu Family in Yue Luo City, greets True Person Senior."

The young master protected by two Foundation Establishment Late Stage elders performed a junior salute to Fu Hengyan with a deathly pale face.

"Is a Tianjian Sect outer disciple?" Fu Hengyan glanced coldly/indifferently at Chu Renjie, "I am Fu Hengyan of the Tianjian Sect Lingyun Peak lineage."

Upon hearing the three words Lingyun Peak, Chu Renjie hurriedly lowered his head, "Disciple pays respects to Fu Zhenren."

Fu Hengyan waved his hand, "No need for excessive courtesy."

With Chu Renjie's successful acknowledgment of kinship, the great hall atmosphere became much more relaxed.

Fu Hengyan is not a personality who likes to make things difficult for people; between the two sides there is also the Tianjian Sect and Chu Renjie's outer disciple status as a connecting link, the entire conversation went very smoothly.

Smoothly?

Would it not be a bit too smooth?

Shen Yao stood at Fu Hengyan's side, viewing this accident from a bystander's perspective.

Hm, don't know if it's me thinking too much, but Cheng Qi's words are a bit too simple.

Whether opening his mouth to ask or handling methods, all are direct and clean like a sword cultivator.

Just, it doesn't match Fu Hengyan's character setting; you know Fu Hengyan is the resourceful and scheming type.

Sword cultivator?

That is the biggest misunderstanding of Fu Hengyan.

"Fu Zhenren, may these people's corpses be allowed for this disciple to take away directly?

At that time they can be handed over to the Yue Luo City government office for handling, so as not to trouble Fu Zhenren."

Chu Renjie behaved generously and openly, already gone was the previous awkwardness.

Fu Hengyan heard this, his gaze lightly sweeping over the messy temple great hall.

Nodding slightly, "Handed to you."

"Disciple obeys," Chu Renjie turned and with the two elders beside him busied themselves.

As for Sun Tao and the others, naturally they followed along to help collect the corpses.

Fu Hengyan watched the several people busy; after they finished handling things he did not forget to hand over the two bookboys who had already fainted and undergone his soul search to Chu Renjie.

"Trouble you to send them to the Tianjian Sect station in Yue Luo City; involving demonic qi, we must exert full effort."

Chu Renjie responded affirmatively, "Disciple understands."

Turning to watch Chu Renjie and the others hurriedly leave, Fu Hengyan stood in the original place, fingertips lightly pointing, gaze shifting slightly.

"Cheng Qi, we" Shen Yao raised her head.

"Our plan unchanged, continue to Yue Luo City, take the escort agency to leave," Fu Hengyan grabbed Shen Yao's wrist, the two of them in just a moment left the temple great hall.

Swinging sword to slash behind, splitting the temple hanging the Chengling Temple signboard in two.

With a boom the temple collapsed into nothing but ashes, the two's skirt hems fluttering, gradually going far away.

Just after the two left, the already collapsed temple seemed to have been reshaped by time, once again restoring its original appearance before it was shattered.

Not far away, the neighing of horse hooves sounded; a group of burly men carrying horizontal blades on their backs came galloping.

Neither more nor less, exactly thirteen riders; the leader had a scar on his forehead and a monk's ring scar on the back of his head.

……

"Young Master, how should these two be handled? If we really send them to the Tianjian Sect's station, I'm afraid we'll lose another batch of manpower."

"That person has already made the matter clear; the transmission talisman may have already been delivered.

We have to do it even if we don't want to now; otherwise, I'm afraid even more will be exposed."

"But Young Master, wouldn't our manpower have been wasted then?"

Hurrying without delay, Chu Renjie finally returned to the Chu Family before nightfall.

After telling the Chu Family Head, who was also his father Chu Anxiong, about the troubles he had experienced, Chu Renjie returned to the small courtyard with the two Protector Elders by his side.

Surrounded by his own territory, speaking naturally no longer required the same deliberate care as before.

Chu Renjie revealed his true emotions, and it was through his verbal narration that the causes and consequences of the calamity in the temple's main hall were slowly laid out.

Everything had been premeditated; Fu Hengyan and Shen Yao were the variables who had intruded into it.

Because the variables were too powerful, Chu Renjie now had to continue roping in people and things to cover his lies.

"Wasted effort is fine; first we must safely get past the Tianjian Sect's investigation.

The Ancestor's awakening is imminent; we need only wait — this world will ultimately be the demons' Tianxia!"

Chu Renjie's eyes revealed utter fanaticism, especially when mentioning the Ancestor in his words, he could hardly conceal his excitement.

The two elders beside Chu Renjie did not refute, but simultaneously shouted, "The Ancestor is wise and enlightened!"

Calls drifted out from the room, entering the ears of the servants in the small courtyard.

The servants stood frozen, expressions dull, mouths endlessly repeating "The Ancestor is wise and enlightened," opening and closing.

The entire small courtyard, viewed from afar, looked absurd and strange.

"Is this the consequence of Magic Qi corrosion?"

At some unknown time, Shen Yao and Fu Hengyan appeared in the small courtyard where Chu Renjie was.

The two had been following behind him ever since Chu Renjie left.

A scene like the one before them had long been preserved by Fu Hengyan manipulating a Shadow Recording Stone.

"It is the consequence of Magic Qi corrosion; by the later stage, no creature can escape the ending of a completely lost mind."

Unlike Spiritual Energy full of vital hope, Magic Qi is tyrannical and unreasonable, truly deserving the name of destruction.

In the Cultivation World, signs of Magic Qi Revival appear every so often.

Now, the time has come.

Closing his eyes slightly, Fu Hengyan took Shen Yao and directly left the Chu Family.

The two landed in a secluded alley corner; after turning the bend, they smoothly blended into the bustling street.

Returning to the small courtyard rented with Lingyu Stone, Fu Hengyan first sent a transmission message to the Tianjian Sect, then made a low-key trip out.

When Fu Hengyan finished his business and came to find Shen Yao, the moon hung high, stars densely studding the entire dark sky.

"How is it? We can stay in Yue Luo City for a while longer."

Shen Yao leaned close to Fu Hengyan, her expression worried.

Fu Hengyan stretched out his hand, pulling Shen Yao into his embrace. "I've already reported back to Master and Uncle Master Sect Master; the rest has nothing to do with us."

The Chu Family is a native clan of Yue Luo City, and also an Attached Family of the Tianjian Sect.

Now that trouble has struck the Chu Family, it will likely implicate a vast scope; continuing the investigation is not something Fu Hengyan can control.