Chapter 210: Blood City Night

Lin Yu and Xuanyuan Qing rushed back to Huacheng, but the city's silhouette was vastly different from their memories. In the distance, thick smoke billowed, and the firelight reddened half the sky.

"How could it be like this..." Xuanyuan Qing covered her nose and mouth; the surrounding air was filled with choking gunpowder smoke.

Wounded people lay scattered across the streets, both civilians and black-clad men. A few medical personnel were busy treating them, but they were far from keeping up with the rate of casualties.

Lin Yu stopped a burly man who was carrying a wounded person: "May I ask in which direction Zhongcaotang is?"

The burly man's face showed sorrow: "Zhongcaotang? That place was bombed flat last night. Who are you..."

"What?" Lin Yu's mind roared, and without a word, he pulled Xuanyuan Qing and ran toward the direction of Zhongcaotang.

The once-familiar streets were unrecognizable, everywhere were broken walls and citizens fleeing in all directions. Turning into a small alley, Lin Yu stopped abruptly.

The original site of Zhongcaotang was nothing but charred ruins, with wisps of blue smoke still rising from the broken beams and pillars.

"Teacher Xiao!" Lin Yu rushed into the ruins, lifting one broken stone slab after another, searching for any possibility of survivors.

"Uncle Lin, someone is there!" Xuanyuan Qing pointed to the street corner, where a fierce battle was unfolding.

Dozens of black-clad men were besieging a small squad of armed personnel. The leader was none other than Xu Jianhua, who held a silver pistol, commanding the group to fight while retreating.

"Teacher Xu!" Lin Yu rushed toward the battlefield.

Xu Jianhua turned back, his face showing surprise: "Lin Yu? Come here quickly!"

Lin Yu rushed to Xu Jianhua's side in a stride, his silver needles unleashed, instantly striking down two black-clad men.

"The Tongtian Pavilion has gone mad, searching the entire city for you and the remaining forces of the Qin family." Xu Jianhua said while firing. "Huacheng has fallen!"

"What about Teacher Xiao?"

Xu Jianhua shook his head: "Missing. We got separated when we scattered."

A black-clad man suddenly ambushed from the side. Lin Yu couldn't dodge in time and was about to be hit, but Xu Jianhua raised his hand with incredible speed and fired a shot, hitting the man right between the eyebrows.

Lin Yu was astonished: "Teacher Xu, you..."

"Explain later, retreat first!" Xu Jianhua signaled, and the armed squad immediately changed formation, shielding the three as they retreated into the depths of the alley.

During the retreat, Lin Yu noticed that these squad members were well-trained and well-equipped, definitely not ordinary security guards. After entering a hidden basement, Xu Jianhua finally let out a long sigh of relief.

"You finally returned." Xu Jianhua patted Lin Yu's shoulder, then nodded to Xuanyuan Qing. "Neither of you is hurt, right?"

Lin Yu suppressed the questions in his heart: "Teacher Xu, these people are..."

"The power of Destiny in the secular world." Xu Jianhua took off his glasses and wiped the lenses. "I am the liaison for Destiny in Huacheng, and I have been protecting you in the shadows."

Inside the basement, a dozen armed personnel were checking their equipment, and a map of Huacheng hung on the wall, marked with numerous red dots and routes.

"Three days ago, the Tongtian Pavilion suddenly launched an all-out assault on the city, targeting the remnants of the Qin family and Zhongcaotang." Xu Jianhua pointed to the map. "Now they control the north and east of the city, and we can only operate in the south district."

"Does the Tongtian Pavilion have such great influence in Huacheng?" Xuanyuan Qing asked suspiciously.

Xu Jianhua sneered: "Because they have this person."

A photo was pasted on the map—Zhang Ming, the Deputy Director of the City Hall. That face, always smiling on television, now looked particularly glaring.

"Director Zhang?" Lin Yu couldn't believe it. "He is a member of the Tongtian Pavilion?"

"Not just a member, he is the overall person in charge of the Tongtian Pavilion in Huacheng." Xu Jianhua gritted his teeth. "On the surface, he is highly respected, but in secret, he has already established a complete underground network, controlling almost the entire Huacheng."

Lin Yu's heart churned. Zhang Ming had come to Zhongcaotang for free clinics many times and seemed approachable; how could he be a leader of the Tongtian Pavilion?

"More importantly," Xu Jianhua lowered his voice, "according to our intelligence, the jade pendant hanging on Zhang Ming's chest is the seventh token."

Lin Yu immediately became alert: "We must snatch it before the Nine Stars Alignment!"

"I already have a plan." Xu Jianhua pointed to a red-marked building on the map. "This is Zhang Ming's secret command post. Tonight he will be there to direct the next round of purges. We can..."

Before he could finish, the basement door was suddenly kicked open! Dozens of fully armed black-clad men poured in, their guns aimed at everyone.

"Don't move!" the leader shouted, and then a familiar figure walked in slowly—Zhang Ming, in a casual suit, with a smile on his face.

"Professor Xu, we meet again." Zhang Ming looked around, his gaze landing on Lin Yu. "Divine Doctor Lin, I've heard much about you."

Xu Jianhua's face was livid: "Zhang Ming, you betrayed humanity, acting as a tiger's accomplice, you will die a horrible death!"

Zhang Ming chuckled: "Anyone can say righteous words. What the Tongtian Pavilion pursues is eternal life for all humanity; you stubborn factions are the sinners of history."

He walked up to Lin Yu, greedily sizing him up: "It's you, the Qin family bloodline, the Heaven-Chosen. The Pavilion Master has been looking for you for a long time."

The emerald jade pendant hanging on his chest glowed with a faint green light under the lamp, and Lin Yu recognized it as the legendary seventh token.

"Surrender, hand over the token, and I can spare your lives," Zhang Ming said arrogantly.

Lin Yu sneered: "In your dreams."

The golden meridians within his body suddenly surged, and the bloodline power awakened spontaneously. Lin Yu struck out with a palm toward Zhang Ming's chest.

Zhang Ming had been prepared, dodging to the side while drawing a black dagger: "As expected of your reputation!"

The battle erupted instantly! Xu Jianhua and the Destiny armed forces immediately exchanged fire with the black-clad men, while Xuanyuan Qing hid behind cover, shaking her silver bell to disrupt the enemies.

Lin Yu and Zhang Ming tangled together, fists and feet flying, wind whistling. Zhang Ming's martial arts were exquisite, his moves ruthless, and Lin Yu was nearly hit several times.

"Rong Sect's Eight Techniques? Nothing more than this." Zhang Ming mocked, the dagger dancing like a butterfly in his hand.

Lin Yu didn't answer, focusing on feeling the flow of bloodline power within his body. The golden meridians grew brighter, and the jade pendant resonated with heat.

"How can the petty tricks Yan Nanshan taught you compare to the century-old secret teachings of my Tongtian Pavilion?" Zhang Ming suddenly changed his move, the blade aiming straight for Lin Yu's throat.

Lin Yu's heart stirred, and as if by divine inspiration, a golden light sword appeared out of thin air in his hand! He instinctively swung the sword to block, and the golden light collided with the black blade, emitting a harsh metallic clashing sound.

Zhang Ming was shocked: "Heavenly Abyss Sword Qi? Impossible!"

Lin Yu took the opportunity to attack, the light sword sweeping everything before it, forcing Zhang Ming to retreat repeatedly.

"Take your life!" Lin Yu thrust the sword out, light filling the sky.

Zhang Ming couldn't dodge in time, a wound was cut into his chest, the chain of the jade pendant broke, and the token fell to the ground.

"Damn it!" Zhang Ming clutched his wound, seeing that the situation was lost, and retreated toward the door.

Lin Yu flew to pick up the seventh token and pursued Zhang Ming.

Zhang Ming ran to the door, suddenly turned back, and smiled eerily: "Lin Yu, do you think the Xu Jianhua you know is real? The Tongtian Pavilion has long had an inside agent, right by your side..."

Before the words were finished, a flower of blood suddenly burst from Zhang Ming's chest, and he fell to the ground, never to rise again. Lin Yu turned back and saw Xu Jianhua holding a smoking gun, his face expressionless.

"Don't listen to his gibberish." Xu Jianhua put away the gun. "Just a dying trick of the enemy."

Lin Yu put away the token, a trace of doubt rising in his heart, but he couldn't afford to think too much right now.

"Lin Yu, we must find Xiao Chengzhou immediately." Xu Jianhua walked over quickly. "I know where he is being held, but only I know the route..."

Lin Yu looked at the hand Xu Jianhua extended, suddenly remembering Wang Jiu's dying warning. ===== CHAPTER 211 =====