Chapter 183

The night was ink-black, yet Wulong Fucheng was far from calm.

Chen Mu led the way, flanked by Wang Jianzhong, Yang Xue, Zhang Yaoqi, and a large force of Zhenwu Bureau elites, surging like a flood through the gates of Lin Kuan's mansion.

"Who are you?"

"Enemy attack!"

"Quick, report to my lord!"

"…"

From within the mansion, a group of guards rushed out to block them—but before the Zhenwu Bureau's powerful bows and crossbows, they crumbled instantly, screaming as they died on the spot.

【Corpse detected. Collect?】

"Yes!"

…

With the card in hand, Chen Mu's face remained expressionless as he channeled his Qi and shouted aloud.

"Lin Kuan! You serve as head of the Zhenwu Bureau, yet for personal gain, you conspired with criminal factions, slaughtered villages, and murdered fellow officers—knowingly breaking the law, your crimes are unforgivable!"

"Xie Ning and Qiu Lie have already confessed! Surrender now!"

Chen Mu's voice rang like thunder, echoing throughout the entire mansion.

"Hahahaha~"

Lin Kuan laughed loudly as he stepped forward slowly.

In the firelight, he wore no official robe—only a tight-fitting combat suit, gripping a battle blade of pure azure blue, radiating bone-chilling cold.

Its blade shimmered with radiant light—clearly One High-Grade Spirit Weapon!

Facing the overwhelming force closing in, Lin Kuan showed no fear—only a cruel smirk.

"Chen Mu! You brat! Do you really think you've got me cornered? With the confessions of those two useless fools, Xie Ning and Qiu Lie, you think you can bring me down?"

"Dream on!"

Before the words left his lips, his cultivation of Complete Innate erupted violently—but unlike the hollow aura he displayed during their daytime clash, his Qi was now condensed tenfold, perfectly synchronized with the ice-element battle blade in his hand!

A blade intent far stronger and colder than before instantly locked onto Chen Mu.

"Die!"

Lin Kuan roared, lunging forward, swinging his azure blade—releasing a colossal, soul-freezing ice-blue slash that tore through the night sky with a shrill howl, aimed straight at Chen Mu!

The power of this strike was more than several times greater than the one from earlier.

Chen Mu's gaze sharpened—he dared not slacken. The Star-Separating Sword flashed from its sheath.

Qing~

The "Sky-Striving Sword"—Silver River's Backwash!

Chen Mu still restrained his visible Qi to Fifth Stage Innate, but his sword technique was exquisitely refined—the Star-Separating Sword ignited with blazing flame-qi, transformed from Duan Tianhe Qi via the "Five Elements Spirit Conversion Scripture," the perfect counter to icy cultivation methods.

Boom~!

The flame-qi and ice-blue slash collided violently, producing a deafening explosion.

Fire and ice intertwined, shrouding the air in mist.

Chen Mu's body swayed slightly, sliding backward several steps, his face carefully showing a hint of "struggle."

To onlookers, he had barely blocked Lin Kuan's surge of power through superior technique and elemental advantage—but was clearly on the defensive.

"Hahahaha! Boy, now you know your place? Tomorrow on this day will be your anniversary of death!"

Seeing this, Lin Kuan laughed wildly, his assault intensifying—ice-blue slashes rained down like a storm, engulfing Chen Mu.

Chen Mu "reluctantly" retreated, his swordlight swirling as if barely holding on, perilously close to collapse—yet his footwork was flawless, always evading vital strikes at the last possible instant, all while secretly observing Lin Kuan's openings.

Wang Jianzhong, Yang Xue, and others watched anxiously, eager to join the fight—but Chen Mu secretly transmitted a voice-command to halt them.

"Don't move!"

Huh?

Wang Jianzhong, Yang Xue, and Zhang Yaoqi froze, puzzled.

Though confused, the three did not interfere.

Thud-thud-thud~

Boom!

Chen Mu fought while retreating; Lin Kuan chased without pause.

Muffled impacts and explosions rang continuously.

Rows of buildings shattered and collapsed under the onslaught of sword and blade qi.

Just as Chen Mu was "driven" to the edge of a rock garden, seemingly with no escape left, Lin Kuan's eyes blazed with murderous intent—he unleashed his full power in a downward slash…

Now!

Chen Mu's eyes flashed with sharp light—his third eye gathered invisible force.

Shocking Mind Stab!

An intangible, formless mental spear instantly crossed space and drove deep into Lin Kuan's mind-sea, where his arrogance had left a momentary crack.

"Aaaagh—"

Lin Kuan screamed—a piercing, inhuman wail—clutching his head as he staggered back. The blade of his full-power strike instantly shattered; his internal Qi went haywire, his face turning deathly pale.

Would Chen Mu let such an opportunity slip?

The Star-Separating Sword shot forth like a venomous dragon emerging from its cave—a concentrated flame-qi thrust pierced straight through Lin Kuan's right chest.

Pfft~!

Blood sprayed.

"Ah!"

Lin Kuan screamed again, his body plummeting from midair like a torn burlap sack.

Yet, the instant his body was about to crash heavily into the ground, a jade pendant at his waist suddenly shattered, and at the same time the seemingly ordinary white inner garment he wore beneath burst forth with shimmering flowing light, as if countless illusory wild goose feathers had materialized!

Whoosh!

Lin Kuan's downward momentum abruptly halted, as if held aloft by an invisible force, and then at an inconceivable speed he transformed into a streak of light that shot forth like lightning, heading straight for outside the city.

"It's the Wild Goose Feather Garment!"

Yang Xue, who had been anxiously watching the battle, cried out involuntarily.

Wang Jianzhong and Zhang Yaoqi also saw that miraculous flowing light and speed, their faces filled with shock and undisguised envy.

"It's actually the treasure garment 'Wild Goose Feather Garment' that greatly boosts speed! No wonder he dared act so brazenly!"

Wild Goose Feather Garment?

Chen Mu, hearing this, was also slightly startled — he hadn't expected Lin Kuan to possess such a life-saving, escape-type treasure!

Without the slightest hesitation, his figure stirred and he immediately executed his movement art to give chase.

Clad in the Wild Goose Feather Garment, Lin Kuan's speed was indeed terrifyingly fast, like a meteor streaking across the night sky; in the blink of an eye he had burst out of Wulong Fucheng, fleeing toward the northeast.

Chen Mu pushed his speed to the limit, pursuing relentlessly; the two figures, one ahead and one behind, swiftly vanished from the sight of Wang Jianzhong, Yang Xue, Zhang Yaoqi, and the others.

……

Hoo~ hoo~!

The winter night wind cut through to the bone.

Chen Mu's true Qi covered his whole body, the "Cloud-Treading Step" pushed to its utmost, barely keeping pace with Lin Kuan ahead.

And this was still with the boost of the "Wind-Listening" skill.

The Wild Goose Feather Garment covered a li in an instant.

In the blink of an eye it could tear across several li of ground.

With a treasure like this, anyone else would have long since lost the trail.

Chen Mu clung to the chase with grim determination.

He pursued out of the Prefecture Region and into the Cang Mountains, which stretched on for over a hundred li.

After entering the Cang Mountains' range, Lin Kuan, who was running ahead, suddenly descended and dropped into a Shanzhai of enormous size.

Even at night, more than half the Shanzhai was brightly lit, row upon row and building upon building of structures standing tall against the wind.

A broad banner of blue ground with a black tiger, towering high above the Shanzhai, snapped and fluttered loudly in the night wind.

Yanhhu Stockade!?

Several hundred meters outside the Shanzhai, atop a tall tree's crown, Chen Mu, using his "Night Vision" ability, scanned the massive Shanzhai, his brows slightly furrowed.

Lin Kuan was actually in collusion with the bandits in the Cang Mountains!

Chen Mu had read the Juan Sect records: Yanhhu Stockade was one of the top five Dazhai among the dozens of Shanzhai in the Cang Mountains.

The Great Stockade Master, Sikong Qinhu, was an Earth Altar realm expert!

Wait!

Earth Altar?

Chen Mu's heart stirred, and he activated the "Duan Tianhe Art."

The next instant, a mysterious sensation stretched out from within Yanhhu Stockade, 跨越 several hundred meters, and reached Chen Mu from afar.

"Just as I thought!"