Chapter 35: Pressure Multiplied

( ) The man seemed about to reveal himself, and another said, "Third, your old problem has resurfaced? The main business is urgent; those above are still waiting for us to send the Magic Crystal back."

"Just a few petty thieves, it won't take much time."

"Since we know they're only a few petty thieves, why handle it personally? Let the servants play with them."

"Servants?"

Earlier their servants sparred with Li Bucai but gained no advantage; that man hesitated a bit. Then he faintly heard more voices from the cave above, understood his intention, and said, "Fine, let a few servants play with them." He then turned to Li Bucai and the others and said, "You'd better be careful."

Li Bucai and the others did not hear the sounds from above, stood there waiting quietly for the enemy to emerge from the darkness, and after a long while, no one appeared.

Qian Feng roared, "Hurry up, I'm not waiting any longer. If you don't come out soon, I'll start cursing my mother!"

It remained silent.

After a while longer, that man's voice came from the cave opening above, as if someone else had arrived, and he said, "You're so late; first go and eliminate those villains below."

A youth's voice asked, "Who are you…?"

It seemed that the man produced something to prove his identity, and the youth said, "So you're one of us. Then who are they?"

"In short, they're all villains who want to rebel against the throne; we're in a hurry to return and report, so we'll leave this to you."

"Alright, we'll take it."

Immediately, a line of flames descended the stairs they had come up.

Everyone waited there quietly.

Qian Feng said, "I'm a bit confused. Didn't we hear that Luo Ping Hai is full of exotic beasts? How did so many appear? When you mentioned we're here to rescue Jie En, they treated us as enemies?"

"It's been decades; who knows if all of Jie En's people are dead? Not everyone wishes to serve the Emperor. I'm thinking that even the highest nobles of Sky City only have blood that mixes with purple Magic Crystals, and that yellow kind—even someone as erudite as Yue Ran doesn't know its purpose. I conclude that perhaps obtaining that yellow Magic Crystal grants royal bloodline. If that's true, Jie En led tens of thousands here to pioneer; perhaps among his subordinates there are those who want to proclaim themselves king, and once they reach Luo Ping Hai they're placed under house arrest. Even the ant tribe here can obtain Magic Crystals, so acquiring the yellow Magic Crystal isn't a fantasy."

"Why place him under house arrest? Just kill him and let him declare himself king, right?"

Li Bucai said, "You have noble blood flowing in you yet you want to become Emperor; how many would obey you? If it were me, before obtaining the yellow Magic Crystal I'd keep him, which is called using the Emperor as leverage against disloyal subjects—pretend to be a false emperor for a few days, and once the Magic Crystal is in hand, force him to abdicate the throne to me, allowing a legitimate takeover of Luo Ping Hai. So it's not surprising they sent experts here to kill the ant tribe. Unfortunately, plans are made by men, outcomes by Heaven. Jie En is still legitimate; you can imprison him, but you can't imprison everyone loyal to him, and they didn't expect us to arrive. Of course, this is just my baseless speculation."

"So, starting tomorrow, we'll be facing not exotic beasts but the rebels from Sky City?"

"Not tomorrow, but now. Let's first see how strong these people are."

A total of thirteen people descended the stairs; when they were a dozen meters above the ground, they leapt down together like a celestial maiden scattering flowers, positioning themselves around Li Bucai and his companions, encircling them. The leader wore a white shirt, a long cloak, his complexion snow‑white, features refined, appearing no older than twenty, yet his lips bore two long whiskers. He was slender, exuding a noble air; from his narrow waist hung two one‑foot‑long Eight‑Slash Blades that glowed with a shimmering blue light, evidently forged with blue Magic Crystals.

The others were all in green shirts, wielding a variety of weapons, all of which emitted green light. Their mouths each bore two stray whiskers incongruous with their ages, and their builds were as slender as the white‑clothed youth.

Whoosh! Qian Feng again pulled the shield from behind, chuckling, "So you're just a bunch of pretty boys? Whether a group brawl or a duel, it's up to you. You're few, so I recommend a duel. Come, who'll go first?" His heavy sword had also been smelted with Magic Crystals; at a glance these people didn't look as fearsome as imagined, eager to

The white‑clothed youth sneered, "Whether it's a group brawl or a duel, you'll all die here. Hmph, I'm bored anyway, so I'll play with you."

He pointed his gaze at a person beside him wielding a Light Sword. That person bowed to the white‑clothed youth and stepped forward.

Qian Feng gave a snarling grin, lowered the shield that had been held to his chest to his side, intending to advance, when Mu Nan stepped forward and said, "Master, leave him to me."

Dealing with such servants indeed shouldn't be done personally; Qian Feng nodded and stepped back.

Mu Nan, in a very manly fashion, drew from his waist a tool resembling an ear spoon; with a flash it transformed into a massive giant scythe that matched his bear‑like, powerful frame. After striking a very manly pose, he charged forward, bellowing, "Take this!" and unleashed a "Sweeping a Thousand Armies" strike at the waist.

The blue giant scythe roared with a massive wind‑cutting sound, bearing down on him; once it made contact it would surely cleave him in two. The youth remained calm, lightly leapt, and as the scythe brushed his foot, he drew his sword and executed a "Silver Snake Spits Arrow," thrusting straight toward her eyes.

Mu Nan's powerful, heavy strike missed, and the massive momentum spun him around; ignoring the incoming sword, he turned his back to the youth and, seizing the moment, unleashed a "Reverse Hook Scythe," striking behind.

Between the two, one attacked recklessly without regard for his life, never dodging; the other was light as a swallow, darting and weaving, and each time he tried to advance his technique was forced back by this mutually destructive move. After a dozen exchanges, Mu Nan, having overexerted, lost the sharpness of her earlier strikes; a beat slower, the blue‑clothed youth seized the opening, thrust his sword forward, aiming at her rib.

At that moment Mu Nan was still preparing her next move, never having considered the incoming sword; as the blade was about to strike, just a fingertip away from her rib, a sudden "Thud" sounded as a feathered arrow struck the blade, shattering it. The young youth had to leap backward, and as he passed Mu Nan's advancing strike, he jumped out of the circle. Mu Nan still lunged forward, when suddenly Wu Zhuoran appeared before her.

"You've already lost; why don't you step down?"

Everyone present witnessed the earlier scene; had Wu Zhuoran not intervened in time, Mu Nan would have been seriously injured. Qian Feng called her back.

The white‑clothed youth smiled slightly, gesturing for the previous person to withdraw, and then another blue‑clothed youth leapt forward, first adjusting the arm shields on both arms, and made a courteous stance.

Wu Zhuoran stood gracefully in place, side‑by‑side with him; his bow still slung across his back, hands hanging naturally, he glanced at his movements from the corner of his eye.

Seeing her so bold, the man suddenly swung his left arm forward, the arm shield emitting a sharp clang as it flew toward her. When it reached her, Wu Zhuoran performed a slight backward somersault, dodging the flying shield while drawing his bow, and unleashed a "Three Stars Execution" toward him. The man crouched, raised his right arm in front, and with a "Thud" the central feathered arrow struck the shield, falling to the ground, while the other two arrows from either side flew past, neatly deflecting the technique.

As he moved the shield away, Wu Zhuoran had already leapt up and launched three consecutive arrows with a "Chasing Stars, Catching Moon" technique. The first arrow was blocked by his shield, the second he evaded with an aerial twist, and the third he stepped on as he landed. Unexpectedly, after the three arrows Wu Zhuoran followed with a "Knife Hidden in Sleeve," and a short sword flew toward him. The man tried to dodge again, but the sword was already at his front, and he felt a heat at his neck; as the blade passed, it sliced his carotid, and a spray of fresh blood spurted out.

At that moment the flying shield returned, and Wu Zhuoran, having anticipated it, calmly leaned forward, lifted his leg backward, tapped the shield, and kicked it down, while simultaneously gesturing forward; the short sword from afar flew back, re‑sheathing, and with a flip he stood gracefully back in his pre‑move stance.

The white‑clothed youth was shocked, and two blue‑clothed youths rushed forward to help the man. One of them wielded a short cross‑shaped staff, muttered a few words, and a white light burst from the staff, winding around his neck several times, halting the bleeding. Yet the man was left dizzy from the white light, clearly severely wounded, and the two carried him down.

Li Bucai and Qian Feng exchanged wordless looks; Wu Zhuoran had won the bout cleanly and decisively, and the two suddenly felt the pressure multiply.