Chapter 55: Violation 2

Yan Lao remained alert all the way; on his way here, the horses had suddenly been startled, making him sense an unusual aura.

So on the return journey, he added extra caution, and his pace slowed.

Leaving He Gong Alley, he walked along Stone Street, turned into an alley halfway, and at its end emerged onto South Changjie.

South Changjie runs straight north to the county magistrate's office.

Yan Lao was most alert inside the alley—if Chen Lao's men truly meant to strike, this was the most likely place.

Once on South Changjie, they should be safe.

This was one of the largest streets in the county, with a wide road, shops lining both sides, bustling crowds, and heavy traffic; striking here would draw too many witnesses and hinder escape.

After walking several zhang along South Changjie, Yan Lao quietly exhaled in relief—thankfully, nothing happened.

At his age, he disliked unexpected incidents.

Song Lu's hand had remained on his blade hilt, but after reaching South Changjie, he let go.

Only Fu Jingyu remained rigidly diligent, steadfastly guarding Xu Yuan; even if a donkey passed by, he would carefully inspect it twice, checking for any anomaly.

The street was filled with clamor: vendors shouted loudly, shop attendants enthusiastically beckoned customers, and a caravan passed by, donkeys and horses occasionally neighing.

Yet suddenly, all noise vanished!

The entire street plunged abruptly into darkness.

Yan Lao, who had been walking at the rear to guard the group, was stunned.

The three men ahead of him vanished the instant darkness fell!

Yan Lao's left hand moved swiftly to form seals, but discovered everything around him had become "disordered"—a violation of common sense, with up and down reversed, right and wrong confused!

"Violation!"

The once-noisy street had become utterly silent.

It had been daytime, yet now it was suddenly night.

Yan Lao's eyes blazed—he knew this ability was a direct counter to his "calculation method."

The three ahead hadn't disappeared; he should have seen them, but "Violation" had rendered them invisible.

Yet he could not simply estimate their previous distance to determine their position, because under "Violation," directions like "front, back, left, right" might also be inverted.

Yan Lao grew anxious—how could he, old as he was, have been caught off guard like this!

Xu Yuan was a protege favored by Lord Ma—now he'd lost him under Yan Lao's own watch!

Where could he even face his own reflection?

Yan Lao's mind raced, searching for the method to break through—but every idea that flashed through his mind was too slow!

"Boy, you've got to hold on!"

…

Xu Yuan's vision suddenly went black; everything around vanished—the street, the shops, the pedestrians, the carts and horses… and the sounds.

"So it finally came," Xu Yuan's expression turned icy.

Several pills flew out, spinning around him.

One was a short sword, another was an ordinary golden pill Xu Yuan had condensed himself.

The rest were all the vials and jars pilfered from Old Qian's stash, newly condensed Yin Soldier Pills.

"Soaring Cloud" and "Riding Wind" talismans were stuck to his legs to ensure speed.

A leather pill silently covered his chest, shielding his vital points against possible lethal ambushes in the dark.

In one hand he gripped the umbrella given by his stepmother; in the other, he concealed a short dagger.

The beast-bone pistol was hidden at his waist, ready to be drawn at any moment.

The beast-tendon rope lay coiled beneath his feet like a serpent.

…

Lao Si's body also exhibited various "violations of logic."

Blood that should have flowed toward his heart suddenly reversed direction.

Waste that should have been sealed inside suddenly became unsealed.

Eyes that should have grown on his face suddenly appeared on the back of his skull.

He who should have been standing suddenly inverted, head planted into the ground.

His liver, which should have detoxified, suddenly began producing massive toxins…

Lao Si tried to speak, but nothing came from his mouth—instead, some other part of his body emitted a low whimper.

Xing Guolong roared: "Lao Ba, come with me—grab that brat!"

Lao Ba immediately charged into the darkness with his elder brother.

Lao Ba was a seventh-tier Wu Xiu, with a terrifyingly massive frame—so he was never assigned to surveillance; one glance would expose him.

But as a Wu Xiu at this level, he had already cultivated "bronze skin and iron bones," making his defense and offense both fearsome.

Lao Ba burst in like a mad tiger, his fist like a stone cannon, slamming toward Xu Yuan's back.

Grabbing this brat quickly was the only chance to save Brother Four.

His speed was too fast—Xu Yuan had no time to turn.

But a golden pill flew in, striking Lao Ba's arm sideways.

Lao Ba's punch veered slightly; Xu Yuan used the power of the two talismans to dodge swiftly, the fist grazing past his shoulder.

Xu Yuan instantly felt as if his arm had been struck by a heavy bronze pestle—it was now useless.

Xu Yuan inwardly gasped: Seventh-tier Wu Xiu was truly terrifying!

Previously, he'd only faced ninth-tier Wu Xiu—too weak to reveal the true might of Wu Xiu.

Xu Yuan's golden pill had been forged after his return, scavenging all ironware from the alley and reinforced multiple times—it was now several times heavier than when he'd first returned from Qihe Terrace.

Xu Yuan estimated it to be a thousand jin heavy!

Even at high speed, it could only slightly deflect the opponent's punch.

"You'd better die quickly!" Old Eight roared, his voice like a thunderclap, carrying a powerful shock to the spirit, as he lunged forward with another punch.

Xu Yuan used a medicinal pill to heal his injured shoulder, while his other hand opened an umbrella.

Boom!

The metallic surface of the umbrella sank into a grotesque arc; terrifying force surged through it, and the handle slid out of Xu Yuan's hand with a hiss, leaving his palm a bloody mess!

The handle slammed hard into his chest, but the Skin Pill had blocked the impact.

"Puff!" Xu Yuan spat out blood, forcibly twisting the handle, and with a metallic twang, a blade shot out from the umbrella's tip!

The blade was thin and sharp, yet incredibly hard; it struck Old Eight's right chest but sank in only two finger-widths.

The "Copper Skin, Iron Bones" of a Seventh-Rank Wu Xiu.

Old Eight casually swatted the blade away, and his skin membrane tightened—no blood flowed out.

He still charged like a tiger descending the mountain, roaring as he pounded punch after punch at Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan held the umbrella and retreated step by step, passive and disheveled.

A shadow appeared silently behind Xu Yuan, hidden by the darkness; above his palm, a golden pill materialized, rapidly forming into a sharp blade, about to stab Xu Yuan's back—when suddenly his foot tripped over something.

Then a rope, like a snake, shot up swiftly, binding his feet, and the rest continued climbing to wrap his body.

Xing Guolong flew into a rage—he had failed to ambush, and was now ambushed himself!

The blade formed from his golden pill slashed downward in an instant—

This was a genuine Seventh-Rank Dan Xiu's "Jian Wan," a blade shaped from a golden pill!

Swish—the beast-tendon rope snapped apart inch by inch.

This was the first time the rope had been cut since Xu Yuan had condensed his Sinew Pill—but Xu Yuan's emotions remained unaffected; the short sword had already slipped silently toward Xing Guolong's neck from the side!

Xing Guolong opened his mouth wide, and an Longzhu Waidan covered in intricate patterns flew out.

The Longzhu Waidan was as large as a walnut, and Xu Yuan deeply admired Xing Guolong's accessibility.

The Longzhu Waidan flew forward, meeting Xu Yuan's short sword, and with a crack, it burst open into a mechanical claw that seized the blade.

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(End of Chapter)