Chapter 276: Intercept and Kill II

The black-robed figure's movement technique was swift, weaving through the bustling crowd without a sound. Every step he took seemed calculated to perfection, avoiding the patrolling guards at street corners while cleverly bypassing the eyes that seemed unintentional but were actually staring fixedly at him.

The air was filled with a mixture of various spices and food scents, but to the black-robed figure, all of this was merely background noise on his path to escape.

At this moment, inside the Golden Breath Pavilion, several Martial Artists who had followed the black-robed figure out had just witnessed all of this. Exchanging glances, one burly man with rolls of fat said, "Wealth is sought in danger; let's follow and see."

On the other side, the mission to track the black-robed figure quietly unfolded.

The eyes of various factions were all putting in their best effort to follow the black-robed figure. A Martial Artist who could pull out three hundred thousand taels of silver—what a fat sheep that was! Anyone with a brain would not believe he only had three hundred thousand taels on him.

This was an auction, after all; if one didn't carry enough money, weren't they afraid the item would be bought by someone else?

An old man dressed in gray robes, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's and a faint, imperceptible smile hanging on the corners of his mouth, slowly stepped into the crowd. He was a well-known tracking expert in the city, known as "Shadow Trace," and possessed unique methods for tracking and concealment.

Relying on his familiarity with the city's terrain and years of accumulated experience, Shadow Trace quickly locked onto the general direction of the black-robed figure's movement. He gestured to his partners, and his companion beside him nodded and rushed off along another path.

While tailing the black-robed figure, Yingzong spoke mockingly to influence the man's state of mind: "Young man, do you really think you can escape from the palms of those great figures?"

Above, there are the four great families—Li, Lin, Liu, and Zhang—who do not wish for any other power to rise and occupy their territory.

Below, there are the three major gangs—the Raging Tiger, Hengshi, and Iron Garment—watching like tigers eyeing their prey, and in between, there are numerous small families and small factions hoping for scraps.

You probably don't know how many people want the auxiliary cultivation technique you spent a huge sum to buy; to think you actually managed to buy it.

You definitely won't be able to escape. It would be better to copy the technique and distribute it to the major factions; that way, you might still save your life."

The black-robed figure moved with long strides, ignoring Yingzong entirely.

Instead, his speed increased by a few notches, weaving through narrow alleys and using the complex terrain to evade.

But Yingzong pressed on step by step, always managing to keep up. A silent chase unfolded between the two.

Yingzong followed unhurriedly. His skill relied entirely on experience; as for actually seizing things by force, that wasn't his line of work!

Occasionally saying a few words of nonsense could also disrupt the opponent.

Just as the black-robed figure thought he had successfully shaken off the pursuit and prepared to enter an alley that looked like a dead end,

a crack silently opened in the wall on one side of the alley entrance. A youth dressed in night-traveling clothes leaped out, holding a short blade, and headed straight for the black-robed figure. This youth was the ambush force Yingzong had pre-arranged there.

Seeing this, the black-robed figure's body turned sharply, and he struck out with a backhand palm. The palm wind was fierce, carrying a power that could not be underestimated. The youth was agile and used the force to leap into the air. While avoiding the palm wind, his short blade turned into a cold light, aiming straight for the black-robed figure's throat.

The black-robed figure seemed prepared; his figure blurred again, having used some high-level movement technique, and he instantly appeared behind the youth, knocking him unconscious with a single palm strike.

Just as the black-robed figure was about to leave, a low laugh came from the alley entrance. Yingzong stepped in slowly, his gaze profound: "Good skills, Excellency. However, I'm afraid you won't be able to leave unscathed today."

The black-robed figure snorted coldly without a word, only the Blood Qi around his body surging; clearly, he had prepared for battle.

Yingzong glanced at the black-robed figure and silently cleared the path forward: "Fang Lian, I leave it to you."

A massive figure appeared from the shadows. The newcomer was bare-chested, covered in muscles, and stood nearly two meters tall. His bald head paired with a sinister, bloodthirsty expression made it clear at a glance that he was not someone to be trifled with.

Fang Lian said hideously: "Hand over the Thread-Pulling Technique, and I might spare your life. Otherwise, I'll tear you apart myself."

The black-robed figure's eyes flickered in the night. Facing this sudden threat, he did not show the slightest panic. Blood Qi swirled around his body, surging like a physical substance, revealing the powerful strength hidden within him. He scanned the tall man named Fang Lian coldly, a look of disdain curling the corners of his mouth.

"Thread-Pulling Technique? You lot don't understand anything, yet you dare to meddle in this matter. It is you who are courting death." The black-robed figure's voice was low and firm, every word seeming to contain the weight of a thousand catties.

Hearing this, the man's expression became even more ferocious. He roared, his body erupting like a tiger descending from a mountain, lunging straight at the black-robed figure. His fists were wrapped in whistling wind; clearly, he intended to use brute force to suppress and defeat his opponent in one blow.

The black-robed figure moved slightly, as if merging into the night, easily avoiding the man's attack. His movements were ghostly; every time he moved, he appeared perfectly in the man's blind spot, leaving the latter with brute strength but nowhere to unleash it.

"Hmph, a rat that only knows how to dodge!" the man roared, his offensive becoming increasingly fierce. But the black-robed figure was like a fish playing in water, always maintaining a subtle balance, neither clashing head-on with the man nor giving him any chance to catch his breath.

Just then, another disturbance came from the alley entrance. Several of Yingzong's subordinates in gray robes appeared quietly, surrounding the alley entrance completely. Clearly, Yingzong had long since set a net, just waiting for the black-robed figure to walk into the trap.

And on the outer perimeter of the encirclement, there also appeared faint, shadowy figures.

Seeing this, a cold sharpness flashed in the black-robed figure's eyes. He knew deep down that if he wanted to leave unscathed today, he had to show his true strength.

He took a deep breath, and the Blood Qi around his body suddenly boiled. A powerful pressure radiated from within him, causing the surrounding air to freeze.

"Since you are courting death, don't blame me for being heartless!" The black-robed figure gave a low shout, his body erupting like a tiger out of a cage, lunging straight at the tall man. This time, he did not dodge, choosing instead to clash head-on.

Fists and palms collided, erupting with a deafening roar. The black-robed figure's body traced a graceful arc in the air and landed steadily, while the tall man was shaken into retreating repeatedly, his face as pale as paper.

"This... how is this possible!" The man widened his eyes in disbelief; he had never seen such a powerful opponent.

The black-robed figure did not give him a chance to catch his breath. His figure erupted again, weaving through the crowd like a ghost, every strike precise and fatal. Soon, those gray-robed subordinates fell one after another, and the alley entrance returned to silence.

Yingzong had already run far away to hide the moment the black-robed figure's tone changed, watching this scene with a complex gaze:

"Even Fang Lian of the Hengshi Gang, at the Bone Refining Mid Stage, is no match. It seems he must be at least at the Bone Refining Late Stage or Perfection.

But what use would a Bone Refining Perfection Martial Artist have for the Thread-Pulling Technique?"

Looking at the unconscious Fang Lian, Yingzong couldn't be bothered to care. He was only here to make some extra money, not to solve other people's problems!