Chapter 53: Encirclement and Suppression

The hall of the Tianhe Gang.

Zhou Ji, the leader of the Tianhe Gang, was waiting there with over a dozen subordinates.

Waiting anxiously.

Suddenly, blood light fell, and Zhou Ji and the others stood up instantly. When they saw the person clearly, someone exclaimed.

"Tian Zhang!"

"The Blood Slaughterer!"

The instant he saw the person clearly, Zhou Ji turned and fled without hesitation.

Tian Zhang, however, let out a long laugh and slashed out with his blade, but it slashed out a starlight chain like a spirit snake.

Third-tier Star Art—Spirit Snake Lock.

In an instant, it entangled and locked Zhou Ji, who was trying to flee!

Starlight exploded wildly around Zhou Ji, but he just couldn't break the Spirit Snake Lock.

A third-tier Star Art, performed in the hands of the Blood Slaughterer Tian Zhang, was also no small matter.

The next instant, Tian Zhang's long blade was already resting on Zhou Ji's neck.

Zhou Ji, captured in one move, instantly turned ashen-faced!

As for those small fry of the Tianhe Gang, the first instant they recognized it was the Blood Slaughterer Tian Zhang, they had already scattered and fled one by one.

A person's name is like the shadow of a tree!

Besides, they were only in the Tianhe Gang to mix for food and drink, at most mixing for a few taels of silver; risking their lives to fight, wasn't that stupid!

It was just that they fled quickly. Ten breaths after Tian Zhang captured Zhou Ji alive, just after sealing Zhou Ji's Star Core and dislocating Zhou Ji's joints, a green light flashed and arrived quickly. The green light landed, and it was Academy Chief Dong Zhao who had arrived.

Academy Chief Dong Zhao had come to support Tian Zhang just in case.

Seeing Zhou Ji captured alive, Academy Chief Dong Zhao immediately smiled easily. "Capturing this villain alive, then this matter is seventy percent done."

"Only seventy percent? Shouldn't it be a sure thing?" Tian Zhang asked.

"According to news from Lu Chang, Hu Hu Dianzhu of the Tianyang Branch Hall has not shown his face for a day. I guess he might be nearby.

If he comes, this matter might fall short of success for lack of a final effort!

If only someone could restrain him," Dong Zhao said, looking fixedly at Tian Zhang, with an implied meaning.

Tian Zhang picked up the captured Zhou Ji and understood. "Academy Chief, please rest assured, someone will restrain him."

"That's good!" Dong Zhao laughed heartily and turned to leap away. "Let's go, back to the Dao Academy."

While Tian Zhang followed with Zhou Ji, he reached into his bosom and crushed a special emblem.

Just as Tian Zhang crushed this special emblem, on the peak of Great Green Mountain outside Jinshan Juncheng, a vague figure suddenly appeared. This figure stood up and stretched a long, lazy stretch. "So damn slow, the signal finally came."

The next instant, Qi Shanye's mind moved, and the several layers of Shadow-Hiding Star Patterns engraved in the Star-Suppressing Star Palace of the Upper Star Palace suddenly contracted in unison. While all the brilliance was restrained, Qi Shanye's figure emerged from the mountain peak, truly standing on the peak.

Just as Qi Shanye restrained the Shadow-Hiding Star Patterns, an old man in a bamboo hat fishing on a small boat on the Jinsha River outside Jinshan Juncheng suddenly pulled up his rod, and then took out a Star Disk full of mysterious Star Patterns and scales from his bosom.

Star Instrument—Star-Fixing Disk.

At this moment, the Star-Fixing Disk was flashing with a faint light.

Hu Xuechuan, the Hu Hu Dianzhu of the Tianyang Branch Hall, frowned. His hand swept across the Star-Fixing Disk, and in an instant, a dark green brilliance pointed directly toward the Great Jinshan direction.

"Suddenly revealing his aura?

Did Qi Shanye accidentally expose himself while fighting someone?

Or is it a trap arranged to lure me up?"

After pondering for a few breaths, Hu Xuechuan suddenly sneered, "I want to see what else Qi Shanye can play at in this Jinshan Juncheng that has been sealed for over half a month?"

The next instant, Hu Xuechuan soared into the sky. With one step, starlight appeared under his feet. The points of starlight, like a heavenly road, directly allowed Hu Xuechuan to step into the air and leave.

At the same instant, Hu Xuechuan crushed three special emblems in succession.

This kind of special emblem is called the Golden Orchid Emblem, taking the meaning of the oath at the time of the Golden Orchid brotherhood: not seeking to be born on the same year, month, and day, but seeking to die on the same year, month, and day.

Crushing one, the other must shatter.

Usually used for signaling warnings, but all must be agreed upon in advance.

A set of Golden Orchid Emblems has at least two pieces, and there are also three, four, or even five pieces, but the more emblems in a set, the higher the price and the more precious it is.

The instant these three Golden Orchid Emblems were crushed, a Golden Orchid Emblem in the bosom of Lu Chang, the Prefecture Commandant leading the team to search for demons in the Great Mountain, also instantly shattered. After seeing clearly which emblem it was, his face changed. Lu Chang arranged the search matters and then led two other masters of the Condense Star Realm to flash toward the direction indicated by the emblem.

Commandant Huang Yunshu of the Tianyang Branch Academy also received the signal at the same time. After giving instructions, one minute later, he quickly set off toward the direction indicated by the emblem.

At the same time, inside Jinshan Juncheng, a Golden Orchid Emblem in the bosom of Academy Chief Zhou Qingzhu of the Tianyang Branch Academy also shattered on the spot.

Zhou Qingzhu was stunned.

He understood that this was Hu Hu Dianzhu discovering the traces of the demons and summoning them to go and encircle and suppress them, but right before his eyes...

In front of Zhou Qingzhu, Supervisor Wang Qiang had just arrived and had just handed over the news that the small team sent out by Jinshan Dao Academy had returned intact and had brought back a living prisoner.

Zhou Qingzhu was directly stunned.

The direction of Heshui County.

Didn't Ji Bochang say he had solved it?

How could the small team sent by Jinshan Dao Academy to Heshui County still rush back?

Could it be that Ji Bochang was a double agent?

Was he worthy of him? Wasn't he afraid of his revenge?

How did Zhong Da contact him?

How did this Zhong Da handle things?

In an instant, many thoughts flashed through Zhou Qingzhu's mind, and he couldn't wait to drag Zhong Da or Ji Bochang in front of him and question them.

But Zhou Qingzhu also knew very clearly that these could only be discussed afterwards. Now the most important thing was another matter—Zhou Ji!

He never expected that even after enabling the mole he had deployed for over ten years, the Jinshan Dao Academy team could still arrive intact with a living prisoner.

It was a completely impossible thing.

Ji Bochang or the ambush personnel, at the very least, should have killed the living prisoner. But now, it was too late to think about so much. He must sever the connection and kill Zhou Ji.

The next instant, Zhou Qingzhu directly abandoned Supervisor Wang Qiang, who had just finished reporting, and his whole body erupted with dazzling starlight, rushing toward the Tianhe Gang station in Jinshan Juncheng at the fastest speed.

Three minutes later, when Zhou Qingzhu arrived at the Tianhe Gang station, the Tianhe Gang hall, which usually had people coming and going, was already empty.

But no traces of fighting were found.

A bad premonition rose in Zhou Qingzhu's heart.

Where is Zhou Ji?

Did he run away himself?

Or was he captured and taken away?

Zhou Qingzhu, who had made a wasted trip, looked gloomy. Both were possible.

Zhou Ji was a local snake and had more informed news; perhaps he got the relevant intelligence a step earlier than him, and then, fearing being silenced, ran away early.

But why wasn't there a single small fry in the hall?

But there were no traces of any fighting.

He hoped it was the former; it would be fine if Zhou Ji ran away and hid himself. If he was captured, then...

In an instant, the sense of crisis in Zhou Qingzhu's heart grew stronger.

And just a few minutes ago, Hu Hu Dianzhu Xuechuan of the Yan Prefecture Branch Hall of the Tianyang Star Hall, whom he regarded as foreign aid, suddenly sent him a message to encircle and suppress the demons.

Originally, this was also normal.

After all, for the past month, Hu Xuechuan had been using the Star Instrument Star-Fixing Disk to lock onto Qi Shanye's position, but before, there was only an approximate position. And judging from the emergency message just now, he should have locked onto Qi Shanye's specific position.

But why at this time?

Originally, even if the worst situation occurred, as long as Branch Hu Hu Dianzhu Xuechuan appeared in Jinshan Juncheng, no one could do anything to him.

There were plenty of ways to escape.

But now...

Suddenly, Zhou Qingzhu smelled an extremely dangerous aura.

Hu Hu Dianzhu went to pursue the demon Qi Shanye, Zhou Ji disappeared, and more importantly, he, Zhou Qingzhu, left the Tianyang Branch Academy.

And he didn't bring a single subordinate.

If he were inside the Tianyang Branch Academy, would Dong Zhao dare to launch a strong attack?

Even if Dong Zhao dared to launch a strong attack, relying on the Star Array inside the Martial Arts Hall of the Tianyang Branch Academy, he would have a huge geographical advantage, and with the assistance of other masters of the Tianyang Branch Academy, what could Dong Zhao do to him?

At most, his reputation would stink!

But now!

Danger!

The situation is extremely dangerous.

Return to the Tianyang Branch Academy or leave the city?

This is the danger Zhou Qingzhu is facing at this very moment.

If he can rendezvous with Branch Hu Hu Dianzhu Xuechuan after leaving the city, then he will be completely safe. Even if the incident is exposed, he can take refuge in the Branch Hall, or even take refuge in other places.

But leaving the city, it is also possible to be targeted and entangled by Dong Zhao and others.

Returning to the Tianyang Branch Academy, he must hold his ground.

Until Branch Hu Hu Dianzhu Xuechuan returns.

Each has its pros and cons!

After thinking for only an instant, Zhou Qingzhu made a decision.

Leave Jinshan Juncheng.

Jinshan Juncheng was originally a place where the Dao Academy's power was dominant. If Zhou Ji was really captured, those two bold guys, Dong Zhao and Tian Zhang, even had the possibility of mobilizing siege crossbows.

Leaving Jinshan Juncheng is a better solution.

It's a pity that he didn't bring Supervisor Wang Qiang with him just now, nor did he summon back masters like Vice Academy Chief Liu Yelan.

If they were all summoned back and taken out of the city together, the safety would be higher.

Now going to summon them again, it would take at least half a quarter of an hour or more; it's too much of a waste of time.

The longer the time drags on now, the more dangerous he is.

But the power of these people can still be utilized.

North Gate, Vice Academy Chief Liu Yelan is currently still at the North Gate of Jinshan Juncheng.

In an instant, Zhou Qingzhu, who had made the decision, leaped up and wanted to withdraw from Jinshan Juncheng at the fastest speed.

But just as he leaped up, a blood-colored blade light slashed down like lightning.

Under the surprise attack, he was directly slashed back into the courtyard.

"Tian Zhang, how bold!"

Zhou Qingzhu let out an angry shout, but instead of advancing, he retreated, not fighting head-on with Tian Zhang who had killed his way in, but instead took advantage of the situation to choose another direction, intending to escape.

But just as Zhou Qingzhu leaped up, a commandment ruler and a giant hammer transformed from starlight blasted down simultaneously, blasting Zhou Qingzhu back to the ground again, along with collapsing a large number of houses.

In the dust, Supervisor Cao Chun and Ning Yuchan appeared, their auras locking onto Zhou Qingzhu.

"Academy Chief Zhou, no wonder we couldn't find the demons we had been searching for for so long; it turns out the real demon behind the scenes is actually you, Academy Chief Zhou!" Academy Chief Dong Zhao appeared above the Tianhe Gang hall with a written confession.

At the same time, Vice Academy Chief Feng Shu also appeared in another direction.

Five masters of the Jinshan Dao Academy, jointly encircling and suppressing Zhou Qingzhu!

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 54 =====