Chapter 158: 148 Cold Down

“My lord!” Qingsu wanted to speak, but was held back by Weili beside her, “Don’t worry, with me by your side, even if it means death, I’ll die first.”

Weili spoke with a cheerful smile, as if she were talking about a picnic rather than facing death.

“You’re about to break through the Fifth Grade, aren’t you?” Zhang Rongfang smiled. He noticed Qingsu’s progress.

“Yes…” Qingsu was taken aback, then lowered her head and confirmed.

“Go on. You’ve already proven yourself. It’s enough. But Weili hasn’t yet.” Zhang Rongfang said clearly.

Qingsu looked at him, then at Weili, and said no more.

“This world…” Zhang Rongfang actually didn’t want to be scheming all day, calculating this and that.

If he had enough strength, wouldn’t it be exhilarating to just kill all the adversaries by himself?

Unfortunately…

He didn’t have the strength yet.

So he waited.

Waiting for the attribute panel to bring him new hope.

“Once this matter is settled, the entire Wushan Prefecture should be a bit more stable.” He smiled.

“Then everyone can practice martial arts in peace and enjoy life. By the way, the fresh meat dumplings in Wushan Prefecture are quite delicious, you haven’t tried them yet, have you? I’ll take you to try them later.”

“Then it’s a date?” Weili laughed.

“Does my lord keep his word?” Qingsu extended her hand.

“Of course.” Zhang Rongfang extended his hand and lightly clapped hers.

At this moment, a member of the Golden Wing Pavilion in a black mask hurriedly entered the garden and knelt on one knee.

“My lord, the men and women imprisoned by the Dream Boat Association, a total of three hundred and sixty-seven people, have all been rescued and placed in Lingyin Manor.”

“Three hundred and sixty-seven people….” Zhang Rongfang’s smile slowly faded; these were just the ones left behind due to lesser beauty.

The others, with better looks, were likely already sent to unknown places via Sea Dragon.

“This Sea Dragon deserves death!” He inexplicably thought of his sister Zhang Rongyu.

If his sister hadn’t been with her husband, with her beauty and scholar status, she would likely also be captured by Sea Dragon in the future….

At this thought, he felt an indescribable oppression in his heart.

“Treat these people well, especially find a way to counteract Dream Liquid soon.” He said solemnly.

The person was one of Bai Ying’s subjugated Fifth-Grade experts, and upon hearing this, his face showed difficulty.

“My lord, it’s not that we’re incompetent, but Dream Liquid itself has no antidote…. It can only be mitigated by continuous consumption to relieve the side effects.”

“Moreover, among these people, many are physically disabled…. many even had their families deliberately disappear…. If we just raise them like this, it could be very costly.”

“Dream Liquid….” Zhang Rongfang pondered, “Does Xiang Ling also not know the antidote?”

“No. This substance inherently has no antidote.” The person replied.

“Control the technicians refining Dream Liquid, so that Duan Valley can begin, and release the location where Xiang Ling is trapped, saying that I intend to discuss reconciliation terms with them.” Zhang Rongfang thought for a moment and then said.

“Then my lord, when is the specific time?”

“There’s no time like the present, tonight, at Shu Family Castle, I’ll be waiting for them there.”

“But my lord, what if they don’t come?” Qingsu couldn’t help but ask.

“No, they will come….” Zhang Rongfang smiled, “This is a direct provocation, they feel strong enough, so naturally, they’ll choose the most convenient and simple solution.”

“But what if Sea Dragon and the Huang family attack together…. You’re alone… Isn’t that…” Qingsu worried.

“No need to worry. We have backing too, the Huang family wouldn’t dare to act, the only ones truly without scruples would be Sea Dragon.

Besides, your lord here is quite strong.” Zhang Rongfang touched his cold mask.

*

*

*

Shu Family Castle is located to the southwest outside of Wushan Prefecture.

Originally, it was a private fortress built to resist the Great Spirit Army’s invasion.

Unfortunately, the areas passed by the Great Spirit were unmatched.

Shu Family Castle became history, with the over a thousand members of the Shu family within perishing completely.

But even though the people were gone, the name of the fortress remained.

Everyone got used to it, so they didn’t bother changing it.

Deep night.

The rain gradually ceased, the temperature began to drop, and the ground started to form a thin ice layer.

There’s a direct avenue from Wushan Prefecture to Shu Family Castle.

Now, Shu Family Castle has long been abandoned and turned into ruins, but there are still many villages and towns nearby where tourists go to visit.

At this moment, on the official road surface, puddles filled the ruts left by ox carts and wagons.

Thump! Thump!

Suddenly, the sound of heavy hooves rapidly approached.

The hooves heavily stomped into the ruts, splashing the accumulated water out.

A group of tall figures riding mottled horses, all wearing cloaks concealing them under the night, with bamboo hats, leaned forward on horseback and galloped.

The horse team was about a dozen people, and shortly after they rushed forward, a team of men followed, jogging behind.

All were burly household servants wearing simple leather armor, leather caps, and holding iron-wrapped long sticks.

On the back of these servants’ clothes, a clear “Huang” character was embroidered.

They passed in formation, glanced at a quick look, at least a hundred people.

This was the heritage of the Huang family.

Soon, the horse team first arrived at Shu Family Castle.

They stopped a hundred meters before the earthen fortress.

The foremost person stood up, raised their head to remove their leather cap, revealing Huang Yixi’s cold face.

As one of the Huang family’s only two Ninth-Grade experts, and the strongest, he chose to come in person.

Leaving his father, who had declined in skill, to guard the family.

The Huang family, being well-established, had attracted many enemies over the years. So, someone had to be at the helm at home.

And now, he, along with the Eighth-Grade Huang Lanxin who came with him, was the greatest force the Huang family could deploy this time.

“Have Sea Dragon’s people arrived?” Huang Yixi asked heavily, gazing at the quiet Shu Family Castle ahead.

“Unclear, but they should have arrived; we saw the signal marks they left.” Huang Lanxin answered.

“Send someone in to take a look.”

Huang Yixi gestured to Shu Family Castle in front.

Soon, a household servant, trembling, cautiously walked to the front gate of Shu Family Castle, and pushed it open with force.

The main gate opened.

Inside was a vast, empty square.

In the center of the square stood a wooden stake.

Tied to the stake was none other than the long-missing Xiang Ling!

Xiang Ling hung her head, motionless, seemingly unconscious.

There was no one around her, it was empty and very quiet.

“Xiang Ling?” Huang Yixi’s face changed slightly.

“Where is Spirit Envoy Zhang of the Golden Wing Pavilion? You don’t think this can threaten me, do you?” he shouted.

No one responded.

The entire Shu Family Castle was dead silent.

“Go up and take a look!” Huang Yixi waved his hand.

Immediately, two people cautiously approached Xiang Ling.

No movement, no one around.

The two quickly and successfully untied Xiang Ling from the wooden stake.

Everything was completely different from what Huang Yixi expected, so smooth it seemed unbelievable.

He waved again.

“Send more people, patrol around, and be careful of ambush traps!”

“Yes!”

Huang Lanxin quickly gave the order, and the household servants of the Huang family stepped forward, starting to inspect around the Shu Family Castle carefully.

But after checking for a long time, they found nothing.

“Patriarch! The person tied to the stake has woken up!”

One of the household servants rushed over to report.

“Let me see.” Huang Yixi dismounted quickly and walked swiftly to Xiang Ling.

“Xiang Ling! How could you be here alone!?”

“Ah ah~~”

Xiang Ling opened her mouth, but her tongue had long been cut out.

She couldn’t say any complete words, only struggling frantically with her body.

“What are you saying? What do you want to say!? Where’s your tongue!?” Huang Yixi’s face changed, faintly sensing something amiss.

“Yixi! Where are the people?” Suddenly, figures quickly approached from not far away.

Over a dozen masked experts with rapid body techniques, led by Cyan Horn at the front, quickly arrived at the scene.

“Where are the people from the Golden Wing Pavilion?” Cyan Horn frowned at Xiang Ling on the ground. Seeing her mouth full of blood and no tongue, unable to speak, his eyes flickered.

“I don’t know! When I arrived, she was the only one tied to the stake. All the others from the Golden Wing Pavilion were not here!” Huang Yixi said in a deep voice.

“Could this new Spirit Envoy Zhang have forgotten the time?” Cyan Horn laughed.

“Or maybe he wants to lure the tiger away from the mountain?” Huang Yixi said coldly. “If that’s the case, then he’s made a miscalculation. The Huang family’s territory is crowded with masters, and with my father guarding it, it is easy to defend and hard to attack.

In terms of experts, he is alone…. Even if he’s a Ninth-Grade, if he really dares to go, he’s surely going to not return!”

“So, what exactly is this person planning?” Cyan Horn narrowed his phoenix eyes, pondering.

Just then, in the sky over Wushan City, a red firework suddenly rose.

The firework exploded abruptly, forming a large yellow character.

This was the signal representing the Huang family territory being under attack!

Huang Yixi whipped around, staring intently at the firework.

“He actually dares to!??”

He suddenly raised his hand.

“Retreat!!”

No time to think more, since the Golden Wing Pavilion dared to act against the Huang family, it likely mobilized a large force.

He must return quickly to support and reduce casualties!

The Huang family troops quickly turned around, called out to Cyan Horn, and hurried away with Xiang Ling.

The horse team soon disappeared into the night.

Cyan Horn glanced at the Shu Family Castle.

“Let’s also go and see. See what tricks this Spirit Envoy Zhang is up to. This person’s mind is unpredictable, capable of anything. So move together as much as possible, don’t get separated.”

“Unfortunately… you’re already isolated.”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind the group.

Cyan Horn whipped around abruptly.

Suddenly, his pupils turned white as if something dazzled him momentarily.

“What?!??”

Whoosh!!!

A silver disc suddenly shook violently, spinning, shooting out from the deep shadow on the right.

The disc sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, flying towards Cyan Horn in an instant.

Clang!!

A loud blocking sound exploded. Cyan Horn backed up slightly.

Unexpectedly, a figure darted out like a ghost from behind the disc.

Everyone was drawn to the disc, but no one saw the figure that charged out afterward.

Under the moonlight, a crystal-clear clawlike an eagle’s shot straight for Cyan Horn’s chest.

“Crossing the Waves!” Reflexively, Cyan Horn’s hair stood on end, his right palm shooting out, the Limit-Breaking Skill instantly boosting his palm strength by several levels, fiercely striking forward.

However, as soon as his palm met the claw, he realized something was wrong.

The force was too light!

He hurriedly turned around.

Silently, the figure had already leveraged past Cyan Horn in a flash.

The sword light flashed, and in the team, two men’s arms fell, blood splattering with tragic wails.

In another flash, another person mistakenly used their palm force, hitting a companion.

“Scatter!!” Cyan Horn shouted in shock and anger. Such a bizarre body technique, even the earlier Spirit Envoy of the Golden Wing Pavilion was not this exaggerated!?

This was definitely not the Golden Roc Secret Record!

With such a body technique, unless there’s wide-area covering shots, having numbers only provides him with cover!

“Stop!!”

Cyan Horn shouted fiercely, rushing forward, but was blocked by the corpse of one of his own people.

He pushed away the corpse, forcefully striking that figure, but unexpectedly the figure dodged behind another person again.

Left with no choice, Cyan Horn had to retract his palm force, his face reddening, his Qi and blood overturning, causing a slight injury to his arm.

“I said stop! Let’s negotiate!” Cyan Horn shouted again, angry and frustrated.

Pu chi!

Zhang Rongfang drew his short sword from the neck of the last person, blood dripping continuously from the blade.

“What were you saying just now?” he smiled, tilting his head toward Cyan Horn.

Under the moonlight, of the dozen or so people Sea Dragon brought, only Cyan Horn remained standing alone.

Facing that black mask with silver lines, the chill in Cyan Horn’s heart spread throughout his body with his intense heartbeat.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep