The majestic horse beast of the City Lord brought weak Commander Lu Shao out of the tunnel. They were discovered by an adventurer party as soon as they came out.

Seeing a big fish, the party leader’s eyes shone with greed. He commanded his members to surround the horse beast. Before they could begin their attack, an arrow shot at them from the thicket.

Alarmed, the leader of the party immediately jumped back and yelled in alarm, “Who is it?”

Another arrow shot in his direction and pierced his arm.

“Ugh!” Covering his bleeding wound, he tried to find his attacker in the darkness of the trees. To no avail.

The leader of the Adventurer Party lost his cool. He gave up on trying to secure the lucrative bounty and left with his members.

“Good job, Su Jian!”

Chu Kuang patted the archer on his back. He was one of the ‘talents’ Ikasa had put in the Special Talent Programme. He turned to another one of the ‘talents’ traveling with him.

“Gu Bei, check Commander Lu’s condition.”

The herb-picking adventurer, Gu Bei. He had enough knowledge of herbal medicines to administer first aid treatment.

While Gu Bei checked up on the Commander, other 50 men from Ikasa’s force secured the perimeter. Chu Kuang approached Commander Lu with Gu Bei to identify himself as an ally.

“Cough… Cough… We need to send the City Guards to the Sect…. Cough… They must be waiting at the foot of the mountain.”

Commander Lu got his message out with difficulty. With every cough, he spat out a little blood.

Hearing his urgent message, Chu Kuang immediately started acting on it. He divided his men to perform multiple tasks.

“Gu Bei, take 10 men and deliver Commander Lu’s message to the City Guards.”

“Zhong Xi, take a few men and escort Commander Lu back to the City. He is in no condition to fight.”

Commander Lu was about to protest.

“There are plenty of Sense Trainers from our side up there. And even if they need another, I will be there. I have also broken into the Sense Realm a few days ago!”

Chu Kuang’s revelation shut him up. He pointed to the tunnel he came from and said, “Go from here… Cough… It is Faster…”

The bald man nodded and let Zhong Xi lead Commander Lu away. He looked at the 30 men left with him and ordered them.

“Let’s go! Our master needs us!”

——–

‘How should I neutralize his threat?’

Contemplating with worry, Ikasa sneaked glances at Zhi Yang. The Path Finder was so occupied by the duel between Sect Master Yan and the City Lord that he even missed the arrival of Chu Kuang and others!

Ikasa ordered them to stay hidden so that he would have another trump card in case things go awry.

‘Thankfully, City Lord is in no hurry to end Sect Master Yan’s life.’

Ikasa thought as he took a look at their duel. Suddenly, he saw a cloud of dust rise in the distance. Sounds of footsteps stomping on the ground followed soon after.

As the City Guards entered through the entrance of the Sect, the meager number of Monstrous Flame Sect’s disciples left came out to block their charge.

An average disciple definitely trumped an average guard in skills. He can fight two guards at a time in a fair fight but this was not a duel, this was war!

The disciples could not keep track of the attacks that came flying toward them. Their defenses crumbled as soon as they were hit.

If the guards had not practiced the Dumb Belle’s Guide to Strength, the disciples still might have had a chance to stall for time. With their superior physique built by their high-grade cultivation techniques, they could endure the attacks because of higher strength.

But the situation was reversed due to Ikasa.

The high-grade techniques of a sect with hundreds of years of foundation paled before Ikasa’s manuals!

In the current situation, the disciples were like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. The momentum built up by the City Guards on their way up, crushed the spirit and resistance of the disciples.

For the first time, Ikasa witnessed the destructive power his manuals could exhibit when used collectively. And this scene gave Ikasa the answer he needed.

‘Path Finder Zhi is prohibited from attacking the citizens of Birch City. Still, the penalty cannot be too big if he attacks just one or two people. But what if his attack affects hundreds at a time?’

A devious smirk formed on Ikasa’s lips. He quickly moved to the victorious City Guards.

“Third Commander Zi Ming!”

Finding the leader, Ikasa explained his hypothesis.

“Can you get your men to do it?”

The bold proposition shocked Zi Ming. He fell into thought. As Ikasa looked at him, he realized how ridiculous his suggestion may sound to the ears of a layman.

‘If he refuses, will I have to sacrifice Chu Kuang and my own men? No, I should try to offer them some benefits first.’

“Commander Zi, if anything happens to these brave men, I will offer them a lifetime discount of 50% to all their family members. Even if nothing happens they will pay 3 gold less on any manual they choose.”

Ikasa spoke loudly enough so that every guard could hear. Their eyes lit up at the amazing benefits he was offering.

Who didn’t know of his shop in this Birch City? As guards their techniques came from the City Lord, but what about their families?

They eagerly looked at their Commander to hear Ikasa’s proposition.

“You guys have to provoke a Chakra Sensing Realm Expert. Even though he cannot attack you at the moment, do you have the guts to do so?”

Commander Zi Ming asked his men with ridicule. The troops stopped making a ruckus and became silent. Though the benefits were tempting, the job assigned was much harder.

“I will soon add the guidance of a Sense Realm Expert to my shop’s list of offerings. Those who believe in me will be given a priority when choosing customers.”

“What? A Sense Trainer’s Guidance?”

“Doesn’t that mean we have a more than 50% chance of advancing to the Sense Realm?”

Ikasa’s declaration caused the eyes of the soldiers to shine with greed. Even Zi Ming looked at Ikasa as if he was his savior and lord!

All their inhibitions about the reckless plan crumbled. Even if they did not court death, they still lived on the edge every day. At least by becoming a Sense Trainer, their chances of survival would increase exponentially!

They immediately stomped over to where Path Finder Zhi stood. Every other fight happening in the vicinity slowed as they glanced at the City Guards with vigilance.

“Hey, you ancient fossil! Why are you still alive?”

Path Finder Zhi was taken aback by the sudden insult. He couldn’t fathom how in the world a lowly Path Forger found the courage to curse him!

He narrowed his eyes on the offender. Before he could take any action, another voice spoke in support of the previous speaker from the City Guards crowded before him.

“Yes, how come you are not dead yet you senile man?”

“No, you should be asking why has he not committed suicide out of shame! If I was a Path Finder who meddled in the affairs of a Third-tier City, I would drown myself in a glass of water!”

“True! I bet even his little brother cannot raise its head out of shame!”

Someone spoke pointing to his crotch. Ikasa barely suppressed his laughter as gave a double thumbs up in his heart to the daring man.

Path Finder Zhi grew enraged at the vulgar comments these imbeciles spouted before him. He radiated his aura and suppressed the City Guards with the majesty of his Cultivation base.

The tension had become palpable and the other fights had stopped completely. The fighters retreated far from Path Finder Zhi’s sphere of influence.

“How dare vermin like you open their mouths before me?”

Zhi Yang thundered as he took a step down the stair, approaching the City guards. Many of the guards were cowed by his pressure. Nonetheless, there were a few whose bravery bordered foolishness.

“If you still have any dignity left, try raising a hand on one of us!”

One of them shouted, thumping his chest. Path Finder Zhi immediately distinguished him from the crowd and directed at him a glare filled with oppression.

“See? This old man can only glare and not do anything! As I said he is impotent, who can only look!”

Another one joined in to ridicule the Path Finder respected and feared by many. Livid, Zhi Yang’s face turned purple.

‘If only Yin Ying was here right now. I could’ve used her hand to teach these pests a lesson.’

The curses from the City guards continued and they got bolder and bolder. By now, Path Finder Zhi’s rage had already crossed his limits. The final straw was when someone insulted his Sect.

“I wonder which Sect raised this coward. Was it the Turtle Sect?”

Path Finder Zhi’s rage immediately calmed down. His aura turned from fiery hot to chilling cold. In a cold, sharp voice, he ordered Sect Master Yan.

“Forfeit the Battle of Rights. Surrender. Now!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep