Leng Mansion.

More than ten guards, armed with sabers, spears, and staves, surrounded Black Tiger Wu Chun. The surrounding torches burned brightly, illuminating the vast courtyard as if it were day.

"How did you discover me?"

Wu Chun looked at Leng Xing in the crowd, a bewildered expression on his face.

"My Lightweight Body Technique is not subpar. Even someone stronger than me would find it difficult to detect me without getting close."

"And yet, not only did you know I had infiltrated the mansion, you even had people lie in ambush. It’s truly difficult to understand."

"You don’t need to trouble yourself over that, Elder," Leng Xing said.

"As far as I know, I have never offended you, Elder, nor do I wish to. If you are willing to leave, we can pretend tonight’s events never happened."

"Heh..." Wu Chun chuckled lowly.

"Junior, some of you participated in the annihilation of the Black Tiger Gang back then. I have not forgotten this matter."

"Never happened?"

"Impossible!"

Leng Xing frowned.

’If he was simply seeking revenge for what happened back then, Wu Chun should have gone after the Zhou Family and the Sunx Family first.’

’His objective seemed clear this time, and it didn’t look like it was for revenge.’

’Besides...’

’Wu Chun’s relationship with the Zhou Family was murky, and even the recent turmoil in the county was quite strange.’

"How about this!"

Wu Chun snapped his fingers and grinned.

"If you’re willing to surrender without a fight, I can spare the others. How about it?"

"Bullshit!" Wan Jing, the most hot-tempered of the group, immediately roared.

"Do you really think we’re afraid of you?"

"Get him!"

At the command, the guards attacked in unison. In an instant, a flurry of sabers, spears, and staves descended upon Black Tiger Wu Chun.

Numerous Hidden Weapons were mixed in as well.

CLANG! CLANG! DING!

The sounds of collision rang out.

Black Tiger Wu Chun let out a fierce cry, brandishing his long spear as he charged forward. He forcibly carved a bloody path through the guards. The sabers, swords, and staves that rained down on him were either repelled by his Gang Force or blocked by the shaft of his spear as he lunged straight for Leng Xing and the others.

In an instant, the guards in the courtyard were thrown into chaos. Shouts and cries rose and fell, but they were still unable to pin him down.

Inner Qi Release!

As long as the Inner Qi in their bodies had not been exhausted, an expert who had reached this Realm was difficult for ordinary people to resist.

This held true even if their opponents were armed and had superior numbers.

CLANG!

A saber and a sword thrust out diagonally from the crowd—it was Leng Xing and Hua Wenhua, launching a surprise attack side by side.

Wan Jing and Hex Leshan looked for an opportunity to strike.

The four of them had once joined forces to besiege Cold Pool. Now, their strength had more than doubled, and with the help of numerous guards, taking down Black Tiger Wu Chun, an expert at Inner Qi Release, might not be impossible.

CLANG...

Weapons collided.

The figures of the several fighters crossed in the courtyard, their blades and Powerful Qi clashing. Wan Jing, the weakest of them, was sent flying backward as if struck by lightning.

BANG!

Wu Chun’s face paled, and he staggered back several steps.

He was, after all, made of flesh and blood. Tangled up with so many people, his Inner Qi was rapidly depleting and would be difficult to sustain for long.

If he continued this entanglement, he could kill many of them, but he feared he wouldn’t be able to escape safely in the end.

"Fine!"

His eyes reddened as he abruptly drew upon the True Qi in his body, a strange power surging directly into his Dantian.

Sacrifice Technique!

BOOM!

The released Inner Qi suddenly surged. His long spear danced like a dragon, sending the charging guards flying one after another.

"Leng Xing!"

"Die!"

Having sent the guards flying and cleared some space, Black Tiger Wu Chun let out a low roar. Man and spear became one as he shot straight for Leng Xing.

Hua Wenhua roared in fury, his longsword striking like a viper.

He was indebted to Leng Xing and had now begun Nurturing Inner Qi. The sword strike he unleashed was nothing less than a Life-or-Death Fighting Method.

Unfortunately, his strength was ultimately too weak. He only managed to momentarily slow Black Tiger Wu Chun before the two entangled figures crashed through the wall and into the back courtyard.

"Second Brother!"

"Second Brother!"

Wan Jing and the other two shouted. When they rushed into the back courtyard, they saw a white shadow flash past. Immediately after, Wu Chun actually let out a sorrowful howl and leaped into the air, fleeing out of the mansion like a beaten dog.

’What just happened?’

"Quickly, inform the Patrol Guard Team! Black Tiger Wu Chun has fled south!" Leng Xing, completely unharmed, stood in the middle of the back courtyard and shouted to the guards rushing in behind him.

"The rest of you, don’t lower your guard! He might circle back for a sneak attack."

"Yes, sir!"

"Yes, Master."

"..."

The men acknowledged the orders and dispersed.

Leng Xing shot Wan Jing and the others a look, then lowered his voice and said,

"There is a distinguished person living in my back courtyard. It was she who detected Black Tiger Wu Chun’s infiltration. It’s inconvenient for this honored guest to show herself, so just keep this among yourselves. Do not, under any circumstances, spread this to others."

’Huh?’

The three men looked at each other in confusion.

After pacifying and seeing off his three bewildered sworn brothers, Leng Xing straightened his clothes and walked to the front of the main building in the back courtyard.

"Thank you, Elder, for saving my life."

"Mm."

The voice that came from the room was crisp and delicate, like the soft call of an oriole, making one’s very bones feel weak.

Leng Xing’s expression tightened, and he hurriedly circulated his energy to protect himself.

He had personally witnessed her shocking methods. With just a few casual glances, she could cause a person’s Primordial Energy to leak out, regardless of whether they were a man or a woman.

The Joyful Immortal Sect!

An Outer Demon Sect!

She came from one of the legendary Immortal Sects. Even if she was only an Immortal Sect Outer Sect Disciple, she was not someone a mere Mortal like him could even dream of approaching.

"That man shouldn’t be back anytime soon. But this is the only time. Don’t expect me to help you again," the soft, sweet voice said.

"I wouldn’t dare," Leng Xing hurriedly said with a bow.

"For you to help me even once, Elder, I am already endlessly grateful."

There was no reply from the room. Leng Xing waited another moment before clasping his hands in a salute and cautiously retreating.

’Strange!’

’She clearly dislikes Leping County, so why is this ’Fairy’ from the Joyful Immortal Sect still lingering here?’

The reason the ’Fairy’ from the Joyful Immortal Sect had sought out Leng Xing was actually related to the Leng Family’s former Patriarch, Cold Pool. Because of the Flower Appreciation Treasure Record, both Cold Pool and Leng Xing were considered ’probationary’ disciples of the Joyful Immortal Sect.

However, she had looked down on both Cold Pool and Leng Xing. It was the events currently unfolding in Leping County that had piqued her interest.

...

A side courtyard in the Zhou Mansion.

Suffering from internal injuries, Wu Chun stumbled into the room, fumbled for a few elixirs in a drawer, and stuffed them into his mouth.

"An Innate Qi Refiner!"

"How can there be an Innate Qi Refiner in the Leng Mansion?"

The memory of the fear he felt when their auras clashed a moment ago made Wu Chun’s face turn deathly pale.

’Wait...’

"My son?"

"My son!"

He looked at the oil lamp in the room, which was connected to Zhou Huaijing’s life force. The extinguished wick made his face fill with despair.

"AAAH!"

"Who killed my son!"

"I’ll kill you!"

"DIE!"

*

*

*

Early in the morning, a carriage from the Zhu Mansion headed for South City, finally stopping in front of a dilapidated warehouse.

"This is the place!"

Wan Shuai leaped down from the carriage and knocked on the courtyard gate.

"Elder Xiao, are you there, Elder Xiao?"

CREAK...

The gate opened, and a white-bearded old man walked out. He frowned as he looked at Zhu Ju behind Wan Shuai, his displeasure obvious.

"Why did you bring him here?"

"Brother Zhu is Sister-in-Law Shuan’s younger brother, so he’s not an outsider," Wan Shuai said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"There’s something you don’t know, Elder Xiao. Yesterday, a master who nurtures corpses came to the Zhu Mansion. It was Brother Zhu who took care of it."

"He has already cultivated the Outer Refining Fifth Realm to Perfection and even received Elder Ye’s Breaking Army Armor."

"Heh heh..."

With a chuckle, Wan Shuai continued,

"Furthermore, Brother Zhu has inherited Elder Zhu’s Martial Arts Talent and, at a young age, has already cultivated the Mixed Element Iron Hand to the Micro Realm!"

"Oh?"

Hearing this, Elder Xiao’s expression changed slightly. He looked Zhu Ju up and down before nodding, his tone becoming less stern.

"Younger Brother Zhu always did like to keep a card up his sleeve. To think he’d do the same even with raising his son. Secretly nurturing such a talent... This is truly a joyous occasion."

"Come in!"

With that, he turned, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked into the courtyard.

"Keep up," Wan Shuai beckoned, lowering his voice.

"Sword Hero Xiao Gongdu. You’ve heard of Elder Xiao’s name, right?"

Zhu Ju nodded.

Sword Hero Xiao Gongdu, one of the Elders of San Fen Hall, was from the same generation as his old man and Ye Chongshan.

He had a Cultivation at the level of Qi Circulation!

The Elders of San Fen Hall were divided into three tiers. The first tier was the Honored Guest Elders, who were few in number and had mysterious identities.

Zhu Ju guessed that the Honored Guest Elders were very likely Immortal Sect Outer Sect Disciples—Innate Qi Refiners.

The second tier consisted of people like Xiao Gongdu.

They possessed a Cultivation of Qi Circulation but had almost no hope of advancing further. They were the top experts below the Innate realm.

The third tier.

This was the tier of people like his old man and Ye Chongshan.

Although their Cultivation was at the Inner Qi Release realm, due to their special Cultivation Techniques or other reasons, their strength was no less than that of a Qi Circulation expert.

In the courtyard was a dilapidated stone pavilion. Beneath it, two people were playing a board game, completely ignoring the three newcomers, their minds entirely focused on the game board.

Farther ahead was a small cabin.

"Brother Jiangg."

Xiao Gongdu stopped and clasped his hands in salute toward the cabin.

"Wan Shuai has brought someone."

’To make an expert at Qi Circulation act so respectfully, the person in the cabin must have an extraordinary identity. They are most likely an Innate Qi Refiner.’

Seeing this, Zhu Ju couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart.

"Elder Jiangg." Wan Shuai also shed his casual expression, putting on a solemn look as he saluted and recounted the events of the previous night.

"Black Tiger Wu Chun is very likely to come for revenge. I was wondering if I could ask you Elders to step in and resolve this?"

"With you Elders here, the chaos in Leping County is a trivial matter. Shouldn’t we make a move soon?"

"The time is not yet right," a voice came from inside the cabin.

"Black Tiger Wu Chun is a trivial matter, no need to worry. But that corpse... tell me more about that."

Wan Shuai looked surprised, then once again recounted the situation from that time, especially the parts related to the corpse.

"It seems to be a newly-formed Refined Corpse, not yet fully developed. And the Corpse Nurturer behind it has no complete legacy," the voice from inside said lightly.

"You may go back."

"Elder," Wan Shuai began,

"Even though Leping County has the Patrol Guard Team, people are still dying every day. When are we going to make our move?"

"When the time is right to act, we will naturally act," the voice said apathetically.

"It’s just people dying..."

"It’s not enough yet!"

’?’

Zhu Ju frowned.

’The person in the cabin is, in all likelihood, an Innate Qi Refiner. If they were willing to act, the chaos in Leping County could be quickly quelled.’

’Why are they so indifferent?’

’The time is not yet right?’

’What are they waiting for?’