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Splash! Splash...
In an instant, all four Great Meridian Passage experts spewed blood and fell to the ground, three of them dying on the spot.
Only one young man remained, his face full of terror as he struggled to rise, "Spare me! My Lord, spare me—"
The black-faced middle-aged man in his view seemed like the shadow of death, standing proudly before him. The intangible evil qi and coldness left him with no thought of resistance.
The young man didn't believe he survived because of his own strength.
On the contrary, among the Four Great Meridian Passage experts, he was the weakest, having only recently advanced to Mid-stage Meridian Passage.
The only reason he hadn't died was because of one possibility—the Great Evil deliberately spared his life, perhaps seeing some further use for him.
This Great Evil's "Life-taking Hand" was even more terrifying than the rumors!
Sss!
The Great Evil's expression was indifferent, and with a knife in hand, he slashed like lightning.
"No..."
The youth was panic-stricken, wondering if his guess was wrong.
In the next instant, the knife struck its target—a woman bound to a stump.
"The City Lord's daughter." The young man gaped.
Thud!
A section of the woman's bloody finger was cut off, making the young man's heart skip a beat violently.
The woman on the stump, her mouth sealed with a strip of cloth, instantly fainted.
"Take this finger to Chu Fengyun. Tell him that if he doesn't arrive here within one incense's time, the next piece he'll see of his daughter is a section of her thigh."
The Great Evil's tone was flat as he handed the finger to the young man.
"I..."
The young man felt like a walking corpse.
Before the Great Evil, he lost all thoughts of defiance or refusal, resembling a loyal slave.
Staggering, the young man walked down the mountain.
"It's Vice General Xu!"
In front of a makeshift tent at the foot of the mountain, a figure exclaimed.
Soon, a few City Lord Mansion guards helped the young man named Xu into the tent.
Inside the tent.
"Vice General Xu, what's the situation on the mountain?"
A slightly obese middle-aged man in official attire inquired.
"City Lord, here is Miss's finger... The Great Evil said that if you don't go up the mountain, he'll sever Miss's leg next."
The young man's face was pale, and his voice was strained.
Seeing the woman's finger, the City Lord's face changed dramatically, "Ying'er!"
A ring on the finger—one he recognized—it belonged to his daughter.
The slightly obese middle-aged man was none other than City Lord Chu Fengyun.
"City Lord! That Great Evil is truly cruel and inhumane to harm the young lady."
"Allow us to charge up the mountain and tear him to pieces!"
Beside the City Lord stood two armored generals, both at Late-stage Meridian Passage; their auras were sharp.
"You, quickly take Vice General Xu down for treatment."
The City Lord instructed.
But just as he spoke, a sudden change occurred.
Ugh!
The young man spat out a mouthful of blood, his body convulsed, and then he fell dead.
Inside the tent, dead silence fell.
Everyone present bore expressions of shock and gravity.
"That Great Evil's 'Heart-pushing Palm' has already reached a perfected state; its palm force had long since infiltrated the heart meridians of Vice General Xu and calculated his time of death."
An elderly voice came from behind.
Unnoticed, an elderly man with white hair appeared beside the City Lord, Chu Fengyun.
"Master Wu."
City Lord Chu Fengyun showed a look of joy.
Seeing the white-haired elder, everyone present couldn't help but stand in respect.
"City Lord, rest assured. Faced with such peril, I will not stand by. I will do my utmost to behead that vile villain..."
The white-haired elder vowed solemnly.
Before long, dozens of guards escorted City Lord Chu Fengyun up the mountain.
Alongside Chu Fengyun were only two Late-stage Meridian Passage generals and the white-haired elder.
The remaining guards were merely Body Refining Stage, the elite trained by the City Lord Mansion.
"City Lord, these guards, facing evildoers like the 'Honghu Three Killers,' would only be sending them to their deaths."
The white-haired elder sighed.
Chu Fengyun nodded, signaling the guards to temporarily camp and await orders.
At the same time.
He pulled out a candle-like object from his sleeve and lit it with fire.
Whoosh!
Instantly, a brilliant firework shot into the sky, visible from miles around.
...
Miles away.
Chen Yu sat cross-legged, operating the "Cloud Evil Heart Method" for a while. He felt the method's flow was exceptionally smooth tonight.
Beside him, Protector Uncle Fang and Uncle Chen had already regained their peak states.
The group conserved their energy, ready to set out at any moment.
Whoosh!
Just then, fireworks rose in the distant sky.
"The City Lord Mansion's signal."
Protector Uncle Fang immediately stood up.
"It seems the City Lord Mansion has located the Honghu Three Killers."
Uncle Chen said solemnly.
Without further words, they rushed toward the direction of the firework signal.
Before long.
The group encountered some skilled fighters who arrived upon hearing the news at a mountainside location.
"It's the Mu Family and Wang Family people."
Protector Uncle Fang whispered to Chen Yu and the others.
Chen Yu glanced over. The Mu and Wang families each had two Meridian Passage experts remaining, with the lowest cultivation at Mid-stage Meridian Passage.
"Hahaha... Chu Fengyun, I didn't expect you still hold family in high regard, rushing here for the sake of your daughter."
A powerful, cold laughter rang from the mountaintop.
The Chen Family, Wang Family, and Mu Family forces quickened their pace, leaping toward the summit.
At the mountain's peak.
The black-faced middle-aged man stood with his hands behind his back, wearing a cold smile as he overlooked the crowd.
Beside him stood a black-clad youth and a deathly pale woman, the Second Evil Blood Poison Dart and the Third Evil Soul Scattering Fragrance, respectively.
Bound to a stump behind the Three Evils was a woman in a long dress, her hair disheveled.
Opposite the Honghu Three Killers was the City Lord Mansion's side.
City Lord "Chu Fengyun," with a slightly obese body, stood on the cold mountain top, his expression calm, showing no trace of panic.
On his side were the white-haired elder and two Late-stage Meridian Passage generals.
He himself was also a Meridian Passage expert, with cultivation matching that of the Great Evil.
In terms of strength, the City Lord Mansion's side clearly held the upper hand.
Moreover, some other experts were arriving one after another.
Clang! Clang!
The first to arrive were Chen Yu and Chen Ying'er.
As sect disciples, young and vigorous, their martial arts far surpassed secular martial artists of the same rank.
"Boss, it's that kid who broke Third Sister's arm just now."
Second Evil said in a low voice.
"Hmm?"
The black-faced middle-aged man's gaze swept over Chen Yu and the others, his expression tensing.
"These two youngsters, I'm afraid, are sect disciples, making this operation somewhat tricky."
The Great Evil black-faced man frowned.
After all, the sects were the rulers of this land, and even someone as strong as the Great Evil felt apprehensive inside.
"What's there to fear! We haven't failed to kill sect disciples before, and the rewards were indeed bountiful..."
Second Evil Blood Poison Dart said with a touch of excitement.
The black-faced middle-aged man wore an ashen expression, the killing intent and evil qi between his brows growing even more intense.
When dealing with sect disciples, it was best not to provoke them, but if they did, they must be utterly exterminated.
"Third Sister."
The black-faced middle-aged man suddenly spoke, "This time, you stay concentrated at the rear, no need to fight."
"Yes."
The deathly pale woman's eyes flashed with severity, sitting cross-legged next to the City Lord's daughter.
Chen Yu and the others initially thought she was there to specifically guard the hostage.
But they were mistaken.
They watched as the deathly pale woman took out a peculiar purple flute and began to play it.
Suddenly.
A sharp, murderous resonance from the flute transformed into invisible ripples, surging toward the City Lord's forces, including the skilled fighters from the three arriving families.
"This is..."
Some of the experts present felt dizzy, their blood and energy churning.
The closer they were to the stump where the Three Killers stood, the stronger the invisible flute sound attack became.
Those on the scene, all within the Meridian Passage stage, could use inner breath to protect their ears, but it only lessened the attack and couldn't completely avoid it.
It seemed that the flute's attack wasn't entirely based on sound waves.
Aside from Chen Yu and Chen Ying'er, who were not significantly affected, the other Meridian Passage experts felt disturbed and their blood and energy tumultuous.
Chen Yu was barely affected because of his powerful physique and because he practiced the "Cloud Evil Heart Method," a branch of the sect's foundational Cultivation Technique, which was extraordinary.
Chen Ying'er, being the elder's most favored disciple, possessed profound martial arts and cultivation, so she was also barely affected.
"That flute was indeed a thrilling gain when we killed an Inner Sect Disciple back then."
The black-faced middle-aged man felt satisfied.
Years ago, the Three Evils fled to the neighboring Qi Country, and by chance, nearly killed a solitary, wounded sect disciple.
That kill brought great fortune to the Three Evils.
Now, those experts affected might not be able to exert even seventy percent of their full strength.
Sss—Whiz whiz whiz!
Second Evil Blood Poison Dart had already made his move, launching over a dozen Three-Edged Darts with astonishing skill.
Almost everyone present was targeted with one.
Among them, Chen Yu received special "attention," being served with three.
City Lord Chu Fengyun was "attended" to with two.
"Aah..."
Agonizing screams erupted, as amidst the enigmatic sound wave's influence, most of the experts present found it hard to dodge as their spirits and blood fluctuated.
Thud!
On the City Lord Mansion's side, a Late-stage Meridian Passage general was hit, poisoned, and killed on the spot.
The Mu Family suffered the worst, with both of their Mid-stage Meridian Passage experts hit.
On the Wang Family's side, one Mid-stage Meridian Passage was hit, while another Late-stage Meridian Passage barely escaped.
The Chen Family remained the most intact.
Clang clang clang!
Chen Yu's entire skin glowed with a copper sheen. His hands danced, blocking several hidden weapons.
Chen Ying'er moved with extreme agility, not only blocking her own but also protecting Uncle Chen behind her from a dart.
"Vile villain, stop flaunting your power—"
An elderly, harsh cry shook the scene, overpowering even the eerie flute sound.
Looking on.
An intense aura erupted from the white-haired elder on the City Lord Mansion's side, currents swirling around him.
Immediately, the Three-Edged Darts from Second Evil were deflected before even nearing his body.
"What a powerful aura."
Everyone present, including the Honghu Three Killers, felt their blood and energy suppressed.
"Could it be..."
A thought flashed through Chen Yu's mind.
Whoosh!
In the next instant, the white-haired elder became a blur, unleashing a vast, powerful palm strike toward the Great Evil black-faced man.
"Not good! Organ Refining Stage—"
The black-faced middle-aged man paled, retreating rapidly.
Despite the distance, the Great Evil remained uneasy, simultaneously driving his full internal breath to defend ahead.
In the next moment.
Bang!
An unseen cyclone of palm force smashed into the black-faced middle-aged man from afar, sending his body flying.
"The power of the Organ Refining Stage!"
Chen Yu and Chen Ying'er exchanged glances, both a bit shocked.
The white-haired elder's palm hadn't directly hit the Great Evil, yet the invisible inner breath palm force struck from several feet away, directly knocking the Great Evil away!
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