The sound of hooves echoed as Su Hao's carriage arrived at the front street outside the Gu residence, bathed in the glow of the setting sun. The front street was quite a distance from the main compound of the Gu family.
The Gu family, a prominent clan in Fu City, occupied vast lands. Even the front street outside their residence was part of their territory.
At dusk, there were few people on the front street.
"Xi'er, when are you returning to the Qingmu Sword Sect?" Su Hao asked, looking at Gu Xi'er beside him in the carriage. After spending the day together, Su Hao discovered that Gu Xi'er could be quite gentle at times, except when she was in a bad mood.
"My senior disciple should have already arrived at the Gu residence. I'll return to the Qingmu Sword Sect with him tomorrow," Gu Xi'er replied, glancing outside the carriage with a hint of reluctance.
Today, her relationship with Su Hao had grown closer. She felt that if she stayed a bit longer, she could surely win Su Hao over. However, she had to return to the Qingmu Sword Sect tomorrow.
Upon returning, she would attempt to break through to the Earth Realm, which meant she probably wouldn't be able to leave the mountain for quite some time.
"You're leaving tomorrow?" Su Hao felt a bit sad, as Gu Xi'er was his task-completing machine.
"The prefectural office is close to the sword sect. If you go to the prefectural office, you can visit me at the sect. If your strength improves, you could even join our Qingmu Sword Sect once you're at the prefectural office," Gu Xi'er said earnestly.
"Join the Qingmu Sword Sect? I'm currently with the Constabulary. Can I join a sword sect?" Su Hao asked, puzzled.
"Why not? Many people in our sect work for the Prefectural Pacification Commission. Even my senior disciple is a centurion in the commission," Gu Xi'er explained softly.
"I see. It seems I don't know enough," Su Hao nodded.
Suddenly, Su Ping's carriage came to a halt.
"What's going on?" Su Hao opened the carriage door, his expression changing instantly. In front of their carriage stood a man wearing plain robes with a curved sword at his waist. He exuded a fierce aura as he stared at Su Hao's carriage. Drawing his sword, he said coldly, "Young Master Su, I'm here to take your life. I am Mo Ku of the Blood Demon Cult."
A faint energy swirled around the blade's edge, indicating that the man was an expert who had entered the Earth Realm.
Inside the carriage, Su Hao was bewildered. Why would the Blood Demon Cult target him? He was just a playboy.
"The Su family obtained an antidote for Black Blood Poison from the black market, disrupting the Blood Demon Cult's plans. Now they're retaliating against the Su family," Gu Xi'er whispered in his ear, explaining the situation.
"So it's trouble I brought upon myself. But you're really shameless, targeting a playboy like me. You're just picking on the weak!" Su Hao thought bitterly. He had contributed the antidote, and now the Blood Demon Cult was after him.
"Young Master, I'll handle this person," Su Ping said calmly as he got off the carriage, his eyes fixed on the man before them.
"You think you can kill the Young Master? Do you have what it takes?" Su Ping challenged.
"Seeking death!" Mo Ku stepped forward, releasing the aura of Earth Realm Level 3. The surrounding dust rose under the pressure of his energy as he glared at Su Ping menacingly.
"Then let me cut you down first!" Mo Ku's figure blurred as he swung his curved sword, trailing a crimson light, directly at Su Ping.
Su Ping erupted with an energy no weaker than his opponent's. His eyes flashed, and combined with the scar on his face, he looked even more fierce.
Facing the incoming sword attack, Su Ping threw a punch. His fist was covered in a layer of energy as hard as iron.
Su Ping had cultivated the Iron Sand Fist technique, making his hands as tough as iron.
Clang!
When fist met sword, a metallic sound rang out. The swordsman's face showed a hint of surprise; he hadn't expected a mere playboy to have someone of equal strength by his side.
The curved sword switched hands in an instant, slashing towards Su Ping's chest.
Crack!
Su Ping's outer robe tore, but no wound appeared on his body.
"My Iron Cloth technique has reached great perfection. Your sword can't harm me!" Su Ping's face twisted into a savage grin as he grabbed the swordsman's right shoulder with one hand.
His fingers, hard as iron, dug into Mo Ku's shoulder. With a powerful yank, Su Ping tore off Mo Ku's arm.
"Ahh!" Mo Ku let out an agonized scream as his right arm was ripped away.
But even as he screamed...
Suddenly, a blue figure darted out from the street side, striking at Su Hao's carriage with a palm attack.
Boom!
The carriage's canopy was instantly shredded under the force of the palm strike. Su Hao and Gu Xi'er tumbled out of the carriage.
Gu Xi'er, with a serious expression, shielded Su Hao.
She focused her gaze on the blue figure that had appeared.
After destroying the carriage with one palm strike, the blue figure didn't pause. Moving as swiftly as a bird, it immediately struck out at Su Hao.
As the palm attack launched, a burst of blue energy erupted from the attacker's hand. It was clearly an Earth Realm cultivator.
Su Hao, who had just fallen from the carriage, hadn't yet regained his senses.
After all, with his current strength at only Human Realm Level 5, his perception and awareness were far too low.
He quickly accessed his item inventory, intending to use the Li Xunhuan Possession Card.
But the attacker was too fast.
By the time he checked his inventory and prepared to activate the Li Xunhuan Possession Card, the palm attack was already in front of him.
Whoosh!
At that moment, a white figure appeared before him.
Splat!
He felt a spray of fresh blood on his face. Looking up, he saw Gu Xi'er standing in front of him, shielding him from the crisis. The blood on his face was Gu Xi'er's!
"Young Master!" Su Ping, who had just torn off Mo Ku's other arm, immediately abandoned Mo Ku and rushed towards Su Hao.
However, the now armless Mo Ku, his face contorted with rage, kicked the fallen curved sword into the air. He caught it with his mouth and charged at Su Ping.
Su Ping instinctively turned to look.
Slash!
The curved sword instantly sliced across Su Ping's eyes.
"Ahh!" Black blood immediately flowed from Su Ping's eyes; the curved sword had been coated with poison.
Despite being poisoned, Su Ping managed to grab Mo Ku's body with both hands and tore him apart with brute force.
"Xi'er, are you alright?" Su Hao called out anxiously to the blood-spitting Gu Xi'er.
Splat!
Gu Xi'er coughed up another mouthful of blood.
"Quick... run... away!" the severely injured Gu Xi'er managed to say between gasps.
"I didn't expect a playboy like you to have someone willing to die for you. How surprising. Let me send you both on your way together," said the blue-robed attacker, Lan Yue, who had now revealed herself. She looked at Su Hao and Gu Xi'er with a cold expression.
In truth, she hadn't expected Gu Xi'er to take the hit for Su Hao, but she knew she couldn't delay any longer. She prepared to attack again.
At this moment, Su Hao's Li Xunhuan Possession Card activated, and a system task appeared:
[Task 1] The host has been ambushed by enemies and nearly killed. Slay the attackers. Reward: 300 Sign-in Points, 5 Bronze Draw Cards.