52: Chapter 52 Seeing Injustice

"Bold Rogue Cultivators, do you know who I am?"

Zhou Peng was covered in blood, his chest heaving violently. With one hand, he held his Dao Companion, Yu Li, firmly behind him, while his other hand tightly gripped a long sword that was on the verge of breaking. His voice was hoarse from blood loss and rage.

Yu Li hid tightly behind Zhou Peng, her small face deathly pale. Her spiritual energy was completely exhausted. As a Cultivator at the Qi Refining Stage 6, one stage lower than Zhou Peng, she simply could not withstand these five vicious Rogue Cultivators.

Zhou Peng took a deep breath, using his last bit of spiritual energy to roar at the five Rogue Cultivators surrounding them:

"I am a direct Disciple of the Zhou Family! My family's Old Ancestor is about to make a Breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage! If you dare to kill me today, once my family's Old Ancestor comes out of seclusion, will your entire Qingfeng Ridge be able to withstand the wrath of my family's Old Ancestor?"

"Your Qingfeng Ridge has some history with the Zhou Family, so why not just stop now, how about that?"

Unexpectedly, the tall, thin Rogue Cultivator leading the group heard Zhou Peng's words and, instead of being afraid, let out a sinister, strange laugh.

"Hehehe... Zhou Family's Zhou Peng, not bad, not bad. We were looking for you, and we are here to kill you!"

As soon as these words were out, Zhou Peng froze completely. His mind buzzed, becoming incomparably chaotic.

He had originally thought it was just bad luck, running into Rogue Cultivators, but now the other party was telling him clearly — we are targeting you.

In an instant, Zhou Peng understood everything.

It was not the first time he and his Dao Companion, Yu Li, had entered the Yunling Mountain Range. With his cultivation at the Qi Refining Stage 7, combined with his status as a Zhou Family Disciple, very few Rogue Cultivators would pay them any attention.

Furthermore, the Rogue Cultivators of Qingfeng Ridge had dealings with the Zhou Family; it was impossible for them to rob and kill them for no reason.

Now everything made sense.

This was a naked conspiracy.

Someone had bribed the Rogue Cultivators of Qingfeng Ridge behind the scenes, specifically wanting his and Yu Li's lives!

Zhou Peng was trembling with rage. He stared at the five Rogue Cultivators, his eyes bloodshot, and gritted his teeth as he asked:

"Who is it? Who exactly is harming us from behind the scenes? Tell me, let the two of us Dao Companions die with understanding!"

He no longer asked to live; he just wanted to know who hated him so much that they had to put him to death.

But the lead Rogue Cultivator just sneered, not intending to tell him the truth at all.

"Hehehe, want to know? Go down and ask the King of Hell!"

"Brothers, do it! Kill the man directly, and capture the woman alive!"

Once these words were spoken, the five Rogue Cultivators immediately moved.

Four auras of the Qi Refining Stage 6 and one of the Qi Refining Stage 7 erupted simultaneously. Five Magical Artifact long swords shimmering with spiritual light flew toward Zhou Peng. Everyone's eyes were fierce and vicious, especially when looking at Yu Li; they were full of lewd, malicious gazes, with drool almost flowing out.

Yu Li was so scared that her whole body went limp, and she hugged Zhou Peng's waist tightly.

Zhou Peng's heart felt like it was being twisted by a knife.

He knew that with less than ten percent of his Qi left, he could not win.

Yu Li could barely even protect herself.

Today, the two of them, as Dao Companions, would surely die.

But even if he died, he could never let Yu Li fall into the hands of these beasts!

"Wife, I'm sorry, it was me who dragged you into this."

Zhou Peng's voice trembled, but it was exceptionally firm.

"Today, the two of us will go on our way together. In the next life, I will still marry you!"

Yu Li raised her tear-stained face and nodded forcefully, without a hint of hesitation:

"Husband, I will listen to you, let's go together!"

Although she was afraid, she did not want to drag Zhou Peng down, and she certainly did not want to be humiliated.

Zhou Peng closed his eyes, using his last bit of remaining Qi to take out a Talisman emitting a faint red light from his Storage Pouch.

This was a Medium Grade Tier 1 Flame Talisman. It had considerable power and was originally intended for fighting enemies, but now, he would use this Talisman to burn himself to death.

He would rather be burned to ashes with Yu Li than let her be captured and defiled by this group of Rogue Cultivators.

Zhou Peng hugged Yu Li tightly, preparing to activate the Talisman and perish together.

Just at this critical moment!

A streak of light, fast to the extreme, suddenly broke through the air from the forest in the distance!

It was so fast that its shadow could not be seen, only a sharp "swish" sound was heard!

The next second, a terrifying scene occurred.

The four Rogue Cultivators died under the streak of light like cutting melons and vegetables.

The first Rogue Cultivator did not even react before his head flew off.

The second, third, and fourth, although they cast defensive measures, were almost simultaneously severed at the waist.

The spiritual shields they cast and the defensive Talismans they had on them were as brittle as eggshells in front of that streak of light; they shattered upon contact, unable to even provide the slightest obstruction.

Blood splattered everywhere. The four Rogue Cultivators did not even have time to scream before they all fell to the ground, completely devoid of life.

Only the last leader of the Rogue Cultivators at the Qi Refining Stage 7 remained. He was so scared that his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, he did not dare to stay any longer, turning and running into the woods for his life, wishing he had two more legs.

He had only one thought in his heart — run! Run quickly! The person who came was too strong, not even on the same level!

But just as he ran three steps, a red shadow suddenly sprang out from the grass nearby!

Its speed was like lightning, and it bit his neck in one bite!

Being approached by a Yao Beast was purely suicidal behavior.

With a crisp "crack" sound!

The body of the Rogue Cultivator at the Qi Refining Stage 7 stiffened, and he fell straight to the ground, dying on the spot.

Zhou Peng and Yu Li were completely stunned, not expecting such a turn of events!

What surprised them even more was that the one that bit the Rogue Cultivator to death was a Middle Stage Tier 1 Red-tailed Fox!

The two were once again on high alert. In their current situation, let alone a Red-tailed Fox, even an Early Stage Tier 1 Yao Beast could easily kill them.

The Dao Companions subconsciously gripped their broken swords, staring tremblingly at the Red-tailed Fox, ready to fight to the death.

But the Red-tailed Fox did not even look at them. It just used its claws to paw at the corpses of the Rogue Cultivators on the ground, picked up the five Storage Pouches one by one in its mouth, and then walked away slowly with light steps.

It did not attack them; instead, it seemed to be collecting its spoils of war.

Zhou Peng and Yu Li looked at each other, completely unable to understand the situation.

The Red-tailed Fox walked a dozen steps, stopped under a big tree, then gently placed the Storage Pouches from its mouth onto the ground, raised its head, and let out a gentle whimper to a Middle-aged Cultivator standing by the tree.

Only then did Zhou Peng and his wife notice that a figure had appeared on the tree at some point.

Looking closely, it was a man in his middle years at the Qi Refining Stage 7, with a fierce face. The streak of light that had just killed the Rogue Cultivators was clearly the Flying Sword he had released.

The Red-tailed Fox ran to his feet, rubbing its head gently against his pant leg, tail wagging, acting like a spoiled pet. Gone was the ferocity of biting the Rogue Cultivator to death just moments ago; it was a perfectly obedient pet.

Zhou Peng and Yu Li finally realized.

So this Red-tailed Fox was the spiritual pet of the Middle-aged Cultivator in front of them!

But how could someone who could kill four Middle Stage Cultivators with a casual sword strike only be at the Qi Refining Stage 7?

Clearly, he had used a secret technique to conceal his aura.

Zhou Peng hurriedly pulled his wife and bowed deeply to the Middle-aged Cultivator, his voice trembling with the gratitude of someone who had survived a disaster:

"Many thanks to Fellow Daoist for saving us! I am Zhou Peng, and this is my Dao Companion, Yu Li. We are eternally grateful!"

Yu Li also hurriedly bowed, her eyes reddening, almost crying again.

Just a second ago, they, as Dao Companions, would have already been a pile of ashes.

The Middle-aged Cultivator just glanced at them indifferently. His gaze was calm and waveless, neither showing closeness nor disgust. He just gently stroked the head of the Red-tailed Fox at his feet and spoke in a flat tone:

"I just saw injustice on the road, no need for formalities."

After speaking, the Middle-aged Cultivator bent down to pick up the five Storage Pouches from the ground, as well as the scattered Flying Sword.

The next moment, a flash of spiritual light appeared under the Middle-aged Cultivator's feet, and his whole body turned into a long rainbow. Carrying the Red-tailed Fox, he instantly disappeared into the depths of the mountain forest, leaving only the couple, Zhou Peng and Yu Li, staring at each other!