129: Chapter 129 Counterattack
Hearing this, Kang Shuhan sighed inwardly that he hadn't managed to kill Bai He in one strike.
He shouted to Huo Hongshan and the other seven in the distance: "The Four Great Families are conspiring with the White Dragon Cult and the Black River Bandits to rebel; do not lead yourselves to ruin!
Lay down your weapons, and you will be dealt with leniently!"
The expressions of Huo Hongshan and the others changed, but not a single one surrendered.
They were already on a sinking ship; how could they possibly be 'dealt with leniently'?
Their only remaining option was to protect Bai He as he left, completely join the White Dragon Cult, or at the very least, escape via the Chiyun River.
Huo Hongshan shouted: "Protect the Young Lord as he leaves!"
The others also gritted their teeth and charged into the fray.
However, unnoticed by anyone, Huo Hongshan himself quietly stepped away.
In the middle of the crowd, Dong Xuanli temporarily blocked Kang Shuhan and shouted: "You two, take the Young Lord and go first!"
Upon hearing this, the two deputy hall masters who had been fighting Lu Xiu and Zhou Yi pulled away and left with Bai He.
With the life or death of Cult Leader Bai Lian unknown, Bai He had become extremely important.
Bai He nodded, and just as he turned to leave, Dong Xuanli's telepathic transmission sounded in his ear.
'Xu Fang has gone to the east.'
The meaning was for Bai He to go find Xu Fang.
Bai He changed his pace and ran toward the east, his mouth occasionally making a 'rustling' sound—this was the secret code for the White Dragon Cult to call out to companions.
The other Huajin Martial Artists saw Bai He leave, and their expressions changed.
What were they supposed to do?
Just then, someone shouted: "Huo Hongshan is gone!"
Everyone was shocked; indeed, Huo Hongshan was nowhere to be seen.
After waiting for dozens of breaths, Dong Xuanli also seized the opportunity to leave, while the others were simply unable to break free.
At this moment, a figure suddenly appeared in the crowd.
Swoosh!
Pei Zhou and Fei Xian, two dignified Huajin Martial Artists with Major Achievement, had their heads cleanly sliced off by a single hand-blade strike.
Dong Xuanli, who had just escaped the crowd, changed expression and let out a strange cry.
"Ah?! Core Formation?!?"
His voice turned shrill, but a hand was thrust directly into his mouth. With just one vibration from this hand, his head exploded like a watermelon, scattering red and white matter everywhere.
Following this, the figure flashed like a frame-skipping image in front of the remaining hostile Huajin Martial Artists. With light swipes, everyone's heads fell to the ground.
Seeing this scene, even Kang Shuhan, a veteran Huajin Martial Artist, couldn't help but gasp.
Core Formation, it was definitely the Core Formation; only that would have such power.
Not until all the hostile Huajin Martial Artists had been beheaded did the person stop, allowing everyone to see his face.
His left eye was pierced by a claw mark, the pupil grey and white, and an aura of ferocity rushed toward them.
However, some recognized his identity.
The expressions of Zhou Yi, Lu Xiu, and Zhao Xiancheng turned to ecstasy: "Junior Brother!"
Zhuang Jin had truly reached the Core Formation!!!
As soon as this was said, everyone else was shocked beyond measure.
This person was actually that Extreme Realm Martial Artist Zhuang Jin, whose reputation had spread throughout Shangyun City just a short while ago!
He glanced at Bai He and the others in the distance and said to Kang Shuhan: "Many thanks, Chief Envoy Kang."
What everyone didn't know was that in his earlier years, Zhuang Jin had also served for a time as a River Patrol Guard and River Patrol Envoy at the River Department, leaving only after reaching the Huajin Realm.
At that time, Kang Shuhan was still the River Patrol Chief Envoy, and Zhuang Jin worked under him.
Kang Shuhan had even cherished his talent and invited Zhuang Jin to work at the City Lord's Mansion.
Though it was politely declined, the two still had a good relationship.
Kang Shuhan nodded: "I have things under control here, Lord Zhuang... no need to worry."
Since Zhuang Jin had reached the Core Formation, any other form of address seemed inappropriate, so he simply addressed him as 'Lord'.
Zhuang Jin nodded lightly and vanished in an instant.
...
On the other side, at the Chen Family.
In the small courtyard filled with white mist, a dull-witted woman stood beside two xuanyou flowers, motionless. Outside the courtyard, three Huajin Martial Artist corpses lay horizontally, their faces still retaining expressions of wariness.
It was as if they had been guarding the courtyard the second before, and were suddenly killed the next instant.
After a long while, the woman chuckled.
She touched the petals of the xuanyou flower, "It seems Chen Guanshi will not be coming back."
She took out two jade boxes, her hands covered in light blue Qi, and placed the two flowers into the jade boxes.
Then she vanished, leaving only the mist in the courtyard, which, having lost the support of the spiritual object, gradually thinned.
...
"Ha! Ha!"
Bai He ignored the surging Qi and blood in his body and fled into the distance.
Rustle!
He tried hard to make a sound, but never heard a response from Xu Fang.
'Damn it! Once I get back, I will definitely punish Xu Fang, humph!' Bai He was somewhat angry.
If Xu Fang were here, he wouldn't have only brought two people to leave.
'If I had known, I should have secretly killed Zhou Yi and the others.'
If not to lure out Zhuang Jin, he definitely wouldn't have spared their lives until now.
The result had been a failure, and the Huajin experts he had managed to recruit were all lost there.
Bai He suddenly changed direction and ran toward a certain area.
'I remember this direction is where Li Qing lives.'
Li Qing's talent was not low; he could perhaps eliminate him on the way.
'Moreover, he definitely has an eight treasures pill on him!'
Back then, Commander Qin Shu had given Zhou Yi an eight treasures pill. Although Zhou Yi hadn't declared it, in Bai He's view, it must have fallen into the hands of Li Qing, who was second only to him and Fang Lingling but had not yet received an eight treasures pill.
Thus, besides eliminating Li Qing, he could also obtain the eight treasures pill—killing two birds with one stone!
At this moment, a figure caught up with the three of them.
"Young Lord!" Huo Hongshan shouted.
Thus, Bai He's group now numbered four, and all four had not-insignificant combat power, which made him feel slightly more at ease.
Kill Li Qing, seize the eight treasures pill, and then flee far outside the city!
Along the streets, there were many government soldiers attacking the shops of the Four Great Families; Bai He and the others quietly avoided them.
Arriving at Red Leaf Alley, every house here had its doors tightly shut, obviously frightened by the scenes outside.
Arriving at Li Qing's doorstep, Bai He's eyes lit up.
"We're here!"
With a wave of his hand, the deputy hall master of the Vermilion Bird Hall took the lead and charged into the courtyard.
Bai He and the other two followed closely behind.
However, contrary to the expected scene, only one person was standing under the large banyan tree in the courtyard.
Li Qing saw their figures and was not surprised, sighing as he said: "I just... wanted to practice martial arts quietly. Why bother? Why, why must you force me?"
Bai He snorted coldly: "Where is the eight treasures pill?"
Li Qing took a box out from his bosom: "Here, it's right here."
Huo Hongshan looked at the eight treasures pill with a trace of greed, grinning: "You're quite sensible, but you still have to die!"
Swish!
Huo Hongshan took a large Cross Stance, rushed in front of Li Qing, and threw out a heavy punch.
A mere Hidden Force Martial Artist, no matter how much of a Genius, could absolutely not block this!
However, an accident occurred.
Swish!
Li Qing instantly dodged his heavy punch, and Huo Hongshan's pupils shrank.
Hum!
Dragon Gall Power, Third Layer!
Li Qing's chest expanded violently, and his entire arm also expanded by a circle.
Bow Tendon Stretch, Third Layer!
His entire body was like a large bow, stretched to the limit backward, then swung forward.
Throughout the entire process, accompanied by Effortless Strength, his body weight first decreased, then suddenly increased, doubling the power.
Three Vibrations Power, Third Layer!
Under the blessing of 'Three Vibrations', his fist vibrated rapidly, emitting a 'humming' sound.
Liuhe Punch!
One of the most conventional straight punches in the Six Harmonies Fist Technique, under the blessing of numerous secret techniques and traits, became terrifyingly powerful.
Boom!
The air was torn apart, and the fist hammered toward Huo Hongshan's chest. Before the fist even arrived, the fist wind had already torn his chest clothes, and blood was seeping out of his skin.
Bang!
The two collided; the panic on Huo Hongshan's face flashed and then vanished, and then his body was torn apart!
Pieces here and there.
His entire body was shredded by the tyrannical force, and one of his fingers fell at Bai He's feet.
Bai He couldn't even react in time; he was stunned.
What had he just seen?
Huajin cultivation, Major Achievement footwork, 'Three Vibrations', and... Dragon Gall Power!
"Dragon Gall Power, Third Layer?!?"
Was he the Young Lord of the White Dragon Cult, or was Li Qing?