“Hehe… Hearing Master Yu’s words, I am even more eager to meet this Wudao person!”
Madame Baihua giggled coquettishly.
“Well… in fact, I have already dispatched two of our best to seek a way to negotiate and resolve this peacefully…”
Yu Wenlong said, “After all, it’s better to resolve enmity than to nurture it. We who roam the martial world must always leave ourselves a way out…”
“Indeed, your words make sense. Truly wise and prudent!”
The Snake Elder smiled.
Of course, all of them understood perfectly well that these martial world rules only applied to those of similar standing.
As for the Lin family that had been previously annihilated, since they didn’t even have a master ranked in the Earthly Yuan List, they were treated like mere ants, and no one would bother to play by the rules with them.
“Master!”
At this moment, two figures entered from outside—it was indeed Yu Jiansheng and Miaoyu Niangzi, their faces pale. They immediately kowtowed upon entering: “We have failed, Master! That Wudao person is unbudging and is already heading toward Heihushan!”
“Hmph!”
Yu Wenlong abruptly stood up, his aura formidable as he coldly sneered: “Prefers punishment over taking the hint!”
“Brother, rest assured. The three of us working together could even challenge the top ten experts on the Earthly Yuan List!”
The Snake Elder exhaled a puff of pipe smoke. The smoke coiled and lingered around him, resembling a small white serpent, gracefully slithering with a mystical quality.
This old man had devoted himself to the “Smoke Serpent Art,” and after reaching the Earthly Yuan realm, had even awakened psychic abilities, making his martial techniques extremely peculiar. He was the number one expert in Cangwu Prefecture!
Seeing this, Yu Wenlong felt reassured, his eyes flashing with dark intensity.
…
With battle imminent, the three martial artists inside the hall calmed their minds and adjusted their states.
Yu Jiansheng and Miaoyu Niangzi guarded the entrance, feeling the oppressive atmosphere thickening to an unbearable level, as if a storm were about to break.
Half an hour later.
“Wudao has arrived!”
“Wudao is attacking the mountain!”
A terrified voice came from afar, growing louder and louder until it sounded like a tsunami.
“Reporting, Master! Wudao has come to challenge us and has already reached the first of the eighteen deadly gates!”
Yu Jiansheng heard the news from a gang member and immediately asked for instructions: “What should we do?”
“If he’s an enemy, there’s no need to welcome him. We’ll wait here!”
Yu Wenlong said coldly.
“Brother Yu, you’re still as ruthless as ever…”
The Snake Elder mused inwardly with a hidden smile: “The eighteen deadly gates of Heihushan are perilous, guarded by traps and elite members. Even an Earthly Yuan expert would find it difficult to break through… He wants Wudao to back down from the challenge. If he persists, his energy will be greatly depleted!”
Unless one reaches the Celestial Image realm, any martial artist’s energy reserves are limited. Surrounded by sheer numbers, even the mightiest expert is in danger, not to mention charging through successive gates.
With thirty thousand gang members, three Earthly Yuan experts, and over a dozen experts ranked on the Heroic List, even the top ten on the Earthly Yuan List would find it hard to leave alive!
Therefore, the Snake Elder and Madame Baihua remained calm and composed, sitting in the hall awaiting news from the front.
“Report!”
The news didn’t keep them waiting long. Almost immediately, a Heihutang disciple rushed in, panic-stricken: “Wudao has broken through the Ghost Gate! Eighteen of our lieutenants are dead, and the members are fleeing in disarray…”
“So fast?”
Yu Wenlong was slightly surprised: “Did he use his real skills from the start?”
Before he could say more, more disciples rushed in with continuous bad news: “Golden Lock Gate has been breached, our lieutenant is dead!”
“Jade Dragon Gate has also fallen! Sixteen Lieutenants were killed so brutally!”
“The Soul Pass was a bloodbath! Even our Guardian was killed with one strike by Wudao… Master, we beg you to avenge us!”
…
“What? So fast indeed?”
This time, even Yu Wenlong couldn’t remain seated: “Snake Elder! Madame Baihua! Let’s go out and see what’s happening…”
“Ahh!”
At this moment, the shocking cries of pain and sounds of battle had already reached halfway up the mountain, clearly audible even inside the hall.
Their expressions varied as they stepped out onto the courtyard, only to see disciples scattering in panic from the mountaintop—the last Black Tiger Gate had already fallen!
Hiss! Hiss!
Countless white threads crisscrossed the air, ruthlessly claiming the lives of ordinary martial artists.
With the eyes of Earthly Yuan experts, Yu Wenlong and the others could clearly see that these white threads were actually extremely fine streams of water. Water, usually soft and gentle, had become a deadly weapon capable of easily taking lives!
This scene was almost unbelievable unless witnessed firsthand.
“Stop!”
Seeing several of his trusted disciples also being cut down by the water threads, Yu Wenlong could no longer contain himself. He roared and dashed forward like a ghost, his palm radiating with energy as if grinding a millstone.
Boom!
A thunderous sound suddenly erupted in the air, like a clap of thunder.
Yu Wenlong felt the water thread carried an immense force, like a thousand-pound iron chain. Even with a slight delay, his hands were already bleeding, and his chest felt as if struck by a heavy blow.
Crash!
The full power strike of an Earthly Yuan expert naturally carried immense power.
After paying such a heavy price, the water thread finally collapsed into countless droplets. However, before he could even catch his breath, the droplets suspended in midair reassembled again, even stronger and tougher than before, and lashed out like a whip.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Seeing this, he immediately refrained from taking the blow head-on and quickly retreated.
Puchi!
The water whip instantly sliced through the stone floor, leaving a deep trench on the ground. In one sweep, it also cut down several Heihutang disciples around it.
“Projecting energy externally, manifesting special abilities, and still being able to control them to such an extent?”
The Snake Elder’s pupils constricted as he suddenly spoke: “This person’s martial arts must be no lower than the top ten on the Earthly Yuan List. Retreat quickly!”
Yu Wenlong retreated in disarray, standing shoulder to shoulder with Madame Baihua and the Snake Elder, his face grave: “Wudao… is actually this strong?”
A vague feeling arose in their hearts—that their actions might have been a grave mistake.
But there was no turning back now, and they could only stare helplessly.
Crash!
The water threads danced wildly, quickly turning the courtyard into a bloodbath. Amidst this scene of carnage, a white-robed youth approached gracefully. The water swirling around him resembled over a dozen white dragons, creating a breathtaking spectacle.
“Yu Wenlong!”
Behind the youth, Lin Xinlan stared at Yu Wenlong with bloodshot eyes, as if she wanted to devour him alive!
“The ranking list is misleading!”
The Snake Elder and Madame Baihua exchanged glances, their mouths filled with bitterness.
The list aimed for accuracy, and one could not enter the Celestial Image List without displaying the power of that realm. Wu Ming’s previous achievements were merely defeating Ding Jiao, the master of Yang Palm, so compared to previous records, he was ranked around the 70s.
But the Wu Ming of today, with his martial prowess alone, was at least at the peak of the Earthly Yuan List, instantly leaving the Snake Elder and others in a quandary.
“Snake Elder! Madame Baihua! Join me to deal with this person. The previous terms remain unchanged, plus I will add two Longhu Du Ming Pills!”
Yu Wenlong gritted his teeth, knowing these two already had thoughts of retreat, and immediately shouted.
“Is this true?”
The Snake Elder had indeed considered retreating earlier, but now that thought had vanished completely: “You actually have such rare pills?”
“Would I lie to you?”
“Hehe… If that’s the case, I agree!”
Madame Baihua smiled sweetly, her loving eyes fixed on Wu Ming: “I wonder if the Wudao Master would grant me and the Snake Elder the favor?”
“Beautiful as a flower, yet as venomous as a snake!”
Wu Ming shook his head. With a casual wave, a surge of water appeared, directly rolling toward Madame Baihua, tinged with a hint of purple.
Seeing this, Madame Baihua dared not take it head-on and hastily retreated.
Hiss! Hiss!
The water surge swept across the ground, leaving a trail of corrosive marks. Several nearby ordinary gang members turned pitch black, their faces contorted in pain. They clutched their throats and collapsed, their breath ceasing instantly.
“Baihua poison?!”
Yu Jiansheng and Miaoyu Niangzi retreated to the edge of the courtyard like fleeing from a snake, exchanging glances filled with relief: “Madame Baihua had already secretly deployed her invisible poison, but Wudao is even more skilled, turning the poison back against her!”
“He’s formidable! Let’s attack together!”
Madame Baihua’s expression changed. She cried out, her feet stepping in the Baihua Mysterious Steps, causing flower petals to fall like rain. With a flick of her jade hand, a silk ribbon flew from her sleeve.
“Black Tiger Killing Fist!”
Since Madame Baihua had already engaged, Yu Wenlong, as the host, naturally couldn’t remain idle. He roared like a tiger in the forest, his skin turning dark and hard like iron, obviously having reached the peak of his iron body technique. He suddenly charged forward, his fist aiming straight like a dragon, striking with the force of a black tiger tearing into the heart.
“Hisss…”
But faster than them was the Snake Elder!
Ranked 36th on the Earthly Yuan List, his martial arts were naturally astounding. With a flick of his foot, he arrived before Wu Ming. With a tap of his pipe, two streams of water in the air seemed to be struck at their vital points like venomous snakes, collapsing into countless droplets.
“Smoke Serpent Strike!”
He exhaled two thin streams of mist from his nose, which transformed into white serpents in midair, lunging toward Wu Ming.
At the same time, a mysterious gleam appeared in the Snake Elder’s eyes, threads of psychic force directly piercing through the water defense, attempting to penetrate Wu Ming’s consciousness!
“Hmm? Psychic attack? No! It’s still somewhat crude and basic. It seems related to martial cultivation—could this be a psychic ability?”
Wu Ming sneered inwardly.
His celestial immortal soul—if it could be shaken by a mere level-four psychic ability, that would be absurd.
He coldly snorted, effortlessly dissipating the psychic force like blowing out a candle.
Puh!
The Snake Elder suddenly spat a mist of blood, and even his formed smoke serpent automatically disintegrated. He cried out in pain as he staggered backward.
His psychic ability had failed and even backfired, causing blood to flow from his orifices.
As he retreated, all the pressure shifted onto Yu Wenlong alone.
Caught off guard, Yu Wenlong could only once again surge his energy to the limit, enhancing his martial arts to their peak. After throwing a punch, he followed up with consecutive kicks from both legs, like twin dragons attacking.
“Black Tiger Killing Fist! Twin Dragon Divine Legs! Dragon and Tiger Double Kill!”
Roar! Roar!
A stunning phenomenon appeared behind him, actually taking the form of a dragon and tiger, charging toward Wu Ming in a deadly assault!
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage