The entire warehouse had been sealed by a magical formation, rendering all Daoist supernatural abilities useless once inside. Normally, Mei Qing had a mysterious and indistinct connection with the inkstone, allowing him to sense its location. But now, with the inkstone suddenly gone and his attempts to locate it through spiritual awareness failing repeatedly, he had no choice but to give up.
Yet a vague, uneasy feeling stirred within him, as if something were amiss—like a half-remembered thought just out of reach.
Mei Qing shook his head hard, thinking perhaps his mind had become hazy from over-concentration. Even his vision seemed slightly blurred.
Something seemed to move—instinctively, Mei Qing turned his head, only to witness an extremely strange sight—
In the dark corner of the warehouse, the space began to twist unnaturally, as if the wall itself had come alive. Starting from the seam where the wall met the floor, the area began to tremble, and an amorphous mass suddenly emerged. In an instant, a dark, gleaming dagger shot straight toward him!
Following the dagger’s hilt, he saw a long arm stretching forth. Its owner was a gaunt young man clad entirely in gray, his face obscured in a haze of shadow. Only his eyes, glowing with an eerie and sinister light, were clearly visible…
“Master Mei!” Just as Mei Qing was seized by panic, he suddenly felt a hand pat his shoulder. In the blink of an eye, the entire scene vanished. Regaining his focus, he saw that Lu Zeyou, Qian, and Zhao were still beside him, while Yao Dingguo and Zhou Chang stood a few steps away, their expressions oddly peculiar.
A whirlwind of thoughts swirled in Mei Qing’s mind. He quickly turned his gaze back to the corner where the strange events had unfolded, only to find it unchanged—just large stone slabs lining the shadowed recess, nothing out of the ordinary.
“Master Mei, are you alright?” Seeing Mei Qing lost in thought, Lu Dayou couldn’t help but pat his shoulder again. Finding him still dazed, he asked once more.
“Nothing serious, probably just tired. My eyes must’ve played tricks on me…” Mei Qing exhaled in relief but suddenly paused—his golden elixir had fully matured, his senses far sharper than ordinary men’s. Although supernatural abilities were suppressed in the warehouse, his vision should still be keen. How could he possibly hallucinate without cause?
The realization struck like lightning. Without hesitation, he stepped forward, his hand drawing a sharp *zhen* sound as he unsheathed the never-before-used Xiuchun blade hanging at his side.
Lu Zeyou and the others were shocked. Before they could speak, Mei Qing had already rushed forward, raising the Xiuchun blade diagonally and slashing straight toward the corner.
Everyone thought he must have gone mad—there was clearly nothing in that shadowed corner. What was he attacking?
But what followed next left everyone present utterly incredulous.
As Mei Qing’s blade sliced through the air in a brilliant arc, the long stone seam at the corner began to twist. Out of nowhere, a black, gleaming dagger shot forth, intercepting Mei Qing’s blade mid-swing. With a soft *chi* sound, the unassuming dagger effortlessly sliced the Xiuchun blade in two. The blade’s severed half clattered to the ground, and Mei Qing cried out in pain, staggering backward from the impact.
At that moment, the corner itself seemed to come alive. A figure hidden within the shadows suddenly emerged—a man with a dark complexion, tall and thin, his eyes gleaming with an eerie light. Like a silent, agile panther, he sprang forward. His dagger traced a strange curve through the air as he lunged toward the retreating Mei Qing.
Though Mei Qing had achieved great cultivation, he was completely powerless within the formation. In a real fight, he could only be the target. Though he had struck first, catching the enemy off guard, he was swiftly defeated in a single move—his blade broken, his body thrown back. As the strange assailant lunged again, he could hear the others shouting in alarm, but it was already too late to retreat. Gritting his teeth, he pushed off the ground and leapt backward while raising his half-broken blade and hurling it straight at the attacker’s face.
The strange man, startled that Mei Qing had detected his presence, had not expected such a counterattack. He had already slashed through Mei Qing’s blade with ease, confident that his opponent had no martial skill. But now, mid-leap, he was caught off guard by the sudden throw. Forced to halt his momentum, he raised his dagger to block the incoming weapon. The delay cost him—his body dropped, missing the chance to close in.
But the assailant was quick. With a low cry, he spread his arms wide and soared like a strange bird, launching himself at Mei Qing once more.
Lu Daren, a scholar by nature, stood frozen in shock, eyes wide as he watched the rapid exchange unfold. Mei Qing, struck by the first blow, staggered backward, taking several steps before regaining his footing. Seeing the attacker come again like a shadow, Mei Qing—now unarmed—could only retreat.
As for Zhao Dayou, the tea-pot-carrying officer who usually exuded authority, he had long lost his composure, his face pale with terror. Yet, despite his trembling hands, he somehow managed to keep hold of the teapot, though tea sloshed out as he shook uncontrollably. His free hand fumbled inside his robe, muttering something incoherent through chattering teeth.
But the bearded Qian San showed some grit. Though initially stunned, seeing Mei Qing disarmed and retreating, and the strange man lunging again, he let out a fierce shout, unsheathed his long blade with a *qianglang* sound, and charged forward. His sword arced down like a sheet of snow, aiming straight at the attacker’s head.
At the same time, Yao Dingguo and Zhou Chang, realizing the danger, also roared and drew their blades. Flanking Qian San from left and right, they advanced together. Clearly more skilled than the others, their synchronized assault, combined with Qian San’s brute force, exuded a fierce and relentless aura.
Seeing the trio attack, the strange man quickly assessed the situation. The brute in front, though wielding a heavy blade with force, was nothing but raw strength. But the two behind were clearly no ordinary fighters. With their combined assault, it would be difficult to kill the one who had seen through his disguise. His only option now was to focus on escape.
With a swift motion, the slender figure twisted like a strange bird, his long arms swinging from the waist, rotating his body in mid-air as if suspended for a moment. This allowed Qian San’s powerful strike to miss entirely. As Qian San, caught between spent strength and gathering force, staggered forward, the attacker’s dagger struck the side of the blade where no power remained. With a single blow, Qian San was sent flying.
Just then, Yao and Zhou closed in. Seeing Qian fall with a muffled groan, and the attacker using the momentum to leap again, they were startled. They halted in place, their swords weaving a dazzling defense of silver arcs.
But the attacker’s movements were unpredictable. Just as it seemed he would crash into their blade wall, he twisted again, rolling sideways past Yao and Zhou’s defenses. Like a beast bursting from its cage, he dashed straight toward the warehouse entrance.
Only then did the others realize—he was trying to escape. Initially, he had seemed intent on killing, so none had considered flight. Now, seeing him dart toward the door like a wisp of smoke, they finally understood: he was a thief. Though they didn’t yet know what he had stolen, it was clear he had succeeded and now sought to flee. A mix of shock and fury surged through them all—*If we let him escape so easily, letting him steal from our warehouse right under our noses, we’ll never be able to show our faces again!*
Yao and Zhou roared in unison, turning to chase. But by the time they moved, the attacker was already ahead, his speed far superior to theirs.
The thief, for his part, was quite pleased with his performance. The item he sought was already in his possession, and he felt a surge of triumph. His movements swift and fluid, he reached the warehouse door—only to freeze in shock. Before him stood the iron gate, firmly shut!
He had planned meticulously. As a seasoned thief, he had scouted the place thoroughly, memorizing every exit and entrance. Yet he had never expected the door to be closed. Normally, it remained open when someone entered the warehouse, but today, with Lu Daren personally present, the long-ignored rule had been enforced.
A low growl of fury escaped his lips. He had planned everything so carefully—receiving inside information, using his secret invisibility technique. He had entered the moment the door opened, hiding in the corner until the others placed their items inside. Then, under their very noses, he had stolen the object. But that young man somehow saw through him. Though he had managed to break free, now this cursed iron gate had ruined everything.
A flash of determination lit his eyes—there was no choice now but to fight to the death.
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