Chapter 87: Night Raid, Mysterious Third-Party Force!

Chapter 87: Chapter 87: Night Raid, Mysterious Third-Party Force!

"Fang Xu, you need to be careful of that guy Su Cheng once you arrive at the Ascension Association," Huang Qingzhou said flatly as he picked up his sword and hung it back on his waist.

Su Cheng? Fang Xu frowned slightly. This Su Cheng indeed warranted caution.

"He became our master’s disciple twenty years before I did and was once the master’s most prized student. By the age of thirty, he had already reached the peak of a third-grade Pill Master.

"As everyone knows, a Martial Artist cannot cultivate without Elixirs. Relying on his status as a Pill Master, Su Cheng holds considerable prestige among the disciples of the Ascension Association."

Though Huang Qingzhou spoke these words, a trace of disdain crossed his face. "It’s just that his temperament is flawed. During the years he’s been stuck trying to become a fourth-grade Pill Master, instead of thinking about how to improve himself, he always resorts to underhanded methods."

True strength came from within; Huang Qingzhou clearly had nothing but contempt for someone like Su Cheng.

"Senior Brother Huang, can the blood of the Pill Fragrance Sacred Body really increase the success rate of concocting Elixirs?" Fang Xu asked with a frown.

Chu Muyun possessed the Pill Fragrance Sacred Body. If this physique was truly that crucial to Alchemists, he would need to be much more careful in the future. He couldn’t risk other Pill Masters discovering her and kidnapping her to use as a Blood Slave.

Huang Qingzhou nodded. "Not only is someone with the Pill Fragrance Sacred Body a prodigy in Alchemy, but their blood does indeed provide immense help in concocting Elixirs.

"However, as far as I know, one needs to use the Essence Blood of the Pill Fragrance Sacred Body for it to be effective when concocting fifth-grade Elixirs." Looking at Fang Xu, Huang Qingzhou stated flatly, "I shouldn’t need to explain the importance of Essence Blood to you. Losing even a small amount takes a very long time to recover.

"If too much is lost, it will directly cause the Sacred Body to collapse, turning the person into a cripple."

Fang Xu’s expression turned grim. At this rate, that bastard Su Cheng didn’t treat Chu Muyun as a human being at all!

"Alright, there are many things that the instructors will teach you once you arrive at the Ascension Association," Huang Qingzhou said before heading toward the inner courtyard of Zhiyuan Hall.

Late at night, Fang Xu sat cross-legged on his bed for his daily cultivation.

Outside Zhiyuan Hall, several stealthy figures had already crept up to the courtyard wall.

"That Huang Qingzhou is also a disciple of the Ascension Association. If we hurt him, will we face retaliation from the Ascension Association?" a short man among the men in black asked worriedly.

"It doesn’t matter. Su Cheng said he would pin Huang Qingzhou’s death on the Tilan Mountain ruins. As long as we help him get that little girl, we won’t have to worry about the Elixirs needed for our cultivation for the next few years."

Hearing his words, a fiery glint flashed in the eyes of the others. During the day, Su Cheng had sought them out and paid very generously. Knowing his identity, they had some reservations, but the offer was simply too good to refuse.

"When we make our move, it’s best if we can just stall Huang Qingzhou without hurting him. But if we can’t hold him back, don’t hold back either!

"Our only target is that little girl in the wheelchair!" the leading masked man instructed the five people behind him.

The five nodded and prepared to strike, but unexpectedly, another group of stealthy figures appeared not far away.

"Hold on!" Seeing the other group, the leader immediately signaled for everyone to carefully conceal themselves.

"Did Su Cheng hire other people too?" the short masked man asked with a frown.

"He shouldn’t have..." the leader said in confusion, watching the group creeping toward the other side of Zhiyuan Hall. For something like this, the fewer people who knew, the better. Su Cheng wasn’t an idiot; it was impossible for him to hire another group after enlisting them.

"Let’s wait and see," the leader ordered in a low voice. The group of six quietly crouched on the sidelines, ready to see what the other group was scheming.

On the other side of Zhiyuan Hall.

A group of nine was dressed bizarrely. Large, blood-red cloaks covered their bodies, and the aura emanating from each of them was deeply unsettling.

"Are you sure this is the place?" a deep, hoarse voice asked.

"Rest assured, brother. I personally confirmed it that day in Qinghe County Town!" a lean figure behind him quickly replied.

"Excellent. Once we catch that boy, I will naturally put in a good word for you with the Lord Father." After speaking, the hoarse-voiced man slowly raised his hand. "Make your move. Try to capture them alive; the Lord Father needs some live specimens."

The others nodded and immediately leaped over the wall into Zhiyuan Hall.

"They went in!" On the other side, the short masked man grew anxious seeing them jump into Zhiyuan Hall.

"That son of a bitch Su Cheng is crazy!" the leader cursed, flustered and exasperated by the sight. "Let’s go, we’re going in too! Damn it, if they dare steal our business, we’ll take them out as well!"

WHOOSH!

The group of six leaped into Zhiyuan Hall as well.

In a guest room of the inner courtyard, Huang Qingzhou, who had been cultivating cross-legged, suddenly opened his eyes. He got up and approached the window. Peering through a crack, he saw figures moving about outside, and his expression drastically changed!

Having spent so many years with Su Cheng, he knew the man wouldn’t give up this rare opportunity to turn his luck around. That was exactly why he had decided to stay at Zhiyuan Hall—to make Su Cheng think twice and prevent him from acting rashly out of fear of collateral damage.

Yet, he never expected his senior brother to have gone this mad!

BAM!

Huang Qingzhou violently yanked his door open and shouted at the two infiltrating groups, "Who goes there?!"

His shout instantly jolted Lu Qingluo and Fang Xu from their cultivation. The two emerged from their respective rooms and stepped up behind Huang Qingzhou.

Looking at the two groups of people in the courtyard, Fang Xu frowned slightly. "Senior Brother Huang, these two groups don’t seem to be together."

Huang Qingzhou nodded. Of the two groups in the courtyard, one was dressed in ordinary night-prowling attire, while the other looked rather bizarre—donned in Blood Robes and sinister masks, they appeared to be members of some mysterious organization.

A three-way standoff formed. Fang Xu, Huang Qingzhou, and Lu Qingluo stood at their doorways. To their front left were six Black-clothed Martial Artists, and to their front right were nine Martial Artists in Blood Robes and eerie masks.

The leader of the nine Blood Robe Martial Artists glanced at Fang Xu, then at the Black-clothed Martial Artists nearby, before waving his hand and charging straight at Fang Xu!

Seeing the other side make their move, the six Black-clothed Martial Artists also rushed forward! However, their target was Chu Muyun’s room!

Realizing their goals didn’t conflict, both groups breathed a sigh of relief and maintained an unspoken truce, avoiding any clashes with one another.

"Fang Xu, those guys in red robes are coming for you!" Huang Qingzhou frowned, then looked at the Martial Artists rushing toward Chu Muyun’s room. "That group must be the ones Su Cheng hired. They’re quite strong, so I’ll handle them!"

Before his voice had faded, he unsheathed his longsword and charged straight at the six men in black!

On Fang Xu’s side, he had already drawn the peculiar wooden stick from his Inner Acupoint. Armed with the wooden stick, he stood shoulder to shoulder with Lu Qingluo. Watching the nine blood-robed figures rush forward, the two exchanged a glance before charging to meet them!

A massive battle erupted instantly!

On the side of the six men in black, Su Cheng knew Huang Qingzhou’s strength well. Therefore, the six men he had hired ranged from at least the Seventh Realm to the peak of the Ninth Realm of the Martial Master stage!

Huang Qingzhou, who wasn’t particularly skilled in combat to begin with, found himself fighting one against six, severely suppressed and struggling. However, out of consideration for his identity, the six men hesitated to deliver lethal blows for the time being, allowing Huang Qingzhou to barely hold his ground.

Compared to the men in black, the nine Blood Robe Martial Artists were slightly weaker. Their leader was the strongest at the Fifth Realm of the Martial Master stage, while two others were in the Third Realm of the Martial Master stage. The rest hovered around the peak of the Martial Disciple stage.

Yet, even against this level of strength, Lu Qingluo and Fang Xu felt an immense amount of pressure!