Chapter 229: Night Pursuit
“Are you sure?” the old Daoist asked the newcomer, “Which direction did they come from?”
The newcomer pointed.
“That’s not the way that kid went,” the old Daoist said.
“The Chief Constable is already on their tail with a group of men,” the newcomer replied, “and he’s sent others to flank them. Set up an ambush here. We’ll catch them all in one net.”
The old Daoist looked at the two injured men who were groaning in pain, “Quiet! Stop your whining! If we succeed, your injuries will be your reward! You’ll get a handsome compensation. But if they escape, none of us will get anything, and your broken hands will be for nothing.”
The two men immediately quieted down.
“We’ll go to the back,” the old Daoist said to the others, “Set up the ambush. And remember, wait for my signal. Don’t act rashly.”
He and the two injured men hid at the back of the temple while the other martial artists took their positions.
Shi Hao descended the mountain, a thought striking him, These barbarian lapdogs are waiting in ambush. They’re clearly not waiting for me. Then who? And whatever it is, it can’t be good.
He quickly crossed the mountain and, from a high vantage point, observed the temple below.
Dusk had fallen, the sky darkening, the moon hidden behind clouds.
The autumn wind was cold, and the forest below was shrouded in shadows.
He saw a group of figures moving stealthily through the trees, towards the foot of Three Peaks Mountain.
They’re being very cautious, afraid of being discovered, he thought, They must be working with those men in the temple, planning an ambush.
He decided to interfere. Using the Evil Shadow Disguise Technique to alter his appearance, he descended the mountain and followed them.
As they reached a clearing and hid in the bushes, he emerged from the shadows, a cold smile on his face.
“Who’s there?” one of them, alert, turned quickly, hearing the rustling leaves.
Shi Hao was faster. As the man channeled his energy, Shi Hao, using his opponent’s own momentum against him, accelerated.
He struck the man’s chest with a powerful blow, sending him flying backwards, crashing into a tree before collapsing, his chest caved in, blood spurting from his mouth.
Shi Hao could have killed him instantly with the Severing Meridian Burning Heart Finger, a single, precise strike to a vital point.
But he had deliberately chosen a more… dramatic approach, the force of his blow sending the man flying, a clear display of power, a warning to the others.
The other men, startled, attacked him, shouting, “Who are you?! This is official Six Gates business!”
Shi Hao snatched a saber from one of them and, with a single stroke, split his skull open, roaring, “Barbarian lapdogs, all of you deserve to die!”
He channeled his energy into his voice, the words echoing through the forest.
Enraged, the Six Gates men attacked him.
Shi Hao, unafraid, used the Soul Chasing Locking Steps to anticipate their movements, dodging and weaving through their attacks, his own strikes, fueled by the Mysterious Charm Technique, now wreathed in demonic fire, setting the surrounding trees ablaze.
“What’s happening?” a voice whispered anxiously at the foot of Three Peaks Mountain.
A group of eight stood there: a tall, thin man in martial attire, two Daoist priests, a middle-aged woman, a young man, and a girl dressed as a village girl.
The girl’s face was plain, a small bump on her forehead, her mouth slightly crooked, her blue cotton dress simple and patched, its light red floral patterns faded.
She was the “ugly girl.”
They were protecting a woman holding an infant.
The sudden sounds of fighting and the smell of smoke from the nearby forest startled them.
And then, a voice, loud and clear, echoing through the night, “Barbarian lapdogs, all of you deserve to die!”
And from behind them, the sounds of pursuit, figures approaching rapidly.
“We’re surrounded!” the woman with the infant exclaimed.
A signal flare, trailing smoke and sparks, shot into the sky, and figures emerged from the forest, surrounding them.
“Where do you think you’re going?” the middle-aged woman said, her voice cold.
The tall, thin man gritted his teeth, “This way!” He led them towards the source of the commotion, towards the voice that had shouted.
Their pursuers, Six Gates agents, also realizing the danger, chased after them like wolves.
They followed the trail of smoke and fire, which, however, didn’t spread far in the damp, autumn air.
Only a few trees burned, their smoke thick and black.
They emerged from the smoke and saw several bodies scattered on the ground, and a young man, wielding a bloodstained saber, standing among them.
He had a prominent hooked nose and sharp, angular features, his expression menacing.
As they stared at him, a mixture of fear and confusion in their eyes, his gaze fixed on the plain-looking girl with the crooked mouth.
He smiled.
His smile, however, didn’t soften his features but made him appear even more sinister.
The “ugly girl” also smiled, her crooked mouth somehow straightening, her face suddenly more… charming.
“Go,” the hooked-nosed young man said in a low voice, “I’ll hold them off.”
Their pursuers were closing in. They didn’t have time to argue. The tall, thin man whispered, “Thank you.”
They hurried past him, the woman with the infant shielded by the others.
The hooked-nosed young man watched them go, his gaze lingering on the girl in the blue dress.
She glanced back at him, her eyes telling him to be careful.
“Little Emerald,” he whispered, “follow them.”
The small figure on his shoulder flickered and disappeared.
After they were gone, he swung the saber, tossing it into the air, and unleashed a wave of fire and wind, igniting the surrounding trees.
The Three Origins Flowing Pearl Technique, combined with the Mysterious Charm Technique and the first three strikes of the Azure Sky Immortal Thunder Sword, had become a powerful fire-starting technique.
Several figures emerged, their movements swift. A tall man in a dark robe, his gaze sharp as an eagle’s, stepped forward and shouted, “Who are you?! This is Six Gates business! How dare you interfere?!”
Shi Hao sneered, “You’re all scum!”
The man, enraged, leaped over the flames and punched, his attack splitting into three mid-air, each strike carrying a powerful force.
Shi Hao, his body swaying slightly, his fingers like swords, intercepted the three attacks with swift, precise movements.
Although the man’s projected energy was powerful, it was still under his control. Shi Hao’s finger strikes, however, targeting the man’s wrists, forced him to change his technique mid-strike, transforming his fist into a palm.
Shi Hao’s palm struck the man’s hastily formed defense, sending him stumbling backwards into the flames.
Fortunately, he was a mid-rank martial artist and quickly extinguished the flames with his internal energy, although his face was flushed, and his breathing ragged. He glared at Shi Hao, but he didn’t dare attack again.
Other martial artists, circling around the flames, approached Shi Hao.
Shi Hao’s figure flickered, and a man with a goose-feather saber attacked him.
He had been part of a larger group, but Shi Hao’s sudden movement had placed him between them, isolating him, the others momentarily too far away to assist.
The man roared, channeling his strength into his saber.
Shi Hao’s left palm deflected the attack, its seemingly random movement pulling the saber off course.
Then, his right fist struck the man’s chest, sending him flying backwards, his body crashing into another man.
“He’s strong! Be careful!” someone shouted.
The others, now wary, approached cautiously, their formation tight.
Shi Hao, his goal to delay them, to avoid being surrounded, continued his evasive maneuvers, his footwork unpredictable, exploiting any openings, killing two more with swift, precise strikes.
The tall, sixth-rank martial artist, having crossed the flames, attacked him.
Although Shi Hao wasn’t afraid of him in a one-on-one fight, he didn’t want to be entangled with him and his men.
He quickly dodged and escaped, leaving the man swinging at empty air.
“Chief Constable,” someone said, “which way did they go?”
The tall martial artist spat angrily, “That kid is skilled. We’ll need the Constable King himself to capture him. Focus on the Lin family.”
They pursued the fleeing group, but thanks to Shi Hao’s delaying tactics, they were long gone, disappearing into the darkness of the forest. The Six Gates agents, frustrated, gritted their teeth.
“They got away,” the tall martial artist said angrily, “We’ll have to contact the Sea Shark Gang.”
Someone said, “But if the Sea Shark Gang captures them, we won’t get any credit, will we?”
The tall martial artist cursed, “I don’t like it either, but it’s better than letting them escape and being punished for our failure.”
They searched the area briefly, then, realizing it was futile, left to make other arrangements.
“Who was that kid?” someone whispered, “I’ve never seen him before.”
The tall martial artist said, “We know everyone in the Qiantang River region who would dare oppose us. He must be from somewhere else.”
“Now that you mention it, I think I’ve heard of him. He’s on the Blacklist, although not very high up. Something about a ‘Mad Blade Hero,’ who killed Chi Mu Heng and Xue Lang. That’s him.”
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