15: The fierce black ring

Tang Er, the little fatty, looked at Meng Hu's burly physique and his Qi Refining Perfection Aura, then at Liu Rumei, scratching his head.

"Senior Brother Meng has... a point. Let's settle this quickly."

Bai Xiaoqiao stood firmly by Liu Rumei's side. "Senior Sister is right. Knowing yourself and your enemy is key; safety first."

Everyone's gaze finally landed on Yao Delong. Yao Delong coughed twice, his voice hoarse.

"This old man... *cough cough*... has trouble with his legs. Better to be safe."

"Hmph! Useless old thing!" Meng Hu cursed under his breath, his face darkening further.

Finally, Liu Rumei made the decision: scout first.

The group concealed their presence and quietly crept to the outskirts of Vulture Valley.

Looking down from the cliff, deep within the canyon, a crude wooden fortress had indeed been built against the mountain wall.

Sentries patrolled the perimeter.

They waited patiently, observing from afternoon until evening, gaining a general understanding of the fortress layout and the sentry rotation patterns.

During this time, a burly man with a face full of scars and a thick-backed Mountain-Splitting Blade walked out of the main stronghold to inspect.

The spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from him were exactly at the eighth level of Qi Refining! It was the bandit leader, Sun Overlord Blade!

The other horse bandits in the fortress mostly had auras between the fourth and sixth levels of Qi Refining, nothing to fear.

"As expected, only the eighth level of Qi Refining!" Killing intent intensified in Fierce Tiger's eyes, and he could no longer hold back.

"Junior Sister Liu, what are we waiting for? Let's kill our way in under the cover of night and wipe them all out!"

Liu Rumei looked at the fortress layout, then at the sky, and finally nodded.

"Fine! We strike at the third quarter of the Yin hour (3:45 AM), when the guards are most fatigued and lax!"

"Senior Brother Meng and I will lead the frontal assault. Junior Brother Tang and Junior Sister Bai will be responsible for clearing the sentries on both sides and providing support. Martial Uncle Yao..."

She turned her gaze to Yao Delong. "You are experienced. Please stay on the perimeter to provide backup; if any fish slip through the net, just intercept them."

Yao Delong nodded silently. Fierce Tiger snorted disdainfully, clearly thinking Yao Delong wasn't even fit to provide backup.

In the dead of night, there was no sound except for the faint chirping of insects!

At the third quarter of the Yin hour, the operation began!

Liu Rumei and Fierce Tiger were like two ghosts, silently dealing with the two dozing sentries at the gate before being the first to charge into the fortress!

Tang Er and Bai Xiaoqiao followed closely behind, pouncing toward the sentries and small huts on both sides.

Sword light flickered, and flames rose! Screams instantly pierced the silent night sky!

The battle was extremely smooth at the start. The eighth and ninth levels of Qi Refining against the fourth, fifth, and sixth levels was almost a crushing defeat!

Liu Rumei's sword technique was elegant and sharp, while Fierce Tiger's fist wind was fierce and overbearing, instantly taking down five or six horse bandits who had rushed out at the sound.

"Enemy attack! There are cultivators!!" Amidst the chaos, a sharp whistle blew! The sleeping horse bandits were instantly startled awake!

"You're looking for death!" From the tent in the center of the camp, the bandit leader Sun Overlord Blade roared as he rushed out.

With a sharp blade aura, the Mountain-Splitting Blade in his hand slashed directly at Fierce Tiger!

Fierce Tiger laughed wildly, neither dodging nor evading. His Qi Refining Perfection spiritual power exploded as he met the blade with a fist enveloped in flames!

Boom! The air currents exploded! Sun Overlord Blade let out a muffled groan and retreated several steps, clearly lacking the strength!

More horse bandits poured out of various shacks, howling as they lunged at Liu and Tang.

Liu Rumei's sword light was like a web, protecting Fierce Tiger's flank, while Bai Xiaoqiao and Tang Er quickly dealt with the outer sentries and joined the fray.

Back to back, the four faced the siege of over a dozen horse bandits. Although they felt the pressure,

with their cultivation advantage, they still held the upper hand, and horse bandits continued to fall.

Seeing his subordinates suffer heavy casualties, Sun Overlord Blade's eyes were nearly splitting from rage!

He suddenly forced Fierce Tiger back with a slash and let out a shrill roar to the sky.

"Mr. Wu! I, Sun, am willing to offer eighty percent of the fortress's treasury! Please take action!!"

This roar was like a thunderclap, making the hearts of the battling Liu Rumei and the others sink! There was someone else?

"Jie jie jie... Brother Sun is quite straightforward!"

A sinister voice, like that of a night owl, suddenly came from an inconspicuous black tent next to the main stronghold!

The tent flap was lifted, and a short, thin middle-aged man with a pair of rat-like whiskers,

hunched over, paced out slowly.

He seemed ordinary, but when his gaze swept across the battlefield, a heart-palpitatingly terrifying pressure suddenly descended!

Like an invisible giant rock, it pressed heavily on everyone's heart!

Foundation Establishment Stage!!!

Wu Huan's small, beady eyes swept greedily and unscrupulously over Liu Rumei's exquisitely curved figure,

finally stopping on her pretty face, which was flushed from battle and appeared even more charming. He stuck out his scarlet tongue and licked his lips.

With a lewd laugh, he said, "Hehe, Brother Sun is too polite. No need for eighty percent, fifty percent is enough. However..."

He pointed at Liu Rumei. "This young lady in green must be captured alive for this old man to enjoy!"

The pressure of the Foundation Establishment Early Stage surged toward everyone like rolling waves, bone-chillingly cold!

Liu Rumei and the others, who originally had the upper hand, instantly felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar! Bai Xiaoqiao's face was pale, and her hand holding the sword was trembling.

"Mama! Foundation Establishment! Run!" Tang Er, the little fatty, had the fastest reaction. With a weird cry,

his plump body exploded with speed inconsistent with his size as he turned and fled madly toward the valley entrance!

What mission? What treasure? How could they be more important than his life!

"Seeking death! Did I let you move?" A cold light flashed in Wu Huan's eyes. He didn't pursue, but simply flicked his withered palm!

Chi—!

A streak of black light was as fast as lightning, arriving after it was sent! It was actually a uniquely shaped Crescent Short Blade.

Puchi—!

Tang Er's body suddenly stiffened mid-run, and a head with a terrified expression flew high into the air.

The headless corpse ran a few more steps before collapsing to the ground, blood spraying!

"Junior Brother Tang!!" Liu Rumei and Bai Xiaoqiao let out cries of grief and indignation!

"You old bastard!!" Fierce Tiger's eyes were even more bloodshot! He had watched Tang Er be killed, and intense anger and fear intertwined!

He knew that his Qi Refining Perfection was simply not enough in the face of a true Foundation Establishment!

But run? Could he escape? Tang Er was the example!

A surge of ruthlessness rose in his heart!

He suddenly pulled a jade bottle from his robes, poured out a crimson Medicinal Pill, and stuffed it into his mouth!

"Roar!!" The violent medicinal power instantly exploded within his body! His skin turned crimson, and his veins and muscles bulged.

His aura rose steadily, infinitely approaching the threshold of Foundation Establishment, but in the end, he could not cross that heavenly chasm!

"Blood-Burning Pill? Merely a deathbed struggle!" Wu Huan smiled disdainfully.

"Old bastard, give me your life!!!" Meng Hu roared, like a maddened bull, carrying an Aura of mutual destruction,

enveloped in violent crimson spiritual power, he charged fiercely at Wu Huan!

Liu Rumei gritted her silver teeth and endured her grief. Her sword light flared as she coordinated with Meng Hu to attack Wu Huan!

If they didn't deal with Wu Huan, everyone present would die!

Bai Xiaoqiao also endured her fear and swung her sword at Sun Badao.

"Like a mantis trying to stop a carriage!" Wu Huan snorted coldly. Facing the two-person siege, his figure flickered like a ghost.

His withered palm struck out casually, yet it contained a terrifying force capable of splitting mountains and cracking stones!

Clang!

Liu Rumei's sword light was flicked away by Wu Huan's finger. The immense force caused her blood and Qi to churn, and she retreated several steps!

Boom!

Meng Hu's majestic punch was easily caught by Wu Huan, who then struck his chest with a backhand palm!

Pfft!

Meng Hu spat out a mouthful of blood, and his entire body flew through the air like a broken kite, drawing a parabola. Crack!

With a crisp sound, his left arm twisted and snapped at a bizarre angle!

Intense pain and a massive backlash made his vision go dark. He crashed heavily onto the ground, his life or death unknown!

"Senior Brother Meng!" Liu Rumei's eyes nearly split! But Wu Huan's figure was already approaching like a phantom.

His withered claws, carrying a sharp wind, grabbed directly for the vital points on her chest! Those small beady eyes were full of lewdness and mockery!

"Little beauty, just come with me obediently!"

An Aura of despair instantly filled her entire body. She tried her best to parry,

but the pressure of the Foundation Establishment Stage was like physical chains, making her movements half a beat slower!

It was over!

Her heart turned cold!