5: Chaos

Xu Sanyan saw his pitiful appearance, but only wanted to laugh in his heart.

At this moment, the Ma family was weak, only then did they show a heroic spirit; usually, the evil deeds committed by the Ma family members were not necessarily few.

Jianghu is like this; it's merely about the victors becoming kings and the vanquished becoming bandits. What justice is there?

"Father, in the next life..."

Before the Ma family's eldest son could finish his words, a blood-stained Tip had already pierced through his heart, choking his remaining words in his throat.

"Go to the Underworld and speak slowly."

Wu Jue pulled out his long saber and flicked the blood off its blade.

Master Ma watched the Ma family disciples continuously fall, understanding that the tide had turned.

He had been mentally prepared for this, but seeing his own son die tragically before him, he still couldn't hide the sorrow in his heart.

"Hahaha... you won't find it, you won't find anything. My grandson will return to avenge me sooner or later!"

"None of you! Not a single one will escape!"

Master Ma's tiger-like eyes burst into tears, his white hair scattered. He staggered, pointing his finger at the culprits who had destroyed his Ma family, then took one last look at his son's headless corpse, and slit his own throat with a horizontal blade.

Everyone stepped forward and slaughtered all the Ma family disciples. Xu Sanyan looked around at the remaining people, fewer than ten, but each one was a master.

However, the second-in-command, Liu Hong, was nowhere to be seen in the crowd; it was unknown if he was dead or had fled.

"Charge!"

Jin Penglai waved his hand, and two people behind him kicked open the main gate, revealing a group of women standing in the courtyard.

"Hand over the item, and we'll spare your lives," Geng the Cripple said with a hint of urgency.

"It's just a worthless life; what's the harm in giving it to you all?" The old woman at the front pulled out a dagger and plunged it directly into her heart.

More than a dozen women behind her followed suit, all committing suicide.

Their ability to enter meant that the Ma family men were all dead.

Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow, surprised that the Ma family women were so resolute?

"Not good, the Ma family has a back door!" Wu Jue suddenly shouted.

"Hurry home, tell people to block the city gates, not even a fly is allowed to fly out. Have the second-in-command personally lead the search; we must find Ma Tianqing," Jin Penglai shouted, turning his head with an anxious expression.

"Yes," several people behind him quickly left.

Xu Sanyan and Tang Huanhuan exchanged glances, then looked at Wu Jue.

Wu Jue pondered for a moment, "Since things have come to this, I won't hide it from you anymore. The Ma family indeed has a Cultivation Technique. I am willing to share it with you. Go, the item must be on Ma Tianqing."

"Mm-hmm," the two nodded and turned to leave.

After exiting the main gate, Tang Huanhuan asked, "Which way should we pursue?"

Xu Sanyan shook his head and chuckled softly, "Hehe, nowhere. We'll just wait here."

"Hmm?"

Tang Huanhuan was startled, then reacted, "You mean, Ma Tianqing didn't run?"

Xu Sanyan explained, "We came suddenly, so the Ma family definitely didn't have time to prepare. Now, our people are everywhere in the city. Where can Ma Tianqing run to?"

"Besides, look at them. Do they have any intention of leaving?"

Xu Sanyan gestured towards the courtyard with his lips.

Tang Huanhuan suddenly understood. It turned out she was the only fool; she had been misled by Master Ma's dying words, thinking Ma Tianqing had already fled.

"Ma Tianqing must be hiding somewhere in the courtyard. We just need to wait, but it's best if we split up. You guard here, and I'll go to the back." Xu Sanyan remembered the vanished second-in-command and felt that he wasn't dead.

"Okay," Tang Huanhuan nodded in agreement.

Xu Sanyan came to the side and back of the mansion, looked up and around, then flipped onto the roof of a nearby house. From there, he could clearly see the main courtyard of the Ma family mansion.

Xu Sanyan was not in a hurry. He lay there waiting, casually scanning the various parts of the city. As far as his eyes could see, there were corpses everywhere—some of imperial soldiers, some of bandits, but most were common people.

Not long after, a troop of about thirty or forty soldiers emerged from the street. The leader wore armor, had a handsome face, and carried a long spear. He was probably around thirty years old.

Xu Sanyan narrowed his eyes and looked carefully. He recognized this person; they had crossed paths once before.

This person's name was Zhou Chaoxian, a adjutant. His Martial Arts were not weak, so it seemed he was the one left to guard Dafeng Town.

What was he here for?

Xu Sanyan frowned. Could it be... also for the Cultivation Technique?

Zhou Chaoxian led his men into the Ma family mansion. At this moment, only Wu Jue, Jin Penglai, and Geng the Cripple remained in the courtyard, busily searching.

"Jin Penglai, prepare to die!"

Zhou Chaoxian roared, thrusting his spear. The imperial soldiers behind him formed a Formation in groups of five, trapping the three.

Xu Sanyan heard clearly and couldn't help but curl his lips. It was quite rhyming; was he going to rap?

Jin Penglai raised his saber to block, shouting, "Zhou Chaoxian, are you crazy?"

"Am I crazy? Damn it, you've forced me into a dead end!" Zhou Chaoxian's face was ferocious.

With such a major incident, he had no way out. If the imperial court blamed him, he would surely die.

Jin Penglai laughed, "What's the big deal? Just a mere deputy general. Where do you want to be an official? I'll send you there. How about making you a sixth-rank county magistrate?"

"Go to hell!"

Zhou Chaoxian was furious. How could he be someone who bought official positions with money? If he were willing to collude with those corrupt officials, he wouldn't have stayed in this godforsaken place in the Northwest for four years.

Jin Penglai had calculated everything, but he hadn't expected Zhou Chaoxian to be an honest and upright official.

However, he wasn't afraid. He was in the Inner Qi Realm, while Zhou Chaoxian was merely Refining Essence. The advantage was his.

"You're ungrateful!" Jin Penglai's face immediately darkened, and he attacked fiercely.

Wu Jue and Geng the Cripple exchanged glances and quickly retreated, leaving Jin Penglai to face the military Formation alone. If they found Ma Tianqing, the three would still inevitably have a fight, so now was a good opportunity to eliminate one person.

The soldiers ignored the two, shrinking their Formation and only surrounding Jin Penglai.

Jin Penglai's expression changed, and he roared, "Old Brother Wu, Old Brother Geng, what are you doing?"

Wu Jue laughed, "This is your personal grudge; it has nothing to do with me, so I won't get involved."

Geng the Cripple limped into the mansion, "Me too."

Although Zhou Chaoxian hated this group of bandits, at this moment he hated Jin Penglai even more. If it weren't for Jin Penglai being an inside man, how could the bandits have entered the city so easily?

With his ability, as long as he held the city, let alone a mere four hundred bandits, he wouldn't be afraid if another four hundred came.

Jin Penglai's eyes darted around, desperately looking for a Breakthrough point, while secretly resenting in his heart that this group of bandits indeed had no sense of Dao; one second they were calling each other brothers, the next they would sell you out.

More than thirty soldiers wore leather armor, the first row holding shields, the second row holding long sabers, and the last row holding long spears. They surrounded Jin Penglai, occasionally delivering a surprise attack, making him miserable.

Xu Sanyan looked up and watched carefully. Such a military Formation posed too great a threat to Martial Artists. Once surrounded, even an Inner Qi Realm Martial Artist like Jin Penglai would find it difficult to escape.

In the future, when facing an army, he must never get trapped inside.

Jin Penglai lunged left and right, but he just couldn't break through. The previous battle with Master Ma had already consumed a lot of his Inner Energy, and now he was somewhat unable to continue.

"Zhou Chaoxian, let me out, and I'll guarantee you a fifth-rank general!" Jin Penglai shouted anxiously. If the situation continued to develop, he would surely die.

"Heh, fifth your mother!"

Xu Sanyan twitched the corner of his mouth. It seemed Jin Penglai had truly angered Zhou Chaoxian; his words were as sweet as honey, constantly mentioning Jin's old mother.