113: Chapter 113 Famous Throughout the World

Gao Feng's pupils constricted slightly, and a twelve-fold sense of vigilance instantly rose in his heart. He stood calmly in front of the treasury entrance, circulating the Qi he had just recovered, and asked coldly: "Who are you, Your Excellency? Why do you visit in the middle of the night?"

"Hero Gao, there is no need to be nervous." The gray-robed Elder chuckled, waving his hand to indicate he had no malicious intent. "I am Hu Qingsong, an inner sect Elder of the Xuan Yue Sword Sect. I have come today not to seek revenge, but under the orders of the Sect Head to present a small gift to all you heroes."

As he spoke, he took an oilcloth-wrapped item from his bosom and handed it to the Disciple beside him. That Disciple immediately stepped forward a few paces and respectfully presented the item.

A gift?

Doubts filled Gao Feng's mind, but he did not reach out to take it immediately. A weasel paying respects to a chicken—it couldn't be well-intentioned! Zhao Shentu of the Xuan Yue Sword Sect had just died at their hands, and now they were sending someone to give a gift? There was definitely a trap here.

Seeming to see through Gao Feng's misgivings, Elder Hu stroked his beard and laughed: "Is Hero Gao still harboring resentment over the matter of our sect's Disciple, Zhao Shentu? Haha, there is no need for that."

A realistic and cold smile appeared on his face.

"Zhao Shentu was unskilled and arrogant; dying at the hands of heroes, he brought it upon himself and deserved to die. Furthermore, the Xuan Yue Sword Sect, Prince Ying, and this Liu Family are merely allies using each other, with no life-and-death friendship."

"Now that the blood flame Ore vein has been destroyed, our cooperation with Prince Ying has naturally come to an end. This Liu Family has also become a useless, discarded pawn."

"The enemy of an enemy is a friend. The Sect Head said that Hero Gao is a Dragon among men, with unlimited future prospects. The Xuan Yue Sword Sect does not wish to be enemies with a hero. This small gift today is both to congratulate you heroes on your victory and to show the sincerity of the Xuan Yue Sword Sect in actively severing that evil bond with Prince Ying."

These words were airtight, vividly displaying the realism and cunning of a major School.

Gao Feng was silent for a moment, but finally signaled for Xu Changqing to accept the item.

Xu Changqing carefully opened the oilcloth package. Inside was a highly detailed map of the defense zones in Wangjiang City, as well as several blank clearance documents stamped with the City Defense Army's official seal.

The map clearly marked the engagement zones of the various forces currently in the city, and... a secret passage that could perfectly avoid all the chaotic battles and lead directly to the West City Gate. And the defense zone of the West City Gate was explicitly marked: "Li Yan's unit, can provide support."

This gift was truly significant!

It was a path to survival tailor-made for them!

"A fine Xuan Yue Sword Sect, a fine favor of convenience." Gao Feng sneered inwardly, but on the surface, he calmly cupped his hands. "Since that is the case, then Brother Gao will not decline. I will remember this favor. Please tell your Sect Head that today's kindness will definitely be repaid in the future."

"Hero Gao is too polite." Seeing Gao Feng accept the gift, Elder Hu's smile grew even wider. "The city is in chaos, and Eunuch Wei may return at any time, so I will not linger. Heroes, please take care, and we shall meet again."

After speaking, he took one last deep look at Gao Feng, then took his two Disciples and, with a flicker of his figure, silently merged into the night, as if he had never appeared.

Watching the direction they left in, Gao Feng's eyes became increasingly profound.

He knew that the Xuan Yue Sword Sect's action, while appearing to be providing help in a time of need, was actually a form of political investment. They had judged that he and Prince Ying were now mortal enemies, and wanted to use the smallest cost to exchange for a future favor, while simultaneously completely distancing themselves from Prince Ying.

Today's gift might be goodwill.

But if one day he stood in their way, this "goodwill" could turn into the most fatal blade at any moment!

"Brother Gao, we..." Xu Changqing held the map, hesitating slightly.

"The Xuan Yue Sword Sect cannot be trusted, but this map should be real." Gao Feng withdrew his thoughts and said in a deep voice, "They want us to escape smoothly even more than we do, to ensure the hatred between Prince Ying and Eunuch Wei is firmly cemented."

"Pass the order down, gather immediately once you've collected enough items!"

"Our next stop—"

"The West City Gate!"

The night grew deeper, like boundless black ink, soaking the entire Wangjiang City.

However, this depth was torn to shreds by the flames soaring into the sky and the heaven-shaking shouts of battle everywhere. The once prosperous and peaceful streets had now turned into a Shura field intertwined with blood and fire.

Mutinous troops, garrison troops loyal to the Prefecture Governor's mansion, and the private soldiers of local powerful families with their own ulterior motives were like beasts that had lost their restraints, crazily tearing at each other in this huge cage.

The vacuum of power had given birth to the most primitive ambition and slaughter.

Just as this chaotic city was about to face the darkest moment before dawn, several robust figures, like black panthers in the night, appeared silently on the roof of the Liu Family mansion.

It was Gao Feng and his group, returning fully loaded!

Everyone carried a heavy parcel on their back, filled with Secret Manuals, Medicinal Pills, and rare Materials obtained from the Liu Family treasury.

Although everyone was injured and their Qi was unstable, their eyes were brighter and sharper than ever before!

Through this battle, not only had they gained massive resources, but more importantly, they had used a hearty victory to wash away the suppression and frustration of the past few days, and with the blood of a Sixth-Rank Grandmaster, they had forged the team's unbreakable belief and pride!

"According to the route marked on the map, we start from here, pass through three alleys, bypass the armory where the battle is fierce, and we can reach the vicinity of the West City Gate."

Xu Changqing unfolded the map gifted by the Xuan Yue Sword Sect and quickly pointed out the direction, his voice slightly hoarse from suppressed excitement.

"Li Yan's unit should already be there to receive us." Yue Changkong added, his eyes carrying a trace of complexity.

He did not know what fate would await this former subordinate of his father after tonight. Would he become the new Dominator of Wangjiang City, or would he be reduced to dust under the Imperial Dynasty's fury?

"Don't think too much." Gao Feng patted his shoulder and said in a deep voice, "He made his own choice, betting his life and livelihood. All we can do is make his gamble more valuable. We, too, must walk our own path well."

"Everyone, follow me closely! Remember, avoid combat unless necessary; our goal is to break through!"

"Let's go!"

Following Gao Feng's order, seven figures were like arrows released from a bow, instantly disappearing from the roof and silently merging into the intricate shadows below.

...

The West City Gate.

This had already become another center of the city-wide chaos.

The main force of the mutiny led by Li Yan was engaged in the most tragic tug-of-war here with the trusted troops of the Prefecture Commandant who had arrived to suppress them. Arrows flew like locusts, swords flashed, and the heaven-shaking shouts of battle were enough to overturn the city gate tower.

However, on the edge of this chaotic battlefield, a small squad of about a hundred elite soldiers remained detached from the main battlefield. They formed a tight defensive formation, appearing to be guarding against a flank attack by enemy forces, but in reality, their gazes were constantly sweeping toward a pitch-black alley inside the city.

Leading them was Li Yan's trusted lieutenant, Zhang Cheng.

He gripped the steel saber in his hand tightly, his palms full of sweat. The General's order was for them to receive the group of "Righteous Hero Gao Pan" here.

This was undoubtedly a gamble that staked the entire West City Camp; once Eunuch Wei discovered their collusion with those rebels, all five thousand brothers would be doomed!

But for some reason, thinking of that terrifying explosion that had razed the entire mine to the ground, and thinking of that group of madmen who dared to confront a Sixth-Rank Grandmaster head-on, Zhang Cheng felt, besides nervousness, a faint... expectation. Expectation to witness with his own eyes what kind of demeanor this legendary group possessed!

Just at this moment, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of a few blurry figures appearing at the end of the pitch-black alley!

They're here!

Zhang Cheng's heart jumped violently, and he calmly gestured to his trusted aides beside him.

That hundred-man squad quietly adjusted the gap in their formation to face the direction of that alley.

"The West City Gate is right ahead!"

Gao Feng, moving rapidly through the alley, could already clearly see the chaotic battle situation on the city tower ahead, and could even smell the heavy stench of blood wafting in the air.

However, the moment they were about to rush out of the alley, a sharp shout full of surprise and delight suddenly came from the roof on the side!

"It's Gao Pan! It's those rebels! They're here!"

Everyone was shocked and looked up suddenly.

On a nearby roof stood a dozen Martial Artists wearing various clothes. Leading them was a one-armed swordsman. They were actually a group of bounty hunters whose eyes had turned red from the heavy reward! They had wanted to fish in troubled waters during the chaos, but never expected to run into this "big fish" worth a fortune here!

"Hahaha! It really took no effort at all!" The one-armed swordsman let out a wild laugh of extreme excitement, "Brothers, take them down! The one hundred thousand taels of gold offered by the Prefecture Governor's mansion, and the official position promised by Prince Ying, will be ours!"

This wild laughter was like a ladle of cold water thrown into a frying pan, instantly detonating the situation around them!

"What? Gao Pan is there?!"

"Catch them! Offering them to Eunuch Wei is a massive merit!"

In an instant, all the forces currently fighting nearby, whether it was the Prefecture Governor's garrison or the private soldiers of other local powerful families, temporarily put down their opponents and unanimously cast their greedy and crazy gazes toward Gao Feng and his group at the alley entrance!

In their eyes, these seven people were no longer human, but walking mountains of gold, a ladder to the heavens that could allow them to rise to the top in one step!

"Not good! We've been exposed!" Xu Changqing's face changed.

"Fight our way out!"

In Gao Feng's eyes, there was not a trace of panic, but instead, a shocking brilliance erupted!

He knew that low-key sneaking was no longer possible. In that case, then fight!

Then let a most hearty slaughter draw a most shocking conclusion to their trip to Wangjiang City!

"Yue Changkong, Wulu, follow me to clear the way!"

"Qin Fang, Du Kang, provide cover from a distance!"

Big Fool, protect the flanks!

Kill—!

With a roar, Gao Feng's figure was the first to burst out from the alley entrance, like a fierce tiger descending the mountain!

His long spear, nourished by the Spirit Spring and after a brief moment of rest, could no longer replicate the earth-shattering power from before, but it still transformed into a blood-colored, raging dragon capable of overturning rivers and seas!

Squelch! Squelch!

As his spear struck like a dragon, everywhere it passed, men and horses were sent flying! Those guards from the Prefecture Governor's manor who rushed up first couldn't even touch the hem of his clothes before they were torn to pieces by the violent spear aura!

Barbarian God Charge!

Wulu followed closely behind. With his giant axe on his shoulder, his massive body turned into an unstoppable heavy war chariot. Every enemy standing in his way was smashed, their bones shattered, and sent flying backward!

Yue Changkong's spear struck like lightning, guarding the other side of Gao Feng. His sharp spear techniques formed an impenetrable line of death!

Clear the way with heaven-shaking thunder!

In the back, Qin Fang chuckled and threw the last few fist-sized "heaven-shaking thunder" into the densest part of the crowd with all his might!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Violent explosions rang out again. Although the power was far less terrifying than when the mine was destroyed, it still blew dozens of enemies to pieces, their screams echoing endlessly, forcibly clearing a vacuum zone in the encirclement!

Now is the time!

Go!

At Gao Feng's command, the seven of them formed a sharp arrowhead formation and, with an unrivaled, violent momentum, smashed fiercely toward the direction where Li Yan's troops were waiting to receive them!

At this moment, they no longer hid, no longer evaded.

They unleashed all their strength, all their will, and all their Killing Intent without reservation!

On the city walls, countless generals engaged in fierce battle and spies from various factions were shocked by this sudden scene!

They witnessed with their own eyes how that team of fewer than ten people, amidst the encirclement of hundreds, cut through like a burning hot blade slicing into butter, destroying everything in their path with unstoppable force!

They saw with their own eyes how the man in the lead, his body burning with blood flames, swept out with a single spear strike and sent an entire squad of elite cavalry, men and horses alike, flying!

They saw with their own eyes how the fierce man carrying the giant axe ignored swords and spears, and forcibly tore a Fourth-Rank Martial Artist in half!

Shock! Unparalleled shock!

Are these really people? They are clearly a group of demon gods crawling out of Hell!

Shoot! Shoot quickly! On the city tower, a trusted general of the Prefecture Commandant finally reacted and roared hoarsely.

However, what greeted him was a rain of arrows whistling in from the flank!

The General has ordered that anyone who dares to shoot arrows at these righteous men shall be killed without mercy!

Li Yan's deputy general, Zhang Cheng, finally issued the order to attack at the most critical moment!

The hundred elites he led, like fierce tigers descending the mountain, fiercely slaughtered into the Prefecture Governor's manor's formation from the flank, coordinating from the inside and outside with Gao Feng's team, instantly tearing a huge gap in the encirclement!

Many thanks!

Gao Feng and that deputy general Zhang Cheng exchanged a glance from afar. Without any unnecessary words, he led everyone, charged out through the gap, and bolted toward the already open West City Gate!

When the first ray of morning sunlight pierced the darkness and spilled onto this devastated land, the figures of Gao Feng and his group had long since disappeared on the horizon outside the city.

Behind them lay a chaotic city where power was about to be reshuffled.

It was a Sixth-Rank Grandmaster who, after being heavily injured, rushed back in a hurry only to find nothing, and was so angry that he vomited blood on the spot and flew into a rage.

It was a Prince far away in the capital who was about to receive this earth-shattering bad news and fly into a thunderous rage.

And a brand new legend was rising, right above the ruins of this city.

"The 'Bedrock' Gao Pan and the seven righteous men caused a ruckus in Wangjiang City, plotted to destroy the Blood Flame Stone Mine, executed the entire Liu Family in battle, heavily injured the Inner Court Grandmaster Eunuch Wei, and escaped unscathed!"

This explosive news, in the coming days, would spread to every corner of the Great Qian Dynasty faster than the plague!

The name "Gao Pan" would, for the first time, truly enter the vision of all the top powers in the Imperial Dynasty.

The trip to the Imperial Capital they were about to embark on would no longer be a request for help in obscurity, but a... legendary path filled with endless glory and deadly Killing Intent!

Blood and fire forged the soul of this team.

It also opened a magnificent new era that belonged to them!

...

The faint light of dawn pierced through the sparse leaves, casting dappled spots of light on the ground.

In a hidden valley a hundred miles away from Wangjiang City, a campfire burned with a crackling sound, dispelling the morning chill.

The seven members of Gao Feng's team sat around the campfire, each of their faces bearing a trace of fatigue from the great battle, but even more so, an irrepressible excitement and thrill.

Du Kang was treating everyone's wounds one by one, applying the top-grade golden wound medicine found in the Liu Family treasury, and the astonishing recovery effect made everyone marvel.

On the open ground in front of them lay a huge animal skin, piled high with the spoils of war looted from the Liu Family treasury, emitting an enticing luster under the morning light.

We're rich! We're really rich this time!

Wulu said indistinctly while gnawing on roasted meat, his eyes almost glued to the mountain of bottles, jars, and glittering weapons.

Quiet down, let Mr. Xu count first. Gong Qianxue rolled her eyes at him, but the uncontrollable upward curve of the corners of her mouth exposed her own excited mood at this moment.

Xu Changqing held a booklet in his hand, looking serious as he conducted the final tally. Every item he read out made the breathing of everyone present quicken.

The tally is complete.

Xu Changqing put down the booklet, took a deep breath, tried to calm his excited mood, and reported in a deep voice: "The harvest from this operation far exceeded expectations. In terms of Cultivation Technique, we obtained a total of over thirty volumes. Among them, the highest grade are three complete Fifth-Rank Cultivation Techniques, and one incomplete Spirit Refining Cultivation Technique suspected of reaching the Sixth-Rank."

He paused and added: "It's a pity that those three Fifth-Rank Cultivation Techniques are all inclined toward the sinister and devious, which doesn't suit the style of most of us, and the cultivation conditions are harsh. Liu Yuan and his son must have been unable to Cultivate them for this reason and could only leave them gathering dust."

Gao Feng nodded, not surprised by this. Truly top-tier, compatible Cultivation Techniques are always hard to come by. It was already the limit for the Liu Family to have scrounged up a few Fifth-Rank Cultivation Techniques. Hoping to find a Sixth-Rank or even higher-ranked technique to allow one to Breakthrough was nothing short of a pipe dream. But this only strengthened his determination to head to a bigger stage!

In terms of Medicinal Pill, Xu Changqing continued, "five bottles of the holy healing medicine 'Flesh-Regenerating Bone-Knitting Paste', one bottle of the Fourth-Rank Medicinal Pill 'Dragon-Tiger Pill' that can briefly stimulate potential, and over three hundred Third-Rank Medicinal Pills like 'Blood-Coagulating Pill' and 'Bone-Tempering Pill' that assist in cultivation and increase Qi and blood! This is enough to support our consumption and cultivation for a long time!"

In terms of medicinal herbs, one five-hundred-year-old Blood Ginseng King, and twenty-seven rare medicinal herbs such as hundred-year-old Fleeceflower Root, Snow Lotus, and Ganoderma! Du Kang says that with these main ingredients, he is confident in refining Medicinal Pill with even better effects!

In terms of weapons, eighteen High Grade Xuan Iron weapons, three of which are of extremely high quality and faintly possess the potential to advance into 'Spirit Weapons'! In addition, there are five boxes of rare Ore like 'Cold Iron' and 'Red Copper' for forging weapons.

Finally... Xu Changqing paused, picked up the most inconspicuous wooden box, and his expression became somewhat strange. "This was found in Liu Yuan's most private secret compartment: a recommendation token for the 'Imperial Dynasty Martial Examination', and a letter... a personal letter written by Prince Ying to Liu Yuan!"

Hearing "recommendation token", everyone's eyes focused over.

Yan Qingyun gently waved his feather fan and smiled: "Hehe, this Liu Xuanfeng had good luck, to be so highly regarded by Prince Ying. However, he has no use for it now."

Yue Changkong snorted coldly: "With his cat-leg kung fu, even if he went to the Imperial Capital, he would only be bringing humiliation upon himself."

Gao Feng picked up the token, rubbing the ancient patterns on it, his eyes deep. He naturally knew the value of this thing. Originally, he had already passed the Prefecture Examination and the Provincial Examination, and the next step should have been to participate in the final General Examination in an orderly manner. But this recommendation token could save him from many unnecessary troubles, and perhaps even provide some unexpected conveniences.

It seems our path to the Imperial Capital has become a bit smoother, Gao Feng said calmly.

Brother Gao, have you really decided? Xu Changqing asked. We've caused such a huge commotion this time; the Imperial Capital is probably already a dragon's pool and tiger's den, and Prince Ying's influence is even more deeply rooted...

Precisely because of that, we must go even more! Gao Feng's eyes flashed with a sharp light, interrupting Xu Changqing's words.

Hiding, we cannot hide. Eunuch Wei's kill order will probably spread across the entire Great Qian Dynasty very soon. Rather than scurrying around like rats crossing the street, we might as well do the opposite and charge directly into the deepest part of this water!

He stood up, his gaze sweeping over every companion.

The Martial Examination is the stage I have chosen for myself, and for everyone! There, under the eyes of the masses, the laws of the Imperial Dynasty reign supreme. No matter how powerful Prince Ying is, he would not dare to act recklessly in the open. This is our amulet!

Moreover, his voice became deep and powerful, "I need an identity, an identity that will allow me to come into contact with higher-level power, to search for allies who can truly contend with Prince Ying! The Martial Examination is the best stepping stone!"

We are not only going, but we will go in style, and we will go with a bang! We want to let the whole world see who we really are!

The words made the blood in everyone's chests surge, and the last trace of doubt vanished into smoke.

So, we need to become stronger!