Chapter 176 Xu the Thief Receives His Head

Xu Changze's pupils constricted sharply, and a sense of foreboding rose in his heart.

"Who... who exactly are you?! Why can you interfere with my secret technique?!"

Old Wang the Lame slowly turned his head, looking at Xu Changze with a complex expression.

"This old man does not understand any Power Of Will secret techniques; I have simply sat in this City God Temple for so many days, listening to the wails of many wronged souls, and I have come to know even more..."

His voice gradually faded.

"The people of the Jiang Family did not have this old man come here to be a Puppet for you, Lord Xu."

The Jiang Family!

Xu Changze's entire body shook violently; he looked at Old Wang the Lame in disbelief, his lips trembling, unable to believe it no matter what.

"The Jiang Family... how is that possible?"

Old Wang the Lame nodded calmly.

"This old man has a special fate and can connect Yin and Yang. The Jiang Family found me and had me lie dormant in Yunmeng in preparation for unforeseen needs. Lord Xu, by pushing this old man to this position, you fell right into the Jiang Family's trap."

"They sent me here to watch over Yunmeng, to watch over you, and also to watch over... Squad Leader Chen."

"Before Lord Jiang Xiong left, he said that if things became impossible to handle, I should assist those who ought to be assisted."

Xu Changze felt a chill rush straight to the top of his head. He had thought he controlled everything, but he never expected that from beginning to end, he had been on the Jiang Family's chessboard. Even his final Puppet was a hidden piece planted by someone else.

"Good... a very good Jiang Family, a very good Old Wang the Lame!"

Xu Changze gritted his teeth. The fire of betrayal and fear intertwined in his heart, almost causing him to lose his sanity immediately.

He knew he could not wait any longer. He had to kill Chen Mu, Qi Huan, and this damned Old Wang the Lame immediately, clean up the mess as quickly as possible, and perhaps there would still be a glimmer of hope.

"Go to hell for this official!"

Xu Changze roared fiercely. Ignoring the interference with his Power Of Will, he drew a poisoned dagger from his right sleeve. His body moved like a ghost as he lunged personally at Old Wang the Lame.

He had to eliminate this greatest variable first.

"Watch out!"

Chen Mu shouted loudly, wanting to rescue him, but he was tightly entangled by the Five-Tailed Fox Demon and the Yin-Yang officials. Qi Huan also wanted to move, but due to his severe injuries, his movements were ultimately half a beat too slow.

Old Wang the Lame looked at the lunging Xu Changze with no fear on his face; he simply raised his withered hand slightly and tapped gently towards Xu Changze.

There was no light or Protective Aura at his fingertip, but Xu Changze's form suddenly stalled. Immediately, a vast, invisible force crashed down.

"Boom!"

The Power Of Will around Xu Changze shattered like glass in an instant. He himself was struck as if by a heavy blow, spraying a mouthful of blood as he tilted his head back, flying backward and slamming into a palace pillar.

The entire hall fell into a dead silence; everyone was stunned.

Xu Changze struggled to stand up, his eyes splitting with rage. Old Wang the Lame slowly lowered his hand, his body trembling slightly. Clearly, the strike just now had been equally taxing for him.

"This old man said it long ago, the divine path... is not cultivated this way."

"You actually... urgh!"

Before his words could fade, a pitch-black blade light flashed over like lightning.

Chen Mu finally seized the moment when the Five-Tailed Fox Demon was distracted by Xu Changze's sudden turn of events, broke through the siege using the Divine Void Step, and aimed the soul-slaying blade straight at Xu Changze's throat.

Xu Changze wanted to dodge, but the backlash of power within his body made his movements more than a beat too slow.

The blade edge precisely sliced across his throat.

Xu Changze's body stiffened, his eyes widened, filled with shock and unwillingness. He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but only blood foam gushed out.

He slowly lowered his head, looking at his blood-stained lapel, then looked up at Chen Mu and Old Wang the Lame, and finally looked at the chaotic hall.

In the end, the light in his eyes rapidly dimmed, and his body crashed to the ground.

[Slayed Yunmeng County Magistrate Xu Changze, plundered Martial Dao Lifespan: 972 years.]

The cold System notification sound rang out.

Chen Mu sheathed his blade and breathed slightly.

The Lifespan gained from slaying Xu Changze far exceeded expectations, which showed to what extent his cultivation had climbed by utilizing the Power Of Will and the official seal.

If not for Old Wang the Lame stepping in at the critical moment, killing him would have been no easy task.

Chen Mu's gaze fell on Old Wang the Lame, a flash of realization crossing his eyes.

As expected, the Jiang Family's hidden weapon was not as simple as it appeared on the surface. The seemingly cowardly village guardian was able to deliver a fatal blow to Xu Changze at the critical moment; his Heart-Nature, his forbearance, and his methods were far from ordinary.

Old Wang the Lame did not even look at the dead Xu Changze. He slowly straightened his body, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall, and finally landed on those Yin-Yang officials who were somewhat at a loss due to Xu Changze's death.

"The City God has perished, and Xu Changze has been executed. The Yin and Yang cannot be without order, and Yunmeng cannot be without a master."

"Since this old man is temporarily acting in this divine position, I shall organize the Yin and Yang and protect this region. If you Yin-Yang officials and ghost clerks are willing to follow the Righteous Path of Heaven and Earth and uphold the laws of Yin and Yang, then return to your posts and perform your duties. If you remain obsessed and obstinate, assisting the tyrant in his evil deeds..."

He did not continue, but the majesty that suddenly erupted from his eyes already caused the hearts of the Day Patrol God, the Night Patrol God, and other Yin-Yang officials to tremble violently.

They had originally acted under orders due to the coercion and inducements of Xu Changze and the late City God. Now that Xu Changze was dead and the City God had long since fallen, and this person before them acting as the temporary City God, though appearing old, had killed Xu Changze in one move, it was self-evident how they should choose.

The Day Patrol God and the Night Patrol God exchanged a glance, were the first to put away their weapons, and bowed in salute.

"We respectfully obey your decree."

Ox-Head and Horse-Face hesitated slightly, then also lowered their heads. Seeing this, the remaining ghost soldiers knelt down one after another.

The Yin-Yang official faction changed masters in an instant.

"You... you all!"

The Five-Tailed Fox Demon was shocked and angry; she had never expected the situation to take such a sharp turn for the worse.

Her collaborator Xu Changze had died suddenly, and the Yin-Yang official faction had defected on the spot. Although Chen Mu was heavily injured, his Battle Intent had not diminished in the slightest. Qi Huan, Liu Ziming, and the others had also caught their breath and were eyeing her like tigers stalking their prey.

Looking at those elites transferred from neighboring counties, all of them were pale, their hands holding their blades trembling. Xu Changze's death had completely deprived them of their backbone, and they were already in a state of panic.

Although she was a great demon at the Middle Stage of the Heart-Awakening Realm, she had already suffered internal injuries from a hard clash with Chen Mu earlier. Now, standing alone against such a situation, she had fallen into an absolute disadvantage.

"Good... a very good Yunmeng, a very good Old Wang the Lame."

She gritted her teeth, her face twisted with anger.

"The grudge of today, our Beimang Sect has noted it down."

Before her words finished, she retreated rapidly. Her five fox tails whipped up a gale, and she was about to smash through the window and flee.

"Want to leave?"

Chen Mu snorted coldly. How could he let this demon fox, who had almost put him to death, go?

He activated the Divine Void Step under his feet, his body moving like lightning. Starting after her but arriving first, he instantly blocked the demon fox's retreat, and the soul-slaying blade slashed straight down.

At the same time, Qi Huan endured his pain, his Five Cloud Hands manifesting into a sky full of palm shadows, sealing the left side of the demon fox. Liu Ziming, leading several bailiffs, also brandished his blade and pressed in from the right.

Old Wang the Lame stood in place, not attacking, but his eyes were locked tightly onto the demon fox, and an invisible pressure enveloped her.

With wolves in front, tigers behind, restrained on the left and right, and her Divine Soul under pressure.

The demon fox let out a shrill shriek, her Demonic Qi surging wildly around her body, and her five tails began to glow with red light, intending to make a desperate final struggle.

"Red Refining Sky-Burn!"

She ignored her injuries, activating her innate secret technique. Her five tails transformed into five crimson fire pillars, carrying the might to burn everything to ashes, and ferociously slammed toward the blocking Chen Mu.

This was a mutually destructive style of fighting; she wanted to forcibly tear open a path to survival.