20: Chapter 20 Qin Hu's Helplessness: A Second-Level Grandmaster Intercepts a Grandmaster?

Lei Wujie narrowed his eyes and looked at the standing Shen Cangsheng. Although he had a smile on his face, a flash of cold killing intent crossed his eyes.

“This guy... once I get the key, he'll be the first one I kill.”

But for now, he had to stabilize the other party.

“Cult Leader Shen worries too much,” Lei Wujie forced a smile onto his face. “Since our three sects have established an agreement, we should naturally advance and retreat together. Here, I, Lei Wujie, am willing to swear in the name of the past leaders of the Ming Cult—if we can successfully obtain the key to the Green Lotus Secret Realm this time, our three sects will share all the treasures within. If I violate this oath, may heaven and earth destroy me!”

After speaking, he inwardly added a cold thought:

“Hmph, you still hope to enter the Green Lotus Secret Realm? By then, your White Lotus Cult and Hehuan Sect will have long been wiped out by me. That way, it won't count as this Cult Leader breaking his oath!”

Seeing Lei Wujie's solemn pledge, the standing Shen Cangsheng still maintained a cold sneer on his face.

He didn't believe Lei Wujie's nonsense at all, but now was not the time for a complete fallout. He cupped his hands and feigned agreement:

“Since Cult Leader Lei has said so, then I can rest easy.”

He sat back down after speaking, his mind constantly calculating. “Hmph! You want our White Lotus Cult to clash head-on with those thirty thousand capital defense troops stationed thirty miles outside the capital while you pick the fruit? There's no such good deal in this world. Better to create an illusion and let those thirty thousand troops straight in to muddy the waters. Once you've fought until both sides are wounded, I'll be the oriole behind the mantis!”

To the side, Su Xuanji quietly watched their hypocritical faces, the corner of her mouth twitching almost imperceptibly.

“These guys, they haven't even started and they're already dividing the future profits! Hmph, they're simply unaware that death is imminent.”

She looked up at the sky outside the hall, calculating the time in her head:

“Looking at the hour, it should be about time.”

Boom—!

Just then, an explosion suddenly rang out. Fire soared into the sky around the residence where Su Xuanji and the others were located. Blazing waves of heat dyed the surrounding sky red, followed immediately by shrill screams coming from outside the main gate!

“What's going on?!” Lei Wujie lunged out of the main hall and looked toward the direction of the gate.

Nearby, the expressions of Shen Cangsheng, Baiyun Mountain, and the others also changed. For such a situation to occur at this critical juncture, one didn't even need to think to know it must be related to the Great Xia Imperial Court!

At that moment, Lei Wujie grabbed a Ming Cult Disciple rushing from the direction of the gate. “Speak, what on earth happened!?”

“Cult... Cult Leader! It's bad! The main gate of our residence has been sealed shut, and there's fire ignited by black oil on all sides. We can't get out the back door either. We... we've probably been surrounded by people sent by the Great Xia Imperial Court!”

“We're surrounded by the Great Xia Imperial Court!?” Lei Wujie was stunned at first, then his face instantly darkened. “Our operation this time was so hidden... how could we be targeted by the Great Xia Imperial Court!?”

He whipped his head around to glare at Shen Cangsheng, a fierce light flashing in his eyes. “Shen... Cangsheng! Speak!! Did you leak this on purpose?!”

“Bullshit!” Shen Cangsheng slammed the table and stood up. “I was just about to ask if your Ming Cult had a traitor!”

“Enough!”

Baiyun Mountain, who had remained silent, glanced at everyone. “What's the point of discussing who leaked it now? The priority is to leave this place! Hmph! Do they really think they can keep us here just by using fire and ordinary imperial soldiers? They're dreaming!!”

“Elder Bai is right!”

Lei Wujie suppressed his anger and exchanged a glance with Baiyun Mountain. Both moved at the same time, their majestic True Qi pushing back the oncoming heat waves as they took the lead in charging toward the gate.

Shen Cangsheng, Left Emissary Pei, and the others followed closely behind. Su Xuanji, however, quietly lagged at the back, her fingers gently twisting in her sleeve as a faint fragrance dispersed into the scorching air.

“Break!”

Baiyun Mountain was the first to reach the gate. He threw a punch, and the fierce fist-wind of the Great Great Grandmaster Realm surged out like a raging dragon, instantly tearing a gap through the iron bars sealing the door and the roaring flames!

However—

Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh—!

Outside the gap, hundreds of Imperial Guards had already set up their formation. Dozens of heavy repeating crossbows were aimed at the gate. The moment the gate was shattered by the punch, Commander Qin Hu shouted, “Fire!”

Instantly, dozens of specially made bolts shot out. Each of these bolts was as thick as a child's arm, and in an instant, they blanketed Baiyun Mountain and the others!

“What? Heavy repeating crossbows from the military? These Imperial Guards actually brought such big toys here! They really think highly of us!!” Left Emissary Pei, who was behind Lei Wujie, felt his scalp go numb as he saw dozens of cold lights flying toward them.

“Hmph! What's there to fear!? These things are only good for dealing with people below the Grandmaster Realm!” Ferocity surged in Lei Wujie's eyes. He stepped forward and made a grasping motion in the air.

“Come to this Cult Leader!”

A terrifying suction force erupted from his palm. The dozens of heavy bolts flying toward them suddenly stalled in mid-air, then involuntarily gathered into a cluster, forcibly held three feet in front of his palm!

“Hmph!” Lei Wujie snorted coldly and clenched his fingers tightly!

The steel shafts of the bolts made a piercing twisting sound and snapped one after another, falling to the ground.

But the startling impact force attached to those bolts also caused his blood and Qi to churn, and his body involuntarily took half a step back.

He looked down at his slightly numbed palm, his expression turning completely dark.

Being able to mobilize so many heavy crossbows at once was definitely not just the work of these Imperial Guards... It seemed that Emperor of the Underworld had already spread his net, waiting for them to jump in!

Lei Wujie and Baiyun Mountain exchanged a glance, both reading the same thought in each other's eyes—they had to break out immediately and could not be trapped here!

“Follow this Cult Leader and kill our way out!”

Lei Wujie roared. He took the lead, charging toward the Imperial Guards where the crossbows were located.

At this moment, Commander Qin Hu's face had turned somewhat ashen.

Originally, Xia Jin was here with him, prepared to round up this group of demonic cult remnants.

However, just as they were about to make their move, Xia Jin seemed to sense some sort of disturbance in the distance. He only hurriedly left the words “Guard this place well, do not let a single person escape” before his figure vanished from sight.

Now, having to face two Great Grandmasters alone, Commander Qin Hu only felt a bitterness in his mouth.

He, Commander Qin Hu, was only at the second stage of the Grandmaster Realm!!

On what basis could he stop them!?

“What are you standing there for!” Commander Qin Hu suppressed the panic in his heart and roared at the dazed Imperial Guards. “Get ready! Heavy crossbows! Reload! Fast!”

He himself drew the Embroidered Spring Blade from his waist with a 'clack,' his gaze locked firmly on Lei Wujie, who was charging at the front.

Commander Qin Hu didn't believe he could stop the opponent either; he could only hope that Xia Jin would return in time!

“Hum—Bang!”

Another round of heavy crossbows fired simultaneously, the thick bolts letting out a terrifying whistle.

Lei Wujie was prepared this time. Most of the bolts were diverted or knocked down by his powerful True Qi. The few that reached him were swept away by his sleeves, flung into the walls on either side, exploding into countless stone fragments.

In the interval of just two rounds of bolts, Lei Wujie and the others had charged to within less than a hundred meters of Commander Qin Hu. Lei Wujie could even clearly see Commander Qin Hu's ashen and nervous face. He couldn't help but sneer,

“Hmph! A mere second-stage Grandmaster trash dares to block this Cult Leader's path? You don't know whether to live or die!”