Just as Hao Wuzhen, terrified by the sudden appearance of these people, was about to hastily kick off the ground—
Swish—
There was someone even faster than him.
"Senior Xuandaozi?"
Xuandao looked at the people in front of him.
His watching face was filled with a murderous intent that made it hard to believe he was a Daoist.
"An impressive movement technique."
Xiao Baigui glared at Xuandao, who had suddenly blocked his path, his eyes flashing fiercely.
"Are you the one who killed the Shahun Squad?"
Xuandao's eyebrows twitched.
From the returning question, he immediately knew the man belonged to Baiguicheng.
"You're from Baiguicheng."
"Has reinforcement arrived already?"
"Gasp!"
"Baiguicheng?!"
Instantly, the expressions of Hao Wuzhen and the Meihua Jianshou rushing in late stiffened.
"As expected, I was right."
Xuandao clenched his teeth.
"Are you one of the Sifangzhu?"
"Hehehe."
Xiao Baigui harbored a chilling smile.
"If you wish for an exchange of names, shouldn't you reveal your own name first?"
"...You bastard!"
"Hahaha! 'You bastard'? What a very unique name you have!"
As soon as the mockery-filled words ended, Xuandao couldn't hold back and moved.
Pah!
It was a fast and fluid footwork piercing through the blazing flames like pure white lightning.
"...!"
Xiao Baigui's pupils shook.
It was because Xuandao displayed a movement technique that far exceeded his expectations.
As the panicked man hastily drew up his internal energy, a pure white aura enveloped him.
Bzzzt—
The Xieyin Gui Xian Shengong (Evil Yin Ghost Manifestation Divine Art) personally taught to Xiao Baigui by the Lord of Baiguicheng!
An alien, eerie, and chillingly cold energy mixed with Yin Qi and Ghost Qi enveloped his right hand.
Soon, his right hand moved.
Thump!
With a dull sound, he was bounced back.
Stumbling, Xiao Baigui took three steps back, his face distorting.
"The Guiyin Zhang (Ghost Yin Palm)..."
He was astonished, yet gritted his teeth.
Who was he?
He was Xiao Baigui, the absolute being who would succeed his master to become the Lord of Baiguicheng.
Yet, he was made to step back.
Just as his face contorted violently with his cracked pride—
"Xiao Baigui."
A low voice flowed out from between the flames scattering in the fierce wind.
'This voice?'
Xuandao, who had just struck Xiao Baigui's abdomen with the Meihua Zhang (Plum Blossom Palm) and was preparing a follow-up strike, turned his head.
On top of the broken wall stood a man, his left sleeve fluttering in the wind.
Upon witnessing him, Xuandao spat out the epithet that surfaced in his mind.
"Shoucan Dujian...!"
"Oh, do you know this old man?"
The corners of Shoucan Dujian's mouth rose, and yellow teeth slowly revealed themselves between them.
"But unfortunately, I don't know who you are. Who might you be?"
"Xuandao."
Shoucan Dujian's eyes widened.
"Huashan Diyi Jian (Huashan's Number One Sword)...!"
He had thought there would be experts in the Feifeng Shangtuan, but he never expected someone called Huashan's Number One Sword to be here.
"But even so..."
Shoucan Dujian's eyes narrowed.
According to rumors spread throughout the world, Huashan's Number One Sword had yet to reach the Wuji Realm.
"He wouldn't have been able to annihilate the Shahun Squad alone..."
Muttering in a small voice, his eyes scanning the surroundings gleamed eerily.
"I see."
He spotted Hao Wuzhen, who was suppressing his presence beside them and waiting for an opportunity.
"If the Feiyan Jianjun is also here, that would be enough."
His mind cleared up.
If Feiyan Jianjun and Xuandaozi, known as Huashan's Number One Sword, joined forces, they were certainly people who could annihilate the Shahun Squad.
Of course, a few questions remained.
Who had used the Bileidao?
And how they had killed the Shahun Squad with a single strike each.
But Shoucan Dujian didn't have the leisure to care about that right now.
His opponents were Xuandao, Huashan's Number One Sword, and Feiyan Jianjun, who was implicitly acknowledged as the next Sect Leader of the Zhongnan Pai.
'If it's just one, it's fine, but...'
Facing the two alone was overwhelming.
He signaled with his eyes toward Xiao Baigui.
"I will take on Xuandao, so Nanfangzhu, take the Baigui Squad and deal with Feiyan Jianjun and the Meihua Jianshou over there."
"I shall."
Xiao Baigui answered as if he had been waiting.
If Shoucan Dujian took on Xuandao, their most troublesome opponent, he could rest easy.
'It's a pity I can't kill him myself, but it can't be helped.'
He was enraged by Xuandao's strike just now, but fulfilling the mission came first.
"Then I'll leave this place to you."
Without delay, he spun his body around.
In his field of vision entered Hao Wuzhen and the Meihua Jianshou, glaring with stiffened expressions.
"Nanfangzhu?"
Hao Wuzhen's mouth dropped open as he recalled the title Shoucan Dujian used for Xiao Baigui.
"So you were Xiao Baigui...!"
As the Southern Lord of Baiguicheng, he was the sole disciple of Baishashen, a genius known to have reached the Wuji Realm at a young age.
Long ago, he, Xuangang, and Xiao Baigui before him were collectively called the Three Great Late-Generation Talents who would lead Shaanxi, so he knew him very well.
'The fact that he, who wouldn't even take a single step outside Baiguicheng unless it was a matter of great importance, has appeared all the way here...'
Just as Hao Wuzhen felt the current situation was flowing abnormally—
Swish!
The hands of the Baigui Squad, who had been surrounding them from afar, moved, and hidden weapons flew in.
Thwack, thwack, thwack!
The abrupt surprise attack was effective.
Especially the Meihua Jianshou, who were tense from keeping their guard up against Xiao Baigui and Shoucan Dujian, couldn't help but be flustered by the hidden weapons flying from an unexpected direction.
"Unfold Meihua Diedwu (Plum Blossom Butterfly Dance)!"
At the shout of Chijian, who was the first to come to his senses, the Meihua Jianshou drew their swords.
"Haap!"
"Haap!"
"Heup!"
Kiais erupted here and there.
The swords of the Meihua Jianshou left dozens of sword traces, becoming as dense as a net.
The true form of the Meihua Diedwu that Chijian spoke of.
Namely, a sword curtain.
The sword curtain deflected or struck away the flying hidden weapons, blocking the attack.
It was an accurate and swift movement, hard to believe they were the same people who had been terrified out of their wits by an opponent's attack just a few days ago.
"Heup!"
"Another surprise attack...!"
But that was a decoy.
The Baigui Squad threw their hidden weapons while simultaneously drawing their swords and charging.
The Meihua Jianshou, who were guarding against the Baigui Squad charging from all directions while throwing flying daggers, clashed against them, and they instantly became entangled.
Chijian raised his sword and shouted.
"Unfold the Meihua Jianzhen (Plum Blossom Sword Formation)!"
In an instant, the Meihua Jianshou formed a circle and leaned their backs against each other. Subsequently, a red aura enveloped the bodies of the five.
An aura a bit too rough to be called that of a Daoist.
But that was exactly the manifestation of the Meihua Jianzhen that the Huashan Pai took pride in.
The Meihua Jianshou, including Chijian, looked at the ones charging like a swarm.
They were on a different level from the Bawang Mentu they faced a few days ago.
Each and every one of them was at least a first-rate expert.
They were truly warriors worthy of being called members of Baiguicheng, known as the Liu Huang Men.
However, they were not shaken at all.
So what if the opponent was Baiguicheng?
"We are the Meihua Jianshou!"
"Uwaaaah!"
"Come!"
"I am Huashan's Chifei!"
Starting with Chijian's shout, the other four unfolding the Meihua Jianzhen also spat out resounding shouts and raised their swords.
Soon, the two groups collided.
Pang! Chaeng! Kaang!
The sound of bursting drums, the sound of blades clashing, and the sound of air exploding.
A colorful array of collision sounds.
Despite the continuous attacks of the Baigui Squad, the Meihua Jianshou firmly blocked them.
Each person left not a single opening, making them like an iron fortress.
Among them, the three who had received the torture—no, training—of Bianti Qigong from Tianhui were completely different from their previously stiff selves.
They effortlessly blocked the attacks and counterattacked.
It would have been one thing if it were just one or two, but when all five Meihua Jianshou displayed skills above standard, the Baigui Squad was flustered.
"Such swordsmanship at that age..."
The moment Chifei caught the opening of the horrified Baigui Squad member, he unfolded Meihua Luomei.
Slash!
"Urgh!"
A bloodstain was carved from his shoulder blade to his waist, and the Baigui Squad member fell to his knees.
'Was it this easy to move?'
'Was my sword this light?'
'I just attacked, right?'
Calmly blocking the attack and even succeeding in a counterattack, he was rather flustered himself.
His body was lighter than he thought, and perhaps because vitality was overflowing throughout his body, his internal energy moved faster than his intent.
Moreover, how were the opponent's attacks?
A palm technique loaded with internal energy was driven into his abdomen, but it didn't hurt.
To be precise, compared to the excruciating pain he felt when hit by Bianti Qigong, it was nothing more than a mosquito bite.
It wasn't just Chifei.
Chicai and Chiyun also blocked the attacks of the Baigui Squad members and began to counterattack.
Recalling their struggle against the Bawang Mentu, who were much weaker than them a few days ago, it was an absurd growth.
'Was that really training?'
'Was that actually training?'
'Wasn't it just tormenting us?'
The three wore dumbfounded expressions.
In fact, Tianhui had called it training, but the three had always thought it was a punishment inflicted on them for refusing the training.
The three met each other's eyes.
Nod—
Confidence appeared on the faces of the three as they nodded once.
It had only been ten days.
Yet, the change was noticeable.
"Let's go!"
"Let's go!"
"Let's gooo!"
Soon, as the three spread their arms and charged,
"I can trust and leave this to you now."
"Senior Brother! Just focus on the opponent in front of you!"
Chijian and Xuelan displayed far superior swordsmanship than before, as if their reins had been untied.
The two's skills were superior to the three.
To the point where the Baigui Squad was rather overwhelmed by their momentum, faltering and stepping back.
It was then.
Swish— Swish—
The ones who had been blindly charging retreated.
Giving up on charging in, they gradually spread out and slowly pressured the clustered Meihua Jianshou.
They had started a Chelun Zhan (Wheel Battle).
"Damn it..."
"They caught on."
Chijian and Xuelan's faces darkened.
As expected of the Baigui Squad, they realized the Meihua Jianzhen was incomplete and sought to turn it into a war of attrition.
Klang! Klang!
They repeatedly struck and retreated.
If they tried to counterattack, they immediately leapt back to create distance, and in the meantime, another Baigui Squad attacked consecutively.
Moreover, as they countered in a timely manner, the tide of battle did not easily tip, and rather flowed in a disadvantageous direction for them.
The Meihua Jianshou gripped their swords tightly.
They wanted to immediately chase after the Baigui Squad, who were backing away even now, but they couldn't bear to do so.
If they did, the Meihua Jianzhen would collapse, and the situation would worsen.
"To think the fearsome Baiguicheng is running away in fear."
"They're running away with their tails between their legs."
Chijian and Xuelan spoke words to provoke them, but they remained calm.
Swish— Chaeng!
Far from reacting, even sharper strikes and retreats continued repeatedly.
'Damn it!'
The smell of blood lingered in Chijian's mouth. It was because he had bitten his lip hard.
'We've completely become fish in a trap.'
The opponent's numbers were ten times theirs.
Eventually, as the war of attrition prolonged past an hour, Chicai and Chiyun shook greatly.
"Are you alright?"
"K-keuk. I am fine."
"I am still fine."
Chijian chewed on his lip hard.
If time continued to pass like this, it would be a certain defeat.
* * *
Crackle!
The fire demon, whose origin was unknown, had completely swallowed the Feifeng Shangtuan.
Seeing the flames trying to spread even to the main building, Gao Jiying shouted urgently.
"Everyone, evacuate!"
Perhaps because it was the second time experiencing this.
Assessing the situation more coldly than before, he first took care of the servants around him.
Buildings could be rebuilt, but a person's life ended with death.
Gao Jiying suddenly glared.
"M-Madam?"
Lian Xiulan was nowhere to be seen.
"Since it's the second time, your response is quick."
At the voice suddenly coming from behind, Gao Jiying hastily turned his body around.
Behind him, which had definitely been empty just a moment ago, stood Tianhui.
With both hands holding Lian Xiulan.
"Madam!"
Tianhui handed the woman he was holding over to Gao Jiying.
"She seems to have inhaled quite a bit of smoke, as she's lost consciousness."
"Thank you."
Tears welled up in Gao Jiying's eyes.
The face of the madam he held in his arms was sparsely smeared with pitch-black soot.
If he had been just a little later, she might have been trapped in the fire demon and lost her life.
No, that possibility was highly likely.
The flames were that fierce.
"Benefactor, this grace..."
"Rather than that, please put out the fire."
"But the water..."
"I broke down the wall leading to the lake in the back garden."
"The wall...!"
Gao Jiying immediately shouted.
"Everyone, go to the back garden and draw water from the lake!"
As Gao Jiying's command fell, the servants who had finished evacuating ran in a line.
"I will go ahead first."
Tianhui looked at Gao Jiying running with Lian Xiulan on his back, and raised his head.
"I've put out the urgent fire."
When everyone left and he was left alone in the main building, only the sound of pillars and walls burning in the flames assailed his ears.
"Fortunately, the wind is also dying down now, so the flames won't spread any further."
He raised his head and looked up at the sky.
The soot and flames that had been scattering in all directions in the fierce wind had calmed down at some point, only soaring upwards.
"I was just going to stand by and watch."
He had intended to just watch after stepping away the moment the attack started.
But he couldn't do that.
Perhaps because they were from the Evil Sect, they were despicable.
The ones fighting Xuandao, Hao Wuzhen, and the Meihua Jianshou were not all of them.
They had split their original forces.
Into the main force revealing themselves openly, and a detachment trying to annihilate the servants.
Their scheme was to deliberately make the main force appear openly to draw people's attention, and then secretly eliminate the merchant guild.
"The Feifeng Shangtuan is quite important to the Huashan Pai right now."
Tianhui's eyes gleamed.
His eyes, containing the burning flames, soot, and darkness, were eerie.
The moment his gaze lengthened.
Pah!
The air exploded, and the flames burst.
The ones flustered by the sudden change were the Baigui Squad members watching while holding their breath.
About the time they met each other's eyes.
Crunch!
Along with a shattering sound, a liquid redder than the flames rained down upon their heads, scattering like rain.
"...!"
The Baigui Squad members, forgetting that they were hiding, were startled and looked at the corpse.
The corpse that fell into the flames was horrific.
Like a beast had torn it apart, the upper body was completely mangled.
Among it, the head was the most severely damaged, so gruesome that its original appearance was unrecognizable.
"S-Saho?"
As they muttered in panic,
"You gathered together on your own."
Crack!
At the sudden appearance of Tianhui, the Baigui Squad raised their weapons in caution.
Normally, they would have been flustered or shaken by an unexpected situation, but they quickly regained their composure.
Judging Tianhui as an enemy instead of that person, they prepared to unleash their killing moves.
It was not the movement of ordinarily trained people.
It was the movement of people thoroughly trained to the bone, familiar with this situation.
But...
"Nineteen of them."
Tianhui whispered as he scanned the Baigui Squad members one by one with indifferent eyes.
And at that moment.
Thump!
One person collapsed with a flop.
There was no sign, no change.
The Baigui Squad fell into chaos.
'W-What just happened?'
'What?'
The Baigui Squad members lost their wits.
The fallen Baigui Squad member had no intention of getting back up.
Looking closely, he was shedding hot blood on the ground with a small hole pierced in his forehead.
It was as if they were bewitched by a ghost.
At that moment, the ghost's mouth tore open, revealing pure white teeth in the darkness.
"Then shall we finish this."
The ghost's voice was low.
In an instant, the Baigui Squad members recalled the fear and terror they had forgotten.
About an hour after the teeth of the Baigui Squad members, crushed by fear, began chattering, not a single one of them survived.