Hu Yicheng scorned. “Brother Xu, they’re just a bunch of little thieves who are trying to block us because they’re mad. Once I return to the capital, I’ll urge the authorities to catch them all.”
“You don’t have to be so outraged if they’re only blocking us out of anger, but…” Scholar Xu waved his hand, then he frowned and had a grave expression on his face. “I have a feeling that it’s not that simple.”
Hu Yicheng was stunned. “Brother Xu, what do you mean?”
Scholar Xu pondered and said, “Forget it, let’s go on. If they keep coming at us, it’ll be quite troublesome.”
Hu Lingfeng glanced at his uncle and obeyed the scholar’s order. Scholar Xu was not from the Hu family, but he was knowledgeable, and Hu Yicheng had always listened to his advice, hence Hu Lingfeng did not defy the scholar’s instruction.
With that, the convoy continued their journey but soon enough, arrows were continuously shot out from the trees and bushes on both sides. Even though it did not stop the convoy from taking even a single step forward, it was impossible for them to hurry on with their journey.
The cavaliers were not going to let it be, but each time they dashed into the forest, they did not see any sign of their enemies. While the tactic of running after shooting was simple, it was extremely functional. As a result, the convoy could not carry on anymore. It was as if they were stuck in mud.
Hu Yicheng and Scholar Xu had already left the carriage. As they looked at each other, they felt a chill from within their hearts.
Needless to say, the inspector and the scholar could not be fooled by the stalling trick. They would be underestimating their opponents’ IQ if they still thought the big men were blocking them because of the conflict earlier, but they could not figure out who exactly would go this far to stop them halfway.
After being provoked by the arrows again, Hu Yicheng looked at the sky and instructed softly, “Lingfeng, look for a place to camp. When the sky turns dark, send some men to seek help from a nearby city.”
“Yes, sir,” Hu Lingfeng responded softly too.
Their convoy consisted of roughly twenty military men, who had the cultivation base of at least Force Grade and were not interior to the Guards under the generals in the military.
As such, the soldiers did not attach any importance to the thieves, but they began to worry after the sneak attack from their enemies. This was because they knew a huge accident was going to happen that night.
Since it was almost nightfall, Hu Lifeng decided to stop their travel, and he ordered the other men to set up barracks.
Following that, tents that were stored in the carriages were taken down. Hu Yicheng had prepared sufficient resources for their journey, thus they would not have any trouble even if they were to camp in the wilderness.
Despite that, the atmosphere in the convoy became tenser.
When the cavaliers got off their horses to build the tents, two of them disappeared as the other people covered them.
Even so, even Hu Yicheng and Scholar Xu could not guarantee that the two cavaliers could successfully get reinforcements.
The night slowly turned dark, and a raging campfire was seen among the tents. Aside from that, the tents also looked loose on the outside but were tight on the inside because the men were fully equipped when they rested; they could make the fastest reaction if an unforeseen event took place.
Inside the forest, as the dwarf quietly watched the campfire on the main road, his eyes were full of killing intent. “Did you catch the two fellas who left to get help?”
“Big Brother, don’t worry, we’ve already arranged for some men to stop them, so they definitely can’t escape!”
“Very well.” The dwarf nodded and waved his hand. “Let’s go! Spare none of them!”
He felt a sense of relief when he gave the command.
After all, they were about to attack officials from the imperial court. The moment the attack started, the imperial court would not let them go even if it was for the sake of the court’s reputation. If it was possible, the dwarf would not have gotten himself involved at all.
However, when the dwarf thought about the fearsome eyes, which were filled with evil tendencies of death, he could not help but shudder, and he stopped thinking about trying his luck.
If the dwarf finished the task, perhaps he could go far, but if he did not do it, he would not be able to escape at all.
He immediately cast his worries aside and flashed toward the campfire with the other men.
“Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh…”
A number of arrows were shot out from the dark without warning, and they were aimed at the tents.
That said, Hu Yicheng and his people were prepared, so they either held up their shields or blocked the attack with their carriages. The rain of arrows only helped them confirm that there was a sneak attack, but it did not damage the people at all.
“Kill—”
A vicious roar was heard, then many strong men charged toward the tents’ periphery.
It was then that several torches were thrown from the tents, causing the surroundings to be lit up like daytime. Subsequently, sharp arrows were shot out from the inner circle of the tents, and a few burly men were shot down as a result.
Hu Yicheng and his men made an incredibly solid defensive circle. They worked a tight schedule, but they did not leave any obvious trace.
When the injured big men groaned in pain on the ground, many other men were terrified. They were not lions who had fought in hundreds of battles, so while they could handle smooth fights, they hesitated to advance in adversity.
In spite of that, a short and small figure appeared at that moment.
He held a big saber, which was much taller than him, and walked toward the campfire.
Hu Yicheng’s face changed, and he yelled, “Shoot!”
Given that an obvious target had shown up on a battlefield, the fire would undoubtedly be gathered on him.
Next, at least eight arrows were shot one after another.
Instead of stopping, the small figure moved his wrist, causing a dazzling light to be produced from the big saber on his shoulder.
Consequently, the arrows that were shot at him were turned into bits by the saber-light.
“A Yang Grade powerhouse!” Scholar Xu gasped and was already drenched in sweat.
They figured that some people were lying in ambush, but they never expected a Yang Grade powerhouse would be involved. Besides, how could they be so valuable that a Yang Grade powerhouse had to make a move?
Everyone else from the convoy looked at each other and noticed the look of despair in one another’s eyes.
The dwarf sneered and continued to move forward without a hurry. He intended to barge into the tents with an absolute aura so that the soldiers would be frightened out of their wits, and it would be easy for his men to catch all of them.
“Swoosh…”
Another arrow was shot, but everyone was puzzled.
The arrow was not shot from the tents’ inner circle; it was shot from behind the dwarf.
In fact, even the dwarf himself was in disbelief. Another flash of saber-light was seen as he shouted, and it slashed the arrow like a struck of lightning.
Afterward, an explosion was heard as the arrow exploded and turned into countless steel shards, which were flying in the dwarf’s direction.
The dwarf’s face took on a ghastly expression, and he wielded his saber without any hesitation. Intense clashes between metals filled the air, and he was only able to block most of the shards by giving his all.
Even then, two of the shards brushed past his body, leaving two traces of blood.
The other people instantly had goosebumps, and they wondered, ‘What weapon was that? It was able to injure a Yang Grade powerhouse! If we were in the dwarf’s shoes instead, wouldn’t we have died already?’
“Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh…”
Later on, a few more arrows were continuously shot at the dwarf.
The arrows were not mighty, but the dwarf no longer dared to resist them.
He flashed and roared fiercely as he tried his best to evade the arrows, then he darted into the dark and gave up the tents behind him.
The dwarf knew better than anyone else that he could not complete his task if he did not deal with the trouble that was hiding in the dark.
On the other hand, Hu Yicheng and Scholar Xu exchanged glances at the tents, and they felt like they had just escaped death. “Ah-“
Shrill shrieks were heard everywhere, and while they did not spot anyone under the dark sky, the screams were hair-raising.
Scholar Xu asked, “What do we do now?”
Hu Yicheng gritted his teeth and uttered, “Kill them!”
They leaped and charged at their enemies with the cavaliers.
Chapter 245 - Wiped Out
Chapter 245 Wiped Out
Ou Yangming was like a spirit in the dark as he followed the dwarf and the big men without a sound.
When the dwarf stood out alone and confronted the cavaliers with his saber, Ou Yangming used his body technique to arrive at the big men’s hiding spot. Based on Ou Yangming’s strength, he could kill many Force Grade martial artists and several Yin Grade martial artists at once in a face-to-face fight, let alone in the dark.
The moment Ou Yangming released his mental power, entered the integration of Heaven and man, as well as the thoroughly meticulous state, the dark environment looked the same as daytime through his eyes. As such, he could notice even the slightest change in everyone’s body.
According to the changes, he could easily identify their next moves.
Ou Yangming flashed to the side of a big man, who was holding a bow and an arrow. He reached out his hands to gently press the man’s temples, but a mighty power instantly penetrated the man’s brain. Before the man collapsed to the ground, Ou Yangming caught him and put him down slowly. Later on, he retrieved an explosive wolf fang and attached it to the arrow, then he shot it at the dwarf.
Ou Yangming had a low level of attainment in arrow techniques, but due to the integration of Heaven and man and the thoroughly meticulous state, he was able to have control over the arrow. Nonetheless, the young fellow did not intend to kill the dwarf through this shot because he knew the explosive wolf fang was enough to frighten the enemy.
After all, the explosive wolf fang was something that even a great-ancestor-level powerhouse dared not neglect.
Sure enough, the dwarf displayed excellent responsiveness even though he was caught off guard, but he still ended up suffering slight injuries, and it was only because he was short. If the man was tall and burly instead, he would have likely had a different ending The dwarf was unusually decisive. He immediately changed his target and charged at Ou Yangming; he wanted to get rid of the unsteady future trouble.
Nevertheless, Ou Yangming sneered in disdain and swayed his body. Instead of exchanging blows with the dwarf, he turned to lunge at the other sturdy men.
The darker the environment, the more advantageous it was for Ou Yangming.
He approached another strong man and kicked the man’s mouth. His forceful yet ingenious power suppressed the man’s painful shriek. At the same time, the built man’s body was thrown at the dwarf.
When the dwarf heard the sound of the wind, he slashed with his sharp weapon without any hesitation.
Given that he was a Yang Grade powerhouse, he was merciless, hence he cut the man’s body into two.
Consequently, the well-built man screamed due to the immense pain, and it was only then that the dwarf knew he had killed his own man. The dwarf was furious, and he hotly pursued his enemy.
Next, many other bodies were thrown his way one after another.
By going around the area, Ou Yangming captured the ten other men who were hiding in this direction, and he tossed them at the dwarf.
Whether the men were Force Grade martial artists or Yin Grade martial artists, they could not resist Ou Yangming at all.
This was the result of the huge disparity between their martial arts boundary. It was worth noting that Ou Yangming could also contend with Supreme Great Ancestors through the integration of Heaven and man, as well as the thoroughly meticulous state, so would he not become a laughing stock if he could not take down the insignificant men?
While Ou Yangming was having fun, the dwarf became ice-cold, as though he had fallen into an icehouse.
The dwarf had gone all-out, but he could not get any closer to Ou Yangming, and the fact that his companions were being thrown at him made him realize that the stranger in the dark was not inferior to him.
This was because if the dwarf was in Ou Yangming’s shoes, perhaps he could kill the men, but he could not capture them alive.
Before long, the dwarf halted and turned to flee.
Seeing as things were off, he quickly made the best decision.
Ou Yangming chuckled and shook his head. ‘I overestimated him.’
Suddenly, a mad roar was heard coming from behind him. When he turned to look, he saw Hu Yicheng and his people charging in his direction with torches and weapons.
Ou Yangming took a glance at them, then he flashed and left the mess to go after the dwarf.
Hu Yicheng and the other people arrived at the men’s hiding spot after a brief moment, but when they saw the powerless men moaning on the ground, they were dumbfounded. Sir Hu and the rest had only plucked up their courage to attack the strong men because they wanted to help their secret helper in the dark, but they did not expect the fight to end so quickly. When Hu Yicheng and his people looked at the captives on the ground, they felt like they were in a dream.
“Arrest them!” Scholar Xu shouted; he was the fastest to react to the situation.
The cavaliers seized the rascals and tied them up. They looked around them to search for the frightening Yang Grade powerhouse, but he was nowhere to be found.
Some moments later, the cavaliers slowly expanded their search area and found that the other men, who laid in an ambush in another direction, had already gotten away after witnessing the situation. As for the Yang Grade dwarf, who gave Hu Yicheng and his people a sense of despair, he was already gone.
After interrogating the evildoers, Hu Yicheng looked at Scholar Xu in confusion. “Brother Xu, what do we have that’s so valuable that even a Yang Grade powerhouse coveted it?”
“There are plenty of treasures in the world; perhaps it’s something whose background is also unknown to us.” Scholar Xu smiled bitterly. He looked at the three big carriages behind them, but he was also puzzled.
Throughout his journey with Hu Yicheng, it was true that they had gathered many rare items, but due to his limited vision, he could not identify if they were fine objects.
Hu Yicheng pondered and asked softly, “Brother Xu, did you manage to see that person just now?”
Earlier on, they vaguely noticed a figure through the flames, but the person left swiftly, so they did not get a clear look at him.
“I’m sure you know my unordinary eyesight. If I’m not mistaken, it was…” Scholar Xu looked grim when he spoke, then he whispered a name to Hu Yicheng’s ear.
Hu Yicheng’s face changed at once. He exclaimed, “Impossible!”
His voice drew everyone’s attention, so he waved his hand and ordered, “Spread out and don’t let your guards down.”
The cavaliers responded to him, and they dared not eavesdrop anymore.
“Brother Xu, are you sure you saw it right?” Hu Yicheng lowered his voice and remarked after a pause, “A year ago, he was only an ordinary person without any martial arts foundation!”
“I know that it’s unbelievable for an ordinary man to resist a Yang Grade powerhouse after having cultivated martial arts for only a year, but…” Scholar Xu smiled bitterly and pointed at his eyes. “I couldn’t have seen it wrongly with these eyes!”
The two of them looked at each other, and they looked somewhat fierce.
All of a sudden, they
turned at the same time and stared strangely at one of the cavaliers.
The cavalier felt a chill down his spine. He forced a smile, and a clear lash mark was seen on his face.
Ou Yangming fluttered and pursued the dwarf closely.
The dwarf ran with all his might, but how could he escape from Ou Yangming?
When he arrived at the main road, he stopped and yelled, “Who are you? There’s no enmity between us, so why aren’t you letting me go?”
Ou Yangming approached the dwarf leisurely. Although it was quite dark, the moonlight was as white as snow, so they could see each other’s faces at a close range.
The dwarf widened his eyes when he saw Ou Yangming “Yin Grade?” He mumbled as he glared at the young fellow. Following that, he looked around as he recalled something, and he called out, “Why did you send a junior!”
After being teased by Ou Yangming, he did not believe it was the doing of a little Yin Grade martial artist.
Ou Yangming shook his head helplessly, but he was already used to it.
“Since you won’t come out, I’ll kill him first before I get to you.” A flash was seen in the dwarf’s eyes as he smiled hideously. He bore a threatening aura when he looked at Ou Yangming, then he shouted weirdly, and a flash of saber-light appeared like snowfall.
Ou Yangming grinned. When the saber-light was about to hit his head, he shifted a little, and the saber-light, which seemed to have shrouded over the whole world, brushed past him.
The dwarf almost could not believe his eyes. ‘What was that body technique? It’s so exquisite that it’s simply unbelievable!’
Despite that, before he could regain his senses, the little Yin Grade teen swung his fist at him.
It looked like a straightforward punch, which was aimed at the dwarf’s face, but when the dwarf wanted to slash with his saber, he was alarmed.
Subsequently, the seemingly ordinary punch posed an unimaginable and enormous pressure on him.
Judging from the intense momentum contained in the punch, how could it be made by a Ying Grade cultivator?
It was unquestionably a punch from a Supreme Great Ancestor!
Immortal Path to Heaven c1-725 Page 146