Chapter 134: Factions Collide, Kill the Chicken to Scare the Monkey, The Might of Blood Shifting

Chapter 134: Factions Collide, Kill the Chicken to Scare the Monkey, The Might of Blood Shifting

“Master Hong Shan,” called Hong Xuan Cheng, galloping beside him, “the Faniu Mountains are just ahead!”

The elder monk, Hong Shan, nodded slightly, lifting his gaze toward the looming hills. A faint smile tugged at his lips. Their journey had been peaceful so far, but now the air crackled with tension. The dense forests, jagged paths, and shadowed ravines all whispered of unrest. And as the Hong Clan’s procession wound deeper into the mountains, that tension swelled like a storm.

Caw! Caw!

No sooner had they entered the foothills than a flock of birds erupted from the trees, scattering across the sky like ash. Hong Shan’s smile sharpened. “Bold indeed,” he muttered. “They’re not even hiding their ambush.”

Hong Xuan Cheng’s eyes narrowed at the commotion. “Shall I deal with them?”

“Patience,” Hong Shan replied. “Let’s see how long they can hold their nerve.”

Meanwhile, Su Chen and Qiao Qiliang crouched in the undergrowth near a ravine, their presence insignificant compared to the gathered factions.

“Do these fools even grasp the risk?” Qiao Qiliang muttered, eyeing the distant Hong Clan. “Marching straight into a trap.”

“Let’s not miss the show,” Su Chen said, rising. Qiao Qiliang followed, intrigued.

The ambushers didn’t wait long. As Hong Clan’s procession entered the valley, a band of Black Wind Bandits erupted from hiding, their dark cloaks flashing like knives.

“These bandits?” Qiao Qiliang recognized them instantly. “They’ve terrorized Feng City for years. Why strike now?”

“Not because they’re brave,” Su Chen said. “Because they’re being used.”

Before Qiao Qiliang could ask, a black-robed figure tore into the bandits like a tempest—Hong Xuan Cheng. His strikes were brutal, efficient, leaving corpses in his wake.

“Single-handedly wiping them out,” Qiao Qiliang breathed. “How strong is he?”

Su Chen studied Hong Xuan Cheng’s effortless carnage. “He’s not strong. He’s terrifying.”

As the last bandit fell, Su Chen murmured, “A warning shot. Kill the chicken to scare the monkeys.”

Hong Xuan Cheng vanished, leaving the battlefield to Su Chen and Qiao Qiliang.

“Loot?” Qiao Qiliang grinned.

“You’re obsessed,” Su Chen sighed, but nodded.

The corpses were lean pickings—no coin, no scrolls, nothing.

“Waste of time,” Qiao Qiliang grumbled, until five men emerged from the trees.

“Those were our men,” one growled. “Hand over their gear.”

Su Chen stepped back. “Your move,” he told Qiao Qiliang.

The bandit leader laughed. “Hand it over, boy—”

A punch snapped his jaw. The rest followed, each crumpling like paper.

“Next time,” Qiao Qiliang said, wiping blood off his boot, “learn to choose your targets.”

The surviving factions watched, now wary.

At the canyon’s mouth, Hong Shan raised a hand. “Rest.”

The hidden armies froze. One muttered, “Damn monks picked the worst time to take a break!”

But He Quan, watching from the shadows, smirked. “Let them catch their breath. We’ll need our strength soon enough.”

The vice-leader said nothing, his gaze sweeping over Hong Shan’s formation.

Hong Shan’s entire entourage numbered over three hundred Martial Cultivators, mostly of the Bone Tempering realm. The most striking feature of the group was the fourteen large chests being hauled by carriages. If his guess was correct, the Vital Energy Pill Formula was hidden within one of these boxes.

But the specific chest remained undetermined.

Three chests—number seven, eight, and nine—were under the strongest guard. The formula was likely concealed in one of these three.

He relayed his suspicions to the group: “Focus on these three chests.”

“Understood,” He Quan and the others nodded.

Southeast direction.

“Yun Shu, with so many chests, we don’t even know where the formula is,” a man muttered, eyeing the fourteen boxes.

Before Yun Shu could reply, another voice cut in: “Who cares which chest it’s in? We’ll just slaughter the Hong clan and check each box.”

“When do we attack?” someone else asked.

Yun Shu responded, “Don’t rush. Wait until others strike first.”

“But what if others think the same?” the first man countered.

Hearing this, Yun Shu’s eyes flared as he snapped, “Then we’ll strike first!”

Rustling sounds filled the air.

Hardly had the words left his mouth when distant battle cries erupted.

The Black-Cloaked Men, clearly impatient, launched the first assault. Dozens surged forward like a storm, their bloodthirsty aura piercing the heavens.

“The show begins!”

From a distance, Su Chen and Qiao Qiliang watched silently, a faint smile playing on their lips.

Once the first move was made, others followed. Soon after the Black-Cloaked Men’s charge, deafening war cries erupted from all directions. The cacophony swelled into a tidal wave, encircling Hong Shan’s group.

“You cowardly rats finally show yourselves!”

With a sharp whistle, Hong Shan’s iron staff cleaved the air, sending a shrill whine through the sky. His fierce steed reared violently, but he subdued it with sheer force.

His tiger-like eyes locked onto the horizon, a flicker of killing intent smoldering beneath his pupils.

“Kill!”

A thunderous roar ignited the battlefield. Factions surged forward as a brutal massacre began.

“Dare you scum try to intercept our goods? You seek death!”

Hong Shan’s face hardened. With a fierce roar, he dug his heels into his horse’s flanks. The beast snorted and charged, meeting the Black-Cloaked Men head-on. Swinging his staff sideways, he crushed several skulls in an instant, showcasing unmatched might.

“Brothers, open the treasure chests!”

Seeing Hong Shan’s dominance, the remaining Black-Cloaked Men scattered in terror, redirecting their focus to the chests.

“Hong Shan, die!”

Of course, some sought more than treasure—they aimed for Hong Shan’s life. A man wielding a broadsword charged, his blade slicing the air with a thunderous boom.

“A Bone Tempering Martial Cultivator!”

Hearing the commotion behind, Hong Shan’s gaze sharpened. He hadn’t expected a Bone Tempering expert to act so soon, slightly surprising him.

“Hmph, you don’t know your place!”

As the opponent lunged, Hong Shan scoffed. His iron staff swept in all directions, its fierce glow flashing with earth-shattering power.

“Hong Shan, your death is here! Witness the Splitting Wind Eighteen Slashes!”

A storm of blade shadows engulfed Hong Shan’s vision, a deluge of slashes descending like a hurricane.

Hong Shan’s eyes glinted coldly. “Insect-level tricks!”

As he spoke, his arm trembled, the staff humming like a beast. Slashing diagonally, the overlapping blade shadows began to fracture under the crushing force.

“What?!”

The attacker’s face twisted in shock, but before he could react, a blinding light reflected in his widened pupils.

Crack!

A fully-fledged Bone Tempering Martial Cultivator fell before Hong Shan, unable to withstand three strikes. The scene sent chills through the onlookers.

“A Blood Shifting expert indeed! Terrifying power!”

A Martial Cultivator exclaimed, envy mingled with fear in his eyes. As long as Hong Shan stood, they had no chance. The gap between Blood Shifting and Bone Tempering realms was insurmountable.

“This is the might of Blood Shifting? Slaughtering Bone Tempering like chickens!”

Observing from afar, Su Chen muttered in awe. Compared to Qiao Yong, Hong Shan’s dominance was absolute, his Blood Shifting power radiating raw terror. Even those who’d seen Blood Shifting experts before were shaken far more by Hong Shan’s prowess.

“Another faction moves!”

Qiao Qiliang suddenly murmured. If the initial skirmish was mere foreplay, the true battle now erupted.

Other forces, unable to resist, charged in waves—hundreds surged forward like locusts, their heads bobbing in a sea of fury. Even Su Chen and Qiao Qiliang felt their scalps prickle.

The number of Martial Cultivators was overwhelming, charging recklessly.

The battlefield devolved into chaos. Screams of slaughter echoed endlessly, some fighters so consumed by bloodlust they couldn’t distinguish friend from foe.

“Silver ingots!”

“All silver ingots!”

“Chest after chest overflowing!”

When the chests were pried open, glimmering silver ingots dazzled the crowd.

Unlike those seeking the Vital Energy Pill Formula, many were drawn purely to the wealth. The sight of such unimaginable riches ignited madness in even the most disciplined Martial Cultivators.

“Kill Hong Shan! Seize the gold and silver!”

Deafening roars reverberated through the canyon.

“These people are truly mad!”

Qiao Qiliang whispered, watching the frenzied state of the attackers. “But the Hong clan certainly drew everyone’s wrath to gather so many foes.”

Watching the sea of combatants, even Qiao Qiliang felt stunned—though a hint of schadenfreude lingered.

Su Chen remained silent. The real powerhouses hadn’t moved yet.

This was just the beginning.

Moreover, he doubted these factions could truly threaten the Hong clan.

So long as Hong Shan stood, these foes couldn’t stir real chaos. Even without him, Hong Xuan Cheng and Hong Ting’s ferocity kept enemies at bay.

“Fourteen chests, seven have been opened—all filled with gold and silver. No sign of the Vital Energy Pill Formula.”

Su Chen’s brow furrowed. After so long, the battle raged on. Though the Hong clan’s forces were strong, their numbers were stretched thin against overwhelming foes. Yet the chests held nothing Su Chen desired.

The tide was turning. With Hong Xuan Cheng and Hong Ting’s reinforcements, the attackers—once double the Hong clan’s numbers—were now nearly matched.

At this rate, the Hong clan would soon eliminate all enemies.

“Hmm?”

As Su Chen contemplated, movement in the bushes caught his eye—shadowy figures darting forward.

“Another faction attacks!”

Hardly had he spoken when over a dozen figures burst forth. Spotting their insignia, Su Chen froze: “Pure Land Sect!”

“Su Chen, look. That must be the Luoshi clan,” Qiao Qiliang suddenly pointed to another group emerging from a different direction.

“How can you tell?” Su Chen asked, perplexed. These figures wore black cloaks and masks.

Qiao Qiliang chuckled. “The Luoshi specialize in swordplay. See their weapons—all swords.”

Looking closer, Su Chen indeed noticed the group’s signature: an array of gleaming blades.

“Haha! The Hong clan’s in real trouble now!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end