Chapter 174: When the Honest Father's Fury Begins, the Young Master Faces Fear

Chapter 174: When the Honest Father's Fury Begins, the Young Master Faces Fear

Whoosh—

The cold wind howls, and winter rain pours!

The icy rain is like a sharp steel blade, pouring down from high above, slicing through the air and chilling to the bone upon contact, as if tearing flesh and blood apart!

Zhang Ya's eyes narrowed, and her slender legs tensed, stopping her from stepping into the vegetable market.

Then, her entire body quickly retreated.

After Li Cheng's relentless purification of the physical body with the Divine Nature, Zhang Ya seemed to also have an acute sense of danger. The vague danger emanating from the vegetable market made her hair stand on end.

Danger!

Zhang Ya didn't hesitate to retreat.

An old woman selling vegetables nearby glanced at Zhang Ya as she carried her basket, her gaze seemingly casual.

Seeing Zhang Ya's retreat, the old woman's heart skipped a beat.

However, with her years of assassination experience, she realized that this woman had discovered her ambush.

She had planned to wait for Zhang Ya to inquire about the vegetable prices, then draw her knife and slit her throat, ending the woman's life in a swift and smooth assassination.

Unexpectedly, her plan was foiled by this woman's foresight.

Indeed, as the mother of the Golden Light City's child prodigy, she possessed exceptional abilities.

According to the intelligence, Zhang Ya was merely a Bone Tempering Realm martial artist, likely just a showy practitioner.

But this acute sense of danger was indeed commendable.

The old woman no longer hid, and with a swipe under the table, a dark blade appeared in her hand.

She stomped her foot, causing the ground to tremble and collapse!

Boom—!

It was like thunder from a clear sky!

The old woman's clothes fluttered as her blood boiled, and her body, using the counterforce of the collapsing ground, propelled her forward with incredible speed.

The blade unsheathed!

A stream of true energy burst forth from the sharp black blade, emitting a dazzling light.

Her body moved like a ghost, continuously tapping the ground, causing stones to roll and tumble.

Like a whirlwind sweeping fallen leaves, she rushed towards Zhang Ya.

Boom—!

The surging air currents were torn apart!

The powerful and terrifying force struck her directly.

Zhang Ya's face paled, but her eyes were sharper and more determined than ever.

Assassin... An assassin targeting her!

Although Zhang Ya couldn't understand why an assassin would target her, a mere housewife, she could guess the reason.

It must be related to Xixi.

Could it be related to the Temple Deity Resonance Conference that Xixi was about to participate in?

Oh no, will Li Cheng also face assassination attempts?

At this moment, Zhang Ya even thought of her husband's safety.

Whoosh—!

The old woman's body trembled as her blood boiled, and the aura of a Grandmaster descended upon her.

A Grandmaster assassinating a Bone Tempering Realm practitioner.

This was almost a guaranteed outcome, far too easy.

A Bone Tempering Realm practitioner had no chance of resisting the assassination attempt of a Grandmaster martial artist.

It was like using a butcher's knife to kill a chicken.

As the first assassination mission in the Golden Light City, assigned by the Divine Hunter Tower, the importance was evident.

The Divine Hunter Tower had placed great emphasis on this mission.

The assassin sent to kill Li Cheng was a Grandmaster, two realms above his own cultivation realm, a mid-stage Grandmaster with a Divine Foundation in the later stage, almost guaranteeing success.

To assassinate Zhang Ya, a Bone Tempering Realm practitioner, they had dispatched a Grandmaster, ensuring the mission's success without any damage.

It was as if they were giving this couple the ultimate show of respect.

The old woman's strides were so fast that she moved with the wind, her clothes fluttering as the air roared. In just two or three breaths, she had rushed from a distance to Zhang Ya's side.

The black blade, as dark as ink and without any reflection, was swiftly drawn, aiming at Zhang Ya's slender and fair neck.

It was about to sever that beautiful head from her neck.

Suddenly.

A black shadow abruptly shot out from Zhang Ya's clothes.

The old woman's black blade collided with the black shadow, producing the sound of colliding fine iron.

The old woman felt as if her blade was about to be knocked away.

The air surged, and true energy erupted!

The old woman's long blade turned, and she slashed again, her face cold as she aimed at Zhang Ya.

In the blink of an eye, she also saw what had emerged from Zhang Ya's body—a black shadow.

It was...

A snake!

A slender mechanical snake, forged from fine iron!

In that instant, the mechanical snake had darted out like lightning, deflecting the old woman's deadly strike.

"Mechanical snake?"

The old woman's mind went blank.

The black blade she swung again was once more blocked by the mechanical snake!

Clang clang clang clang—

Several slashes were deflected by the agile mechanical snake, as if it weren't a mechanical creature at all.

This...

The old woman's heart sank.

Tang's mechanical beast!

Suddenly.

The old woman's hair stood on end, sensing an unprecedented and terrifying killing intent.

It was like climbing a mountain, only to have the entire mountain shattered by someone, causing it to collapse, plunging her vision into darkness and oppression.

A towering figure, like a high wall, loomed over her, oppressing and unscalable.

The old woman's toes tapped the ground, creating a small crater as she tried to escape.

A black bead appeared in her hand.

She crushed the black bead, and black smoke erupted, enveloping her body. This smoke could block divine perception and possessed a technique similar to the Corpse God Sect's space-time corpse technique.

This was a means of escape for the Divine Hunter Tower's assassins.

It ensured the safety of the assassins.

But...

Only once.

The old woman, shrouded in black smoke, tried to escape.

However, a large hand precisely tore through the divine perception-blocking smoke, grabbing her body, half of which had already entered the black mirror.

A palm as large as a fan grabbed her head.

Then, an irresistible force pulled her out of the teleportation black mirror.

Pfft!

The old woman was dragged out of the black smoke, only to see a cute cow mask...

And then, she lost consciousness.

Pfft, blood splattered on the cow mask, from the old woman's head being crushed.

Boom!

A flash of lightning illuminated the sky, thunder from a clear sky.

It instantly struck the ground.

Li Qing Shan, in a fluttering blue robe, appeared, hands clasped behind his back.

He had been on the mountaintop, contemplating the Divine Incarnation of the Thunder God.

Upon sensing Zhang Ya's assassination attempt in the town halfway up the mountain, he immediately set out.

However, someone was faster than him.

An intense killing intent, like an unstoppable force, filled the air, creating a terrifying storm.

The raging wind, formed by the surging aura of the Bull Demon, was overwhelming.

Li Qingshan's eyes narrowed, and he couldn't help but feel a slight tremor in his heart.

So strong!

What kind of physique is this? What kind of physical body?

Li Qingshan even felt the ram's horn sky-breaking hammer hidden in his sleeve trembling slightly, a reaction to the surge of blood qi!

"Ox Demon!"

Li Qingshan knew that the Ox demon was Li Cheng, but at this moment, he did not reveal the ox demon's identity.

Zhang Ya's face turned deathly pale, the mechanical snake coiling around her slender waist, causing her to experience only a slight fright during this assassination attempt.

When the ox demon's towering, mountain-like figure instantly appeared, Zhang Ya's heart settled.

She knew she was safe!

Li Cheng casually tossed the assassin's corpse aside, wiping away the Heaven-Earth Jade in the process.

He came to Zhang Ya's side, looking her over, and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that his wife was unharmed.

The mechanical snake he had specially made for his wife indeed served its purpose at the critical moment.

Of course, even without the mechanical snake, Zhang Ya still had other protections left by Li Cheng.

The safety of his family was what Li Cheng valued most.

Although Zhang Ya, his wife, did not seek conflict with others, it was just that others might come looking for trouble, as with today's assassination attempt.

Both he and his wife were targeted.

Li Cheng's combat prowess was unmatched, and he could easily resolve the situation, but Zhang Ya was only at the Bone Tempering Realm.

The Divine Hunter Tower actually sent an assassin of the venerable master realm!

How ruthless! The Divine Hunter Tower!

The killing intent in Li Cheng's body almost turned into a tangible, ink-like substance!

"I'm fine." Zhang Ya gently shook her head, her eyes as gentle as water.

Seeing her husband by her side the moment she encountered danger gave her an unprecedented sense of security, causing a sweet blush to rise on her face, surpassing the sweet words of a newlywed couple.

Li Qingshan walked over, his eyes narrowing. "Divine Hunter Tower?"

"What a tough nut..."

Li Qingshan's expression turned cold. "The Divine Hunter Tower just entered the city... I didn't expect that the first assassination attempt would be aimed at you two."

"No matter," said Li Cheng, his voice calm under the ox demon mask.

"Mostly, we can guess who hired them."

Li Cheng was very calm.

Li Qingshan's eyes flickered, and he understood.

It could only be that young prince, Ji Haihui.

At this critical juncture, if Li Cheng and Zhang Ya were to die, their four-year-old daughter, Xixi, would suffer an unprecedented impact, no matter how mature and strong she might be.

In the Temple Deity Resonance Conference, she might perform abnormally.

Thus, this assassination that seemed to target Zhang Ya and her husband actually aimed at Li Cheng!

Li Cheng cracked his neck, and a series of popping sounds echoed through his spine.

"Senior Qingshan, I'll leave it to you."

Li Qingshan nodded slightly, his hands behind his back.

The ox demon walked to Zhang Ya's side and patted her head.

"Be careful."

Under Zhang Ya's concerned gaze, the ox demon nodded slightly, then clenched his fingers and vanished into thin air.

Li Qingshan stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes narrowing.

To witness the ox demon's near-miraculous teleportation technique was simply mind-numbing.

However, he quickly regained his composure.

Glancing at the assassin's corpse on the ground, his eyes turned cold.

The Divine Hunter Tower could infiltrate the Golden Light Sect's branch so easily.

It seemed...

a thorough investigation and reorganization of the sect was necessary.

Li Qingshan did not let Zhang Ya return home alone; he took her to seek Aunt Mu to ensure her safety.

As for what the ox demon was going to do and why he didn't bring him along, Li Qingshan did not mind this time.

The Divine Hunter Tower was in for a rough time.

Who could blame it for picking the hardest target for its first assassination mission?

...

...

Crack!

Dark clouds shrouded the sky, lightning snakes rolling and tearing through the thick cloud layers.

The rain became more torrential, drenching the entire Golden Light City.

By the Nine Dragons River, there stood a series of connected pavilions.

A figure carrying an oiled paper umbrella and wearing a felt hat rushed through the rain-swept streets of the city.

Entering the connected pavilions, he wound his way through the narrow alleys until he finally arrived at an inconspicuous small building.

The Tide Watching Pavilion, once one of the five major sects in Golden Light City, had a considerable reputation.

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"Yes, sir."

"Also, contact the Young Prince, and tell him... the price to kill Li Cheng and his wife has tripled."

"If the price isn't increased, the Divine Hunter Tower will not accept the mission."

"Yes, sir."

The figure retreated and slowly disappeared into the bustling crowd.

The Golden Mask gently tapped his fingers, and two black jade pendants shattered, which belonged to two Nine Luminaries assassins of the Divine Hunter Tower.

The assassins of the Divine Hunter Tower were meticulously cultivated, with resources poured into their training.

The death of each assassin was a loss for the Divine Hunter Tower.

"Not even enough time to trigger a small teleportation technique?"

"It seems like they've discovered some big secret."

...

...

Li Cheng walked through the pouring rain.

He wore a conical hat, his entire being exuded a powerful aura, as if he had vanished from the mortal realm.

Walking in the darkness, he bathed in the rain.

The rain curtain automatically parted around him.

Li Cheng's heart pounded incessantly, a dense killing intent like thick ink staining the rain.

"Divine Hunter Tower..."

Li Cheng's eyes turned cold.

Even though they were just hired killers, Li Cheng still felt extremely displeased.

His family was Li Cheng's Achilles' heel.

If they were targeting him, Li Cheng wouldn't be this angry and furious, but since the Divine Hunter Tower was after Zhang Ya,

the rage in Li Cheng's heart was thoroughly ignited.

He took a step and leaped onto the roof of an elaborately decorated octagonal pavilion.

Standing atop the pavilion, Li Cheng activated the Sleeping Dragon Elephant of the Dragon Elephant Vajra to its utmost.

The level 4 Dao Fruit enhanced all his abilities.

The Sleeping Dragon Elephant's ability to conceal his aura also increased significantly.

At this moment, Li Cheng was almost invisible.

"Divine Hunter Tower, Young Prince Ji Haihui..."

Li Cheng closed his eyes.

The familiar sense of crisis engulfed him like a storm.

Just like the powerful crisis he felt in Flying Thunder City, a bone-chilling unease and anxiety.

Thinking of his family, about to encounter a formidable iceberg, and then being shattered into pieces, torn apart.

Xixi's tragic death, Zhang Ya's tragic death... he would also die tragically...

The happy and harmonious family, falling apart.

Li Cheng tilted his head, and the rainwater flowed along the edge of his Ox Mask, then merged with the rain, splashing onto the black eaves, shattering into pieces.

He raised his hand and fiercely tapped his forehead.

In an instant, the Chess Sage Dao Fruit in his chest throbbed violently.

The Heavens and Earth Chessboard appeared, with Li Cheng's position at the center, crisscrossing and outlining a grand design.

The High Virtue Chess Sage re-emerged in the world.

His powerful divine perception swept through like a storm.

Everything and everyone in the city became crystal clear in his awareness.

In the teahouse below, a beautiful tea girl froze mid-tea-pouring.

The storyteller's words flowed like a river, but the saliva suspended in the air.

The street vendor, who had set up a stall, used a wooden basin to collect the leaking rainwater and splashed it, creating a water curtain with distinct droplets hanging in mid-air.

Everything seemed to slow down in Li Cheng's Chess Sage perception.

Suddenly, Li Cheng opened his eyes.

The raindrops exploded, and the white mist still lingered in place, but the towering Ox Demon had already pounced like a falcon.

...

...

The assassins of the Divine Hunter Tower were different from the Corpse God Sect.

Li Cheng, having mastered the refinement of the Seven Elements Corpse Curse Mother Seal, could sense the high-level experts of the Corpse God Sect through their death and corpse energy.

However, the assassins of the Divine Hunter Tower were skilled in concealment and lacked the telltale signs of death and corpse energy.

Therefore, it was extremely difficult for Li Cheng to identify them in the vast sea of people.

But...

Li Cheng was certain that Young Prince Ji Haihui had hired the Divine Hunter Tower to kill him and his wife.

If the mission failed, the Divine Hunter Tower would definitely send someone to notify the Young Prince's forces.

And this... presented Li Cheng with an opportunity!

Li Cheng was also clear that even for him, killing the Young Prince was no easy task.

There was the Martial Dao Great Master Xue Dufu guarding, as well as a mysterious Divine Essence True Man hidden in the darkness.

Additionally, there were six Black Armored Blood Guards, a combination that could rival a Great Master...

Such a lineup.

Moreover, the Young Prince resided in the City Lord's Mansion, protected by the Divine Guardian Army.

It was indeed challenging for Li Cheng to kill the Young Prince, and although he was furious, the more enraged he became, the calmer he grew.

Even if he were to transform into Horse Face and use the Immortal Craft Barrett, it would still be difficult to assassinate the Young Prince.

Because of the Divine Essence True Man's Primordial Spirit perception and interception.

The Divine Essence True Man... solely in terms of Divine Nature cultivation, possessed a powerful transformed Primordial Spirit, even more formidable and challenging to deal with than a Great Master.

To kill the Young Prince...

required an extremely meticulous plan.

Hunting...

was a test of patience.

Li Cheng remembered today's grudge.

He would settle the score gradually.

"Ji Haihui..."

"Wanting to kill Xixi's parents and affect her state of mind..."

Li Cheng's eyes turned cold.

Since this was the case, he would use their own methods against them.

Although he couldn't kill the parents of Young Prince Ji Haihui,

there was another way to shake the Young Prince's mental state.

Li Cheng, wearing the Ox Mask, walked close to the wall.

He monitored the situation outside the City Lord's Mansion.

Slowly, he spotted a familiar figure, the Great Master Xue Dufu, wearing a conical hat, leaving the City Lord's Mansion and getting into an ordinary carriage.

The carriage galloped, its wheels turning, crushing the water on the ground.

Li Cheng tapped his toes and shattered the rain, swiftly following the carriage.

Inside the carriage.

Xue Dufu met with a member of the Divine Hunter Tower.

The Black Iron Mask-wearing member of the Divine Hunter Tower explained the situation.

Xue Dufu's eyebrows furrowed instantly, "Triple the price?!"

Too high!

Li Cheng's assassination price was two Seven Elements Divine Essence Crystals!

Tripling the price... meant six Seven Elements Divine Essence Crystals!

This price was too exorbitant!

The Iron Mask-wearing member shook his head, "This is the price set by the Tower, and we have already lost two Nine Luminaries assassins... If we want to assassinate Li Cheng again, we must activate the Eight Extremes Assassin..."

"Activating the Eight Extremes Assassin is already expensive."

"If we don't accept, the mission is canceled, and there will be no refund."

Xue Dufu took a deep breath.

Six Seven Elements Divine Essence Crystals, to kill one Li Cheng...

It was a huge loss!

Even though he wasn't spending his own Seven Elements Divine Essence Crystals, he still felt extremely uncomfortable.

...

...

Whoosh!

The air currents swirled!

Li Cheng transformed into the towering Ox Demon, striding forward, his body undulating as the scenery on both sides rapidly retreated.

Xue Dufu was in front, but Li Cheng didn't rush to make a move.

He planned to slowly cut off the Young Prince's support.

Xue Dufu, the six Black Armored Blood Guards, and that mysterious Divine Essence True Man...

One by one, they wouldn't be able to escape.

(End of Chapter)

As the protective forces around him were stripped away, one by one, it was as if someone was forcibly tearing off his clothes.

His sense of security crumbled, shattering into pieces, and fear shadowed him like a nightmare.

This naturally affected the mood of the young master, Ji Haihui.

During the Temple Deity Resonance Conference, he couldn't perform flawlessly.

This was the consequence of angering a father.

The carriage was parked by the roadside, and the two inside were engaged in conversation.

The Bull Demon quietly hung behind, following from a distance.

Li Cheng, like a hidden dragon, activated his power, blending into the heavens and earth, completely cut off from the world.

Xue Dufu, a Great Master of the Martial Dao, possessed a strong Martial Dao Will, but in terms of perception, he was still weaker than a Primordial Spirit True Person.

Moreover, the Bull Demon maintained a ten-zhang distance, neither too close nor too far, making it difficult for the Great Master's physical senses to detect anything.

However, Li Cheng expanded the Heavens and Earth Chessboard, revealing the scene inside the carriage and the conversation within.

"Six pieces of Seven Elements Divine Crystal..."

"Am I really that expensive?"

Hearing the price, Li Cheng's expression beneath the Bull Demon mask became strange.

A smile crept onto his lips.

This Divine Sniper organization had good taste.

The carriage stopped for a while, and in the pouring rain, the entire carriage was shrouded in a haze of water vapor.

Li Cheng quietly waited in the darkness.

A moment later, Xue Dufu stepped out of the carriage, wearing a bamboo hat, letting the rain fall on him.

The conversation ended.

Xue Dufu chose to continue the mission, accepting the price of six pieces of Seven Elements Divine Crystal.

However, he needed to return and report to the young master.

The horse whinnied, pulling the carriage away.

Li Cheng glanced at the Heavens and Earth Chessboard, locking onto the energy signature of the carriage.

While keeping an eye on Xue Dufu, Li Cheng's other consciousness expanded the Heavens and Earth Chessboard, tracking the carriage's movements within Golden Light City.

The carriage was cautious, constantly changing its position on the wide streets and interconnected alleys of the city.

Only after confirming that no one was following did it slowly enter the Tide Watching Pavilion.

"Tide Watching Pavilion."

Li Cheng's Star-Gazing Eye in his forehead emitted a faint heat.

Using the divine power of the Star-Gazing Eye to cast the Heavens and Earth Chessboard, the effect was excellent, as if he had opened a divine eye.

It was as if a Beidou satellite hung in the sky, becoming Li Cheng's eye.

"Is the headquarters of the Divine Sniper organization located in the Tide Watching Pavilion?"

"Or perhaps... the Divine Sniper organization had been preparing for its business in Golden Light City long ago. The Tide Watching Pavilion is the base they established in Golden Light City, and now they are taking over directly."

Li Cheng seemed deep in thought.

Otherwise, how could the Tide Watching Pavilion, one of the five major sects in Golden Light City, easily allow the Divine Sniper organization to set up base? If the Divine Sniper organization had forcibly established their base, the various powers in Golden Light City would have noticed long ago.

Assassin organizations always prioritize secrecy.

Once they become too conspicuous, they may become the target of many.

Strictly speaking, there was little difference between the Divine Sniper organization and the Corpse God Sect.

In Li Cheng's eyes...

They were all just rats in the gutter.

"Since I know the location of the Tide Watching Pavilion, things will be easier."

"It's just an inanimate object, and it can't escape."

Li Cheng's eyes flickered, and a divine light seemed to shine beneath his eyelids.

He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

In an instant.

Falling Petals Alley.

In the courtyard of an independent workshop.

Li Cheng's incarnation, the Immortal in Painting, was perfecting a wood carving, and his eyes suddenly focused.

Then, he raised his hand and shook his sleeve.

A Pure Mind drawing floated out, and Li Cheng's incarnation, the Immortal in Painting, pressed his fingers onto the scroll. After a moment, a large Mechanical Divine Crane with a two-meter height and a huge belly emerged from the scroll.

This Mechanical Divine Crane could carry a payload of one hundred and fifty Divine Chess Pieces worth of Avalanche Bodhimanda Shells.

This was the maximum payload the Mechanical Divine Crane could bear.

Li Cheng's incarnation, the Immortal in Painting, formed hand seals, and three Mechanical Imprints appeared on the Spirit Crane.

The Spirit Crane's eyes suddenly lit up.

After bearing Li Cheng's will and purpose, it started running in the courtyard.

Then, it spread its wings and soared into the clouds!

Carrying a payload of one hundred and fifty Bodhimanda Shells, it flew towards the direction of the Tide Watching Pavilion.

It was as if a large black cloud was trailing behind the Mechanical Divine Crane.

As if carrying the boundless rage of a wronged father.

Brewing a crazy and angry storm!

...

...

Li Cheng's gaze shifted, and his billowing black robe fluttered slightly. He drew in a breath, and all his attention focused on Xue Dufu, who had lost both arms and stood in the pouring rain, his empty sleeves fluttering.

Xue Dufu, the Great Master, wore a bamboo hat, and the rain fell on him, but it didn't affect him.

The last time they clashed, Li Cheng had blown off one of Xue Dufu's arms.

But now...

Even though only six days had passed!

Li Cheng was different!

With a snap of his fingers, his chest throbbed, and the Martial Saint Fruit within him pulsated.

In the pouring rain, the Heavens and Earth Chessboard suddenly expanded, covering the entire area, as if tearing it apart from the heavens.

Bam! Xue Dufu, as a Great Master, had extremely sharp senses.

He took a heavy step, and the water on the bluestone street surged, forming ripples that quickly spread out.

The heavens and earth...

Suddenly became quiet.

"So quiet."

Xue Dufu's eyes narrowed, and he could only hear the sound of the rain.

Something was wrong!

Peddlers, merchants, customers, servants, and courtesans...

All kinds of voices and sounds of daily life seemed to have been silenced in an instant.

Xue Dufu raised his head, and the rain hit his face.

His eyes stared at the sky.

He saw the rain falling from high above, twisting in mid-air as if affected by an invisible force.

The water on the ground seemed to boil, each droplet jumping and rolling as if agitated by heat.

The temperature in the heavens and earth seemed to rise suddenly!

"A domain?" Xue Dufu muttered.

The next moment, his instincts as a Great Master kicked in.

His entire body broke out in cold sweat, and every hair on his body stood on end.

"Someone wants to kill me?"

"Who dares to kill me?"

End of Chapter.

Chapter end