Chapter 188: Midnight Slaughter, Besieged!

As Lu Qing prepared to sneak up the mountain, within the fortress, in a hidden chamber, several figures exuded powerful auras as they plotted.

"Master, we received a message from headquarters this evening, instructing us to do whatever it takes to uncover Lu Qing of Cang County's true strength," said a slender figure.

"Lu Qing again? How are we supposed to find out? In the past two years, four Tian Gang assassins have fallen by his hand. Sending anyone to investigate his strength is as good as signing their death warrant!" a tall man in brocade clothing growled irritably.

The mere mention of Lu Qing's name was enough to irritate him these days.

In the past two years, four of their Seven Kills Tower's assassins, all at the Tian Gang level, had met their end at Lu Qing's hands.

Those four were dead and gone, and there was little camaraderie among the assassins of the Seven Kills Tower. They were, after all, competitors.

He had no time to mourn his rivals.

The crucial issue was that those four had set out from here, and yet, not a single piece of intelligence about Lu Qing had been relayed before their deaths. This had earned him several reprimands from headquarters.

"Those wastes, occupying the Tian Gang position, and yet so useless that they can't even handle a kid at the Internal Organs Realm!"

"Those old fools at headquarters, issuing the Seven Kills Order, and now they're in a bind. If that kid survives all seven assassination attempts, I'd like to see how they'll wiggle their way out of this!" the brocade-clad man muttered to himself, his anger extending to those at headquarters.

But even after his rant, he still felt the weight of his dilemma.

All signs pointed to Lu Qing's strength being extraordinary, far beyond the norm.

Even assassins at the Tian Gang level were no match for him.

It was highly possible that Lu Qing possessed some secret art that allowed him to see through their Seven Kills Tower's stealth and disguise techniques.

Otherwise, it was hard to explain how four Tian Gang-level assassins had not only failed in their missions but also perished without even a chance to escape or send any information.

And to make matters worse, headquarters kept pressing him to uncover Lu Qing's true strength as soon as possible.

How was he supposed to undertake such a perilous task?

He had no aspirations for the Tian Gang position, and he certainly didn't want any association with that little monster! Moreover, expecting him to risk his life to gather intelligence and pave the way for those brats at headquarters? No way!

"Master, Young Master Zheng wishes to see you," a subordinate reported as the brocade-clad man agonized over the situation.

"What now? What does that good-for-nothing second-generation heir want this time?" the brocade-clad man asked.

"He said he had a lot of fun with the two girls last time, and now he wants something even more exciting. He hopes you can arrange something," the subordinate replied.

"That waste, with no real skills, relying only on his status as the direct lineage of the Zheng family, causing trouble all day. Instead of focusing on important matters, all he thinks about is playing with women. Last time, he nearly killed those two girls, and now he wants more?!"

"Anyway, he requests your presence."

"Damn that second-generation heir! If it weren't for the need to conceal my identity, I would've crushed him and turned him into a human stick!" the brocade-clad man cursed.

"Master, be careful what you say. Walls have ears," the slender figure reminded him.

"Alright, alright, I got it. You may leave now. Tell him to wait; I'll be there shortly," the brocade-clad man replied, his anger momentarily getting the better of him.

He knew that headquarters was setting up a grand scheme, and establishing each outpost required considerable effort.

If he lost his temper and exposed their location, he would surely face severe punishment.

Therefore, he couldn't afford to act rashly against the Zheng family's waste outside.

Doing so would draw the attention of the Zheng family, and their cover might be blown.

Lu Qing stealthily made his way up the mountain, his presence completely masked by the Spirit Talisman.

Coupled with the camouflage provided by his night-walking attire, even a Precelestial Realm expert would find it difficult to detect his trail.

Thus, Lu Qing easily infiltrated the fortress.

Once inside, the bustling sounds and sights became even more apparent.

Voices filled the air, lanterns illuminated the place, and the scene was one of decadent revelry.

This atmosphere reminded Lu Qing of the Happy Fortress he had eradicated before, and he felt a sense of disgust.

In fact, according to the intelligence provided by "Shadow," this fortress was indeed similar to the Happy Fortress. It was a brothel and casino operated by the Seven Kills Tower, serving as a base for intelligence gathering and exchange.

Of course, most of those who came here for entertainment and pleasure were unaware that this place belonged to the Seven Kills Tower.

Upon entering the fortress, Lu Qing activated his ability and concealed himself in the shadows, using his spiritual power to sense the situation within the entire fortress.

"Fifty-seven warriors, including twenty at the Sinew and Bone Realm, five at the Internal Organs Realm, and the rest at the Qi and Blood Realm.

After a few breaths, a look of realization appeared in Lu Qing's eyes, and he was astonished to find that this seemingly insignificant outpost boasted an impressive number of martial arts experts.

Just the strength present here was enough to crush any power in Cang County, aside from the Wei family.

No wonder the Seven Kills Tower was one of the top sects; its foundations were incredibly robust.

"Then, let's start with you two!"

Lu Qing's gaze fell on two figures standing on a raised pavilion behind the fortress gate.

Under his scrutiny, the words "Seven Kills Tower member" clearly appeared above their heads.

With a soft chirp, Lu Qing used his hidden weapon technique, shooting out two steel needles with a light tap of his fingers.

Under his powerful impetus, the needles flew out at incredible speed, instantly piercing the skulls of the two guards, who were only at the Qi and Blood Realm.

Without pausing after taking care of the two guards, Lu Qing sent out two more steel needles, aiming for a dark corner on the fortress wall.

Although it was too dark to see anything, his soul sense allowed him to clearly perceive two hidden presences there, their breathing patterns identical to those of the guards on the pavilion, indicating that they cultivated the same martial art.

Under Lu Qing's needle attack, the two hidden figures trembled and died without even a chance to cry out, their vital energies swiftly dissipating.

The faint sound of the needles cutting through the air was completely drowned out by the revelry within the fortress, causing no disturbance at all.

After instantly dispatching four guards, Lu Qing wasted no time and immediately headed toward the nearest martial artist he could sense with his soul sense.

With his presence concealed by the spirit talisman and his night-walking attire, even a Precelestial Realm expert would have difficulty detecting him.

Like a ghost, Lu Qing approached the Qi and Blood Realm martial artist. Seeing the words "Seven Kills Tower member" floating above his head, he twisted the man's neck without hesitation.

Thus, Lu Qing, with his exceptional stealth abilities, swiftly reaped the lives of the Seven Kills Tower members in the fortress.

In just over ten breaths, he had already taken the lives of more than ten assassins, including three at the Sinew and Bone Realm.

After all, with Lu Qing's current strength, there was no difference between the Qi and Blood Realm and the Sinew and Bone Realm; none of them could withstand a single blow from him.

However, his slaughter could not continue unhindered forever.

The Seven Kills Tower's outposts had a system in place where the guards, both visible and hidden, would use secret techniques to contact each other at regular intervals to ensure everyone was safe and alert.

As Lu Qing snapped the neck of the thirteenth Seven Kills Tower assassin, the fortress finally realized something was amiss.

Alarm bells rang, and numerous lights illuminated the entire fortress, brightening it like daylight.

Several powerful auras appeared on the tallest building in the center of the fortress.

At the same time, a loud voice called out, "Who dares to play games with our Yuan Yang Fortress? Show yourself!"

Seeing that his cover was blown, Lu Qing stopped hiding and threw one of the corpses forward before stepping out of the shadows.

"Pat!"

The man who had spoken earlier narrowed his eyes at the sight of the corpse on the ground, then looked up at Lu Qing.

"Who are you, and why have you intruded upon our Yuan Yang Fortress, committing such atrocities? If you don't give us an explanation, it will be difficult for you to leave today."

Lu Qing looked up at the people standing on the building.

There were quite a few of them, and after a quick scan, he realized that some of them were not members of the Seven Kills Tower; they were probably guests seeking pleasure.

Seeing Lu Qing's concealed face and his bold scrutiny of them, a middle-aged man at the Sinew and Bone Realm beside the speaker immediately shouted, "You mouse, our fortress master is talking to you! Answer him now!"

Lu Qing remained silent, using his ability to carefully examine the identity of each person.

Suddenly, his gaze lingered on a young man dressed in luxurious clothing and holding a jade fan. Lu Qing's pupils narrowed slightly.

At that moment, the young man closed his fan and smiled, "Fortress Master Long, it seems your Yuan Yang Fortress is facing some trouble. Do you need help from this young master? The condition is simple; I only ask that you fulfill my previous proposal."

"There's no need. This small matter is something our Yuan Yang Fortress can handle. There's no need to trouble Young Master Zheng."

The man in brocade clothing remembered the young master's proposal from earlier and felt a flash of disgust as he refused.

"What a pity." A look of disappointment flashed across the young man's face. "But if Fortress Master Long ever needs help, this young master is always happy to lend a hand."

"There's no need for such formalities. In a moment, you won't be able to escape anyway," Lu Qing said, interrupting the man in brocade before he could speak. By now, Lu Qing had already used his ability to discern the identities of the people upstairs.

"I came here today to settle the score with the Seven Kills Tower, but I've changed my mind. All of you scumbags deserve to die!" Lu Qing declared, his eyes cold.

At the mention of the "Seven Kills Tower," the man in brocade and his companions' hearts trembled.

Before they could react, they saw a steel needle appear in Lu Qing's hand.

The next moment, a hissing sound filled the air as the needle flew out, speeding toward the people on the upper floor.

"Young Master, be careful!"

"Ah!"

"Master Long, save me!"

...

Accompanied by a series of blood-curdling cries, the people on the upper floor, who had been looking down just moments ago, were now rolling on the ground, except for a few.

The lucky ones had the steel needles pierce through their bodies, only suffering flesh wounds.

The unlucky ones had their skulls pierced, dying on the spot.

"What!" The man in brocade stared at the corpses strewn across the platform and the glittering needles that had penetrated their skulls, embedding themselves deep into the wall. His heart trembled violently.

He had almost failed to react to the needles Lu Qing had thrown earlier.

This intruder's skill with hidden weapons was incredible!

At this moment, the young master Zheng was also stunned, his eyes wide as he looked straight ahead.

In front of him, a steel shield was blocking his view. A steel needle had pierced through it, leaving only the tip of the needle visible as it pointed straight at his face.

Staring at the glinting needle, just half a foot away from his face, Young Master Zheng's face turned deathly pale, and a chill ran down his spine, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.

He realized that if it weren't for his guard's quick reaction, that needle could have easily taken his life!

But after the initial shock, he felt a surge of anger.

Who was this lowly wretch who dared to take action against him?

However, before Young Master Zheng could flare up, a calm voice sounded beside him.

"Oh? You're still alive. It seems your guard is quite skilled."

Everyone was startled.

Unbeknownst to them, Lu Qing had already ascended the stairs and was standing quietly on the balcony.

"Master Zheng, please stay silent and move back!" the guard instructed, positioning himself in front of Master Zheng and raising his shield for protection. His gaze towards Lu Qing was full of caution.

At the same time, he was secretly shocked.

His shield was made of hundred-refined fine steel, yet this man's tiny steel needle had pierced through it.

Such skill with hidden weapons was unimaginable.

Even the famous hidden weapon masters in the prefecture might not be able to match this!

Who was this mysterious expert?

Facing the guard's vigilance, Lu Qing remained unmoved and turned his gaze to the man in brocade and his companions instead.

"Are you the master of this Seven Kills Tower outpost?" Lu Qing asked.

The man in brocade's heart skipped a beat, but he forced a pained smile. "What Seven Kills Tower? Have you made a mistake, sir? This place is the Yuan Yang Fortress. You barged in without discerning right from wrong, relying on your superior martial arts and committing indiscriminate killings. Don't you fear the ridicule of the world?"

"Quite an act, but it won't work on me," Lu Qing shook his head. "All of you will die tonight."

"Attack!"

At that moment, the man in brocade suddenly shouted.

With his shout, several figures burst out from the shadows, rushing toward Lu Qing.

At the same time, a black short sword appeared in the man in brocade's hand, and he lunged at Lu Qing's chest with lightning speed.

The Zheng family guard's eyes widened in shock.

This sudden collaborative attack took him completely by surprise.

He hadn't sensed the presence of these people before they appeared.

Such stealth!

He recalled Lu Qing's earlier words, and a thought suddenly occurred to him.

Could these people be assassins from the Seven Kills Tower?!

However, before he could ponder further, his attention was drawn to the intense confrontation before him.

The figures rushing toward Lu Qing and the man in brocade exuded powerful auras, all of them at the Internal Organs Realm.

The black-clad man would surely be hard-pressed to withstand such a formidable group attack!

But just as this thought crossed the guard's mind, his eyes widened in disbelief once more.

In the next instant, an incredibly powerful aura burst forth from the black-clad man.

The man in brocade and the other figures were sent flying backward.

"How is this possible!" the Zheng family guard exclaimed, unable to contain his shock any longer.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end