Chapter 230: Encounter on the Road, Demand for Blood

Master’s breakthrough had greatly boosted Lu Qing’s confidence in this journey to Yun Zhou.

With Xian Tian Xiao Cheng Fengdian, coupled with his dual Xian Tian Qi and the cultivation of Xian Tian Ling Yu, Lu Qing estimated that his Master could now hold his own—even against a true Xian Tian Jing master at the peak of their power.

Even Liu Yun Zong’s Xian Tian Jing, formidable as it was, couldn’t possibly be on that level. Otherwise, Liu Yun Zong wouldn’t just be one of the three major sects in Yun Zhou—it would be the dominant force.

After finishing their morning meal, Lu Qing and the others resumed their journey.

It was rather peculiar, though. Now that they had officially entered Yun Zhou’s territory and were traveling along the Imperial Road, they hadn’t encountered a single soul from Liu Yun Zong in days.

Whether Liu Yun Zong hadn’t yet sent searchers for their missing Shao Zong Zhu, or had taken another route, remained unclear.

But if it was the latter, it wasn’t good news for Lu Qing’s group.

Just as Lu Qing was pondering whether to return and check the situation, his expression shifted. He looked ahead sharply.

Moments later, a cloud of dust surged forward. A group of powerful martial artists rode toward them on towering warhorses, their presence radiating menace.

“Just when I was thinking about it, here they come.”

From afar, Lu Qing recognized the distinctive uniforms worn by the front riders. A smirk tugged at his lips.

“A Qing, what is it?”

Old Doctor pulled back the curtain of the carriage, asking.

Before Lu Qing could reply, the riders ahead roared in unison.

“Move aside, you fools! Clear the road in three breaths—or die!”

Three breaths passed in the blink of an eye. Ma Gu barely managed to halt the carriage, too late to pull it off the road.

Seeing this, the attackers’ expressions darkened. A gust of wind surged as several long whips lashed out toward the carriage.

The sound of their whips screaming through the air was terrifying. If they struck true, the carriage would either be torn apart or violently flung off the road.

Ma Gu’s face paled. He lunged forward to intercept—but then, several sharp hiss sounds rang out beside his ear.

The front riders suddenly screamed, blood erupting from their foreheads. They tumbled off their horses, their whips going limp, never touching the carriage.

“What?!”

The sudden turn of events utterly stunned the enemy. The sight of their comrades falling from their mounts was especially shocking.

Yet, these were seasoned Martial Arts Masters. At the last second, they leapt from their saddles with expert horsemanship, avoiding being trampled by their own falling comrades.

Still, the entire group was now blocked.

But even if they hadn’t been, they couldn’t have simply turned back.

Because the fallen men hadn’t just fallen—they were already dead.

Not a single twitch. No breath.

“Zhao Shidi!”

“Huang Lao Shi!”

“Wang Shidi!”

The shock was overwhelming.

These men weren’t ordinary—they were all Masters at the Jin Gu Jing Great Achievement level. Yet they’d been killed instantly.

The entire force turned ashen.

“Who dares strike us down? Are you all already seeking death?!”

A tall, broad-shouldered man with a crimson face, wielding a long sword at his waist, roared at the carriage.

“Liu Yun Zong’s people—just like dogs. No matter where they go, they always act like tyrants, trampling over life and death.”

Before the enemy could recover from their shock, Lu Qing stepped down from the carriage, voice cold.

“Lu Qing, you’re saying these men are from Liu Yun Zong?” Ma Gu asked.

“Indeed. Look at their attire.”

Ma Gu narrowed his eyes. The uniforms were unmistakable—especially the flowing cloud patterns on the sleeves and collars, identical to those worn by the Liu Yun Zong disciples they’d slaughtered in Qingfeng Town just days before.

“Damn. It really is Liu Yun Zong scum.” Ma Gu muttered.

“Arrogant youth!”

“Insolent fool!”

“You’re asking for death!”

The Liu Yun Zong disciples erupted in fury.

The crimson-faced leader’s eyes turned icy. With a sharp zing, his sword drew from its sheath. A flash of cold light—already slashing toward Ma Gu’s chest.

The man saw clearly: Lu Qing’s cultivation was only Qi Xue Jing. Ma Gu was barely at Jin Gu Jing Great Achievement.

Neither could have possibly killed their comrades in a single instant.

So the assassin must still be hiding inside the carriage.

He’d been ready to observe further—but Ma Gu’s insult ignited his bloodlust.

“Come on, then!”

The sudden, deadly strike didn’t faze Ma Gu. Instead, a fierce grin spread across his face. His War Blade instantly roared from its sheath, barely avoiding the fatal blow.

“What?!”

The crimson-faced man’s surprise was evident. But before he could strike again, Ma Gu leapt from the carriage and charged forward.

“Ha! Lu Qing, you stay back—let me have some fun first!”

Mid-air, Ma Gu laughed, bringing his War Blade down with the force of a collapsing mountain.

“That style of swordplay?!”

The man felt the sheer power behind the strike. His face paled again.

Without thinking, he kicked off his horse and leapt backward.

Whoosh!

A thick spray of blood filled the air. Ma Gu’s devastating slash had severed the warhorse in half.

Not stopping, Ma Gu landed lightly, then charged after the man with another downward strike.

“Ma Ye, be careful—your opponent is a Nei Fu Jing Da Cheng master.” Lu Qing called out.

But his expression showed no worry.

Hearing Lu Qing name his cultivation level so precisely, the crimson-faced man—already planning to hide his true strength—felt a chill.

But he froze mid-retreat. His face hardened. A surge of killing intent exploded from his body. His War Blade accelerated.

Clang!

The clash of steel sent shockwaves through the air. Ma Gu’s body was violently flung back.

“Think you can escape?”

The man’s eyes gleamed with cold satisfaction.

He didn’t kill Ma Gu?

His killing intent surged. He lunged into mid-air, aiming to cleave Ma Gu in two.

Hiss!

Just as the blade descended, a terrifying, piercing sound cut through the air.

A sudden, overwhelming sense of danger exploded in the man’s heart—so sharp it made his chest seize.

Instinct took over.

Without thought, he raised his War Blade, blocking it across his forehead.

Boom!

The impact shook him to his core. His forward momentum stopped dead. He staggered back several steps before barely regaining balance.

When he looked down at his blade, his eyes widened in horror.

His prized Qianlian Zhan Dao—expensive, heavy, forged from thousands of layers—was now bent and twisted.

Cracks spread across its surface, dust from shattered stone clinging to the blade, as if it had been nearly pierced through.

“Hong Elder!”

The other Liu Yun Zong disciples cried out in alarm.

“Not bad. You actually blocked it.”

Lu Qing sounded slightly surprised.

“Lu Qing, that red-faced brute’s swordplay is fierce. I couldn’t handle him.”

Ma Gu landed safely, his hands trembling. Blood seeped from his palms—wounds from the earlier clash.

“He’s a Nei Fu Jing Da Cheng master with near-perfect sword technique. You’re not the match for him—understandable.” Lu Qing smiled.

In truth, if Ma Gu hadn’t trained under Wei Shanhai, the true Xian Tian Jing master, he wouldn’t have survived that first clash.

“Who are you? Why do you target our Liu Yun Zong?”

The crimson-faced man forced down the storm of energy in his body, staring at Lu Qing in dread.

He finally realized—he’d misjudged this boy completely.

This wasn’t a Qi Xue Jing novice. He was a tiger hiding in pig’s clothing, a master concealed in plain sight.

To destroy a thousand-fold forged blade with a single stone, and send shockwaves through his body—this man was at least a Wu Dao Zong Shi-level master.

A force they could never hope to challenge.

Recalling Lu Qing and Ma Gu’s earlier tone when mentioning their sect, the man’s heart sank.

This mysterious figure clearly held a deep hatred for Liu Yun Zong.

“Liu Yun Zong? I thought you truly didn’t care about your Shao Zong Zhu. But your response is too slow. You only just showed up.”

Lu Qing glanced at the name floating above the man’s head, his voice calm—but cold.

“Do you know our Shao Zong Zhu?”

The man feigned surprise, but his heart chilled.

Because he knew—Shao Zong Zhu was already dead. The Tai Shang Elder had confirmed it.

Now they were speaking of him…

“Don’t know him personally. But I killed him just a few days ago.”

“Run!”

The words sent ice through the man’s veins. He screamed and bolted back.

The others were still stunned—until a series of sharp hiss sounds echoed.

One by one, Liu Yun Zong disciples collapsed, their foreheads pierced through, lifeless.

The crimson-faced man fled, glancing back in horror.

Seeing his disciples felled one by one by the boy’s terrifying stone projectiles, his soul trembled.

He gritted his teeth. His aura spiked.

He began using an Explosive Secret Technique—sacrificing his inner energy to flee at breakneck speed.

But the Imperial Road was barren—no trees, no cover. Just endless farmland on both sides.

He had nowhere to hide. Only straight ahead.

Why did I volunteer?

He cursed himself.

He hadn’t expected to run into a demon like Lu Qing!

Thud!

Just as he sprinted, his legs exploded with pain. He collapsed, unable to move.

Even as he tried to push himself up with his hands, he tumbled headlong onto the road—rolling like a broken doll.

“Giving up so soon?”

A cold voice.

Lu Qing appeared beside him.

“Your skill with hidden weapons is unmatched. I respect that.”

The crimson-faced man looked at the pile of dead disciples behind Lu Qing, then at his shattered leg. A bitter smile formed.

“But I have one question—please, let me die with peace in my heart.”

“Ask.” Lu Qing looked down.

“Who are you? What grievance do you bear against Liu Yun Zong? Why kill our Shao Zong Zhu—then attack us the moment we met?”

“Don’t pretend innocence,” Lu Qing said flatly. “You attacked us first. If we were ordinary travelers, your whips alone would’ve left us dead and the carriage in ruins.”

The man fell silent.

“Let’s be honest—you’re just a pack of cowards who prey on the weak and fear the strong. Stop pretending to be victims.”

Lu Qing sneered. “What I’m doing now? Isn’t that exactly what you’ve always practiced—survival of the fittest?”

The man’s face drained of color. He had no reply.

“As for your question… strictly speaking, we don’t bear any grudge against Liu Yun Zong.”

A flicker of hope crossed the man’s face.

But before he could breathe easy, Lu Qing added:

“Only that your Shao Zong Zhu and a few of your disciples committed an unforgivable crime in a small town. We happened to be there. So we dealt with them.”

“Sir, that was just the Shao Zong Zhu’s personal actions! It has nothing to do with us! If I’d been there, I would’ve stopped him! Liu Yun Zong is a righteous sect—we would never allow such acts!”

The man pleaded desperately.

He didn’t know what crime had been committed—but he knew one thing: he had to stop Lu Qing’s killing intent, or he’d die.

“Righteous sect?” Lu Qing’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “Hong Houyi… do you remember how your wife died?”

“How… how do you—”

The man froze, eyes widening in shock.

“You lost your parents young. Your brother and sister-in-law raised you. But you desired her. When your advances were refused, you strangled her to death. And when your drunk brother tried to intervene, you killed him too, didn’t you?”

“Who are you?! How do you know this?!”

The man screamed, his voice cracking.

For decades, he’d buried his darkest secret.

Now, it had been ripped open—by this stranger.

“I’m the one your brother and sister-in-law entrusted with your death.”

A strange, eerie expression crossed Lu Qing’s face.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end