Chapter 50: The Bloodline Rat
Chapter 50: The Bloodline Rat
The Forbidden Grounds of the Black Crow Sect.
Here, a vast and spacious cave stood, supported by several thick pillars holding up the lofty dome above.
An intense, pungent smell of blood permeated the air, and at the center, a crimson blood pool was visible, within which something seemed to squirm incessantly, sending chills down one's spine.
Not far away, numerous members of the Black Crow Sect surrounded a lone figure.
The one under siege was none other than Xu Hongyu.
Though she was surrounded, not a single wound could be seen on her body. Instead, corpses lay scattered at her feet, as one by one, they fell to her sword. She single-handedly battled against the high-ranking members of the Black Crow Sect and even held the upper hand!
"We underestimated her..."
The leader of the Black Crow Sect brandished an iron staff, creating an impenetrable defense in front of Xu Hongyu, his face contorted with difficulty.
His plan had been to divide and conquer, using mechanized traps to separate the group and then gathering his forces to besiege Xu Hongyu. He intended to severely injure her, if not drive her back, rendering her incapable of further offense.
However, the Southern City District's Prefect, Xu Hongyu, was far stronger than anticipated. Initially believed to have only minor success in Sinew Transformation, the leader had considered himself a match for Xu Hongyu. By gathering the Black Crow Sect members to besiege her, he had thought to put her in a dire situation. But unbeknownst to him, Xu Hongyu had quietly advanced to the realm of Sinew Transformation Perfection.
From minor to major success.
A single word, yet a world of difference.
In the realm of Sinew Transformation, even a small step forward was significant. Xu Hongyu, having reached perfection, held her ground against the high-ranking members of the Black Crow Sect, even dominating them. The crowd could only barely halt her advance.
"Xu Hongyu, no matter how strong you are, your subordinates are nearly all dead or injured. Our sect's Guardian Deity will soon make an appearance. You can't stop it alone! Why struggle in vain? Retreat and devise another plan." The leader of the Black Crow Sect spoke with a heavy voice.
Xu Hongyu's timing in launching her attack was impeccable. Had she arrived slightly later, the Guardian Deity's emergence would have quickly spread throughout the city, making it impossible to stop. But now, they were at a critical juncture.
"My subordinates are not as weak as you think," Xu Hongyu replied coldly, her sword never ceasing its dance. The sword light resembled countless raindrops, creating a continuous clashing of metal and steel wherever it passed, accompanied by occasional splashes of blood.
"Do you really think your plan will succeed? A mere bloodline rat, even if it spreads throughout the city, there are ways to resolve it. Your wishful thinking is just that." Xu Hongyu's tone carried a hint of disdain.
Although the leader of the Black Crow Sect was a formidable figure, he still fell short compared to Xu Hongyu. Whether in strength or insight, he was inferior. If a mere bloodline rat could command the Outer City and coerce the Inner City's major powers, then the Inner City's authority over Jade City would be called into question.
However, while it wasn't an unsolvable problem, it was still troublesome. Some casualties were inevitable, and if the matter eventually required the Inner City's intervention, it would make her, as the Southern City District's Prefect, a laughingstock.
Upon hearing Xu Hongyu's words, the leader's heart skipped a beat. For some reason, he felt Xu Hongyu might be telling the truth; otherwise, the Inner City should have taken action by now.
But with things having come this far, he was committed. There was no turning back.
"Even if you can withstand the Guardian Deity, can you bear the scale of casualties? It's time to retreat." The leader of the Black Crow Sect responded coldly.
Although the Guardian Deity couldn't ensnare the entire Outer City's populace, capturing even a third of them in such a severe situation would give him some negotiating power.
Just as the leader and Xu Hongyu exchanged heated words, bubbles began to rise from the blood pool behind them.
"Success!" The leader of the Black Crow Sect was the first to notice the change in the blood pool, a hint of joy flashing across his eyes.
(End of Chapter 50)
At that very moment, the sound of numerous footsteps echoed from a nearby passageway. A group led by Xiao He, including Qin Bei and Chen Mu, emerged and rushed into the forbidden area.
"Kill all Black Crow Sect members without mercy! Destroy that blood pool, and I'll reward you with a thousand taels of silver!"
Xu Hongyu's cold voice reverberated through the Black Crow Sect's sacred grounds.
After a brief pause, the patrol officers erupted in fervor, their eyes gleaming with fanaticism. They charged towards the central blood pool in the forbidden area, driven by the promise of a thousand taels of silver—a life-changing sum for ordinary officers. Xu Hongyu's words, spoken by the District Prefect herself, sent them into a frenzy.
"Stop them!"
The Black Crow Sect Leader's expression changed abruptly; he hadn't anticipated a large force breaching the forbidden grounds at this moment.
The patrol officers surged forward, clashing with the Black Crow Sect members in a chaotic melee.
done!"
Qin Bei narrowed his eyes, brandishing his patrol saber and charging towards the central blood pool.
For him, a thousand taels was a substantial reward, but more importantly, as a senior patrol officer of the City Guard, he understood the significance of Xu Hongyu's words. The blood pool likely contained something related to the cultivation of the Guardian Deity.
Qin Bei had a large family living in the outer district, and relocating them to the inner city was beyond his means. The spread of such a thing was intolerable to him.
Swish!
Chen Mu's eyes also turned cold, and he slashed forward with his patrol saber towards the blood pool.
Initially, Xu Hongyu had been holding her own against the Black Crow Sect members, keeping them at bay. But with Xiao He and Qin Bei's reinforcement, the tide turned, and the Black Crow Sect began to retreat.
In the forbidden grounds, the Black Crow Sect Leader and several Deputy Sect Leaders struggled to withstand Xu Hongyu's swordplay, retreating step by step. They could only grit their teeth and stand their ground, knowing that Xu Hongyu must not be allowed to pass.
Gurgle...
In the center of the forbidden area, bubbles rose in the blood pool, and the blood within it quickly diminished, gradually revealing a nest of tiny rats. Their gray fur was covered in blood-red lines, creating a terrifying sight.
These bloodline rats continuously sucked in the blood, stretching their limbs and beginning to crawl.
The patrol officers were almost upon the blood pool, but at that moment, a group of Black Crow Sect members carrying poisonous water devices rushed forward, spraying the liquid to halt the officers' advance.
"Ah!"
One of the officers was drenched in the toxic water, letting out a painful cry as he fell to the ground, writhing in agony.
The appearance of the poison squad immediately dampened the officers' fervor, forcing those who had nearly reached the blood pool to retreat. They could only watch as the blood pool emptied, revealing the slowly forming bloodline demon rats, which crawled faster as the pool dried up.
Finally, a bloodline demon rat stretched its limbs and crawled out of the blood pool, about to escape.
But just then, Chen Mu burst through the ranks of the patrol officers, his saber slicing through the air and deflecting the incoming poison spray. He charged forward, throwing his saber ahead of him.
Clang!
The saber flew in an arc, landing directly and slicing the escaping demon rat in two!
Chen Mu leaped over the poison squad and reached the now-dry blood pool. He lifted his saber and, with a series of swift slashes, cut down the remaining six or seven bloodline demon rats trying to escape.
The saber clashed with the blood pool, emitting a crisp sound.
For a moment, both the Black Crow Sect members and the patrol officers paused, their gazes fixed on Chen Mu.
There he stood, saber in hand, a slight smile curling his lips, revealing a set of white teeth.
(Chapter End)
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