Chapter 33: Escape

"Damn him!"

Zheng Guangzhong’s brows furrowed tightly as he glared at the figure in black before him.

Judging by his tone, the man was young, likely no more than eighteen. A cultivator so young could not have taken the path of the mundane; if he were, he would surely have reached the Foundation Establishment stage. Yet, if he were truly at that stage, he would not have been so easily wounded by Zheng just moments ago. Thus, Zheng concluded that this must be a junior disciple out for experience from one of the immortal sects.

Those from immortal sects almost always possessed formidable backgrounds. Zheng, who had only embarked on the path to immortality midway through his life, dared not offend such people. However, this person had killed his son—a blood feud. If he let him go, there was no telling if this youth would return to hunt him down later.

With this thought, Zheng Guangzhong decided to eliminate Chen Tiansheng. "You killed my son for no reason," he said coldly. "I cannot let you live!"

As Zheng raised his palm to strike, two patrol guards on the city wall approached, trembling as they brandished their spears. "This is within the jurisdiction of Qingzhou Prefecture," they warned. "Acts of violence are forbidden within the city walls, or you shall face the law of the land."

"The law of the land?" Zheng Guangzhong gave a faint smile. With a flick of his other hand toward his waist, he struck out at the two soldiers. The entire movement took only a blink of an eye. Before the guards even realized what had happened, they felt a sharp pain in their foreheads and instantly lost consciousness, collapsing lifeless to the ground.

Chen Tiansheng caught a glimpse of the fallen soldiers out of the corner of his eye. A black needle, as thick as an iron nail, was driven into the center of each man’s forehead, killing them instantly. Zheng Guangzhong was willing to kill soldiers; he was clearly determined to take his life.

"Now it’s your turn!" Zheng glared at him.

"Come and get me then!" Chen Tiansheng retorted with a provocative tone.

Hearing this, Zheng Guangzhong let out a cold hum. "How bold. In that case, I will make you the first immortal I kill on my path to transcendence!"

As the words fell, he pivoted his toes and lunged forward with the speed of a gale. One hand formed a claw, the other a palm, intending to rip away the great blade Chen Tiansheng used for defense before delivering a fatal blow.

The commotion on the city wall would soon draw the attention of the authorities. If high-level experts arrived, even he would not dare to defy the city's rules. He needed to finish Chen Tiansheng quickly to avoid further trouble. Although Chen Tiansheng had managed to rise after taking a blow earlier, he was clearly at the end of his rope. This strike would surely be his end!

When the two were three meters apart, Chen Tiansheng raised his blade. A sinister smile curled on Zheng Guangzhong’s lips, thinking his plan was working. He reached out to seize the blade, but to his utter surprise, Chen Tiansheng did not use the sword to defend against him; instead, he brought the blade down hard upon the city wall in front of him.

With a thunderous crash, shattered bricks and stones exploded toward Zheng Guangzhong. Forced to withdraw his attack, Zheng had to stop and wave his palms to disperse the flying debris.

While Zheng was busy clearing the rubble, Chen Tiansheng leaped off the wall and into the city, sprinting toward the center. Seeing this, Zheng Guangzhong was incensed. He had thought it would be easy to kill Chen, but he had been outsmarted.

Watching Chen Tiansheng escape right under his nose, Zheng could not contain his rage. With a violent stomp, he leaped into the city to hunt him down. "Do you think you’re safe just because you’ve fled into the city? You are a dead man today—no one can save you!"

The deafening roar vibrated through the air, but Chen Tiansheng ignored it, running wildly through the city. To fight a Foundation Establishment cultivator like Zheng head-on was a death sentence; only by hiding in the city could he hope to survive.

He had hoped Zheng would not dare pursue him into the city, but he had miscalculated. However, the city was not the open wilderness. By utilizing the winding alleys, he could negate Zheng’s advantage in speed.

Before long, Zheng Guangzhong was pacing in frustration, lost in the maze of unfamiliar alleys. In the densely populated city, he could no longer track Chen Tiansheng’s aura. Not knowing which way to pursue, he raged, smashing a nearby house with a palm and roaring, "You coward! You spineless rat! You dare kill my son, but you don't dare face me in a real fight? You pathetic piece of filth!"

At that moment, Chen Tiansheng was hiding in the courtyard of a nearby home. Zheng’s insults failed to provoke him; instead, he found them laughable. Injured by that palm and exhausted from the chase, he had chosen to hide to conserve his remaining strength.

Gradually, the sky began to brighten.

Woken by the commotion, the surrounding residents began to stir. Many recognized the enraged Zheng Guangzhong but dared not intervene, secretly shocked at who could have killed Zheng’s son, Zheng Peng.

Zheng glared at the onlookers, his eyes bloodshot. "I am Zheng Guangzhong of the Longhu Manor! I am hunting a man in black! Find him for me, or I will slaughter you all!"

Just then, the sound of hoofbeats approached rapidly. The crowd parted as the garrison general, Wei Feng, arrived with dozens of soldiers.

Seeing the furious Zheng, Wei Feng recognized him immediately and spoke sternly, "General Zheng, this is the interior of Qingzhou Prefecture. I do not know what gives you the right to destroy the homes of our citizens and threaten them!"

Facing Wei Feng and his men, Zheng Guangzhong calmed down slightly, but showed no fear. He spoke with the tone of a commander: "Someone killed my son, Zheng Peng, at our Longhu Manor. I have chased the culprit here. Since you have arrived, take your men and find him, or I shall report your incompetence to the City Lord!"

Wei Feng was astonished. He never imagined someone could kill Zheng Peng at the manor and escape all the way into the city without being caught by Zheng. He silently marveled at the culprit's capabilities before saying, "If there is truly a criminal, the local authorities will handle it. Your actions here, General, are beneath your station."

Almost everyone in Qingzhou knew of Zheng Guangzhong’s reputation. To Wei Feng, he was merely a colleague; he acted according to the law, and if a general broke it, he would not be lenient.

"Beneath my station?" Zheng Guangzhong gave a mocking laugh.

Before the words had even faded, he lunged at Wei Feng. The speed was so sudden that Wei Feng was caught off guard. Before he could speak, Zheng was already upon him, leaping higher than the horse's head and striking with a palm.

"Foundation Establishment?!" the thought flashed through Wei Feng’s mind.

As a master-level fighter, few in Qingzhou could defeat him. Although Zheng had been famous for a long time, Wei Feng believed he could at least hold his own against anyone at the master level. But now, facing Zheng, he felt utterly powerless. The pressure the man exerted left him nearly unable to breathe.

This was the strength of a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

Wei Feng felt a chill of terror. As the palm grew larger in his vision, he had no way to counter it.

"That is enough."

Just as the palm was about to strike Wei Feng, a cold voice rang out from behind. A sword hummed sharply, and a blade shot through the air like a streak of lightning. Zheng Guangzhong scrambled to withdraw his hand, spinning in mid-air to shed the force of his momentum, landing two meters away. At the same time, the sword pierced the ground exactly where he had been standing.

Zheng Guangzhong’s heart sank, his rage instantly extinguished. He looked toward the direction the sword had come from with a grave expression. If that strike had been intended to take his life, he would have had no way to block it!

And he was at the Foundation Establishment stage! This was terrifying.

The crowd looked over to see a young man in blue robes walking slowly from behind them.

He was about eighteen, with a sunny and handsome face. His thick, sword-like brows were particularly striking. Standing there, he looked like a blade unsheathed.

Seeing the newcomer, Wei Feng quickly regained his composure and said respectfully, "Young City Lord."

The person was Xu Ye, the Young City Lord. He was the greatest genius in Qingzhou in a hundred years, a disciple of the Sword Dao Sect!

Facing Xu Ye, the arrogant Zheng Guangzhong bowed his head and said politely, "Greetings, Young City Lord."

Xu Ye walked up to Zheng Guangzhong, pulled the sword from the ground, and slowly returned it to its scabbard. He cast a faint glance at Zheng and said, "The state has its laws, and the city has its rules. Matters within the city are to be handled by the city's people. Do you understand?"

"I understand," Zheng replied hurriedly. "I was impatient and acted wrongly. I beg the Young City Lord's forgiveness."

Xu Ye looked at him for a moment and pondered before waving his hand. "I forgive you this once, considering your grief for your son. However, you will pay double for the houses you have destroyed."

Zheng nodded in agreement.

Xu Ye asked, "How is your consideration of the sect invitation going?"

"I originally planned to go in the next two days," Zheng replied. "But my son... I want to find the killer first. Please, Young City Lord, explain this to the sect on my behalf."

The invitation to the immortal sect came from the very Sword Dao Sect where Xu Ye belonged. Zheng had spent a fortune to secure this connection through City Lord Xu Zhong; otherwise, even with his recent breakthrough, he would not have caught the sect's attention so quickly. Xu Ye would be his future senior brother, and since the hierarchy of the immortal sects was strict, he had to be this respectful.

While Zheng Guangzhong and Xu Ye were exchanging pleasantries, Chen Tiansheng pulled a set of clothes from his Star-Gathering Ring, changed, and quietly slipped away from the courtyard.