Chapter 343 |
“Be alert. Though Cang County is small, intelligence shows that the Wei family has two Precelestial experts stationed there. So, this operation must prioritize speed. Once we capture the target, retreat immediately. Avoid unnecessary complications,” Elder You instructed.
“Yes!” The other figures responded solemnly.
“Elder You, you mentioned that individual has close ties with the Wei family. What if he’s also in the city?” one of them asked, causing the others to freeze.
If that person were there, wouldn’t their approach risk exposure? Thinking of the information they had recently uncovered, everyone hesitated.
Although they were confident in their abilities, they knew that they were no match for that individual.
“Don’t worry,” Elder You said confidently. “The spiritual energy here is too thin. With his cultivation level, this place wouldn’t be suitable for his training. He definitely won’t be hiding here.”
With that person’s strength, if he were cultivating within the city, the spiritual energy in the surroundings would be anything but calm and unperturbed.
Hearing Elder You’s explanation, the others relaxed and began their operation.
The city walls, though tall, were no barrier to this group of mysterious experts. As they scaled the walls, not a single breath of their presence leaked.
Inside the Wei Manor, Madam Wei warmly introduced a newly served dish to the elderly physician, Chen Lao Dafu. “Elder Chen, try this dish. I had the kitchen replicate it based on a recipe left by Lu Xiaolangjun. Please taste it and see if it’s as delicious as his version.”
“There’s no need to go to such trouble. As long as I can fill my stomach, I’m content,” Chen Lao Dafu replied courteously.
Just as Madam Wei was about to serve him a portion, Chen Lao Dafu’s expression suddenly changed.
At that moment, several eerie figures abruptly appeared at the hall’s entrance, rushing toward Madam Wei.
“Madam!” Wei Xinghe shouted in alarm. His aura erupted as he moved to shield his wife.
“You overestimate yourself.”
Before he could act, the leader of the intruders let out a cold snort, extending his arm to grab forward. In that instant, Wei Xinghe felt as though the entire world had been enveloped by the figure’s outstretched hand.
No matter how he tried to dodge, he couldn’t escape its grasp.
Feeling the overwhelming pressure emanating from the intruder, Wei Xinghe’s eyes filled with fear. The assailant was far stronger than he was. With his cultivation at the early Precelestial Realm, he couldn’t even withstand a single move.
Whoosh!
Just as despair settled in Wei Xinghe’s heart, a strange ripple emerged from Chen Lao Dafu, quickly spreading throughout the hall.
Suddenly, Elder You and his companions felt an immense pressure weighing down on them. The hand that had been reaching for Wei Xinghe halted, and the figures lunging toward Madam Wei froze in place.
“A domain… How is this possible?!”
Feeling the overpowering force suppressing them, Elder You’s eyes filled with disbelief. Without hesitation, he unleashed his full strength, attempting to break free from the domain’s hold.
Boom!
Despite his full effort, Elder You was shocked to discover that he couldn’t completely escape Chen Lao Dafu’s domain suppression. While he regained control of his body, his movements felt sluggish, as though he were mired in quicksand.
If even Elder You struggled, the others fared far worse. They were utterly pinned in place, unable to move at all.
If Lu Qing were here, he would be astonished to see that his master’s control over domains had reached a whole new level.
Taking advantage of the temporary restraint on their assailants, Chen Lao Dafu gently pushed Madam Wei toward Wei Xinghe.
With Elder You and his companions still reeling in shock, Chen Lao Dafu asked in a stern voice, “Who are you, and why are you attacking the master of the Wei family?”
At the same time, his brows furrowed slightly.
There was something familiar about the aura coming from Elder You and his group. It resembled the killers from Wujian Tower who had attempted to assassinate them in Sacred City.
But Elder You had no intention of answering Chen Lao Dafu’s question. Realizing that the old man was a far more terrifying opponent than he had anticipated, he made a swift decision.
With a flick of his mind, he activated an artifact hidden in his robes. In the next moment, a surge of powerful energy erupted from his body, instantly breaking through the suppression of Chen Lao Dafu’s domain.
“Retreat!”
Shouting the command, Elder You turned and shot toward the exit, his figure blurring with speed.
The remaining figures followed suit, fleeing with no hesitation.
“Hm?”
Chen Lao Dafu sensed the moment Elder You activated his treasure, but even he was surprised by its power. Despite his mastery over domains, the artifact had easily broken through his suppression.
Of course, he hadn’t unleashed his full power out of concern for the Wei Manor and the servants inside. If he had used all his strength, the entire estate would likely have been leveled.
As Elder You and his men fled toward the manor’s exit, Chen Lao Dafu acted without hesitation. With a thought, a sharp streak of light shot out from him, racing forward.
In an instant, the light pierced through the chest of one of the fleeing figures, causing their body to go limp and fall to the ground.
The streak of light didn’t stop, continuing toward the next figure.
“A flying sword!”
Elder You, keeping an eye on the events behind him, widened his eyes in shock when he saw the light for what it truly was.
It was a flying sword—an ancient technique that only cultivators of legend possessed!
This old man, who seemed so ordinary, not only had control over a domain but was also a cultivator capable of using a flying sword?
Fear gripped Elder You’s heart. He dared not linger. Mustering all his strength, he poured his spirit into the treasure he carried, releasing a black aura that enveloped his entire body.
In the next instant, his speed increased dramatically, and he shot over the walls, disappearing into the distance.
“No! Elder, save us!”
The remaining figures, already shaken by the sudden death of their comrade, were now filled with despair as they watched Elder You abandon them.
But no matter how terrified they were, Chen Lao Dafu’s assault did not cease.
The flying sword darted through the air, cutting down each of the remaining figures, one by one. Despite their attempts to resist, none could stand against Chen Lao Dafu’s mastery of swordsmanship and the profound art of the flying sword.
In no time, the eerie figures lay dead on the ground, their chests pierced through.
Once all resistance was eliminated, Chen Lao Dafu willed his sword back, and it returned to him, disappearing into the sword pouch on his back.
Wei Xinghe and Madam Wei, having witnessed the entire scene, stood frozen in shock.
It wasn’t until Chen Lao Dafu sheathed his sword that Wei Xinghe came back to his senses.
“Thank you, Elder Chen, for saving my wife and me once again,” Wei Xinghe said, his tone filled with gratitude and reverence.
The aura those men had unleashed had far surpassed his own strength. He couldn’t imagine what would have happened if Chen Lao Dafu hadn’t been there.
“There’s no need for thanks,” Chen Lao Dafu sighed. “These men were strange. I fear this time, it might be me who has brought trouble to your family.”
From the aura the attackers had released when they resisted the flying sword, Chen Lao Dafu was now certain that they were assassins from Wujian Tower, the same faction that had attempted to kill them before.
Wei Xinghe’s expression changed. “Elder Chen, do you know who these assassins are?”
“I can’t say for sure yet. Let’s question them first,” Chen Lao Dafu said as he walked toward the courtyard where the bodies lay.
Wei Xinghe hurried to follow.
In the courtyard, they found that a few of the attackers, though gravely injured, were still alive.
Though they had not died, their meridians had been shattered, and they were paralyzed, unable to move.
When they saw Chen Lao Dafu approach, fear flickered in their eyes.
Earlier, they had sensed nothing dangerous about the old man. Who would have thought that he was such a terrifying figure?
“Tell me, who are you? Are you from Wujian Tower? Why did you attack the master of the Wei family?” Chen Lao Dafu asked directly.
The eyes of the attackers widened in shock.
How had this old man instantly seen through their identities?
One of them, realizing the truth, stared at Chen Lao Dafu. “You… You’re the master of that youth who killed Xuan Ming and the others in Sacred City, aren’t you?”
The others came to the same realization, recalling the intelligence they had gathered.
This old man, with his mastery of domains and flying swords, matched the description of the boy’s master.
This realization sent shivers down their spines. That flying sword was far beyond anything their martial prowess could counter.
“So, you really are Wujian Tower assassins?” Chen Lao Dafu said, now fully understanding the situation.
At this point, he felt a wave of fear wash over him.
He had heard from the master of Tianji Tower that Wujian Tower assassins had no scruples, using any means necessary to accomplish their missions.
They must have discovered something and had come to abduct Wei Xinghe and Madam Wei for their own hidden agenda.
If he hadn’t happened to be here today, no one knew what fate awaited the Wei family.
“Elder, we bear no ill will. We were simply hired to invite the master of the Wei family for a conversation. We beg you to spare our lives. We are willing to offer great gifts in return for your mercy,” one of the remaining men pleaded.
The others joined in, crying out for mercy.
“Please, Elder! Spare us!”
“We promise to turn over a new leaf, never again doing anything against conscience or morality!”
“Please, Elder, spare our lives!”
Looking at the men groveling for their lives, Chen Lao Dafu hesitated.
Even though they were Wujian Tower assassins, their pitiful state stirred some compassion in him. He wasn’t one to kill unnecessarily. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have left them alive in the first place.
But he knew better than to trust assassins from Wujian Tower. Their desperate pleas could very well be a ruse. Sparing them might only lead to further harm down the road.
After a moment’s thought, Chen Lao Dafu turned to Wei Xinghe. “Master Wei, I recall you have trained falcons capable of sending messages?”
“Yes, Elder Chen. Who would you like to send a message to?” Wei Xinghe asked, eager to help.
Wei Xinghe had pieced together that these men were indeed Wujian Tower assassins—a terrifying faction that had vanished over a thousand years ago but was said to be connected to Xuankong Mountain, one of the Four Great Secret Realms.
“I need you to send a message to Lu Qing. Tell him what happened here and ask if he can come.”
“Right away! I’ll send a message to Lu Xiaolangjun and ask the ancestor to return as well.”
Wei Xinghe quickly departed.
Not long after, a falcon soared into the sky from Wei Manor, circling a few times before flying off in the direction of Jiuli Village.
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