Chapter 110: Escaped

Clatter!

The sound of footsteps drew closer.

Qin Feiyang and his companion held their breath, poised for action.

A few moments later, the two guards stopped beside them. They gave the pair a hard kick; seeing no reaction, they leaned down to flip them over.

"Hey!"

Instantly, a grin spread across Qin Feiyang’s face. At the same time, Ling Yunfei grabbed a jade bottle, swung it with force, and sprayed a clear liquid from the neck onto the guards' faces.

"So they weren't dead after all!"

The tall guard’s eyes flared with murderous intent. He raised his iron hook to strike them down, clearly having anticipated some resistance. The shorter guard, however, was so startled that he sat down hard on the ground; having been convinced they were dead, the sight of them moving triggered a subconscious panic.

The iron hook whistled through the air!

Qin Feiyang and Ling Yunfei turned pale. They hurriedly braced their hands against the ground and shoved themselves backward, spreading their legs just in time.

Clang! Crack!

The iron hook slammed into the space between their legs, the force of the impact cracking the ground beneath them. Both men were terrified, cold sweat drenching their bodies—the hook had missed their vital parts by mere inches. Had they been hit, they would have been crippled on the spot.

"What are you standing there for?" the tall guard roared at his companion after his failed strike, raising the hook again.

The shorter guard snapped out of his shock, scrambled to his feet, and swung his large iron bow toward their heads.

"Aaargh!"

But the next moment, both guards collapsed, howling in agony! Their iron weapons clattered to the ground with a shrill metallic clang. Their faces were already rapidly festering, turning into a bloody, unrecognizable mess. It was the venom of the Unicorn Beast, eating away at their skin. Their eyes were fused shut, and the pain was soul-shattering.

"What was that liquid you threw?" the tall guard shrieked.

Qin Feiyang and Ling Yunfei exchanged a glance, sprang up, and drove their daggers into the guards' chests. Never let an opportunity pass when your enemy is down.

"Aah..." With a final cry, the two guards slumped to the ground, dead.

Ling Yunfei pulled out his dagger and gave the bodies a kick, sneering, "You can consider it an honor to have died to a whole bottle of poison."

"The sound came from over there! Hurry, check it out!" Two voices echoed from a nearby alley.

Qin Feiyang and Ling Yunfei glanced up, then turned and sprinted toward the alley exit without looking back.

"There they are! Chase them!" A large group of guards arrived at the intersection and, seeing the pair, gave pursuit with murderous intent.

Ling Yunfei looked back and shouted angrily, "Your master is already at the end of his rope! Are you all idiots for still fighting so hard?"

The guards ignored him entirely.

"Don't waste your breath," Qin Feiyang said. "They’ve been brainwashed by the City Lord; they won't listen to you."

As they neared the exit, two figures suddenly blocked their path. Caught off guard, the pair jumped into the air and vaulted onto the rooftops.

The two figures below looked confused. One of them asked, "Why are you two running onto the roof?"

"That voice?" Qin Feiyang paused, looked down, and a bitter smile crossed his face. It wasn't the City Lord's men; it was Gu Ba and He Wu.

"Running from everyone we see—I guess we’re a bit shell-shocked," Ling Yunfei muttered with a wry smile.

They jumped down and landed in front of the two men.

"Are you two alright?" Gu Ba asked, looking them over with genuine concern.

"We’ll live," Qin Feiyang replied. "Are there only two of you? Where are Elder Feng and the others?"

"Elder Feng and the rest have gone to the City Lord’s mansion," Gu Ba said, sounding offended. "And what do you mean, 'only two of us'? Do you think He Wu and I can't handle these small fry?"

He Wu’s face twitched. "We are two-star Martial Sects, you know. Is it really necessary to look down on us like that?"

"Ha!" Qin Feiyang chuckled dryly. "That wasn't our intention. I’ll leave the rest to you two, then."

"Just watch us. Gu Ba, let's work!" He Wu shouted.

The two men dove into the group of guards like wolves among sheep. Wherever they passed, guards fell one after another, their screams filling the air. It was a one-sided massacre.

Qin Feiyang and Ling Yunfei finally had a moment to rest. They followed behind, occasionally finishing off any guards who tried to escape. A short while later, the four of them reached the main street, the alley behind them already flowing with blood.

They looked toward the sky above the City Lord’s mansion.

Boom!

Thunderous roars shook the clouds, and battle energy pierced the sky. Intense shockwaves of combat engulfed most of Black Bear City.

Ling Yunfei’s eyes glowed with excitement. "A battle of Martial Kings is a rare sight. Let's go take a look!"

Gu Ba nodded. "Indeed. If we can observe it up close, it will surely benefit our cultivation."

The four men raced toward the mansion. Before they arrived, a sea of people blocked their path.

"So many people," He Wu frowned. "How do we get through?"

"That's easy," Ling Yunfei said. "Just step on their shoulders."

With that, he leapt into the air, hopping across the shoulders of the crowd toward the mansion gates. Qin Feiyang, He Wu, and Gu Ba followed suit.

"It's Jiang Haotian and the others!"
"What’s happening inside?"
"Can you tell us?"

The crowd tried to question them, but the four ignored the noise, moving as if on flat ground. Dozens of breaths later, they landed steadily before the mansion gates. Several middle-aged men—deacon elders from the Martial Hall and the Alchemy Hall—were guarding the entrance to prevent anyone from entering.

"Haotian, Yunfei, are you two alright?" they asked with concern upon seeing them.

"Thank you for your concern, sirs. We are fine," Qin Feiyang said, bowing politely.

"Elders," Ling Yunfei asked, "what is the situation inside?"

"We don't know," they replied, shaking their heads.

"Can we go in and take a look?"

"No!" they said in unison. There were over a dozen Martial Kings fighting inside; they couldn't risk letting these two youngsters in.

Ling Yunfei was deeply disappointed, staring longingly at the gates. Qin Feiyang, however, was unfazed; back in the capital, he had seen far more intense battles, even those involving Martial Emperors.

Boom! Crack!

The roaring continued for hundreds of breaths before finally subsiding.

"The battle must be over," one of the elders said with a smile. "You can go in now."

"What’s the use of going in now?" Ling Yunfei grumbled to himself.

A moment later, the group emerged one by one, all bearing various injuries: Luo Xiong, Feng Cheng, Elder Mo, the head of the Treasure Pavilion, the head of the Martial Hall, Lin Liang, and two red-faced elders Qin Feiyang had never seen before.

"Those are the elders of the Martial Hall, all powerful Martial Kings," Ling Yunfei whispered.

Feng Cheng walked up to Qin Feiyang and gave him a sharp flick to the forehead. "You didn't even consult us for something this big! Have your wings grown so stiff that you think you can fly on your own?"

Qin Feiyang rubbed his head, protesting, "Have you no sympathy? Can’t you see we’re wounded?"

Feng Cheng raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You’ve got an excuse? Do you want me to beat you so badly you won't be able to get out of bed for three months?"

"No, no, no!" Qin Feiyang waved his hands, laughing sheepishly. "I’ll be more careful next time."

Meanwhile, the head of the Martial Hall and the two elders were giving Ling Yunfei a stern lecture. Both felt aggrieved, yet their hearts were warmed, knowing these people truly cared for them.

Just then, Lin Liang stepped forward. "Jiang Haotian, I apologize on behalf of Lin Chen. I hope you will reconsider and join the Alchemy King Hall."

"Apologize?" Qin Feiyang was taken aback. He bowed and said, "Sir, you are too kind. I have already forgotten that incident."

A smile appeared in Lin Liang’s eyes.

*The show is far from over,* Qin Feiyang thought with a cold internal sneer. He turned to Luo Xiong and asked, "Hall Master, what about the City Lord?"

"The others are dead, but the City Lord escaped," Luo Xiong said.

"What? He escaped?" Qin Feiyang and Ling Yunfei turned pale with shock. They couldn't believe so many Martial Kings had let him get away.

"There is a labyrinth of secret passages beneath the mansion. Old Feng and I searched for a long time, but we couldn't find him," Luo Xiong said, sounding frustrated. However, he added with a smile, "But don't worry, we destroyed his cultivation. He is worse off than an ordinary person now. Even if he survives, he won't be able to cause any more trouble."

"That's a relief," Ling Yunfei sighed.

Qin Feiyang, however, raised an eyebrow imperceptibly. "Where is the entrance to the passage?"

"In the main meeting hall. But don't even think about it—that place is a maze, and you must not risk your life," Luo Xiong warned.

Qin Feiyang smiled. "Of course not, don't worry!" He turned to Ling Yunfei. "Your mother must be worried sick. Let’s head back to the Spring Breeze Pavilion."

"Right!" Ling Yunfei slapped his forehead, bid farewell to the elders, and the two left.

Once they were out of sight, Qin Feiyang suddenly stopped. "You go on back. I’m going to the City Lord’s mansion one more time."

"Why?" Ling Yunfei frowned.

A cold glint flashed in Qin Feiyang’s eyes. "If you don't pull out the roots, the weeds will grow back in the spring. The City Lord must die!"

"Then I’m coming with you," Ling Yunfei said. "In case something happens, we can look out for each other."

Qin Feiyang hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Fine. Let’s go."

The two turned into a small alley and began sneaking back toward the City Lord’s mansion.