Smoke covered the road.
The explosion had thrown pieces of wood and broken metal across the ground. One of the merchant carriages was completely destroyed, its wheels still spinning as flames consumed what remained of it.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Then—
"Protect the remaining carriages!"
Luo Zheng's voice shook the entire convoy back into action.
The guards immediately formed a defensive circle.
Yi Feng stared at the burning carriage.
His eyes narrowed.
The real target wasn't the convoy.
He remembered the bandit's words.
You are already too late.
Yi Feng turned toward Luo Zheng.
"What was inside that carriage?"
Luo Zheng hesitated.
That hesitation was enough.
Yi Feng's expression became serious.
"You knew they were after something."
Luo Zheng looked at him.
"This isn't something you need to know."
Yi Feng frowned.
"Then why did you hire Firmament Sword Sect disciples to protect it?"
Luo Zheng remained silent.
Before he could answer, Zhao Ming suddenly spoke.
"Because whatever is inside that carriage is more valuable than everything else here."
Everyone looked at him.
Zhao Ming pointed toward the burning wreckage.
"If ordinary goods were inside, they wouldn't have sent a sixth-stage cultivator."
Luo Zheng's expression became complicated.
"Young man, you observe too much."
Zhao Ming smiled faintly.
"It's a habit."
Yi Feng looked at him.
For someone who had only recently reached the Fourth Stage of Qi Gathering, Zhao Ming was surprisingly calm.
He wasn't reckless.
He observed his opponents.
He understood when to attack and when to retreat.
And most importantly, he didn't seem bothered by the fact that Yi Feng had nearly defeated a sixth-stage cultivator alongside him.
Instead, there was curiosity in his eyes.
Yi Feng felt the same curiosity toward him.
He's different.
The Enemy Hasn't Left
A scream suddenly came from the front of the convoy.
"THERE!"
A guard pointed toward the forest.
Several figures were running between the trees.
"Don't let them escape!"
The guards immediately pursued them.
Yi Feng started forward.
But Zhao Ming grabbed his shoulder.
"Wait."
Yi Feng looked at him.
"What?"
Zhao Ming pointed toward the opposite side.
"Look carefully."
Yi Feng turned.
Nothing.
Only trees.
Wind moved through the leaves.
Then he noticed something.
A branch moved against the direction of the wind.
Someone was hiding there.
Yi Feng's eyes narrowed.
"There are more."
Zhao Ming nodded.
"The ones running away are bait."
Before either of them could warn the others—
WHOOSH!
Three figures jumped from the trees.
One of them rushed toward the remaining carriage.
Another attacked Luo Zheng.
The third came directly toward Yi Feng.
"Again?"
Yi Feng pulled out his sword.
CLANG!
Their weapons collided.
This opponent was only at the Third Stage of Qi Gathering.
Yi Feng pushed him backward with a single strike.
The man looked shocked.
"You're stronger than the information said!"
Yi Feng's eyes became cold.
"Who gave you information about me?"
The man didn't answer.
He attacked again.
Yi Feng sidestepped.
Wind Chasing Sword!
His sword swept across the man's chest.
The attacker barely managed to block.
Bang!
The force sent him crashing onto the ground.
Yi Feng stepped forward and placed his sword against the man's throat.
"Who sent you?"
The man gritted his teeth.
Suddenly, he reached into his sleeve.
Yi Feng's expression changed.
Swish!
A hidden dagger shot toward his chest.
Yi Feng twisted his body.
The dagger grazed his clothes.
His eyes became cold.
He kicked the man's wrist.
Crack!
The dagger fell.
Yi Feng stared down at him.
"I asked you a question."
The man laughed.
"You'll never know."
He suddenly bit down.
Yi Feng's eyes widened.
"Wait!"
Too late.
The man's body went limp.
Chen Hao ran over.
"What happened?"
Yi Feng crouched beside him.
"He killed himself."
Chen Hao's face turned pale.
"Who are these people?"
"I don't know."
Yi Feng stood.
"But they're not ordinary bandits."
The Remaining Carriage
A fierce battle was taking place near the last carriage.
Two attackers had already reached it.
Several guards were trying to stop them.
One of the attackers broke through the defensive formation.
He grabbed the carriage door.
"Open!"
The door was locked.
He punched it.
BOOM!
The entire carriage shook.
The man grinned.
"Found it."
He raised his fist again.
But before he could strike—
Swish!
A sword appeared in front of his throat.
Zhao Ming stood behind him.
"Step away."
The attacker turned.
His eyes widened.
"You…"
Zhao Ming didn't give him time.
His sword moved.
Clang!
The attacker blocked.
Zhao Ming attacked again.
Their swords collided several times.
The attacker was at the Fourth Stage.
So was Zhao Ming.
Unlike Yi Feng, Zhao Ming's cultivation technique didn't give him an overwhelming advantage.
Their strength was almost equal.
The battle became a contest of technique.
Clang!
Clang!
Swish!
Zhao Ming suddenly changed his stance.
His sword curved upward.
The attack caught the man by surprise.
Slash!
Blood appeared across the attacker's arm.
Zhao Ming stepped forward.
The man retreated.
"You've got some skill."
Zhao Ming didn't respond.
His sword moved again.
This time, the attacker couldn't dodge.
The sword stopped at his chest.
"Who sent you?"
The attacker laughed.
"You think capturing me will change anything?"
Zhao Ming frowned.
"What does that mean?"
The man looked toward the forest.
"You're already surrounded."
Zhao Ming's expression changed.
A moment later—
BOOM!
A tremendous aura erupted from the forest.
Everyone stopped.
Even Yi Feng felt the pressure.
Someone was approaching.
And this time, the aura was far stronger than the sixth-stage bandit they had just defeated.
Yi Feng slowly turned toward the trees.
A figure walked out.
He wore a gray robe.
His hands were behind his back.
His footsteps were calm.
But with every step, the surrounding guards felt their bodies becoming heavier.
Luo Zheng's face became pale.
"Seventh Stage..."
Chen Hao swallowed.
"Another one?"
Yi Feng tightened his grip on his sword.
The man stopped.
His eyes swept across the battlefield.
Then he looked at the destroyed carriage.
His expression finally changed.
"You destroyed the wrong carriage."
The remaining attackers froze.
One of them immediately knelt.
"Senior, we—"
BOOM!
The gray-robed man released his aura.
The attacker was thrown several meters away.
"Useless."
The man looked toward the remaining carriage.
"Where is it?"
Nobody answered.
His gaze eventually landed on Luo Zheng.
"Give me the item."
Luo Zheng's fists tightened.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
The gray-robed man smiled.
"Then I'll search your corpse."
He raised one hand.
A terrifying amount of essence gathered around his palm.
Yi Feng's heart tightened.
I can't fight this person.
He knew immediately.
This wasn't like the previous battle.
The gap between them was simply too large.
Even with the Life and Death Art, he couldn't bridge it.
He glanced at Zhao Ming.
Zhao Ming's expression was equally serious.
They both understood.
This opponent was beyond them.
The gray-robed man took one step forward.
Then—
A powerful sword aura suddenly descended from the sky.
BOOM!
The gray-robed man's attack was forced back.
Everyone looked upward.
A figure stood on the branch of a giant tree.
A woman dressed in the robes of Firmament Sword Sect looked down at the battlefield.
She carried a long sword on her back.
Her expression was cold.
"Attacking a merchant convoy under the protection of Firmament Sword Sect…"
She slowly jumped down.
"…you people have become quite bold."
The gray-robed man's expression darkened.
"A Foundation Realm cultivator."
Yi Feng's eyes widened.
Foundation Realm.
For the first time, he had seen someone from a realm above Qi Gathering.
The woman didn't even look at Yi Feng.
She stared directly at the gray-robed man.
"Leave."
The gray-robed man laughed.
"You think one Foundation Realm cultivator can stop me?"
She slowly drew her sword.
"I don't think."
Her sword pointed toward him.
"I know."
The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Yi Feng stepped backward.
Chen Hao whispered:
"Who is she?"
Yi Feng shook his head.
"I don't know."
Then the woman spoke.
"Everyone from Firmament Sword Sect, stay behind me."
Yi Feng looked at her.
A thought suddenly crossed his mind.
Why would the sect send someone this strong for a normal escort mission?
His gaze moved toward the remaining carriage.
There was clearly something unusual about this mission.
Something that even the sect had not told them.
And whatever was inside that carriage...
Had attracted the attention of cultivators far stronger than them.
The gray-robed man suddenly smiled.
"Since the Firmament Sword Sect has decided to interfere…"
He raised his hand.
A black signal flare shot into the sky.
BOOM!
It exploded above the forest.
The woman's expression changed.
Yi Feng looked around.
From deep within the forest came the sound of footsteps.
Not one person.
Not ten.
Hundreds.
Chen Hao's face went pale.
"Yi Feng…"
Yi Feng slowly raised his sword.
"I know."
The woman from Firmament Sword Sect looked toward the forest.
For the first time, her calm expression disappeared.
"They brought an entire group."
And from somewhere deep within the darkness—
a voice laughed.
"Now…"
"Let's see how many people the Firmament Sword Sect can protect."
To be continued...