"Arrogant scum! Today, the heroes of the martial world have gathered. How can we allow you to run wild?"
Yu Zhentian roared with fury, his hair and beard bristling. Without hesitation, he reached out and grabbed the sword hanging from the waist of his eldest disciple, Zhu Fang.
Though he looked old, his body surged with powerful energy. White steam rose from his skin as his blood boiled with fighting spirit.
The sword in his hand glowed with a sharp, chilling aura as he slashed upward in a diagonal arc.
Zha Third sneered coldly. Without moving an inch, he raised his blade and brought it crashing down to meet the sword's force head-on.
Blade and sword clashed with a thunderous boom, the sound of metal ringing through the courtyard.
The impact was deafening. Waves of force exploded outward, ripping apart tiles and beams from the rooftop.
In the courtyard, Yu Zhentian staggered back several steps to shake off the force of the blow. His disciples rushed to steady him.
With a loud crack, the beam beneath Zha Third's feet snapped from the pressure. He kicked off it and leapt into the air, landing smoothly on another section of the roof.
"Old dog, your skills aren't completely gone after all," Zha Third said, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent.
Below, the gathered guests looked on, hesitating.
Seeing that Yu Zhentian could hold his own, many who were about to flee stopped in their tracks.
The Yu Family Martial Hall was one of the most respected in all of Shun'an City.
Yu Zhentian, the old master, had been famous for decades. His strength and martial skill were widely acknowledged.
If he could defeat this villain, then perhaps there was no need to escape.
But just then, a deep, whooshing sound cut through the air from afar.
Five masked figures dressed in black leapt from building to building. In the blink of an eye, they had landed on the rooftops surrounding the courtyard, forming a deadly pincer formation.
As soon as this scene unfolded, all the martial artists and guests watching were visibly shocked.
Without a doubt, the ones who had just arrived were the remaining five members of the infamous Seven Fiends of Zha River.
"Second Brother, you're late," rumbled Zha Third in his deep, gruff voice.
Among the newcomers, a man dressed in black with wrinkles on his forehead and graying temples spoke hoarsely, "No rush. We still have the time it takes for one incense stick to burn."
Hearing this, Zha Third nodded slowly, then turned to face the gathered guests in the courtyard. He smiled leisurely and said,
"Time's running out. You all have six breaths left."
The moment he said that, the guests in the courtyard stopped hesitating. One after another, they turned and bolted for the exit.
They had only come today to attend the celebration and offer gifts—not to throw their lives away.
The Seven Fiends of Zha River were infamous for their brutality. Even one of them was as strong as Yu Zhentian. There was no way the Yu family's martial arts hall could stand against the remaining six.
"Master Yu, something urgent just came up at home. I'll take my leave."
"I'm not strong enough to be of help. Yu brother, please take care."
"If you manage to rid the city of evil today, Shun'an City will remember your name."
…
A few of the more prominent figures from the martial world and Shun'an City left behind some polite parting words, then hurriedly made their way out.
No one wanted to linger a moment longer. They feared that if they were too slow, they'd be caught in the crossfire—dead and dismembered.
Yu Zhentian's face was grim as he watched the crowd of guests quickly vanish from the courtyard. His expression darkened, and he said nothing.
He knew there was no point in trying to stop them. Even if he tried, he wouldn't be able to make them stay.
Ever since those few Fiends—including the infamous Second Fiend—arrived, the dangerous aura they radiated was no weaker than his own.
That alone made it clear to Yu Zhentian that there was little value in keeping this scattered mob here.
"Brother Zhang, if you want to leave, just go. No one's stopping you."
Li Musheng was pushed aside by the panicked crowd. He turned back to look at the burly man with knotted muscles, whose face was twisted in hesitation.
Zhang Dashuang gripped his staff tightly—then loosened, then tightened again. He watched as the number of people in the courtyard dwindled, feeling increasingly anxious, yet still unable to make a decision.
"We're all part of the Yu Family Martial Hall. You think those thugs will really let us leave?" Zhang Dashuang asked hesitantly in a low voice.
The oppressive presence leaking from the six figures on the surrounding rooftops made it hard for him to breathe.
"I don't think it's a problem. Your surname's Zhang, not Yu," Li Musheng said casually, stroking his chin as he glanced at the seven blade-wielding Fiends standing tall on the rooftops.
"If you're not sure, why not just ask them? See if they'll let you go."
Zhang Dashuang jumped in fright at the suggestion. He quickly grabbed Li Musheng's arm and whispered in panic, "Are you crazy? You want to ask those killers? You got a death wish or what?"
While the two of them talked, most of the guests had already fled the courtyard.
Some people had even rushed out so hastily that they left behind shoes, hairpins, jade pendants, and scattered silver coins on the ground.
Though the disciples, trainees, and servants of the Yu Family Martial Hall hadn't run yet, they too looked extremely hesitant.
Everyone knew just how infamous and ruthless the Seven Fiends of Zha River were. Wherever they went, they left no survivors.
Falling into their hands was as good as a death sentence.
But Yu Zhentian's long-standing authority carried weight. Even though the situation was grim, none of them dared to flee the battlefield.
Like Zhang Dashuang earlier, they were all worried—would the Seven Fiends even let them go if they tried to escape?
"Hao Brother," Yu Zhentian called out firmly, gripping his longsword tightly. His powerful inner energy surged, causing his silver hair to flutter in the wind.
"These villains dare to commit crimes in broad daylight here in Shun'an City. Their arrogance knows no bounds! You and I should join forces today and rid the martial world of this scourge!"
Standing nearby, Hao Shen—who had not yet left—glanced at Yu Zhentian and slowly nodded.
"You're absolutely right, Brother Yu. As the City Lord of Shun'an, I cannot allow these outlaws to run wild in my city."
Hearing this, Yu Zhentian felt a slight relief. Hao Shen was a powerful martial artist; with his help, the pressure would be greatly reduced.
But Hao Shen's next words chilled him to the core.
"However… the martial arts of the Seven Fiends are terrifying. Just the two of us may not be enough to take them down. Brother Yu, please hold them off for a moment while I go gather the city guards. Then we can trap these Fiends once and for all."
With that, Hao Shen kicked off the ground, his body shooting out of the courtyard like the wind.
The Seven Fiends of Zha River, still standing on the rooftop, watched the entire scene with cold indifference. Not one of them made a move to stop him.
"Pfft!"
Li Musheng couldn't help but laugh at the sight. Turning his head, he mocked, "I told you—this old man Yu is stingy to the bone. See? When it really counts, not a single person is willing to help him. If you ask me, he's about to be abandoned by everyone he trusts."
Zhang Dazhuang, tall and sturdy, leaned on the staff in his hand. When he noticed the crowd casting their gazes in their direction, he instinctively shrank his neck and patted Li Musheng.
"Keep your voice down—they all heard you. Besides... the old master isn't always stingy. Sometimes, he can be generous."
Hearing this, Yu Zhentian, whose face was already extremely grim, suddenly turned his head and shot a fierce glare at both Li Musheng and Zhang Dazhuang.
But he had no time to waste on these two apprentices, who barely knew the basics of martial arts. Instead, he turned to the rest of his disciples and shouted:
"What are you all standing around for? Pick up your weapons and fight back! There are no cowards in the Yu Family Martial Hall!"
At his words, the disciples instinctively began to move.
But as soon as they noticed the three figures standing motionless beside Yu Zhentian, they gradually stopped in their tracks.
Those three were Yu Zhentian's most prized disciples—the strongest in the entire martial hall, second only to Yu Zhentian himself and his eldest son.