Chapter 302: Mysterious Expert
Lin Chenyu followed out, standing behind Han Qiu, staring at the departing Zhang Tiangui, a cold murderous intent flashing in his eyes. "Senior Sister Han, if we don't kill Zhang Tiangui now, there will be endless trouble."
A trace of struggle appeared in Han Qiu's eyes, but in the end she sighed. "I understand! But Zhang Tiangui is, after all, the senior brother of Yuntai Manor. He hasn't done anything harmful to the sect. If I kill him, I would be unkind and unjust."
"At the very least, we should cripple his cultivation, sever his meridians..." Lin Chenyu said.
"Say no more. Let him go! After all, he was once a part of Yuntai Manor, once our senior brother." Han Qiu said.
Disappointment flashed in Lin Chenyu's eyes, and he thought to himself, "Women are just women, too indecisive! But although Han Qiu can't bring herself to do it, the Sect Leader is a very shrewd man. He would never let a tiger return to the mountain. Zhang Tiangui wants to leave Yuntai Manor, I'm afraid it won't be easy."
As soon as Zhang Tiangui left Yuntai Manor, he immediately activated his fastest movement technique, darting through the dense forest, wanting to leave the Demon Ridge as quickly as possible.
"Lin Chenyu, you actually dared to betray me. Just you wait. When I return to the Yunwu Commandery, I will annihilate your entire Lin family!"
Zhang Tiangui's heart was filled with intense hatred. Originally, with his talent, he could have married Han Qiu in the future, even becoming the future master of Yuntai Manor.
The Sect Leader had even promised him that as long as he reached the Fish-Dragon Realm, he would betroth Han Qiu to him and pass the position of Sect Leader to Han Qiu.
Han Qiu would be the Sect Leader, and he would be the Vice Sect Leader.
Han Li intended for him to help Han Qiu, to expand Yuntai Manor's influence.
But because of a Zhang Ruochen, because of a Lin Chenyu, he was forced to leave Yuntai Manor. From now on, he would never have the chance to be Vice Sect Leader, nor the opportunity to cultivate the *Ultimate Sacred Qiankun Art*.
Now, he was like a homeless dog.
The world was vast, where should he go?
"Swish!"
A faint sound of wind came from the forest.
"Who's there?"
Zhang Tiangui's vigilance was extremely high. He immediately stopped and looked into the forest.
But aside from trees, withered vines, moss, and rocks, he saw nothing.
As if sensing something, he immediately turned around.
Behind him stood an old man, seemingly in his eighties, with a gaunt, dry appearance, like a walking corpse. His arms were like eagle's claws, with ten sharp fingernails, each one like a blade.
Zhang Tiangui recognized this old man. He was the old servant who always followed Han Li, named Han Jingzhong, a martial arts expert with unfathomable cultivation.
"So it's Uncle Zhong. I knew the Sect Leader wouldn't let me leave alive." Zhang Tiangui clenched his fists, mobilizing all his true qi.
Without any hesitation, Zhang Tiangui seized the initiative and attacked first, punching towards Han Jingzhong's chest and abdomen.
"Fierce Tiger Descends the Mountain."
As the fist shot out, true qi formed ripples around Zhang Tiangui's wrist, accompanied by a tiger's roar.
"Roar!"
Zhang Tiangui's talent was extremely high. His full-force punch was incredibly domineering, causing the surrounding trees to rustle and leaves to fall.
Han Jingzhong stood like a withered pine, a sinister, ghost-like smile on his face. He raised his withered hand lightly.
What seemed like a slow palm strike traced a strange trajectory through the air.
"Slap!"
He struck Zhang Tiangui's fist, his five fingers closing together, easily catching the fist. His fingernails sank directly into Zhang Tiangui's flesh.
He twisted his arm.
With a "crack," Zhang Tiangui's arm was broken, his body spinning three hundred and sixty degrees in the air before crashing to the ground.
"Bang!"
Zhang Tiangui landed on one knee, feeling the intense pain in his arm, the muscles in his face twitching uncontrollably.
"Boy, you think you're the number one genius of the Demon Ridge, and therefore invincible under heaven? In my eyes, you're still too green!"
Han Jingzhong's voice was hoarse, emitting a sinister laugh.
Zhang Tiangui's legs were positioned one in front of the other, like a crouching tiger, his eyes fixed coldly on Han Jingzhong, waiting for his next, more violent attack.
But contrary to his expectations, Han Jingzhong did not continue attacking. Instead, he spoke slowly, "Zhang Tiangui, do you know why the Sect Leader can't tolerate you and must eliminate you?"
"Because of my bad character?" Zhang Tiangui said.
Han Jingzhong laughed. "In the martial world, it's survival of the fittest. It's all about means. How many people truly have good character?"
"Then what's the reason?" Zhang Tiangui said.
Han Jingzhong said, "Have you heard the saying, 'One mountain cannot tolerate two tigers'? Before, your talent far surpassed Han Qiu's, so the Sect Leader naturally wanted to betroth Han Qiu to you, to keep you in Yuntai Manor. That way, he could strengthen Yuntai Manor's power. But now it's different. Han Qiu has passed the fourth level of the Nine Absolute Tower, her talent is now equal to yours. If two people are equally powerful, who will be the master of Yuntai Manor in the future?"
Zhang Tiangui said, "If two people are equally powerful, neither will submit to the other. In the future, there will inevitably be a battle between Han Qiu and me. Either I die, or Han Qiu dies. There is no third possibility. So, the Sect Leader chose to eliminate me, to protect his daughter. Heh heh!"
"Uncle Zhong, since the Sect Leader sent you to kill me, why haven't you made your move?"
Han Jingzhong gave a cold, sardonic smile. "If I wanted to kill you, you would have been dead after the first move! Zhang Tiangui, you are a talent, a man with means and ambition. I think quite highly of you."
"What do you mean?" Zhang Tiangui asked, puzzled.
Han Jingzhong waved his hand and turned to leave. "Yuntai Manor can't accommodate you, the Yunwu Commandery can't accommodate you either. You only have one path: follow me. I'll take you to meet someone. Perhaps he can help you."
Zhang Tiangui, enduring the pain in his arm, looked at Han Jingzhong's hunched figure and asked, "Who exactly are you?"
"Just follow me. Why so many questions?" Han Jingzhong said coldly.
Zhang Tiangui had no choice but to follow.
The Demon Ridge was vast, like an ocean of forests, dotted with swift rivers, wide lakes, and towering cloud-piercing peaks.
Traveling through the forest, it was easy to lose one's way.
Han Jingzhong led Zhang Tiangui for an unknown distance until they came to a military camp built deep within the dense jungle. From afar, they could hear the roars of savage beasts and the sounds of troop drills.
Han Jingzhong stood on the branch of a withered ancient tree, as light as a feather, his hands clasped behind his back. He looked into the distance and said, "Ahead is the camp of the Four Directions Commandery's Barbarian Elephant Army, the training base of the Four Directions Commandery's most powerful military force."
Zhang Tiangui said, "Hasn't the Four Directions Commandery already been sanctioned and ceased to exist?"
Han Jingzhong gave a cold laugh. "The royal clan of the Four Directions Commandery has many experts, with over twenty Heaven Extreme Realm martial artists alone. Before the Eastern Domain Holy Estate's sanction document was issued, they had already withdrawn and hidden in this training base in the Demon Ridge. You should understand, they share a common enemy with you: Zhang Ruochen."
Zhang Tiangui said, "Are you from the Four Directions Commandery?"
"The Four Directions Commandery? Heh! The people of the Four Directions Commandery's royal clan are just like you, nothing but homeless dogs." Han Jingzhong laughed disdainfully.
Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew.
"Swish!"
A red light flashed through the void, darting among the dense trees. It seemed like a slender, graceful figure flew past.
Zhang Tiangui's eyes narrowed. "Who's there?"
Suddenly, spiritual energy surged in the void, forming ripples. From the center of those ripples, a slender, red hand extended, its five fingers long and supple, emitting wisps of red mist.
"Whoosh!"
That red hand manifested hundreds of afterimages, all attacking Zhang Tiangui simultaneously.
Han Jingzhong stamped his foot on the withered branch and immediately rushed forward, standing in front of Zhang Tiangui. He struck out with both hands.
"Boom!"
His eagle-claw-like hands were covered in a layer of metallic luster, forming a vast wave of palm force.
Han Jingzhong unleashed hundreds of hand seals in rapid succession, forming a wall of palm prints.
"Bang! Bang!"
In the blink of an eye, Han Jingzhong exchanged hundreds of blows with the owner of that red hand.
Suddenly, Han Jingzhong took a palm strike to the chest and was sent flying backward, crashing into a large boulder, which cracked with numerous fissures.
At that moment, a bewitching woman in red robes descended from above. She had long, slender legs, a voluptuous figure, crimson hair like blood, and a charming, alluring face.
Her entire body flowed with a red, evil light. As her feet touched the ground, even the soil beneath her turned a deep red.
Seeing the woman in red, Han Jingzhong immediately knelt, terrified. "Greetings, Red Lust Star Envoy."
Han Jingzhong glared at Zhang Tiangui, signaling him with his eyes.
Feeling the terrifying aura emanating from the woman in red, a chill ran down Zhang Tiangui's spine. He also immediately knelt, his face nearly touching the ground.
"Han Jingzhong, why have you brought an outsider here? Have you forgotten the Young Master's rules?"
Red Lust Star Envoy's voice was extremely seductive, seemingly carrying laughter, yet also a hint of coldness.
Han Jingzhong said with reverence, "I dare not forget the Young Master's rules, but this person is a talent. I wished to recommend him to the Young Master."
"Talent?"
Red Lust Star Envoy carefully examined Zhang Tiangui for a moment, then laughed. "Han Jingzhong, you should understand, the Black Market First Class Hall has never lacked talent."
"Tap! Tap!"
A handsome man in a purple robe walked slowly out of the forest.
On his back was a dragon-headed long spear. His face was cold. "Red Lust, Han Jingzhong, the meeting has already started. The Young Master sent me to bring you over."
"Greetings, Purple Wind Star Envoy."
Han Jingzhong bowed to the man in purple before standing up.
Zhang Tiangui was extremely curious. How had so many top-tier experts suddenly appeared in the Demon Ridge?
Just Han Jingzhong alone was a hidden old monster, whose true strength was probably unknown even to Han Li, the Sect Leader of Yuntai Manor.
Who were that demonic woman in red and the man in purple? And who was this "Young Master" they kept mentioning?
Their martial arts cultivation seemed even more powerful than Han Jingzhong's.
Zhang Tiangui's heart was full of questions.
At the same time, he was also excited. Perhaps by following these people, his future achievements would be even greater. Why worry about not surpassing Zhang Ruochen? Why worry about not destroying Yuntai Manor?
(Morning chapter, updated early.)