"It was definitely Xuan Wu Realm. Otherwise, with Gao Le's cultivation level, there's no way someone could have killed him instantly — and using nothing but pressure at that." Liu Bing spoke with trembling fear, her face drenched in panic.
That day, after she and Gao Le realized something was wrong, they had chosen to continue pursuing Chu Feng to avoid being punished by Leng Wuzui. During a rest along the way, Gao Le went off to relieve himself, but barely had he left when Liu Bing sensed an enormous wave of energy — and it came from the very direction Gao Le had gone.
Rushing over to investigate, Liu Bing found Gao Le already dead. Just like the Zhao brothers, there wasn't a single visible wound on his body, but every last internal organ had been crushed. He had clearly been battered to death by sheer pressure alone.
Not daring to continue the chase, Liu Bing had fled back immediately and reported everything to Leng Wuzui. Their opponent now was someone she was no match for.
"It seems I underestimated that Chu Feng."
Leng Wuzui sank into contemplation, while Liu Bing stood rooted to the spot, watching him with fearful eyes, not daring to utter another word. It was clear she truly dreaded this man.
"Sister Liu Bing, I'll handle this matter personally. Go rest up." Without warning, Leng Wuzui produced a small white jade bottle from his Universe Bag and handed it to Liu Bing.
"Thank you, Brother Leng." Her eyes lit up at the sight of the bottle. She snatched it eagerly, popped the cap without a second thought, and drained every last drop of the liquid inside.
"Sister Liu Bing — does this antidote taste any different from last time?" Leng Wuzui stood with his hands clasped behind his back, fixing her with an eerie stare, a cold, sinister smile curling at the corner of his lips.
"This time it tastes… kind of sweet." Liu Bing wiped her mouth, but then her expression twisted in horror. She jabbed a finger at Leng Wuzui and shrieked, "You — you — you—!"
"Mmph—!"
Within moments, Liu Bing could no longer speak. Her face drained to white, then shifted to green, then deep purple. White steam began pouring off her body as she rammed her fingers down her throat, desperately trying to vomit up the liquid. But it was all in vain.
"You failed your task. What use do I have for you?" Watching Liu Bing writhe in agony, not a shred of sympathy crossed Leng Wuzui's face. Only after she collapsed to the ground, lifeless, did a cold sneer pull at his lips.
"So he let her come back on purpose to tip me off, hoping I'd back off? Interesting… I'd very much like to see who exactly is pulling these strings — and whether you can really protect that Chu Feng."
With that thought, Leng Wuzui walked to the desk, drew out a sheet of rice paper, and began to write. At the head of the letter he penned: "Honored Father, I find myself in peril at the Azure Dragon Sect. Might I trouble you to ask our Leng family ancestor to come to my aid?"
Time slipped by, and in the blink of an eye two days had passed — the day the Chu Family had invited the many powers within the Kaoshan region.
Outside of Kaoshan Town, the heads of the Xu, Ma, and Wang families still hung on display — a truly horrifying sight.
Inside the town, the Martial Arts Arena had been laid out with banquet tables, welcoming guests from all quarters.
Though the surface was all smiles and laughter, with everyone raising cups in good cheer, something felt subtly off about the atmosphere.
After all, the news of the Chu Family unearthing a Dark Iron Mine vein had already shaken the entire Kaoshan region, and their great battle with the Xu, Ma, and Wang families had spread far and wide.
That the Chu Family had fought three families simultaneously without suffering defeat — and had even slain three Yuan Wu Realm family heads — showed that their strength was, without question, the foremost in all of Kaoshan.