Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world

#390 - Anger

Zou Ci's face was contorted with rage, his eyes wide and bloodshot, his entire being radiating a furious energy, like a wild beast provoked to its limit.

Bursting through the wall, he harnessed that immense force, soaring swiftly into the night sky.

The wind howled fiercely, and the night was deep.

He looked up and, as expected, saw a figure floating serenely above, as if born of the wind.

The gale raged and shrieked around this person, yet it seemed like a tamed beast, becoming an extension of his being.

The figure's hair and robes danced wildly in the wind, like surging black waves, making it difficult for Zou Ci to discern his features.

However, this sight of him riding the wind was like a sharp blade, deeply etched into Zou Ci's memory, never to be forgotten!

It was him!

The Demon of the Wind!

This hateful fiend had repeatedly made a fool of him, treating him like a clown, inflicting upon him the most humiliating shame of his life!

New and old hatreds surged into his heart, and Zou Ci felt a raging inferno burning in his chest, threatening to consume him entirely.

"You are dead!"

Zou Ci roared through gritted teeth, his voice filled with boundless hatred and murderous intent, wishing he could immediately rush forward and tear the Demon of the Wind into a million pieces.

The next moment.

A figure suddenly flashed into existence, instantly blocking his path.

It was Yan You.

Yan You had not wanted to expose his relationship with Zou Ci in public.

But now, the situation was urgent. To stop Zou Ci from acting impulsively, he didn't even have time for more concealment, hastily covering half his face with his hand as he rushed out, his heart filled with anxiety.

Yan You's expression was grave, and his tone urgent as he said:

"Elder Zou, calm down!"

"I don't know what deep-seated hatred you have with this person, but his sudden appearance here is definitely suspicious!"

"Whatever his purpose, it must be malicious. You absolutely must not fall for it!"

"Please, listen to my advice and let's ignore this person for now!"

Although Yan You was completely bewildered by the current situation, his keen intuition, cultivated over years as a renowned constable, told him that a huge trap was hidden within.

Without understanding the whole story, rash action would only lead to an even more passive situation. Only by remaining calm could accurate judgments be made.

Hearing this, the fire of anger in Zou Ci's heart subsided slightly. He also realized that Yan You's words might have some truth to them, and he was about to seriously consider the possibilities.

But just then.

A brilliant blue light suddenly illuminated the night sky, like a blue moon rising.

Zou Ci subconsciously turned to look.

This one glance caused his eyes to nearly burst with rage, almost spitting fire.

It turned out that the Demon of the Wind was holding something high in the air.

That thing was a soul jade in the shape of a shield!

Zou Ci was all too familiar with this soul jade. It was not only a precious soul jade but also a family heirloom passed down through generations of the Zou family!

This treasure carried the Zou family's glory and history, and it was the spiritual symbol of the Zou family.

At this moment, the soul jade shone brightly, clearly indicating that the Demon of the Wind was preparing to activate and use it.

That was his Zou family's heirloom, embodying the hard work and expectations of generations of ancestors. Even if it were to be used, it could only be done by a member of the Zou family. How could he allow a shameless thief to wantonly destroy it?

"Stop!!!"

"Stop it now!!!"

Zou Ci couldn't help but shout at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing in the night sky, filled with despair and anger.

However, after hearing this shout, the figure in the wind not only did not stop but, as if deliberately provoking him, quickly flew away with the soul jade.

This figure's lightness skill was extremely high, his movements as fast as lightning. In the blink of an eye, he had already flown outside of Azurewave City.

The blue light flickered and danced in the darkness, particularly dazzling, as if ruthlessly mocking Zou Ci.

This made Zou Ci extremely anxious. He knew how formidable the Demon of the Wind's lightness skill was. When the two had competed in lightness skill before, he had failed to win.

Now, this was the closest he had ever been to the Demon of the Wind, and it was the most likely time he could catch up with him.

If he didn't quickly chase after him now, then the Zou family's ancestral soul jade would probably be destroyed!

"Stop!!!"

"Stop right there, you bastard!!!"

At this moment, Zou Ci no longer cared about Yan You's persuasion. The hatred in his heart and his obsession with the heirloom completely overwhelmed his reason.

With a flicker of his body, he moved like a black bolt of lightning, instantly bypassing Yan You and rushing towards the direction of the blue light.

He disregarded everything and chased with all his might, with only one thought in his mind: to retrieve the heirloom and make the Demon of the Wind pay the price!

Seeing this, Yan You was so angry that he almost cursed out loud.

He had originally planned everything meticulously, and all the plans were proceeding step by step, but as a result, such a person suddenly popped up, causing Zou Ci to instantly lose his composure and completely lose his mind.

Now, Zou Ci was not listening to commands and running around rashly. If something unexpected really happened, then he would really be in a passive and difficult situation.

"Damn it!"

"Why is the direction they're leaving in also towards the west of the city?"

Yan You looked up, watching the direction in which Zou Ci and the Demon of the Wind were leaving, and a strong sense of unease rose in his heart.

He had tricked that Young Master in White to the Five Mile Pavilion in the west of the city and also lured that person surnamed Liang and that woman to fight the Young Master in White.

That place would soon become a battlefield, and it was really inappropriate to go there at this time.

Yan You gritted his teeth. Although his heart was full of helplessness and anger, he couldn't just watch Zou Ci take risks. He could only chase after Zou Ci.

As for Zou Ci, he couldn't abandon him now, after all, they still had a common goal and mission.

Now, he could only hope to catch up with the Demon of the Wind as soon as possible before Zou Ci and the Demon of the Wind reached the Five Mile Pavilion, kill him, and avenge Zou Ci.

Only in this way might he be able to salvage the situation and get everything back on track.

Soon, the figures of Yan You, Zou Ci, and the Demon of the Wind had all disappeared into the vast night sky, as if swallowed by the darkness.

No one noticed that a graceful figure also took advantage of the night, like a nimble night bird, flying away from Azurewave City.

It was Yu Linglong.

Yu Linglong's beautiful eyes sparkled with curiosity and excitement, watching the departing crowd with great interest.

"Xiong Ba was actually able to lure them over there."

Yu Linglong muttered softly, the corners of her mouth slightly raised, revealing a smile full of interest:

"This is interesting. It's worth me going to take a look."

Immediately, Yu Linglong moved, silently following. Her figure was faintly visible in the night, as if merging with the darkness.

……

Outside the city.

Liang Jin held up the soul jade, flying in the night sky like a black phantom.

The Demon of the Wind was naturally him.

He had relied on the superb lightness skill of 'Wind-Stepping Shadow' to thoroughly play with Zou Ci, and those memories were like a handful of salt sprinkled on Zou Ci's wound, causing him unbearable pain.

At this time, Zou Ci was chasing after him like a madman, as if he couldn't wait to skin Liang Jin alive to vent the hatred in his heart.

If it were someone else, Liang Jin wouldn't have had enough confidence to lure them out.

But Liang Jin knew Zou Ci too well.

In order to deal with Liang Jin, Zou Ci had spent a lot of effort, investing countless energy and resources, but the result was trying to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it. He lost all face and was humiliated to the extreme by Liang Jin.

But Zou Ci was arrogant because of his high cultivation realm, and he felt that killing Liang Jin was as easy as turning his hand.

However, ever since Liang Jin stole his family heirloom, he had vanished from the martial world as if he had evaporated into thin air.

This filled Zou Cifeng with intense resentment, a resentment that took root and sprouted in his heart like an evil seed, gradually breeding a thick miasma of hatred.

Liang Jin was well aware of this, so he only needed to provoke him slightly to ignite the powder keg of resentment in Zou Cifeng's heart, driving him to give chase regardless of the consequences.

And this was precisely what Liang Jin intended to achieve.

Soon.

In the darkness ahead, a roadside pavilion loomed indistinctly, appearing in Liang Jin's line of sight.

This pavilion was none other than the Five Mile Pavilion.

And beneath the Five Mile Pavilion, a white figure stood silently, as if waiting for something.

All of this was as Liang Jin had predicted, and he knew he would soon achieve his goal.

Therefore, Liang Jin suddenly accelerated, fully utilizing the 'Wind-Stepping Shadow Footwork', rapidly heading towards the pavilion.

At this moment, Liang Jin's speed reached an unbelievable level, as if he had merged with the wind, becoming a part of it.

Zou Cifeng, trailing behind, felt as if Liang Jin had vanished in the blink of an eye, as if he had never appeared at all.

Only the rapidly receding, brilliant blue light indicated Liang Jin's position, like a distant star in the night sky.

"How can this thief fly so fast?"

Zou Cifeng felt a deep sense of powerlessness, his heart filled with doubt and shock.

He felt that Liang Jin's lightness skill had undergone another qualitative leap, reaching a level that was almost beyond his reach.

But Zou Cifeng did not give up, his intense hatred burning like a raging fire, supporting him as he continued to pursue.

He believed that with his strength at the Third Rank, although he couldn't catch up to Liang Jin in the short term, as long as the time was long enough, he would definitely have a chance to win!

The difference in major realms meant that there would inevitably be a huge difference in stamina and endurance.

Liang Jin would inevitably exhaust his inner force first, and be forced to stop.

When that time came, it would be Zou Cifeng's chance to personally capture this thief who had disgraced him, retrieve the family heirloom, and wash away his shame!

Meanwhile, up ahead.

Liang Jin had already rushed to the outside of the Five Mile Pavilion in a matter of seconds.

A stern shout came from the white-clad figure:

"Who goes there?"

"State your name!"

Before the voice could even fade, the information from the [Hundred Poisons Immunity] trait on Liang Jin's system panel began to frantically flash.

When Liang Jin saw the information on the panel showing that he had been poisoned with multiple toxins, his eyes lit up.

Based on the poisons he had been afflicted with, he could now completely determine the true identity of this white-clad figure – Li Xueqing!

He had suspected it before, but had never been able to confirm it.

Now that it was proven that the person in front of him was indeed Li Xueqing, Liang Jin was even more pleased with the outcome.

He immediately maintained his speed, heading straight towards Li Xueqing!

……

Inside the Five Mile Pavilion.

Li Xueqing lightly furrowed her brow, watching the approaching figure in the distance with a vigilant expression.

Today, she had followed Yan You all the way to the auction site, and after careful observation and analysis, she had finally determined that there was something wrong with Yan You.

Just as Li Xueqing was preparing to find an opportunity to capture Yan You and force him to reveal the truth, Yan You took the initiative to come to her.

This made Li Xueqing temporarily suppress her intention to act, her heart filled with doubt and vigilance.

However, Yan You brought her a shocking piece of news: that Xiong Ba had actually asked to meet her at the Five Mile Pavilion.

After learning of this from Yan You, Li Xueqing was stunned for a moment.

What shocked her first was, could it be… that Xiong Ba was the mastermind behind all of this?

But Xiong Ba had clearly proven through Sima Nian's case that he was not a spy for the Six Doors.

Li Xueqing quickly realized that Xiong Ba was truly cunning and treacherous!

He deliberately used Sima Nian to create confusion and clear himself of suspicion, making everyone mistakenly believe that he had nothing to do with the Six Doors.

What a brilliant scheme of deceiving the heavens!

What Li Xueqing didn't understand was why Xiong Ba would send a message to her through Yan You; could it be that her disguise had been seen through?

Li Xueqing wanted to know the answer, and she was unwilling to miss this opportunity to expose Xiong Ba's plot, and she also wanted to compete with Xiong Ba again to prove her strength.

So, she came to the Five Mile Pavilion, quietly waiting for Xiong Ba's arrival.

At this moment, in this silent Five Mile Pavilion, the person Li Xueqing was waiting for finally appeared, but the person who appeared was someone with extraordinary lightness skill.

Li Xueqing was filled with suspicion for a moment, unable to determine whether the person in front of her was Xiong Ba.

After all, the lightness skill displayed by this person was extraordinary, ethereal and agile, and she had never seen Xiong Ba display such a wonderful lightness skill.

Furthermore, this person's figure was slightly chubby, which was very different from the muscular and agile Xiong Ba in her impression.

But Li Xueqing would not sit still and wait for death. No matter who the person was, since they were approaching so aggressively, she would of course strike first.

In an instant, she secretly used her poison technique, and fine poisonous mist quietly spread like a ghost, instantly blending into the surrounding air, waiting for its prey to walk into the trap.

The next moment, the figure was like a black lightning bolt, rushing close with a whistling momentum.

Li Xueqing decisively made a decision, no longer hesitating at all, her jade wrist flipped, her jade hand like a hook, and she swiftly grabbed towards the figure.

With this move, she intended to test the other party's martial arts moves, so as to seize the initiative in the subsequent confrontation.

But who could have expected that the other party's reaction was so quick that they did not directly confront Li Xueqing's fierce attack.

The figure suddenly turned in the air, and its body was like a nimble fish, quickly dodging to the side.

The agility of his dodge was simply staggering, as if he was completely free from the shackles of inertia, drawing a strange and smooth right angle in the air.

Not only did the other party skillfully avoid Li Xueqing's probing attack, but then, he threw something towards her with his backhand.

"A hidden weapon?!"

Li Xueqing was shocked, her eyes narrowed slightly, her gaze like a torch, staring at the flying object.

When she saw clearly that it was actually a blue shield-shaped jade stone, she couldn't help but be slightly stunned, and secretly wondered:

"It's a Soul Jade!"

Li Xueqing reacted quickly, stretched out her jade hand, and steadily caught the Soul Jade thrown by the other party.

She had no worries about whether this thing was poisonous, after all, when it came to playing with poison, she was an expert, and she had full confidence in dealing with any poison.

At this moment, she was full of doubts, and she really didn't understand why the other party would suddenly throw a Soul Jade.

"Could it be that he wants to show goodwill and surrender?"

Li Xueqing thought to herself:

"Or is there something important hidden in this Soul Jade that he wants to convey to me?"

Just as Li Xueqing was full of doubts and fell into contemplation, the lightness skill expert, like a ghost, carrying a whistling gale, disappeared into the thick darkness in the blink of an eye, as if he had never appeared.

Li Xueqing stood quietly on the spot without chasing after him.

The other party's lightness skill was too high, and it was difficult for her to catch up.

Moreover, the other party's identity was unknown, and Li Xueqing did not know whether there was a trap if she rashly followed.

She slowly lowered her head, and using the faint moonlight, carefully observed the blue Soul Jade in her hand.

Her gaze swept over every texture of the Soul Jade, trying to find a clue from it.

Since that mysterious lightness skill expert left this Soul Jade for her, there must be some kind of information on it that he wanted to convey to Li Xueqing.

Suddenly!

Her expression suddenly sharpened, and she suddenly raised her head.

Because she keenly sensed that another expert was rapidly approaching!