chapter 35 Qifeng Gorge ===

The entire night passed, and Verdantius Liu spent it hunting demonic beasts. He killed ten First Order Peak demonic beasts, twenty First Order Eighth Stage demonic beasts, and encountered a few Second Order demonic beasts in the deeper areas. The demonic cores transformed into a purer liquid, and the true qi in his dantian slowly increased. A faint light of dawn appeared in the east, signaling the arrival of a new day. Verdantius Liu got up and headed towards the canyon. Qifeng Canyon! With mountains on both sides, steep cliffs that seemed to be carved like knives, smooth as a mirror, making it impossible for ordinary people to climb. Nature's extraordinary craftsmanship was vividly displayed. Below the canyon, a stone path that could accommodate five horses abreast was the necessary passage for the Xu family to transport goods each time. In the distance, the sound of wheels rolling over crushed stones echoed. The Xu family's convoy was slowly approaching. This time, it was personally escorted by Deacon Qi, a Seventh Stage expert in the Innate Realm, to ensure the safe arrival of the goods worth several million gold coins in Canglan City. After losing several batches of purple gold ore, if they suffered another loss this time, the Xu family's weapon workshop would be forced to close its doors. "Everyone, stay alert. Once we pass through Qifeng Canyon, we'll be safe." Deacon Qi shouted a reminder. The Xu family had sent a pigeon message to him yesterday, informing that there would be a high-level expert coming to assist today, ensuring their safety. However, the identity of this helper was not disclosed to anyone, including Deacon Qi. Fifteen guards drew their short blades, standing on both sides of the convoy. This time, they transported ten carts of purple gold ore, valued at several hundred thousand gold coins. No room for error! Half an hour later, the convoy entered Qifeng Canyon. Deacon Qi ordered the team to spread out, maintaining a certain distance. Being too close could cause confusion. The spacing between each horse-drawn carriage was kept at about ten meters. In case of an emergency, they could communicate effectively. The canyon was approximately over a thousand meters long, and it would take about ten minutes to pass through. As they approached the halfway point without encountering an ambush, Deacon Qi and the other guards let out a sigh of relief. It might be the high-level expert from the Xu family who cleared any obstacles on the road. Just when everyone thought the crisis was averted, a rain of arrows descended from afar, shooting down like raindrops towards the Xu family guards. "Ambush! Prepare for battle!" An order was issued, and the guards pulled out shields, placing them in front of their bodies. The incoming arrow rain was mostly blocked, falling on the ground. In just a moment, the ground was covered with arrows. The number of people ambushing them was not small. "Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh..." From both sides of Qifeng Canyon, over fifty black-clothed figures emerged, showing extraordinary strength. They blocked the path, cutting off their retreat. The Xu family's convoy was trapped in the middle of the canyon, facing a dilemma. "People of the Xu family, listen up. Drop your weapons, and we might consider letting you live. Resisters will be killed without mercy!" A tall figure in black walked out from the crowd, emitting a suffocating aura that enveloped the entire Qifeng Canyon. Deacon Qi's expression changed. He hadn't encountered a Soul washing Realm expert during the ambush a few days ago. "Deacon Qi, what do we do?" The Xu family guards were panicking, gathering together. Deacon Qi was the strongest, and they waited for his decision. Whether to surrender or fight to the death. Many guards, loyal to the Xu family and nurtured by them, had family members still in Canglan City. Surrendering meant abandoning their families. Their eyes turned to Deacon Qi, waiting for his order. "Prepare to break through!" Taking a deep breath, Deacon Qi gave the order. The family head had sent a pigeon message to him yesterday, informing him that a high-level expert would come to assist. They might be hiding nearby. The fifteen guards automatically formed a circle, trying to minimize casualties. The horses became restless, wanting to break free from their reins and escape this place. The black-clothed figures, armed with black bows, aimed at the fifteen guards. These black bows, rarely seen on the market, were capable of easily piercing through the bodies of those in the Postnatal Ninth Stage. Caught off guard, even those in the Innate Realm could be pierced by the black arrows. "Who are you? How do you possess the military crossbows of the Great Yan Empire?" Deacon Qi's face darkened. The identity of these people was not simple, and he began to suspect that they might be sent by the Tian family or the Wan family. However, the situation seemed more complicated now. The Tian and Wan families couldn't possibly acquire these kinds of crossbows, indicating the involvement of a third party. "I originally planned to disable all of you, letting you live or die on your own. But now that you recognize these black crossbows, I guess I have to kill you to keep it quiet." The leader of the black-clad figures released a fierce killing intent in his eyes. He waved his hand, and the crossbows were strung, making a clicking sound. The atmosphere on the scene became tense. A piercing cold wind blew from the other side of the canyon, causing some pebbles to fall from the cliff top, making a faint collision sound as they landed. "Snap, snap, snap..." Many crooked-necked trees grew on the cliff wall, surviving by rooting into the cracks. At this moment, applause came from above the cliff, and a young man in green sat on a crooked-necked tree trunk. The black-clad figures were stunned. Apart from them, someone else was nearby, and they hadn't noticed. Looking at the familiar face of Verdantius Liu, the Xu family guards couldn't help but smile bitterly. "Deacon Qi, did you say the family head would send a powerful expert to help us? Could it be this useless guy?" Recently, Verdantius Liu's status in the Xu family had slightly improved, but in the eyes of many guards, he was still considered a waste. Deacon Qi was speechless, not knowing how to answer. The family head's secret letter did not mention who would come to help. Seeing Verdantius Liu at this moment, his heart sank. A black-clad soldier approached the leader and whispered something. The leader's eyes showed a strange expression. "Kid, you're the Xu family's useless son-in-law?" The leader of the black-clad figures spoke in a cold voice, making a gesture. All the crossbows in the hands of the black-clad soldiers were aimed at Verdantius Liu. "It's quite interesting. The mighty Stone-Breaking Army of the Great Yan Empire came to intercept a batch of purple gold ore from the Xu family. It really opens my eyes." Verdantius Liu crossed his arms, a cold smile appearing on his lips. The Stone-Breaking Army was extremely powerful, usually stationed at the border, rarely appearing. Not many people knew about them. As soon as the words fell, fifty black-clad figures erupted with an intense aura of slaughter, a terrifying atmosphere that could only be condensed after experiencing numerous battles on the battlefield. Upon hearing the name "Tone-Breaking Army," all the guards of the Xu family felt their bodies go weak. Some of them even sat on the ground, faces turning pale with fear. Tone-Breaking Army was invincible, unstoppable. The dozen or so people present wouldn't even be enough to fill the gaps in his teeth. "Very well. You've recognized us as Tone-Breaking Army. Quite perceptive. But do you know that the moment you identify us, it means all of you will die?" Tone-Breaking Army's influence couldn't be underestimated. If news of Tone-Breaking Army interfering in the affairs of Canglan City spread to the imperial dynasty, from generals to soldiers, all would face punishment. Each word from the leader of Tone-Breaking Army was spoken with emphasis, a fierce killing intent enveloping the entire Qifeng Canyon. Both exits on the sides were blocked. Today, everyone present here would die. "Tell me, who sent you? I might consider sparing your lives if you cooperate." Unless absolutely necessary, Verdantius Liu didn't want to offend Tone-Breaking Army. They were too powerful, the ace army of the Great Yan Empire. If it became known that Tone-Breaking Army interfered with Canglan City, it would lead to severe consequences. "Hahaha..." The leader of Tone-Breaking Army burst into maniacal laughter, while the guards of the Xu family wailed in misery. "My good young master, don't make trouble. Hurry up and find a way to escape. This is not the place for you. If you're not here, at worst, we can all die together. If you die here, how can we explain to the family head?" "Escape?" Verdantius Liu was puzzled, but his heart warmed. Deacon Qii was considering him. "Why should I escape? I came here to save you." Suddenly, he stood up, pressed his right hand on the hilt of the knife, and flew from the cliff to the ground in no more than two breaths. "Kill him!" The leader of Tone-Breaking Army gave the order, and fifty bows and crossbows aimed at Verdantius Liu. If he were hit, he would surely become a sieve. Without any warning, the attack was launched. Tone-Breaking Army was known for his decisive and ruthless tactics, sweeping across surrounding nations. The arrows produced a sharp whistling sound as they approached. In the blink of an eye, Verdantius Liu was surrounded by a dense array of arrows, unavoidable. "Seeking death yourselves. I'll grant your wish!" Descending like an eagle, spreading its wings, Verdantius Liu's body rapidly descended. The arrows shooting towards him reached close proximity. The short knife unsheathed, a mysterious red blade aura shrouded the sky, like a meteor, the arrows burst open one after another, splitting into two halves, falling from the sky. In such a dense array of arrows, no one could dodge. Deacon Qii had already covered his eyes, unable to bear witnessing Verdantius Liu being shot into a hornet's nest. "Crack!" "Crack!" "..." More and more arrows were being severed. In the blink of an eye, within the time of two breaths, before his feet even touched the ground, the short knife struck again, an overwhelming momentum engulfing the entire Qifeng Canyon. "A majestic aura!" Transforming into a peak strike, blending into the essence of the Blood siphon method, it surged outward like blood, flooding the surroundings. "Badly!" The leader of the black-clad figures realized something was wrong. This force was comparable to the pinnacle of the innate realm. How was this possible? According to the received information, Xu family's son-in-law had always been a waste. The Xu family guards, as if encountering ghosts, widened their eyes. The young master they had always looked down upon had erupted with such formidable strength, which was truly unbelievable. Especially for the guards who had once mocked Verdantius Liu, they felt a chill running down their spines. Deacon Qii seemed to understand the meaning in the family head's letter. Without revealing who it was, just mentioning Verdantius Liu would probably not be believed by anyone. Without giving them time to think, the knife technique sliced through the air. Crushing the space, crushing the air, a powerful wave swept over the ground, and small stones the size of thumbs splashed around. Blood spurted out, and on the cliffs on both sides, red blood flowers were smeared, creating a strangely beautiful scene. In an instant! Ten black-clad figures were killed, turning into headless corpses, lying in the pile of broken stones. Blood flowed through the broken stones, infiltrating the ground, emitting a strong smell of blood, piercing to the extreme. At this moment, the cold wind in Qifeng Canyon disappeared. It seemed to be cooperating with this knife, making the entire valley quiet and silent.