Chapter 71: The Cunning Plan

“Damned bastards!”

“These Devouring Sea Gang bandits, how dare they act so wildly?”

As expected, seeing the Devouring Sea Gang members behave so brutally and arrogantly, actually kicking those already weak women into the lake water, their cries desperate as they struggled to survive while the gangsters laughed aboard the boat, the Academy Disciples were instantly provoked into a rage. They shouted curses, unleashing Flying Swords and Flying Pills like streaking meteors, swishing and clattering towards the boat. Even Nie Quan, He Zhenzhang, and the others nearby could no longer contain their fury. One swung his blade forward in a mighty chop, while the other shot out three golden light Talismans!

“This…”

The gang members on the deck, seeing this, felt a flicker of fear and instinctively stepped back.

“Hmph!”

But at that moment, Lao Chao, watching the Academy Disciples attack, snorted coldly. Suddenly, the savage aura around him surged. The snakelike black tendrils coiling over his body abruptly writhed violently. Boundless violent wind shot skyward, coalescing into a dark cloud above his head. This cloud, thick with killing intent, seemed almost alive, vaguely forming the shape of a tiger’s head.

Lao Chao spread his five fingers, then clenched them into a fist suddenly.

Bang!

With his movement, the tiger head opened a bloody maw and roared silently. Rolling waves of killing intent swept outwards. The surrounding Academy Disciples, who had been channeling their power to surround the boat, were instantly struck as if by a heavy blow. Their bodies trembled violently, staggering backward.

Then Lao Chao punched, his flesh-and-blood fist meeting the blade glow Nie Quan had slashed through the air. A crisp cracking sound rang out as the blade glow shattered into fragments under his fist. Simultaneously, the three golden light Talismans unleashed by He Zhenzhang arrived. Without even turning his head, Lao Chao swept his fist horizontally. The three Talismans were instantly saturated with killing intent and flew back towards He Zhenzhang at an even greater speed.

He Zhenzhang’s face paled in terror. He scrambled back, seeing he couldn’t dodge, when suddenly a loud sword hum filled the air. A snow-white Flying Sword appeared before him. Sword intent surged, instantly slicing the three Talismans thick with killing intent cleanly in half.

At that moment, a gleam of sword light flashed beside Meng Zhixue. From the sword case on her back, a streak of sword light shot forth.

Lao Chao had been stepping towards the bow, seemingly intending to attack the Academy Disciples. But the sword came incredibly fast, forcing a look of concentration onto his face. Clenching both hands into fists, a howling gale, carrying the furious roar of a tiger, erupted around him. The malevolent aura swirling beside him instantly wove together, forming a black, tiger-headed shield before him to meet the oncoming sword…

“Clang!”

The sword struck and was deflected.

But unexpectedly, Meng Zhixue formed a sword sign with her fingers and pointed into the distance. From the white jade sword case behind her, Flying Swords emerged one after another, almost forming a continuous white line as they flew urgently to strike at Lao Chao.

When others used Flying Swords, one, two, or three were common; controlling more than that was difficult.

Surprisingly, over a dozen Flying Swords flew out from Meng Zhixue’s case in succession, each imbued with formidable magical power.

“Clang!” “Clang!” “Clang!” “Clang!” “Clang!”

A rapid series of sharp, clear clangs rang out. The black aura before Lao Chao was slashed repeatedly, growing thinner and weaker until it nearly dissipated.

He clearly looked somewhat surprised when he blocked the final sword. The tiger head shield vanished before him.

Meanwhile, the Flying Swords Meng Zhixue had unleashed were already circling back, spreading out around her like an unfurled fan. The sword blades quivered slightly as the surrounding magical power condensed, seemingly continuously amplifying their strength… Her power was gathering, stronger and stronger.

It seemed she still had strength to spare, poised to unleash another rain of swords.

“Immortal Maiden, do you truly wish to slay me?”

Lao Chao clutched a white bone at his waist. He looked at Meng Zhixue and laughed coldly.

Meng Zhixue’s face was as pale and cold as jade, clear and resolute. The sword intent around her intensified. “A demon like you, slaying you would accumulate Merit!”

A cold glint flashed in Lao Chao’s eyes. He smiled. “According to the laws of Great Xia, even if I committed a crime, it should be the City Governor who executes me. Does the Immortal Maiden wish to do it for him?” His smile grew increasingly mocking. “If you do this, Immortal Maiden, how are you any different from us people of the jianghu?”

“You…”

Meng Zhixue seemed furious. Her Flying Swords trembled. But after glancing at the struggling women in the lake, she gritted her teeth and said, “Go rescue those people first…”

Hearing this, the surrounding Disciples, though their eyes still burned with rage, saw that the women kicked into the lake were still struggling and crying. Some who couldn’t swim were already on the verge of drowning. When Lao Chao had attacked earlier, they hadn’t dared approach the boat. Now that Lao Chao had finally ceased his attack, they urgently rushed forward to haul the struggling women out of the water onto the shore.

Seeing this scene, Lao Chao and the gang members behind him burst into loud laughter, appearing thoroughly entertained.

Meng Zhixue, seeing their rampant arrogance, shouted sharply:

“Do not think I don’t know your dealings with that demon! When that demon is exposed, it will spell the end of your Devouring Sea Gang!”

“Haha, then we’ll just wait for the Immortal Maiden to find him out!”

Lao Chao laughed uproariously, seeming to openly admit his collusion with the demon without a trace of concern.

Amid Meng Zhixue’s icy glare, he gave a grand wave. The large ship began to move, slowly heading towards the lake’s center. The gang members, seemingly deliberately provoking the Academy Disciples, laughed loudly one by one, like a flock of night owls. Their laughter traveled far across the dark water, interspersed with mocking calls:

“The Academy Disciples are truly mighty, going to slaughter us all, huh?”

“Haha, if they didn’t have good parents, how much better than us would they be?”

“Especially this Nanshan Alliance, aren’t they trying to emulate that Immortal Master Fang Chi?”

“Haha, even Immortal Master Fang Chi died. Where exactly are these people any better?”

“Let’s go! Time to refine the Human Elixir!”

“…”

Hearing that laughter, Meng Zhixue bit her lip so hard it nearly bled. Her heart was filled with a crushing sense of defeat.

The other Disciples were equally suffocated by anger, their faces twisted in rage.

Going into the water to rescue people had left them drenched and soaking wet. Now, dripping and sodden, they looked particularly disheveled and wretched.

These were outstanding talents among the Academy Disciples, all inspired by Immortal Master Fang Chi, hearts full of righteous fervor…

Who could have imagined that encountering the Devouring Sea Gang would make them spin around helplessly? Where was their proud grace now?

But now, a bucket of cold water had been dumped over their heads, extinguishing their spirits.

Truly, inside they seethed with unbearable resentment. But what could they do? Even now, their minds were in confusion. Many guessed that Lao Chao truly might be in league with the Human Elixir refiner; that the demon cultivator, capitalizing on this plague Qi, had indeed kidnapped many commoners. They could even sense that Lao Chao seemed to be deliberately toying with them, stalling for time…

But they had no solution. They couldn’t figure out where the kidnapped people were taken…

Those were living people, even dozens, perhaps hundreds of them! How did they spirit them away?

How to kidnap so many people right under the noses of others?

…

Just as the Academy Disciples were engulfed in bewilderment and frustration, filled with helpless resentment as they watched the Devouring Sea Gang’s large ship sail away, Fang Cun sat inside his carriage, calmly pondering this troubling question…

“There are many Academy Disciples and Qi Refiners active in this plague-stricken area, tending to the people. It’s crowded and busy. Given their caution, they wouldn’t dare use the Soul Captivation Art to kidnap people; that would be too easily detected by other Qi Refiners…”

“They are in a hurry to refine the second batch of Human Elixir, so the number they kidnap must be huge!”

“The very fact they went to such lengths causing this plague shows their urgency…”

“Then, how do they manage to kidnap hundreds of living people without attracting notice or arousing suspicion?”

“…”

He recalled what Master Qin had told him: When the Human Elixir is formed, a brilliant light radiates, illuminating the land for miles…

Therefore, the opponent’s refinement site must be in a hidden place…

Pondering slowly, Fang Cun’s eyes suddenly brightened slightly. A possibility occurred to him. His brow relaxed as he looked at Xiao Qingliu.

“Give them a hint!”

Hearing his words, Xiao Qingliu looked startled. He hurriedly scrambled out of the carriage and yelled at the top of his lungs.

“It’s bad! Dead bodies are coming back to life in the East City Charity Manor!”

…

That loud shout shattered the silence of the night and drew countless eyes.

Both the gathered Academy Disciples and the Devouring Sea Gang members on the boat couldn’t help but freeze momentarily.

Then, a look of sudden horror flashed across Meng Zhixue’s face. She urgently turned her gaze towards the direction of the Charity Manor.

At the same time, Lao Chao’s face darkened terribly, murderous intent radiating plainly.

“It’s over!”