Chapter 129 - 128: Ambush

Chapter 129: Chapter 128: Ambush

Chen Li and his group soon exited Hidden Emperor Castle, stepping onto a narrow path through the dense woods.

The woods were pitch-black, with only the occasional CRACK of hooves crushing dry branches and the chirping of unknown insects in the distance.

Just then, the sound of seven footsteps reached Chen Li. They were exceedingly faint, yet impossible to miss for someone with Spirit Realm senses.

A flicker of awareness passed through him, but his expression remained placid. His Divine Sense spread out like a vast, invisible net, capturing every stir of wind and grass within a radius of several dozen yards.

Those seven auras, deliberately suppressed yet still sharp and fierce, clung to them like a persistent shadow, tailing them from several dozen yards away, neither closing the distance nor falling behind.

’Qi Realm Perfection... Six men and one woman...’

Chen Li instantly gauged their strength. He was inwardly surprised but gave no sign, simply continuing to ride on impassively. Secretly, however, he had already raised his guard, prepared for the unexpected.

The moment they stepped out of the dense woods, the view before them opened up completely.

Unobstructed moonlight spilled down, bathing the ground in a cold, clear light.

Almost at the very instant the group stepped out of the woods.

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!

Seven dark figures shot out from the surrounding shadows, landing nimbly on all sides to perfectly encircle Chen Li and his party.

The newcomers were all clad in tight-fitting black garb. In their hands, they held narrow-bladed longswords, which reflected a cold, sinister gleam under the moonlight.

Their leader, a man who appeared to be in his forties, was the tallest and most imposing of them all. With a flick of his longsword, he pointed its tip directly at Li Weikun.

The hatred in his eyes was almost palpable. "Li Weikun! You shameless traitor, selling yourself out for glory and clinging to a wretched existence! Today is the day you die!"

His voice was like ice, each word striking with force.

Li Weikun was stunned by the sudden accusation and the piercing killing intent, his brow furrowing deeply.

His sharp gaze swept over the seven people surrounding them. When his eyes fell upon a rather short and slender swordsman to his left, his expression changed abruptly.

This was clearly the same person who had fought with them over the Five Stone Powder at the Black Market apothecary just a few days ago.

Everything instantly clicked into place.

As realization dawned, Li Weikun took a step forward, shielding his son, Li Jiwei, and his daughter, Li Jinru, behind him.

His eyes blazed as he stared them down, his voice thick with suppressed rage. "Who are you people?" he demanded. "First, you set us up at the Black Market, and now you ambush us on the road. I have navigated the Jianghu for decades and have always acted with integrity. I have no such deep-seated hatred with any of you. We are strangers. So where does this talk of me being a ’traitor’ come from?"

The leader let out a cold laugh, the sound exceptionally jarring in the empty, desolate field. "Hah! Still playing dumb? Who are you putting on an act for? You owe the entire Kao Mountain Sect a blood debt, and it’s time you paid it! Surrender your life!"

There were no more words.

As if they had rehearsed it to perfection, the seven moved in unison the instant the leader’s voice fell. Their bodies blurred, and their longswords vibrated as one.

HUMMM!

The ringing of the seven swords blended into a single, long hum. The tips of the blades pulsed with cold light, instantly weaving a fluid, silver web of steel. It seemed sparse, yet it left no openings as it enveloped Li Weikun, radiating a bone-chilling killing intent.

Their sword style was light and swift, focused on ensnaring and locking down their opponent.

’The Kao Mountain Sect?’

Shock and suspicion welled up in Li Weikun, his heart pounding. He hastily shouted, "Wait, hold your attack! Are you all my martial brothers from the Kao Mountain Sect? There must be a misunderstanding!"

"Who wants to be martial brothers with a traitor like you? Don’t you dare defile our sect’s name!"

the leader roared, his hands showing no hesitation. His sword technique shifted, the tip of the blade vibrating as he thrust viciously toward the vital points on Li Weikun’s chest.

"Father, I’m coming to help you!" Seeing Li Weikun surrounded, Li Jiwei grew frantic and charged into the web of swords, hoping to relieve the pressure.

In this life-or-death crisis, Li Weikun had no room for hesitation. He let out an explosive roar, "Jiwei, Kao Mountain!"

In an instant, the father and son were together, standing back-to-back against their foes.

The qi and blood in both their bodies surged like a roaring furnace, their tendons and bones humming in unison. They dropped their shoulders, sank their elbows, and hollowed their chests while arching their backs.

Unleashing the Iron Mountain Lean, they used their own bodies—elbows, shoulders, and backs—as weapons. Their movements were wide and sweeping, incomparably fierce, like two frenzied bulls crashing headlong into the nimble sword-light.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

For a moment, the sound of striking metal was incessant.

When the sword blades hacked down on the parts of their bodies fortified with Qi Cultivation, they rang out with the sharp sound of steel striking stone.

Relying on their formidable Horizontal Training Skills and a surge of sheer grit, the two of them managed to withstand the first wave of the coordinated assault.

But the seven attackers were clearly well-coordinated. Leveraging their numerical superiority, their Sword Array flowed seamlessly, one advancing as another retreated. The sword-light washed over them in waves, specifically targeting the weak points the Iron Mountain Lean had difficulty protecting: their lower bodies, joints, eyes, ears, noses, and mouths.

Soon, the sharp Sword Qi had torn more than a dozen gashes in Li Weikun and Li Jiwei’s clothing. While their Horizontal Training Skills protected them from serious injury, faint lines of blood were already beginning to appear on their skin. Their situation was perilous.

Seeing his master and senior brother instantly trapped and facing constant peril from the seven blades, Chen Shouye immediately turned to his father, Chen Li, who had been standing by and watching silently.

Chen Li’s gaze swept over the battlefield. He gave a slight nod and said in a low voice, "Go. Be careful."

"Shouye... Don’t go."

Li Jinru, who was watching anxiously from the side, was already sick with worry seeing her father and brother surrounded. She knew Chen Shouye was only in the Blood Refining Realm and might not be of much help if he joined in.

Seeing him prepare to enter the fray now, her heart filled with even greater worry and anxiety.

"Don’t worry."

Chen Shouye nodded. Without further hesitation, he let out a low shout, "Master! Senior Brother! I’m here to help!"

Before his voice faded, he shot forward like an arrow from a bow. He, too, executed a well-practiced Iron Mountain Lean, stepping forward and dropping his shoulder. The blow was powerful and heavy, crashing like a great hammer into a swordsman who was stabbing at Li Weikun’s side.

"You’re courting death!"

Sensing the vicious rush of air from his flank, the swordsman hastily pulled his sword back to block, holding the longsword horizontally before him.

With a muffled THUD,

the blade bent dramatically under the impact. The swordsman felt a tremendous force wash over him, and his qi and blood churned violently in his chest.

He staggered back three or four steps before steadying himself, a look of shocked fury flashing in his eyes.

’Blood Refining Perfection! Such powerful Horizontal Cultivation!’

Chen Shouye’s intervention temporarily eased the immense pressure on Li Weikun and his son.

The three immediately seized the opportunity to close ranks, standing back-to-back in a simple but effective triangular formation. Covering each other’s flanks, they fended off the nimble flashes of sword-light coming from all directions.

The sounds of angry roars, whistling swords, and bodies colliding intermingled as the battle grew even more intense.

However, their opponents still numbered seven. Furthermore, their Swordsmanship was devious and their Body Technique nimble. They avoided clashing head-on, instead circling constantly, probing for an opening.

The Sword Array cycled without end, like relentless, overlapping waves, constantly draining the trio’s stamina and Qi Strength.

Although the trio had yet to sustain any critical injuries, a prolonged defense was bound to fail. The outlook was grim.