Chapter 453 - 209: Chief Constable and Assassin (Part 2)

The gold, silver, and valuables had been carried away. Not even a single egg was left in the entire estate.

Jiang Ran and Tang Huayi exchanged a look.

Just from the description, it sounded very much like the Setting Sun Sect’s M.O.

After settling everyone in at the inn, Jiang Ran and Tang Huayi set out under the cover of night, heading for the wealthy family’s home.

They both planned to check out the scene for themselves.

If they could see the bodies, that would be even better.

They had both seen the state of the bandits’ corpses back at the mountain fortress. A comparison would be enough to determine if the Setting Sun Sect was behind this.

The slaughtered family lived at the northernmost edge of town.

Perhaps because they were so wealthy, they lived in a state of splendid isolation.

Although it was technically within the town, the estate was separated from its surroundings by a patch of forest and encircled by a small river.

They had effectively cut themselves off from the common folk.

It was likely for this very reason that no one in town noticed a thing when the entire family was murdered.

Jiang Ran and Tang Huayi passed through the woods and crossed the river. When they looked up again, a solemn manor stood before them.

The estate, its family slaughtered just the night before, now exuded a terrifying gloom. A faint, almost imaginary, scent of blood lingered in the air.

The two of them reached the main gate. With a casual push, the doors swung open.

To their surprise, the bodies in the courtyard had not yet been cleared away.

They remained just as they were at the moment of death.

"This is an unexpected bonus..."

Jiang Ran took a step forward, then a look of sudden realization crossed his face. He glanced back at Tang Huayi.

Tang Huayi returned his glance with a questioning look.

Jiang Ran just smiled, casually leading her to inspect the bodies.

Most of the bodies were in a ghastly state, scattered about and torn to pieces.

Seeing this, Tang Huayi gently shook her head.

"This must be..."

"This must be the result of their viciousness and cruelty."

Jiang Ran cut her off before she could finish.

"These people are truly despicable."

Tang Huayi looked sharply at Jiang Ran. That wasn’t what she had been about to say.

’Jiang Ran clearly interrupted me on purpose. Does he not want me to say what I was thinking?’

Just as this thought crossed her mind, a voice suddenly shouted, "Don’t move!"

As the urgent voice rang out, the sound of something slicing through the air followed.

She whirled around to see an object spinning toward her. As it drew near, it suddenly unfurled into a large net, intending to capture her in a single sweep.

She immediately shifted her feet and brought up the single-edged saber in her hand.

Eight-Directional Storm Gathers in the Central Province!

With a flash of her blade’s light, she flicked the net away.

"Excellent saber skills!"

A cry of admiration came from the side.

The next moment, several figures leaped onto the rooftops. They all held small crossbows aimed at Tang Huayi and Jiang Ran, and with a series of SWISHES, they pulled the triggers.

Thin cords, each tied with a small iron ring, shot out.

The small rings CLANGED together, creating a crisp, pleasant sound. But no matter where these ropes wrapped around a person, once the rings latched, their limbs would be bound.

Seeing this, Jiang Ran smiled. He spread his arms, then brought his hands together—one pointing to the sky, the other to the ground.

The Indestructible Gang Qi of the Heaven’s Will Inversion Divine Art!

A powerful gust of Gang Qi swept out, sending the incoming ropes flying back even faster than they came, right onto their original owners.

For a moment, cries of "Oof!" and "Argh!" rose one after another.

Some even went TUMBLING off the roofs, crashing to the ground with bloody heads.

"Excellent martial arts!!!"

The same person who had praised Tang Huayi’s saber skills spoke again. But this time, as the voice arrived, so did the person.

Jiang Ran looked up and immediately felt that this person’s entire style was off.

In the darkness, he saw that the newcomer was a curvy, well-endowed young woman. Her features weren’t stunningly beautiful, but they were clean and delicate.

But in her hands, she carried two enormous mountain-cleaving axes.

As she descended from mid-air, she brought her axes crashing down with a roar.

"Taste my axe!!"

Her words were nonsense; she was clearly swinging two axes.

At the same time, another voice followed close behind:

"Hey, slow down! Don’t hurt them! I don’t think they’re..."

Jiang Ran’s brow furrowed slightly. He took a step back, and the twin axes slammed into the spot where he’d been standing. With a loud CRACK, fissures spread out in all directions.

The girl held the axes with both hands, her entire body suspended in the air. After landing, she put her strength into her arms, spun on her heel, and shouted, "Again!!"

A thought flickered in Jiang Ran’s mind. He spun the Gold-Shatterer Saber in his hand, blocking the attack with the sheathed blade.

A sharp CRACK rang out.

The moment they collided, it was as if two primeval behemoths had smashed into one another.

A fierce wind howled, sweeping through the area.

Even Tang Huayi staggered slightly, looking at the person before her in disbelief.

’Where does such immense power come from in such a small body?’

After two consecutive axe strikes, she still hadn’t managed to harm the man before her in the slightest.

The girl’s eyes suddenly glinted with excitement.

"A thousand pieces of gold are easy to obtain, but a single good general is hard to find!

"You’re a worthy opponent!

"Take this!!"

With that, the girl began to whirl her twin axes. She swung the massive weapons so fast they formed an impenetrable screen. The whistling shadows of the blades resembled wisps of black wind, creating a maelstrom that no one nearby could enter.

Jiang Ran merely raised an eyebrow. Without even drawing the Gold-Shatterer Saber, he weaved through the storm of black wind, now blocking, now tapping lightly. He was like a leaf in a gale; no matter which way the wind blew, it could not harm him in the slightest.