Oh no! My grandmother made me shoulder the responsibility for eight households!

Chapter 28 Murder

The backyard of Qinglongmen Martial Arts School.

Cang Yun's expression turned solemn after hearing Lin Chen's words:

"Ambush me? Zhao Yuan and Blood Hand? Eighth Prince, is this information reliable?"

"Absolutely reliable," Lin Chen said. "Senior Cang, have you discovered anything recently?"

Cang Yun remained silent for a moment, then took out a file from his robes:

"Three days ago, I received a secret report from the Northern Branch."

Three years ago, during the war in the North, a batch of "special supplies" was transported from Jiangnan to the North, and stopped at one of my Qinglongmen strongholds along the way.

According to the records of the guards at the time, two of the escorts had a chilling aura and were suspected to be assassins from the Underworld.

Lin Chen took the file and quickly browsed through it.

The record was brief, but it mentioned a key piece of information.

The seal on that batch of military supplies bore the private seal of Liu Kun, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

"Liu Kun..." Lin Chen's eyes were icy cold. "It really was him."

"I originally intended to go to Jiangnan to investigate after the birthday banquet," Cangyun said.

"I didn't expect them to act so quickly."

"Because they're afraid," Lin Chen said. "Senior Cang, I need to borrow your martial arts school."

"How do I use it?"

"Please spread the word, senior, that I will be visiting Elder Xuanji at the Heavenly Mystery Academy tonight at Hai hour (9-11 PM)," Lin Chen said.

"I'll take the road through Black Wind Forest, but I'm not going there for you."

Cangyun understood: "Substituting a plum for a peach?"

"Yes." Lin Chen nodded. "My people will disguise themselves as seniors and disciples."

"The real Senior Cang, please accompany us secretly. Once they make their move, we'll coordinate from within and without to wipe them all out."

Cang Yun hesitated: "Eighth Young Master, the opponent might be a Grandmaster, or even..."

"Don't worry," Lin Chen said, "I also have Grandmasters on my side."

He clapped his hands.

Two figures appeared silently in the courtyard.

Yuan Tiangang, Li Chunfeng.

Cang Yun's pupils shrank sharply—with his mid-stage Grandmaster cultivation, he hadn't even noticed when these two had arrived!

Especially that scholar in blue robes, whose aura was as deep and boundless as the ocean, indicating he was at least a Grandmaster at the peak of his cultivation, or perhaps even...

"Who are these two...?" Cang Yun's voice was hoarse.

"My patrons," Lin Chen said calmly. "Mr. Yuan, Mr. Li. This is the Azure Dragon Sect's Cangyun Pavilion Master."

The three greeted each other.

Cangyun was even more shocked.

Lin Chen has such a skilled subordinate! No wonder he dared to talk about "counter-ambush"!

"If that's the case," Cangyun gritted his teeth, "then let's do it! The Azure Dragon Sect and the Yama Palace have a long-standing feud, this is a good opportunity to settle both old and new scores!"

"Then I'll have to trouble you to cooperate, senior."

……

Night deepened, and the Black Wind Forest...

This forest is located ten miles west of the city. It is densely wooded and shrouded in mist all year round, making it a well-known dangerous place around the capital.

At 3:45 PM, a group of people carrying torches entered the forest.

The leader was a "Cangyun" (a type of cultivator), accompanied by four "disciples".

In reality, they were all members of the Bad Guys in disguise, and the leader was the deputy commander of the Bad Guys, codenamed "Shadow".

The forest was eerily quiet.

"Shadow" suddenly raised her hand: "Stop."

Illuminated by the firelight, a dozen or so dark figures slowly emerged from the mist ahead.

The three leaders possessed formidable auras.

On the left is an old man in black, with a withered face and bloodshot eyes—Elder "Blood Hand" of the Yama Palace, a Grandmaster in the early stage!

On the right is a middle-aged man in a white robe with a tiger-striped tattoo on his forehead—the Vice Master of the White Tiger Sect, "Bai Sha," a Grandmaster at the peak of his cultivation!

In the middle was an old man in brocade robes with a sinister face. He was none other than Zhao Yuan, a member of the royal family and a Grandmaster in the early stage!

"Cangyun, I've been waiting for you for a long time." Zhao Yuan's voice was hoarse. "Hand over the dossier, and I'll leave you with a whole corpse."

"Shadow" sneered: "With just you guys?"

Before the words were finished, more dark figures emerged from all directions in the forest—more than fifty people in total, the lowest of whom were third-rank, and there were seven or eight first-rank individuals!

Bloodhand grinned maliciously: "Cangyun, today this Black Wind Forest will be your burial ground!"

"Let's do it!"

At a command, the assassins swarmed forward.

"Shadow" drew her sword: "Form the formation!"

The four members of the Bad Guys instantly formed a battle formation, their swords flashing like a net, completely blocking the first wave of attacks.

However, the enemy outnumbered them too much, and they quickly found themselves in a fierce battle.

From the shadows, the real Cangyun watched anxiously: "Eighth Young Master, why haven't you made a move yet?"

Lin Chen pressed him down: "Wait a little longer."

His gaze was sharp as an eagle's, sweeping across the entire room.

Neither Blood Hand nor White Fiend moved, and Zhao Yuan stood with his hands behind his back.

Clearly, these are just tests.

Sure enough, seeing that "Shadow" and the others were gradually weakening, Blood Hand finally made his move.

His figure was like a ghost, rushing straight at "Shadow", his withered claws gleaming with black light, one claw reaching for the heart!

This claw strike was as fast as lightning, carrying a pungent, fishy smell; it was clearly coated with a deadly poison!

"Shadow" struggled to parry with his sword.

"clang!"

The longsword shattered! "Shadow" coughed up blood and flew backward.

Bloodhand grinned maliciously, about to deliver another claw strike.

Suddenly, a figure in blue appeared out of thin air in front of him.

A light sweep of dust.

"puff!"

Blood Hand was struck as if by a heavy blow, and flew backward, crashing into three large trees before stopping, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

Li Chunfeng stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent.

Bai Sha's expression changed drastically: "Grandmaster?!"

Zhao Yuan's pupils constricted sharply: "Who are you?!"

"This humble Taoist priest is Li Chunfeng." Li Chunfeng smiled slightly. "Isn't it inappropriate for you all to gang up on us?"

Before he could finish speaking, another figure appeared in the room.

Yuan Tiangang.

He didn't even glance at Zhao Yuan and the others, and walked straight towards the assassins.

Wherever they went, assassins fell like wheat being harvested, and no one could withstand a single blow!

Zhao Yuan's face turned ashen: "How could the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion... possibly have such a master?!"

"It's too late to know now." Lin Chen slowly stepped out of the shadows.

Cangyun followed closely behind.

"Lin Chen?!" Zhao Yuan gritted his teeth. "It was you who set this up!"

"Not bad," Lin Chen said calmly.

"Prince Zhao, Elder Bloodhand, and Deputy Sect Master White Fiend—the three of you colluded in this crime. That's no small offense, is it?"

Bai Sha roared, "You arrogant brat! Attack!"

He sprang up, his tiger claws tearing through the air, aiming straight for Lin Chen's face!

Just as Cang Yun was about to make a move, he saw Lin Chen neither dodge nor evade, but simply raise his hand and strike out with a palm.

This palm strike was unremarkable, but in Bai Sha's eyes, it was like the sky collapsing and the earth sinking!

"Oh no!" He tried to change his strategy, but it was too late.

"Bang!"

Bai Sha was sent flying backward, spitting out blood in mid-air, and was barely breathing when he landed.

One palm strike, and a Grandmaster at the peak of cultivation is ruined!

The entire room fell silent.

Zhao Yuan stared intently at Lin Chen: "You... how is this possible?"

Lin Chen didn't answer, but only looked at Blood Hand:

"Elder Bloodhand, weren't you the one who escorted that batch of Bone-Corroding Spirit Stones from the Northern Territory three years ago?"

Bloodhand's face turned deathly pale: "You...how did you know...?"

"I also know that you were ordered by Cui Yongnian to infiltrate the Northern Shuo army and ambush my father." Lin Chen's voice was icy.

"This score should be settled tonight."

Bloodhand gritted his teeth, suddenly took out a blood-red pill and swallowed it, causing his aura to surge!

"Blood-Burning Pill!" Cang Yun exclaimed in shock. "He's fighting desperately!"

Blood Hand's body was enveloped in a bloody light that soared into the sky, and his aura briefly broke through to the late stage of Grandmaster!

"Lin Chen, die!" He transformed into a bloody shadow and pounced straight at Lin Chen!

This strike contained his life's cultivation and burned his essence blood, making it terrifyingly powerful!

However, Yuan Tiangang only uttered a single word.

"break."

As soon as the word was uttered, the blood shadow abruptly stopped.

Bloodhand stared wide-eyed and looked down—a bloody hole in his chest, going straight through.

"How...how is this possible..."

He collapsed to the ground and died instantly.

Zhao Yuan panicked completely and turned to run away.

"Prince Zhao," Lin Chen's voice rang in his ear like a ghost, "Did I say you could leave?"

Zhao Yuan froze, slowly turned around, and forced a smile that was more like a grimace:

"Lin... Nephew Lin, it's all a misunderstanding..."

"A misunderstanding?" Lin Chen laughed. "Then the deaths of my father and seven brothers were also a misunderstanding?"

Zhao Yuan broke out in a cold sweat: "That...that was Cui Yongnian's mastermind, I...I just..."

"Just a small share?" Lin Chen finished his sentence for him.

"Your Highness Zhao, don't worry, Cui Yongnian won't escape either. Tonight, we'll start with you."

Lin Chen looked at Yuan Tiangang: "Mr. Yuan, cripple his cultivation but spare his life. I still have a use for him."

"Yes."

Yuan Tiangang stepped forward, and Zhao Yuan tried to resist, but he was powerless against a half-step Celestial.

With a single palm strike, his dantian shattered and his meridians severed.

Zhao Yuan collapsed to the ground, his face ashen.

Lin Chen then looked at the heavily injured Bai Sha and said calmly:

"Mr. Li, just kill him!"