The earth-shattering shouts and killings outside the tavern window made Li Hong’s face drain of color, his fists clenched so tightly that his heart felt as if it were bleeding out. The main contingent of the hundred-plus top experts from the Medicine King Gang who had accompanied him to Zhuqi County were stationed near the Yongfu Tower—they were likely all about to be wiped out in one fell swoop.

Li Hong was both alarmed and enraged. He hadn't anticipated that Tie Yuyang, Golden Tiger, and the others would react so fiercely, immediately ordering their subordinates to ruthlessly eradicate the entire Medicine King Gang the moment the situation turned sour. He hadn't even had time to intervene.

He frantically scanned his surroundings. The elders of the Medicine King Gang were also visibly shaken, some showing clear signs of panic.

Only the three Immortal Masters from the Nan Clan remained completely unmoved by the sudden outbreak of fighting in the county town, showing not the slightest concern. Each produced a talisman from their robes, clutching it tightly, watching the assembled high-ranking members of the various gangs in the main hall with cold detachment.

Seeing that the three overwhelmingly powerful Immortal Masters on his side remained composed and had yet to act, Li Hong’s spirit settled. He let out a long breath. For the future hegemony of the Medicine King Gang, for the prospects of the Li Family, every sacrifice the Medicine King Gang was making now was worthwhile. As long as they eliminated the nine gang leaders within the Yongfu Tavern, the nine gangs—leaderless—would inevitably fall under the control of the Medicine King Gang sooner or later. Moreover, the Li Family would gain its first Immortal—that was the most crucial outcome.

He feigned an air of complete confidence, idly fanning his iron fan and sneering coldly, "Brother Yuyang, Brother Jinhu, you truly possess remarkable spirit. Now that the brothers of the Ten Great Gangs have engaged in battle, it is not fitting for us leaders to stand idly by here. Today, let us see whether your nine gangs are annihilated first, or if it is my Medicine King Gang that falls. Brother Yuyang, shall we face off one-on-one, or plunge directly into a free-for-all? If it’s a duel..."

The old man in the white robe suddenly cut him off, his voice icy. "Li Hong, what is the point of all this nonsense? Where is all this posturing coming from? You first secure our flanks, and prepare immediately for battle. Wait until this old man has captured them all with one swoop."

"Yes, Clan Leader Tianxiong, we shall commence the battle immediately!"

Li Hong hurried to nod and agree with a placating smile, but inwardly he thought that this new Nan Clan leader was far too impatient, failing to even recognize his small tactic of stalling for time to deplete more internal energy from the nine gangs' experts.

However, since the Nan Clan Leader was eager to fight, so be it. After all, once Clan Leader Nan Tianxiong made his move, the final outcome would undoubtedly be the same regardless.

Including Li Hong, the dozen-plus high-ranking figures of the Medicine King Gang drew their swords and blades, forming a tight cordon around the three Immortal Masters of the Nan Clan. The safety of the three Immortal Masters was paramount, determining the victory or defeat of this entire battle; not a moment's laxity could be afforded.

Opposite them stood the forty or fifty high-ranking members of the Nine Great Gangs, led by the three peerless masters—Tie Yuyang, Wei Yuan, and Xiao Qiu—along with dozens of unaffiliated lone heroes, completely surrounding the faction of the Medicine King Gang.

Although the leadership of the Nine Great Gangs held a distinct numerical advantage and possessed three peerless experts, with the rest being top-tier masters at a minimum, they still felt a profound apprehension toward the members of the Nan Clan.

They truly could not fathom what great divine abilities the three Immortal Masters of the Nan Clan possessed.

Ye Qin remained hidden behind a curtain at the rear of the main hall, watching intently, yet he could not discern the true nature of those three.

Ever since the Nan Clan members appeared, he had remained concealed within the auction hall, holding his breath and observing the battle developing within the space. The hall was crowded, the atmosphere tense, so neither the Nan Clan members nor those of the Ten Great Gangs noticed his hidden presence.

Ye Qin activated his Spiritual Eye technique, sweeping over the three figures from the Nan Clan to gauge the strength of the magical power within their bodies. He was secretly perplexed. The magical power within these three did not appear particularly strong. The youth among them was even merely at the first level of Qi Refining. The young man and the elder were both at the second level of Qi Refining—one or two minor stages weaker than him. How could cultivators this weak rule the Ten Great Gangs of Pingzhou? Did they possess some astonishing secret technique?

Ye Qin speculated inwardly. The Nan Clan had been in Pingzhou for over a century, and the old fiend Nan Tianba commanded numerous powerful offensive spells, such as the Fireball Technique. His family members should certainly possess many such offensive spells.

Suddenly, Ye Qin’s heart quickened. An overwhelming thought surfaced in his mind: Old Fiend Nan Tianba adamantly refused to teach him any offensive spells, but he could acquire them from others in the Nan Family! Once he mastered offensive magic, he would possess the ability to contend with Nan Tianba. Nan Tianba, who constantly swaggered unchecked within his Purple Mansion, would no longer be able to threaten his safety as before.

At that very moment...

The three members of the Nan Clan began to move. Each held a crumpled yellow talisman covered in strange inscribed runes, and they started chanting spells rapidly to activate the charms.

The high-ranking members of the Nine Great Gangs exchanged glances, their eyes hardening with fierce resolve.

"Move out!"

"Kill—!"

The top masters among the gang leaders moved with tacit understanding, driving force into their feet, weapons in hand, charging toward the dozen-plus members of the Medicine King Gang. They aimed to break the Medicine King Gang’s defensive line as quickly as possible and then execute the three members of the Nan Clan.

If they waited any longer, and the Nan Clan's Immortal Masters deployed some strange, powerful magic, they would become even harder to deal with.

Sudden gusts of fierce wind erupted in the hall, mingling with flashing blades and swords amidst the raging chaos.

The ten-plus members of the Medicine King Gang were all top-tier experts. Knowing they were heavily outnumbered, they tightly linked their formation into a circle, weapons facing outward, holding a staunch defense without counterattacking. Although the Nine Great Gangs had superior numbers, they did not belong to a single unified faction, and their assault lacked effective coordination. For a time, they failed to break through the resolute defense established by the Medicine King Gang.

Elder Huang, Golden Tiger of the Treasure Gang, charged at the very front. With a furious roar, he channeled his internal energy, his palms glowing as red as hot coals, slamming down with blistering palm winds toward the Medicine King Gang leader, Li Hong.

He hated Li Hong to the core. He had meticulously sought contact with the "Nan Clan Young Master," hoping to become the Nan Clan’s agent in Pingzhou, only to have the opportunity snatched away by Li Hong. He would never be content until Li Hong was dead.

Li Hong gripped his iron fan, pouring his internal force into it, transforming it into a sharp spray of fan blades that cleaved toward Elder Huang’s palms. The fan in his hand seemed forged from some unknown, incredibly sharp metal; Elder Huang’s fierce palm energy had absolutely no effect on the iron fan.

Beside Li Hong was the benevolent benefactor Elder Li of the Herb Gathering Hall, who occasionally chipped in with aid. The two of them, fighting in tandem, managed to withstand Golden Tiger’s fierce onslaught. Li Hong felt annoyed, wondering what madness had seized Golden Tiger tonight, targeting him so consistently.

Amidst the fierce fighting, three blinding golden lights suddenly erupted in the hall.

The three members of the Nan Clan finished chanting their incantations and affixed their talismans in an extremely short span of time. Instantly, their bodies blazed with golden light, a thick, inch-deep golden radiance enveloping them. The three stood like three radiant golden thrones descended from the heavens, shocking the minds of everyone present in the hall. No one knew what sort of immortal technique this was, nor what purpose it served.