(The second day erupts! The second update! Requesting monthly passes! Monthly passes! Brothers, sisters, the top ten in the continent, only one step away! Give me strength! Charge up!!)

"I ask you, who are you? If you have the guts, state your name!" Lei Jianhong trembled slightly, his voice low and piercing. He ignored the man's sneers and didn't even glance at the tragic corpse of his junior brother on the ground.

Third Junior Sister Fang Piaohong stared fixedly at the body of their Second Senior Brother, trembling so hard she couldn't utter a word.

The fierce fighting across the field suddenly ground to a halt. Zhao Wuji and the others, having narrowly escaped death, were immensely relieved; they barely cared that the reinforcements had arrived so late.

Whether late or early, the important thing was that they had arrived. Wasn't preserving their own lives the greatest thing?

Though the fighting stopped, the atmosphere in the area grew increasingly oppressive!

The man in red chuckled, suddenly flicking his sleeve with a sharp snap, producing a crisp sound in the air. Though he struck seemingly at nothing, it was as if he had hit something solid.

A faint rustling sound swept through the surroundings, and suddenly, dozens of figures materialized silently from all directions.

Illuminated by the firelight, every one of these figures was clad in red robes, standing motionless. But their eyes shone with a cold, terrifying glare, like a pack of bloodthirsty wolves in the dark night, awaiting the command of their Alpha.

Two figures drifted forward slowly, coming to stand beside the first man in red, facing Lei Jianhong and Fang Piaohong. A gentle, azure radiance emanated from them, yet it delivered a powerful visual shock to Lei Jianhong's faction!

These three were all experts at the Tianxuan level!

Dan surveyed the surroundings. Yellowish-brown Xuan Qi colors were scattered everywhere; there were at least ten experts at the Dixuan level, and the rest, all shimmering with the greenish-jade color of the Yuxuan level, numbered thirty to forty!

Lei Jianhong's heart instantly turned ice-cold.

Utterly frigid!

How could this battle be fought!

The enemy's strength far surpassed their own! And on their side, there were only himself and the Third Junior Sister.

"My name? Haha, Grandfather Lei, you haven't been running around long enough to not know that. As an assassin from the Blood Sword Gate, how could I possibly tell you my name? Even if I didn't care about the two of you, I still have to consider Lei Wubei, His Eminence Lei, right! As for whether I have guts, you might as well ask your Second Junior Brother; he certainly knew quite a bit!" The first man in red tilted his head slightly before answering Lei Jianhong's question.

"Very well! Blood Sword Gate, Lei remembers you!" Lei Jianhong cast a resentful look at them, then turned abruptly: "Junior Sister, let's go!"

"Wait!" the man in red suddenly commanded.

Lei Jianhong stopped in his tracks.

"What? Do you still foolishly dream of keeping us both here?" Lei Jianhong laughed tragically: "Although your strength far exceeds ours, and we are indeed no match in a direct confrontation, do you really think you have the power to keep us?"

What Lei Jianhong said was true. The top figures on both sides were Tianxuan-level powerhouses. The Blood Sword Gate could naturally defeat Lei Jianhong's side without difficulty, but keeping Lei Jianhong and Fang Piaohong trapped was absolutely impossible! As long as the two were determined to leave, they could carve out a path of blood at any moment and flee far away.

"Heh heh, Brother Lei misunderstands my good intentions; as the sole bloodline of the Cold-Blooded Sovereign, we certainly wouldn't dare offend you," the man in red said slowly. "It's just that, don't you wish to take away Second Brother Zhou's body? Just let him rot in the wilderness?"

Lei Jianhong snorted coldly, not responding. Suddenly, he leaped up, pulling Fang Piaohong along with one hand. Refusing to exchange any more pleasantries, he darted through the treetops a few times and vanished into the night sky.

Lei Jianhong saw clearly: if he took Zhou Jianming's corpse, the added burden would ensure they could never escape. This remark from the man in red was clearly malicious, intending to keep them both here and eliminate future troubles.

In reality, this enmity was now sealed; there was no turning back for either side—absolute, undying hatred. If he showed any intention of retrieving his Second Brother's body, the opponent would surely use extreme measures to keep them both. What did it matter that his father was the Cold-Blooded Sovereign? If the two of them truly died here, and all the guards belonging to the Li family were wiped out, there would be no witnesses. Then, even if his father wanted revenge, he wouldn't know who to seek it from!

And the opponents clearly possessed that capability!

So, he made a decisive move and fled immediately.

Just as Lei Jianhong had judged, the opponents knew intercepting him was meaningless, so no one made a move to stop him!

In the dim night, a faint, milky-white mist began to rise, slowly enveloping the entire area. The mist grew thicker, gradually seeming to form a thin barrier.

In the mountain forests, such mist often rose in the mornings and evenings, so no one paid it any attention. Moreover, the mist carried whiffs of fresh forest air that were intoxicating, causing everyone to instinctively take a few deep breaths, immediately feeling invigorated!

However, Jun Moxie, who had somehow descended from the trees, let out a deep sigh.

What a pity!

Such a shame that Lei Jianhong and the others left too early. If they had stayed just a little longer... they could have been wiped out in one sweep. It was a shame that the Poisonous Fragrance he had painstakingly concocted had resulted in two escapees...

During the previous battle, it obviously wasn't suitable to use the Poisonous Fragrance; such powerful streams of Xuan Qi would likely have dispersed the fragrance completely in an instant, rendering it ineffective.

So, Jun Moxie only unleashed this ultimate move now that the situation had stabilized. The Poisonous Fragrance, refined using the spiritual energy of the Hongjun Tower, was nearly formless and traceless, like an invisible shadow.

It still carried a scent, a refreshing and elegant fragrance, but everyone who inhaled this elegant aroma would unconsciously lose their ability to resist. Even Xuan Qi masters, after absorbing a certain amount, would instantly drop several levels of Xuan Qi, severely diminishing their fighting power.

This was precisely Jun Moxie's greatest trump card in this operation!

"You finally came..." Zhang Cunxiao, already bearing several wounds, hobbled forward. Zhao Wuji followed close behind him, his gaze towards the red-robed men a mix of fear and boundless subservience.

"Mmm, there was a slight mishap earlier. It caused a delay." The man in red nodded expressionlessly. "Where are those crossbows?"

Zhang Cunxiao glanced at Zhao Wuji. Zhao Wuji understood, leading the group towards several large carts but stopping short of the carriages. He went to the horses pulling the carts, first unfastening the saddles, then probing with his hand. He then unbuckled a nearly transparent, long leather strap from the horse's body, unwinding it coil by coil. Finally, he pulled out a thin sheet of unknown hide from beneath the horse's belly with a swish.

It turned out Zhao Wuji had bound the hand crossbows there.

This level of calculated cunning was indeed beyond expectation, truly remarkable.

Even if thieves tried to search, they would, at most, inspect the carts. If the crossbows weren't there, they would search elsewhere. Who would pay attention to the horses pulling the cart, which were almost completely visible?

"The hand crossbows—three hundred and fifty in total, twenty more than expected, all delivered. The original manufacturing schematics have also been burned. Twenty crossbows are strapped beneath the belly of each horse. The remaining horses are carrying a total of seven thousand specialized crossbow bolts beneath their bellies! This is only the first batch of bolts; the second batch is currently being rushed in production."

Zhao Wuji spoke with extreme caution, bowing low. For some reason, he felt a chilling aura emanating from the man in red, suggesting he was quite displeased.

"Very good! You completed your mission well." The man in red showed satisfaction. "I permit you to rest properly and grant you a reward."

"Thank you," Zhao Wuji exclaimed with delight, bowing in thanks. But before he finished speaking, his head suddenly plummeted to the ground with a thud. The fawning smile was still etched on his face—the man in red had drawn his sword and struck!

"Idiot!"

This was the last commentary left by the man in red!

"The reward I give you is the chance to reunite with your second brother! You can rest forever in the Yellow Springs!" the man in red hissed malevolently.

"Senior..." Zhang Cunxiao began in astonishment, but before he could finish, the man in red struck his head with a palm strike, instantly splattering his brains! Struggling in his final moments, he gasped: "Why?"

"Why? I thought you would be a bit smarter, but it turns out you are also an idiot! You actually ask me for a reason?" The man in red wiped the blood from his hand and smiled faintly. "You fools really thought the Blood Sword Hall was cooperating with that idiotic, pig-like Second Prince? Does he even qualify!"

Suddenly, he waved his hand and commanded sharply: "Attack!"

All the red-robed men struck simultaneously. They had already intentionally or unintentionally closed in on the lucky survivors who had narrowly escaped death; they were almost standing shoulder to shoulder. The group of 'lucky ones,' feeling the shadow of death recede with the arrival of strong reinforcements, let down all their guard. At the leader's command, the attack struck before they could react, instantly butchering the 'lucky ones' like cutting melons and chopping vegetables. They collapsed with screams before they even had time to muster a thought of resistance.

Meanwhile, another contingent of red-robed men silently descended upon the Li family warriors whom Lei Jianhong and the others had left behind. Swords flashed!

Previously, these warriors, led by two Tianxuan masters, had the upper hand. Now, they were being fiercely attacked by three Tianxuan masters leading a host of Dixuan and Yuxuan experts! The situation had completely flipped. Ever since Lei Jianhong and the other fled, these men had been in despair, and now they couldn't summon any courage to fight back, being slaughtered almost instantly!

At this point, only the dozens of late-arriving red-robed men remained. Their fighting prowess was indeed formidable; they sustained no losses during the initial clash.

The mountain mist grew even denser!

"Hurry and check which horses have the hand crossbows, pack them up, and withdraw immediately!" the leading man in red ordered urgently.

"Heh heh heh, it's finally my turn... Damn, I waited too long! But you guys fought too weakly; not many people died, which really displeases this gentleman!"

A spectral, ethereal laugh suddenly echoed, shifting from left to right, then front to back, constantly changing and impossible to pinpoint. The voice continued: "Blood Sword Hall... truly impressive. Picking up this bargain so easily, it truly earns my respect and admiration! But, if your Blood Sword Hall isn't serving the Second Prince, then who are you serving? Or perhaps I should ask, who possesses such great charisma that you dedicate yourselves to them? This lord is very interested."

"Who? Who is playing tricks in the shadows? Get out here!" the man in red roared, scanning the area.

"Hmph hmph... When, I am your father. That’s what your daddy means!" the hidden figure laughed obscenely, then burst into loud laughter: "Good son, aren't you going to kneel down quickly and kowtow to welcome your biological father's arrival!"

"Seeking death!" The man in red was furious. Listening closely, he suddenly leaped upward, unleashing a brilliant azure sword light like a long dragon. Where the light passed, there were several deafening crashes, splitting large trees in half! Mountains and earth seemed to shake as they crashed down, kicking up dust everywhere.

"Eh? How is this possible?" The man in red, who had just displayed mighty power by slaying an expert of the same rank, cried out in shock. He discovered that his Tianxuan Xuan Qi was rapidly draining away, and after that one sword strike, more than half of it had already dissipated!

"Hahahaha! In this world, there are only things you can't imagine, but nothing that cannot be done. What is impossible!" The mysterious man in the shadows let out a long, wild cry, then bellowed: "Attack!"

The surroundings exploded with sound. Several spots on the nearby ground churned up like churning waves, soil and rock flying out explosively. Stout figures rapidly leaped out, followed by people rushing in from all directions.

A light, ethereal figure suddenly materialized in mid-air, speeding towards another Tianxuan expert with incredible velocity!

The original leader of the red-robed men was greatly alarmed and shouted: "Be careful!" Before the words were fully out, a flash of light appeared before his eyes—a black-clad, masked figure had suddenly materialized right in front of him! The real target was him! Alarmed, he rapidly dodged backward while raising his long sword to launch an attack.

But the assailant followed him like a shadow, striking first. A cold gleam flashed, aimed at his throat. This ray of cold light was incredibly fast; even with the man in red's sharp eyesight, he couldn't discern the weapon before feeling a chilling sting at his throat.

The man in red had no time to draw his sword and retreat further, but he felt a rush of wind near his lower body—a knee was slamming forcefully towards his groin! The man in red was horrified, thrusting his hips out, dodging a foot away like lightning. Just as he congratulated himself for avoiding the fatal strike, he saw another flash of cold light, piercing straight toward his eyes! Mustering all his remaining strength, he retreated sideways, feeling a stinging pain across his face, realizing his skin had been sliced by the sharp weapon. Simultaneously, a dull thump echoed against his chest as the enemy's dual elbows smashed violently into his sternum, followed by a searing pain in his lower body—his most vulnerable spot had been brutally struck!

The man in red was angry, enraged, in pain, and terrified.

These moves were precisely what he had used against Zhou Jianming just moments ago; the opponent had copied them almost entirely! But now the roles were reversed, and he was the one being struck, and this person's speed was even more ruthless and precise than his own!

Is this retribution from fate? (To be continued)