It was strange. Judging by his tone, he seemed to know me, yet I couldn't recall ever offending the number one figure. However, the mention of the Blue-Clad Man sent a chill down my spine—could he be from the Kuanglong Gang? I had worn light blue armor while training outdoors before, and the only people I’d killed were members of the Kuanglong Gang. Thinking of this, I couldn't help but gasp, "Kuanglong Gang!"

"You all run!" the remaining Scarlet Moon Warrior roared. "Tell the Hall Master that the Blue-Clad Man breached the side gate."

"Yes, sir!" The surrounding High-Rank Rangers vanished instantly, leaving only the grim-faced Scarlet Moon Warrior staring at me.

***It really was a case of enemies destined to meet—and so soon. No wonder the guards here were so formidable. I hadn't harbored any deep hatred for the Kuanglong Gang before, but now, they had earned my undying wrath by capturing my mother. This was a clear case of 'those who sow evil shall reap calamity.' Thinking of this, my anger flared hotter. Wasting no more words, I erupted forward, unleashing the Three-Line Sword Strike.

Roar! He instinctively swung his staff to guard his throat, but he never expected that my Three-Fresh Sword Strike would simultaneously target his chest, abdomen, and throat.

With a mere thwack, the armor on his abdomen was pierced by my blade. However, thanks to the defensive Battle Qi and the sheer strength of the War God Armor, I barely managed to puncture the armor plating, unable to inflict further damage. But it startled him immensely.

Almost as soon as I pierced his armor, the second wave of my Three-Line Sword Strike followed. This time, the Scarlet Moon Warrior didn't even have time to parry. He desperately protected his throat, relying on the War God Armor’s supreme defense to absorb my attacks on other parts. This time, however, I added a subtle variation to the Three-Line Sword Strike. While aiming for his throat, the follow-up attack shifted into a Three-Hit Chain Strike—a technique I had grasped while fighting the Evil Pincer Worms—and the target was now his heart.

Thrust! Without any chance to counterattack, the iron plate over his left chest was instantly pierced. My longsword plunged deep into his body. The surging Battle Qi energy flooded into him the moment the blade pierced through.

Bam! As I yanked my sword out and leaped back, a high-pressure jet of blood erupted from the thumb-sized hole in his chest.

Having landed the decisive blow, I didn't linger. I snatched the Hundred Battle Saber slanted in the ground and immediately pursued the direction where the High-Rank Rangers had fled. I had to capture one of them and find out where my mother and the others were being held.

Near the main gate of Kunlong Village, the masters from the Shenyue Palace had successfully breached the enemy’s second defensive checkpoint and were now entering the core area of the third. Just then, a sudden, massive tremor shook the area. Countless huge boulders rained down like projectiles from the direction they had just broken through, interspersed with fireballs, exploding flames, and spells like Lightning Bolt.

Although Yan Kong and the others were surprised, they weren't overly concerned. They relied on their agility and powerful defensive skills like Battle Qi shields or magic shields to evade or withstand the falling stones.

But they quickly realized something was wrong. The magical attacks mixed in with the stones were shockingly intense—definitely magic on par with an entire Scarlet Moon Mage Legion. Soon, even denser Ice Roars whistled towards them.

"What is going on? That’s the Scarlet Moon Mage Legion’s attack!" Yan Kong exclaimed in horror.

"Weren't there only general High-Rank Mage Legions here?" Yan Zhen asked, his face paling.

"Retreat!" Yan Luo shouted immediately. "It’s a Kuanglong Gang ambush!"

"Hahahaha! Hahahaha!" A harsh, mocking laugh echoed through the passage. "You aren't leaving." Looking towards the sound, we saw Chi Yan and his group standing on high ground overlooking the passage.

"Fall back," Yan Kong didn't even bother to curse back, commanding the formation to retreat the way they came. But Chi Yan and his cohorts were clearly prepared, and there was no way they would let them succeed.

Boom! With another earth-shattering crash, countless boulders slammed down. The largest was the size of a large millstone. Even the powerful strength and protective Battle Qi of the Scarlet Moon Warriors couldn't withstand it, let alone the magical attacks launched from above by the Kuanglong Gang's mage legion.

In an instant, giant stones rained down, and flames scorched the sky. The narrow passage instantly transformed into a brutal, living hell. Many were crushed into pulp on the spot, and the route of retreat was completely blocked by an insurmountable wall of rubble, turning the entire passage into a treacherous, dead end. Their only way out was the massive gate blocking the checkpoint ahead, but who could be sure that wasn't another trap? At this moment, however, there was no time for calculation; if they couldn't climb over the checkpoint, being smashed or burned to death was only a matter of time. But the ones guarding the pass were densely packed Kuanglong Gang experts; forcing their way through was easier said than done.

"Charge through that checkpoint!" Yan Kong roared. It was the only desperate option left. Staying in the passage meant being reduced to target practice. If it had only been standard High-Rank Mage Legion attacks, they wouldn't have cared, but facing their formidable old enemies was a different story altogether.

The Shenyue Palace masters could only charge toward the checkpoint with utter disregard for their lives.

But what greeted them was a storm of Ice Roars and Fireballs. Beneath them was a sea of scorching fire, and above, layers of Ice Roars, Lightning Bolts, and Exploding Flames rained down. In moments, another large contingent of Shenyue Palace masters fell.

However, a few dozen Shenyue Palace masters managed to escape that initial barrage and reach the checkpoint, only to be met with a fierce counter-attack from the Kuanglong Gang. The battle instantly reached a fever pitch of brutality.

On the other side.

"Speak! Where are the people you captured!" I now held a High-Rank Mage hostage, having snatched him from the fleeing group of High-Rank Rangers.

"Hmph!" The mage merely scoffed disdainfully, wearing an expression of one ready to die for his cause.

"Damn it!" Fury boiled in my heart; the nerve of this guy trying to play the hero. Without a second thought, I plunged my sword through his shoulder blade, gritting my teeth, "Speak now, or I’ll make you wish you were dead."

"Ah!" The mage screamed, then clamped his jaw shut, refusing to utter a word.

"Damn it, trying to be a hero," I roared in anger. Images from old dramas flashed in my mind. "You want to be a hero? Fine, I won't let you. Don't worry, you won't die. I’ll cut off all your limbs, castrate you, and then throw you into a latrine full of excrement."

"You!" The mage's expression changed drastically, but he still kept silent.

"Ah! You’ve really angered me," I ground out, immediately hacking off his right hand with my blade.

Ah! Amidst the scream, the mage nearly passed out, but I slapped him awake and pressed my blade against his groin. "You want to be a hero? I’ll make sure you never get to be a man!"

"Ah! No, stop!" In that moment, the mage finally broke down, trembling, "The captured people are all locked in the underground prison beneath the main hall." He pointed towards the central building of the stronghold.

Hmph! After kicking him away, I immediately unleashed my movement technique and charged toward the main hall.

Along the way, I still encountered resistance from numerous High-Rank Rangers, sometimes in coordinated attacks by one or two Scarlet Moon experts. But under my swift sword strikes, none could withstand more than three exchanges. Often, they were instantly killed the moment we engaged. With my current strength, I possessed enough power to contend even with High-Rank Scarlet Moon Warriors. Most of the Scarlet Moon experts defending the checkpoints were only at the initial stages of their mastery, incapable of blocking my attacks. After breaking through three checkpoints, I was drawing closer to the main hall.

At the third checkpoint, the main gate. A fierce battle raged atop the city walls.

Chi Xiao and Yan Kong were locked in deadly combat, while Yan Luo and Chi Yan were evenly matched. Yan Zhen and Chi Xie were similarly matched. However, the other Shenyue Palace masters were in dire straits. Their retreat was cut off; their only path was to break through this last checkpoint and plunge into the heart of the stronghold before deciding their next move. Although this didn't guarantee their escape, dying while taking down a few enemies was worthwhile. Everyone fought with the resolve of certain death against their opponents.

Chi Xiao, Chi Yan, Chi Xie, Yan Kong, Yan Luo, and Yan Zhen—these six were undoubtedly the strongest top-tier experts on both sides. The chaotic melee among these six was both breathtaking and gripping.

Chi Xiao was tall, possessing immense arm strength, excelling in raw power. The heavy weapon of the Warrior class, the Judgment Axe, felt weightless in his hands. Each swing of the axe was lightning-fast and incredibly swift. During his struggle with Yan Kong, he even managed to casually dispatch a few Shenyue Palace Scarlet Moon Warriors who strayed too close.

But the Fierce Tiger, Yan Kong, was equally skilled. Unlike ordinary Scarlet Moon Warriors, Yan Kong wielded a specially forged Frost Condensation Greatsword. Although lighter than the Judgment Axe, its edge was incredibly sharp. Coupled with Yan Kong’s style—light, agile, and unpredictable swordsmanship—these two completely contrasting martial styles collided like fire meeting the earth. Instantly, sword-light flashed, and Battle Qi surged. The sheer force of the resulting Battle Qi shockwaves had cleared a twenty-square-meter radius around them; no one dared get caught in the duel between two High-Rank Scarlet Moon Warriors.

One could say Chi Xiao and Yan Kong’s fighting styles were polar opposites. One excelled in brute force, specializing in close-quarters butchery, following a path of overwhelming power assault. The other was a master of Battle Qi control, having reached a state of complete mastery in projecting his Qi externally, coupled with superior speed and footwork, leaning more toward victory through technique.

In direct physical confrontation involving strength, Yan Kong was clearly at a disadvantage. But once distance was established, Yan Kong’s externalized Battle Qi became dominant, allowing him to attack the enemy at mid-to-long range at will.

As destined enemies, both knew the other’s combat style intimately. Therefore, their confrontation was entirely a balance of controlling spatial distance. Chi Xiao desperately sought to close the gap into Yan Kong’s close-range zone, while Yan Kong tried every means to break free from Chi Xiao’s entanglement before delivering the killing blow. This resulted in a bizarre scene: one relentlessly chasing, the other desperately fleeing! In the blink of an eye, dozens of moves were exchanged, yet neither could gain the upper hand. Among all Scarlet Moon Warriors, Yan Kong was certainly a rare anomaly. His attack method relied almost entirely on pure externalized Battle Qi; in a sense, Yan Kong could be considered an unorthodox mage among Scarlet Moon Warriors. However, his effective attack range was much smaller than a typical mage's, usually between fifteen and twenty-five meters. Of course, a typical Scarlet Moon Warrior under similar conditions could also use externalized Battle Qi to damage an opponent, but only those with significantly weaker Battle Qi energy. Skills like Chi Xiao’s Blazing Fire Sword Qi or Assassination Sword Qi could also harm opponents, but their range was strictly limited to within eight meters; beyond that, their power diminished significantly. This distance range also applied to other Scarlet Moon Warriors. Against opponents of the same rank, this limited range became largely ineffective unless there was a massive disparity in equipment, making it hard for the attacker to damage the defender.

The fact that Xing Chen killed Chi Lin and Chi Tong with Assassination Sword Qi was highly circumstantial. Chi Lin’s magic shield was shattered by Xing Chen’s close-range Blazing Fire Sword Qi before his body was pierced by the Assassination Sword Qi. Chi Tong was also killed by Xing Chen’s close-range Assassination Sword Qi. All these feats were built upon Xing Chen’s astonishing speed and his Demon-Devouring Physique, which surpassed common understanding; otherwise, Xing Chen could never have secured the opportunity for close-range combat.

On the Mafa Continent, the effective range of a Warrior’s Battle Qi attack is called the "Attack Close Zone," and combat that closes in on this range is termed "Close Combat." This fighting style only exists between Warriors; other classes, such as Mages or Daoists, must remain constantly wary of staying outside a Warrior's Attack Close Zone when engaging them. This differs greatly from the combat range depicted in Legend games.

Yan Kong’s exquisite Battle Qi control allowed him to extend his Close Zone up to twenty-five meters—a terrifying distance. A Warrior like Yan Kong would possess a significant advantage against Warriors, Daoists, or Mages of the same rank. Furthermore, Yan Kong’s speed and footwork were remarkably fast, lending his attacks against Mages or Daoists frightening stealth and suddenness. A Mage or Daoist unaware of his true capabilities, judging him by the standard Close Zone range of an average Warrior, would certainly be courting death. The situation was similar when fighting other Warriors. However, Chi Xiao and Yan Kong were too familiar with each other. They were destined rivals, and Yan Kong’s little tricks held no secrets from Chi Xiao.

Whoosh!! Whoosh!! As Yan Kong retreated, he swung his Frost Condensation Greatsword, unleashing two streams of Blazing Fire Sword Qi, one high and one low, aimed directly at the throat and abdomen of the charging Chi Xiao.

Roar! Chi Xiao, mid-charge, immediately performed a direct downward chop, releasing an equal measure of Blazing Fire Sword Qi. The protective Battle Qi surrounding his body was instantly pushed to its maximum.

Clash!! The Blazing Fire Heavy Strike unleashed by Chi Xiao accurately struck the two incoming Blazing Fire Sword Qi streams. What followed was an explosion of Battle Qi intensity and a blinding flash of light. However, Chi Xiao, prepared for this, grit his teeth and relied on his deep reservoir of protective Battle Qi and the War God Armor’s supreme defense to withstand the shockwave of the explosion. As long as the body wasn't directly struck by the Blazing Fire Sword Qi, deadly outcomes in fights between Scarlet Moon Warriors were difficult to achieve through mere shockwaves alone.

Despite this, the powerful explosion shockwave and the scorching blast of fire energy caused Chi Xiao considerable distress. Within the blinding flash, Chi Xiao forced himself through the nearly paralyzing sensation and managed to close the distance to about eight meters from Yan Kong.

Roar!! Finally reaching the close-quarters combat zone, Chi Xiao immediately unleashed the full force of the Judgment Axe, swinging and hacking out over a dozen blows. Each strike trailed a brilliant, shining Assassination Sword Qi. The most powerful attack for a Scarlet Moon Warrior was undoubtedly the Blazing Fire Sword Qi, which was generated by highly compressed, mutated Battle Qi. It was a rare feat for an ordinary Warrior to unleash more than two streams consecutively; even top-tier Scarlet Moon experts like Chi Xiao and Yan Kong were limited to a maximum of four Blazing Fire Sword Qi strikes at once. However, the Assassination Sword Qi was entirely different. It could be considered one of the most commonly used offensive skills for Scarlet Moon Warriors because it consumed far less Battle Qi energy than the Blazing Fire Sword Qi. While its destructive power was lesser, it excelled in stability, sustainability, and ease of deployment.

Swish swish swish!! Countless Assassination Sword Qi streams wove an intricate, dazzling net of Battle Qi in the air, enveloping Yan Kong.

Hmph! Good for you, Yan Kong! As Chi Xiao broke into his combat range, Yan Kong immediately activated his movement technique. His uncanny footwork made him flicker like a ghost, weaving in and out amidst the dense net of sword qi!

He then seized an opportunity, sweeping out a crescent slash that directly collided with Chi Xiao’s Assassination Sword Qi. Following this, he used the shockwave generated by the resulting Battle Qi explosion to spring backward. In Warrior duels, the Crescent Moon Blade, besides being a powerful area-of-effect skill, was frequently used defensively. It could complement the attack of a Mage’s magic or a Warrior’s Assassination or Blazing Fire Sword Qi with the Crescent Moon Blade Qi’s uniquely dense, elongated, and highly condensed characteristics. Thus, many Rangers habitually referred to the Crescent Moon Blade as a "Battle Qi Shield," whose defensive effect was even more potent than a simple Battle Qi shield.

Clang! Yan Kong, having bounced back, immediately utilized his movement technique to reestablish distance from Chi Xiao. The two plunged back into their endless, relentless pursuit.

In another ring of battle, whoosh!! whoosh!! Two black silhouettes zipped past each other vertically, always followed closely by several smaller arcs of golden light trailing behind each black silhouette. Compared to the chase between Chi Xiao and Yan Kong, the fight between Chi Yan and Yan Luo was even more heart-stopping. Both excelled in agile movement and rapid instant-cast magic; their fighting style was identical: maintain distance and attack with magic, while simultaneously moving at high speed to evade the opponent’s spells. Consequently, more than a dozen Great Fireballs flashed across the sky under their control, relentlessly chasing their opponents' forms—a scene absolutely reminiscent of modern aerial combat where tracking missiles automatically lock onto targeted enemy aircraft. At times, these dozen Great Fireballs would collide mid-air, erupting in brilliant bursts of light, like magical fireworks at a grand celebration, illuminating the entire sky. Amidst the countless light explosions, the two silhouettes continued their high-speed flight unabated; it seemed neither could gain the upper hand over the other.

The battle between Chi Xie and Yan Zhen was not much different. Two fiery-red Sacred Word Beasts chased their respective opponents wildly across the field, while sharp Soul Talismans rained down like dancing snowflakes, pelting the opposing sides. They too were locked in an equally intense exchange.