CHAPTER 43: CHAPTER 40 LORD LUO

Zhang Qingfeng suddenly burst forth, seizing the opportunity to counterattack while holding Qing Yu off guard. He spared no effort in his inner strength, even using his injured right hand, and chased after Qing Yu with a flurry of strikes.

Qing Yu was caught off guard and was struck on the right arm and shoulder, his sword sent flying.

"Not good, I was still too careless."

Qing Yu’s combat experience seemed somewhat lacking, and Zhang Qingfeng had seized the chance.

Unexpectedly, after sending the sword flying, Zhang Qingfeng did not follow up his advantage with pursuit but instead turned and fled.

Qing Yu shouted, "The effects of the elixir are passing, he’s trying to escape!"

True enough, as soon as Zhang Qingfeng had run a short distance, his speed noticeably decreased, and his breath was no longer as powerful, rapidly diminishing.

Seeing this, Qing Yu and Li Xin were sure that the effects of the elixir Zhang Qingfeng had consumed were over and immediately rejoiced, chasing after him without delay.

"Damn you, you despicable villains..." Zhang Qingfeng, forcing back Li Xin’s punch with a palm, cursed loudly.

Qing Yu shook his head, offering no reply. He believed more in action than in verbal taunts.

The previous verbal sparring was just to buy time, waiting for the poison to take effect. Now, Qing Yu only wanted to proclaim victory over his adversary’s body.

With his right arm injured and no time to retrieve his sword, he resorted to launching silver needles with his left hand.

Fortunately, Qing Yu was also acutely aware of the importance of left-hand dexterity, which had turned the tide in numerous television drama characters’ desperate situations, so he often trained his left hand.

The suppressed poison once again caused Zhang Qingfeng’s right hand to go completely numb, and it had already started to spread up the arm.

Li Xin’s punches were fierce and unyielding, forcing Zhang Qingfeng into a direct confrontation.

Having controlled the Li Family, Qing Yu did not keep the spoils to himself. With the aid of the spiritual medicine treasured in the Li Family’s Vault, Li Xin had advanced to the Postnatal Eighth Layer.

Zhang Qingfeng managed to fight Li Xin to a draw, despite most of his inner strength being devoted to suppressing the poison in his right arm.

But with the assistance of Qing Yu’s silver needles, Zhang Qingfeng fought hindered, while Li Xin was straightforward and direct.

If Zhang Qingfeng dodged, Li Xin compelled him to trade blows. If he confronted Li Xin, he risked being hit by the silver needles.

The awkward stand-off did not last long; as the saying goes, a prolonged defense inevitably leads to defeat, and the silver needle struck Zhang Qingfeng’s left leg.

Zhang Qingfeng was panic-stricken, because not only was he poisoned again, but Qing Yu was also closing in for the attack.

With his left hand, Qing Yu drew out the Mystic Iron dagger, moving like a ghostly apparition, swirling around Zhang Qingfeng in a whirlwind of attacks.

Li Xin threw another punch, unrelenting in his assault.

At this time, Zhang Qingfeng’s inner strength had hit rock bottom. Although he managed to block the fist, he was still sent reeling by the surge of blood and qi.

Qing Yu seized the opportunity, darting to the right. The Mystic Iron dagger struck like a venomous snake, aiming for Zhang Qingfeng’s right temple.

Unable to evade in time, Zhang Qingfeng had no choice but to employ the same desperate tactic, risking his injured right hand in an attempt to grasp the incoming dagger.

Qing Yu sneered coldly. The dagger veered off, slicing effortlessly. The Mystic Iron dagger, true to its reputation of cutting iron like mud, sheared half of Zhang Qingfeng’s palm without any resistance.

Li Xin took advantage of the moment, his punch landing on the right chest. The sound of bones cracking was clear; ribs were obviously broken, and Zhang Qingfeng’s body flew sideways, crashing onto the street and kicking up a cloud of dust.

The successive blows finally pushed Zhang Qingfeng into a corner. He realized that he would soon lose any chance at life.

Zhang Qingfeng looked up to the heavens and cried out, "Lord Luo... Lord Luo... Are you there? Save me!!"

Running away was impossible. Zhang Qingfeng could only hope that the esteemed official from Six Gates would hear his plea for help and come to his rescue. This was now his last straw.

"Damn it..." Qing Yu cursed quietly before darting away.

Who knew if Lord Luo was nearby. Qing Yu didn’t dare to take the risk; it was better to go for the kill first. Qing Yu wasn’t truly one of Xuan Guang’s people and wasn’t interested in the information about Six Gates that Zhang Qingfeng had provided.

"Hmph." A soft grunt followed by the oncoming force of a palm strike.

Qing Yu, as if hit by a tremendous blow, spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and was sent flying backward, caught by Li Xin.

Qing Yu, grasping Li Xin’s arm for support, spat out another mouthful of blood and said, "A palm force that tears through the air, it’s an Innate Expert, let’s go."

"Thinking of escaping? Can you escape?"

A young man in a green robe appeared on the rooftop behind Zhang Qingfeng’s right side. Judging by his appearance, he looked to be around 25 years old. For someone of that age to have reached the Innate realm, he was no less outstanding than the Core Disciples of the Great Sects.

Another palm force, cleaving through the air, came at them. Qing Yu, gathering all the breath he could muster, grabbed Li Xin and quickly retreated. At their original spot, Lord Luo had silently appeared where Qing Yu just stood.

Qing Yu tossed out a smoke bomb, enveloping the area with obscuring fog.

"Tricks of an insect." Lord Luo snorted, and with a full-strength swing of his sleeve, imbued with Inner Strength, he conjured a gust of wind to clear the smoke away. However, Qing Yu and Li Xin were already out of sight on the street.

Just as Lord Luo was about to pursue Qing Yu and Li Xin, a feeble groan reached his ears, and turning back, he saw Zhang Qingfeng’s face, black with poison.

The smoke bomb was not only meant to hinder their enemy but also to catalyze the potent poison afflicting Zhang Qingfeng.

Having suffered a serious injury, Zhang Qingfeng was already too weak to stop the spread of the poison, and now with the poison’s effects catalyzed, it was like adding frost to snow, and he looked ready to die on the spot.

Lord Luo swept his gaze over him dismissively and said, "Such a waste."

He had bestowed him a Chong Yuan Pill, yet instead of diligently secluding himself for cultivation, he recklessly caused trouble, emboldened by his Postnatal Ninth Layer. He didn’t consider that even as an Innate Expert himself, he did not dare to directly show himself in Yang City, instead needing the Zhang Family as his instrument.

Currently, on the surface of Yang City, only a few in the Postnatal Realm flounced about, while unknown how many great predators watched from the shadows.

Though Lord Luo considered himself no less than anyone in the future, given his current lesser strength, he would still follow the rules set by the big shots.

Now, Yang City was under the tacit understanding of Lord Zhen Shan and Six Gates, with each side using the local four families as their proxies, quietly vying for control.

Lord Luo’s intervention to save Zhang Qingfeng was somewhat against the rules. If not for that waste, Zhang Qingfeng, he wouldn’t mind going after those two people who made him break the rules.

Despite his disdain, Zhang Qingfeng couldn’t die just yet. Neither side wanted to break the silent accord, and they still needed the actions of the Zhang Family.

With the Zhang family dwindling, without Zhang Qingfeng, Zhang Mingyuan, an even greater waste, would only be fit to peck at each other with Song Ziyu of the City Lord Mansion.

Lord Luo had no choice but to abandon the pursuit and first administered a Detoxification Pill secretly manufactured by Six Gates to suppress the poison within Zhang Qingfeng, planning to take him back to the Zhang Family for further detoxification.

Qing Yu, seeing that Lord Luo hadn’t followed, finally breathed a sigh of relief.

With that moment of relaxation, he spat out another large mouthful of fresh blood. Lord Luo’s remote palm force had severely injured Qing Yu. Then, after mustering his Inner Strength to carry Li Xin and flee, his injuries compounded.

Relaxed at the thought of Lord Luo not giving chase, Qing Yu could no longer suppress his injuries, and his body weakened, about to collapse onto the ground.

Li Xin quickly supported Qing Yu and asked, "My Lord, are you alright?"

Qing Yu said, "Let’s move fast. The smoke bomb I released can catalyze the intense poison in Zhang Qingfeng’s body, and it seems that Zhang Qingfeng is still very important to that Lord Luo. But he needs to help suppress Zhang Qingfeng’s poison, and others with insufficient Power wouldn’t be able to do it. Once the people from the Zhang Family arrive, it’ll be hard to get away."

"Yes," Li Xin replied, supporting Qing Yu as they hurriedly left.