Chapter 202: Not Below Me (3/3)

Almost at the same instant, Nalan Hongwu reached out and lunged!

The abrupt, ferocious arrow was snatched into his hand in the blink of an eye!

Nalan Hongwu’s right hand clamped down like iron pincers, gripping the shaft fiercely; the pitch-black arrow continued to writhe and thrash within his grasp, like a savage venomous viper!

Crack!

With a sharp exertion of force, Nalan Hongwu snapped the entire arrow into two pieces, and the shaft finally ceased its struggles!

Yet in that very breath, out from the shadows behind Nalan Hongwu, a pitch-black longsword instantly sheared countless raindrops in the air in half, piercing toward the center of his back within the blink of an eye!

"Martial technique, Mountain-Barring Mallet!" How exalted was Nalan Hongwu’s cultivation? His combat experience was vast beyond measure; almost the very instant he sensed the sneak attack, his body moved without a shred of hesitation!

This particular martial technique was not necessarily profound, but it was executed with immaculate timing; as his arm swept out like an iron chain barring a river to deflect the blade’s edge, his fist howled through the air, smashing toward the assailant’s chest and abdomen!

In this instant, the swordsman had little choice but to retract his blade and retreat, otherwise this mallet-like fist, saturated with martial qi, would undoubtedly cave in his chest!

From the striking of the sword to its retraction and retreat, everything unfolded in the mere space of a heartbeat!

Only now did Nalan Hongwu have the chance to size up his assailant, discerning a figure clad in black, visage concealed beneath a demon mask, wielding a three-foot-long precious sword; the blade was pitch-black and patterned with fine, dense scales, presenting an exceptionally bizarre appearance.

"This is...?!" Upon seeing the sword, Nalan Hongwu’s frame shuddered slightly!

Right at this moment, the black-clad figure waved his hand, and countless armored soldiers from the surroundings surged forward like a rising tide.

Such a spectacle looked exactly as it had two hundred years ago.

Meanwhile, in a small shop several miles away from this location.

As the most critical link in the entire plan, Ji Wuyou had naturally arrived in the vicinity to oversee it personally.

By this time, there was no one else left in the shop.

"Your Highness! The prey has entered the trap!" a black-clad man reported.

"Excellent!" Ji Wuyou nodded. "Next is the execution of the plan."

"Can this scheme truly affect Nalan Hongwu?" the middle-aged man, whose demeanor was as gloomy and spectral as a ghost, asked in a deep voice. "That old monster is no simple adversary!"

"Rest assured!" Ji Wuyou twirled a crystalline wine cup in his hand, smiling faintly. "During these past days, I have uncovered quite a bit of documentation regarding the first half of Nalan Hongwu’s life. This old fellow’s state of mind has definitely developed a flaw! Of this, I am ninety-nine percent certain!"

"I deliberately had Shangguan Yuan wear the mask to cultivate this exact atmosphere. It will undoubtedly cause Nalan Hongwu’s mind to falter. Then, we bide our time, search for a vulnerability, and capture him in one fell swoop!"

"Beside Nalan Hongwu, there is still an old servant whose strength is by no means weak!"

Ji Wuyou said confidently, "The strength of the others is absolutely not weak either. That old servant of Nalan Hongwu can hold back one or two of them at most."

"That is well," the black-robed man said. "This is the most critical stroke of our plan; there is no room for failure."

Upon Tianlao Mountain.

"Master, there are quite a few people..." Old Fu frowned slightly. "Furthermore, I counted, and there are at least seven whose auras are not inferior to mine. And that masked one, though his aura hasn't been revealed yet, is absolutely not weak either!"

Had it been before, Nalan Hongwu would have inevitably conceived a sliver of unwarranted doubt because of this, and this sliver of doubt would have fractured his state of mind, ultimately leaving a vulnerability to be exploited!

Facing the joint assault of seven super experts and so many elite martial artists, it was entirely possible for Nalan Hongwu to lose his life here!

But now, the barrier in his heart had already mostly dissolved...

"How many can you handle...?" Nalan Hongwu asked in a deep voice.

Old Fu first extended four fingers, then released his thumb as well, making it five.

The faces of the surrounding people darkened; hadn't you just said their auras were not inferior to yours?

"You dare look down on us?!" These individuals were all family heads who followed either Shangguan Yuan or Ji Wuyou, their strengths at the late or even peak stage of the Martial King realm at the very least!

They truly ought to be evenly matched with Old Fu!

With his hands clasped behind his back, Old Fu strolled toward the leaders surrounding them.

Behind Old Fu, Nalan Hongwu extended his hand and said, "Give me the sword!"

"..." Shangguan Yuan desperately wished to prompt him in his heart: Aren't you supposed to suspect whether I am Fu Beihai?!

At this point, Shangguan Yuan could only raise the black sword, slowly assuming the posture of a martial technique.

"Must this old man take it by his own hand?" Nalan Hongwu’s countenance darkened by another fraction.

Shangguan Yuan’s face darkened further: Why does it feel like something is amiss...

Meanwhile, in the small shop miles away.

Ji Wuyou set down his wine cup and spoke, "The time is nigh. Have them make their move at the Nalan family's stronghold as well."

"And that genius of the Nalan family’s younger generation, do not let her escape either. Otherwise, a fish slipping through the net like that will bring me great annoyance..."

"Understood, Your Highness!" Several black-clad men took their orders and departed to transmit the message.

Inside the internet cafe, Nalan Ming Xue held a communication jade in her hand:

"Yes, the situation has been somewhat unusual lately; precautions must be tightened."

"What?! Something has already happened within the clan?"

"Me...? I am staying in the internet cafe for the time being. If they dare come here, I’ll just tell the boss that someone is causing trouble!"

"Alright, rest assured, Second Elder!"

"Miss Nalan, how are things?" Lan Yan asked with some concern.

Nalan Ming Xue stuck out her little tongue and said slily, "As I expected. Come, come, come, let’s go to Act V of Diablo to pioneer!"

Tianlao Mountain.

"Every single one of our cultivations is not inferior to yours, yet you wish to contend with so many of us alone?! Utter arrogance!"

A terrifyingly powerful and immense martial qi erupted from around everyone!

The crisscrossing astral qi swept across the earth almost instantly!

Wild winds howled, sending sand flying and rocks rolling!

Under the sweep of this peerlessly fierce martial qi, the rain filling the sky was actually driven backward and upward!

As several peak Martial King powerhouses joined forces, the world lost its color in this instant!

Even the crashing thunder in the heavens lost its brilliance at this moment!

Blades and swords tilted askew, the power gathering upon them growing increasingly staggering, as if the moment it unleashed in the next breath, mountains would shatter and the earth would split!

Yet just as their weapons swung down, they suddenly felt the aura before them soar abruptly!

That unimaginably terrifying aura pressed down upon them like a towering mountain!

Simultaneously, Old Fu casually picked up a wooden branch, substituting wood for a blade, and slashed outward!

Savage, terrifying energy clashed against each other, followed by a thunderous crack! The mountains shook, the earth trembled, and the ground split wide open!

Mud and stone flew wildly! Trees snapped and collapsed in whole swaths!

Even with several men pooling their strength, they were actually struck by this fierce, wild energy until they spat blood and flew backward!

"You...! You are not a Martial King at all!" someone finally spoke, their voice trembling!