Chapter 524: Betrayal and Death

Chapter 524: Betrayal and Death

Mist surges in the mountains, flames burn the remains.

Between the opposing armors, a glaring blood color spreads along the ground.

The rolling gusts blow through the forest sea, leaves sway and branches shake, a cacophony of ghostly wails and wolf howls.

Only the night is lightless, silent and unmoving.

Rong Muru, suddenly ambushed, still cannot fathom how the enemy found his trail, let alone send a plea for help to the Middle Court.

For a sharp spear tip has already pierced the air before him!

The black flame-formed spearhead's long lanyard drums with pulsating heat, a scorching gust slams into his face.

Rong Muru lets out a low growl, his dark eyes suddenly blazing with two piercing glints, two curved sawtooth long blades springing from his wrist armor with a clang, while the shoulder plates unfold in unison, revealing two rows of symmetrical whirlpool nozzles, all roaring in unison.

Clang!

The wind rises in spirals, accompanied by the explosive sounds of clashing blades.

The spearhead's frontal assault is bitten by the crossed blades, sparking a sky full of starlight.

The Fuyan warrior's eyes are cold and indifferent; in his palm, the Zhengdan spear twists and lifts, effortlessly flinging the intertwined blades aside, then the spear's shaft sweeps horizontally toward Rong Muru's throat.

A fierce howl approaches, and Rong Muru's reaction is no slower.

He sees his foot press down, bending low to dodge the spear's horizontal sweep, his body shooting forward like an arrow, legs curled and sliding close to the ground, the sawtooth curved blade slashing across Li Jun's lower body.

"Heh."

Li Jun grins, his contempt unhidden in his eyes.

Rong Muru's choice to engage in close-quarters desperate resistance is, in his view, nothing but a joke.

Li Jun's shoulder trembles slightly, and his figure vanishes on the spot. The slashing strike falls empty, and Rong Muru's heart surges with alarm, abandoning the knee-jump to rise, hastily crossing his twin blades above his head.

The defensive stance has just begun, when the fierce assault arrives.

Li Jun's figure suddenly appears in midair, wielding a single-handed spear, cleaving downward, instantly smashing out a metallic wail.

Clang!

The twin blades in Rong Muru's hands twist and deform, the armor from wrist to shoulder cracking inch by inch, and the suddenly sinking figure is accompanied by a massive pit exploding open.

"Li Jun!"

Rong Muru's blood-filled pupils, a harsh scream, the air rushing from the nozzles behind him carries scattered embers, blowing the debris in the pit into chaos, using this explosive thrust to try to stand against the overwhelming spear.

"Let you not be alone, it was my advice to you, do you think I was joking with you?"

Li Jun's eyes are cold and disdainful, and the long spear in his hand falls again, plain and simple.

The twin blades raised can no longer withstand the thunderous pressure coming down, the shattered remnants flying in all directions, Rong Lu's shoulder half-mashed into a mess, the knees that had just left the ground kneel back into place.

The crushing force like withering grass and trees, the gap as vast as a heavenly chasm, leaves Rong Lu with no strength to fight back at all.

At this moment, he finally understands why, after the Wozhou incident, the Buddhist and Daoist factions chose to ignore Li Jun.

It's not that they can't spare the effort, but the cost of killing him is too great!

The wail of genes, the low growl of ink armor, the thunderous heartbeat, and various chaotic sounds mix together, shaking Rong Muru's spirit.

He had anticipated that when the team would kill Li Jun, they might face the enemy's fierce counterattack.

He had also calculated how to explain the major casualties of the Court's elder guards to the higher-ups.

A lone warrior daring to oppose the Court would become the first stepping stone for his own ascension to elder status.

This grand drama that has just begun, its ending has already been written by himself.

But Rong Muru did not expect that the opponent, who in his eyes was only worthy of some clumsy undercover tricks, would suddenly transform into another person, and indeed launch a surprise attack on him, with such precision and lethality.

As the chief executioner among the Court's internal purge of traitors, Rong Muru has always been extremely cautious about his own whereabouts, and it's impossible for others to track him without his notice.

"Who betrayed me?!"

Rong Muru's expression is ferocious and terrifying, suddenly thrusting out both hands to grab the Zhengdan spear's shaft, a chilling murderous glint surging in his eyes.

The remaining armor on his body clatters, four barrels popping out from his shoulders and ribs, specks of white light condensing in the dark muzzles.

"You spineless wretch, still taking orders from him?"

In the red eyes, Ma Wang Ye's furious curses suddenly erupt.

"Want to fight me? Screw you, little Li, hold steady for Ma Ye!"

Li Jun hasn't yet realized what's happening, when the tiger-head on his shoulder twists and turns, the black flames coiling around him rise rapidly like seawater drawn by a tornado, converging in the tiger's mouth.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Rolling black mist and cannon fire boil along the mountain path, the thunderous echoes reverberating endlessly through the hills.

Clang!

Like a hermit's humble hut from ancient times, a heavy iron hammer smashes down on the black sword-shaped embryo.

Yet the sound that erupts is not the pleasant, clear tone of purging impurities, but a sharp, unwelcome crack.

A broken steel bar flies up, whistling as it plunges into the hut's wall.

Liu Xianzhou, bare-chested, stands like a statue, motionless, suddenly fixing his gloomy gaze on the silent, extinguished forge before him.

[Acquired Mastery Points: 80]

[Remaining Mastery Points: 582]

In the messy, deep pit, Rong Muru's armored figure has vanished without a trace, leaving only smoke-stained remnants scattered across the pit's bottom.

"Ma Ye, did you have to be so savage?"

Li Jun opens his mouth, exhaling wisps of black smoke, his darkened face full of helpless, bitter smiles.

"Seeing such a kneeling ink-armor that can't stand up, I just can't help but vent my anger!"

Ma Wang Ye separates from Li Jun, walks alone to the pit's edge, stands firm, and the lone eye conveys his muttering.

"Can't you see Rong Muru is already doomed? Why won't you even dare to speak a word?"

Li Jun, standing not far away, hears his whisper clearly, suddenly understanding the source of Ma Wang Ye's rage, his lips move but he doesn't know how to console him.

This is also the first time he sees the usually carefree Ma Wang Ye speaking with such indignation and confusion.

Pity his misfortune, anger his lack of resistance.

Perhaps this is the truest portrayal of Ma Wang Ye at this moment.

In the woods beside the mountain path, Zou Sijiu walks out with a dangling bag, followed by Gu Xisi, whose expression seems somewhat unnatural.

The earlier exchange of gunfire and cannon fire left a deep impression on him.

Fierce, savage, fierce, and unyielding, without any dodging or retreat, until one side is completely blown to pieces.

More than that, what makes Gu Xisi feel fear is Li Jun's revealed strength.

Both are armored, both are fourth in sequence, yet Rong Muru couldn't even mount a decent resistance against Li Jun.

Could the rumored lone warrior truly be so formidable?

As forhimself.

"Enough, Lord Ma. What family doesn't have a few cowardly, trouble-fearing children? Besides, he serves a Jia Master like Rong Lu; if he dared harbor even a shred of rebellious thought, he'd have been dismantled into a pile of scrap metal long ago."

Zou Sijiu walked up to Lord Ma and patted his shoulder.

Lord Ma actually knew Zou Sijiu was right, but the stifling frustration in his chest simply wouldn't dissipate. He let out a muffled sigh and turned toward the charred wreckage of the Wuji, its flames finally extinguished.

"How did it end up looking like this ghost of a mess? Hey, Rong Lu, you could've just played around with me, Old Zou. Why on earth did you go provoking that reckless brute Li Jun? Truly a death wish."

Zou Sijiu crouched down, picked up a shard of stone, and tossed it into the pit bottom, eliciting a clatter of *ding-ling* sounds.

"This time, everyone's sharing a stage to put on a play. Our script is 'advancing step by step'—first deal with the Lius, then deal with you lot. Your script is 'luring the snake from its hole'—using us to draw out the rebellious Minggui for a clean sweep. Originally, you had no part in this first act; our rivalry was meant for when Wang Qi breaks the lock and advances in sequence. But you just had to make an early entrance, courting your own death."

Zou Sijiu sighed in admiration: "Must say, Rong Lu, you truly are a clever one, and cautious enough. To see through my identity this early, and even perform a double act with Han Zhang... if you hadn't stumbled into Old Li by sheer accident, this Grandpa Zou might really have capsized in the gutter, fallen for your trick."

After Li Jun notified Zou Sijiu of his encounter with Rong Lu and Wang Qi at the wineshop, Zou Sijiu understood there was no need to continue acting out this play.

The reason was none other than too many coincidences.

If Li Jun and Wang Qi's previous meeting at the Earth Dragon Station could barely count as a chance accident, their second encounter at Lion Mountain, in the eyes of someone like Rong Lu, spelled inevitable conspiracy.

The content of the conspiracy went without saying: Li Jun had already struck a deal with the Minggui traitors within the Central Academy.

Once Rong Lu grasped this, Zou Sijiu's pre-planned drama of loyalty and treachery naturally needn't be performed further. Because Rong Lu would certainly no longer choose to watch the tigers fight from the mountain, but would join forces with the Ruxu to besiege and kill Li Jun.

Aside from this sudden encounter, as Zou Sijiu retraced the whole process just now, he also found that actors on both sides had revealed no small number of flaws.

First, Rong Lu, as the actual head of the Jian'ai Bureau, assigning the task to him yet personally taking the field to tail Wang Qi—this act itself was a contradiction.

The reason might be Rong Lu's over-eagerness, or perhaps he wanted to stir the grass to scare the snake once more. But whatever the cause, Rong Lu knew Wang Qi's true identity—this was beyond doubt.

Moreover, Zou Sijiu himself felt that in the matter of Zheng Jizhi, he had exerted a bit too much force.

What was Qin Ge's status? Merely a minor section chief in the Major Crimes Division of the Jian'ai Bureau, and not even one who rose through his own strength.

How could such a person possibly have the ability to plant someone beside Zheng Jizhi? And how could he, for the sake of some so-called 'greater good,' argue until red in the face with a powerhouse like Han Zhang?

"This half-act of a play, I'll count as your win. But sadly, there's one thing you got wrong. We aren't actors, we're bandits! We came to Jinling not to act, but to kill! The only reason we played along was to slaughter you more conveniently and efficiently, not because we don't dare face you head-on, understand? Otherwise, did you think this Grandpa Zou enjoys groveling before you, acting out some moldy old drama of the treacherous minister and the loyal subject?"

Zou Sijiu laughed: "Since you don't want to cooperate on the civil act, let's go straight to the martial one. That works too—clean and neat for everyone, a happy ending!"

"Old Zou, what are you doing? A charlatan swindler like you—do you even know how to perform salvation rites?"

Li Jun's puzzled voice drifted from behind. Zou Sijiu replied irritably: "It's ceremonial sense, ceremonial sense—do you understand? You're allowed to crash muscle against muscle with others, striking sparks. But I'm not allowed to cherish a fellow hero, to elevate our bond?"

Zou Sijiu rolled his eyes. Bracing his hands on his knees, he just stood up when he saw Lord Ma supporting a severely damaged Mo Jia approaching.

This Mo Jia was named Dongshou, and its Jia Master was none other than Han Zhang, whose head Lord Ma had blown off with a single shot the moment the ambush began.

As for the reason Rong Lu never figured out until his death—why his tracks were exposed—it lay right here.

To what extent the Mo Sequence and Minggui had infiltrated each other within the Central Academy—this offered a telling glimpse.

"Thank you, Lord Ma."

Dongshou thanked Lord Ma, broke free of the support, and stumbled toward Li Jun, handing over a cube-shaped projection device.

"The task Brother Ao Hu entrusted me with is done. The rest..."

"Rest assured, we know what we're doing."

Dongshou seemed to have no strength left to speak further, merely nodding woodenly. Then his exposed core suddenly dimmed without warning, and his body instantly disarticulated and collapsed.

The change came too suddenly. Li Jun instinctively reached out to catch him, but grasped only a handful of armor plates covered in cracks.

*Clatter!.*

Parts scattered across the ground, not a trace of armor's shape remaining anywhere.

"You beasts!"

Even though he'd long known in his heart this would be the outcome, Lord Ma still couldn't contain his rage, cursing loudly.

Dongshou wasn't a divine artifact like Lord Ma, unbound by the contract between Jia Master and Minggui. Han Zhang's death would likewise claim his life.

But if he had died first at this moment, Han Zhang wouldn't have been too affected—at most, minor injuries.

Such a harsh, unfair contract—in the entire Five Academies of the Mo Sequence, only the Central Academy operated this way.

Li Jun fell silent, his face betraying no expression, yet he tossed the projection device to Gu Xi—who had barely had any presence from start to end—shrugged off his outer robe, spread it on the ground, and crouched down to gather the Mo Jia fragments of Dongshou scattered everywhere.

"Open it and see."

Zou Sijiu looked at the bewildered, at-a-loss Gu Xi and reminded him in a flat tone.

Gu Xi hurriedly activated the device at his words. The projected image was precisely the scene of Han Zhang and the others entering Zheng Jizhi's secret banquet hall.

In the footage, aside from the mangled corpses littering the floor, the only ones standing were people from the Central Academy's Jian'ai Bureau.

"This is..."

Gu Xi swallowed hard, looking at Zou Sijiu with a face full of horror.

"Take this to Liu Tu. He should have a way to pin the deaths of these Ministry of Revenue officials on Liu Xianzhou. After all, this behavior counts as biting the hand that feeds you for the Ruxu. Tell him, Boss Yan hopes to see the Central Academy people at their wits' end next."

"Understood." Gu Xi nodded repeatedly.

"You're done here. Go do whatever you need to do."

Having given his orders succinctly, Zou Sijiu, like the other two figures, also crouched on the ground, using his bare hands to pick up the parts rolling everywhere.

Gu Xi, clutching the projection device, hadn't gone far when a sudden impulse struck him. He stopped and looked back.

The wretched mountain path, the huge deep pits blasted by artillery, the mechanical bodies fused with the burning wreckage of the carriage—it was impossible to tell where the head was, where the hand was.

Everything around was clearly a bloody, cruel ambush battlefield, yet the three instigators showed not a shred of joy at eliminating a heart-confidant threat. Instead, their expressions were solemn, carefully collecting the Mo Jia corpse of a stranger to them.

Even the tiny components that had rolled into cracks in the ground were meticulously picked out and stored away.

Clearly it should be 'matter settled, brush off and leave,' yet the ones who wielded blades to kill were now performing the benevolent act of collecting bones.

If he'd heard this scene described by another, Gu Xi would surely have sneered, even mocked them as false compassion, true hypocrisy, putting on a show.

But witnessing it firsthand now, Gu Xi inexplicably felt it was all perfectly natural.

This scene, compared to the frenzied, savage slaughter just now, made Gu Xi feel it deep in his bones, unforgettable.

"Right, did Liu Tu ever say when his brother would return to Jinling?"

Li Jun, currently using his hem to wipe scorch marks off an armor plate, suddenly looked up at Gu Xi and asked calmly.

"Barring accidents, it should be in three days."

Gu Xi snapped back to his senses, answering in a daze.