"Something's happened!"
His powerful Primordial Spirit gave Zhu Ju the mystical perception of "Golden Wind Unmoving, Cicada First Awakens."
Although he didn't know what was happening inside the mine, his intuition told him that the situation had changed.
"This is bad!"
"There's... there's an ambush!"
A miner covered head to toe in dust stumbled out of the mine.
His face was a mask of terror as he pointed back the way he came.
"A group of people ambushed us in the mine! They attacked suddenly and killed many of the guards."
"What?"
Nursing Director Zhang's expression changed. He strode forward and roared angrily:
"Who was it?"
"How dare they!"
This mine was the Zhou Family's property, and many Grade-Entering Martial Artists were among the escorting guards.
'To think they were ambushed and assassinated?'
"I... I don't know." The miner shook his head repeatedly, his face frantic. "They appeared out of nowhere. It was too dark inside to see anything clearly."
"Hmm..." Zhu Ju narrowed his eyes and asked slowly,
"Have you ever encountered a similar attack before?"
"No." The miner was taken aback.
"Sometimes we run into people hiding in the mountains, but they always keep their distance when they see us."
"Then they must have been coming for us," Zhu Ju said, stroking his chin.
"Interesting."
He glanced back at the remaining guards from the Zhu Mansion Nursing Home, his eyes flickering.
The guards from the Nursing Home on this trip were all elites. Not only was there Nursing Director Zhang, an upper Eighth-Grade expert, but there were also two upper Ninth-Grade cultivators.
The key was,
Zhou Ruxuan had brought ten Chain Crossbows from the Zhou Family, powerful enough to pierce metal and stone within a hundred feet.
Even a Seventh-Grade Expert could be riddled with holes like a sieve if they were tied down by others.
A Seventh Grade might be strong, but they were still mortal flesh and blood.
This force was considered quite formidable in the whole of Taiyuan Prefecture.
'The mine...'
'And someone dared to make a move against them?'
"Nursing Director Zhang."
"Present."
"You'll come with me. The rest of you will stay here."
"...Yes."
Nursing Director Zhang opened his mouth, originally intending to persuade Zhu Ju to stay behind. However, remembering that his young master had been capable of fighting an upper Eighth-Grade expert several years ago, he figured he must be even stronger now and promptly shut his mouth.
"You."
Zhu Ju pointed at the escaped miner.
"Lead the way."
"Yes."
The miner agreed, turned around trembling, and headed back the way he came, deep into the mine.
Nursing Director Zhang took a torch from the wall, lit it, and held it high to serve as a light.
「Soon.」
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed from below, and two slender figures appeared ahead.
"Young Master!"
"Uncle Zhang."
"It's you." Nursing Director Zhang looked at the grimy faces of Yangg Yi and Qian Hu with surprise.
"Where are the others?"
"Dead." Qian Hu's eyes were red, and he sniffled.
"All of them are dead!"
"A group of people came out of nowhere and attacked us. They were very strong. If... I was almost killed myself."
"Let's go." Zhu Ju waved his hand, signaling the two to follow behind him.
"Keep leading the way."
"Yes."
The miner lowered his head and led the four of them onward.
After years of development, the outer veins of the mine had long been stripped of value. The deeper parts were dark and damp. Living in such a place year-round would inevitably lead to certain ailments.
'A long life?'
'That would be impossible.'
They twisted and turned, losing track of how far they had walked.
"TAP..."
Zhu Ju stopped at an intersection of several mine tunnels. He looked around, then turned to the miner.
"How much farther?"
"Almost there." The miner pointed forward. "We'll be there any second."
"No need." Zhu Ju chuckled lightly.
"This is far enough."
'Huh?'
The miner froze, only to see Zhu Ju flick his sleeve. The seemingly slow movement carried an immense, Giant Power.
"THUD!"
The sleeve struck the miner, and the Giant Power erupted. His entire body flew off the ground, and he landed in a corner, spitting blood.
His body trembled once after hitting the ground, and then all signs of life were gone.
"Young Master!"
Nursing Director Zhang looked utterly confused.
Yangg Yi and Qian Hu, on the other hand, were horrified. They subconsciously took a step back, their bodies tensed as they stared at Zhu Ju.
Just then,
"CLAP!"
"CLAP! CLAP!"
A crisp clapping sound echoed from the darkness. Figures emerged one by one, slowly walking out to surround the four of them.
"Zhu Ju?"
A man stepped forward. His shady features flickered in the torchlight as he grinned.
"You're not quite what I heard from others."
"You, sir..." Zhu Ju frowned. "...look familiar."
He was sure he had never met the man before; with his memory, he would never have forgotten.
And yet, he felt an odd sense of familiarity.
"Earth Rat Xu Qing!" Nursing Director Zhang cried out.
"The Seventh-Grade Expert and famous thief wanted across the Territory of Three Mansions! What are you doing here?"
Zhu Ju raised an eyebrow.
'No wonder he looked familiar. I must have glanced at his face on a wanted poster in the Prefecture City.'
"Heh heh..."
Hearing this, Earth Rat Xu Qing chuckled lightly.
"Since you know my name, you should also know that a place like this suits me perfectly."
"A network of tunnels going in every direction... even a thousand government officials would be useless in here. Is there any better place in the whole Territory of Three Mansions?"
"Xu Qing," Zhu Ju began.
"I don't believe I have ever offended you. Why kill the men of my Nursing Home, and then lure me here?"
That miner from before was one of his people.
The miner had put on a good act, but his racing heart and quickened breath betrayed him.
"I had no choice."
Xu Qing shrugged.
"I was hired to do a job."
"Oh?" Zhu Ju's brow furrowed.
"Who?"
Although he wasn't exactly a shut-in these past few years, he rarely had contact with outsiders.
Even when he did,
he was always on good terms with people.
'I can't have offended any major figures.'
"I have my principles. How could I betray my client?" Xu Qing grinned.
"Young Master Zhu, will you do it yourself and make it quick, or shall I?"
"Young Master." Nursing Director Zhang's face darkened. He drew his saber and stood protectively in front.
"I'll hold him off. You must run."
Qian Hu also let out a low roar. The shadow behind him seemed to writhe as if alive, and a burst of sinister, cold Qi erupted from him.
Only Yangg Yi, his eyes flickering, quietly took a step back.
'This is a Seventh-Grade Expert we're talking about!'
'And a famous Seventh-Grade thief from the Territory of Three Mansions, no less! His strength is extraordinary even among Seventh Grades.'
'The four of us are no match for him.'
'What's more,'
'Xu Qing isn't alone. There are more than ten other bandits, and there are Grade-Entering Martial Artists among them, too.'
"You won't talk?"
Zhu Ju shook his head gently.
"You will."
"WHOOSH..."
Before his voice had even faded, a hot wind suddenly whipped through the area, instantly clearing the cold, damp air.
Primordial Yang Qi!
An Extreme Yang Qi, the perfect bane for this kind of environment.
"CRACK!"
The stone beneath Zhu Ju's feet cracked, the fractures mottled and clear as if they had been scorched by high heat.
'Huh?'
Xu Qing's eyes twitched. His Skin and Flesh tensed instantly, and an absurd sense of crisis rose in his heart.
It was, indeed, absurd.
'A mere lower Eighth Grade... '
"SHWISH!"
Zhu Ju, who had been several meters away, suddenly appeared in front of him. An aura as imposing as a mountain exploded outward, making it difficult for everyone present to breathe, their bodies going limp and weak.
"SQUEAK SQUEAK..."
Xu Qing's eyes flew wide open. He let out a strange squeaking sound as the hair on his body suddenly trembled.
A blast of Yellowish Qi shot from his nostrils, instantly enveloping Zhu Ju.
Seizing the opportunity, he twisted his body nimbly, a tool resembling a Medicine Shovel appearing in his hand as he slashed forward.
His Seventh-Grade Martial Arts Cultivation stirred up a gale, the sound of it tearing through the air like the wails of ghosts and howls of wolves, making one's Qi Blood roil.
"A Half-Demon?"
"An Illusion Technique?"
"Martial and Spiritual Cultivation!"
Blocked by the barrage of attacks, Zhu Ju's voice remained unhurried. A single large hand ignored the Yellowish Qi and reached out, seizing Xu Qing's wrist with deceptive speed before giving it a gentle twist.
"CRACK!"
The sound of bone shattering rang out.