Chapter 685 - 421: Fierce Battle, Fear Spreads, Fleeing in All Directions

Chapter 685: Chapter 421: Fierce Battle, Fear Spreads, Fleeing in All Directions

So, while Wu Xiong and Zhang Di were discussing their battle plan, Lin Li bolted toward Fang Jingtang.

"Guard Wu, he’s coming! Quick, help me! Stop him!" Fang Jingtang cried out in alarm, terrified beyond measure as he saw the fearsome masked assailant charging at him.

"Go," Zhang Di commanded with a wave of his hand. The two finger-thick black chains encircling his body instantly shot out, flying straight for Lin Li.

SWOOSH.

SWOOSH.

’This again? Is it ever going to end?’ Lin Li thought, hearing the sound of something slicing through the air beside him. He glanced over, his face showing clear annoyance.

FWOOM.

He raised his left hand and pointed his index finger. Spiritual Light blossomed at its tip. In an instant, a small flame materialized from thin air and rapidly swelled into a Fireball the size of a millstone.

SWOOSH.

With a mere thought from Lin Li, the newly formed, millstone-sized Fireball shot out, hurtling toward Zhang Di.

Zhang Di’s expression flickered when he saw the masked assailant hurl a Fireball at him. Just as he was about to redirect the black chains back to defend himself, a sudden gust of wind swept in front of him.

WHOOSH...

The air currents swirled, and within a breath, a two-meter-wide, cyan Wind Shield materialized.

BOOM.

The blazing, millstone-sized Fireball slammed into the cyan Wind Shield, erupting with a deafening blast.

WHOOSH...

A heatwave surged in all directions as a scorching gale swept the area.

This Fireball was different from the last. The one Lin Li had just created was far more powerful. Although it was blocked, the cyan Wind Shield was shattered to pieces by the explosion.

’This guy’s ability is pretty annoying, too.’ Lin Li thought, glancing at Wu Xiong, who had summoned the Wind Shield. He then resumed his dash toward Fang Jingtang.

"Stick to the plan. You control his movements. If he attacks you with a Fireball, I’ll block it," Wu Xiong told his partner before giving chase.

"If you want to kill Fang Jingtang, you’ll have to get past me first." Zhang Di’s eyes narrowed as he thrust his hands forward, channeling his power toward the path ahead of Lin Li.

SWOOSH.

SWOOSH.

The black chains shot out like lightning, overtaking Lin Li to block his path.

Then, the two finger-thick black chains expanded once more, stretching to over ten meters in the blink of an eye. And they didn’t stop, continuing to lengthen at an incredible rate.

’What is he trying to do?’ Lin Li wondered, stopping in his tracks as he watched the black chains extend to a hundred meters in just a few seconds.

"Wall of Chains!" Zhang Di roared.

The two black chains, now over a hundred meters long and still growing, rapidly wove together. They formed an ever-expanding, pitch-black wall in front of Lin Li, blocking his advance.

’All this effort to make a wall... it doesn’t seem very effective against me.’ Looking at the Wall of Chains, Lin Li immediately saw a way to bypass it.

The wall was woven from chains, so it wasn’t a solid barrier. He could clearly see numerous gaps between the links.

If he transformed into his Elemental Body, he could easily pass through the obstacle.

THUD, THUD, THUD...

He heard footsteps behind him. Without even looking, Lin Li knew it was the enemy with the cyan Wind Shield catching up.

’Sigh... looks like I’ll have to beat these two annoyances first. If I let them keep harassing me, who knows how long this will drag on.’

Lin Li’s thoughts raced. He decided to change his plan and defeat the two meddlesome Cultivators first.

This was the best course of action given the situation. With these two Cultivators constantly obstructing him, the commotion from the fight would eventually attract more attention.

Once the Guards patrolling East Wunai Street heard the commotion and rushed over, his plan to eliminate the Gang Leader of the Red Blood Gang would be as good as failed.

"Since you insist on hounding me, I’ll give you what you want. Let’s fight!" Lin Li spun around and charged toward the approaching Wu Xiong.

Seeing the masked assailant pounce on him, Wu Xiong seemed to guess his opponent’s intent. His heart seized, and he threw a punch with all his might.

BANG.

BANG.

BANG...

A fierce battle erupted, the commotion growing louder and louder. Now, it wasn’t just the people at the Red Blood Gang’s pier who heard the fight; even those further away, on the street where Lin Li had enjoyed his snacks earlier, could hear it.

"Huh? What’s that sound?" The waiter who had received Lin Li’s tip was clearing a table. Hearing the noise from outside, he walked to the window and looked toward the source of the sound.

KABOOM.

Flames erupted, their orange-red glow starkly visible against the pitch-black night sky. Anyone who wasn’t blind could see it.

’It can’t be, can it?’ The waiter thought, staring at the towering flames erupting from the direction of the Red Blood Gang’s headquarters. He immediately recalled the scene he had witnessed after waking in the night just a few days prior.

Others who saw the scene, much like the waiter, began to talk amongst themselves.

"There are Cultivators fighting over at the Red Blood Gang’s place."

"Weren’t they just attacked a few days ago? Someone torched half their base. How long has it been, and now this is happening again?"

"Looks like whoever the Red Blood Gang offended isn’t willing to let them off the hook. They won’t stop until the gang is wiped out."

"They’ve done plenty of evil deeds. For this to happen to them... it’s just desserts, I’d say."

"Yeah, I agree the Red Blood Gang is getting what it deserves, but I hope the trouble doesn’t spread over here!"

"I just finished renovating my rented shop today. I’d hate for a massive fire to spread over here and burn it down."

Amidst the crowd’s chatter, many people ran off to report the incident to the authorities.

Meanwhile, the Shopkeepers with businesses on the street ordered their assistants to immediately summon the fire brigade, fearing the massive fire at the Red Blood Gang’s headquarters could spread to their street.

...

「In an affluent district of Dongwu City near the City Lord’s Mansion」

Inside the Liu Mansion’s antique study, the head of the household, Liu Yuancheng, leaned back in his chair, engrossed in an ancient text.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

A sudden knock at the door interrupted Liu Yuancheng’s reading. He set down the ancient book and called out.

"Come in."

With permission granted, the person outside pushed the door open and entered. It was a Guard clad in armor.

"What is it?"

"Commander Liu, the Red Blood Gang in the eastern part of the city is under attack again."

"Hm? The Red Blood Gang?" Liu Yuancheng paused, a bit surprised.

As a high-ranking Commander in Dongwu City, he dealt with countless important matters daily. The affairs of the city’s gangs were far beneath his notice and not something he would handle personally.

The armored Guard quickly explained, "Lord Commander, the masked assailant you encountered previously was at the Red Blood Gang’s headquarters."

Liu Yuancheng understood immediately upon hearing his subordinate’s explanation. "Oh, so it’s *that* gang!"

Then he asked, "You said the Red Blood Gang was attacked again. What’s going on?"

"According to reports from our men on the scene, three Cultivators at the Peak of Tier Two are engaged in a fierce battle at the Red Blood Gang’s headquarters."

"The commotion from their fight is immense, and residents in a large surrounding area have been frightened into scattering," the armored Guard said, his expression grim.

After all, the destruction caused by a battle between Peak Tier Two Cultivators is immense. If ordinary people were caught in the crossfire, their survival was all but impossible.

The Guards rushing to the scene, while having some cultivation themselves, are not strong enough. They don’t dare get too close to the three Peak Tier Two Cultivators locked in their fierce struggle.

They can only do their best to evacuate the panicked crowds and prevent a stampede.

"How outrageous! They’re fighting so brazenly within the city walls, completely ignoring Dongwu City’s laws?"

Hearing that three Peak Tier Two Cultivators were brawling, Liu Yuancheng’s expression turned frigid.

He stood up, took his saber from its rack, and strode out of the study.

...