Chapter 935: Melee on the Long Street

"Didn't you say you still wanted to find... Ruyi?"

Lihua's tail twitched. "Would Ruyi really be in a place like this?" it muttered.

It found the idea a little hard to believe.

As they spoke, Tang Zheng frowned.

"Quiet."

He realized the city was far too quiet.

Shhhk—

The harsh scrape of a blade being sharpened rang out.

Looking over, he spotted a one-eyed old man deep down the street, carefully sharpening a blade.

The old man ground the steel very slowly. With every pass, he splashed a little water over it, then held the blade up for close inspection, as if searching for the slightest flaw.

Tang Zheng sensed something was wrong. The scene made his heart pound, yet he could faintly tell that whatever was happening had nothing to do with him.

He had simply stumbled into someone else's conflict.

"We need to leave, right now!"

But he was already too late.

Without warning, a thunderous storm of hoofbeats and footsteps erupted around them. The clatter of swaying weapons rang out on all sides.

Startled, Tang Zheng hurriedly ducked into a nearby alley.

Lihua bristled in fright. "What are they going to do?"

"Shh," Tang Zheng hissed.

Looking out, he watched a massive crowd surge onto the street around the sharpening stall. It was a motley mix: some looked perfectly amicable, while others carried the ruthless air of thugs who would kill without blinking.

Not a single word was spoken, but the air radiated a dense killing intent.

The drawn weapons in their hands were already eager for blood.

Meanwhile, footsteps rang out from the opposite end of the street.

Clack, clack...

The relentless rhythm heralded another swarming crowd, emanating a boundless murderous aura.

The two factions halted before the stall.

At that moment, the old man stopped grinding his blade.

The crowd on one side parted to make a path.

Two figures walked out from the throng.

One was dressed in loose robes, a sword and jade pendant hanging from his waist. The other was a woman, plainly dressed but carrying a bolder air. Her hair was messy, a stray strand falling casually past her eye, and she walked with a long spear resting over her shoulder, looking valiant and heroic.

Seeing this from the alley, Lihua immediately knew who she was. "Ruyi! It's Ruyi!"

Tang Zheng stared blankly. "Which one?"

"The one holding the spear," Lihua said. "I'm going to go find her."

Tang Zheng hastily held the cat back. "Don't rush! We can't go out there right now!"

Lihua quieted. Looking at the tense standoff, the cat realized this was indeed not a good time for a reunion.

Out on the street, the two factions faced each other in absolute silence.

Standing on opposite sides of the thoroughfare.

The opposing crowd also parted to make a path.

A single man riding a brown horse slowly emerged from the throng. He possessed sharp, striking features, and his piercing gaze felt as though it could cut flesh like a drawn blade.

Lihua paused. "I've seen him."

During the Investiture of Immortals Assembly... that sword cultivator.

But Mao'er couldn't quite remember his name.

Tang Zheng, however, recognized him. "Shangguan Ningjing."

Hailed as the single most peerless swordsman in the current jianghu.

The old sharpener polished the blade in his hands and held it up to his eye, muttering, "What day is it today? How did everyone end up gathering here?"

He picked up a jug of alcohol from the table and took a huge swig.

With a sharp exhale, he sprayed the liquor across the blade, washing away the grit. The steel shone dazzlingly, emitting a faint, reverberating hum.

Nearly a thousand people were packed into the single street.

Tang Zheng stared at the faces in the crowd.

An inconspicuous figure in the corner made his heart skip a beat.

"That's Xing Zhongyuan, who assassinated a Ministry of Revenue director a few years ago! He's actually here?!"

"That's..."

"Lu Dayuan, the main culprit behind the Wuyou Temple massacre..."

"And..."

The more Tang Zheng looked, the more alarmed he became. He had seen many of these faces on wanted posters back in Shangjing. Without exception, every one of them possessed peerless martial arts, yet they had all gathered here.

Any single person here had the strength to make a name for themselves throughout the entire jianghu.

Ping'an took a step forward. He let out a breath and said, "The slaughter has been unceasing all these years. It's time to bring it to an end."

His words struck a chord across the street.

The old blade sharpener stepped out from his stall with a low chuckle. "I feel the same way."

Shangguan Ningjing nodded slightly. "Well said. I am tired of all this fighting and killing as well. It is indeed time for a conclusion."

As soon as his voice faded...

The sound of weapons being drawn rang out endlessly.

Scabbards fell to the paving stones in a loud clatter.

A massive battle was imminent.

A chilling, murderous aura swept across the street.

A look of anticipation surfaced in Shangguan Ningjing's eyes, as though he had waited for this day for a very long time.

The old sharpener's eyes were full of worldly weariness. Holding his polished blade, he seemed to be reminiscing about the past.

Ping'an and Ruyi exchanged a glance.

They, too, seemed to have been looking forward to this.

Watching the oppressive standoff, Mao'er inexplicably felt a surge of worry.

Influenced by the cat's restless state of mind, the surrounding Four Seasons Spiritual Energy began to gather toward the street.

Boom!

A clap of thunder echoed through the valley.

"Kill!"

A roar that seemed to overpower the thunder tore through the air.

The suffocating murderous aura was unleashed in a single moment, and the slaughter began.

An unseasonal, torrential rain began to pour.

The woman wielding the long spear strode forward. With a sweeping strike, she rippled the air and knocked back several fighters, but those behind simply surged forward, replacing the fallen one after another.

Clang!

A long saber blocked Ruyi's spear.

The old man smiled. "Little girl, it's been so long, but we still haven't traded blows, have we?"

"I'm happy to oblige!"

Ruyi replied, instantly engaging the old man in fierce combat.

Ping'an, meanwhile, clashed with Shangguan Ningjing.

As they traded strikes, Ping'an was visibly at a disadvantage, buckling under immense pressure.

Looking at him, Shangguan Ningjing actually seemed disappointed.

"You aren't pure."

Shangguan Ningjing sighed.

Gripping his sword, Ping'an said, "I can still kill you all the same."

With those words, Ping'an's aura shifted drastically. The sword in his hand suddenly moved with effortless grace. Shocked, Shangguan Ningjing felt a sudden surge of anticipation.

"Come!"

The two leaped onto the eaves, clashing fiercely atop the roof tiles.

Below them rang the continuous clash of steel. Without exception, these men and women were all top-tier experts in the jianghu, yet here they were reduced to a chaotic melee.

The explosive cracking of bone and sinew drowned out the clatter of crossing blades.

Tang Zheng watched the scene in a daze.

In his distraction, he watched a man's head explode, spraying blood across the paving stones. An Eighth Rank martial artist had lost his life over a single lapse in concentration.

"So this is..."

"The Fiend Blood Path..."