Chu Shaoqiang sighed, "Take your people and leave. There are many of my old acquaintances here, and I don’t want to lay a hand on them. My daughter is also here; she ran to fight me for your sake. You’re quite lucky. Even if you fight to the death here today, you won’t be able to save Qiu Luoye. The only one who can save him is me. As long as he agrees to my conditions, he can survive. He has no choice."
Li Banfeng still wanted to charge forward when suddenly, someone shouted from behind him, "Old Qi, run!"
Qiu Luoye hurried over. "Old Qi, didn’t we agree? Leave the fighting to me. You go quickly!" He shielded Li Banfeng behind him and charged at Chu Shaoqiang.
Chu Shaoqiang wasn’t wrong; as long as the Contract Book remained in Inner State’s hands, no one could save Qiu Luoye. Rather than dragging others into this, Qiu Luoye preferred to have a showdown with Chu Shaoqiang himself. Though grievously injured, Qiu Luoye still managed to break through Chu Shaoqiang’s Technique.
Chu Shaoqiang didn’t dare to be careless and hurriedly prepared for battle when suddenly, a huge sound came from afar.
BOOM!
It was the sound of a drum. Everyone, including Li Banfeng, felt a shock in their chests.
In Puluo State, there was only one place where a drumbeat could be so deafening. Three people present had heard this drumbeat before: Qiu Luoye, He Yuxiu, and Chu Shaoqiang. They all knew what the drumbeat signified.
BOOM!
Another drumbeat sounded. Deep in the jungle, a group of tall figures could be vaguely seen. They were not only tall but also had distinctive builds, with broad shoulders topped with three heads each.
This was the unique drumbeat of the City of Sinners. He Yuxiu smiled, Qiu Luoye halted, and Chu Shaoqiang tensed.
Juanzi walked over. Behind her, four Three-Headed People carried a new, roughly made large drum, while another Three-Headed Person held a drumstick, striking the drum every ten steps. The large drum was crudely made, but it sounded incredibly loud.
In the City of Sinners, this large drum would only be sounded under two circumstances. One was during the New Year, signifying the City of Sinners’ hopes for life. The other was when survival was no longer possible, signifying the City of Sinners’ struggle for life.
Juanzi said to Li Banfeng, "Seventh Master, we’ve just readied our weapons. We’re late."
Li Banfeng had prepared over a hundred weapons for them, but he never expected that, aside from the children, all three thousand-plus Three-Headed People would come. There weren’t enough weapons. Some carried kitchen knives, some held hoes, and some had sharpened large tree trunks to use as Long Spears.
Juanzi turned around, looked at Chu Shaoqiang, and said nothing more. When it was time to fight, Mengzi was usually the one who spoke.
Mengzi asked, "Seventh Master, are there just three of them?"
Li Banfeng nodded.
Chu Shaoqiang was clearly somewhat afraid of these Three-Headed People. "I know you’ve suffered greatly, and I know you still want to find refuge here. I promise you, you will still be allowed to live here in the future. There should be no conflict between us."
Mengzi looked at Chu Shaoqiang. "You don’t need to say so much. We came here to kill you."
Chu Shaoqiang still wanted to persuade them. The best way to do so was by sowing discord. "I am from Inner State. Do you want to make an enemy of the entire Inner State?"
Mengzi shook his head. "We’ve never been to Inner State, nor do we know any Inner State People. We’re only here to kill you."
Chu Shaoqiang chuckled. "Kill me? I’m afraid it won’t be that easy. At least half of you will die. Is it worth it?"
"Half?" Mengzi looked at the people behind him. "You’ve understated it. None of us who came here intend to return alive."
Chu Shaoqiang was perplexed. "Why, ultimately?"
Mengzi replied with a single sentence: "Because this is our home."
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The drumming suddenly intensified. Tian Dasong was a little scared. Scholar Guo muttered, "My... my wounds haven’t healed..."
When the drumming became too dense to count, the Three-Headed People began their charge. Over three thousand Three-Headed People charged at the three men. Scholar Guo tried to stay close to Tian Dasong. Tian Dasong was waiting for Chu Shaoqiang’s tactical orders.
Chu Shaoqiang bellowed, "Retreat!" Then he was the first to run.
Tian Dasong immediately followed, and He Yuxiu pursued them.
"Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, fleeing is best!" Scholar Guo also tried to run, but he was more cunning; he used a Technique to escape. Although grievously injured and unable to use high-level Techniques, his A Single Word Becomes Reality Technique could still be executed smoothly. Scholar Guo moved a hundred-odd meters at extreme speed, then activated the Technique again.
"One Leaf Shading The Eyes!" He hid in the woods, temporarily evading everyone’s sight.
Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, a clear chant suddenly reached his ears.
"HEE-YAA-YAA-YAA~"
That sound was Scholar Guo’s nightmare. Li Banfeng, his mouth full of fresh blood and a smile on his face, appeared beside Scholar Guo.
Scholar Guo had recovered nearly twenty percent of his combat strength. He also had one life-saving Magical Treasure: the Folding Fan in his hand. With this Folding Fan, he could still contend with Li Banfeng for a while.
SNAP!
Scholar Guo’s fingers interlaced, just as he was about to open the Folding Fan, but he discovered it had vanished.
Scholar Guo wanted to shout.
Li Banfeng covered his mouth and pulled him into the Portable Residence.
「 」
Tian Dasong frantically chased after Chu Shaoqiang, but he hadn’t expected Chu Shaoqiang to have prepared a Traveling Cultivation Treasure in advance, allowing him to run much faster than Tian Dasong. He Yuxiu kicked Tian Dasong from behind, causing him to stumble.
Mengzi raised the Firewood Knife and swung it down at Tian Dasong’s head. Seeing this strike, Tian Dasong was no longer afraid. This Three-Headed Person knew no martial arts; the strike was too amateurish. Tian Dasong snatched the Firewood Knife away with a backhand move and easily slashed Mengzi’s chest.
The Three-Headed People had thick skin and tough flesh, but a Martial Cultivator possessed the means to cut through it. In Tian Dasong’s hands, this Firewood Knife became a top-tier Weapon. However, Tian Dasong hadn’t expected Mengzi to completely ignore the wound in his chest and grab his right arm directly.
Tian Dasong tried to break free but found the Three-Headed Person’s strength terrifyingly immense. His arm felt as if it were welded in place; he couldn’t pull it free at all. Another Three-Headed Person grabbed Tian Dasong’s left arm. The two of them pulled from either side, intending to tear Tian Dasong apart.
The Three-Headed People’s fighting style was just that primitive. Could this move succeed? Could a Tenth Layer Martial Cultivator be torn apart just like that? Two of them certainly couldn’t do it; Tian Dasong could break free with his footwork alone. But when a group of Three-Headed People tore at Tian Dasong together, it wasn’t so easy to break free.
Tian Dasong spun rapidly on the spot, flinging a group of Three-Headed People away. He threw off one group, only for another to take their place. No matter how ruthlessly Tian Dasong fought, the Three-Headed People, relying on their physique and strength, held onto him tightly, refusing to let go.
Tian Dasong was still struggling desperately when He Yuxiu approached with a smile and kicked him in the chest. That kick knocked the wind out of Tian Dasong. It was also his last breath. Once the wind was knocked out of him, his strength slackened. He was torn into more than a dozen pieces by the Three-Headed People, his remains scattering across the ground.
"Where’s Chu Shaoqiang?" Li Banfeng asked, arriving beside He Yuxiu.
He Yuxiu looked into the distance. "That kid’s earth-burrowing skill is exceptional. He must have dug a hole and fled."
Xiuer had guessed correctly. Covered in wounds, Chu Shaoqiang had dug a tunnel and escaped to the foot of the mountain. He quickly left Qi Qiu City. Unless absolutely necessary, he never wanted to return to this place again. What he needed to do now was report to Inner State as quickly as possible and let them deal with Qiu Luoye. Since Qiu Luoye was unwilling to submit to Inner State, he would most likely be executed.
「 」
Li Banfeng found Qiu Luoye. "Big Brother, stop chasing. Go home and rest."
"You little rascal, you just don’t listen to me!" Qiu Luoye chuckled, blood seeping from his clothes.
P.S. The battle was won, but Qiu Luoye’s life is still held in Inner State’s grasp. Dear Readers, for such an exciting novel, please leave your monthly tickets! Thank you all!