Huo Hua leapt off the buildings and looked around the street.

‘Where’d he go?’

There were clear traces of Hao Nan since piles of rubble with remnant dust were everywhere. However, the person himself was not here. To one side, Huo Hua saw perfectly fine buildings while the other side was demolished. This was the end of Hao Nan’s landing.

The feeling of anticipation forced Huo Hua’s body to pump with adrenaline. She carefully walked around while inspecting the rubble. Her palms began to sweat.

Suddenly, a figure launched out of the remains of the buildings.

Huo Hua quickly conjured a flame lance. She jabbed at the where the sound was coming from.

‘Behind!’

Shunk!

Huo Hua couldn’t believe it.

Hao Nan was not wearing any armor!

Her lance had easily penetrated through Hao Nan’s blocking arm and into his chest. At the focal point, Hao Nan’s arm melted like wax from the heat, and the area around his chest followed suit. Yet, there was a grin on Hao Nan’s face.

Using his uninjured arm, he grabbed Huo Hua’s arm.

“I’m sorry… This is all I can do for you… Lu Bu.”

Behind Hao Nan, hundreds upon hundreds of silver needles, around the length of half a foot, formed.

‘So that’s where his armor went.’

Huo Hua’s realization flashed through her head, but she couldn’t escape. Hao Nan’s grip held her firmly.

“Let go!” Huo Hua shrieked, but it was too late.

‘Rain of Metal’

Hao Nan’s trump card!

The hundreds of silver needles rained down on Huo Hua.

Shunk! Shunk! Shunk!

Every part of her was nailed onto the ground. She had truly transformed into a human sieve, and that realization left her eyes wide open in fear. Eventually, her twitching body soon came to a stop.

The flame lance that impaled Hao Nan had also disappeared with Huo Hua’s death. As he fell over to the side, his mind slowly numbed into unconsciousness.

Perhaps Hao Nan had been rash and did a foolish thing, but he knew that the fight was going nowhere. He had been on the defensive the entire time. If he did not take the chance then it would’ve ended with him out of qi and dead. It was a gamble that he took and... won…?

***

“Hurry!” Ye Tian whispered.

A few silhouettes could be faintly seen moving through the shadows of buildings. As the group came to a street corner, the person at the front motioned the group to stop. Everyone stuck to the walls of buildings and held their breaths.

Soon, footsteps came and went as a squad of guards rushed towards the epicenter of the fighting. Whether or not they were friendly, Ye Tian was not taking any chances.

The six had snuck out of the center with much effort. Now, they were so close to the city walls, so close to freedom. However, Ye Tian’s excitement was immediately damped once he saw patrolling around the gates.

Damn it!

“W-What do we do next? A-Are we done for?” Zhang Qiang stammered.

“Let’s try to break through!” Nan Feng suggested.

Ye Tian shook his head, “No, do you really think that they’ll put up a tofu wall for everyone to casually break through?”

Lu Lan timidly raised her voice, “Umm… Maybe we can go to Big Sis Vivian for help.”

Lu Ning excitedly exclaimed, “You’re right! Most powers usually have a secret escape route to the outskirts of the city. We can access hers!"

“Okay, let’s move out,” Ye Tian took the lead.

The six once again took to the cover of the darkness to silently sneak through the roads. Ye Tian could not help but feel as if he was a rat, especially one with heightened senses. He listened to the ambient sounds, specifically looking for footsteps. While it was dark, his well-adjusted eyes were enough to make out what was in front of him.

Those years of sneaking to play video games when my parents went to sleep are paying off.

Suddenly, in the midst of their travel, a sword was thrown out and entrenched itself in front of the six.

Impossible! I didn’t hear any footsteps!

A voice rang out from above the group.

“Haha! I knew you guys were going to head over to that slut’s place. It’s the only place you could think of. Am I right? Lu Lan!”

Ye Tian looked up to see a panda-eyed man, in blue robes, on the roof of a surrounding building. The man gleefully laughed whilst surrounded by around 8 white-robed guards.

“Lu Sha!” hissed Lu Ning.

“Hmm? It’s you! The one that insulted me at the dinner feast! Hmph, you’ll die along with those kidnappers. Once I’m done with you guys…” Lu Sha’s eyes scanned Lu Lan’s body as if she was a free and delicious-looking, roasted lamb.

Lu Lan took a step back from his gaze.

Ye Tian drew his sword along with Nan Feng and Yu Ling while the other three stepped back from the fight that was about to begin. The soul stage cultivation of Lu Sha and the guards meant that only Ye Tian’s special squad could barely handle them. Still, a total of 9 soul stages were going to be overwhelming

Ye Tian grinned, “Just like back in the forest.”

Hearing him, Nan Feng could not help but grin from ear to ear too. Even Yu Ling could not help but have her lips slightly uplift.

Lu Sha frowned from the feeling that the three were smiling at his bruised face, “What are these buffoons smiling at? Get them!”

In both Lu Sha and the guards’ perspectives, the three were just a bunch of bone stage brats that looked just like brats too.

5 guards jumped off with two of them walking towards Lu Lan’s group of three: Lu Lan, Lu Ning, and Zhang Qiang. Each of the other three guards had leapt at each of Ye Tian’s squad members: Ye Tian, Yu Ling, and Nan Feng.

Taking notice of the enemy’s cockiness, Ye Tian decided to throw a one-handed, downward slash with a wimpy, noodle swing. Visible derision could be seen through the guard’s sneer. He merely stopped moving forward, and Ye Tian’s uncoordinated swing fell short.

Now!

Ye Tian’s other hand quickly grasped the handle of the sword to form a two-handed grip. With a swift 180 flip of the sword, the edge now faced up. A backhanded uppercut split the guard in half diagonally.

10 seconds had not even passed, yet the first guard died!

In the seconds that followed, Nan Feng and Yu Ling had also swiftly finished their enemy too!

Lu Sha fell into a panic, “Quick! Surround them! They’re a bunch of wolves in sheeps’ clothing!”

The two guards, of the initial five, didn’t even care about trying to capture Lu Lan’s group of three anymore. If Ye Tian’s dangerous squad was not quickly boxed up then there could be an additional danger. Knowing the risk, even Lu Sha personally joined the encirclement around Ye Tian’s group of three.

The turbulent sounds of swords ripping flesh and clanging strikes between metal had already died down. It was replaced by an unsettling silence, partially created from the flowing blood and dead bodies lying around.

With their backs against each other, Ye Tian’s group looked around the encirclement created by 6 remaining enemies.

Opening… Opening… Where is it…

These guards were indeed the elites that were brought over by the Mu, Xin, and Hu clans. They knew how to properly react. If it wasn’t for the surprise factor then Ye Tian’s group would not have been able to take out three guards.

Ye Tian decided to test the waters by charging out in one direction. He was met with two metal blades which he scrambled to deflect.

The hexagonal encirclement meant that Ye Tian would be met with two blades no matter where he tried to charge out. Even if the three all charged out at the same time, they would be assaulted from every direction, and the enemy could just reposition to keep the hexagonal encirclement.

Now that the initial panic had subsided, Lu Sha began to use his brains, “Everyone better start casting whatever abilities you have!”

Crap!

Projectiles came from every direction in the form of fist-sized fireballs, wind blades, and water bolts. Even though soul stage cultivators had weak abilities, these projectiles were still quite dangerous, especially when thrown at unmoving enemies.

Just as Ye Tian expected pain from the projectiles, instead, he felt himself being pulled in by big, strong arms.

“Get down!” yelled Nan Feng who was using his tough body to block everything! “I can’t last for long! Think of something!”

Even for Nan Feng who had survived a blast by Huo Hua, 6 soul stages were not a joke.

The pressure was rising, and Ye Tian couldn’t think of anything to get out of this situation. He looked around at Yu Ling and Nan Fengs’ expectant faces, the projectiles flying at the squad, and Nan Feng grabbing, out of midair, a fireball that headed for Ye Tian’s face.

Fuck! What do we do! There’s nothing! This is a dead-end!

Ye Tian grit his teeth, “I have one plan… If we take the elemental eruption pills then we can have the outburst of power we need but the aftereffects coul-”

Yu Ling shook her head, “Ye Tian, we’ll open a path for you.

“...What? But what about you guys?!”

Nan Feng and Yu Ling looked at each other in the eyes.

“We’ll be fine,” comforted Nan Feng.

They weren’t fooling Ye Tian.

“No, you guys won’t be. Let’s just leave! They want Lu Lan, so we’ll giv-”

Nan Feng’s face steeled, “Ye Tian, I don’t want to lead that kind of life. It’s a no go for me.”

“So you wanna play the selfless hero? And get killed?”

“No, I’m not playing hero. I’m just doing what I believe is right.”

“And you’ll march right to your death… For no reason...” grumbled Ye Tian.

“It’s a worthy reason in my eyes. It’s much better than living without a cause. If I throw my weapon down and run away then I’ll never forgive myself. The same way that I wouldn’t forgive myself for not protecting you two from these attacks.”

At this moment, Ye Tian and Nan Feng turned to the sound of ruckus. Outside of the hexagonal encirclement, Lu Ning heroically charged at one of the guards only to get knocked back in a single punch. Zhang Qiang, who had clearly been dragged along, swung his sword with shaky legs. Similarly, Zhang Qiang was punched away too.

It was a minor distraction for the guards who promptly returned to blasting Ye Tian’s trio.

Nan Feng grinned, “See? They are also trying to protect us, the same way we are.”

“But… Aren’t we humans selfish? And the desire to live triumphs above everything else?”

Instead of a response, Ye Tian received a blank stare from Nan Feng. It was at this point that Ye Tian realized it. That he was different from Nan Feng and Yu Ling.

Having been raised in a modern world, Ye Tian had been taught the complexities of the human mind and psychology. He had already pondered the questions of human’s innate characteristics: selfishness, greed, lust, and more. He had thought of the big picture, the things necessary for global peace. He had thought of the small pictures, what it felt like to be in someone’s shoes.

Yet, all this knowledge had clouded Ye Tian’s view, that the world was complex and logically driven.

In Nan Feng’s view, none of it mattered. If he felt like drinking then it was time to grab some alcohol. If he felt like eating then it was time to visit a restaurant. If he felt like having fun then it was time to gamble with friends. He did whatever he felt like. It was a simplistic and fulfilling life.

Now, Nan Feng was doing what he believed was right. There was no thinking, just feeling.

However, Ye Tian would have no time to ponder as Nan Feng groaned in pain, “Get ready!”

Ye Tian murmured, “You...”

“No time! Follow me!” Nan Feng roared as he charged out. With no choice left, Yu Ling and Ye Tian followed bulldozer Nan Feng.

In front of Nan Feng, the two guards readied their swords, but, instead, a giant broadsword was thrown into their direction. The two guards let out a surprised sound before blocking the broadsword. Taking this moment of distraction, Yu Ling and Ye Tian ran past the two guards.

Behind the trio, three guards that were led by Lu Sha had caught up.

With a roar, Nan Feng charged at Lu Sha without any restraint which forced both a yelp from the latter and the guards to help this important young master.

“I’ll take the guards. You take the three and leave,” Yu Ling bluntly stated before, similarly, charging in.

Seeing his two squadmates buying valuable time, Ye Tian was not going to disappoint them, “Follow me!”

Zhang Qiang and Lu Ning, still lying in pain, scrambled to get up from the ground. By the side, Lu Lan helped the two up.

Ye Tian then led the three away from the scene.

Before he fled, Ye Tian looked behind for one last time.

A fight? There was no fight.

Nan Feng clearly didn’t have the strength and speed to hurt anyone. Every time Nan Feng charged, he would get knocked away, only to get back up and charge again. With his rock-solid defense, Nan Feng was just a huge roadblock that was incapable of a threat but was a nuisance.

Meanwhile, Yu Ling already had multiple, visible gashes. It was no wonder as she tried to defend herself from multiple swords. Even Ye Tian had trouble defending himself from two.

But what could Ye Tian do? Run back? Get thrown around like a ragdoll? Get cut open?

Ye Tian resolved himself and ran away. Each step felt heavier and heavier while his heart was further torn into pieces.