Chapter 139: Battle on the Hill

The moment Lei Zongkang spat that mouthful out, his breathing cleared at once. His hunched back slowly straightened as he met Black Peony and the others’ eyes.

Under their watch, he finally turned and walked toward his mount. He climbed into the saddle, rode a few steps, then wheeled back. Skirting Niu Youdao, he came to Black Peony and the other two, pulled out a small fragrance pouch, and tossed it to her.

“The Liuxian Sect gave me scent bait. I’ve been leaving a trail for them the whole way. They’re probably almost here. Leave this place quickly.”

The three exchanged a glance and cupped their hands toward him together.

No words were spoken.

Take care.

Lei Zongkang wheeled his horse around and charged out of the forest.

Niu Youdao beckoned Yuan Fang over and took the three indentures from him. Tilting his head, he said, “Keep watch.”

Yuan Fang grunted in acknowledgment, sprang away, and concealed himself atop the hill, watching the open ground beyond.

Niu Youdao glanced through the three indentures, then casually handed them to Black Peony.

She accepted them in surprise. “Master Dao, this is...?”

“Keep them for me. Don’t lose them.”

The three froze and looked at one another.

What did that mean?

At that moment, Yuan Fang came flying back, his expression grave. “Master Dao, people are coming. Lei Zongkang looks like he’s met up with them. They may be from the Liuxian Sect. We should go!”

Niu Youdao immediately shot out of the trees and swept toward the hill.

Black Peony and the others followed. Seeing him observing the newcomers, Black Peony urged anxiously, “Master Dao, hurry! If they discover us, we won’t be able to leave.”

Niu Youdao showed no intention of fleeing in panic. He continued watching.

He did not believe discovery meant he could no longer escape.

There was a reason he had knowingly brought Lei Zongkang, despite already knowing the man was a spy. Letting Lei Zongkang leak that he was going to Shanhu County had been his greatest source of confidence.

He had reckoned that once the Liuxian Sect learned his whereabouts, it would not casually let him escape again. Song Long had died by his hand even with so many experts present in Jinzhou. Niu Youdao did not believe the Liuxian Sect would dare treat him carelessly after that. They would inevitably mobilize the bulk of whatever strength they currently had available to deal with him.

In other words, when he brought Lei Zongkang and the others out of the Inviting Moon Inn, he had already possessed a fair degree of confidence. Of course, accidents could always happen.

The safest method in Star-Plucking City would actually have been to find people from Tianyu Sect or Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion and ask them to assist him. He had not done so for two reasons.

First, he did not know whether Tianyu Sect or Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion would take him seriously enough to help.

Second, he did not want the purpose of this journey exposed. He had even instructed Hai Ruyue not to let Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion know. There were certain responsibilities that Myriad Caves Heavenly Mansion probably would not want to shoulder either. The situation before him was another unexpected development.

He had not anticipated the Liuxian Sect tracking him with Scent-Seekers.

“See who exactly is coming,” Niu Youdao instructed Black Peony and the others over his shoulder.

They peered into the distance, but the newcomers were still too far away to make out clearly.

Out on the grassland, six riders looked around in confusion. The Scent-Seeker had landed on Cui Yuan’s shoulder and refused to search any farther. The scent trail seemed to end here.

The six scanned the surroundings, unable to tell which direction Niu Youdao’s group had gone.

Judging from the route they had followed all this way, the targets should have entered the forest ahead. But the scent trail had abruptly stopped, making them wonder whether something unexpected had happened.

What they did not know was that after Niu Youdao entered the forest, he had suddenly dismounted and stopped. With everyone watching, Lei Zongkang had found no convenient opportunity to leave more bait.

The six were still discussing the matter when a lone rider abruptly charged out of the forest ahead, drawing all their attention. Lei Zongkang saw them as well. He simply rode straight toward them.

Once he came closer, he recognized Huang Engui and Cui Yuan among the six. He knew the other four as well.

The six watched him approach.

Seeing his torn sleeve, bloodstained clothing, and battered appearance, Huang Engui asked sharply, “What happened?”

Lei Zongkang shook his head. “They caught me tampering with things. Fortunately, my old brothers still remembered our past friendship and helped hold Niu Youdao off. That’s how I escaped.”

Huang Engui asked at once, “Where is Niu Youdao?”

Lei Zongkang pointed back. “Inside the forest ahead. I don’t know whether he’s left yet.”

“Move!” Huang Engui waved a hand.

He sprang from his horse first, and the others followed, flying toward the forest.

Lei Zongkang hesitated for a moment, then leapt from his own mount and followed them.

Watching how far the newcomers could leap in a single bound, the stone in Niu Youdao’s heart largely settled.

He had worried that an unexpected, truly dangerous expert might appear. From the look of things now, there seemed no need to flee in panic.

“The first two are Huang Engui and Cui Yuan. Behind them are Lie Zhanbing and Yao Youliang of Lingxiu Mountain. The last two are Fang De and Fang Shaoqun of Fuyun Sect,” Black Peony quickly explained after getting a clear look.

She too seemed visibly relieved once she recognized them. Duan Hu and Wu Sanliang could not help glancing at Niu Youdao.

This was a man who had claimed he could keep all four of them from escaping. He should not be afraid of these people, should he?

What none of them quite understood was why Lei Zongkang had come back with the pursuers.

Had he been forced, or had he once again chosen the Liuxian Sect’s side? Once the identities were confirmed, Niu Youdao stopped concealing himself.

He flashed out into the open and stood on top of the hill, sword planted before him.

Waiting.

Yuan Fang, still wary of Black Peony and the others, followed him out. Huang Engui and the others stopped below the hill.

They stared up at Niu Youdao’s group, clearly surprised that their targets had not only failed to flee, but had openly revealed themselves and stood there waiting.

Huang Engui and Cui Yuan each reached over a shoulder and removed a pair of moon wheels.

Lie Zhanbing and Yao Youliang pulled the flexible metal whips coiled around their waists free. Fang De and Fang Shaoqun drew their swords together.

At the very back, Lei Zongkang drew his sword as well.

Huang Engui pointed one moon wheel toward Niu Youdao. “Niu Youdao, surrender without resistance and you can spare yourself some suffering!”

The words had barely left his mouth when Lei Zongkang’s face twisted viciously. His sword swept left and right in two savage slashes.

At such close range, Fang De and Fang Shaoqun were caught completely off guard.

“Ah!”

Blood burst from Fang De’s waist. He was nearly cut in two and screamed as he collapsed.

Fang Shaoqun, attacked a heartbeat later, twisted away in haste. His clothes split open at the waist and blood appeared on the skin beneath, but the blow had only inflicted a flesh wound. He immediately struck with an invisible palm force. Lei Zongkang met it with a palm from a distance.

Already injured, the impact made him cough up blood again and stagger backward repeatedly. Fang De lay on the ground. Fang Shaoqun flashed toward Lei Zongkang and attacked.

Lei Zongkang wielded his sword desperately, reduced almost entirely to defense. Huang Engui and the others whipped around in shock. None had expected Lei Zongkang to possess such nerve.

Seeing him in danger, Black Peony, Duan Hu, and Wu Sanliang sprang forward together without waiting for an order.

Huang Engui charged first.

The other three ignored Fang Shaoqun behind them and moved in concert, all four rushing straight toward Niu Youdao atop the hill.

They knew what mattered.

They refused to let Black Peony and the others entangle them while Niu Youdao seized the chance to escape.

With Black Peony’s group gone from his side, Niu Youdao was isolated. To them, this was the perfect chance to strike. Capture Niu Youdao, and the merit would be enormous.

“Go cool off somewhere!” Niu Youdao barked sideways.

Yuan Fang had already been nervous.

At the order, his head shrank between his shoulders and he immediately scurried away.

Two spinning moon wheels shot toward Niu Youdao with shrill whistles.

He did not dodge.

One arm swept out.

Clang!

His sword cleared its sheath in a burst of cold light.

A dazzling storm of sword flashes followed, accompanied by a violent metallic clatter. In an instant, both moon wheels were knocked flying.

The empty scabbard stabbed into the earth and remained planted atop the hill. Niu Youdao moved with the sword light.

Launching himself into the air, he drove straight toward Huang Engui, who was charging in front. Huang Engui swung the remaining moon wheel to block.

Clang!

Metal rang against metal.

Huang Engui was startled.

The force he had poured into his moon wheel seemed to have almost no effect on the opposing sword. Then a streak of cold light swept toward him. His soul nearly left his body.

Niu Youdao flicked his wrist.

The sword edge swept across Huang Engui’s neck, carving out a spray of blood. Huang Engui’s head flew into the air.

Almost at the same instant, Niu Youdao kicked him squarely in the abdomen and sent the headless body hurtling backward.

Seeing the situation turn bad, Cui Yuan hurriedly hurled his remaining moon wheel to save him.

Too late.

Niu Youdao’s bloodstained sword flashed diagonally upward and knocked the incoming moon wheel away.

Using the force of his kick against Huang Engui’s body, he changed direction in midair and flew straight toward Cui Yuan. Two whip shadows came roaring in with savage howls.

Whoom-crack!

They lashed toward Niu Youdao in rescue. Still airborne, Niu Youdao twisted and rolled, sword flashing repeatedly as he knocked the steel whips aside. Yet the two whips moved like living snakes.

They actually curved in midair and came coiling back at him again.

Like venomous serpents, they forced him into a rapid succession of parries. A vicious look appeared on Cui Yuan’s face.

Taking advantage of Niu Youdao’s divided attention, he drove a palm violently toward Niu Youdao’s head as the two collided.

In the chaos, Niu Youdao’s sword continued clanging against the whipping steel. His free hand shot out in an emergency counterstrike.

Boom!

Wind exploded outward.

Cui Yuan’s eyes went wide.

He felt exactly what Lei Zongkang had felt before. His entire body was blasted backward and smashed toward the ground. Niu Youdao was thrown back as well.

He struck downward with his sword and caught one of the whips lashing up from below.

Borrowing the tremendous force of that blow, his body became light as a swallow and shot high into the sky, instantly breaking free from the tangled whip shadows.

Whoom-crack!

Lie Zhanbing and Yao Youliang almost simultaneously lashed their whips against the ground.

Boom!

Two pits burst open in the earth. Borrowing the recoil, both men launched themselves back into the air and chased Niu Youdao upward. Their whips snapped out again, weaving vicious shadows toward him. Niu Youdao’s upward momentum reached its limit. He flipped upside down and plunged headfirst toward them.

Swordlight blossomed around him like a lotus in full bloom, meeting the intertwined whip shadows from below. A furious metallic ringing exploded through the air. Then both the whip shadows and the swordlight suddenly stopped. Niu Youdao’s sword had twisted the two steel whips together. Lie Zhanbing and Yao Youliang pulled hard.

The weapons appeared to be bound fast and would not separate.

Niu Youdao locked his sword in place and planted one foot on each whip.

All three descended from the sky while pulling against one another.

The instant they touched the ground, Lie Zhanbing and Yao Youliang moved with practiced coordination.

They crossed around Niu Youdao at high speed, intending to wrap him up in the steel whips.

Niu Youdao tried to draw his sword free and discovered that the two whips, pulled taut from opposite sides, had jammed it fast.

He glanced toward Lie Zhanbing.

Cold light filled his eyes.

Savage killing intent spread across his face. He instantly abandoned the sword, broke free, and sprang straight at Lie Zhanbing.

Boom!

Their palms collided.

Lie Zhanbing had not noticed what happened to Cui Yuan amid the fighting.

If he had, he never would have dared receive that palm head-on.

Yao Youliang immediately realized something was wrong with his senior brother. The balance of force between the two whips had changed.

And Niu Youdao had already turned and was coming straight for him.

[End of Chapter 139]