Chapter 309

Large trucks are certainly slower than cars, but they allow for more appreciation of the scenery along the way.

Tan Wenbin brought a cigarette to Zhao Yi, who was driving, lit it for him, and then asked with a smile, "Going home now, how's the 'away team' feeling?"

Zhao Yi honked the horn twice and replied, "Impatient to return home."

The cab had double rows of seats. Li Zhuiyuan sat in the passenger seat, while Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou sat in the back.

Runsheng didn't want to squeeze in with them, so he chose to sit alone in the spacious back compartment of the truck.

Zhao Yi: "Oh, by the way, how did you explain leaving so hastily to Grandpa Li? Did you say you had to go back to school for final exams?"

Tan Wenbin: "No, we told Grandpa Li it was for an internship project in Jiujiang."

Zhao Yi: "Oh, I see. You really should tell him where you're going."

Tan Wenbin: "It's not what you think. When you're away from home, you don't have to tell your elders everything you're doing, but you should at least let them know your exact location on a map." He added, using an old saying, "That way, if something unexpected happens to you out there, your family at home will at least know which direction to face the brazier when burning sacrificial paper."

Zhao Yi: "That was me being too practical, *cough*... Before I left, I specifically said goodbye to Grandpa Li and told him I had an urgent matter to attend to back home."

Lin Shuyou pointed to two large bags at his feet. One contained candles, and the other held yellow joss paper and gold and silver ingots.

"Three Eyes, are these the Nantong specialties Grandpa Li asked you to bring home?"

Zhao Yi: "Yeah, I told Grandpa Li my mom died."

Lin Shuyou: "..."

Tan Wenbin: "So, it seems your childhood featured more paternal love?"

Zhao Yi: "Not really. It's mainly because Grandpa Li is a very kind person and has been good to me. I was worried that if I said both my parents died in a car accident, he'd insist on coming back to Jiujiang with me to help with the mourning rituals."

Lin Shuyou forcibly pursed his lips.

Zhao Yi: "Go on and laugh. I don't mind. Why are you holding back? Don't bottle it up."

Lin Shuyou shook his head, still trying to suppress his laughter, and leaned down to tie a knot in the two red bags.

The first time he returned to his hometown in Fujian from Nantong, he brought back quite a few Nantong specialties.

Nantong people seemed to have a fixed set of answers when asked about their local specialties, like solving a problem. When he asked Grandpa Li and Brother Bin, they always started with: "Xiting Crispy Cakes, Baipu Tea-Dried Tofu..."

Although Lin Shuyou had never seen them actually eat these things, it was as if these 'local specialties' existed solely for the purpose of having local specialties.

Anyway, when Lin Shuyou went home for the second time, he found that the specialties he had brought back last time were still in the cupboard, largely untouched by his family.

To be honest, he thought it would have been more useful to bring back some candles and ingots; at least those could be burned at the temple.

Just then, Zhao Yi's brick phone rang.

Tan Wenbin picked it up for him and answered.

Old Tian's anxious voice came through the receiver: "Young Master, how could you just leave like that? If Brother Li hadn't told me at lunchtime, I wouldn't even have known you'd left!"

"Yes, we've already left."

"Young Master, why didn't you take me with you this time? My legs are fine now, Young Master, I can be useful."

"Old Tian, I'm going back to handle some family matters this time."

"Isn't that perfect? I'm also one of the Zhao family of Jiujiang, Young Master!"

"What kind of Zhao family member are you? Your surname isn't even Zhao."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, then Old Tian's aggrieved voice came through:

"Young Master, you can't use the same excuse twice to leave me behind."

"Old Tian, your task is to stay home and keep a close eye on Liu Jinxia and the three women in her family. If anything unusual happens, notify me immediately. This is very important, understand?"

"Yes, Young Master, I understand."

"Alright, hanging up."

The car drove along the riverside, heading towards the car ferry.

Many engineering vessels could be seen on the river, and numerous construction workers were visible on the shore.

Zhao Yi asked, "What are they doing?"

Lin Shuyou: "Construction."

Zhao Yi glanced back at Lin Shuyou without a word.

Tan Wenbin: "They're probably dredging."

Zhao Yi: "Dredging? Is it blocked?"

Tan Wenbin licked his lips, unsure how to answer.

Li Zhuiyuan, from the passenger seat, spoke up, "Dredging means deepening. There's an old saying in the shipping industry: 'An inch of water depth is an inch of gold.' The deeper the water, the larger the tonnage of vessels that can pass through."

Zhao Yi: "So, they have to excavate the river for this? What an enormous project."

Li Zhuiyuan: "This has been ongoing for decades, and the intensity of dredging and management will further increase in the coming years. Water transport costs are very low. If managed well, oceangoing ships can directly enter, essentially creating nearly eight hundred kilometers of coastline along both banks within Jiangsu Province, turning inland river ports into sea ports."

Zhao Yi: "Zhuangzhuang, A-You, are you and Li from the same university?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Some things, they just don't have the energy to look into."

Zhao Yi: "I can see that. They even have to sneak in time to study for their final exams."

After the ferry crossed the river, they continued driving. Tan Wenbin took over for a stretch.

The others took the opportunity to rest and recharge.

Finally, with a prompt from Zhao Yi, "Everyone, we've arrived in Jiujiang."

Lin Shuyou opened his eyes and looked out the window.

It seemed a late mist had risen; the distant mountain scenery was shrouded in white mist, giving it an otherworldly, ethereal quality.

Lin Shuyou exclaimed, "The scenery is better than Nantong's."

Zhao Yi nodded in deep agreement: "That godforsaken place, Nantong. Before, if I wanted to get a late-night snack, I had to go all the way to the school gate."

Last night, he had enjoyed the most delicious late-night snack since arriving in Nantong.

Only, the cook wasn't from Nantong either... well, not even a person.

"Three Eyes, are there any interesting places in your hometown?"

"There are tons of fun places. Once I've cleaned up my house, I'll take you all around. We can even get a boat, float on the river, and listen to some pipa music."

"Listen to pipa music?"

"Haven't you read 'The Ballad of Pipa'?"

"It was in our Chinese textbook, I've memorized it."

"The first line."

"One evening, I bade farewell to a guest at Xunyang River."

"Xunyang, here, is Jiujiang."

Zhao Yi parked the car beside an old, three-story building.

"Everyone, let's get out."

Lin Shuyou, with his bag on his back, looked up at the rusty iron railings caked with generations of bird droppings above his head, then down at the dilapidated, peeling gate.

The place was on the outskirts of the city, like a forgotten corner.

"Three Eyes, is this all there is?"

A-You didn't fuss about the conditions, but he liked to fuss about Zhao Yi.

After all, he was a young master, yet he brought his friends to a place like this.

"My apologies, conditions are limited, and the hospitality isn't up to par."

Zhao Yi took out his keys, unlocked the door, and opened it. Inside, it was pitch black, and an aura of decay wafted out.

They all stepped inside.

The aura of decay persisted, yet it transformed into another form of "decay."

The interior space suddenly expanded severalfold, far exceeding what the exterior building suggested. It was sumptuously decorated in an antique style, very impressive.

Lin Shuyou: "Wow."

At this moment, Lin Shuyou felt the vast difference between a Guan Jiang Shou temple and an old, established martial world family.

One must remember that Zhao Yi had already separated from the Jiujiang Zhao family. This was likely a bonus he received during the family division.

Zhao Yi patted Lin Shuyou's shoulder: "Stop 'wowing.' Your Brother Xiao Yuan's family wealth is far more extravagant than mine. If you get the chance later, ask him to take you to visit the ancestral homes of the Qin and Liu families. Even I 'wow' when I go there!"

Next, Zhao Yi led them upstairs.

"Come, the bedrooms are on the third floor. This is a villa under my name, but I've already dismissed everyone who worked here."

Inside the bedroom, they opened the window to a panoramic view: layers of lakes and rivers, mountains and streams reflecting one another.

After settling everyone in, Zhao Yi said to Li Zhuiyuan, "I'm going to meet my people to get the family intelligence they've been investigating. There might be nothing happening tonight, or there might be something."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Your cousin?"

Zhao Yi: "That guy has some peculiar preferences. I've already set the bait; he'll come out either tonight or tomorrow night. Don't worry, he won't be able to resist."

Li Zhuiyuan: "If he takes the bait, you can notify us to come and observe."

Zhao Yi chuckled, "Observe what? My Zhao family's internal strife?"

Li Zhuiyuan nodded.

Zhao Yi: "Alright, as the first show for your visit to Jiujiang, I guarantee everyone will enjoy it thoroughly."

After greeting the others, Zhao Yi left.

After that, the group stayed in this magnificent riverside inn, eating compressed biscuits and drinking purified water.

Li Zhuiyuan took a shower and lay down on the bed.

The windows in front of him were wide open, and the evening breeze, carrying moisture, continuously blew in, bringing both coolness and a certain stickiness.

Even though he had already slept in the car, the young man intended to continue resting.

But before closing his eyes to sleep, Li Zhuiyuan snapped his fingers, breaking the soundproofing array between the rooms on that floor.

At one in the morning, Tan Wenbin's brick phone rang.

Soon after, they got out of bed.

Li Zhuiyuan opened his eyes, sat up, got dressed, and walked to the door.

Tan Wenbin stood at the doorway: "Brother Xiao Yuan, Zhao Yi called. He wants us to put on a show."

The group went downstairs. As they pushed open the door, they saw a jeep parked outside, driven by Liang Yan.

"Brother Xiao Yuan."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded to her and got into the car.

During the drive, Liang Yan gave a brief introduction.

Zhao Yi's cousin was named Zhao Xu.

To cover up a scandal, he had been arranged by Zhao Yi's second uncle to stay in an outer residence during this period.

Originally, Zhao Yi had intended to storm the outer residence and apprehend him directly, but after realizing that his Zhao family was being watched by so many eyes, he had to change his approach and become more cautious.

After all, the Great Emperor of Fengdu and the Bodhisattva were merely the known formidable entities. Could they be sure there were only these two?

The direct, aggressive approach was temporarily abandoned; they needed to find a way to lure him out.

Fortunately, a leopard never changes its spots; Zhao Xu was successfully lured out tonight.

Lin Shuyou asked curiously, "What exactly is Zhao Xu's 'peculiar preference'?"

Liang Yan glanced in the rearview mirror and replied, "Women."

Upon hearing the answer, Lin Shuyou blinked, then sat back, looking somewhat puzzled.

For a man, was liking women now considered a peculiar preference?

Runsheng sat quietly.

Tan Wenbin, guessing something, didn't ask.

Li Zhuiyuan spoke, "Is Liang Li the bait?"

Liang Yan: "Yes."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Is Zhao Xu really that foolish?"

Liang Yan: "According to our boss, once he takes the bait, it's just a matter of tying a few more knots."

Li Zhuiyuan closed his eyes.

Tan Wenbin asked, "Where are Xu Ming and Chen Jing?"

Liang Yan: "According to the new formula the Young Master provided, Chen Jing is currently soaking in a new medicinal solution and cannot leave his seclusion. Xu Ming is staying by his side to look after him."

The young Daoist Chen Jing, being half-demon and half-human, was a crucial trump card Zhao Yi was saving specifically to deal with the Yu family.

Therefore, the young Daoist, still in his developmental stage, would not be brought out now and needed to be carefully protected.

The car drove halfway up the mountain and stopped; there was no road ahead.

Liang Yan: "From here, we'll have to run a ways."

Runsheng bent down.

Li Zhuiyuan climbed onto his back, one arm around Runsheng's neck, the fingertips of his other hand lightly rubbing, and said:

"It's going to rain."

Runsheng pulled out a Rashomon Umbrella from his backpack.

Liang Yan led the way, and the others ran behind her.

Everyone moved quickly, not simply following the mountain path but climbing and jumping whenever possible.

A bolt of lightning streaked across the night sky, followed by a thunderous rumble, and then the rain poured down.

Runsheng opened the Rashomon Umbrella, spinning its surface as he ran, deflecting the rainwater.

Finally, they reached their destination.

Zhao Yi had thoughtfully prepared a viewing platform in advance, setting up an array on a hillside.

Stepping into the array and activating it, the large trees above swayed, blocking out the wind and rain.

Diagonally ahead, six people stood.

Four stood on the outer perimeter as a lookout, and two stood in the inner circle.

One young man, whose face still hadn't fully shed its youthful softness, bore a slight resemblance to Zhao Yi at first glance. This must be Zhao Xu.

Zhao Xu crouched before a pit, his face filled with anticipation, constantly licking his lips.

Water droplets streamed down his face, making it hard to tell whether it was rain or drool.

The person standing beside Zhao Xu wore a hat that obscured their face, but they appeared to be a middle-aged man.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, I can barely wait! I can't believe there's such an overlooked spot near our family's territory. If I'd known earlier, why would I have bothered with those other tortures myself?"

He continued, "Wild game from the mountains must be infinitely more fragrant than anything bred at home!"

Inside the pit lay two old coffins.

This was a marital tomb, not grand in scale, but the burial spot was exceptionally well-chosen, ensuring the bodies would remain preserved as much as possible.

Between the two coffins, three concentric locks were tied with red string, indicating a joint burial for a couple who died together.

This implied that after one passed away, the other followed.

For Zhao Xu, it didn't matter who had followed whom in death; he only cared that the deceased husband could watch as he did what he pleased with the woman, which would greatly stimulate his interest.

Lin Shuyou frowned, feeling a wave of nausea. So, this was his preference?

Tan Wenbin: "Do young masters from prominent families all have such peculiar tastes?"

Lin Shuyou: "What about Three Eyes...?"

Liang Yan: "Our boss is quite normal."

Lin Shuyou nodded: "I still have that much faith in Three Eyes."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Are those four on the perimeter Zhao family retainers?"

Liang Yan: "The same as Old Tian."

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze swept over the feet of the four retainers, one by one.

In the distance.

Zhao Xu slapped the coffin lid.

"Clang, clang, clang, clang..."

Rusty coffin nails flew out, one by one.

"Rise for me!"

Zhao Xu flipped his palm, and the coffin lid rolled off.

Inside lay a woman with delicate features, heavily powdered, dressed in white silk. She had died very young.

Zhao Xu laughed, "Hahaha, I hit the jackpot this time, I hit the jackpot!"

"Young Master, here."

The person next to him, wearing a hat, handed over a candle. With a flick of their sleeve, the candle spontaneously ignited, showing no sign of extinguishing even in the thunderstorm.

Zhao Xu took the candle, placed it at the head of the coffin, then pulled out two talismans, one yellow and one pink.

First, he placed the yellow talisman on the corpse's forehead to suppress it, then covered it with the pink talisman.

Both talismans quickly ignited and turned to ash. Instead of scattering outwards, the ash darted towards the female corpse's nostrils.

Before the ash entered, the female corpse opened her eyes.

Zhao Xu froze for a moment. This wasn't how it was supposed to go!

The "female corpse," Liang Li, sneered. Her body shot up into the air, both hands gripping daggers, and she lunged towards Zhao Xu's neck.

To preserve a complete face, this area was ideal for cutting.

Everything happened in an instant; Zhao Xu had no time to react.

In fact, Zhao Xu truly stood frozen, waiting for the dagger to claim his head.

But the hat-wearing person beside Zhao Xu moved. One hand accurately grabbed one of Liang Li's daggers, then pushed it outwards. The powerful force compelled Liang Li to use her own dagger to block the other one.

The killing move was instantly neutralized, and the opponent still seemed to have plenty of leeway.

The hat-wearing person took a step forward. The surrounding wind and rain paused, then pressed towards Liang Li with fierce momentum.

Liang Li lightly tapped her toes, swiftly retreated, and successfully evaded the attack, though the coffin she had been lying in was shattered to pieces.

As soon as she landed, the four surrounding retainers immediately charged at Liang Li.

Liang Li crossed her arms, releasing two daggers. Just then, another flash of lightning appeared overhead, obscuring the two glints of cold light below.

The four retainers stopped dead in their tracks before reaching Liang Li. Then, blood spurted from their necks, and their bodies spun before collapsing to the ground.

This should have been an overwhelming assassination, as simple as a chicken pecking at rice, but who knew an unforeseen variable had appeared beside the target?

Zhao Xu, who had just narrowly escaped death, immediately circled behind the hat-wearing person, his eyes filled with venom.

There was only the rage of nearly being killed, but no sense of being deceived. Clearly, he had already known that tonight's "feast" was problematic.

The hat-wearing person, while shielding Zhao Xu behind him, spoke:

"Young lady, what excellent skill. This movement technique seems vaguely familiar, like that of the reclusive Liang family... I wonder if you still carry the Liang surname."

Liang Li did not deny it.

The hat-wearing person nodded: "So it is the Liang family. In that case, it's even more improper. Since you're a member of the Liang family, don't you know that our Jiujiang Zhao family and the Liang family are connected by marriage?"

Liang Li: "I know. The young master of the Jiujiang Zhao family is going to marry my Liang family's second young lady as his main wife."

At the viewing platform.

Upon hearing this, Liang Yan's gaze darkened.

Tan Wenbin rubbed his nose, feeling a little like laughing.

He had experience raising two children by himself, which was like raising twins for a while. The biggest fear with twins is unequal distribution; if one gets something, the other must have the exact same.

That was just raising sons. Having two wives would be even more complicated, especially if they were twin wives.

Tan Wenbin fanned the flames: "Why did Zhao Yi give her this opportunity to perform?"

Liang Yan: "It was decided by drawing lots."

Tan Wenbin: "Drawing lots can be rigged."

Liang Yan: "You're instigating."

Tan Wenbin: "Just tell me if you're angry or not."

Liang Yan: "Yes, I am angry."

The hat-wearing person: "Since the young lady knows, what is your intention tonight?"

Liang Li pointed at Zhao Xu: "He's disgusting, and he deserves to die."

The hat-wearing person: "But this is, after all, an internal matter of my Zhao family. Whatever a Zhao family member does outside, it should be decided internally by our family. Outsiders have no right to interfere!"

"Bang!"

The husband's coffin lid could no longer be held down; it flew open.

A man, dressed in a white robe, wearing a tall crown, and with his face covered in white powder, rose from within.

Zhao Yi had said he would put on a good show for his friends who had traveled so far. He did, even changing into a costume and applying makeup.

Furthermore, his cousin, though staring at him, couldn't recognize who he was.

This was partly due to the makeup obscuring his features, and partly because Zhao Yi had left his family with the impression of being a sickly person before his "river journey." Now, his entire demeanor was completely different from before.

The hat-wearing person: "I truly don't understand. Why did you two meticulously set up this trap, just to kill a young master of my Zhao family?"

Zhao Yi: "What else?"

The hat-wearing person: "It doesn't make sense. Few in the family knew the young master had left home to avoid trouble. Yet, you not only know his peculiar preferences and whereabouts but also managed to get news of this joint burial tomb to him."

"Let me guess... you are from the First Branch?"

Zhao Yi: "No."

The hat-wearing person: "The Fourth Branch?"

Zhao Yi: "Why skip the Third Branch?"

The hat-wearing person: "Because the Third Branch wouldn't do something so trivial. The Third Branch is already favored and highly regarded by the Old Master, and its young master is the only 'river traveler' who has lit the lamp in our Zhao family in this generation."

"The Third Branch only needs to secure its position, and the Zhao family will certainly have a place for their voice in the future. Why would they stir up such trouble at this time?"

Zhao Yi: "You're quite talkative, giving advice on the Zhao family's affairs."

The hat-wearing person: "If you reveal which branch, I can spare one of your two lives. As for who lives and who dies, you can discuss it yourselves."

Liang Li: "I die."

Zhao Yi: "I live."

The hat-wearing person was silent for a moment, then immediately scanned his surroundings.

Such a swift and decisive answer either meant the woman was truly foolish, or they had strong backing and didn't believe they would die tonight!

As the hat-wearing person's gaze swept towards the viewing platform, the large trees behind him began to shake violently; the array here was about to be pierced by his gaze.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his hand and gently clenched his fist.

The large trees quieted, and his gaze passed over the area.

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Xiao Yuan?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "No rush. Zhao Yi seems to want to perform for a bit longer. Let him fully enjoy his moment in the spotlight first."

Tan Wenbin: "No wonder when he called to notify me, he said he was inviting us to 'put on a show.' It turns out he never intended to be polite."

Li Zhuiyuan: "After the fish takes the bait, it takes a struggle to figure out who the actual fish is."

The hat-wearing person finished scanning, unable to find anything hidden nearby.

Finally, he had no choice but to refocus his attention on Zhao Yi.

"You two should still reveal who is behind this."

Zhao Yi: "The Second Branch."

The hat-wearing person: "Heh."

Zhao Yi pointed at Zhao Xu and said, "The Second Branch's master and his wife, upon discovering their son's disgusting preference and the karmic debt he accrued because of it, were heartbroken. That's why they asked for our help to 'cleanse the household'."

The hat-wearing person raised a token and said in a deep voice, "You chose this path yourselves."

"Crack!" "Crack!"...

The ground where the four retainers had stood caved in. Immediately, four figures rose from the muddy earth. They wore conical hats and blue leather armor.

Zhao Yi: "Spirit Guards?"

The hat-wearing person: "You really are familiar with my Zhao family."

Zhao Yi: "It's you. Quite the grand gesture."

The Spirit Guards were considered the Zhao family's core combat force. Generally, only the head of the family or higher had the authority to deploy them. Although it was unclear how Zhao Yanglin had managed to bring them out, he could only summon four.

"Let's be frank. No need to hide anything anymore. I really want to see who you are."

"You can certainly take off your hat first."

"Alright."

The hat-wearing person raised a hand and removed their hat. The shadows on their face vanished, and with a ripple of facial muscles, their true appearance emerged.

"Second Master Zhao."

Zhao Yanglin: "Who exactly are you?"

"Indeed, some things outsiders can't quite discern. It seems it wasn't my cousin who had the refined taste for this, but rather you, Second Uncle, who truly possesses this vile habit."

Zhao Yi reached out, used the rainwater to rub his face, and revealed his true appearance.

Zhao Yanglin's gaze narrowed, then he smiled: "My nephew, perhaps the river journey was boring, so you decided to play such a joke on your uncle? Heh heh, it's certainly amusing."

Zhao Xu's jaw dropped, and the hand he pointed at Zhao Yi trembled uncontrollably.

But remembering his father was right beside him, Zhao Xu took a deep breath, suppressed his unease and panic, and forced himself to speak calmly:

"Zhao Yi, you actually want to kill me? How dare you try to kill me? You're utterly..."

Zhao Xu's back of the neck was gently pinched by Zhao Yanglin, rendering him speechless.

Zhao Yanglin looked at Liang Li: "Is this my Zhao family's prospective daughter-in-law, not yet married into the family?"

Liang Li nodded: "That's right."

Zhao Yanglin sighed: "I left in a hurry and didn't bring a gift. I'll make it up next time."

Following this, Zhao Yanglin asked Zhao Yi:

"Nephew, or have you already returned from your second 'lamp lighting' journey?"

Zhao Yanglin released his hand, allowing his son to speak freely again.

Zhao Xu: "Zhao Yi, have you already given up on the lamp-lighting journey? You trash! The family should have let *me* undertake the river journey. If it weren't for you, I'd be the one standing on the river now, competing for the Dragon King title!"

Zhao Yi: "Second Uncle, to be honest, I came today to peel off my cousin's face. He deserves it. I truly didn't expect you to be here at first."

Zhao Yanglin: "Well, I'm here now. What do you intend to do?"

Zhao Yi: "What else can I do? After all, we're family."

Zhao Yanglin: "Indeed."

Zhao Yi: "Then it's a father-son reunion. Let's peel one more face."

A cold glint appeared in Zhao Yanglin's eyes: "Zhao Yi, it's only out of family ties that I've spoken so much with you, and only because you're currently undertaking the river journey that I've patiently conceded so much."

"Don't push your luck and be ungrateful. You're not the Dragon King yet, and I don't think someone like you will ever become the Dragon King!"

"Heh... heh heh heh!"

Zhao Yi laughed. He was the most speechless of all. Who would have thought that his "river journey" would literally lead him into his own home?

Zhao Yanglin did not want to make a move. Zhao Yi's identity was truly special, and he genuinely didn't know what kind of madness had possessed Zhao Yi to plot against his own family members.

Zhao Yi made the first move, charging forward and appearing directly in front of Zhao Yanglin.

Zhao Yanglin threw a punch, and the surrounding water droplets were drawn into a swirling vortex, designed to crush.

Zhao Yi's "Gate of Life and Death" technique rotated, allowing him to anticipate his opponent's movements. He sidestepped, avoiding the punch, and simultaneously delivered a powerful kick towards Zhao Yanglin.

Zhao Yanglin raised his knee and turned, blocking Zhao Yi's kick.

Both sides' Zhao family core techniques activated simultaneously. At the point of impact, the heavy rain seemed to be split into two, with fierce water droplets splashing everywhere.

Zhao Xu had to cross his arms in front of him and retreat quickly. Even so, his arms and other parts of his body were pierced with several bloody holes by the terrible raindrops.

The stalemate didn't last long; Zhao Yi was the first to withdraw his strength.

Zhao Yanglin struck again with a punch, gathering both wind and rain.

Zhao Yi didn't linger in combat. After a decisive retreat, he conjured a water curtain in front of him.

"Splat!"

A sharp, explosive sound echoed. The area around them was suddenly empty, as if the heavy rain had avoided it.

Zhao Yanglin's face showed astonishment: "You've actually