Chapter 358: Doing a Good Deed

Zu'an's expression also changed slightly. Almost every one of the black-clad figures was a Fourth Rank practitioner, a rank high enough to serve as the head of a small county. In other words, each of these black-clad figures possessed a formidable strength comparable to, or even exceeding, his own, considering he had only recently broken through to the Fourth Rank.

Sang Qian had brought his most trusted confidantes this time, not the useless scoundrels from the River Defense Camp; otherwise, they would likely have been annihilated in the first clash. Yet, even these elite fighters were struggling against the black-clad figures' superior cultivation and vicious attacks.

Watching his subordinates fall one after another, Sang Qian roared in fury, "You scoundrels, prepare to die!" He drew his long blade, and raging flames erupted along its length, transforming it into a great flaming saber nearly forty meters long. He swept it across the surrounding black-clad figures.

The black-clad figures were terrified, quickly dodging one by one. Those who couldn't escape in time were cleaved in half by his flaming saber, the flames continuing to burn upwards from their wounds. The half-bodied figures still retained some consciousness, screaming in agony as they burned, creating a scene like a living inferno.

Zu'an watched, utterly dumbfounded. "That's truly a 40-meter saber!" he thought. "If he knew what I did with Zheng Dan, that 40-meter saber would probably be coming for me. I wonder if I'd even have time to run." Still, he mused, he and Zheng Dan really weren't compatible. She was water-attributed, and he wielded fire; they were inherently at odds.

Qin Wanru, standing nearby, also commented, "While these black-clad figures are skilled, Sang Qian is clearly far superior. The gap between the Fourth and Fifth Ranks cannot be bridged by a mere numerical advantage, especially since Sang Qian is an exceptional Fifth Rank practitioner."

"Don't worry," Zu'an stated with certainty, recalling Qiu Honglei's mysterious aura. "These black-clad figures surely have more strength than they've shown."

No sooner had he spoken than a small lantern suddenly rose in the distance, emitting a faint, bright yellow glow. Yet, its mere appearance brought forth an immense sense of oppression. Sang Qian immediately felt as if he were trapped in a swamp, the surrounding air turning thick and viscous. Movements that were ordinarily effortless now required several times the exertion. His previously swift and powerful flaming saber strike slowed, moving as if in slow motion.

Qin Wanru, a duchess after all, immediately realized, "This lantern must be a magical artifact with a binding effect. I wonder who possesses such a wondrous weapon."

"Binding?" Zu'an hastily inquired. "Wouldn't that make one invincible? You could just immobilize the enemy with this artifact and then dispatch them with a single strike."

Qin Wanru shook her head. "It's not that simple. Its effectiveness depends on the cultivation gap between the two parties. Those with lower cultivation, like yourself, would likely be unable to move a single finger if caught in its light."

Zu'an looked dejected. "Just state the facts; why do you always have to belittle me?"

"As for those with higher cultivation," Qin Wanru added, "their movements would only be slowed to a certain extent. And, of course, for those with even greater cultivation, this lantern would likely be ineffective."

He asked curiously, "What if it shone on you?"

Qin Wanru's face flushed. "Can this man ever have a normal conversation?" she thought. "It should affect me," Qin Wanru snorted.

Qin Wanru's Rage: +233!

Zu'an pursed his lips. "Are all women so petty?" His gaze, however, quickly turned to the lantern. Why did it look so familiar?

Just then, another black-clad figure leaped out from the side and punched directly towards the slowing flaming saber. The bluestone slabs on the street shattered, and countless lumps of earth surged forth, forming a gigantic earthen fist. It slammed directly into the flaming saber, scattering sparks everywhere as the fiery blade was disintegrated.

"An earth elemental practitioner, Fifth Rank," Qin Wanru said with some surprise.

"Is this person stronger than Sang Qian?" Zu'an asked.

Qin Wanru shook her head. "Not necessarily. It's mainly because Sang Qian's movements were slowed by the lantern, and he had to divert most of his energy to counter its effects."

Zu'an's gaze, however, was drawn to another figure: a graceful silhouette slowly emerging from the shadows of the street. Though entirely cloaked in black, her lithe figure remained undeniably evident.

"Why does that chest look a bit familiar?" Zu'an murmured to himself. He wasn't entirely sure; if it had been Pei Mianman's, he would have recognized it instantly, but this one left him less certain.

Sang Qian realized that neither of the two emerging figures would be easy to deal with, especially the woman with the lantern, who exuded a formidable presence. His expression changed, and he hastily commanded his subordinates, "Quick, take the salt permits away!"

Zu'an couldn't help but exclaim, "This Sang Qian isn't a coward after all; he didn't abandon his subordinates to cover his retreat."

Qin Wanru snorted, "Anyone who can cultivate to this level at such a young age is a prodigy."

Seeing the soldiers pushing the salt permit cart away, the earth elemental practitioner roared, "Not so fast!" and lunged forward. He pressed his hand on the ground, and the entire surface arched up like waves, surging towards the group with the salt permits. Sang Qian leaped, positioning himself directly in front of the surging waves. With a resounding crash, he brought his saber down, causing dirt to splatter and the undulating ground to settle once more.

Immediately afterward, he charged directly at the earth elemental practitioner without hesitation, and the two swiftly engaged in battle. At this time, another group of black-clad figures quickly chased in the direction of the salt permit carriage. Sang Qian couldn't afford to focus on them, having to leave his subordinates to fend for themselves. He fully concentrated and launched an attack on the earth elemental practitioner. With an unknown expert lurking nearby, he knew he had to quickly dispatch the current opponent to stand a chance. His cultivation was clearly superior to his opponent's, and he quickly put the man in a precarious situation.

"Junior sister, what are you still doing?!" the earth elemental practitioner cried out, both surprised and angry.

The woman holding the lantern smiled slightly. "Senior brother, hold on for a moment. I'll take care of the other two little mice first." With that, she lightly tapped her toe and flew directly towards Zu'an and his companion's hiding place.

"Go after the salt permits!" Qin Wanru exclaimed, alarmed. She patted Zu'an's shoulder, and a gentle force propelled him towards the direction where the salt permit carriage had disappeared.

"Be careful yourself!" Zu'an warned, looking back and gazing at the graceful figure holding the lantern. Although the other person had deliberately altered her voice, he had already recognized her identity. Who else could it be but Qiu Honglei from the Divine Immortal Residence? He had always known this woman kept her true abilities hidden, but he hadn't expected her cultivation to be so remarkably high.

By this time, Qin Wanru was already engaged in battle with the opponent. "Oh?" Qiu Honglei clearly hadn't anticipated a Sixth Rank expert hidden there and nearly suffered a significant setback in their initial exchange. Fortunately, the lantern in her hand was no ordinary item; it affected Qin Wanru's movements to a certain extent, allowing her to avert danger.

Seeing that Qin Wanru still held a slight advantage, Zu'an finally breathed a sigh of relief. She was a Sixth Rank practitioner; why should he worry so much? So he directly chased in the direction the carriage had left.

He vaguely heard sounds of fighting and soon saw Sang Qian's subordinates battling the mysterious black-clad figures. The carriage containing the salt permit boxes was left to the side. Everyone now understood that securing the salt permits hinged on defeating the opposing group. Thus, guarding the permits themselves was a complete waste of manpower; at this stage of the fight, no one dared to expend even a fraction of their strength unnecessarily.

Zu'an gasped, witnessing the ferocity of the battle, a truly grisly scene with limbs flying. "Huh, whose hand just fell off?" he wondered. He immediately summoned Big Wind and appeared almost instantaneously beside the carriage. But he wasn't in a hurry to leave. Instead, he lightly coughed and announced, "Everyone's working hard!"

The two intensely fighting sides paused momentarily, all looking at this fellow who had appeared on the carriage, bewildered as to where he had come from.

"I see you're fighting fiercely, all for the sake of what's on this carriage," Zu'an said with a slight smile. "I'm always soft-hearted and don't wish to see rivers of blood, so I've decided to do a good deed and take these things away, to spare you from fighting to the death." With that, he slapped the horse's rump and galloped off with the carriage.

The River Defense Camp soldiers: "..."The mysterious black-clad figures: "..."

Rage from the River Defense Camp soldiers: +666,666!Rage from the black-clad figures: +999,999!