Chapter 420: Where Did Dad Go?

While answering, Sang Hong stared intently at the iron masks worn by the Imperial Guards. He marveled that the guards had been deployed, wondering what Zu An could have stolen from the Emperor.

"The Imperial Guards are here for Zu An?" Sang Qian's eyes widened. He had always looked down on the street urchin, never imagining he could be so significant as to incur the Emperor's wrath.

However, he immediately added, "But from what I can see, these Imperial Guards aren't particularly strong. They're not as formidable as you described, Father."

Sang Hong shook his head. "You can't be fooled by appearances. While most Imperial Guards are between the fifth and sixth ranks, they are exceptionally skilled in combined attack techniques. What King Liang just mentioned, the 'Vajra Subduing Demon Circle,' is a formation personally created by the Emperor. It excels at combining the power of many to apprehend cultivators of much higher cultivation."

"Furthermore, the Soul-Hooking Chains they wield are specially crafted. Once they strike a cultivator's body, those with lower cultivation will have their vital energy dispersed, while those with higher cultivation will still be affected, their strength significantly weakened."

Sang Qian couldn't help but interject, "But surely there's a limit to how powerful they can be. Each of them is only around the fifth rank. I don't believe they could collectively restrain you, Father!"

Sang Hong gave a wry smile. "If they truly came to apprehend me, I wouldn't be able to resist."

Sang Qian was dumbfounded. "That powerful?"

He mused that if he were in Zu An's shoes, he would likely struggle to evade the Imperial Guards' Vajra Subduing Demon Circle, but he never expected even his father would be no match for them.

How did Zu An, that good-for-nothing, suddenly become so formidable?

It must be because he stole something from the Emperor that he made such rapid progress. Yes, that's it. But taking shortcuts always comes at a price!

Sang Hong, standing beside him, let out a soft sigh. "After all, the most powerful aspect of the Imperial Guards isn't the Vajra Subduing Demon Circle; it's their authority to act on behalf of the Son of Heaven."

Sang Qian was about to ask how they acted on the Emperor's behalf when developments in the battle drew his attention away.

Two Imperial Guards suddenly moved, their iron chains instantly becoming rigid, like two long spears, thrusting directly towards Zu An's chest.

Conversely, the chains of the two Imperial Guards behind him became soft as silk, wrapping around his body.

Zu An used his sword to parry one of the approaching chains, and his entire body shook, his vital energy churning violently.

Logically, his actual vital energy strength was already equivalent to a sixth-rank cultivator, while these Imperial Guards were only fifth-rank. In a one-on-one fight, they should be no match for him. Why, then, was he at a disadvantage in a direct confrontation?

He suddenly noticed faint blue light circulating around their bodies, continuously dispersing to their surrounding comrades, and then another blue light gathering from their comrades towards him.

Zu An suddenly understood. It was a combined attack formation. He had previously witnessed the three thousand Red-Robed Army's formation uniting to defeat even a ninth-rank master without a fight. He never expected the tables to turn so quickly, and now it was his turn to face the experience of being ganged up on.

Although his mind raced, he dared not slow his movements. Knowing that a direct confrontation would put him at a disadvantage, he changed his strategy. He used his Tai'e sword to lift another iron chain in front of him, causing it to entangle perfectly with the chain attacking from behind.

Zheng Dan watched nervously from the side. Especially after hearing Sang Hong's explanation, her fists, hidden in her sleeves, were clenched even tighter.

When she saw this move, she couldn't help but inwardly applaud. She never expected Zu An's mastery of swordsmanship to reach such a level. He seemed to be using the 'pick' technique from the Thirteen Forms of Elementary Swordsmanship taught at the academy, along with traces of Chu Chuyan's Snow Flake Divine Sword.

She asked herself if she could have done it as well, concluding she probably couldn't. This guy, aside from being a bit lecherous, truly had terrifying cultivation talent.

However, her heart immediately tightened, for there was still one more iron chain!

Zu An's previous sword move had exhausted its momentum, leaving him no time to defend again.

"Be careful!" she cried out instinctively.

Not far away, Sang Qian suddenly turned to look at her. Seeing his newlywed wife gazing anxiously at another man, he was instantly consumed by rage.

"Zu An, you villain, I swear we cannot coexist!"

Rage from Sang Qian +740!

At that moment, the other six Imperial Guards, who had been waiting, also moved. They, too, had seen that Zu An could not evade the last iron chain.

As soon as he was entangled for a moment, the remaining six chains would completely immobilize him, leaving him no chance to turn the tables.

Just as the iron chain was about to wrap around his waist, two fingers suddenly extended in front of Zu An.

The fingers were crystal-clear and slender, making many women in the crowd feel a sense of inadequacy upon seeing them.

Watching such delicate fingers meet the thick, black iron chain, Xie Daoyun and Zheng Dan couldn't help but bite their lips tightly.

A hint of mocking amusement appeared on Sang Qian's face. This guy's hand would surely be ruined, he thought. The power of ten Imperial Guards concentrated in a chain was too much for even two hands to handle, let alone two mere fingers; they would surely be instantly crushed.

However, his smile quickly froze on his face, for he saw that the two fingers, which he had expected to be instantly shattered, had firmly clamped onto the iron chain, which contained terrifying power.

"Oh? That finger technique..." King Liang felt as if he had seen a similar technique somewhere before, but he couldn't quite place it.

Sang Hong, on the other hand, watched in utter amazement. He truly hadn't misjudged this fellow; what a talent! If only he had recruited him earlier.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but glare at his gloating son beside him. He should have brought Qian'er to Brightmoon City if he had known things would turn out like this, but who could have foreseen that Zu An would prove far more useful than the entire Zheng family?

Zu An gripped the iron chain with his 'Spiritual Insight Finger', but he immediately sensed the immense power gathered within it. He quickly flicked his wrist, sending a wave of force back along the chain.

Then, he swung the chain towards the chains wielded by the other six attackers.

The guards hadn't anticipated this sudden turn of events. Caught off guard, several chains instantly tangled together. Then, with a loud bang, the seven Imperial Guards trembled, letting out muffled groans. It was clear they had suffered a significant hidden injury.

Zu An's flick, of course, wasn't meant to suggest his vital energy alone could match that of ten Imperial Guards. Instead, he used his own vital energy to prematurely detonate the incoming vital energy from their attack. In that instant, by causing the seven guards' chains to entangle, he essentially made them suffer injuries from their own combined power, meant for ten.

From the beginning, it wasn't difficult for Zu An to evade the initial four attacks. What he truly feared were the other six Imperial Guards, who had been waiting for an opportune moment. Therefore, he deliberately exposed a weakness, making it seem as if he had no escape, thereby creating this very opportunity.

There were many sharp-eyed individuals in the crowd. Connecting the events, they immediately understood his strategy. They secretly marveled at his brilliant combat awareness, wondering if he truly was the "good-for-nothing who relied on women" as everyone perceived him to be.

Zu An seized this opportunity to immediately summon the Great Wind, teleporting several hundred meters away. Fearing that King Liang was a grandmaster, he didn't stop even after reaching the limit of the first teleportation, immediately summoning the Great Wind again, completely disregarding the remaining uses. His only thought now was to get out of their sight as quickly as possible.

"What kind of movement technique is that?!"

Gasps of astonishment erupted throughout the crowd. While Zheng Dan, who was aware of Zu An's true capabilities, wasn't surprised, even a friend like Xie Daoyun rubbed her eyes in disbelief, not to mention the other family members present.

Sang Qian's face also turned pale. How was this possible? How could this guy be so incredible?

He hastily turned his head. "Father, how did he... wait, where did Father go?"

Witnessing Zu An's speed, a flicker of surprise appeared in King Liang's eyes, but he still sneered, "Trying to run?"

A grandmaster could fly, after all. No matter how fast one moved on the ground, it was still child's play in the face of a grandmaster.

He shot into the sky, only to suddenly find someone else in front of him: none other than Sang Hong!

King Liang's expression darkened, and he directly sent a palm strike forward.

Sang Hong, with a solemn expression, met the attack with both palms.

Their palms met with a loud bang, and an incredibly powerful wave of qi scattered outwards, sending all the guests present stumbling. The ceremonial table in the wedding hall, various incense candles, red lanterns, and windows adorned with large red '囍' (double happiness) characters were all shaken loose by the qi wave and fell to the ground.

King Liang returned to his original spot, standing with his hands behind his back, while Sang Hong fell heavily to the ground like a tattered sandbag, creating a large hole in the meticulously selected marble floor of the Sang family mansion.

King Liang looked over coldly. "Sang Hong, do you know what you're doing? How dare you aid an imperial fugitive in escaping!"