Chapter Twenty-Two: Ambush!

"It is the young master." Wang Fu hurried away to gather his belongings and return to the Qin family in Tianyang City without delay. Now that the young master's cultivation had reached the stage of Internal Force, what were the Wang, Xue, and Hong families compared to this? The Qin family was destined to rise.

Half an hour later, Qin Feng, Wang Fu, Wang Bao, and Liu Hu rode swift horses out of the city, rushing toward the Qin family estate.

After Qin Feng left, the maids in the residence went to the Black Tiger Gang and Xuanghai Martial Hall to inform Yan Chonghu, Shi Tie, and Chen Xuanhao that he had urgent matters and would return to the Qin family.

Eight days after Qin Feng departed from Xuanzhou City, news spread from the Azure Dragon Sect: its master, Ye Qinglong, had broken through to the Grandmaster realm. Furthermore, on the nineteenth day of September, he would host a banquet to celebrate his breakthrough, inviting the Zhao family, Chen family, Black Tiger Gang, Han family, Wang family, and other powers.

Yet the leaders of these powers understood that the Azure Dragon Sect was preparing to settle old scores with its rivals. With Ye Qinglong ascending to the Grandmaster realm, he would surely seek revenge and settle grievances. The entire Xuanzhou City was suddenly shrouded in turmoil, and many factions felt threatened.

The Black Tiger Gang was thrown into chaos. Their feud with the Azure Dragon Sect was deep and bitter, nearly irreconcilable.

"Brother, now that Ye Qinglong has reached the Grandmaster realm and Master Qin is not in Xuanzhou City, what should we do?" Shi Tie paced the council chamber, his face tense, voice heavy.

"There is no other way. A Grandmaster-level expert is terrifying, far beyond our ability to contend with," Yan Chonghu replied from the head seat, his expression grave.

Below him sat twelve hall masters, all with somber faces, despair flickering in their eyes.

"Brother, are we to sit and await death?" Shi Tie exclaimed angrily.

"When a martial artist breaks through to the Grandmaster realm, he becomes a ruler, wielding the power of life and death. The personal grudges of a Grandmaster are beyond even the concern of the Great Chu Dynasty. Besides, Grandmasters are not to be insulted. The only fault is that we failed to reach the Grandmaster realm before Ye Qinglong." Yan Chonghu understood well the terror of Grandmaster-level experts—not only their strength but also their privileges.

"Brother, why don't we escape? Ye Qinglong is only a Grandmaster, not a deity. If we flee Xuanzhou City, he can't do anything to us," Shi Tie suggested quickly.

"Hmph! Foolish. That would only lead to quicker death. Do you think Ye Qinglong hasn't anticipated this?"

"If I'm not mistaken, the city outskirts are already a net laid by Ye Qinglong, waiting for us to step in. Now that he has reached the Grandmaster realm, many Internal Force experts will flock to curry favor. What gift could be more fitting than our heads?" Yan Chonghu's mind and methods were exceptional; from the Azure Dragon Sect's actions, he had already deduced their preparations.

"Brother, then let's fight the Azure Dragon Sect to the death. Take one down and it's worth it; take two and we've profited!" Shi Tie roared in anger.

"Good. On the nineteenth of September, we brothers will cause a scene at the banquet, disgrace Ye Qinglong. Let him know that his breakthrough means nothing to us—we do not fear him!" Yan Chonghu laughed heroically, raising his voice.

"Agreed!" Shi Tie responded loudly.

"Moreover, I've already sent word to Tianyang City, advising Master Qin not to return to Xuanzhou City. In my letter, I begged him that, should he break through to the Grandmaster realm in the future, he would slay Ye Qinglong and avenge us brothers." Yan Chonghu, thinking of Master Qin avenging him one day, smiled broadly.

"A severed head leaves only a scar; we are merely one step ahead of Ye Qinglong—what is there to fear?" Shi Tie, hearing that Master Qin would avenge them, felt his spirits rise.

...

"Zuo Daoguang, you are only the Qin family's son-in-law; there's no need for you to die for them. Why not submit to my Wang family?"

"Bah! Though I am no hero, I am a man who knows the meaning of shame! To surrender to the Wang family—you're dreaming!"

As Qin Feng, Wang Fu, Wang Bao, and Liu Hu approached Tianyang City, they heard the sounds of fighting ahead.

"Go!" Qin Feng, Wang Fu, Wang Bao, and Liu Hu spurred their horses toward the commotion.

"Zuo Daoguang, don't waste your effort. Now that my Wang family has allied with the Xue and Hong families to destroy the Qin family, the outcome is decided! Do you know why, despite our alliance, we haven't wiped out the Qin family immediately? We are using the Qin family to lure you back, to finish off their remnants in one sweep." Wang Cheng brandished his sharp sword at Zuo Daoguang, sneering as he spoke.

Zuo Daoguang's prowess was also at the Bright Force level, no weaker than Wang Cheng. Yet hearing Wang Cheng's words, his urgency grew and he sought to kill Wang Cheng. But Wang Cheng exploited a weakness, and Zuo Daoguang began to falter, pressed back.

Around their battle, many household guards fought fiercely.

But the Wang family had laid an ambush, well-prepared and outnumbering the Qin family's guards, gradually overwhelming them.

Among them, Qin Feng's eldest aunt was particularly fierce, wielding twin blades with the strength of a tiger. Yet she was outnumbered; under the assault of four strong men, she began to lose ground.

"Hahaha! Who would have thought that ambushing Zuo Daoguang and Qin Fengling here would yield such unexpected spoils!" Wang Cheng, seeing Qin Feng, Wang Fu, Wang Bao, and Liu Hu arrive, recognized Qin Feng as the second young master's third son.

"Xiao Feng, retreat quickly!" Qin Fengling, seeing Qin Feng, shouted loudly.

"Retreat? Is that even possible? Surround them all—let none escape!" Wang Cheng said with a wicked smile.

"Yes, Young Master Cheng!"

Ten men quickly broke from the main battle, surrounding Qin Feng, Wang Fu, Wang Bao, and Liu Hu.

"Baozi, Huzi—take them all down," Qin Feng said calmly, scanning the field.

"Yes, young master—just watch!" Wang Bao drew a massive axe from behind, spurred his horse toward the ten Wang family guards.

"Hyah!" Liu Hu, also wielding a half-meter-wide giant axe, charged ahead.

Clang! Clang!

Both Wang Bao and Liu Hu were gifted with great strength; after breaking through to the Bright Force stage, their power approached six hundred pounds, the limit for that realm. Having trained in the Eighteen Axes of Heavenly Gang, the pair together could even trouble ordinary Dark Force martial artists.

Rushing into the ten guards, their giant axes swung, and soon all ten guards were slain.

After dispatching them, Wang Bao and Liu Hu rode straight toward Wang Cheng.