Hearing the four words "Feiyang Martial Arts Academy," Ye Chen felt a bit surprised.

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, there are over one hundred county cities.

Each county had its own martial arts academy.

Among them, the most powerful was the Emperor Star Martial Arts Academy in Kyoto Jiu Long City, followed by Feiyang Martial Arts Academy as the second, and Cangxing Martial Arts Academy ranked third.

Unexpectedly, people from Feiyang Martial Arts Academy had also come here to target the Black Wind Village Mountain Bandits!

Seeing Ye Chen still not speaking, Qin Jing's tone became much sharper, saying, "Not even daring to state your name and origin? I think you have something to hide!"

Ye Chen didn't want to clash with people from Feiyang Martial Arts Academy, but concealing his identity was something that Senior Sister Liu Meng'Er had repeatedly emphasized. After all, once his identity is exposed, it might attract the attention of the Celestial Sword Sect, Meng Changtian, or even Prince Yong Zhou Chengyun.

"My identity and background don't matter, what's important is that I'm here to deal with the bandits of Black Wind Village. I think the two of you have the same goal, so there's no conflict between us," Ye Chen said.

"Hmph!"

Zeng Ming snorted disdainfully, saying, "You can say whatever you want, but we already have a plan. If you want to deal with the Black Wind Village bandits, you can only join our team and follow my arrangements, otherwise, either leave by yourself or I'll make you leave!"

Ye Chen frowned and asked, "May I ask what your plan is?"

"You're not qualified to ask so many questions," Qin Jing scolded coldly. Earlier, she had directly mentioned Feiyang Martial Arts Academy, thinking that this young guy in front of her would respect her and her senior brother, but it had no effect at all, which made her angry.

At this point.

A group of young men and women arrived behind Zeng Ming and Qin Jing.

"Young Master Zeng, Miss Qin, everyone is here, just waiting for the mountain bandits of Black Wind Village to appear, then we can catch them all in one go," said a leading young man.

Zeng Ming nodded and said, "Yao Xin, make sure everyone hides first. We must wait for the second leader of Black Wind Village to show up. Until then, no one should act recklessly!"

Ye Chen understood what Zeng Ming meant and said, "If the second leader of Black Wind Village doesn't appear here, will you remain inactive?"

Although the clues he got also indicated that the second leader of Black Wind Village would bring people to massacre Zhang Family Village, no one could say for sure if they would really show up.

Being questioned by Ye Chen, Zeng Ming's face turned sullen.

The man named Yao Xin, who had just arrived, snapped coldly, "If he doesn't show up, why should we take action? Doing so will only alert them, and if we only kill a bunch of irrelevant bandits, what's the point? Only by killing the second leader of Black Wind Village can we deal a significant blow to them!"

"And what about the villagers of Zhang Family Village? If the second leader of Black Wind Village doesn't show up, the bandits of Black Wind Village will still massacre these people!" Ye Chen said.

Yao Xin sneered coldly, "They're just a bunch of lowly people, so what if they die? What's it got to do with us?! Their existence is to serve as bait to lure out the second leader of Black Wind Village.

If the second leader of Black Wind Village shows up, they'd be lucky to receive our help.

If the second leader of Black Wind Village doesn't show up, and they die, then that's their fate."

Ye Chen sneered coldly.

What an aloof attitude.

Perhaps, in the past, he was viewed this way too.

Now that he's become strong.

Does he have to become someone who sees the lives of ordinary people as worthless?

Impossible!

Though he's not overwhelmed with a bleeding-heart saint complex.

He also can't degrade to the same level as this group of people before him!

Paths diverge, and there can be no cooperation. Now that he knows their plan, Ye Chen had nothing else to say and prepared to leave.

"Stop right there!" Zeng Ming from Feiyang Martial Arts Academy shouted sharply, "Now that you know our plan, you have no choice but to stay. Either stay here until we've finished our business, or if you leak our plan, then our trip would be wasted!"

Ye Chen responded coldly, "You have your way of doing things, I have mine."

Yao Xin followed up, "To be honest, this plan has the approval of the City Lord's Mansion. Even the rumor about the Defense Army leader from Zhang Family Village killing many Black Wind Village bandits was something we spread deliberately, to attract the key figures of Black Wind Village. We've put a lot of effort into this. Kid, you'd better behave, or else, to ensure the success of the plan, I won't hesitate to kill you!"

Ye Chen looked at Yao Xin, his gaze turning extremely cold.

So...

The fact that the Black Wind Village Mountain Bandits would come to massacre Zhang Family Village was part of these people's arrangements.

He finally understood why Yao Xin just said Zhang Family Village was bait.

A hundred lives in that village were meant to die from the start in their plan!

"Get out of my way!"

Ye Chen coldly said as he looked at the man blocking his path.

"I think you're one of the mountain bandits from Black Wind Village, trying to relay information, right?" the man blocking Ye Chen coldly said.

"Take him down!" Yao Xin suddenly ordered.

The man blocking Ye Chen suddenly swung his arm at Ye Chen, with elemental force surging in his palm, grabbing towards Ye Chen's face.

Ye Chen let out a cold snort and kicked violently.

"Bang!"

The guy who made the move was kicked in the abdomen by Ye Chen, his entire body arching backward like a giant bow and shooting backward.

"Clever evidence, you are a Black Wind Village bandit, die!"

Seeing this, Yao Xin shouted angrily and personally attacked.

He was at the Elemental Wheel Realm Third Layer, and his power erupted instantly. Leaping into the air, his fists, like they were cast from steel, hammered down towards Ye Chen's head.

Ye Chen's gaze turned toward Yao Xin in mid-air, his hand swiftly gripping the sword hilt.

"Swish!"

The Celestial Mark Sword unsheathed.

Thunder roared.

A brilliant arc of electricity enveloped the sharp blade.

Thunderbolt Sword, with overwhelming power!

This sword struck upon the Elemental Force Shield on the surface of Yao Xin's fist.

The Elemental Force Shield shattered explosively.

Yao Xin's fists also burst into a bloody mist, and then Ye Chen's Celestial Mark Sword continued falling towards Yao Xin's chest.

"Buzz!"

At this moment, a strand of clear light suddenly appeared in front of Yao Xin's chest, blocking the remaining force of Ye Chen's sword.

The clear light exploded.

Yao Xin's body crashed to the ground.

Then, a Wind Blade fiercely slashed towards Ye Chen.

Ye Chen utilized the Heaven-Ascending Step, his figure flashed, and he dashed out of the crowd.

"Boom!"

The Wind Blade that was about to strike Ye Chen missed, carving a deep trench into the ground!

"How dare you harm our people! You're courting death!" Qin Jing from Feiyang Martial Arts Academy shouted angrily, her hands forming seals with an intense white light from a spirit seal projection glowing above her head.

This Qin Jing, aside from her Elemental Wheel Realm cultivation, was also a Tier Four Spirit Master!

Indeed, worthy of being from Feiyang Martial Arts Academy, young yet powerful.

Zeng Ming's gaze, filled with killing intent, fixed upon Ye Chen, saying, "Originally, if you had obediently stayed here, even if you didn't join our action, it would have been fine, since I didn't think much of your power.

But you shouldn't have hurt my people; today you will pay for it with your life!"

However, at that moment.

In the nearby mountain depression, a sudden commotion erupted.

In the dim twilight, silhouettes clad in black cloaks rushed out, charging toward the small village within the mountain depression.

"Consider yourself lucky, kid!" Zeng Ming glanced at Ye Chen and then said, "Scatter, hide, and as soon as you spot the second leader of Black Wind Village, signal immediately!"

Then, this group of people quickly dispersed, waiting for their prey to appear.

Only Ye Chen remained atop the mountain.

Even in the low light, he could clearly see the small Zhang Family Village was beginning to resist.

But this resistance was futile.

Even though some from Zhang Family Village became Martial Artists, their power was extremely limited, only capable of a desperate struggle.

Among the Black Wind Village Mountain Bandits, those in the True Essence Realm were few, mostly Sea of Qi Realm, with several in the Elemental Wheel Realm.

The slaughter began!

Ye Chen did not care about anything else; he leaped down from the mountain top.

His figure plunged downward.

The wild wind howled.

The Celestial Mark Sword in Ye Chen's hand was already filled with powerful sword essence!

Qin Jing, who was hiding in the shadows, turned to Zeng Ming beside her, saying, "Senior brother, this kid's power is not simple. Even though he's only at the Sea of Qi Realm, not even Yao Xin from the Elemental Wheel Realm Third Layer is his match. I suspect he might be from Cangxing Martial Arts Academy."

Zeng Ming sneered, saying, "I initially worried that even if the second leader of Black Wind Village arrived, they wouldn't appear, as this ragtag group wouldn't be able to lure the leader out.

If too many people go out, it would alert the enemy.

Now it's perfect; this kid's power is decent, attracting the second leader of Black Wind Village without alerting the enemy.

Once the second leader appears, this kid will surely die, and then we make our move."

"Yes," Qin Jing nodded, adding, "If the second leader of Black Wind Village doesn't manage to kill him, senior brother, you take on the second leader, I'll handle this guy. This plan is easy to fall into someone's hands, especially since this guy might be from Cangxing Martial Arts Academy, we can't let him expose our operation. Otherwise, even if we destroy Black Wind Village, we'll be in trouble."

Using a village of hundreds of innocent lives as bait for a design, this cannot be exposed.

Though no one would really speak for these ants.

But from some strategic interests, their opponents would definitely seize this excuse to attack them.

"Junior sister is quite right." Zeng Ming said, "Junior sister, if luck is on our side, we might directly acquire the Stabilizing Spirit Bead. I'm sure one of Black Wind Village's three leaders has it."

"Does the Stabilizing Spirit Bead truly exist?" Qin Jing asked.

"I read about the Stabilizing Spirit Bead in an old travel journal. Initially, I didn't believe it, but recently I passed through a village that was massacred by Black Wind Village Mountain Bandits and found a strange aura there closely matching the aura described in the journal for the Stabilizing Spirit Bead.

It is said the Stabilizing Spirit Bead is related to the Luoyao Mountain Range in Unparalleled County; whether it's true or not is uncertain, but there's a high chance the bead exists. It's a treasure nurtured by Heaven and Earth. If we obtain it, we might rapidly enhance our powers in a short time!"

As he spoke, Zeng Ming's eyes gleamed with endless desire and ambition!

(Though I don't update many chapters, each of my chapters contains a lot of words, typically four chapters equivalent to six from others, seeking support in the form of gifts~)

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