At this moment, Zhang Family Village was filled with panic-stricken cries, completely shattering the evening's tranquility.

Flames roared, engulfing one house after another.

The young men resisting the Black Wind Village mountain bandits fell consecutively into blood-soaked pools, meeting gruesome deaths.

The mountain bandits of Black Wind Village acted with extreme cruelty; they were a group devoid of conscience.

Ye Chen, walking through the air, quickly rushed into Zhang Family Village.

Inside a house.

A girl's scream echoed.

"You filthy wench, you dare bite me? Soon you'll be crying and begging me for pleasure!" A voice filled with lust also resounded in the courtyard.

Immediately followed by the girl's helpless sobbing.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, the courtyard wall collapsed, and amidst the flying dust, Ye Chen entered the courtyard, sword in hand.

In a corner of the courtyard.

A girl around sixteen or seventeen years old was curled up in a ball, her hair disheveled, clothing in disarray, a look of deep despair and terror on her face.

A vile bandit, who had taken off his black cloak and whose face was covered in scars, stared at Ye Chen with a fierce, lustful gleam in his eyes.

The Black Wind Mountain bandit, looking ferocious, glared at Ye Chen and said, "Well, well, a fool not afraid to die wants to play hero? You dare ruin my fun, I'll send you to meet King Yan first!"

As the words fell, the bandit charged at Ye Chen, delivering a move called "Black Tiger Takes Heart."

Ye Chen swept out his sword, releasing Sword Qi, slicing through the bandit's fist horizontally, and his entire arm split in two as well, Sword Qi passing through the bandit's throat.

The bandit's head soared into the air.

In the next moment, Ye Chen collected the bandit's Black Wind Token and stepped onto the Heaven-Ascending Step, disappearing from the courtyard.

The entire Zhang Family Village now had more than twenty bandits, spread out amongst themselves, and Ye Chen had to act quickly; the longer he delayed, the more villagers would be harmed.

These bandits dealing with ordinary villagers were the weakest bunch, all just a rabble.

None could withstand a single strike from Ye Chen's sword.

A quarter of an hour later.

Ye Chen had slain twenty-one bandits.

The bandits who had charged into Zhang Family Village were all eradicated by him.

Although Zhang Family Village suffered deaths and injuries, it wasn't too severe, as an old man with a hunched back, face smeared with blood, and leading the surviving villagers approached Ye Chen.

"Thank you for rescuing us, benefactor. May I ask your name? Our Zhang Family Village will remember your kindness for generations," the old man shouted, tears clouding his eyes, his body trembling as he prepared to kneel in gratitude.

Ye Chen extended a hand to support the old man, saying, "Elder, there's no need for such; this place is dangerous, you should leave quickly."

The old man nodded, though he was just a simple person, he had lived through many years, and even in immense grief, he maintained his rationality, saying, "Benefactor, I'll have everyone gather their belongings and leave immediately..."

The villagers of Zhang Family Village went to pack their things.

Ye Chen stood in a vacant area at the village entrance, a serious expression on his face.

"Something is wrong here!" Ye Chen thought to himself.

Would the second-in-command of Black Wind Village really come personally for revenge on such a weak village?

These bandits, being heartless scoundrels, cared nothing for loyalty. Sending some underlings to retaliate would have been feasible, but the second-in-command would never show up.

It meant that the information he obtained through interrogation was wrong!

Zeng Ming and Qin Jing from Feiyang Martial Arts Academy were conspirators; they had also arrived here, indicating they'd received the false message too.

Zeng Ming and others intended to ambush and kill significant figures from Black Wind Village.

Black Wind Village countered the trap with another trap...

Ye Chen figured it out!

Black Wind Village devised a trap within a trap!

Now, the strong men of Black Wind Village lay in ambush too, waiting for Zeng Ming and his group to appear!

Almost at the instant Ye Chen understood all these mysteries.

Zeng Ming and others, who were lying in wait, emerged, with over a dozen figures flying towards Ye Chen from all directions.

The group surrounded Ye Chen!

"Zeng Ming, Qin Jing, if you don't want to die, leave immediately!" Ye Chen shouted.

Zeng Ming sneered, "I'm curious, once you leave, what's your stance on today's events?"

Ye Chen frowned, "Afraid I'll reveal your shameful deeds?"

"Some things are destined to remain hidden, so we need you to keep our secrets. But, frankly, we can't rely on mere promises because we trust only one principle: the only thing that truly keeps secrets is the dead!" Qin Jing responded.

"Young Master Zeng, Miss Qin, there's no need to waste words on him, just kill him and be done!" Yao Xin, whose fists had been shattered by Ye Chen, said viciously.

Ye Chen's eyes glimmered.

In this situation, it's highly likely they've already surrounded us with Black Wind Village bandits.

And it seems there is no peaceful resolution between us and Zeng Ming's group.

Once we fight and determine victory or death, Black Wind Village's strong ones will emerge immediately to take advantage.

Ye Chen feared no battle.

But this place isn't suitable for combat!

The villagers of Zhang Family Village haven't left yet; once the fight begins, the shockwaves will cause them to die horribly.

The best approach is to move the battle somewhere else.

Under this decision, Ye Chen moved instantly.

His figure lunged forward, creating waves that rolled to the sides wherever he passed.

"Die!"

With a furious shout, Ye Chen drew his sword, slashing towards Yao Xin who stood in his way.

Yao Xin was instantly terrified, quickly trying to dodge.

However, his evasion speed couldn't match Ye Chen's sword.

"Swish!"

The sword edge fell directly from the center of Yao Xin's forehead.

Yao Xin's body was cleaved in two, exploding to either side.

Ye Chen's figure charged through the space between where Yao Xin's body had burst,

without resorting to the Heaven-Ascending Step, relying purely on speed to break through the encirclement.

"We absolutely cannot let him escape, chase him!" Zeng Ming immediately ordered, then rushed towards Ye Chen first.

"Senior Brother, let me assist you!"

Qin Jing lightly shouted, as a spirit seal projection floated from the center of her forehead. She formed a Double-Hand Seal, causing wind waves to gather behind Zeng Ming, forming a pair of pristine wind wings.

Zeng Ming's speed surged rapidly, catching up to Ye Chen, he held a long saber, fiercely cleaving towards Ye Chen's back.

Zeng Ming was indeed at the Peak of Primordial Wheel Realm Cultivation.

After all, he was from the second-ranked Feiyang Martial Arts Academy in the Great Zhou Dynasty, with immensely powerful strength, far stronger than that Wei Jian from Celestial Sword Sect before, with his saber light causing Ye Chen's back to throb in pain!

Even though Ye Chen's sword body had completed preliminary refinement, it couldn't defend against such a powerful saber strike.

Moreover, Ye Chen was currently not suitable to employ the Heaven-Ascending Step or launch a strong counterattack, as either choice might cause Zeng Ming and his group to abandon their pursuit.

This would deviate from Ye Chen's plan to change the battlefield.

Therefore, Ye Chen's charging figure suddenly halted, he spun around, and met the saber light with his Celestial Mark Sword.

Sword Qi and saber light collided.

Ye Chen's figure flew backward.

"Die!"

Zeng Ming laughed triumphantly, the wind wings behind him flapping, slashing towards Ye Chen.

In midair, Ye Chen pretended to stabilize his figure reluctantly, then his energy became violent, his eyes stormy, gripping his sword with both hands, he roared furiously and slashed towards Zeng Ming!

The power of this sword startled Zeng Ming, causing him to quickly switch from attack to defense, holding his horizontal saber in front of him.

Yet, just as Ye Chen's sword seemed about to strike Zeng Ming's long saber, Ye Chen's figure flickered and sidestepped half a step, the sword ultimately shattering half of the wind wings behind Zeng Ming.

"Whoa!"

Ye Chen forcibly drew upon his Qi Blood, feigning a mouthful of blood then turned and fled wildly through the air!

Zeng Ming's complexion turned ugly; he, a Peak Martial Artist of Yuan Wheel Realm, had just been intimidated by this Sea of Qi Realm brat, and couldn't help but angrily curse: "Bastard!"

"Senior Brother!"

Qin Jing also caught up, saying: "Senior Brother, he fought desperately to deliver that blow, so he must be on his last legs, he can't run far."

Zeng Ming nodded and said: "Junior Sister, I'll go chase him first, you all follow behind."

Qin Jing once again used Spirit Master techniques, increasing Zeng Ming's speed to help him silence Ye Chen, while she led the others following traces Zeng Ming left behind.

As they left the Zhang Family Village area.

In a dark forest, two men clad in black cloaks emerged.

One was tall and burly, the other thin and short.

The tall and burly man looked at the thin and short man and said: "Third Brother, didn't expect such a disruptor to appear mid-way, how should we handle this?"

The thin and short man sneered, "Zeng Ming's strength isn't bad, he should swiftly deal with that mid-way brat, Second Brother, you go kill Zeng Ming, he has ordinary family background, without much value.

As for Qin Jing, the Qin Family behind her isn't simple, I'll take her down and certainly someone will want to ransom her, bringing us plentiful cultivation resources."

"Third Brother, should we not kill Zhang Family Village's people?" asked the second leader of Black Wind Village.

"Don't waste time, otherwise if Zeng Ming and Qin Jing reunite, it'll be tricky."

After the plan was confirmed, the two immediately acted, followed by over a dozen mountain bandits, the weakest of whom were Sea of Qi Realm, with several Elemental Wheel Realm warriors!

...

Approximately two quarters of an hour later.

Ye Chen had already led Zeng Ming over thirty miles away from Zhang Family Village.

The speed enhancement from the spirit seal on Zeng Ming had already faded, leaving him frustrated.

The person before him, was evidently worn out after a burst attack, yet astonishingly resilient, having sustained for so long.

If he continues to escape at this speed, Zeng Ming might not catch up.

He was a dignified Peak Martial Artist of Yuan Wheel Realm from Feiyang Martial Arts Academy, yet couldn't match the speed of someone possibly from Cangxing Martial Arts Academy in Sea of Qi Realm.

If word spread, it would be disgraceful!

He couldn't let it spread; if it did, the incident of using innocent villagers from Zhang Family Village as bait would also be exposed!

Just then.

Ye Chen's figure dived towards the ground, then stood firmly, turning to face Zeng Ming who landed too.

Zeng Ming was overjoyed.

"Damn, you wasted so much of my time, finally you can't hold on anymore, escape, let's see you continue to run if you dare!" Zeng Ming's expression turned vicious, his long saber raised, its edge vibrating with Primordial Energy!

A cold smile appeared at the corner of Ye Chen's mouth.

The weak appearance vanished from him instantly.

"To deal with you, why would I need to escape? I just wanted to change the place to kill you."

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