Chapter 180 (2/2)

When it was almost twilight, Xiao Chen heard shushing sounds outside and the carriage drew to a stop. Thanks to his occupational habit, Thunderbolt was the first to rush out of the carriage and saw a dozen or so silhouettes appearing out of the woods lined along the path. These people were all masked and dressed in black.

Immediately, Thunderbolt stepped forward and saluted the people with a smile. “It’s not easy to be the person-in-charge. I humbly ask that you do us a favor.”

The leader of the masked men sneered. “Do you a favor? Who the heck are you? Scram!” Toward the end of his sentence, he flicked his sleeve and produced a surging force. The force slammed into Thunderbolt, sending him flying several feet away while coughing up blood.

The other armed escorts gasped. Thunderbolt was considered a great fighter in their armed escort agency but he didn’t even have the strength to block the attack earlier. Evidently, the leader of the masked men wasn’t an ordinary mountain bandit. They instantly felt a bad premonition. The nearly one hundred merchants behind them also became pale in the face. They were so frightened that they hid inside the carriage, terrified to step out.

A grim-faced Hun Jianglong got off his unicorn and walked to the front. “What are your names?” Before his voice could even fade, an indifferent voice came from behind him. “Don’t bother asking. They’re here for me.”

Earlier, Murong Xian’er had followed Xiao Chen out of the carriage as well. When they walked past Thunderbolt, he said in a panic, “Please return to the carriage now, Brother Xiao. This has nothing to do with you.”

Xiao Chen reached out and placed his hand on Thunderbolt’s shoulder, imbuing him with a burst of True Energy to mend his injuries. Thunderbolt’s expression changed. “You…” He never imagined that the person he had been protecting all this while would possess such rich True Energy.

Xiao Chen stepped forward and said frostily, “You’re finally showing your faces after tailing me for half a month.” He was well aware that this was the border, where casualties were a non-factor. That was why these people chose to make their move now.

Initially, he didn’t want to cause a fuss and wanted to disappear among the armed escort entourage. But since his enemies had shown up at the door, he had no reason to pretend that they didn’t exist.

The leader of the masked men sneered. “Heh. Right back at you, Xiao Chen. You’re finally willing to show your face. I thought you’d continue hiding inside the Jade Qing Sect.”

The others got a huge shock after hearing Xiao Chen’s name. The expression of Hun Jianglong, Thunderbolt, and the other escorts changed drastically. They never thought that he was the same Xiao Chen whose fame had risen exponentially recently.

Xiao Chen replied coolly, “Since you know my identity, just state who sent you. If you tell me, I’ll let you live.” Considering the mild killing aura these people were giving off, he deduced that these weren’t regular assassins.

The leader lifted his head and laughed. “How brazen! Let us live? If you’re willing to call me your grandfather, I’ll grant you an easy death!”

Xiao Chen sneered. “Didn’t you say you’d come down and kill me that night? You even had people leave signs in the rooms I’ve been staying in recently. Did you really think that I didn’t notice?”

The leader was mildly stunned. “Did he notice a long time ago?” He said coolly, “Spare me the nonsense! It’ll be your death anniversary on this day next year!” He flicked his sleeve and a gleaming object flew out from within.

The object was the size of an ink slab at first but by the time it reached Xiao Chen, it became as large as a lower millstone. It turned nonstop while radiating a cold and eerie glow. It was incredibly unpleasant to the eyes. Xiao Chen reached out and caught the object between his fingers with a clanging sound. So the object was a Life-exterminating Ring.

The leader immediately turned pale. He desperately cast spells and incantations but the magic treasure that he had refined for more than 10 years appeared stuck to Xiao Chen’s hand. No matter what he did, he was unable to summon it back.

“You overestimated yourself.”

Xiao Chen looked at him frostily. Once again, he unsheathed his two frightening and cold swords. The other masked men dared not to react recklessly and listened as he said coldly, “I’ll ask you one final time. Who ordered you to assassinate me? Who are you people? Speak!” True Energy gathered at his fingertips. With a creaking sound, the Life-exterminating Ring shattered into countless fragments with ease.

Blood sprayed from the leader’s mouth. Cultivators would naturally suffer when their magic treasures were destroyed. He pointed to Xiao Chen as he trembled uncontrollably. Resentment filled his eyes. “You… You!”

In the Cultivation World, one ought to leave his opponent some leeway and not easily destroy his opponent’s magic treasure. However, these people were here to assassinate Xiao Chen. Why should he show them any courtesy?