Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Innate
Among these people was Zhou Kun.
However, his goal was not to kill Xu Guang, but rather to equally want to kill all the disciples of the Iron Armor Sect.
Of course, he also harbored the wild ambition to use Xu Guang to command the Great Beast.
The battle between General Wei and Second Master Wei, along with the display before today’s duel, made Zhou Kun tempted.
At this moment, with his father’s life uncertain, Zhou Kun’s strength clearly couldn’t handle the impending crisis.
Xu Guang and Zhu Cheng could see Zhou Kun’s intentions, it wasn’t hard to guess.
When Zhou Kun detected Xu Guang’s thoughts, though unwilling, he was dragged away by the two from the Four Directions Guard.
Originally, with General Wei’s speed, it wouldn’t be easy to catch up.
But...
The terrain here was complex, full of alleyways, General Wei let out a long howl, his two tusks like bulldozers, pushing through.
Courtyard walls collapsed one after another.
Zhou Kun looked back, shocked beyond words.
He was about to flee, but General Wei’s long trunk grabbed a huge boulder and hurled it.
With a bang.
Zhou Kun was struck by the boulder, falling from the rooftop like a meteor, a burst of blood exploded into a mist in the air, his life or death uncertain.
But at the very least, he was severely injured.
Xu Guang looked at Zhu Cheng, "Second brother, I’ll leave it to you."
Xu Guang rode on General Wei, strolling leisurely, even advertising.
Zhu Cheng nodded vigorously, a hint of excitement flashing across his face.
In a few months’ time, he exhausted all the Zhu Family’s resources, and with Tie Kuang intentionally winning people’s hearts, giving him plenty of resources, he had now broken through to the Eighth Grade.
Going to kill a severely injured Zhou Kun wasn’t difficult.
As they spoke, General Wei stepped forward, driving away the Four Directions Guard soldiers with the intent to rescue Zhou Kun.
"Remember to buy my elixirs later, they can increase strength, and don’t throw away the leftover elixirs, I’ll recycle them."
Occasionally encountering some passersby, Xu Guang politely cupped his fists, making them feel flattered, each expressing their future support for Dharma Protector Xu, and Xu Guang invited them to follow behind General Wei, to leave safely together.
After experiencing the benefit of good reputation from rescuing Liu Yu, Xu Guang had come to appreciate its importance.
When Zhu Cheng returned with Zhou Kun’s head.
Xu Guang stood on General Wei’s back, looking into the distance.
He unexpectedly saw Su Yan’s figure, her departure seemed even more effortless than Xu Guang’s, shielded by the Sheep and Deer Generals, two Seventh-Grade experts along with many Eighth-Grade masters cultivated by the black market, no one could get close.
Even more terrifying was a team of soldiers in armor behind her, each tall and robust, clad in silver standard armor, with broad-backed heavy knives sheathed at their waists, walking swiftly and well-trained.
In case of crisis, they didn’t hesitate to draw their weapons, exuding an aura of iron-blooded determination.
Xu Guang squinted, reflecting on the black market’s foundation.
Though most of these soldiers were just Ninth Grade, they were well-trained, cooperating flawlessly, their iron armor even stronger than the copper skin cultivated by those who reached the Ninth-Grade pinnacle, capable of contending with Eighth-Grade experts in groups of three or five.
A team of fifty people could encircle and kill a Seventh-Grade expert.
Of course, not including Xu Guang, who with his overwhelming talent, these people below his realm were but grass before him.
General Wei was also an exception; the soldiers’ armor could unload a substantial force of several hundred or even a thousand pounds, but to unload the tens of thousands of pounds of force General Wei often exerted...
That would be fantastical thinking.
Just then, as if sensing something, Su Yan suddenly turned back, locking eyes with Xu Guang.
Su Yan smiled faintly and nodded.
Xu Guang also nodded, seeing Su Yan off as she left under the escort of the black market experts.
Xu Guang stood in place, slightly frowning.
It seemed Su Yan was not simple, he only knew Su Yan was a Martial Artist, but didn’t know her exact cultivation level, and now, it appeared much higher than he had imagined.
Understandably, if her cultivation wasn’t adequate, no matter how strong her methods, she wouldn’t have suppressed those desperados in the black market for so many years.
...
The chaos ended sooner than imagined.
In Xu Guang’s home, the three siblings of the Zhu Family and Liu Yu, Du Shizhen were talking.
General Wei, like a carefree beast, played by the river, cleansing itself.
Soon, some disciples returned carrying the wounded.
Xu Guang stopped one and inquired about the situation.
The battle at the ancestral residence of the Wei Family and the Four-direction Guard Camp was won by the Iron Armor Sect.
The Four Directions Guard is a transformation from the Great Zhou county government soldiers, and there is armor in their army. Although not as good as the iron armor bought from the black market by the Iron Armor Sect, it is still sufficient for defense.
The Wei Family is full of experts, but after being attacked by Tie Kuang and Yu Shaohua with a mysterious expert, Wei Ping faced off and was seriously injured, later pursued and killed.
And the strength of Zhou Platform, the County Captain of the Four Directions Guard, is stronger than imagined.
Despite being poisoned by Sun Yan, Zhou Platform severely injured Liu Ning, Sun Yan, and a Seventh Grade Great Cultivation expert brought from Songjiang Prefecture by Tie Kuang.
Were it not for the quick resolution of the battle on Tie Kuang’s side, supporting the Four Directions Guard battlefield, Zhou Platform might really have escaped.
It was at this moment that Xu Guang realized Tie Kuang had found an expert from Songjiang Prefecture.
Two mysteriously appearing experts...
The one who went to the Four Directions Guard was indifferent to him, but the one who went to the Wei Family made him furrow his brows. Severely injuring the Wei Family’s patriarch, Wei Ping, within three moves seems beyond a usual Seventh-Grade Expert.
The most likely... is an Innate!
Recalling that Su Yan once told him about the connection between Tie Kuang and the Song Clan of Songjiang Prefecture, Xu Guang knew that the mysterious expert accompanying Tie Kuang and Yu Shaohua was likely from the Song Family. However, as for Liu Ning’s side, they didn’t know which faction’s expert was hired.
Glancing into a tube and seeing the leopard, it can be observed that the three giants of the Iron Armor Sect intended to annex Qingshuo County not only with their will but also with the support of those behind them.
And even before achieving success, both sides seemed to have already started openly and secretly vying for power.
Indeed, internal strife is human nature.
Letting that disciple go, Xu Guang returned home and looked at Zhu Cheng with some concern in his eyes.
"Second Brother, do you know the situation outside the city?"
Zhu Cheng understood Xu Guang’s point. He nodded, "I’ve already instructed the Shepherd’s Manor side. Steward Wang handles matters reliably, and Old Li won’t be in trouble."
Xu Guang nodded. Old Li was his benefactor. He previously wanted Old Li to enter the city with him, but the old man was quite stubborn, claiming he only knew how to herd pigs and would have no other job if he entered the city, only ending up begging.
With his begging skills, he’d eventually starve.
Helpless, Xu Guang had Zhu Cheng take care of him.
The Shepherd’s Manor isn’t small, with modest annual profits but quite consuming in focus, unappealing to the Iron Armor Sect, and still in the hands of the Zhu Family.
Pausing, Xu Guang looked at Zhu Cheng and asked, "As for the Zhu Family’s matters, someone told me that Tie Kuang is the one causing trouble behind the scenes?"
Zhu Cheng was taken aback, then silently looked at Xu Guang, nodding afterward.
Seeing that he knew, Xu Guang didn’t say much more.
"Do the Zhu family members still listen to you, Second Brother?"
"What do you mean?" Zhu Cheng was a bit puzzled, then thought for a moment before speaking, "After the incident with Zhu Huai, those who remained are the trusted ones my father could rely on. Although I haven’t communicated with them much, they should be trustworthy."
Xu Guang maintained a calm expression, "When things settle down, Second Brother, you should work on reorganizing the Zhu Family."
He hesitated, then had a complex expression, "As for seeking revenge..."
Though he didn’t like Tie Kuang, he bore no intent to kill him. He could repay favors but wouldn’t help the Zhu Family seek revenge.
Zhu Cheng first showed joy, then was very touched, stopping Xu Guang from continuing, "Seeking revenge is a matter for our Zhu Family. You’ve already done enough for us. The affairs between the Zhu Family and Tie Kuang, Song Di have nothing to do with you. From today on, General Wei truly belongs to you and has no relation to our Zhu Family."
This was a formality, although General Wei technically already belonged to Xu Guang before this.
Both were tacitly understood, indicating to Xu Guang that he owed nothing to the Zhu Family in the future.
Xu Guang added, "The friendship between us won’t change."
He referred to his bond with Zhu Cheng, not with the Zhu Family.
Zhu Cheng said nothing more, only feeling somewhat regretful deep down that Xu Guang wasn’t interested in Zhu Zhenzhen.
...
Two days later, at the Iron Armor Sect.
Tie Xiong’s death stirred a great commotion within the Iron Armor Sect, much like when Liu Ning’s disciple Wang Ran died.
This time, it was Tie Kuang’s turn to be troubled, even for the same reason: in times of turmoil, stability is prioritized.
Of course, Tie Xiong’s death was proven beyond doubt, with countless people witnessing him fall under the siege of Zhou Kun and several Four Directions Guard experts, and Xu Guang and Zhu Cheng personally avenged Tie Xiong.
Even though Tie Kuang harbored suspicions about Xu Guang and Zhu Cheng, it wasn’t the right time to pursue them.
So after seeing Xu Guang, he didn’t mention it.
"Dharma Protector Xu, you’re here."
Tie Kuang’s tone was somewhat weary, but his eyes were sharp.
After a sweeping victory over the Wei Family and the main force of the Four Directions Guard, gaining control of Qingshuo County was a new start for his career.
"There are still many remnants within the Wei Family and the Four Directions Guard. The Grand Elder and I will lead people to eliminate them in the coming days. Please cooperate with Elder Yun and others on matters within the sect, Dharma Protector Xu."
While speaking with Xu Guang, he was looking at General Wei.
"Once matters are handled well, you’ll be duly rewarded."
Tie Kuang was making promises.
Xu Guang was indifferent to these, "Sect Leader, in that case, could I take over the Zhu Family’s original business in the future?"