Chapter 34: Night of Slaughter

“You don’t seem as loyal to your Buddha as you are to the Zhu Family.”

Chen Yuan casually kicked Uncle Zhou’s head off the cliff.

Zhu Chengzu, who was ahead, felt his heart sink upon hearing Uncle Zhou’s scream.

Uncle Zhou was different from the other retainers; he was a Zhu Family elder, a sworn brother to his father Zhu Chaofeng, and an elder who could be absolutely trusted.

Moreover, Uncle Zhou was very strong; he was a Disciple from a major sect like Vajra Prajna Temple, not comparable to those low-level Jianghu People.

Yet even Uncle Zhou couldn’t stop that guy. How terrifying must his strength be?

When Zhu Chengzu finally descended the narrow mountain path of Guanri Peak, he breathed a sigh of relief.

But before he could finish that sigh, a terrifying voice suddenly rang out behind him.

“You’re escaping so slowly. That old monk desperately tried to hold me back so you could flee, but you didn’t cherish the time.”

Zhu Chengzu didn’t dare look back, frantically channeling his Internal Energy to run forward.

But as a blade hummed, he noticed his perspective getting lower and lower.

When he saw a headless corpse still running forward by inertia, his head had already hit the ground, rolling uncontrollably.

The Zhu Family retainers nearby immediately scattered and fled.

They were retainers paid by the Zhu Family, not as loyal as Uncle Zhou.

Besides, with Zhu Chengzu dead, why would they risk their lives?

Chen Yuan didn’t chase them far, only pursuing and killing the Zhu Family retainers within sight.

Leaving them alive would help spread panic throughout the Zhu Family.

As night fell, inside the Zhu Family estate.

Zhu Chengan felt uneasy.

But Uncle Zhou had gone with them, so there shouldn’t be a problem.

Just then, something was thrown into the estate.

A Zhu Family servant went to check and found it was Zhu Chengzu’s head, causing panic and screams as they hurried to report to Zhu Chengan.

Hearing the news, Zhu Chengan staggered, his face turning pale.

It’s over!

A quarter-hour later, in the Zhu Family hall.

Zhu Chaofeng placed his hand over Zhu Chengzu’s face, trying to close his eyelids, but found it impossible.

As Zhu Chengan was about to speak, Zhu Chaofeng slapped him hard, making his mouth bleed.

“Your fourth brother is dead! Because of your negligence, you killed your fourth brother!”

Zhu Chaofeng’s hand trembled, his eyes filled with anger and grief.

This was his most beloved fourth son!

“Father, calm your anger! Big Brother didn’t mean it.”

“Yes, Father. The most important thing now is to find and avenge the one who killed Fourth Brother.”

The two consoled him.

One, around thirty-seven or thirty-eight with a square face and Foundation Establishment Realm strength, was the second son, Zhu Chengguo.

The other, in his early thirties and slightly shorter, was the third son, Zhu Chengze.

Zhu Chaofeng took two deep breaths, suppressing his grief and anger, and said coldly, “What is the origin of the one who killed Old Fourth? Even Old Zhou died at his hands.”

Zhu Chengan lowered his head and said, “I had someone capture one of the retainers who escaped and asked about the scene.

Fourth Brother had already invoked the Huangji Sect, but the other insisted on exterminating our Zhu Family.

But according to the retainer, the other is extremely strong, unlike ordinary Jianghu People, and definitely has a significant background!”

“Nonsense! Old Zhou came from Vajra Prajna Temple. Could an ordinary Martial Artist kill him?”

Zhu Chaofeng cursed, his gaze cold and sharp like a hawk’s.

“No matter the other’s background, even if it’s someone from the Murong Clan trying to exterminate our Zhu Family, we won’t surrender without a fight!”

Zhu Chaofeng said solemnly, “Oldest, take fifty men with crossbows to block the mountain path, allowing no one in or out.

Second, you and I will each take fifty retainers to search for that bastard in Gushan City.

Third, take the remaining retainers and guard the house.”

“Yes, Father!”

Zhu Chaofeng’s allocation was reasonable.

There was only one mountain path; with Zhu Chengan and retainers armed with crossbows guarding it, the other couldn’t escape even if he tried.

Besides Zhu Chaofeng, the strongest in the Zhu Family wasn’t the oldest, Zhu Chengan, but the second son, Zhu Chengguo.

These two, with elite retainers, could overwhelm the other with numbers once they found Chen Yuan’s trail.

After the orders, over a hundred Zhu Family retainers marched out of the estate, searching the city for Chen Yuan.

Meanwhile, Gushan City was in an uproar, everyone discussing the Zhu Family’s troubles.

Over the years, the Zhu Family had dominated Gushan City, acting arrogantly, tyrannically, and ruthlessly.

Anyone who defied the Zhu Family faced light punishment like family ruin or heavy punishment like extermination.

Especially recently, when the Zhu Family even exterminated the Chu Family, who had always kept to themselves and lived honestly, making everyone in Gushan City fear for their safety.

Now, seeing the Zhu Family in trouble, they dared not say much openly but secretly gloated.

Yet while gloating, they didn’t believe the Zhu Family could really be exterminated.

Zhu Chaofeng and his four sons were all strong, and the entire Zhu Family had hundreds of retainers.

For one person to claim he’d exterminate the Zhu Family seemed too fantastical.

In the night, Chen Yuan, dressed in black, hid in a tree less than fifty zhang from the Zhu Family, watching their movements.

After throwing the head, Chen Yuan didn’t leave but stayed hidden here.

The Zhu Family never imagined Chen Yuan would be so bold as to hide near their estate.

Three groups left the Zhu Family, many retainers holding torches, looking like three fiery dragons in the night.

Seeing Zhu Chengan’s group even carrying crossbows, Chen Yuan raised an eyebrow slightly.

The Zhu Family was truly audacious to have such things.

But in Youzhou, far from the emperor’s reach, no one really policed this.

For a Foundation Establishment Realm Martial Artist, dodging a single crossbow bolt was easy, and shattering it wasn’t hard either.

But dozens of crossbow bolts firing together was quite formidable.

Even if you could block them, how much strength would you have left after several volleys?

Zhu Chaofeng had served in the Great Xia military in his youth and was very experienced in dealing with powerful individual Martial Artists.

Gushan City wasn’t large. Chen Yuan estimated the time and, once the three groups had gone far enough, moved, leaping directly into the Zhu Family estate.

The slaughter was about to begin.

“Enemy attack!”

The moment Chen Yuan stepped into the Zhu Family estate, a retainer immediately shouted.

Hearing this, Zhu Chengze, guarding the Zhu Family, paled in shock.

He hadn’t reached the Foundation Establishment Realm; guarding the house was supposed to be the safest task, but he never expected this guy to break the pattern and dare attack the Zhu Family!

“Fire arrows! Beat the drums! Prepare bows! Shields forward!”

Zhu Chengze steadied himself and began commanding calmly.

Zhu Chaofeng’s military background meant his training of Zhu Family retainers bore traces of the Great Xia military.

Arrows tied with fire oil shot into the sky as drumbeats sounded, both to boost morale and alert Zhu Chaofeng and others of the attack.

Over ten retainers held shields in front, with others behind armed with various weapons, surrounding Chen Yuan.

Iron shields as tall as a person pressed forward, creating immense pressure.

Chen Yuan moved, the Surging Waves and Flowing Clouds Technique channeling Acupoint Internal Energy, instantly unleashing powerful force like surging waves.

Azure Dragon Blood Drink unsheathed, countless blade shadows fell, shining brilliantly in the dark night.

Autumn Water Startles the Swan, Autumn Wind Slash!

With explosive sounds, fierce blade marks appeared on the iron shields, some even pierced through.

The Zhu Family retainers behind the shields couldn’t withstand the force and retreated.

Those in the Pulse Opening Realm fared better, only with bleeding palms.

Some only in the Body Tempering Realm, without Internal Skill Cultivation, even had their internal organs ruptured and died from the force of Chen Yuan’s slash!

As someone fell first, a gap instantly appeared in the shield formation.

Chen Yuan charged into the gap, his blade swift and unseen, instantly leaving severed limbs everywhere!

Zhu Chengze’s face was filled with terror. What kind of monster was this!

Actually, his tactics weren’t wrong; the Great Xia military often used such tactics to surround experts.

The weapons weren’t wrong either; though the iron shields were ordinary in material, they were as thick as a palm, and even a Mystic Weapon couldn’t easily break them at first.

The problem was Chen Yuan was too strong, and the Zhu Family retainers were too weak.

When the Great Xia military used such tactics, they didn’t use ordinary soldiers but the elite of the elite.

Frontline shield-bearers had to be Martial Artists trained in body-hardening techniques to withstand an expert’s first assault.

But the Zhu Family retainers’ quality varied, with all sorts of Cultivation Techniques, only slightly better than a mob.