The enemy before him had captured Jiang Sui.
Lu Yunze extracted this information from the other’s words. After realizing what kind of danger Jiang Sui was facing, his inner anxiety kept piling up.
This Secret Arts Practitioner named Zhang Xuan, who sucked human blood like a vampire… when he caught Jiang Sui, could he have already done something to her?
The image of the girl, pale-faced and curled up on the ground, flashed in his mind. Lu Yunze’s heart sank violently, and his expression grew increasingly ugly.
He had to finish this guy off here, then go find Jiang Sui.
“My former colleagues are truly useless, one more useless than the last. They already seized the initiative, yet still dragged things out until the Execution Division arrived,” Zhang Xuan sneered.
A continuous clamor came from outside the shopping center—it wasn’t the ordinary noise of the streets, but the sounds of the Execution Division clashing with the rioters.
Gunfire and shouts intertwined; the battle situation was clearly intense.
Zhang Xuan knew very well that those people were merely ordinary folks with sophisticated weapons. They wouldn’t last long against the Execution Division.
He had to end the fight here quickly and go back to support them. Otherwise, if everyone was captured, his chance for promotion to Budaoshi would be completely gone.
“Speaking of which, the poison on you should be about to take effect, right?”
Zhang Xuan revealed a fang-like smile.
Lu Yunze’s attention instantly returned to himself.
The bats and teeth couldn’t penetrate his dragon scales, but the other’s flame sword and red-light blade had been caught by his bare hands.
And his palms—they had no scales.
A wound had already been slashed open there, blood dripping continuously.
By the moonlight, he saw his blood had turned a bizarre black.
The slight weakness that started earlier rapidly spread throughout his body, making him almost unable to stand steady.
He forced himself to hold his body up, his breathing becoming heavy, as if he had contracted a serious illness.
“What’s the use of strong defense? Once injured by me, you’ll fall under this potent poison,” Zhang Xuan sneered.
Thud!
Lu Yunze drove his heavy sword into the ground, barely supporting his body.
“You people… weren’t you supposed to have been captured weeks ago, at the bar and the club?”
At that time, the ringleaders had all been slain by him. How could they have organized this attack?
Had he underestimated their cohesion?
Zhang Xuan was stunned for a moment, then laughed, walking leisurely up to him.
“Who told you our Cult only has influence in one city?”
The air seemed to freeze for an instant.
Lu Yunze lowered his head, as if accepting this reality.
A city might only have one bishop, but that didn’t mean there was only one faction.
A new bishop had arrived, continuing to execute the unfinished plan.
“Our first step is to take revenge on the blasphemers,” Zhang Xuan said with fanatical fervor. “You, from the moment you opposed us, should have understood this.”
Lu Yunze remained motionless, as if he had lost consciousness.
But he was still standing.
Annoyed, Zhang Xuan reached out to push him.
In that instant—
Lu Yunze violently grabbed his wrist.
He hadn’t fallen.
Though his consciousness teetered on the brink of collapse, one thought was supporting him.
If he fell here, it wasn’t just himself—Jiang Sui would also lose her last chance of survival.
The Execution Division outside had no idea there was still someone inside the shopping center who needed rescuing.
Luo Yao was unconscious. Lü Ziyi believed in him.
The only one who could save Jiang Sui was him.
He could die.
But Jiang Sui could not.
She still had her mother, that father who fled from debt, and a life that belonged to her.
She couldn’t lose everything just like that.
“You bastard…!” Zhang Xuan desperately tried to break free but found the other’s strength was still astonishing.
The poison he used was personally bestowed by the bishop. It should have made a person quickly lose the ability to move.
Yet Lu Yunze could still move.
He could even counterattack.
Thud!
A heavy punch smashed into Zhang Xuan’s face, sending him flying backward.
Lu Yunze bent over, almost unable to stand.
His current strength was entirely supported by the Force Accumulation Anchor.
Once that became unusable too, he would completely lose his combat ability.
How much longer could he hold on?
One minute?
Even less?
He took a deep breath.
Fortunately, there were no ordinary people here anymore.
After the attack began, the crowd had long been evacuated. This place had become a complete battlefield.
“No wonder you could break that bar…” Zhang Xuan spat out blood-stained fragments of teeth.
“Why are you people, one after another, fighting so desperately?”
He didn’t understand.
Why would a rich young master have such a life-risking way of fighting?
Lu Yunze released the heavy sword.
In his current state, he could no longer wield such a weapon.
He slightly crouched, like a beast ready to pounce.
Zhang Xuan raised his weapons, still believing he wouldn’t lose.
But the next moment—
Lu Yunze vanished from his spot.
Thud!
That was the sound of his feet exploding against the ground, like a cannon firing.
Zhang Xuan’s pupils constricted sharply.
Too fast!
A sense of crisis instantly spread through his body. He summoned a swarm of bats to protect himself.
However—
It was meaningless.
Lu Yunze charged directly into the bat swarm, one hand clamping onto Zhang Xuan’s neck and smashing him hard onto the ground.
One punch.
Another punch.
His eyes bloodshot, completely without technique, only pure violence.
Until the other died.
Soon, Zhang Xuan’s face was a bloody mess. Every punch made him cough up blood.
Fear spread from the depths of his heart.
If this continued, he would really be beaten to death.
He had to create distance.
Zhang Xuan roared, recalling the bat swarm to entangle Lu Yunze while simultaneously trying to flip and dive into the shadows.
As long as he entered the shadows, he would be safe!
However—
“Huh?”
He suddenly stopped.
Looking down—
His foot was grabbed.
Despair instantly flooded his heart.
Ignoring the pain of tearing muscles, Lu Yunze activated the Force Accumulation Anchor again, yanking him out of the shadows by sheer force.
Thud!
Smashed hard onto the ground.
Thud!
A second time.
Thud!
A third time.
The ground even began to crack.
Only when he reached his limit did Lu Yunze let go, then kicked him flying.
Zhang Xuan rolled a long distance on the ground, leaving a trail of blood.
He tried to stand up but failed.
He could only crawl backward bit by bit.
Lu Yunze also walked forward, but his body could no longer support him.
Thump.
He fell to his knees.
Seeing this, a smile reappeared on Zhang Xuan’s face.
It was over.
Only ten meters of distance.
But Lu Yunze could no longer walk over.
He couldn’t hold on anymore.
Zhang Xuan let out a long sigh.
This was the most dangerous battle since he became a Secret Arts Practitioner.
He almost lost.
Just a little more recovery, and he could finish off the other.
Right at this moment—
Tap, tap.
Footsteps sounded.
Zhang Xuan whipped his head around.
Beside Lu Yunze, someone had appeared at some unknown time.
She stood under the moonlight, gathering Lu Yunze into her embrace, letting his face rest against her soft chest.
That familiar scent gradually relaxed Lu Yunze’s expression.
“Jiang Sui…”
“It’s me, Young Master.”
His voice was very soft, only she could hear it.
“It’s good… that you’re okay.”
He was covered in blood, filthy all over.
But Jiang Sui didn’t mind at all, gently stroking his face.
As if soothing a beast returning from battle.
Letting him slowly sink into a gentle dream.
Zhang Xuan watched this scene, not even daring to breathe loudly.
“This play should also reach its finale now.”
Jiang Sui gently laid Lu Yunze down.
“The protagonist defeated the villain and found the princess.”
She looked at Zhang Xuan, narrowing her eyes. The smile on her face suddenly turned cold.
“Next—it’s time to settle accounts.”