Chapter 241: Chapter 237: A Thundering Explosion

Liu Liqun’s expression twisted. He was out of options. Pursuers were hot on his heels, and the Stone Gate was right in front of him. If he didn’t get through, he would be cornered here, and his life would be forfeit.

Gritting his teeth, Liu Liqun rushed to the Stone Gate and frantically turned the knob for the mechanism.

GRIND! RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE!

The Stone Gate slowly ground open, rising inch by inch as dust rained down from above.

"Nowhere to run, Liu Liqun! Die!" Just then, Ye Xing and Gao Zhisong’s furious shouts rang out as they closed in for the kill.

Panic flashed across Liu Liqun’s face. He quickly ducked and darted through the opening of the Stone Gate.

.........

Biluo Mountain was a place of treacherous peaks and lush, ancient forests.

At this moment, before a cave halfway up the mountain.

Large numbers of Martial Artists lay in ambush on both sides of the cave. Armed with blades and crossbows, they all aimed at the entrance, their killing intent palpable.

Surrounded by the throng of Martial Artists, a middle-aged man in a fiery red robe sat on an ornate armchair. His eyes were closed in meditation, his fingers tapping a steady, rhythmic beat on the mahogany armrest as he waited.

’Movement!’ The man in the fiery robe’s ears twitched, and his eyes snapped open. He gave a hand signal. Instantly, all the surrounding Martial Artists tensed, their gazes locked on the cave mouth as they held their breath, poised to strike.

The sound of frantic footsteps echoed from within the cave, growing louder and closer. Someone was running for their life.

A moment later, a figure shot out of the cave.

The figure that burst from the cave was none other than the Liu Family Head, Liu Liqun.

The moment Liu Liqun emerged from the cave and took in his surroundings, his face twisted in horror, draining of all color.

WHOOSH!

A huge iron net descended upon him from the sky. It was studded with sharp spikes that glinted with a cold light.

At the same time,

SWISH! SWISH SWISH SWISH!

a volley of countless arrows was unleashed from all sides. The air filled with the sound of them splitting the air as they whistled toward him.

CLANG CLANG! CLANG CLANG CLANG!

Liu Liqun frantically swung his longsword, its blade a blur of light as he deflected arrow after arrow.

SWISH! SWISH SWISH SWISH!

SWISH SWISH SWISH!

The rain of arrows was endless, coming at him in a dense swarm from all sides.

Trapped in the center, Liu Liqun’s longsword became an impenetrable shield, deflecting the entire volley. But his forehead was beaded with cold sweat; the drain on his True Qi was immense. If this kept up, he would die from exhaustion. He hurriedly shouted, "General Ouyang, why have you ambushed me? I have no grievance or enmity with you, nor have I ever offended you."

"You haven’t offended me, it’s true. But I’ve set my sights on you," Ouyang Xu said coolly. "Enough of this nonsense. Hand over the treasure, and I might spare your life!"

Liu Liqun’s expression changed. He gave a bitter smile. "General, if you want the treasure, I’m afraid you’ve got the wrong man. I don’t have it."

"Oh? Not with you? Don’t tell me it’s still with Cao Bohao. If I’m not mistaken, that fool has already fallen for one of your schemes, hasn’t he? Hmph! Staring death in the face and still refusing to hand over the treasure. You insist on doing things the hard way!" Ouyang Xu, the middle-aged man in the fiery red robe, barked. He slammed his hands on the armrests and launched himself into the air like a great roc spreading its wings.

In an instant, a powerful gale erupted around him. Terrifying Innate True Essence surged from his body, forming blades of Sword Qi that shrieked through the air toward Liu Liqun.

SWISH! THWACK!

THWACK!

In a single exchange, two streams of Sword Qi struck Liu Liqun, tearing open his flesh and sending blood gushing out.

"General Ouyang, the treasure really isn’t with me!" Liu Liqun cried out in desperation. "I did trick Cao Bohao, but I was double-crossed myself! Someone else got the treasure!"

"Oh? And who has it?" Ouyang Xu’s brow furrowed, but he didn’t stop his attacks. ’After all, no matter who has the treasure, capturing Liu Liqun first is the right move.’

"Gao Zhisong has it, along with another person! That man disguised himself as my Liu Family’s Grand Elder, so I couldn’t figure out who he was at first. But there were only seven of us on this treasure hunt. If it’s not Cao Weifang, then it must be—" Liu Liqun was in the middle of speaking.

Suddenly—

BOOM! BOOM! RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

a world-shaking explosion thundered across the landscape.

Abruptly and without any warning, the area before the cave mouth erupted in a series of violent explosions.

In an instant, billowing black smoke and waves of searing heat washed over everything. Blazing Flame and thick smog, mixed with shrapnel and debris, swept outward in every direction.

A series of blood-curdling screams rang out one after another.

The Martial Artists closest to the blasts were instantly vaporized. Even those farther away suffered serious injuries.

The shrapnel from the explosion was incredibly lethal; many men were pierced through by flying rock fragments, their blood spattering everywhere.

Ouyang Xu’s expression changed dramatically. True Essence erupted from his body, forming a transparent layer of Protective Gang Qi that enveloped him completely.

BANG! CLANG CLANG CLANG!

CLANG CLANG CLANG!

The Protective Gang Qi rippled as flying shards of rock and metal hammered against it, only to be deflected away. But the sheer volume of shrapnel and the fierce power of the Blazing Flame and smoke made the shield tremble violently.

As the explosions ripped through the cave mouth, two figures shot out from within.

They were none other than Ye Xing and Gao Zhisong.

Ye Xing held two Flash Grenades. He quickly pulled the pins and tossed them toward the most crowded area.

Instantly, a dazzling white light erupted, engulfing the entire cave entrance. Everyone was blinded, their vision completely gone.

"Let’s go!"

Ye Xing shouted. He and Gao Zhisong immediately used their Lightweight Skills, sprinting into the distance. After a few bounds, they vanished into the mountain forest.

The entire area around the cave mouth remained a chaotic mix of thick smoke and blinding light. Screams rose and fell in a cacophony of misery.

The bombs were incredibly powerful. Ye Xing had planted three timed explosives at the cave entrance, and their destructive force was immense, killing over a hundred men on the spot and severely injuring many more.

A few moments later, the white light finally faded, and the thick smoke began to dissipate.

Although the air remained scorching hot, the force of the blast had passed. As the dust settled, the scene around the cave mouth was revealed.

The ground around the cave mouth was a pockmarked, devastated wasteland. Broken tree branches smoldered all around. The ground was littered with corpses and severed limbs, their clothing still alight with small flames that gave off a sickening, charred smell.

Ouyang Xu’s face was ashen, his expression as dark as a thundercloud.

"Reporting, General! During the explosion, I saw two people rush out of the cave!" an officer said, limping over. This officer’s cultivation was at the Martial Arts Seventh Realm of the Qi Condensation Stage. He hadn’t been too close to the blast, so he had only sustained minor injuries.

*(Changing maps and brainstorming a new plot. One Chapter today, then two tomorrow!)*

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