Chapter 9

Xiao Qingying stood by, her expression one of terror, with tear stains still visible on her delicate face. It was evident that she had been thoroughly frightened

Zhang Rongfang's heart skipped a beat, he bent down and slowly approached the direction of the sound, then, taking cover behind the bushes and grass, he peered over in that direction

At this moment, Zhang Rong realized that the men in black on the ground were all spitting blood, their eyes were vacant, and they appeared to be on the verge of death

Just jumped down

The strength and weakness among the ranks of martial arts?" Sun Yuanfeng smiled, "I actually know this.

At this moment, Zhang Rongfang also stepped out, cupping his fists to salute the two individuals

If Xiao Qingying were to encounter an incident, he would definitely not fare well

Suppressing the discomfort in his heart, Zhang Rongfang forcibly shifted his gaze to the two masters.

"It's nothing, it's nothing... I'm here..." Chen Wuyou said as he embraced Xiao Qingying, gently patting her back in comfort

Before long, he disappeared into the vast sea of trees

Zhang Rongfang did not respond, merely nodding his head

The two individuals moved at an astonishing speed, disappearing from sight in the dense forest in just a few blinks of an eye

Master, Senior Sister

However, within a few minutes, a loud roar echoed from the distant forest

If it were in the past, he would probably be out of breath by now from running all the way

He actually came here in person

... ...

Knock knock knock

On the other side, watching the fireworks explode

Wait a moment, let the people from the back door come in and thoroughly check this area. I want to see who has the audacity to commit murder near our Qinghe Palace

He had long discovered Zhang Rongfang hiding in the grass and was not surprised by it

Zhang Rongfang told me to hide in the tree hole while he went back to get help. He also instructed me not to come out, saying that even if you called me, I should not come out

After running a few steps, he vaguely sensed something was amiss. Chen Wuyou had never mentioned arranging for anyone else... This kid...

Only then did he have the leisure to observe the fight between Xiao Rong and Zhao Da Cong

Dressed in his robe, he hurriedly drew water from the water tank, washed his hands, wiped his face, and then opened the door to follow Sun Yuanfeng towards the small attic where Xiao Rong resided

Do you suspect it is him? Xiao Rong's gaze was calm

"Brother Zhang, are you awake?" Sun Yuanfeng's voice came from outside the door

Fortunately, he was not kept waiting for long

Damn it, don't let me run into you again next time! You little brat!

Xiao Rong took the lead

This outing for spring outing was designed by Chen Wuyou, and he was the first to run out. Additionally, the sounds heard earlier were very similar to those of Chen Wuyou

The recent sprint at full force has greatly exhausted his physical strength

Sun Yuanfeng smiled. "Brother Zhang, please share your thoughts; I assure you that I will speak candidly with my junior brother about anything I know."

"I hid it in a tree hollow. I am afraid that the senior sister will be found, so I will come out first to divert the enemy!" Zhang Rongfang said immediately.

The trees are dense here, the light is dim, and many places are suitable for hiding

These reasons, when combined, are sufficient

There are footprints on the ground, which appear to belong to a woman, very likely those of the junior sister!" Zhao Dacong quickly spoke up from the side

"How many have come?" he asked instinctively

Zhao Dacong appeared unbothered, wearing a relaxed expression

Take me there

He and Xiao Ying were attacked together; fortunately, we arrived in time, otherwise, the situation could have been very dire

"Take a look and see what these people are all about?" Xiao Rong said wearily

Junior Brother Sun, I have a question that I would like to consult you about

Chen Wuyou felt a tightness in his heart, and a trace of irritation flashed in his eyes

Not right

His expression was gentle, yet his eyes were filled with a chilling coldness

They have arrived! Zhang Rongfang quickly got up, knowing that the incident of the attack was likely to come to a conclusion.

The rank only represents your past strongest abilities, your former glory, but humans can weaken, age, and fall ill. Therefore, it is quite normal for performances to vary.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Rong's expression softened slightly, yet she still appeared quite serious

Another man in black, sensing the situation was unfavorable, turned and fled, disappearing into the forest in a matter of moments

In his previous life as an ordinary person, he had never witnessed someone being beaten to death.

Over there," Xiao Qingying pointed in a direction, which was precisely where the sound from the fireworks communication tube had just been emitted.

A man in black lay on the ground

Thereafter, there was no further news of Zhang Rongfang, and soon another message tube shot up into the sky

Zhang Rongfang ran a certain distance, turned back to see that no one was pursuing him, and temporarily stopped to catch his breath

The man in black turned to look at Zhang Rongfang, and indeed, that kid had already run more than ten meters away, almost concealed by the shadows of the forest

Zhang Rongfang felt perplexed.

However, it is said that Master Xiao Rong is still a third-tier expert, so why is it so difficult to deal with those few casually appearing men in black? One even managed to escape

Such a fierce grip made his heart skip a beat, and his breathing became slightly rapid

Go

Trouble! The man in black clasped his fists and turned to run

Chen Wuyou initially did not pay much attention, but upon hearing Zhang Rongfang's admonition to Xiao Qingying, he felt a stir in his heart and began to suspect that the young Taoist might have developed some doubts about him

"Do you have any leads regarding the situation since you went out with Xiao Ying this time?" Xiao Rong inquired in a low voice

At that moment, Zhang Rongfang quickly ran towards the place where Xiao Qingying was hiding, accompanied by two individuals

Soon, in the dark corners of the forest, Xiao Rong and Zhao Da Cong were engaged in a fierce battle with two men in black.

"I had advised my senior sister not to come out..." Zhang Rongfang instinctively replied. However, noticing that Xiao Rong's expression was somewhat off, he quickly fell silent, his heart sinking.

He quickly jumped down from the large rock, and the enhancement of his life attributes significantly improved his health and stamina compared to before

If it were to strike him, it would likely be like a file and a hammer, tearing away flesh and blood with each blow

Even if Xiao Rong has a good temper, it is still very likely that she will vent her anger on him

Upon closer inspection, he realized that as these few individuals fought, they struck the nearby trees, creating a pit with each impact and tearing off a piece of bark with every blow

Upon seeing Zhang Rongfang, the two individuals paused in their steps

Rong Fang, where is Xiao Ying?" Xiao Rong asked urgently

He was deceived

He often served by Xiao Rong's side, and his understanding of martial cultivation far exceeded that of Zhang Rongfang at this moment

I do not know, but just now I heard a noise here, so I came to investigate, and someone has set up a communication tube! I have been specifically assigned to transmit messages here!" Zhang Rongfang said in a low voice

Xiao Rong and Zhao Da Cong have already ceased their activities and are resting

Well then, Zhang Rongfang did not hold back and directly expressed his doubts regarding the disparity in strength between the ranks

... ...

Subsequently, around ten martial arts disciples from Qinghe Palace, led by a middle-aged Taoist priest, began searching in all directions

Chen Wuyou, holding Xiao Qingying, gestured towards a direction in the dense forest and then pointed in the direction where Zhang Rongfang had left.

In just a few seconds, a man in black was struck on the bridge of his nose, his eyes blurred, and then he was hit in the chest with a palm strike, falling to the ground and unable to rise.

"Walk quickly, the people from Qinghe Palace are about to arrive!" Zhang Rongfang suddenly shouted in a low voice, his expression tense

On the way, Zhang Rongfang couldn't help but ask.

How could Brother Wuyou possibly harm me? I just heard from the communication tube of Grandfather, they must have already set off. We should hurry back; perhaps we can still meet them!

Xiao Rong had beads of sweat appearing on her forehead, her body was radiating heat, clearly indicating significant exertion

"In which direction did Zhang Rongfang go?" he suddenly asked

Master Gui, when our group arrived at a forested area, Brother Chen Wuyou left midway to catch a squirrel, leaving only the three of us. Furthermore, Brother Chen's voice seemed somewhat familiar to me. Additionally, this outing was also initiated by Brother Chen's invitation

Upon hearing the subsequent remarks, he suddenly felt a sense of urgency in his heart

He finally knows who placed the message tube

Seeing that she was fine, Zhang Rongfang let out a heavy sigh of relief

Zhang Rongfang withdrew his gaze and quickly scanned the surroundings, looking for a place to hide

Zhang Rongfang wanted to follow, but after a moment's thought, he realized that it would be futile for him to go up, as he would not be able to catch up at all, so he stood still and did not move

Suddenly, a masked figure in black rushed out from the forest ahead.

It was not until the morning bell rang on the second day that he was awakened from his slumber

Two figures emerged from the forest, one was Senior Sister Zhao Dacong, and the other was unexpectedly Xiao Rong

How did you come to be here? What about Zhang Rongfang who was with you?

In the dense forest, Xiao Qingying suddenly threw herself into Chen Wuyou's arms

Where is Chen Wuyou? Xiao Rong asked in a deep voice

This damned little Taoist priest

In his previous life, he was merely an ordinary person. This time, even with thorough preparation, if he were to truly encounter those men in black, he would likely not survive a single round and would be knocked down with one punch

Brother Wuyou! Why have you only just arrived? A lot of people came just now, and they seemed to be trying to catch us. Zhang Ke encountered them; I wonder how he is doing now

A shadow flickered in the dense forest, and immediately someone chased after it

Returning to the palace, Zhang Rongfang was utterly exhausted and collapsed onto the bed, covering his head and falling into a deep sleep

Moreover, those with ranks mostly represent individuals with rich practical experience, yet one cannot rely solely on one's fists against many hands; youth is formidable in combat. Many skilled practitioners in the martial world, despite their ranks, experience a decline in strength as they age. I once heard a master mention a highly ranked expert, classified as an eighth-grade master by the court, who, due to his solitary and eccentric personality, did not form close ties with others. In his old age, he had no offspring or disciples to rely on, and as a result, his strength deteriorated significantly. At the age of seventy, he was challenged by a fifth-grade practitioner and was beaten to death.

Yes

... ...

Observing the previous encounter between Xiao Rong, Zhao Da Cong, and those men in black, their palms and fists struck against a piece of tree bark.

Where is the person?!" Xiao Rong's expression instantly turned cold

The sound from the communication tube just now was indeed genuine. He took a few steps forward, then immediately stopped, calculating the time.

Is there even a need to mention this?

"He was knocked unconscious, over there in the bushes." Zhao Dacong pointed to the shrubs on the other side

Zhang Rongfang approached and whispered

After waiting in place for a short while, soon, a sound of footsteps running could be heard from the direction of Qinghe Palace in the forest

He was instantly filled with a mix of shame and anger; at such an advanced age, he had been deceived by a mere young brat. If this were to spread, how could he possibly maintain his standing in the martial world in the future

The man in black no longer pursued, turning to run wildly in the direction away from Qinghe Palace

I am aware of this matter. Xiao Rong nodded heavily, saying, "Fortunately, Xiao Ying did not encounter any issues." A trace of anger flashed in his eyes.

Sun Yuanfeng is a close attendant disciple of Xiao Rong. Although he is a servant disciple, his presence signifies that Xiao Rong has matters to discuss with him

At that moment, the door was gently knocked on

Zhang Rongfang, along with Xiao Qingying and Chen Wuyou, returned to Qinghe Palace

Before long, he returned to the tree hollow, only to find it empty inside, with no one present.

The two individuals followed the footsteps and quickly caught up.

The dual lenses on the mask exhibit an unpredictable demeanor

The man in black looked up and happened to lock eyes with Zhang Rongfang.

The figure in black, masked and unrecognizing Zhang Rongfang, was still guessing and preparing to take action when he suddenly heard these words, momentarily taken aback