The Eastern Commandery Marquis still had no wish to clash head-on with Wu Xiang.
This time, however, he had no choice.
“Damn you, Wu Xiang. I should have killed you sooner!”
The Nether Phoenix that had been diving towards Po Qianjun and the others abruptly changed direction and hurtled towards Wu Xiang.
But because the shift was rushed, the Nether Phoenix had barely left his control before Wu Xiang’s Blood Cross slammed into it.
A mournful cry echoed throughout the entire Xianglong Trading Company.
The Eastern Commandery Marquis himself was sent flying by the impact. A bloody crimson cross now marked his chest.
The wound was deep; bone and internal organs were almost visible.
This was still only a strike from an extremely weakened Wu Xiang. Had Wu Xiang been at full strength, that single blow would have instantly killed the marquis.
The injured marquis felt both terror and fury.
Seeing Wu Xiang finally collapse to the ground, completely unable to move this time, rage overtook him. Roaring, he charged forward.
Po Qianjun and the others were already entangled by the marquis’s men and could not stop his enraged strike.
Wu Xiang’s vision began to blur. He struggled to look at the oncoming figure, a helpless, helpless bitter smile appearing on his face.
“Ling Xiao, I’m sorry. We only just reunited, yet now we part forever. I thought everyone valued loyalty and brotherhood the way you do. I never expected this.
I am unwilling!
Truly unwilling!”
If he were to die in a fair and upright battle, Wu Xiang would have no regrets or reluctance. From the moment he had staked his life on the restoration of the Holy Dynasty, he had already resolved himself.
Even in death, he would fulfil his wish.
His cause.
But dying like this today was simply too humiliating.
To be betrayed by one of the brothers he trusted most, it choked him with grief.
“Hahaha! Wu Xiang, go die! Die filled with anger and unwillingness!”
The Eastern Commandery Marquis laughed maniacally. He closed in at terrifying speed and smashed both fists, wrapped in black flame, straight towards Wu Xiang’s head.
He did not merely want Wu Xiang dead.
He wanted Wu Xiang to die in the most unsightly way possible.
Boom!
When those fists shrouded in black flame were less than a foot from Wu Xiang’s skull, a blinding light suddenly flashed at that spot.
What the marquis saw was a fist.
A fist glowing with golden light.
Perhaps because it was so close, the fist appeared enormous and overwhelmingly powerful.
The two fists collided violently.
The marquis felt a scorching power surge from the opposing fist and flood wildly into his body.
The terrifying force made his entire body shudder. He staggered back several steps involuntarily.
“Bastard! Which son of a bitch dares interfere in this marquis’s affairs?”
The marquis had taken a loss and grew even angrier.
Indeed, his strike to kill Wu Xiang had not been at full power; he wanted to toy with Wu Xiang rather than end him instantly.
Yet even after he hastily increased his output upon seeing the sudden fist, he was still forced back several steps.
Whoever had arrived was no weakling.
But no matter how strong they were, anyone who dared aid the Holy Dynasty Restoration Society in Lanton City would die.
What appeared before him was a youth.
A graceful youth with black hair dancing in the wind.
Clad in cyan robes, he stood there like a sharp unsheathed sword, aggressive and imposing.
Ling Xiao lightly flexed his slightly aching right hand.
Then he raised his eyes and looked coldly at the Eastern Commandery Marquis. His icy voice seemed to rise from the depths of the Nine Nether Hells.
“Eastern Commandery Marquis, your life is mine!”
The words were not loud, yet they carried absolute confidence and power.
They brimmed with intense hatred and fury, laced with a terrifying killing intent.
Everyone present involuntarily shivered. No one doubted his sincerity; he was not joking.
“Ling Xiao!”
“Lord Ling Xiao!”
Feng Yaorao, Po Qianjun, Yue Qin, Liu Chuang, and the other warriors of the Xianglong Trading Company all saw the young warrior.
Few actually knew Ling Xiao by sight.
But those four recognised him instantly and clearly.
Shock on their faces turned to wild joy.
Ling Xiao had only just left today; logically, he should not have returned so suddenly. They had never expected him to appear and save them.
Yet now not only had Ling Xiao come, but the moment he arrived he displayed astonishing strength, actually forcing the Eastern Commandery Marquis back.
“Heaven has not abandoned our Restoration Society!”
Feng Yaorao exclaimed.
“Indeed. Lord Ling Xiao’s timing could not have been better.”
Yue Qin nodded as well.
The earlier battle had already shown her the full extent of Ling Xiao’s terrifying power. As long as he was willing to act, today’s outcome could very well be reversed.
Seeing the smiles on their leaders’ faces, the rest of the Xianglong warriors also breathed a sigh of relief.
They did not know exactly how strong Ling Xiao was, but since their leaders were so confident, what was there to worry about?
The warriors from the city lord’s mansion, however, were stunned and baffled.
The age of this youth and his overwhelming strength were simply incongruous.
Their previous confidence began to waver.
Morale gradually fell.
“Ling Xiao? You are that Chosen of Heaven, Ling Xiao? The Heavenly Dragon King personally conferred the title by the crown prince Feng Yinshan?”
The Eastern Commandery Marquis had heard the name before.
Though he did not recognise the face, he knew of the Heavenly Dragon King.
Someone in the Divine Phoenix Empire’s imperial capital had personally delivered Ling Xiao’s dossier to his desk.
…
Ling Xiao ignored the marquis. Instead, he crouched down, checked Wu Xiang’s pulse, and immediately channelled a stream of light energy into Wu Xiang’s body.
Light energy was extremely effective at expelling poison.
In moments, the toxin inside Wu Xiang was completely incinerated.
“Senior Brother, are you alright now?”
After this simple treatment, Ling Xiao asked with concern while stuffing a bottle of Spring Return Pills into Wu Xiang’s hand.
Expelling the poison was easy; recovering from the injuries was not, so pills were still necessary.
“Cough, cough…”
Wu Xiang coughed twice. Some congealed blood came up, but it was no longer black. Clearly, his condition had greatly improved.
He casually wiped the blood from his mouth and grinned. “Good lad, your timing is impeccable. I really thought I would be separated from you by life and death.”
“I just wanted Senior Brother to learn a small lesson. In future, do not assume everyone is as trustworthy as I am. You need discernment when judging people.”
Ling Xiao said with a smile.
“Stop scolding me. This time it really is my fault. If not for me, so many brothers would not have died. I am indeed guilty.”
Wu Xiang gave a bitter laugh. “I only hate that this Eastern Commandery Marquis is clearly a noble of the Divine Phoenix Empire. How can he come to Lanton City to help the True Demon Empire deal with us?”
A beast-like ferocity and ruthlessness flashed in the corner of Ling Xiao’s eyes. He smiled faintly. “The Eastern Commandery Marquis will certainly die by my hand. But this matter does not seem so simple. A single Gao Yangjun should not have been enough to bring your entire Restoration Society to ruin.
I suspect someone else is pulling strings behind the scenes.”
