Dozens of dark figures silently crept into the alley of Qingnianfang. Although there were people watching the night from the gate outside, how could the wooden fence stop these heroes who could move freely? Whether they were heroes or not was still up for debate, but their skills were definitely up to the standard of heroes.
This is a very square courtyard with three two-story buildings side by side. In front of it is a not-too-small yard with some plants and trees, to show that the owner of this place is not a tasteless, uncouth old man. These nocturnal thugs are now standing in the middle of this yard.
Five of these people were dressed unusually. Generally, people who move at night wear dark clothing, ensuring it doesn't hinder their movement. Anyone wearing moon-white clothing in the dark would be extremely conspicuous. Such people fall into two categories: either insane or those who consider themselves superior.
Clearly, these five people weren't madmen; they must have had immense confidence in their abilities and believed there was no need to conceal their presence. Therefore, they were all dressed in striking moon-white robes, standing with their hands behind their backs, exuding an air of arrogance. And they certainly had reason to be proud; the disciples of the Snow Mountain Elder, those who graduated all possessed top-tier skills.
The others were all dressed in black, and in identical attire. Their clothing indicated that they were Oni-ninja from eastern Japan.
"This is it!" pointed out the white-robed man standing on the left. The companions Prince Elnario sent this time were his junior brothers, five experts who had just left their sect and come to join him.
"Strange, why is there no movement from inside?" Fei Lie, the eldest of the five, turned to look at Gui Yan, who had been silent since they set off.
Ghost Flame remained silent, deeply dissatisfied with the men Prince Elnario had sent. He hadn't expected Prince Elnario to send such shallow-looking fellows to help him. He wondered what use these idiots would be when a fight broke out.
"They're probably scared by us, aren't they?" The most impulsive of the five disciples, Ferro, couldn't wait to leap towards the middle room, saying, "I'll drive them out!"
"Idiot! What an idiot!" Guiyan sneered inwardly. To recklessly barge into the house where the Heavenly Ninja was hiding in the dark of night, this guy really didn't know his own death. But it was fine this way. Let these self-important guys see the true strength of their opponent first, so they wouldn't suffer a great loss when they fought later.
"Third brother, come back!" Fei Guo, the most intelligent of the five, shouted, stamping his foot as he leaped out.
The door opened silently just as Ferro was about to rush in, as if a demon had opened its dark, gaping maw, but instead of swallowing him, three streaks of cold lightning, invisible to the naked eye, flew out from the darkness.
"Not good!" Ferro was startled. The enemy inside had calculated things too accurately, striking him just before he unleashed his palm strike, creating a gap between his new and old power. This made it extremely difficult for him to avoid the three hidden weapons.
With Ferro in mid-air, it was impossible for him to make any more moves. He made a quick decision, rapidly channeling his inner energy to plummet downwards, while simultaneously bending halfway at the waist and striking out with both palms.
A roar erupted, and a massive surge of true energy roared forth. The chilling aura secretly surprised even Gui Yan; it turned out these shallow fellows actually possessed some skill. However, against the three-edged starlight emitted by the Heavenly Ninja Clan, which could cut through energy and specifically shatter protective true energy, such power was of little use.
The speed of his descent was not as fast as the speed of the three-pronged star's flight, and bending over would only barely avoid vital points. Ferro felt a fluctuation in his protective aura, knowing that the enemy's hidden weapon was close by, cutting through the protective aura around him.
Just as he was feeling utterly dejected, he heard a whooshing sound and a tinkling sound.
It turned out that Fei Guo's help had finally arrived. He had already drawn his long sword from his waist, and at this moment, he danced in front of the two of them with a crystal-clear fan wheel, knocking down the whistling three-sided starlight one by one.
Ferro had just breathed a sigh of relief and was about to straighten his back and change his posture to land steadily when he suddenly felt a jolt in his right leg, as if he had been bitten by something.
"Bang!"
Ferro's body crashed heavily to the ground. He still couldn't escape this calamity. It turned out that after the three bright triangular star rays, there was a silent five-pointed star dart. When the triangular star rays successfully attracted the opponent's attention, the power of the five-pointed star dart was truly unleashed.
Fego quickly pressed down, his movements swift as the wind, striking each of Ferro's vital points to control his injuries. In the blink of an eye, his injured thigh swelled up considerably, a truly frightening sight. It was obvious that the hidden weapon he had been struck with was tampered with.
"Utterly shameless!" the Snow Mountain Sect members shouted angrily. "We won't be satisfied until we kill you all!"
There was still no response from inside the room; it seemed they were just waiting for the enemy to rush in. But everyone had already learned from their previous encounters that rushing into a house in the dark to attack an enemy skilled in concealed weapons was practically suicide.
Gui Yan grew impatient and gave a cold snort. Just as he was about to order his subordinates, the Ghost Ninjas, to launch an attack, the Snow Mountain disciple who hadn't spoken until now suddenly said in a sinister tone, "It doesn't matter if they don't come out, we'll set this place on fire!"
"What?" Gui Yan was shocked and couldn't help but take a closer look at the particularly burly middle-aged man, Fei Xiu. He actually suggested arson in this residential area. This guy was even more reckless than himself. Besides being ruthless, he was also truly insidious.
At this moment, Gui Yan became wary of these people from the Snow Mountain Sect. The existence of such people among Prince Elnario's subordinates was a dangerous sign for everyone.
The people inside finally showed up. If the enemy really set fires without any scruples, it would be a disaster for the residents of this area, and something that would be difficult for them to deal with.
A gentle breeze stirred, and three people appeared in the arena. The shapely Kannazuki Yukihime stood in the center, flanked by her uncle, Yurakusai, and her aunt, Kicho. Yukihime was quite different from before; she appeared much more reserved and less energetic.
Guiyan felt it very clearly. If the Xue Ji he had seen before was a long sword exuding sharpness, then the Xue Ji in front of him was like a treasure sword hidden in its sheath, which brought even greater pressure to others.
Fei Xiu drew his sword. The sword in his hand was thick-backed and thin-edged, shaped like a sharp knife, but it was three feet and three inches long. It was a long sword that could be used with both hands, and it gleamed coldly even in the night. It was a truly sharp and precious sword.
"You cowards hiding here, come out and let me teach you a lesson!"
Fei Xiu brandished his precious sword with great arrogance, pointing it at the three people in front of him.
You Lezhai snorted coldly, "A bastard like you, with your mediocre skills, dares to talk such big words!"
"Fourth brother, get rid of this bastard!" Fei Lie shouted angrily.
"I'll cut off your dog's head!" Fei Xiu wielded his sword and charged forward.
Yulezai swiftly drew his sword and began to shift positions, not wanting to engage Fei Xiuzheng in a direct sword fight. He believed that skill was more important than blades, and he was very confident in his swordsmanship.
With a sharp shout, Fei Xiu seized the initiative. He leaped into the center and thrust out his blade in a flash, as if lightning had struck. His skill with the blade was extremely profound, and this swift attack demonstrated his formidable power.
You Lezhai snorted coldly, his blade flashing, fearlessly meeting the rapidly approaching sword light. He calmly followed the blade's advance, intending to cut in and counterattack through the gaps in the sword light, effectively unleashing the power of his treasured sword.
Fei Xiu was startled and immediately abandoned his contempt. He lowered the hilt of his sword, and the blade swayed erratically as he assumed a defensive stance. His swordplay was light and graceful, displaying highly skilled combat techniques as he dealt with You Lezhai's attacks, which resembled a flurry of cold, flashing light.
The two exchanged blows for about ten times as soon as they engaged, but there wasn't even a sound of blades clashing. Both were quick to strike and quick to retreat, each searching for an opening in the other's moves. The duel between masters was indeed extraordinary, unlike the brawls of ordinary villagers who wildly swung their broadswords. They were looking for an opportunity to defeat their opponent with a single blow, not wasting their energy on unnecessary movements.
Both were skilled with knives. Once they started fighting, they each displayed their skills and tried their best to maneuver. The blades flashed like lightning, and everyone standing nearby could feel the strong force of the blades.
Gui Yan felt much more at ease. Judging from Fei Xiu's performance, the Snow Mountain Sect did indeed possess considerable strength. Therefore, the chances of defeating the enemy before them were extremely high.
"You'd better hand over the divine artifact!" Guiyan confronted Xueji. "Otherwise, today will be your death day!"
Yuki frowned slightly. They hadn't expected the enemy to suddenly appear tonight, especially since it was the day before they were scheduled to move. She didn't have many people at her disposal, and the enemy before her was unexpectedly powerful.
Just by looking at this guy who could fight his uncle to a standstill, you could tell just how strong this enemy was. Fortunately, he had now grasped the secrets of the Sun Sword and Moon Bow, which gave him a better chance of dealing with the enemy before him.
"Quickly finish this!" Fei Lie seemed to have become the leader of the group, and shouted in a booming voice, "Kill them!"
Having said that, he rushed out first, drawing his longsword and charging towards the battle between Youlezhai and Feixiu. Several other disciples of the Snow Mountain Sect also rushed out in response.
Five figures rushed out of the room behind to meet them; they were the five divine generals beside Xue Ji. Although their individual martial arts skills were not as good as those of the disciples of the Snow Mountain Sect, the difference was not significant. Coupled with their excellent teamwork and powerful combined martial arts techniques, they managed to fight their opponents to a standstill for the time being.
Seeing that Yukihime's attention seemed to be drawn to the scene of the battle, Oni-en's lips curled into a smile. He had already noticed the subtle changes around Yukihime.
The bulge was almost imperceptible to the naked eye. Under the hazy moonlight, Yukihime's shadow suddenly seemed to lengthen, or as if the shadow under the moonlight had suddenly come to life, making slight movements behind the mistress Yukihime.
The shadow stretched longer and longer, and suddenly a large bulge appeared on the ground. When it flattened, the shadow was already close to Yukihime and began to silently wrap around its master.
Guiyan saw that Xueji still didn't react, focusing her attention on the battle between the Five Gods and the Snow Mountain disciples, secretly pleased. He knew that the change behind Xueji was actually a deadly assassination technique of their Ghost Ninja Clan called "Ghost Shadow Strangulation," which could kill the opponent without them noticing.
Just as the eerie, murderous phantom was about to merge with Yuki's body, Yuki let out a sharp shout: "You scoundrel, how dare you!"
The short "Sun Sword" that had appeared in Yuki's hand at some unknown time emitted a divine light as bright as day, instantly revealing the true face of the phantom behind her. It was an ordinary middle-aged man, but his eyes shone with a dark glint.
The middle-aged demon ninja who attempted to unleash "Ghost Shadow Strangulation" didn't even have time to let out a scream before being shredded into several pieces by the sword light emitted by the divine weapon.
"All you do is resort to these underhanded tricks!" Xue Ji said coldly to Gui Yan, her face frosty.
Ghost Flame finally gave the order to attack. With a sharp whistle, the Ghost Ninjas, who had been lying in the darkness, silently emerged and charged into the field from all directions.
Guiyan led the charge, his twin swords unleashing a fierce and relentless attack on Xueji. Xueji raised her Sun Sword, aiming it at Guiyan.
Gui Yan immediately felt a shocking surge of energy rushing towards him. Without hesitation, he dodged left and right, avoiding the surging, raging energy. His twin swords miraculously switched from offense to defense, unleashing several streaks of light and lightning. The terrifying energy collided in mid-air, creating an extremely fierce and devastating explosion, forming a terrifying force field at the center of the blast between the two men.
"What terrifying true energy!" Guiyan thought to himself, taking a half-step back. He hadn't expected Xueji to improve so quickly. Judging from this exchange, she had already unleashed the full power of the Sun Sword. If their skill levels were roughly equal, then their weapons would play a crucial role. The Sun Sword wielded by Xueji was inherently a counter to Guiyan's twin blades, making the situation quite unfavorable for Guiyan.
Having witnessed her progress, Yukihime's confidence grew even stronger. With a flick of her sword, she launched her attack. The Sun Sword transformed into a dazzling halo in her hands, forcing the demon ninja to retreat in its wake. However, her aunt, Kicho, and uncle, Yurakusai, were locked in a fierce battle. Yurakusai fared slightly better, but Kicho was in trouble, sometimes struggling even to throw her sword amidst the throng of attackers. Because she had to attend to her aunt, Yukihime's offensive diminished, and she gradually found herself on the defensive.
The battle raged fiercely, yet no one seemed to care, clearly indicating the involvement of powerful figures. As Yuki fought, this thought filled her with a sense of dread. Her worst fears had come true: the oni ninjas pursuing them had undoubtedly made a deal with the powerful figures of Fast, securing their support. Her side was now facing an even more difficult future.
The nearby residents were already so frightened that they hid in their homes, not daring to even breathe. A few brave people tried to come out to take a look, but when they saw the flashing swords and shadows, they immediately shrank back in fear.
※ ※ ※
But this place wasn't the only busy spot in Esnia tonight. On the other side of the capital, a huge fire suddenly erupted in the once quiet Flying Phoenix Mansion, its orange flames illuminating a corner of Esnia's night sky.
The fire at Feifeng Mansion immediately triggered chaos in the surrounding residences. The people inside Feifeng Mansion were in a flurry of activity, awakened from their sleep, and still confused about what was happening. The city guards stationed in Esnia, upon discovering the commotion, also rushed to the scene. Their hurried footsteps woke up residents along the way, making this night in Esnia truly extraordinary for the citizens of the capital.
As the fire broke out, Aurelian Dragon, the master of Flying Phoenix Mansion, was complaining to Cynthia, the leader of the goddess warriors. It was unimaginable that a man who should have been enjoying blissful lovemaking in his comfortable bridal chamber would end up like this.
After the wedding, Aurelian Dragon excitedly knocked on Phoenix Vane's door, but Phoenix Vane politely declined his entry. She explained that as the eldest of the women, she should set an example and that she shouldn't be the first to enjoy intimate moments with Aurelian Dragon that night, but rather that he should consider the other sisters first.
Having been rebuffed by Phoenix Vane, the man had no choice but to head towards Lynette Quill's room. But Lynette Quill insisted that she couldn't possibly enjoy marital bliss with Aurelian Dragon before Phoenix Vane . Normally it might not matter much, but on such a special day, Aurelian Dragon should start with Phoenix Vane first.
After being turned away twice, Aurelian Dragon's mind raced, and he naturally thought of Obsidia Shade, who had never objected to his actions. When he excitedly ran over, he was surprised to find that Obsidia Shade had given him the same reason: as a concubine, how could she possibly take the position of mistress tonight?
After circling around twice, Aurelian Dragon realized something: as a groom with three brides, he couldn't find a bed to sleep in tonight. It was utterly ridiculous! No one would believe it.
It would have been fine if there hadn't been a wedding; he could have done whatever he wanted. But things turned out this way after the wedding. The bewildered man couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Maybe they want to team up and teach me a lesson? Humph, do they think I can't sleep without you guys?"
In a fit of anger, Aurelian Dragon simply stopped running back and forth and instead turned his attention to other people. However, to his surprise, the Golden Phoenix Guards who had been exchanging glances with him all adopted a righteous and awe-inspiring attitude, refusing to steal the young lady's good fortune today.
Left with no other choice, Aurelian Dragon had to give up. But his anger was still burning, and he was really annoyed. "Since you won't accompany me, then I won't accompany you either!" With this thought in mind, the man hardened his heart and simply set his sights on Cynthia, the leader of the goddess warriors.
Thinking back to when he first saw her beautiful body, flawless, full and fit, lustful men had long harbored thoughts of making a move on her. Why not take this opportunity to teach those women who rejected him a lesson and see who's afraid of whom?
Having made up his mind, Aurelian Dragon immediately knocked on Cynthia's door. The goddess warrior leader, who had already settled down for the night, was somewhat surprised by Aurelian Dragon's late-night visit, but still let him into her room.
Upon seeing Cynthia wearing only a thin nightgown, Aurelian Dragon's eyes lit up. Through the silk robe, Cynthia's full and robust breasts were faintly visible, and the dazzling white skin at the wide neckline was impossible to look away from.
"Young master, how could you..." Before Cynthia could finish her question, Aurelian Dragon let out a long sigh, looking utterly pitiful.
"I'm so pathetic!"
As Aurelian Dragon spoke, he walked straight to Cynthia's bedside and sat down. Unaware that his lord had ulterior motives, the leader of the goddess warriors sat down next to him, leaning slightly against the headboard, looking at Aurelian Dragon with a puzzled expression.
"They're all ignoring me now!" Aurelian Dragon said with a mournful face and a very sad tone.
"No way!" Cynthia was taken aback. She couldn't imagine that on the first night of their marriage, the groom would be rejected by his brides.
"Really! Otherwise, why would I have run here?" Aurelian Dragon said, suddenly lunging forward to embrace Cynthia's delicate body, burying his head between Cynthia's high and beautiful breasts.
Cynthia instinctively reached out and hugged the man, comforting him, "Don't worry, young master, I don't think Miss Feng and the others are that kind of people! Why don't you go back..."
"No…" Aurelian Dragon shook his head. He was now fully appreciating the allure of the goddess warrior leader's full figure. Even through a layer of clothing, he could still feel the unparalleled touch of her soft and elastic breasts. What excited the lustful man even more was that Cynthia's fullness was something he had never encountered before.
"It's so big, firm, and soft! It's absolutely top-notch!" The man, thoroughly enjoying himself, secretly praised it to himself.
Unaware of Aurelian Dragon's ulterior motives, Cynthia continued to hold his head, listening to his rambling, incoherent ramblings. The man, preoccupied with racking his brains for a solution, was no longer able to focus on organizing his thoughts.
"Damn it! What's going on?"
After working on it for half a day, Aurelian Dragon realized he had been wasting his time. Despite using all his honed skills, the mature and beautiful goddess warrior leader showed no sign of being moved. These methods had always worked on other mature women, but today he'd met with a major setback.