Chapter 67

In Yangze County, the temperature on a late spring evening was still quite low, especially in the uninhabited mountainous areas, where the cold was even more pronounced. When the mountain winds blew, it felt like the depths of winter.

On the western slope of Dahuang Mountain, patches of forest clung to the undulating hills, like a cluster of stars accompanying the moon, scattered sparsely on the edge of Dahuang Mountain.

In a small forest, Lu Buqi's body swayed slightly on a tall tree. He peered eastward through the leaves, muttering to himself, "Sure enough... They say Dahuang Mountain is a natural barrier, and there's no need to station troops here. But with a sentry post every 500 meters, and at least 15 people at each post, stretching for dozens of miles, it's as if this is a border between countries."

"Such a grand gesture... It can't be for someone like me, a minor figure, right?" Lu Buqi pinched his nose lightly and leaped down from the three-meter-high tree trunk like a nimble monkey.

Lu Buqi didn't rush to sneak past the blockade. He found a secluded corner, spread some dead branches around, and planned to take a comfortable nap.

A "crack" sound woke Lu Buqi as a heavy object stepped on the dead branches. It was a soldier in private army uniform, which made Lu Buqi's heart race, thinking his presence had been exposed.

"Damn, who isn't hungry on duty at night? Just because I joined the camp late, they make me fetch bird eggs... It's pitch black, where are the nests?" The soldier muttered, looking around.

Lu Buqi's lips curled slightly. It turned out the soldier had taken a break to find food. At the same time, an idea struck Lu Buqi: if he wore the private army uniform, he might blend in better.

The soldier was also unlucky to have come to Lu Buqi, a desperate man. He came and searched for nests in the dark, completely unaware that a ruthless killer was hiding nearby.

But the soldier was also lucky. Lu Buqi's killing technique was swift; the soldier was only startled for a moment before losing consciousness as his neck was violently twisted.

After killing the soldier, Lu Buqi quickly changed into the private army uniform and left the body behind. He found a position between two sentry posts, shouldered his bag, and darted out like a fat rat.

Just as Lu Buqi entered the dense undergrowth, a cold and stern voice rang out, "Which camp are you from? Give the password!"

"Secret sentry!" Lu Buqi was startled but quickly calmed down, walking over boldly and shaking his bag, "What password? I'm bringing food in case you're hungry."

"Oh, bringing food..." The man didn't pay much attention, but someone beside him said, "That's not right, we brought our own food, why would they send us more?"

Without hesitation, Lu Buqi flicked the standard long spear in his hand, which suddenly shot out like a snake, aiming for the chest of the first sentry who spoke.

The sentry, caught off guard, was pierced through the chest and managed to utter only two words before dying: "Fugitive..."

Lu Buqi's spear had stirred up a hornet's nest. The shrill sound of the alarm echoed through the mountains. When he found himself surrounded by over ten people, he realized the strength of the secret sentries was much greater than the visible ones.

Including the unfortunate sentry Lu Buqi had killed, each secret sentry had at least the strength of the third level of Bone Resonance, a level only the elite soldiers of the Wang family's private army could achieve. This was the main reason Lu Buqi was surrounded.

Lu Buqi knew that if he didn't break through the encirclement of these ten people soon, the other sentry posts would arrive, and he would be doomed.

Tying the bag quickly and securing it to his front, Lu Buqi gritted his teeth, and the strength of his fifteen meridians burst forth, launching the long spear in his hand.

The power of that spear was unstoppable, and he followed it out like a deer, drawing his Fish Gut sword. However, the elite soldiers of Yangze County showed astonishing combat skills. The two soldiers facing him, after dodging the spear, wielded their long knives and attacked him together.

With his left hand, Lu Buqi blocked the Fish Gut sword, and under the combined force of over ten thousand pounds, the long knives shattered. At the same time, his right foot kicked one of the soldiers away, and he threw a small three-edged spike, which embedded itself in the forehead of another soldier.

However, to achieve this, Lu Buqi took two more knife wounds on his back. But the more he was injured, the more fierce he became. With a roar, he spun the Fish Gut sword, cutting through two long knives. Using the momentum, he leaped back and used the spear still embedded in a tree trunk to propel himself up to the treetop like a monkey.

"Don't let him escape!" The elite soldiers shouted, and a powerful voice from a distance added, "I am Wang Chengzhou, don't confuse the signals, keep an eye on him, don't lose him."

On the tree, Lu Buqi's speed wasn't very fast, but it was enough to break through the encirclement of the ten people and head deeper into the mountains. Once he reached deep into Dahuang Mountain, even if tens of thousands of private soldiers entered, they wouldn't be able to find him.

However, this time, the elite soldiers were relentless. With the continuous sound of the alarm, the voice of "Wang Chengzhou" grew closer. Clearly, Wang Chengzhou was much faster than Lu Buqi, and he would likely catch up soon.

Judging by the sound, Wang Chengzhou had a long and steady breath, and he could still shout over several miles while running, indicating he was an extremely powerful expert. Although Lu Buqi hadn't seen a ninth-level Bone Resonance expert, he was probably close to the eighth level, and certainly not as formidable as Wang Chengzhou.

In other words, Wang Chengzhou was likely a top-tier martial artist, a Blood Boil Realm expert. How could this not make Lu Buqi anxious?

Even after two months of growth under the pressure of fleeing, Lu Buqi could now fully activate his fifteen meridians, and with full effort, he could burst out with over 6,000 pounds of force. However, compared to a Blood Boil Realm expert, who could easily exert over 10,000 pounds of force, there was still a significant gap.

Lu Buqi tried his best to escape, but he couldn't escape the net...

When a thunderous roar sounded behind him, a strong sense of danger made Lu Buqi instinctively roll on the ground. A loud boom shook the area.

Standing up again, Lu Buqi didn't run anymore. He stood in a bear stance, staring intently at the mighty general holding a large round hammer, wearing heavy black iron armor, with sparse hair and a large face, resembling a giant spirit god.

Lu Buqi, a skilled blacksmith, could tell that the round hammer was not cast but forged, weighing at least 800 pounds. The black iron armor, with just the front chest plate weighing around 100 to 150 pounds, probably weighed 300 pounds in total.

It was hard to imagine that someone carrying a thousand pounds could catch up to Lu Buqi from several miles away without even breaking a sweat. Was he even human?

Wang Chengzhou stopped the two closest guards, staring at Lu Buqi with a proud gaze, "To dodge my attack, you can be proud even in the afterlife!"

People who like to use their names in speech are usually extremely self-centered. Although Lu Buqi felt a deep sense of despair, he tried to relax and smiled slightly, "If I can dodge ten of your attacks, wouldn't I be remembered in history?"

"Ha... Even if not remembered in history, for at least a hundred years in Yangze, people will remember your name!" Wang Chengzhou said confidently, "Since breaking through to the Blood Boil Realm, who in Yangze can stand against me for three rounds, except the family head and the grand marshal?"

Indeed, a Blood Boil Realm expert. Lu Buqi smiled faintly, though he felt bitter inside, "To see such a powerful expert before I die, I have no regrets!"

"To face me, Wang Chengzhou, and still talk so calmly?" Wang Chengzhou rested his hammer on the ground, "For that, I'll give you a chance to surrender!"

"Surrender?" Lu Buqi pinched his nose lightly, "Would surrendering save my life? Even if I didn't kill Wang Duocai and others, I've killed over twenty Yangze elite soldiers. No one would spare me."

"You have a good sense of your situation!" Wang Chengzhou replied, "Those who betray the Wang family will not have a good end. But if you surrender, you can at least have a full meal and a dignified death. Otherwise, under my hammer, your bones will be crushed to dust."