Chapter 84

The night was silent, the silver teapot on the tea stove's lid rattling incessantly.

The stillness of the moon seemed to seep into the lid, repeatedly lifted by the boiling water, then slowly settle into the tea.

Amidst the bushes, blood splattered, the smell of it overwhelmingly pungent.

But this did not affect Old Ghost's appetite for tea at all. While tending to Tang Xuan, he slowly lifted the teapot, which had already come to a boil, and poured a cup of tea.

In the crystal gauze cup produced by the Yaoshan tribe, the amber "Junzi Drunk" was rising with a delicate mist.

However, the misty tea smoke that outlined a secluded little world was suddenly breached by over a dozen men in coarse cloth clothes and straw shoes!

"Ha ha ha, watch me kill two with one strike..." A man wielding a large knife, with a star constellation behind him, emitted a pale blue light from the tip of his knife...

This unremarkably dressed man already had the strength of a peak one-star warrior!

His martial skills were proficient, and with one slash, the air crackled with a sharp sound.

This strike was about to split this tranquil little world in two!

However, just as he raised his knife, Old Ghost's cup trembled slightly, and a few drops of clear tea splashed up, rapidly colliding with the man's knife.

Bang! Crack!

The man's wrist tingled, and his knife flew out of his hand.

He stepped back, almost colliding with his companion's blade!

Clang...

The knife that fell to the ground, upon impact, suddenly shattered into pieces.

He was wielding a knife!

And from the old man's cup, only a few drops of tea had splashed out!

Azhi looked at Old Ghost in surprise: "Didn't you say you wouldn't intervene as long as I wasn't in mortal danger during this training?"

"Hehehehe... Old age makes one like to meddle in other people's affairs," Old Ghost said with a smile.

The attackers were almost ready to fall to the ground—Old Ghost was brewing tea, watching the scene with a detached attitude. Could this be called "meddling in other people's affairs"?

Then, what would he do if he didn't "meddle"?

Both the exchange of blows and Azhi's words to Old Ghost made the group of men realize they were not the opponents. The man whose knife had broken stepped back, "Tough opponent! Brothers, be careful, let the boss handle it!"

"Right, boss! Boss Zheng!" The group was not stupid; knowing they couldn't win, none of them rushed to their deaths. Instead, they changed their target, calling out their boss's name.

Unfortunately, their two-star high-level boss Zheng was tightly engaged by Azhi!

A two-star beginner warrior against a two-star high-level warrior should have been a no-brainer, but Azhi managed to hold him in place, unable to move a step.

However, Azhi was also paying a heavy price, his body covered in wounds.

His breathing grew heavier...

He had fought two-star warriors before. Not long ago, he and Tang Zheng had killed Feng Le in Echo Alley. However, this time, his opponent had a more robust and solid strength, as well as vastly different combat experience from Feng Le.

The star constellation of a white tiger behind Zheng's back roared in the night sky, and he wore heavy claws on both hands, just like Azhi, using a two-handed weapon!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As he swung his claw down, Azhi just managed to parry with his left hand.

At the same time, Azhi's right-hand short sword had already condensed a martial skill, fiercely thrusting towards Zheng's chest.

But Zheng's left hand, palm facing outward, deflected Azhi's short sword into a curve!

Then, he struck with both hands, the left hand that had just blocked Azhi's sword was stopped by Azhi, but the starlight on his right hand's heavy claw extended, immediately leaving a deep, bone-deep scratch on Azhi's shoulder...

"Zheng's move, one strike to kill..." Zheng laughed, waiting to deliver the final blow to end Azhi's life!

Azhi was one of the few two-star warriors in the enemy ranks!

If he could kill Azhi, the annihilation of the Tang Family Castle's convoy was almost certain!

However, just as he forced Azhi back and was about to strike again, he suddenly felt a pain in his back.

"Are you Zheng?" Tang Zheng's gaze was like fire, appearing behind him at some point, forming a pincer attack with Azhi!

"I don't change my name or my surname, I am... ah!" Zheng, who had not taken a one-star mid-level warrior seriously, saw two martial skill lights flash on his dagger. The moment his skin was pierced, he had a sense of mortal danger!

So, before he could finish his name, star power rapidly circulated in his body, repelling Tang Zheng backward.

"Azhi, Echo Alley!" Tang Zheng said.

Without Tang Zheng's reminder, as soon as Zheng's star power loosened, Azhi's sword thrust forward.

Tang Zheng drew the defense, Azhi attacked the vital points—just like when they killed Feng Le in Echo Alley.

Ding!

A shadow of a white tiger, identical to Zheng's star constellation but only one-tenth its size, suddenly emerged from Zheng's chest!

Not only did this shadow block Azhi's fatal strike, but it also had residual power, as if trying to bite off Azhi's sword, lunging straight for Azhi's right hand.

"Star constellation talent?" Azhi quickly retreated two steps.

The star constellation talent was almost about to come out.

But his willpower finally held back the release of the star constellation talent...

If his star constellation talent were to emerge, within a hundred miles, no one except Old Ghost would survive!

Azhi gritted his teeth, thrusting his sword forward again: "So what if you have a star constellation talent? Back off!"

The sword energy exploded, one, two, three strikes, a series of martial skills, a fierce blood energy surged from the forehead of the white tiger shadow and shot back!

Zheng immediately retracted his move.

Although Azhi was two levels below him in star power, when he saw Azhi unleash a series of martial skills, he immediately withdrew his star power, not daring to face it head-on.

After creating an opportunity for Azhi, Tang Zheng could not linger behind Zheng. As he was pushed back by Zheng's surging star power, he conveniently slashed the neck of another man with a scythe who was attacking Tang Xiaotang.

Old Ghost, not far away, looked at Azhi and then at Tang Zheng, lifting his cup: "Tsk, good tea!"

...

The night remained silent.

With Tang Zheng's help, Azhi had already gained the upper hand against the formidable two-star high-level warrior!

The other two-star warriors were also being held off by the Tang Family Castle's instructors.

Meng Fenghua protected a few children, not daring to let them leave first due to the uncertainty of other ambushes. He had them hide near the carriage, not too far from him.

Starting posture...

Rushing Crown!

Starting posture, then Rushing Crown again!

In the chaotic battle, Tang Zheng moved more freely.

Facing several times their number of enemies, each of his strikes was precise, though not every strike took a life, it immediately changed the local situation.

He had not practiced footwork martial skills and was not as fast as Azhi.

But in a small area, he did not need such high mobility.

What a field assassin needed most was flexible turning, accurate angle selection, and the timing and speed of martial skill execution!

His targets were very specific.

He did not even touch those without a star constellation.

He only acted against those above one-star mid-level, using different methods for each. Some received a combination of starting posture and Rushing Crown, some only the starting posture, some a direct star power-infused dagger strike, and some just a kick as he passed by...

But anyone he touched was either directly killed or immediately put in mortal danger, then finished off by other Tang Family Castle members.

Watching Tang Zheng weave through the chaotic crowd, Old Ghost's teacup gradually stopped...

He had seen many assassins in his life.

Ordinary assassins were strongest against a single target, and with each additional target, they would try to escape.

Occasionally, there were some battle-hardened veterans who had sharp combat skills in chaotic battles, but Tang Zheng had not a trace of the iron-blooded aura of a battlefield.

His combat style was not like that of a battlefield, where strict formations and tactics were practiced. He had a free and elusive movement.

He was like a special species between a lone assassin and a battlefield king.

If he had to describe it with one word, the only word Old Ghost could think of was "phantom"!

Tang Zheng continuously diluted his presence, yet left a trail of bodies wherever he went. The group attacking their convoy gradually felt the situation was not going as smoothly as they had hoped.

"Boss!" A heavily injured man retreated to Zheng, who was still engaged with Azhi, "Is this target too tough? What if we..."

"Don't panic, listen to my analysis..." Zheng said, swatting away Azhi's sword with his claw.

Azhi noticed the man's eyebrows twitch as he listened to Zheng.

Zheng immediately said, "First, we outnumber them, and we have almost injured each of them. From the overall injuries, our advantage is very clear! Second, our strength is greater. Don't be fooled by their current resistance; their star power is not as thick as ours. How long can they hold out? The kid in front of me has at most thirty breaths left! Third, the Tang Family Castle's reinforcements will take at least three quarters of an hour to reach here. We have more time, why rush..."

Logical and methodical, point by point!

The Tang Family Castle members, listening, felt despair in their eyes.

Time was not enough...

Although they had the initiative and had not fallen into the enemy's ambush, and although Tang Zheng's performance greatly reduced the pressure on the Tang Family Castle members, the time to wait for reinforcements was still insufficient.

Running was not impossible, but the group included very young children.

If the adults ran, could the children keep up?

So, Zheng's analysis pointed out several unavoidable problems, and even Tang Zheng could not find a counterargument.

He made too much sense!

However, Tang Zheng was soon confused because he saw no agreement on the faces of Zheng's companions!

Why? Such a logical analysis did not even boost their morale?

(To be continued)