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Chapter 421: Chapter 417: Ambush
The Outer City District of Wind and Rain City housed a large population. Although there was a mix of good and bad people, refugees fleeing from the outside often first came into contact with the Outer City District.
In this place, the local powerhouses could easily acquire some valuable items from these outsiders and thus make a fortune.
However, although the rules and regulations of the Outer City District were not as comprehensive as those of the Inner City, becoming a powerhouse in the Outer City District was still no easy task. At minimum, it required the backing of a Top Martial Saint and someone of the Devas Level.
It was like certain families that dominated a county; they had to have connections inside the city. Otherwise, when the higher-ups took action, they would be the first to bear the brunt.
The Luo Family, which relied on the Zhang Family, was one of these powerful clans in the Outer City District.
Since land outside the city was not as scarce as within, the Luo Family had enclosed three to four square kilometers to establish a fortress-like mansion. Around the mansion were the residences of Protectors and collateral family members, while the most central part was surrounded by a "wall" over six meters tall.
Gu Jinlai took Zhou Ming to the place where he had buried the evidence of the Luo Family colluding with the Sky Silver Tower and masquerading as the Primordial Spirit Monarch’s close friend to destroy the Zhou Family. After obtaining the evidence, they quickly arrived at the Luo Family Mansion.
No sooner had he and Zhou Ming appeared on the periphery of the Luo Family Mansion than they were discovered.
But with his exceptional movement technique, before those people could even cry out in alarm, Gu Jinlai had already breached the inner part of the Luo Family Mansion.
Upon reaching the surrounding wall, he shouted loudly, "I have received a report from the Zhou Family. The Luo Family destroyed the Zhou Family under a trumped-up pretext. Now, all the principal members of the Luo Family, come out and cooperate with my investigation. Should you dare to resist, don’t blame me for being merciless."
His shout immediately alarmed the Luo Family.
One figure after another appeared.
However, when they saw Gu Jinlai’s attire as a City Guard Army Consultant, their brows furrowed.
A middle-aged man with a dignified aura stepped forward, cupping his hands and saying, "I am Luo Zhenye, currently in charge of the Luo Family matters. Could it be that there is some misunderstanding, honorable consultant? We, the Luo Family, are law-abiding citizens. How could we possibly commit such a heinous crime as annihilating an entire family? There must be a false accusation at play."
"False accusation?"
Gu Jinlai’s gaze swept over the six people who had appeared.
Two of them had already been scrutinized by him.
Yet among the remaining four, surprisingly, two had reached the same level of Karma as blood.
Without delay, he presented a piece of evidence and said righteously, "Your destruction of the Zhou Family was not flawless. During the attack, the Zhou Family Head managed to injure the assailant Luo Jiudao. These are the proofs. Now, who is Luo Jiudao, and who are the culprits of that day? Hand them over. Luo Zhenye, since you are in charge of the Luo Family, you too must come with me to the station."
"There’s no need to rush, my lord. We will certainly cooperate with you," said Luo Zhenye with a smile. "May I ask your honorable name? My fourth brother, Luo Zhenyu, is also part of the City Guard Army and happens to be the commander of this Outer City District’s Guard Army. Perhaps you have even shared a drink with him."
"Cooperate with my investigation? All you need to do now is hand over the people to me."
Gu Jinlai said these words while looking at Luo Zhenye, "Who is Luo Jiudao? If you do not hand him over, you will be charged with harboring a criminal."
"Ninth Brother Luo is currently not in the mansion. If you truly wish to see him, once he returns, I will personally bring him to your residence for questioning. How does that sound?" Luo Zhenye maintained his amicable demeanor and gestured with his hand, "It would be inappropriate for you to have come all this way for nothing. We have a small gift here..."
Before he could finish speaking, Gu Jinlai interrupted him.
"I gave you a chance, yet you still choose to cover for Luo Jiudao. You leave me no other choice."
Over the past ten days, he had kept an eye on dozens of people and remembered their auras, including that of Luo Jiudao.
Seeing Luo Zhenya refusing to hand people over, Gu Jinlai leaped forward, launching an attack towards a plain-looking cottage in the inner courtyard from afar.
Although his strike only displayed the power of a newly advanced Martial Sect, the force of a Martial Sect was enough to easily demolish a small cottage.
The moment the cottage collapsed, the person hidden inside had nowhere to conceal themselves.
However, when he made his move, the Luo Family members breathed a sigh of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
"Who’s this brat daring to cause trouble in our Luo Family?"
Accompanied by a loud yell, a figure burst out of the cottage.
The glint of a blade shone, and its chilling light completely enveloped Gu Jinlai.
"Huh!?"
Gu Jinlai’s expression changed as he drew his Spirit Sword. Its cold gleam, tinged with power, exquisitely targeted the flurry of blade light.
With sparks flying and Gang Qi bursting forth, the two figures separated upon contact.
"Luo Jiudao? You dare to resist arrest! Then do not blame me for showing no mercy under my sword!"
After landing, Gu Jinlai did not hesitate and resumed his sword attack.
By that time, Luo Zhenya had already discerned Gu Jinlai’s level of cultivation.
Martial Sect...
With his exquisite swordsmanship, he was indeed remarkable among those of the Martial Sect level.
Of course, he had not yet revealed his True Body, which he expected would make him even stronger, likely at the level of a Top Martial Sect.
He glanced at the Spirit Sword in Gu Jinlai’s hand...
The weapon was befitting of his status.
Seeing Gu Jinlai about to make another move, Luo Zhenya hurriedly stepped forward, "My lord, let’s talk this over calmly, there is no need to resort to violence and ruin the amity."
As he spoke, he moved laterally to intercept Gu Jinlai.
The two Luo Family experts who had come out with him also shouted in alarm as they advanced, joining the confrontation, "Please calm down, my lord. There must be some misunderstanding. Let’s sit down and talk it over."
"I have just arrived in Wind and Rain City, and everywhere I’ve seen is law-abiding, with orderly peace and national prosperity. Who would have thought I’d encounter law-defying people like your Luo Family in a place that should be the last sanctuary for humankind? I will not permit any illegal acts to tarnish this sacred land! I give you one last chance, surrender immediately or don’t blame me for being merciless with my sword!"
Gu Jinlai seemed to be struggling amid the siege of numerous Luo Family experts, yet his tone betrayed not a hint of weakness.
"A newcomer to Wind and Rain City?"
The Luo Family members were initially skeptical about Gu Jinlai suddenly showing up, demanding to uphold justice for Zhou Ming.
Now, hearing that he had just arrived in Wind and Rain City...
They suddenly understood.
Many people, upon hearing the legends of the Holy Land, regard it as the last clean soil of the Human Clan, and when they suddenly discover there is evil even on this soil, they feel a great psychological disparity and want to correct such matters at all costs.
But what they don’t know is where there are people, there’s worldly society.
The thing humans are best at is exploiting and oppressing those weaker than themselves to the utmost, using every bit of power and influence they can muster.
"No wonder he acts so recklessly; he’s just a foolhardy youth, what bad luck."
"Bad luck? It’s the perfect opportunity to teach him a lesson on how to behave, to set an example, and to discourage anyone else from thinking of standing up for the Zhou Family over a few Silver Taels."
"A Martial Sect newcomer thinks he can run wild over our Luo Family, huh!"
The four Luo Family experts surrounding Gu Jinlai quickly reached a consensus through their silent communication.
Instantly, their attacks became fiercer, with Luo Jiudao even manifesting his True Body, swelling in size to become a five-meter giant.
After transforming into the giant, his blade moved noticeably faster.
With each slash, Gang Qi burst forth wildly, stirring up the power that shredded the ground into fragments.
"How dare you!"
Gu Jinlai let out a low roar,
followed by a sudden surge in stature.
The Great Sun True Demon Body manifested, greatly enhancing the power behind each of his sword strikes.
Further coupled with his exquisite swordsmanship, the sword light he wielded shattered the gleam of Luo Jiudao’s blade. Despite the joint efforts of Luo Zhenye and the two other experts, they still couldn’t gain any advantage.
"A Peak Martial Sect!?"
Luo Jiudao was shocked.
"No wonder he dares to provoke our Luo Family! But he’s gravely mistaken if he thinks that by relying on the power of a Peak Martial Sect, he can suppress our Luo Family!"
As he spoke, Luo Zhenye let out a long roar, "Enemy attack! Lock down the manor, don’t let this madman escape our Luo Family!"
Under this roaring command, the core area, which already had walls resembling a miniature fortress, saw the Luo Family spring into action.
Multitudes of Luo Family disciples and warriors sealed all the exits.
Meanwhile, the military generals and a few Refining God Immortals and Divinity Transformation Cultivators quickly arrived at the battlefield, accompanied by a Martial Sect expert.
Five Martial Sects, plus the Guard Army Commander stationed with the City Guard Army...
This revealed the extent of the Luo Family’s strength.
If placed in Qiantian, compared to the Purgatory Sect, Netherworld Sect, and Cold Moon Sect, they would likely not be much inferior.
After all, although Martial Sects are not as powerful as Primordial Spirit True Monarchs, they theoretically belong to the same class.
Seeing that enough Luo Family experts had finally arrived, eleven of whom were cloaked in Karma as thick as blood, Gu Jinlai felt very satisfied.
However, his expression was filled with frustrated anger that they had not taken the wiser path: "I had wanted to spare your Luo Family, only pursuing those responsible for the evil, but you are so stubbornly foolish, even attempting to take my life! Now, don’t blame me for taking action and killing!"
With those words, his aura surged violently and the already formidable Great Sun True Demon Body swelled even further.
Having shattered the light of Luo Jiudao’s blade with one strike, his left hand moved like lightning, aiming straight...
for his head.
The speed was so great it caused the High-level Martial Sect to widen his eyes.
"Not good!"
"Boom!"
Blood sprayed.
The Martial Sect didn’t even have time to dodge before his head was crushed into pulp.
At the same time, Gu Jinlai’s expanding physique continually broke through limits—seven meters, eight meters, nine meters, ten meters...
Such a towering height made the other Luo Family Martial Sects seem like infants in comparison, and the intense, flaming blood Qi combined with the pressure from above left them with faces of horror and disbelief.
"Martial... Martial King!?"
"You’re not just a Martial Sect; you’re a Martial King!?"
Gu Jinlai paid no attention to their exclamations.
With no reserve in his full-powered strikes, his top-grade Spirit Sword ripped through the Void, followed by a thunderous roar as he smashed another Martial Sect expert.
Even though that Martial Sect managed to react in time to parry with his sword, he was still crushed, blade and all, by the overwhelming force.
"I tried to reason with you several times, but in return, you pressed me relentlessly! Today, I shall make your Luo Family understand the price of trying to gang up and kill a Martial King!"
Gu Jinlai, appearing to be forced into counterattack, swung his sword freely, and wherever the sword edge pointed, he instantly stirred up a torrent of bloodshed among the numerous surrounding Luo Family experts.
