Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 740 Backstab

Sun Qingzhu and Shi Wang, who rushed forward, were both blocked by the black-robed men who were also at the innate level.

The black-robed man facing Shi Wang held a long, black staff made of some unknown metal. It was thick, cold, and deep, covered with fine snake-scale patterns, giving it a powerful yet sinister feel.

The black-robed figure soared into the sky, his robes billowing, surrounded by surging dark true energy, like a black mist or an unpredictable black cloud. The long staff in his hand hummed as he thrust it fiercely at Shi Wang at a tricky angle, his body trembling with afterimages, like a venomous snake ready to devour its prey.

"Get out of my way!" Shi Wang shouted anxiously, drawing his long sword. A blindingly cold light flashed, and a three-foot-long dark blue blade shone forth. He was extremely domineering and ruthless, slashing forward without dodging or avoiding. Having long held a high position, he carried an aura of intimidation, as if the sword in his hand could cut down all obstacles.

The long staff clashed with the blade, both sides going head-on, sparks flying, the violent sound causing those with low cultivation levels to feel pain in their eardrums. Even though they were far apart, the black and blue true energy surged and radiated outwards from the point of impact, causing visible ripples to spread through the air. The palaces below them collapsed and crumbled under that force.

Both were at the innate level of cultivation, possessing incredibly profound true energy. Their strength was comparable to that of the leaders of major martial arts sects. They attacked with all their might, and neither dared to be careless. Even without using wide-range moves, the sheer force of their attacks was astonishing.

With one strike, it was clear that neither of them gained the upper hand. The man in black robes retreated several dozen feet after preparing to strike again. In an instant, he turned and charged at Shi Wang with his staff. Shi Wang spun backward to deflect the force. He hastily made a move to clash with his opponent, who emphasized power and strength. His face turned slightly pale and his arms felt sore and numb. He circulated his true energy and the discomfort was relieved in an instant.

"The master said that you will all stay here today and die!" The black-robed man who rushed towards Shi Wang laughed loudly, and he fully circulated his true energy. The black mist surrounding his body became even more turbulent, and its range increased several times, covering a radius of three zhang, like a black cloud sweeping around. From within it came a suppressed hissing sound, and a huge black python could be seen appearing and disappearing in the black mist.

With his foot firmly planted on the top of a palace, Shi Wang continued his charge towards Qin Ruyu, his voice filled with astonishment: "How dare you! Not only do you not surrender in front of me, but you also dare to speak so arrogantly! You traitors and villains all deserve to die! It is you, Old Man of the Spirit Serpent, who usually hides in your snake den, but instead of staying there, you have joined forces with villains to commit heinous acts! Get out of my way now! From today onwards, I will make sure you are brought to justice!"

It was obvious that Shi Wang had discerned the other party's identity from the staff technique he was using. As the leader of the Eagle Hall of the Jade City branch, he was experienced in suppressing the martial arts world and had the ability to see through such things.

However, recognizing the other party's identity made him extremely wary. He knew that the old man with the serpent's staff technique was not only cunning and vicious, but also skilled in using poison. The black mist surrounding his body not only concealed his figure but also contained potent poison. If he was not careful, he would be attacked by the other party's poisonous hand, making it impossible to guard against.

Using poison is often a low-class method, but it is truly vicious.

Although he was talking, Shi Wang's actions were not slow at all. At their level, they had already clashed again before he even opened his mouth. He held his breath and focused his mind, trying his best to circulate his true energy to prevent being poisoned. Blue light flashed around his body, the blade hummed, and several feet of blade light swept out. His figure flashed and shrank, like a clone, turning into three figures. It was impossible to tell which was real and which was fake. The three figures each swung several feet of blade light from three directions to kill the black-robed man called the Spirit Snake Old Man.

Both unleashed their killing moves and clashed instantly. The black mist surrounding the old man with the spirit snake spread out, and the black python of staff techniques hidden within burst forth, twisting and turning like a physical entity, or like the Black Iron Master, coiling in the air and shattering the blades that came from several directions before crashing into Shi Wang.

Those sword-like black pythons were the embodiment of the two men's martial arts skills. When they collided, the sword light shattered and the black pythons disintegrated, like a spirit snake emerging from the shadows. The old man's long staff pierced Shi Wang's chest and abdomen, causing his sternum to collapse and his face to turn pale. Immediately, he spat out blood and flew backward.

In just two short encounters, Shi Wang was defeated and seriously injured. He was the Eagle Hall commander, whose name alone made countless people in the martial arts world afraid to even breathe!

Having his identity exposed, the old man with the serpent pressed his advantage, wielding his long staff and following closely behind. He sneered, "You're quite the showman! I'm not ashamed to say that, young man. I think you've become complacent and neglected your cultivation after serving as an official for over a decade, relying on your cultivation level. You can't even withstand two blows from my staff. Being in the imperial court really does make one depressed. You've lost all ambition because of your official position."

Before he could finish speaking, he was already beside Shi Wang. With another powerful sweep of his staff, a huge black python vanished in an instant. Shi Wang, unsteady on his feet, hastily swung his knife to block, only to be injured again, spitting blood and flying through the air.

In a brief exchange, terrifying energy permeated the air, and the palaces that had stood for countless years within a radius of several dozen feet around them crumbled into ruins.

"Don't panic, sir, we're here to help you. The villains must not be so arrogant!" At this moment, a few disappointed subordinates who were a step behind came to the rescue. They were all at the innate level of cultivation. Although they were far inferior to Shi Wang and the Spirit Serpent Elder, they were not afraid when they joined forces.

On the other side, Sun Qingzhu was also fighting with the black-robed man who was blocking her. Her face was anxious and her heart was focused on Qin Ruyu. She had no intention of fighting and used her most powerful moves.

She held a three-foot-wide longsword with a spine like bamboo joints and a blade that gleamed with a cold, bluish light. Anyone with a discerning eye would recognize it as the Green Bamboo Sword. The name might not sound grand, but it was a renowned sword. Twenty years ago, her master, Song Yuzhi, used this sword to conceal his identity and defeat countless swordsmen in the martial world. Countless famous swords had fallen to this sword, and now it had been passed down to Sun Qingzhu.

In fact, Sun Qingzhu's name was given by Song Yuzhi, and it even came from this sword, which shows how much expectation Song Yuzhi had for her.

Sun Qingzhu is only in his early twenties, yet he has already reached the upper-middle level of the Innate Realm. His Forest Sea Sword Technique has long been passed down from the master Song Yuzhi. When he uses it, his figure is elusive and unpredictable. The sword shadows are as numerous as a dense forest, sometimes swift and sometimes dense, making it impossible to tell which is real and which is illusory.

Her figure flashed continuously within a radius of several feet. Although she was able to easily overpower her enemies, she could not break through their defenses in a short time.

The black-robed figure fighting her was also a woman, judging from her silhouette. She was agile and swift, even faster than Sun Qingzhu, moving like a phantom, constantly flashing and darting about. Her two broken blades appeared and disappeared like serpents. She dared not directly clash with Sun Qingzhu's Green Bamboo Sword with her two broken blades. When she had no choice but to defend herself, she used the blades to deflect the force, otherwise she would have been cut in half in just a few moves.

The advantage of weaponry is also a huge boost to combat power. The black-robed woman's cultivation level was higher than Sun Qingzhu's. If it weren't for the weapon's failure, Sun Qingzhu would have been defeated long ago.

Their fight was much more elegant, even pleasing to the eye, without causing much damage, but it was no less dangerous. However, their movements were too fast, and many people could not keep up with the pace. The two figures moved and flashed, leaving behind afterimages, and occasionally the clanging of weapons clashing was heard, accompanied by sparks.

Even though Sun Qingzhu relied on her superior swordsmanship and the advantage of her weapon, she couldn't break through in a short time, and the two were locked in a stalemate.

Chen Xuan, who was behind, couldn't help but pay attention. He had to admit that Sun Qingzhu's swordsmanship was truly superb, already a top-notch martial art. The only pity was that she hadn't mastered it. At most, she had only achieved minor mastery. If she had achieved major mastery, even if her cultivation level was slightly lower, she would have killed that woman in black robes in a single move.

From Chen Xuan's perspective, it's clear that while Sun Qingzhu's swordsmanship is superb, she hasn't yet grasped its true essence. If she could, her combat power would increase exponentially. Therefore, no matter how good the martial arts or weapon, it ultimately depends on the individual. However, considering Sun Qingzhu's age, her current achievements are already remarkable. It's not that Chen Xuan is belittling her; in terms of talent, she's somewhat inferior to Xu Yunyangyi, whom Chen Xuan has met. This might be due to her master being the Grand Princess of Yuhua Kingdom, thus lacking the necessary training.

All of this is a long story, but in reality it only took Sun Qingzhu and Shi Wang about ten breaths to rush out. At this moment, Shi Wang's subordinates who went to help hadn't even finished speaking.

The stalemate between Sun Qingzhu and the woman in black robes was quickly broken.

With the help of his subordinates, the wounded Shi Wang got a brief respite. However, his subordinates were far less skilled than him. The old man Ling She seemed to have his eye on Shi Wang and could not stop him at all. After breaking through the encirclement, he attacked Shi Wang again. Shi Wang, who was already seriously injured, could not withstand the blows. He was hit by several blows and was sent flying backward, spitting blood. A few more blows and he would have been killed.

As luck would have it, Shi Wang was sent flying in the direction of Sun Qingzhu. The two already knew each other and were currently working together to rescue Qin Ruyu. Sun Qingzhu, who had forced the woman in black robes back with her sword, reached out to Shi Wang to steady him and quickly asked, "Commander Shi, how are you?"

With Sun Qingzhu's help, Shi Wang steadied himself. His face was pale, and he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth anxiously, saying, "Please forgive me, Miss Sun. Don't worry about me; saving Miss Qin is the priority."

"Then be careful, Lord Shi," Sun Qingzhu nodded, she really didn't have the extra energy to care about him, the woman in black robes had already attacked again, and she had to use her sword to defend herself.

However, just as Sun Qingzhu turned around and went all out, Shi Wang, who had been helped to stabilize his body, suddenly turned cold and struck Sun Qingzhu hard from behind. He did not hold back at all; his palm turned dark blue, and his true energy surged, distorting the air.

Caught off guard by his sneak attack, Sun Qingzhu was struck by a palm strike. She screamed in agony, coughing up blood as she flew through the air. Her Green Bamboo Sword slipped from her hand, and her vital energy waned. Her internal organs were damaged, and she was severely injured. Although she was not dead, let alone fighting again, even moving was almost a luxury.

Her body crashed into a house with a bang, and in the blink of an eye, the black-robed woman she was fighting pulled her out of the ruins. The once stunningly beautiful woman was now covered in dust and dirt, like a dead dog being held by the neck in the black-robed woman's hand, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, her heroic and beautiful face covered in dust.

"As expected of the Grand Princess's beloved disciple, her skills are indeed remarkable. It's just a pity she's too young," the black-robed woman carrying Sun Qingzhu clicked her tongue, her voice hoarse. It was unclear whether she was mocking her for being too young and not having mastered her skills, or for being too naive and lacking in caution.

At this moment, Shi Wang was no longer the man who had been severely injured and killed. Although his face was still pale, his voice was full of energy. He let out a long sigh and said, "Alright, stop now, Old Snake. Those blows of yours were really ruthless. We can have a good chat sometime."

"We were all doing things for the adults, why are you still holding a grudge?" the black-robed man, whom he called the Old Man of the Spirit Snake, chuckled.

At this moment, Shi Wang's subordinates had stopped fighting and waved to the old man with the spirit snake, appearing quite familiar with each other.

With a cold snort, Shi Wang ignored him, turned around, and knelt on one knee before the black-robed man on the back of the giant spider, saying, "My lord, I have successfully led Sun Qingzhu here and captured him. However, this has exposed me. If the news gets out, I will no longer be able to serve in the court."

The black-robed figure on the giant spider waved his hand dismissively, saying, "It's alright, you did well. Besides, it's already time to wrap things up. Your exposure is harmless, and no one is leaving here today, so the news won't get out. It will remain the same afterward."

Sun Qingzhu, betrayed, looked on in disbelief. Instead of saving someone, she had gotten herself into trouble. Her eyes were filled with sorrow and despair as she looked at Shi Wang and asked in a weak and resentful voice, "Lord Shi, why?"

"There's no reason why, we're just serving our own masters," Shi Wang said indifferently, then ignored him and beckoned several of his subordinates to go down to the giant spider. At the same time, Sun Qingzhu was also taken there by the woman in black robes like a chick.

This change came too suddenly. Except for a very few, everyone was stunned. How could it have turned out like this?

A thoughtful look flashed in Chen Xuan's eyes, but he remained calm. He hadn't expected Shi Wang's betrayal, but he wasn't too surprised. Although the black-robed man on the giant spider's back was still hiding, if he was Qin Yan, then everything made sense.

As the Prime Minister of Yuhua Kingdom, Qin Yan controls the court. Heaven knows how many people he controls. It's not surprising that someone like Shi Wang is loyal to him. However, their plot has already been exposed. If their rebellion fails and the news spreads, there will be no place in the world that can tolerate such people.

It's almost certain that this group wants to rebel. They've committed heinous acts by occupying the imperial tombs, kidnapped Qin Ruyu, and even targeted Sun Qingzhu. They're utterly lawless. Each of these acts is a crime that could implicate nine generations of their families. What wouldn't they dare to do?

"Sister, why are you doing this? You shouldn't have cared about me. I should have let you go long ago. It's my fault that you're suffering this," Qin Ruyu said, her face filled with sorrow and tears streaming down her face as she was suspended in the air by spider silk.

With difficulty, Sun Qingzhu raised her head, blood and foam still dripping from the corner of her mouth. She said bitterly, "We've been sisters for so many years, how could I abandon you? I'm sorry, Yu'er, it's my fault for being useless and unable to save you. We promised to be sisters for life. If we die here together today, it will be a fulfillment of our promise."

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." Qin Ruyu choked back tears and couldn't say anything else.

Without a sound, another spider silk shot out, binding and binding the severely injured and killed Sun Qingzhu into a cocoon, hoisting her to about the same height as Qin Ruyu, as if the black-robed man was also fulfilling their final farewell after many years of sisterhood.

Just as Sun Qingzhu was about to speak, her voice filled with sorrow, she suddenly widened her eyes and cried out in anguish and despair, "No!"

At this moment, Qin Ruyu, who was already weak, suddenly looked pale. Before she could say her final goodbye to this beautiful world, her dull and lifeless eyes completely lost their luster. Not only was her life force cut off, but her sickly head, which was barely visible, was also visibly shriveling up. She was like a skeleton with every breath!

The reason she died looking like a skeleton was because of the spider silk that bound her. The silk was attached to the web, and the large spider was coiled in the middle of the web. When she died, the silk turned red for a moment, as if life and flesh were being pulled out!

A vibrant life has come to an end. Not only was she the granddaughter of the Prime Minister of Qin, whose background was unparalleled in the world, but her beauty was also rare. It seems that her good friend Sun Qingzhu, who is about the same age as her, will be next... (End of this chapter)