C24 It Was Harmless

"Hu Gewan, I've already told you, none of you will get away!"

Several shadows darted and swooped to the forefront of the group.

Liu Xingchang sharpened his gaze and saw five individuals blocking their path. Leading them was a middle-aged man in a black robe with a sinister and ruthless look in his eyes, followed by an old man in linen and three burly assistants.

Liu Xingchang noticed Linghu Sanlang's breathing become more rapid at the sight of these five, who were unmistakably the Liu Family members who had been pursuing them.

Hu Gewan feigned composure and said with an icy tone, "Liu Changqing, our families have long been friends. Are you really willing to wipe us out over a mere Heavenly Stone Mine?"

"Just a mere mine?"

Liu Changqing let out a cold laugh and retorted, "You truly are the young miss of the Linghu Clan, with such grandiosity. To you, a Heavenly Stone mine is trivial? Since Miss Linghu speaks so boldly, perhaps you'd be willing to hand over another Spirit Stone mine to the Liu Family as well!"

Hu Geqing stepped forward, her voice filled with contempt, "Liu Changqing, you dishonorable wretch, my father was so wrong about you!"

Liu Changqing simply shrugged and replied, "Second Miss, don't blame me. If anyone's to blame, it's that both our families discovered the Heavenly Stone Mine simultaneously. If we let you return, the news will surely create an uproar. Then, all the warriors would vie for it, and the Liu Family would gain little. By silencing you, the news stays buried, and the Liu Family can dominate the Heavenly Stone Mine alone."

The Second Elder raised his voice, "Patriarch of the Liu Family, I swear to you, if you let us return, we will keep the existence of the Heavenly Stone Mine in White Beard Mountain a secret. Should we break this oath, may we be struck down by lightning!"

Liu Changqing's smile was laced with malice as he responded, "I'm afraid I must apologize, Second Elder. Our surprise attack has already set our feud with the Linghu Clan in stone, and there's no turning back. But if we silence you, no one will know who was responsible for your demise. The Liu Family and the Linghu Clan can remain friends, can't they? After all, in this world, only the dead can truly keep a secret."

As soon as Liu Changqing's command fell, he barked sharply, "Attack!"

The four individuals behind Liu Changqing swung their weapons and charged with ferocity.

At this juncture, any hope for a peaceful resolution had vanished, and Hu Gewan let out a low shout before dashing into the fray.

Liu Xingchang was taken aback to find that despite her youth, Hu Gewan's cultivation was impressive, reaching the eighth grade, while Hu Geqing was a seventh-grade cultivator. The burly man dressed as a guard was noteworthy as well, possessing the first level of Spirit Mastery, indicating his significant status within the Linghu Clan.

The Second Elder, a cultivator of the Third Stage of Spirit Master Realm, had unfortunately been ambushed by the Liu Family and was now severely injured, unable to muster even a third of his peak strength. Despite joining the battle, he was less effective than Hu Gewan.

Liu Xingchang was unexpectedly taken by the alluring woman in the revealing dress. She was only a sixth-grade cultivator, but she practiced the rare Phantom Enchantment technique, which provided excellent support for the Linghu Family during combat.

Regrettably, the Linghu Clan had exerted their utmost strength, yet they could only manage a stalemate against the four from the Liu Family... and Liu Changqing had yet to make his move.

As the battle intensified, Liu Changqing suddenly let out a low cry, drew his long saber, and struck at the Second Elder with lightning speed.

"Clang!"

Despite his injuries, the Second Elder was still a Third Stage Spirit Master Realm cultivator and managed to instinctively block Liu Changqing's saber with his sword.

Sparks flew in all directions, and the Second Elder's complexion turned ashen as he coughed up blood and was sent tumbling backward, his treasured sword snapping in two.

"Old fool! Your era is over. Do you still delude yourself with thoughts of saving your master?" Liu Changqing's gaze was icy and filled with scorn.

The Second Elder was wracked with a tumultuous energy within, his face deathly pale, unable to utter a single word.

Disregarding him, Liu Changqing turned his blade towards Hu Geqing.

"Watch out!"

With quick reflexes, Hu Gewan managed to kick Hu Geqing out of harm's way.

Hu Geqing was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground, narrowly clinging to life.

With the Second Elder and Hu Geqing withdrawing from the fray, Hu Sanlang found himself suddenly overwhelmed. The elder in linen delivered a heavy palm to his chest, and the burly man, caught off guard, was sent careening through the air like a kite with its string cut. In an instant, Hu Gewan was the only one left standing.

"Clang!"

Undeterred, Hu Gewan stood resolute, her mind clear amidst the chaos. The strategy "capture the leader to defeat the enemy" flashed through her thoughts, and she swiftly brought her sword down towards Liu Changqing's neck.

"Trivial tricks!"

Liu Changqing sneered, countering with a broad swipe of his blade.

Steel clashed against steel, sending sparks scattering.

Hu Gewan wielded a fine sword, neither too soft to chip nor too rigid to snap. It quivered, absorbing some of the saber's force, but the residual impact hit her like a punishing fist.

"Thud!"

Hu Gewan was hurled back, slamming into a tree before tumbling to the ground.

Liu Changqing cast a contemptuous look at the Linghu Family sprawled on the earth, his gaze finally resting on Hu Gewan.

"Hu Gewan, who can save you now? Relying on a mere enchantress skilled in illusions?"

Hu Gewan's eyes darkened as she regarded the provocatively dressed woman, then turned her steely gaze to Liu Changqing. "Liu Changqing, this has nothing to do with Sister Zhao Man or Liu Xingchang, the man with her. They're innocent bystanders—a drowning man we rescued by the river. They're unaware of the situation. Let them go!"

Before Liu Changqing could respond, Hu Geqing cried out, "Sister, why are you still concerned about Liu Xingchang? If it weren't for saving him, would we have been delayed so long? Would the Liu Family have caught up to us so quickly? If we perish, he should share our fate!"

Hu Gewan was about to scold Hu Geqing, realizing that even if they hadn't waited for Liu Xingchang, they would have needed to wait for the Second Elder to recuperate. Liu Xingchang had regained consciousness before the Second Elder had fully recovered, so the blame did not lie with him.

Hu Geqing was simultaneously gripped by fear and anger. If she was just venting her frustration, there was no need for further reprimand, was there?

"Enough talk. All of you are going to die today, and no one's getting away!"

Liu Changqing shot Hu Geqing a fierce look before gesturing to one of his men.

As the head of the family, he certainly wouldn't stoop to playing the role of executioner himself.

The man was tall and burly, wielding a large machete that made him look quite intimidating, almost embodying the presence of an executioner.

He approached Hu Geqing directly, seemingly relishing the fear and anger on her beautiful face.

Liu Changqing's lips twisted into a sinister smile as he turned to leave the forest, convinced that the situation was well in hand. He was in high spirits, almost unbearably so.

But he had barely taken a few steps when a scream pierced the air. To his astonishment, he saw his would-be executioner hurtling over his head like a cannonball, crashing down right in front of him.

What was happening?

Liu Changqing was startled and spun around, only to see Liu Xingchang, whom he had dismissed as inconsequential, standing next to Hu Geqing, smiling benignly at him.

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