C19 In the Red Maple Stronghold
"Hey kid, clear out if you've got no business here. Do you even know where you are?" barked a sentry tower guard, but before he could finish, Zhang Hao's legs propelled him into a soaring leap.
With a thunderous crash, a figure was hurled from the sentry tower, slamming into the ground with a lifeless thud.
The guard on the right stood frozen, his disbelief evident. He had never imagined the black-haired youth could be so brutally efficient. Without uttering a word, he had dispatched a fellow guard.
The fallen guard lay on the ground, coughing up blood, his life extinguished.
As the right-side guard snapped out of his daze and looked toward his left, he was seized by a paralyzing terror, his body breaking out in a cold sweat at the sight of the youth's sinister grin.
Once the guard regained his composure, he frantically sounded the alarm for enemy attack. But it was too late; the black-haired youth was already upon him.
Boom—a dull thud echoed as the guard, still reeling from shock, took a punch to the chest and was sent plummeting to the ground. He hit the earth, his chest caved in and blood spilling from his mouth, devoid of life.
Zhang Hao didn't pause after taking out the two guards at the entrance; he strode directly toward the Red Maple Stronghold.
The stronghold's inhabitants were astounded; they couldn't fathom that they were under siege again, just three days after the last attack. For over twenty years, the stronghold had been unassailable, and now, it had been breached twice in mere days, leaving everyone in shock.
Another loud bang resounded as the gates of the Red Maple Stronghold were blasted apart, the freshly repaired doors once again in ruins.
Upon seeing Zhang Hao's blood-streaked face, the crowd was rooted to the spot, their minds flashing back to the figure from three days prior. Recognizing him, several members of the Red Maple Stronghold quickly bowed in respectful greeting.
"Sir, may I ask what brings you here?"
Ignoring the crowd's salutations, Zhang Hao charged forward and sent a middle-aged man flying with a swift kick.
A thunderous crash echoed from the wall, a good ten meters away, now caved in from the impact.
The middle-aged man, who had slammed into the wall and was now slowly collapsing to the ground, coughed up blood and lay there, unable to rise.
The other members of the Red Maple Stronghold stood frozen in shock, struggling to grasp the reality of the situation.
Confusion reigned, with question marks practically hovering over their heads. They couldn't fathom why he had so abruptly attacked and taken down one of their own.
Despite their bewilderment, they readied themselves for combat, eyes wary and weapons drawn.
Zhang Hao remained unmoved amidst the astonishment, his gaze sweeping the area as though searching for something—or someone.
Not spotting Yu Hu, he inquired within his mind.
"Black Hou, where's Yu Hu? Can you detect his presence?"
The Black Hou Beast was succinct in its response, transmitting its message in mere seconds.
"He's busy absorbing the energy from a beast core, on the verge of a breakthrough to the Blessed Late Period. He's in that room over there."
Upon receiving the Black Hou Beast's intel, Zhang Hao strode forward, prompting the Red Maple Stronghold's members to instinctively back away.
With each step he took, they retreated, their memories of Zhang Hao's clash with the blood-furred wolf reminding them that this black-haired youth was not one to be obstructed.
Yet, Yu Hu, the stronghold's leader, had explicitly commanded that his cultivation was not to be disturbed by anyone.
At this critical juncture, no one from the Red Maple Stronghold dared to contravene Yu Hu's directive, standing guard at the room's entrance.
Unconcerned with their compliance, Zhang Hao continued his advance.
A few resolute members of the Red Maple Stronghold gritted their teeth and charged at him, weapons at the ready. But with a few swift punches, Zhang Hao knocked them aside.
The assailants tumbled to the ground, incapacitated and unable to muster the strength to stand.
The rest of the Red Maple Stronghold's members watched in horror, paralyzed by the unfolding chaos.
"Scram! Anyone in my way will die!"
Zhang Hao's lips twisted into a wicked grin as he surveyed the dozens from the Red Maple Stronghold before him.
The stronghold's members shivered under Zhang Hao's piercing stare, fear creeping into their hearts.
They noticed the black-haired youth, his face smeared with blood, his eyes devoid of any human emotion.
He regarded them with the detached indifference of someone observing lifeless corpses, his expression icy and unflinching.
After a brief hesitation, the Red Maple Stronghold members gradually stepped aside, clearing a path, not daring to obstruct Zhang Hao.
Meanwhile, in the room, Yu Hu was deep in meditation.
A thumb-sized magic nucleus, now fully absorbed, was dissipating into the air not far from him.
Suddenly, a muffled boom resonated from within Yu Hu, and his eyes snapped open, alight with excitement.
"Hahaha, I've finally advanced to the Blessed Late Period!"
In the midst of his triumphant cry, the door burst open, and a figure came hurtling in.
Before Yu Hu could gather his wits, a thunderous punch landed on his face.
Instantly, Yu Hu's head snapped back as he was flung against the bed, which shattered on impact.
Blood gushed from his nose, and he sat dazed, struggling to grasp what had just happened.
"Uh, sir, why... why is it you?"
Slumped on the ground, Yu Hu instinctively questioned as he caught sight of Zhang Hao nearby.
But Zhang Hao paid him no heed, charging forward to pin Yu Hu to the ground, unleashing a barrage of punches.
"You! You're the one! I'll beat you to death!"
Zhang Hao's roars accompanied his relentless assault on Yu Hu, who was utterly bewildered.
Yu Hu, having reached the Blessed Late Period, had thought to fight back but found himself hopelessly outmatched.
Even at his new level of strength, he was no more than a frail child before the black-haired youth.
No amount of struggling could free him from Zhang Hao's iron grip around his throat.
