C22 Luoke Stockade

Under the guidance of Yu Hu, Zhang Hao and his companions from the Red Maple Stronghold hastened through the forest toward Luoke Stockade.

Yu Hu had mentioned that Luoke Stockade was the prime suspect, notorious for leaving no survivors in their wake.

After a two-hour trek, Yu Hu, Zhang Hao, and the others approached the Luoke Stockade.

Amidst a lavish banquet, the Luoke Stockade's gates stood unguarded. Without hesitation, Zhang Hao and Yu Hu strode into the stockade.

Inside the great hall, over a hundred members were feasting, their merriment marked by the clinking of cups and the tearing of meat.

Suddenly, a thunderous crash echoed as the hall's doors were shattered.

The Luoke Stockade's members, upon seeing the Red Maple Stronghold's contingent enter, remained eerily calm.

Some, however, seized their weapons and aimed them at the newcomers.

"Blind fools, do you realize where you are? The audacity to intrude upon Luoke Stockade—do you have a death wish?!"

"Boss Rong, what's the plan? Should we just finish them off?"

The clamor rose among the Luoke Stockade's ranks, all eyes turning to their leader, Shi Rong.

Seated at the heart of the banquet was a corpulent man, his face a tapestry of flesh, tipping the scales at around four hundred kilograms.

This man was none other than Shi Rong, master of the Luoke Stockade, who, clutching a hunk of meat and wearing a greasy smirk, dismissed the intruders with a wave.

"Blind fools, kill them all."

At Shi Rong's command, the Luoke Stockade's members readied themselves to surge forward.

But in that instant, Yu Hu and Zhang Hao appeared at the entrance of the hall.

The sight of Yu Hu halted the Luoke Stockade's members in their tracks, their eyes wide with caution, not daring to advance.

Shi Rong, still gorging on his feast, let out a sardonic chuckle upon spotting Yu Hu.

"I wondered who would be so bold as to crash our gates. Turns out it's you, Yu Hu."

The area surrounding Conriston was rife with bandits, strongholds, and robbers, among which the Luoke Stockade and the Red Maple Stronghold were the most formidable.

Shi Rong, the leader of Luoke Stockade, and Yu Hu, the chieftain of Red Maple Stronghold, were both formidable experts in the Blessed Middle Period.

"Yu Hu, judging by your appearance, it looks like someone gave you quite a beating. Who's capable enough to leave you looking like a pig?" Shi Rong couldn't help but tease upon seeing Yu Hu's battered face.

As previously mentioned, both Shi Rong and Yu Hu were powerhouses of the same Blessed Middle Period, so Shi Rong harbored no fear of Yu Hu.

Yu Hu remained remarkably composed in the face of Shi Rong's mockery, offering a cryptic smile in response.

Observing Yu Hu's demeanor, Shi Rong casually tossed his meat to the ground and rose to his feet with an air of indifference.

"The Red Maple Stronghold and Luoke Stockade have always kept the peace. What brings you here with your men, Yu Hu?" Shi Rong inquired, his body radiating a brown energy that zeroed in on Yu Hu with a commanding presence.

Shi Rong's confidence in his own abilities was unshakable.

Indeed, as a magic cultivator with a soil spiritual root, Shi Rong wielded the formidable rock technique, making his offensive and defensive moves exceptionally powerful.

Yu Hu, on the other hand, had a gold spiritual root and was an artifact cultivator who favored the long sword.

As it happened, Shi Rong's rock technique was the perfect counter to artifact cultivation, making it nearly impossible for an artifact cultivator of the same realm to best a rock technique practitioner.

This was precisely why Shi Rong faced Yu Hu with such unabashed confidence.

The Luoke Stockade members erupted in cheers at the sight of their chief, Shi Rong, boldly confronting Yu Hu.

Meanwhile, the Red Maple Stronghold's contingent seethed with silent rage, their teeth clenched, yet none dared to act without Master Hao's command.

"The Luoke Stockade is throwing a grand victory feast; have you scored some significant loot?" Yu Hu asked coolly, unfazed by Shi Rong's provocation.

Shi Rong burst into hearty laughter at Yu Hu's question, replying with nonchalance, "I see. So, Yu Hu, you've caught wind of the late-period Blessed Demonic Beast's corpse as well."

"Yu Hu, has the Red Maple Stronghold come here today in full force to claim a piece of the action?"

Shi Rong observed Yu Hu's silence after his remark and pressed on.

"The Luoke Stockade hasn't laid hands on the blood-furred wolf's corpse. If you're after a share, you should take that up with the Kong family."

Despite his lack of fear for Yu Hu, Shi Rong wasn't keen on a confrontation.

Both were Blessed Middle Period masters; a life-or-death battle could possibly result in Yu Hu's defeat, but Shi Rong would surely sustain grave injuries.

There had been past skirmishes between the Red Maple Stronghold and the Luoke Stockade. Shi Rong and Yu Hu had clashed several times but never to the death.

The stakes of the blood-furred wolf's Late Period corpse were high, making the situation serious for both Shi Rong and Yu Hu.

Shi Rong suspected Yu Hu had wrongly assumed the corpse was with the Luoke Stockade, which explained his arrival with troops.

Securing the beast core of the blood-furred wolf could propel them into the Blessed Late Period, disrupting the current balance of power.

At such a pivotal moment, Yu Hu would surely go to great lengths to secure the wolf's remains.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Shi Rong candidly disclosed the location of the corpse to Yu Hu.

However, even after learning the corpse wasn't at the Luoke Stockade, Yu Hu showed no signs of withdrawing.

Witnessing this, Shi Rong's brow furrowed, his face taking on a stern look.

"Is the Red Maple Stronghold really willing to wage war with the Luoke Stockade over a paltry hundred gold coins?"

As Shi Rong's words hung in the air, Zhang Hao, standing next to Yu Hu, had his expression darken and contort instantly.