C9 On the Day of the Engagement, They Were Attacked by the Enemy.(1)

Before entering the house, the sky was bright and sunny. Now, however, dark clouds loomed overhead. These weren't mere weather phenomena; they were physical manifestations of coalescing spiritual energy. The atmosphere grew heavy, stifling even the natural sounds of wildlife in the vicinity.

Feng Lian felt a piercing headache as the oppressive aura intensified. Mengjie conjured a spiritual energy barrier, yet she appeared drained, and her face paled. Recognizing this, Wu Yun siphoned off a fraction of the spiritual energy that fortified their home, extending it to protect Feng Lian and Mengjie. Their breaths eased, their lungs grateful for the respite.

Suddenly, a sequence of cracking sounds reverberated through the air. Each crack felt like a blow to Feng Lian's soul, evoking anguish and anger. He could almost visualize the west room crumbling, the south room collapsing.

Voices of frustration echoed from outside. "Old Sect Master, why didn't you warn us that this place could suppress our abilities? My cultivation is severely restricted; how am I supposed to fight?"

"Yeah, exactly! My powers are confined to the Spirit Sea realm. How do we proceed?"

The disgruntled complaints of the uninvited guests carried into the house. Inwardly, Feng Lian hoped they would turn their grievances on each other.

Meanwhile, Sect Master Yang Xingyi protested his innocence. "Had Master Xu informed me of the unique conditions here; we would have prepared differently. How was I to know?"

A refined middle-aged cultivator raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet. He looked at Meng Ying and asked, "I am Kuan Fu; this must be the successor of the former sect master of the Poison Sect, Meng Ying?"

"If you have something to say, say it." Meng Ying rolled his eyes and said. The feeling he gave the person opposite him was that he looked down on him.

Kuan Fu coughed awkwardly and said, "Can you return that thing to us? This way, we don't have to fight and hurt the innocent."

As he spoke, Kuan Fu intentionally glanced at the many villagers present. His threat was undeniable.

Wu Yun wanted the villagers to leave first, but the entire courtyard was tightly packed, and there was no way to go.

"Alright, since you've come all this way, let's hear it. What exactly are you after? If you can correctly identify it, perhaps I'll be generous enough to hand it over." For Meng Ying, the object had been a nagging mystery, a sore point that had plagued him for years. Why had people been relentless in its pursuit for over a decade?

"If you say it like that, then it will be meaningless. If you hand it over, everyone will be happy. How about this: I will exchange a Grandmaster Level Poison Control Skill with you."

Kuan Fu appeared to be exceptionally well-prepared. Even obtaining a Mortal Level Poison Control Skill was a rare feat in the world, let alone a Grandmaster Level one. Despite the Poison Sect's ancient lineage and vast number of disciples, not a single Poison Control Skill had surfaced from its teachings.

"A set of useless skills you want to exchange for that thing? Are you foolish, or are you pretending to be dumb?" Meng Ying still wanted to obtain more information about that thing.

Spiritual weapons, medicinal pills, cultivation techniques, and so on were all divided into four levels. They were the Mortal Level, Profound Level, Great Master Level, and Grandmaster Level. The Grandmaster Level was a top existence that could only be chanced upon by luck.

"How about this? You can first give us that set of skills to appraise the authenticity, and then we can talk about it?" When Ren Jian saw that Meng Ying had rejected him, he became a little anxious. 'That was a Grandmaster-level skill.'

"Since you don't trust us, we can only fight. If you want an exchange, you can do it anytime." Kuan Fu looked at Yang Xingyi and indicated that they could start fighting.

"Hall Master, with our cultivation, how can we fight?" A young man asked Yang Xingyi.

"Everyone, please remain calm. The enemy's cultivation has also been suppressed. Let's not forget the primary objective of this mission. I have four Heaven Returning Pills with me. If each of you contributed to this mission, it's time to bring out your Medicine Pills now. If you don't do it now, when will you? If we succeed in this mission, in addition to the rewards, you'll be able to retrieve double the number of pills you contributed. I'm making this decision on behalf of the sect," Kuan Fu's authoritative voice quelled any lingering dissatisfaction among the disciples.

"Very well, considering Hall Master Kuan Fu's decision, I, Loo Zilin, will contribute three as well." This woman seemed confident that Meng Ying and the others would not survive, hence her willingness to disclose her identity.

Kuan Fu was the Second Hall Master of Outer Affair Hall, so he had a lot of authority and the right to allocate resources. Loo Zilin could completely rest assured with his words.

"You're all quite confident, acting as if you can devour us. Today, I want to witness the might of the Hui Avoiding Sect!" Dao Ba shouted defiantly.

"Now that you know who we are, why not hand over what you have? If I'm feeling generous, I might spare the unrelated bystanders," Yang Xingyi's voice chimed in.

"Cut the crap!" Dao Ba waved his large blade and tore a hole in the roof of Feng Lian's new house. Feng Lian raised his head and saw Dao Ba jump into the air, slashing his long blade toward a middle-aged man with a face full of muscles. That man was Yang Xingyi.

Yang Xingyi could easily discern Dao Ba's current cultivation level with a single glance. Standing firmly in the air at this moment meant that he hadn't fully entered the Unfamiliar Village's space yet.

Old Yang casually swung his iron rod to block Dao Ba's attack. However, he had underestimated Dao Ba's strength and was forced back a few meters by Dao Ba's fierce assault.

"It's been twenty years! I haven't felt my cultivation grow stronger," Dao Ba exclaimed excitedly as he rushed toward the Space Gate. His blade slashed fiercely at Old Yang.

Dao Ba's relentless attack had numbed Yang Xingyi's arms, and he struggled to adapt to the environment here. Beaten by Dao Ba's unstoppable assault, he had no chance to retaliate and could only defend and retreat.

"Push him back! If he shatters the weak space node there, none of us will be able to return!" Kuan Fu shouted urgently. He didn't dare to hesitate any longer and rushed into the space to save Yang Xingyi. Those who had already entered the Unfamiliar Village stared at Meng Ying and Ren Jian, fearing that they might follow suit.

Old Yang's face flushed red with irritation as he shouted, "You all still want to just stand there and watch?"

Within moments, four men and three women emerged from behind him, launching a coordinated attack on Dao Ba. Swiftly dodging with a swing of his blade, Dao Ba retreated into the realm of Unfamiliar Village. He stumbled upon landing but was swiftly caught by Ren Jian, narrowly avoiding embarrassment.

"Keep this in mind: the Hui Avoiding Sect is infamous across the continent," Wu Yun calmly informed the two youngsters. "In many ways, they're just like the Sun Moon Chamber of Commerce, operating as a business. They offer a range of illicit services—from assassinations and robberies to full-scale massacres. If the price is right, they'll take on any job."

Feng Lian, quick to catch on, said, "So, they're merely the weapon. The true threat—the hand that wields it—remains unseen."

"Exactly," Wu Yun confirmed. "Everyone wants the treasure but fears the exposure and risks that come with possessing it. Contracting the Hui Avoiding Sect to act on their behalf is the most strategic move."

Mengjie furrowed her brow. "Aren't the people behind this worried that the Hui Avoiding Sect might double-cross them?"

"Betrayal is not an option for the Hui Avoiding Sect," Wu Yun explained patiently. "Their longevity—tens of thousands of years of existence—is rooted in a commitment to their own twisted code of honor and honesty. Betray that, and they betray the very foundation upon which their sect stands."

"I will remember them forever." Feng Lian gritted his teeth and said.