Chapter 216: Chapter 129: The Man in Black Armor!_2 "Who are you? Why are you blocking our path? We are from the Lu family in Canghe County!" Lu Ming secretly heightened his vigilance and shouted sternly. Tonight’s series of setbacks made him cautious of the black-armored man before him. To dare to single-handedly block their group’s path, this person was likely not someone easy to deal with. A low, hoarse voice rang out: "Then this must be the right place." Lu Ming’s heart surged with alarm. In the next moment, his pupils shrank violently as he saw the black-armored man in the distance launch a ferocious charge. His speed was like black lightning, a hulking figure like a steel beast leaving afterimages in his wake! "Prepare for battle!" He shouted sharply, unsheathing his longsword and taking the initiative to charge toward the black-armored man. A simmering anger brewed within him, on the verge of eruption. Being humiliated at Gu’s Manor was one thing, but now being intercepted and attacked by a lone figure—it was intolerable. He bellowed: "I refuse to believe this! Any random nobody dares block my way? Kill him with me!" All the martial artists roared in unison. "Kill!!" Each of their eyes turned bloodshot, their killing intent boiling over. But this killing intent, though it surged quickly, dissipated even faster. Before Lu Ming’s pent-up fury could explode, it was entirely replaced by fear and shock, engulfing everyone. Rippp! The crisp sound of flesh being torn was starkly evident in the night sky. The mountain wind howled as Lu Ming’s upper body slowly slid down, internal organs spilling out, blood splattering everywhere. Gu Sheng’s eyes were filled with cold detachment, made even more chilling under the faint reflection of Black Rock Crystal. Tracking them all the way from Gu’s Manor had been effortless, as the trail they left was conspicuous. Catching up to intercept them mid-journey was a simple task for him. His purpose in pursuing them wasn’t just to eliminate future threats but also to uncover the true intentions behind their actions tonight. If Zhao Honglie truly intended to start an all-out war with Liu Yuanhu, then he needed to gather intelligence immediately to determine his next steps. He had even donned the specially-forged Hundred Refined Heavy Armor for this occasion. Gu Sheng’s heart remained utterly calm. But the others were gripped by terror. In a single exchange, Lu Ming—who was near the peak of the Blood Refining Realm, the strongest among them—had been killed instantaneously, cleaved cleanly into two halves with one swing of an axe. The visual impact alone was staggering. Gulp, gulp. The faint sound of swallowing saliva could be heard. Those who were originally about to charge hesitated instinctively, some even retreating several steps, their eyes wary and fearful as they stared at the black-armored man before them. "Kill!! Avenge Brother Ming!!" A Blood Refining Realm martial artist shouted, gritting his teeth and rallying morale. Gu Sheng sneered disdainfully. He thought it was a good opportunity to test the strength of his heavy armor on these people. Bang! The heavy armor covered his body as Gu Sheng casually stomped the ground, creating a small crater. He moved at lightning speed, entirely abandoning defense. Like a tiger charging into a flock of sheep, he began his slaughter! ... A brief moment later. Gu Sheng effortlessly crushed the skull of a martial artist in his grasp. This one had tried to sneak attack him moments ago, but his longsword hadn’t even left a scratch on the heavy armor. Everywhere, dismembered limbs littered the ground. The forest was like a Shura battlefield, drenched in blood and gore. He was extremely satisfied with the defensive power of the heavy armor. Earlier, he had deliberately allowed two Blood Refining Realm martial artists to launch a ferocious assault, yet they failed to cause any substantial damage to the heavy armor—let alone harm him through it. "It would take at least someone at the Great Achievement stage of the Blood Refining Realm to pose some minor threat, and even then, it would be negligible. Donning this armor, I only need to be cautious of martial artists at or above the Perfect stage of the Blood Refining Realm." Gu Sheng calculated his limits in his mind. With his current strength, wearing the heavy armor and wielding the Thirst Blood Axe, he was an absolute nightmare for low-level martial artists! Dismissing his stray thoughts, Gu Sheng looked down at the two survivors at his feet. The only remaining two Blood Refining Realm martial artists. His deep voice made their bodies tremble uncontrollably. With their bones shattered and wracked by unbearable pain, they didn’t even dare to cry out, fearing they might provoke the butcher’s blade. "I have some questions to ask. I’ll question you separately. If either of you gives a wrong answer, you know the consequences." Gu Sheng said coldly. The two shuddered in terror. Gu Sheng tied up one of them, then dragged the other to a different spot to interrogate. After one round of questioning, he asked the second person the same questions. A moment later. Gu Sheng stared at the two fresh corpses beneath his feet, a contemplative look flickering in his eyes. The interrogation had gone smoothly. Neither had dared to play any tricks. It was a straightforward issue of trust—or rather mistrust. Even if the two had been father and son or brothers, they couldn’t trust each other in such a situation. The only chance of survival was to disclose everything they knew. No one would gamble with their lives. Of course, The final outcome was still death, though a quick confession saved them from additional suffering. "So tonight was merely a purge of Liu Yuanhu’s subordinate factions? Gu’s Manor was just one of the targets..." Having learned the entire story of the night’s events, Gu Sheng felt slightly relieved. After all, he had yet to advance to the Bone Refining Realm. If the two factions were to engage in an all-out war now, he wouldn’t have the confidence to charge directly into the Black Sand Gang. "The Black Sand Gang still has many martial artists guarding it, and Zhao Honglie himself might even be present. It’s not the right time to make a move there, but..." "The Lu family might be a good place to start." He had already learned that most of the prominent families in Canghe County had aligned themselves with the Black Sand Gang. At this moment, many of their assets and members had been withdrawn. The Lu family was one of them. If the Lu family were deeply tied to the Black Sand Gang, he wouldn’t have considered targeting them. But the key was that the Lu family didn’t fully trust the Black Sand Gang either. The Lu family had multiple fallback plans. The Blood Refining Realm martial artists had only revealed one of their hideouts, but that was enough! Killing intent gradually surged in Gu Sheng’s eyes. Speaking of which, The Lu family shared an unusual history with him. The white-dressed woman he had killed at the black market auction was from the Lu family. Originally, he hadn’t intended to deal with the Lu family. After all, Lu Yue was Lu Yue, and the Lu family was the Lu family. But now that the Lu family had chosen to attack Gu’s Manor, the two sides were destined to become irreconcilable enemies. He might as well strike first! This was one of the reasons Gu Sheng chose to remain in Canghe County for now. Times of chaos were the best opportunities to accumulate wealth and prepare for future cultivation. If he left Canghe County, he might not find opportunities as favorable as these. Taking a deep breath, Gu Sheng tidied up the battlefield. After scavenging the weapons and valuables from the dead, he buried them and vanished into the night. No one would know. The Lu family and Black Sand Gang martial artists who had attacked Gu’s Manor had been buried in this unknown mountain forest. ... Late at night. Bloodshed and slaughter swept across Canghe County. Besides Gu’s Manor, several other villages, strongholds, and towns faced attacks. Not every place was as prepared as Gu’s Manor, with numerous hidden cards to play. Caught off guard by the Black Sand Gang and allied noble families, most places offered little resistance before being overrun. While civilian casualties were minimal, the top-level martial artists were almost entirely exterminated! Their treasures and wealth were plundered. Only a few survivors managed to escape. When Gu Dajiang finally reached Canghe County’s city and met Liu Yuanhu after considerable effort, he realized that Gu’s Manor wasn’t the only target of attacks! Fortunately, Canghe County still stood steady. Liu Yuanhu’s expression was grim as he looked at the others who had come seeking aid. When he spotted Gu Dajiang entering, he asked, "Your Gu’s Manor was attacked as well?" Suppressing his shock, Gu Dajiang quickly nodded and described the events at Gu’s Manor in detail. The others were shocked when they heard that Gu’s Manor had actually repelled the attackers. Their eyes turned toward Gu Dajiang with disbelief. Of course, Gu Dajiang wasn’t a fool and kept quiet about the heavy armor they had privately forged. After all, such matters couldn’t be openly discussed. He only mentioned that Gu Jingang had broken through to the Great Achievement stage of the Blood Refining Realm, which allowed them to repel the enemies. The atmosphere in the hall was somber. Just as Liu Yuanhu was about to speak, an urgent shout came from outside: "County Magistrate! Black Water Town has been attacked and urgently requests reinforcements!" Liu Yuanhu’s face darkened with rage. He had originally thought only his allied villages were under attack, but now it was clear that Zhao Honglie was far more audacious than expected. "Very well! It seems the Black Sand Gang is ready to shed blood with this county!" "Men, summon my forces and prepare to march on Black Water Town!" Liu Yuanhu abruptly stood up and glanced at Gu Dajiang beside him, saying: "Head back quickly and have Gu Jingang lead his men to Black Water Town to join me in defense!"