I'm modifying myself into the ultimate demon.

Chapter 32 Liu Mazi (Bonus Chapter, Please Read On)
On the martial arts field.

Large, fluffy snowflakes fell in a flurry, covering the bloodstains on the ground.

Zhou Liang stood ramrod straight in front of the guards, gripping his blood-stained broadsword tightly. Blood dripped down the blade. The steel-forged blade was chipped in many places, and Zhou Liang himself bore several wounds.

Although his injuries weren't serious, Zhou Liang realized that Liu Mazi was not someone to be trifled with. Besides Liu Mazi, the leader of this gang of bandits, who was a Blood Crush Realm expert, there were two other Blood Crush Realm experts in total, making them extremely powerful.

Even so, Zhou Liang did not back down an inch.

Logically speaking, ordinary guards wouldn't risk their lives for their masters. If they were attacked by bandits, they would have dropped their weapons and run away long ago.

But Zhou Liang was different.

For him, he was not only the head of the Chen family's guards, but also a brother to Chen Yinfu. He had sworn an oath long ago to protect the Chen family with his life. Therefore, when teaching the other guards martial arts, Zhou Liang instilled this idea in them as well. This resulted in the other guards being brave and valuing loyalty.

“Master Zhou, this can’t go on.”

Wei Heng led Liu Jiang to Zhou Liang's side, his face full of worry.

Zhou Liang said, "I've already sent someone to inform the master. He'll think of a way. What we need to do is fight to the death to stop these bandits."

Wei Heng and Liu Jiang exchanged a glance, each revealing a resolute expression.

Wei Heng gritted his teeth and said, "Half of my martial arts skills were taught by Master Zhou. If Master Zhou doesn't back down, we'll fight the bandits to the death."

Liu Jiang wasn't one to talk much, so he simply said, "Me too."

The other three guards, all at the Five Viscera Realm, also came up. "Me too."

Several of the strongest guards made their stance clear, and the rest of the guards also stood up, each drawing their knives, to confront the bandits.

Although the leader of the bandits was masked, his pockmarked face and conspicuous scars were still visible, making him undoubtedly Liu Mazi.

However, Liu Mazi was also in a dilemma at this moment.

He never expected that the guards would be so stubborn as to risk their lives to protect their master for a few coins.

Continuing the fight, while potentially leading to victory, would also result in significant losses. It might even deprive Liu Mazi's long-established bandit gang of its foundation.

Just then, a bald, masked man with a knife walked over. "Brother," he said, "although the government offices and garrisons are closed today, we can't stay here any longer. We need to finish this quickly. After all, the Chen family is quite powerful. If we attract the attention of the government and garrisons, we'll have a hard time getting out of there."

A two-meter-tall, dark-faced man carrying a giant axe stepped forward: "Big brother, second brother is right. Since we're already here, let's fight them. We must take Lu Wei and the Chen family boy away no matter what, otherwise we won't be able to explain to Grandma."

Upon hearing his two sworn brothers' words, Liu Mazi made up his mind. He took two steps forward, gripping his soft sword, and glared fiercely at Zhou Liang ahead.
“Zhou Liang, I know you. You used to be a镖师 (bodyguard/escort), and Chen Yinfu took you in after you got into trouble. In the end, you and Chen Yinfu have no real relationship, it's just a matter of how much money Chen Yinfu gives you. I'll give you double what Chen Yinfu gives you. Why risk your life for an outsider? It's not worth it, don't you think?”

Zhou Liang brandished his knife, his eyes flashing with a fierce light: "You bandits, what sense of righteousness do you have? If you want to fight, then bring it on. Even if I, Zhou Liang, die here today, I will take you down with me."

"Don't make it sound so perfect." Liu Mazi took out a bag of silver and threw it at Zhou Liang's feet. "Ten large silver coins, five hundred taels. Take this money and take your brothers to Chunfeng Tower to have some fun. I'm only here to take Lu Wei away today, and also to ask the second young master of the Chen family a few questions."

Liu Mazi went to great lengths to persuade Zhou Liang to give up.

For him, the only trouble was Zhou Liang, who was at the Blood Rush Realm. As long as Zhou Liang stopped, he could kill the others at will. After all, apart from Liu Mazi, who was a Blood Rush Realm expert, his bald second brother and axe third brother were both experts who had just entered the Blood Rush Realm.

With those three brothers, they could wipe out the entire Chen family in an instant.

Pooh!
Zhou Liang spat fiercely at the bag, "If you're scared, then get out of here with your men. Don't resort to such despicable tactics."

"You won't listen to reason, so you'll have to suffer the consequences. I think you're tired of living. Second brother, third brother, let's join forces and kill this stinking scholar first." Liu Mazi finally lost his patience and drew his sword to attack.

The bald man raised his broadsword, "I've been waiting impatiently for a long time. Let's chop him down first." The giant axe-wielding man also swung his axe and charged forward.

Just then——

"My fellow heroes, please don't get angry. Everything can be discussed. Why resort to knives and guns?"

But Chen Yinfu rushed out with a smile, cupping his hands and smiling at the bandits from afar, his attitude couldn't be better.

Upon seeing Chen Yinfu, Liu Mazi immediately called out to his second and third brothers, "Second and third brothers, wait a moment."

Although the bald man and the axe-wielding man were violent, they were the most obedient to their elder brother and both stopped fighting.

Liu Mazi snorted coldly, "Finally, someone who can make decisions has arrived. Old dog Chen, your son arrested my cousin Lu Wei, what do you say should be done about this?"

Chen Yinfu walked to Zhou Liang's side, a smile on his face: "I only just learned of this matter. It was all my son's fault for breaking the rules and offending you all. My son is seriously ill, and I have already sent someone to summon him to apologize to you all. What do you say?"

Seeing that Chen Yinfu had backed down, Liu Mazi was overjoyed, thinking of the possibility of winning without bloodshed, and said, "If you had done this earlier, your Chen family would not have suffered this disaster. Is my cousin alright?"

Chen Yinfu said, "Good, very good. I have already sent my son to bring Lu Wei over. It was all my son's fault. Even if the heroes want to kill my son in a moment, it is only right. Please do not let it affect the rest of the Chen family."

"Hahaha, Old Dog Chen is the wise one." Liu Mazi was extremely pleased. He had been a bandit for many years and knew that merchants were most driven by profit. There were quite a few merchants who would abandon their wives and children to protect themselves.

The bald man added, "Old dog Chen, we're not only going to take Brother Lu Wei away, but also your son for questioning."

Chen Yinfu immediately agreed, and took out a thick stack of silver notes, placed them on the ground, and weighed them down with pebbles. "Of course, this is five thousand taels of silver. I hope you heroes will show mercy to the rest of my Chen family."

The bald man walked over, took the silver notes, counted them, and excitedly returned to Liu Mazi's side. "Brother, it really is five thousand taels. It seems that Old Dog Chen is truly afraid of us. To protect himself, he's even abandoning his own son."

Liu Mazi accepted the silver note with a smile on his face: "Merchants are the most ruthless and heartless. Once you see Lu Wei and the second young master of the Chen family, tie them up immediately."

The bald man asked, puzzled, "Are you really going to let the Chen family go?"

Liu Mazi snorted and whispered, "How could that be? Since we're already here, if we don't kill all the Chen family members, we'll be in big trouble if they report us to the authorities. We'll tie them up and then kill everyone in the Chen household, leaving no one alive!"

The bald man was overjoyed, "I knew it! When did Big Brother change his ways? Haha!"

Liu Mazi said, "Since they've come out to rob, we must nip them in the bud to prevent endless harm. And that vile woman Liu Cui, I'm afraid she's been hidden away by the second young master of the Chen family. Dig her up and kill her too."

The bald man said, "That's only right. Hehe... Chen Yinfu threw down five thousand taels of silver, truly extravagant. If we wiped out the Chen family, wouldn't we be able to find ten thousand taels of silver?"

Liu Mazi laughed and said, "That's enough for us to have a good time for a while. I also have the silver to break through to the inner martial arts master level."

Just as the two were having a private conversation, four figures approached from a distance.

Qiulan was supporting a sickly young man dressed in brocade robes. The young man was wearing brocade robes and silk, his hair was disheveled, and his face was gloomy, making him difficult to see clearly in the night.

Another young man, dressed in the old robes of a servant, was helping Lu Wei along.

What no one noticed was that the young man dressed in the old robes of a servant was actually Chen Mo. And the young man in brocade robes that Qiu Lan was supporting was Ma Tie.

With his hair disheveled and the night so deep, he was indistinguishable from a distance.

Chen Yinfu smiled and said, "Gentlemen, my son has already brought Lu Wei."

(End of this chapter)