Fantasy: Immortality Begins with Absorbing Demons

Chapter 663 Struggle! (Part 7)

Snapped.

With a crisp sound, a figure with five fair and delicate fingers, like slender jade fingers, lightly rested on Zhong Han's shoulder, and then pulled.

Then, with his other hand carrying a large amount of slowing and decelerating true energy, he struck Chen Ying's shoulder with a palm.

puff.

Caught off guard, Chen Ying was struck by a palm and staggered, being pushed back outside the library.

“Bullying a little girl… even someone like me who fears fighting can’t stand it…”

A young woman in a white dress, with a languid and elegant face and a slightly plump figure, slowly appeared before everyone, pulling Zhong Han along. "Aunt Jing... how did you come to this?" Zhong Han exclaimed in surprise after realizing who had saved her.

The person who saved her was none other than Gongsun Jing, the head of Piaoxue Academy, who had fled and disappeared after being chased by the government army.

“People always cherish the past, especially women…” Gongsun Jing smiled. “I’m here today not for inheritance, not for profit, not for resources…”

She looked around, her voice not loud, but clear and firm.

"I just want the world to know that some things in this world are ultimately simple and pure, feelings that do not involve any interests..."

As soon as she finished speaking, the scene fell silent.

Four against three.

With her included, there are four Grandmasters at Jingtian Manor.

The Imperial Guard and the Three Mountains Sect only have three members. Even if the Grand Master is injured and Zhong Han is inexperienced, having an extra Grandmaster means their combat strength is equal.

Chen Ying suffered minor injuries, Li Zhonghao was defeated by Gongsun Jing and Zhong Han, and Li Ran had to step out of the battle and withdraw her hand.

"You Three Mountains Sect, do you still want the inheritance? You were just a hair's breadth away from succeeding!" Li Ran shouted, glaring at Chen Ying.

Old Fu was actually at his limit. If he hadn't been worried about his own injury, he would have finished off his opponent and succeeded.

"You want to inherit the legacy, huh... Then come... fight!!!" The Grand Elder and Elder Fu stood firmly in front of the stairwell, refusing to budge an inch.

Both of them had numerous wounds, especially the former.

The Grand Secretary's face was covered in blood, and his body was covered in numerous knife wounds. The residual internal energy on his body was constantly corroding his blood and qi, hindering the healing of his wounds. His clothes were stained red, and his breathing was faint, as if he was about to die.

But it was precisely at this moment that Li Ran became somewhat hesitant, fearing that the other side might resort to a desperate, all-or-nothing strategy. "So what if there's another Grandmaster? Keep them occupied, I'll take care of one first, and the rest will be easier!" he said to Chen Ying in a commanding tone.

“We’ve done our best, but at this point, why are you soldiers still holding back? Why aren’t all the capable people going up?” Chen Ying’s face was grim as he looked at someone behind him.

He was actually a little annoyed; things were changing too fast.

Even though Jingtianzhuang has declined, it still retains a great deal of historical and cultural heritage.

Four grandmasters—no matter how strong he and Li Zhonghao are, they can only manage a draw at best.

Having developed to this point, they have no choice but to increase their cooperation with the government army. However, this will undoubtedly give the government army more say in the distribution of benefits in the future.

Li Ran immediately understood Chen Ying's meaning and turned to one of them, ordering, "The time has come; it's your turn to act." "I..."

In the open space in front of the library, Zhang Ruoning's face was deathly pale, even paler than the white robes she wore.

She looked flustered, and her original elegant and noble demeanor completely disappeared.

She didn't want to get involved with either the government troops or Jingtian Manor.

Jingtianzhuang is the foundation that nurtured, raised, and educated her; it is the most beautiful memory in her heart.

Elder Fu and Grand Secretary, the two elders, had also been kind to her.

Therefore, even if she was forced to surrender to the government army, she did not want to lay a hand on the two elderly people.

But if she doesn't intervene at this moment...

After surrendering to the government army, her status within the army was already low.

If we don't take sides now, I'm afraid that when I go back, I won't even have any dignity or status as a human being.

“Zhang Ruoning, it was out of pity that I spared your life and saved you from death. That's why you're alive today. Remember, your status is different now!” Li Ran looked at her. “The remnants of Jingtian Manor are all guilty of murder! Think carefully about your choice!”

At this moment, not only him, but everyone's eyes were focused on Zhang Ruoning.

Four against three.

The seemingly balanced situation is actually extremely fragile.

Zhang Ruoning's addition could completely tip the scales of the battle.

“Zhang Ruoning, although I usually dislike your pretentious attitude, you should think this through... Being forced to surrender can be excused by your helplessness... But to take the initiative to attack the elders means you have completely betrayed Jingtian Manor. Even if you die, you cannot be buried in the ancestral land!”

Gongsun Jing looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar face and rebuked it sternly.

Fallen leaves return to their roots, and the soul returns to its homeland. This is the vision that most people in this era, after a lifetime of struggle for their families, sects, or the imperial court, ultimately leave behind.

"…...I think......"

Zhang Ruoning gave a bitter smile and let out a long sigh.

She ultimately made her choice.

Yes, now that things have come to this, she has no will of her own; she is powerless to control her own destiny.

"Fine, fine, let's go... I... I'm quitting..."

Zhang Ruoning waved weakly, then turned and slowly left with her disciples.

To survive, she paid a heavy price, throwing away almost everything she had into the trash.

But it was the last bit of faith she had left, the last tiny spark she wanted to preserve.

She still wanted to try, even if it might come at a terrible price.

“You…” Li Ran was stunned for a moment, then flew into a rage, “Fine, fine… you have made your choice… wait until this matter is over, and then we’ll see what your fate is?”

His eyes gleamed with a sinister and malicious light, as if he was already pondering how to deal with the traitor afterward.

Yes, Zhang Ruoning's actions can already be considered a betrayal.

They neither side nor take sides, seemingly remaining neutral.

However, Zhang Ruoning's status currently belongs to the government army.

For Jingtianzhuang, a hostile force opposing the government army, choosing to leave is tantamount to making a choice.

"Li Ran, didn't you just say that my Piaoxue Academy dared not show its face? What's the matter now?" Gongsun Jing breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Zhang Ruoning leave.

With four against three, Jing Tian Manor has one more Grandmaster. Each additional Grandmaster increases their strength, which translates to a greater chance of success.

She dared not ask for too much; as long as she could preserve even a small spark of hope, her trip would not have been in vain.

The situation is temporarily deadlocked. If it drags on for too long, someone will eventually lose patience and try to seize a chance.

"We don't ask for much, we just want to keep the library. Everything else is yours. Are the four of us Grandmasters enough?" Gongsun Jing said coldly.

"Is that enough...? Keep going...!" Suddenly, a gray figure appeared beside Li Ran and chuckled.

The person was dressed in a long gray robe, with a hat covering their head, and their entire body was shrunken inside the robe, so their face could not be seen. Their aura was also faint, like that of an ordinary person.

However, anyone who can stand with Youhu Li Ran is definitely not an ordinary person.

“You are…” Gongsun Jing’s expression changed drastically, as if she had remembered someone.

"I am Huang Chengyu, the Blood Tiger." The man in gray slowly raised his head.

He was a handsome young man with refined features and a scholarly air, like a scholar going to the capital for the imperial examination.

"Huang Chengyu?" Not only did Gongsun Jing and the others look grim, but Chen Ying's expression also changed slightly.

Among Kou Hu's five subordinates, opinions vary on who is the strongest and who holds the highest position.

But if we're talking about who's the most ruthless and who's the most cunning and heartless...

No one but the Blood Tiger Huang Chengyu could be it.

This person is most adept at using treacherous schemes to sow discord, then laughs as husbands and wives turn against each other, brothers fight, and family members kill one another.

His reputation for being away from home for many years, coupled with his various insidious methods, made him the most hated among the Five Tigers.

"Headmaster Gongsun, we've met before. Do you remember our last agreement?" Huang Chengyu narrowed his eyes. "It's the same as last time—no, this time I'll increase it by another 30%. As long as you surrender, everything in Jingtian Manor will be yours to decide..."

As expected, Blood Tiger Huang Chengyu lived up to his reputation, immediately setting his sights on Gongsun Jing, a key figure on Jingtian Manor's side, as soon as he appeared.

Fortunately, the four people from Jingtian Manor understood that this was just his attempt to sow discord and didn't take it seriously.

Seeing that no one responded, Huang Chengyu sighed: "What a pity for such a handsome appearance... I'm missing out on a reward."

"Alright, enough talk. Quickly take down the remnants of Jingtian Manor. Your reward will be substantial when we get back." From among the soldiers, a tall figure slowly emerged, clad in black and red patterned armor, carrying a pair of golden bronze maces, exuding an imposing aura.

It was none other than one of the Five Tigers who had just arrived, Jin Hu Fang Huandao.

"The remnants of Jingtian Manor, give up resisting... You dare to be so arrogant while my elder brother is away... It's time to take you down in one fell swoop and get rid of this scourge of yours!" he sneered.

"This... how could this be... this is a trap!" Gongsun Jing suddenly realized.

Jin Hu Fang Huandao is Fang Jiulian's younger brother. He is also the highest-ranking member among the Five Tigers of the Prefectural Army.

There are even rumors that he is the strongest of the Five Tigers.

It seems that the government troops' goal is not only to preserve the legacy of Jingtian Manor, but also to take the opportunity to set up an ambush and wipe out everyone in Jingtian Manor.

Otherwise, the five tigers of the government army could not have provided such timely and rapid support, nor would they have mobilized almost their entire force.

"The only regret is that the beast demon Han Yi didn't come. Otherwise, we could have wiped them all out and avenged You Shang." Fang Huan shook his head, seemingly feeling a little regretful.

With the arrival of Fang Huandao and Huang Chengyu, the situation completely reversed.

Grandmaster is comparable to the highest limit that an ordinary martial artist can reach in their lifetime.

This small library housed nine grandmasters, both inside and out. Each one was a top expert in the Huayang area, a powerful figure who could command the winds and rains in the outside world.

These nine people represent roughly half of the high-level martial artists in the Huayang area.

"Hmph, I knew outsiders couldn't be trusted..." Li Ran snorted coldly, her face grim.

After receiving the news, he came ahead of time, hoping to capture the Jing Tianzhuang group as soon as possible and seize the credit.

The arrival of Fang Huandao and Huang Chengyu dispelled his idea.

Even if he succeeds, it's uncertain how much credit he'll get left.

Therefore, it's natural to feel unhappy.

"Windbreaker formation, spearmen, prepare!!!" he shouted in a low voice.

Hundreds of elite soldiers moved in unison, their black gun barrels pointing directly at Jing Tianzhuang and his companions. In their hands lay long, strangely shaped weapons.

At the end is a ferocious beast head, and in the middle is an unidentified thick bone, hollow inside, with faintly swaying blood-red liquid rippling within.

“Remnants of Jingtian Manor, I’ll say it one last time… Disarm and you’ll be spared, otherwise… no mercy will be shown!!!” Li Ran sneered.

He's no fool like You Shang. His three hundred elite spearmen, specially trained, possess a combined strength comparable to a grandmaster.

What these elite soldiers are holding are no ordinary objects.

Instead, it is a special weapon that was recently secretly developed from above: the Blood Weapon, the Blood Feather Spear.

Three volleys of Blood Feather Spear fire left no survivors, no chance of life.

He would have given such an order long ago if he hadn't been afraid of damaging the books in the library.

Now that Fang Huandao has also arrived, he doesn't care about anything else; he'll take whatever credit he can get.

The four people from Jingtianzhuang stood on the steps, and none of them spoke.

But their silence speaks volumes about their choice.

“Stubborn to the end…shoot!!!” Li Ran shook his head and gave the order decisively.

Chen Ying and Li Zhonghao had already retreated to the rear of the group.

Things have come to this point.

With a score of five to four, and the support of hundreds of elite troops, the defeat of Jingtian Manor was only a matter of time.

Clearly, their combined strength was insignificant and they couldn't suppress the momentum of the government army. They could only wait and see how things developed.

The only hope is that Li Ran will keep his promise and make a copy of the books in the library.

As for anything else, the so-called control of Jingtian Manor and the Huayang area is just wishful thinking. *Sizzle*...

A tiny red glow emerged from the muzzle of the gun. As force was poured in, a burst of red light suddenly appeared at the front end of the thick bone.

Swish! ! !

A burst of red light shot out like bullets as a hundred people simultaneously activated their blood weapons, forming a magnificent barrage that shot directly toward the four people from Jingtian Village.

Wherever the barrage passed, doors and windows snapped, wood chips flew, and everything in its path was instantly shattered.

"Star Shield!" Old Fu gathered his last bit of true energy.

A shield, shimmering with starlight and possessing a slightly ethereal quality, appeared before the four.

Bang!

The barrage of bullets has extremely strong penetrating power; with just one contact, it's like a huge wave smashing the reef to pieces.

*Pfft.* Old Fu's face turned ashen, and his inner energy suddenly dimmed.

Under the violent impact, his true energy protective barrier was instantly broken, the last bit of true energy in his body was exhausted, his existing injuries were aggravated, and a mouthful of blood gushed out.

The remaining red light showed no signs of slowing down and continued to rush towards the four people.

And this is only the first wave.