A Night of Desperation

Chapter 316: Reputation 4

Yu Hong sat cross-legged, motionless.

His body’s cultivation techniques, at this moment, all fused again into a silver-blue ball of light.

The ball of light quickly absorbed all the characters and visualization maps, then automatically resumed its original form, turning back into three breaths that returned to the area between his temples, his chest and abdomen’s Dantian, and into the muscles, blood vessels, and bones throughout his body.

After closing his eyes and contemplating for a while, Yu Hong stood up.

’According to the progress of Tai Ling Skill, I am still only on the Second Layer, considering the development in terms of Cosmic Divine Light. The Guanwu Skill progress is not complete; it requires completion before I can continue.’

’I could continue practicing them separately, but the Guanwu Skill itself has significant innate weaknesses, and it’s estimated to be difficult to excel in fully. But if I can manage to excel first, it would be of great help in making up for the deficiencies in Tai Ling Skill.’

After a short consideration, he decided to stick to the status quo, practicing Tai Ling Skill as per usual while continuing to cultivate Guanwu Skill and see if he could reach the top first. If he managed the breakthrough, it would be much easier to make up for the inadequacies in the Tai Ling Skill.

After filtering through Black Mark, Tai Ling Skill is truly a cultivation technique without side effects or defects.

Although it seemed dangerous, he chose to believe.

’The only problem is that it contradicts my original plan, and will require practical adjustments.’

Standing in the courtyard, Yu Hong sensed the fleeting resentful mark aura from a building in the distance and the movements of Qingchen Temple Disciples deploying Fear Shadow. He sighed softly, then turned around and went back to his bedroom to rest.

Two days later, in a secluded mountain villa area on the outskirts of Taizhou.

Dadadadada.

The intense automatic gunfire continuously shot, pocking the black villa’s gate with a large spread of bullet holes.

Several cultists behind the door were shot dead on the spot and did not get up again; the rest of their companions scrambled away in fright, leaving from behind the door.

Boom.

Armed soldiers kicked down the gate, spread out, and charged in.

A series of gunfire followed immediately afterwards.

Outside, Cheng Shu and Yu Hong walked slowly in, one after the other.

Behind them, Zheng Hong and his official partner also followed closely, keeping a wary eye on the surroundings.

This was a joint tactical assault on a major stronghold,

This secluded mountain villa area had been frequently rumored about people disappearing, and the authorities had not managed to investigate the outcome.

Now, in a more in-depth investigation, it was discovered that this was actually a fairly large congregation point for the Mud Doll Sect.

"Throughout Taizhou, the Mud Doll Sect only has three such large strongholds which they call Mud Altars." Cheng Shu introduced as she walked.

Ever since being seen through by Yu Hong, she made no attempt to hide her true nature in front of him, doing whatever she wanted and not caring about exposing herself.

This woman was open by nature, bold and straightforward, and now with a slight affection for Yu Hong, she began to dress herself up in an understated way, attempting to strike up a relationship with him.

"Why are you dressed like that? Won’t it affect your ability to fight?" Yu Hong looked at his partner and asked speechlessly.

"What’s wrong with my outfit? Doesn’t it look pretty good?" Cheng Shu patted her chest; she had changed into an extremely form-fitting yoga outfit that outlined every curve of her body in fine detail, with the contours of some sensitive areas becoming faintly visible as she moved.

The yoga outfit was a pale green that looked like sportswear, with patterns resembling bellflowers on the front and back. There was also a fine line of special patterns at the bottom.

"And this clothing of mine is secretly made; it’s integrated with an Array that provides a degree of impact protection. It can resist small-scale Spiritual Shock damage." Cheng Shu said with a hint of pride.

"How much?" Yu Hong didn’t expect there to be such technology available here.

"It’s issued by the official Magicians, we all have them, doesn’t cost a thing." Cheng Shu said with a smile.

"That’s quite generous for once."

"Isn’t it?" Cheng Shu glanced at Yu Hong, "How about you go in first later, and I’ll follow behind, what do you say?"

"Sure." Yu Hong nodded, "Is your injury fully healed?"

"Absolutely no problem. Want to feel?" Cheng Shu provocatively pushed out her chest.

"Heh heh..." Yu Hong still preferred someone more demure. He was somewhat aware of her underlying meaning, but he didn’t care much for it.

For him, matters of men and women were mere embellishments. By this stage, he could adjust his body at will, avoiding harm to himself.

Thus, he didn’t refuse such matters, only worried whether others could withstand him...

Behind the two of them, Zheng Hong and the other official Female Mage showed a flicker of expression, noticing the unusual atmosphere between Yu Hong and Cheng Shu.

Their relationship seemed to be more than just partners.

This was also what Cheng Shu wanted others to interpret. She wanted to leverage Yu Hong’s presence to gain more benefits for herself.

Even if she couldn’t get into a relationship with him in the end, she could at least enjoy some of the perks beforehand.

Both groups entered the villa courtyard.

The previously armed soldiers had already moved deeper, engaging in search and destroy missions.

Bursts of gunfire, explosions, and shouting orders continued to drift from ahead.

It was clear they had encountered tough resistance and were engaged in intense gunfire.

The four passed through the courtyard and approached the main house.

Inside the main house’s ground-floor hall, a tall, gray-black figure was rampaging and pursuing the armed soldiers who entered.

Bullets fired at him were like hitting a steel plate, bouncing off and exploding.

But whenever he approached the soldiers, he would be blasted back by a wave of invisible explosive force.

Yu Hong noticed that the weapons repelling the black figure were similar to brown tube-like cannons.

Clearly, these were officially developed weapons designed for a specific purpose.

"You go first." Cheng Shu saw the figure and instinctively wanted to rush forward, but she repressed her urge and turned to Yu Hong.

"Fine." Yu Hong did not refuse and stepped forward towards that person.

He raised his hand.

At the same time, the gunfire around him also stopped, to avoid injuring him.

Inside the hall, the black silhouette’s face twisted, as if burned by a great fire, and it turned to stare at Yu Hong approaching.

"Disciples of Qingchen Temple!! What kind of skill is it to bully with numbers! Dare to face me in a duel!!" the silhouette roared in a deep voice.

"What’s your name?" Yu Hong realized that this guy must be one of the expendables pushed to the front by the Mud Doll Sect.

The reason is that, up to now, there has only been this one Magician present, which is impossible for a major stronghold.

The only possibility is that they had relocated most of their forces from here in advance.

And the ones who are left, naturally, are just expendables.

"Copper Soldier Zhao Mengsi!"

"My name is Yu Hong, my Taoist name is Zheng Rou." Yu Hong introduced himself willingly. This implicitly accepted the other party’s request for a duel.

"You’ve got guts!" Zhao Mengsi took two steps in one stride, stomped down heavily, and the stone tiles on the ground instantly shattered. He used the rebound to charge toward Yu Hong in a blink of an eye.

One punch.

This punch went straight toward Yu Hong’s chest, making a piercing sonic boom, as if tearing cloth.

Whoosh…

But the punch stopped.

Zhao Mengsi’s fist was only a palm’s distance from Yu Hong, but it seemed that he couldn’t bridge that distance no matter what.

It wasn’t blocked, but rather, he stopped the punch himself, no longer moving it forward.

He stood in place, maintaining the pose of a punch, trembling violently.

His eyes were wide open with bloodshot veins, and sweat rapidly seeped out of his forehead, forming droplets.

Several seconds later.

Ah!!!

He suddenly roared, retracted his hand to cover his ears, and shook his head violently.

Thud.

He fell to the ground and rolled around in madness, shouting.

If someone could see his pupils at that moment, they would notice a fleeting flash of blue light in his eyes.

Just as everyone was unsure what had happened and turned their eyes toward him.

Suddenly, Zhao Mengsi started punching his own forehead in a frenzied self-attack.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud!!

Each blow was with full force.

After dozens of hits, Zhao Mengsi’s strength weakened, and then, tilting his head, he fell to the ground, motionless.

Blood slowly flowed out of his mouth, nose, and ears. Yet, his face did not show pain but rather a look of relief and ease.

Silence fell around.

Everyone was stunned by this abrupt scene.

The soldiers, as well as Zheng Hong and the Female Mage who had followed in, involuntarily swallowed and looked at the body on the ground.

"He... he just hammered himself to death??" Cheng Shu looked at Zhao Mengsi with a mix of horror, then lifted her gaze to the calm Yu Hong.

"It seems so." Yu Hong replied, "Maybe he had a sudden illness, and his body couldn’t withstand his own collapse."

No one could believe these words.

But everything that had just happened was witnessed right before everyone’s eyes.

Cheng Shu looked at the calm Yu Hong and knew in her heart it was his doing, but not even the hypnotism of the Mud Doll Sect could achieve this extent.

The Mud Doll Sect could only hypnotize ordinary people, and it was practically useless against Magicians. After all, everyone possessed high-intensity spiritual power.

What was this scene, then?

Yu Hong actually hypnotized that Zhao Mengsi in front of everyone??

Such a technique; she could neither understand nor fathom.

"Let’s go, this stronghold has long been abandoned." Yu Hong clapped his hands, the sound making everyone snap back from the shock.

A shadow flickered behind him, disappearing swiftly.

And then he went forward to check the body.

Naturally, if he had the intention to recruit the unaffiliated Wild Mages, he also needed to display sufficient strength and deterrence.

Otherwise, hoping to win over such unruly people with other means would be purely wishful thinking.

Therefore, Cosmic Divine Light showcasing strength was intentional this time. After integrating his powers into one, all of Yu Hong’s Techniques, including Fear Shadow, had been significantly enhanced. This was just a minor demonstration.

Zheng Hong, observing this scene, felt his eyelids twitch involuntarily, his expression turning grave without control.

He had been secretly communicating with the sect, planning to set up an ambush here and eliminate Yu Hong in one fell swoop. However, upon witnessing the scene just now, he signaled to stop the ambush in time.

Zhao Mengsi, who was expected to entangle Yu Hong for a long time, died in such a bizarre, nonsensical manner through suicide, in front of so many. What was more terrifying was that they couldn’t discern any Technique used by Yu Hong.

And if even the cadre Zhao Mengsi couldn’t withstand a single round, the other three cadres lying in ambush, even if they showed up, fearing that they probably...

"Let’s go, it seems this place has been cleared out." Yu Hong stood up.

No one spoke; the scene from just a moment ago still lingered in everyone’s minds.

Danger, the unknown, uncontestable!

Only Yu Hong chuckled, leisurely stepping away following the path he came from.