Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world.

Chapter 605 Pleading for Mercy

On the southern slope of Yanshan Mountain, there is a winding mountain road.

This place has been transformed into a spiral of death soaked in blood.

Shouts of battle, screams of agony, the clash of weapons, and the desperate howls of those falling off cliffs, all mixed with the pungent stench of blood, echoed wildly through the valley.

On the upper part of the mountain path, Xingniang's figure was as graceful as a swimming dragon, and her pair of willow-leaf double swords danced into a silver storm of death!
The blade flashed like snowflakes, each slash bringing forth a spray of poignant blood.

The bandits she led were like tigers descending from the mountain, unstoppable!
The guards of the Prince's Palace were already terrified, their formation collapsed, and they fell like harvested wheat, abandoning their armor and weapons, only caring about fleeing for their lives.

The end of the mountain road.

"The Bell-Calling Guest" Zhongli Han and "Iron Fist" Lei Zhen are like two insurmountable iron gates, firmly blocking the retreat of the fleeing soldiers!
Any guards who attempted to flee downwards were ruthlessly blasted back or crushed by their ferocious power!

Amidst desperate wails, corpses plummeted into the bottomless abyss like dumplings being dropped into a pot!
The narrow mountain path became a deadly slaughterhouse. The guards of the royal palace had nowhere to escape; they either died by the blade or were pushed off into the abyss in a desperate shoving.

The latter are countless!

The strong smell of blood mixed with the cold, damp air rising from the bottom of the cliff, creating a nauseating stench that permeated every inch of the air.

The battle was fierce?

Do not!
This is a one-sided massacre!

The fighting spirit of the guards of the Prince's Palace had long been crushed by the boulders, the rain of arrows, the raging fire, and the tragic deaths of their comrades. Like frightened birds, they were left with only the instinct to flee for their lives.

In contrast, the Yanshan bandits were unstoppable, and with their carefully laid traps and advantageous terrain, they suffered very few casualties!

Only the middle section of the mountain road still barely maintains a distorted "safe zone".

The most elite guards of the Prince's Palace, like frightened sardines, huddled together here.

They dared not go up to support their slaughtered comrades, nor dared they charge down at the two killing gods.

Because they had to use their flesh and blood to protect the most "noble" and most bloated existence in this place—Prince Zhao Yan of Pingcheng!
Even here, they are completely exposed!
Cold arrows whistled overhead, and deadly daggers could emerge from the crevices in the rocks beside him at any moment!

Zhao Yan and his two princes were like fish on a chopping board, facing imminent danger.

The guards were on edge, not daring to leave for even a moment.

The Prince's Palace enshrines Li Daosheng as the only pillar of stability in this area.

However, at this moment, the gaze of this third-grade grandmaster was fixed on the cliff top shrouded in smoke and dust above his head!

His ears twitched slightly, picking up every strange sound coming from above.

At the top of the cliff, a series of muffled, thunderous sounds echoed, each collision causing the mountain to tremble slightly!

The violent energy stirred up towering dust, like murky clouds, completely obscuring the entire battlefield atop the cliff.

Those below could only see billowing smoke and hear the chilling sounds of masters fighting, but they couldn't see who was fighting or what the battle was like!

The only one who could discern some of the clues was Li Daosheng.

He frowned, listened intently for a moment, and then said in a deep voice:

"Judging from the howling wind and the clash of internal forces... Sect Leader Wang's opponent is undoubtedly a third-rank expert!"

"Sect Leader Wang has a solid foundation, and his Cloud Mountain Palm technique has reached a state of perfection... He has already gained the upper hand! Victory... is only a matter of time."

A hint of doubt flashed in Li Daosheng's eyes, and his voice carried a trace of disbelief:
"Could it be... that Song Jiang's martial arts skills are not as terrifying as rumored?"

According to intelligence, the only three officials publicly known as the Three Ranks of Yanshan Village are Song Jiang and Yin Leiling.

Although Yan Zi'an mentioned the existence of "Mushan Qing" and "the man in black robes".

However, according to the intelligence provided by the spies in the stronghold, Namushan Qing had already left Yanshan Stronghold, and someone had witnessed her movements in another place, so it can be confirmed that she is not in the stronghold.

The black-robed warrior was even more mysterious, disappearing after the battle of Jinxi City and never even following Song Jiang up the mountain.

Moreover, everyone knows that Yin Leiling and Song Jiang are at odds, and he would not allow a mysterious, secretive man in black robes to be in the Yanshan stronghold.

Yin Leiling has already descended the mountain. Who else could be the person on the cliff top but Song Jiang?

Upon hearing this, the fear on Zhao Yan's fat face subsided slightly, and he straightened his back again, trying to regain his "majesty" as a king.

He awkwardly moved back to the specially made sandalwood throne.

This time, however, he dared not let the guards carry him anymore, as the previous fall was still fresh in his memory.

"Humph!"

Zhao Yan let out a cold snort, filled with deep-seated contempt:
"Even if Song Jiang, a mere outlaw, were to rise to the third rank by sheer luck, how powerful could he possibly be?"

"The true masters have long been recruited by the imperial court!"

"Only the imperial court can bestow upon them supreme power and glory!"

His tone was full of self-righteous arrogance.

The imperial court, capable of accumulating the greatest wealth and power of the Great Qian Dynasty, is naturally able to attract outstanding talents from all over the world.

Li Daosheng let out a silent sigh in his heart.

The imperial court?

The imperial court of the past could indeed provide everything that heroes across the land desired.

In today's court, powerful families and gentry hold sway, while mediocre individuals occupy high positions.

These people have taken all the best positions and resources by relying on their family background and influence.

With limited positions and resources, once these people have taken up the majority, only a small portion of the world's heroes will remain.

How many true heroes are there who have no way to serve their country?

The imperial court's appeal has long since diminished!

suddenly!

Li Daosheng's expression changed drastically! He looked up abruptly, his eyes widening in disbelief and horror, and exclaimed:

"Not good! This aura... it's chillingly cold yet incredibly domineering... another Rank 3?!"

"Yanshan Stronghold...how could there possibly be a second Rank 3 expert?!"

His Taoist robes fluttered without wind, and his surging internal energy instantly surged forth:
"Your Highness! Sect Leader Wang is in imminent danger! I must rush to his aid immediately!"

Before he finished speaking, Li Daosheng leaned forward slightly, his toes touching the ground, ready to soar into the sky!

Upon hearing that Li Daosheng was leaving, Zhao Yan's newly regained composure crumbled instantly!

He screamed in terror, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
"Mr. Li, please wait!"

"You're gone... what will I do?!"

His horrified gaze swept over the bandits of Yanshan who were hacking and slashing like demons from hell on the mountain path below, and over the deadly cold arrows that were shot from the darkness from time to time. A huge fear gripped his heart!
Li Daosheng was extremely anxious:
"Your Highness! You have many skilled guards protecting you, so you are safe for now!"

"But if Sect Leader Wang is lost... we will all be in danger!"

at this time.

A young prince named Zhao Cheng interjected sarcastically:
"Lord Li!"

"Sect Leader Wang is in trouble? He's just a nobody from the martial world who died! My Wang Mansion will compensate the Yunshan Sect with mountains of gold and silver afterwards!"

"But my father is of noble birth, a golden branch and jade leaf! Can't you, Li Gongfeng, tell which is more important?"

"When you applied for the position of courtier, didn't you boast of your loyalty and righteousness? If your father were to fall ill, could you bear the responsibility?! Where is your loyalty and righteousness then?"

These words immediately placed Li Daosheng in a position of disloyalty and injustice, forcing him to stop in his tracks.

"presumptuous!"

Li Daosheng's hair and beard bristled, his anger almost bursting out of his skull!

At the critical moment of life and death, we encountered such short-sighted, selfish fools!

He suppressed the urge to slap the idiot to death.

"Cheng'er! Shut up!"

Zhao Yan finally regained a sliver of reason and sternly rebuked:

"Mr. Li is a reclusive master; how dare you speak so disrespectfully!"

"Mr. Li is absolutely right! If Sect Leader Wang is defeated, we will be sitting ducks!"

He turned to Li Daosheng, a pleading look creeping across his fat face:

"Mr. Li, go quickly! You must... you must capture Song Jiang alive! I want..."

He hasn't finished speaking yet.

A bloodcurdling scream, so shrill it was inhuman, suddenly pierced down from the dust and smoke high in the sky like a thunderclap!
"what--!!!"

The screams instantly drowned out all the sounds of fighting on the mountain path!
Li Daosheng trembled violently, his face instantly turning ashen.

"late……"

Suddenly, the thick smoke and dust that had enveloped the cliff top surged violently.

next moment.

A figure, like a kite with a broken string, plummeted from a height of hundreds of feet, accompanied by a spray of blinding blood!

Li Daosheng reacted with lightning speed, his figure transforming into a streak of azure light as he soared into the sky!

He caught the falling figure with perfect precision in mid-air, performing a graceful somersault to dissipate the force of the fall, and landed steadily back in front of Zhao Yan.

Everyone stared intently at Wang Jingchuan, who was being held in Li Daosheng's arms—

"hiss--!"

A collective gasp filled the air!

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines, as if they had fallen into an ice cave!
The scene before them was far more terrifying than they could have imagined!

Wang Jingchuan's entire right arm, along with a small portion of his right chest, had vanished without a trace!
The break was not a clean cut by a sharp blade, but rather presented a chilling, melted and collapsed state, like wax!
The viscous, dark red flesh and blood mixed together with the pale, broken bones were still sizzling and emitting eerie blue smoke, giving off a pungent, acrid smell of burnt flesh mixed with a sweet, fishy odor! It was as if it had been melted from the inside out by some extremely insidious force!
Wang Jingchuan is still alive!
He struggled to open his unfocused eyes, and when he saw that it was Li Daosheng holding him, he grasped at the last straw.

His only remaining left hand unleashed astonishing strength, gripping Li Daosheng's Taoist robe tightly. His eyes were filled with boundless fear and despair, and his voice was hoarse and broken:

"Song Jiang...is back!"

"He...he's a third-rank...no! He's stronger than a third-rank! He's not human! He's a monster!"

"Run! Master Li...run away quickly!!!"

Before he could finish speaking, his body suddenly began to convulse violently, and black blood foam spilled from his mouth!
Even more terrifying, the melting wound did not stop, but was spreading and eroding to other parts of his body at a visible speed!

Li Daosheng was both shocked and furious. Without hesitation, he channeled a stream of pure and mellow internal energy into Wang Jingchuan's body to examine his injuries.

As soon as the internal energy entered, Li Daosheng shuddered, and all the color drained from his face!
"What...what insidious internal energy!"

He gasped in a low voice.

The chilling internal energy entrenched within Wang Jingchuan's body was like a million maggots clinging to his bones, carrying a strong corrosive quality, frantically devouring and melting everything it touched—flesh, blood, meridians, and even bones!
But this insidious internal force is not the root cause of the death!

What chilled Li Daosheng to the bone even more was that almost all of Wang Jingchuan's bones were broken inch by inch!

The broken surface showed signs of being shattered by sheer force!
It was as if an invisible, earth-shattering hammer had slammed down on him!

"Sect Leader Wang! Hold on!"

Li Daosheng suppressed the turmoil in his heart and tried to force out the poisonous internal energy.

However, his movements froze.

With his profound cultivation, he might be able to force out the insidious internal energy and save his life.

However, Wang Jingchuan's meridians were completely destroyed, his bones were shattered, and his dantian and qi sea were also severely damaged... Even if he were saved, he would be a complete cripple!
For a third-rank grandmaster who had dominated the scene for decades, this was a hundred times more cruel than death!
Given his age and the severity of his injuries, clinging to life would only mean enduring a few more months of suffering.

And at this moment...

On the cliff top, that terrifying enemy is watching us intently!
If he expends a lot of his internal energy to save people, his own condition will inevitably be greatly damaged. How will he cope with the life-or-death calamity that follows?

In a flash, a complex mix of pain and resolve flickered in Li Daosheng's eyes.

He slowly and heavily placed Wang Jingchuan gently on the cold, blood-stained rocks, his voice carrying a cruel compassion:

"Sect Leader Wang... the path of martial arts is over, and life is worse than death."

"This humble Taoist priest... will grant you liberation."

"This is perhaps... the greatest respect I can show you."

He turned his head away, unable to bear watching any longer.

Wang Jingchuan's body convulsed violently on the ground a few times, and he let out a few last gasps, like a broken bellows.

Immediately, the terrifying melting speed suddenly accelerated!

Under the horrified gazes of everyone around, the renowned Yunshan Sect leader of Changzhou, a dignified third-rank martial artist, was completely transformed into a pool of foul-smelling, viscous, bubbling dark red blood in just a dozen breaths!
Not even half a complete bone was left!

"vomit--!"

One of the guards couldn't help but bend over and vomit.

The two princes were pale as death, their legs trembling, and they almost collapsed to the ground.

Zhao Yan stared intently at the pool of blood, his obese body trembling like a leaf, a cold urge to urinate almost uncontrollable!

A third-grade warrior!
That person is a peerless figure capable of founding a sect and ruling over a region!

It was a revered figure that Zhao Yan had to pay a huge price to persuade!
He was someone who could sit on equal footing with this prince and chat with him with ease!

It is an important guarantee and deterrent to his power and status!

But now... Wang Jingchuan... is dead just like that?

To die so easily! To die so tragically!
So utterly worthless!
Like a piece of lard thrown into boiling water, it melted completely!

"Yanshan Village...Song Jiang..."

Zhao Yan's lips trembled, and the immense fear finally crushed the last trace of arrogance and contempt in his heart!

He finally realized what a fatal mistake he had made—underestimating the bandits of Yanshan, and even more so, underestimating the man named Song Jiang!

It was this contempt that made him ignore all advice and plunge headlong into this meticulously laid death trap!

"Mr. Li... Mr. Li!"

As if grasping at the last straw, Zhao Yan rushed towards Li Daosheng, tears streaming down his face.

His fat hands gripped the hem of Li Daosheng's Taoist robe tightly, his voice distorted with fear:
"Quickly! Take me away! Leave now!"

"As long as the green hills remain... I will repay you a hundredfold in the future!"

He only cared about his own survival, completely disregarding his two sons who were terrified.

"Father!"

The two princes let out desperate cries.

Seeing their father and Li Daosheng in such a panic, they naturally realized that something terrible had happened, putting them in a dangerous situation.

They never expected that their father would completely disregard their lives.

Li Daosheng remained completely still.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the smoke and dust being dispersed by the mountain wind, locking onto the top of the cliff.

"Walk?"

Li Daosheng's voice carried a deep bitterness and helplessness:
"Your Highness...it's too late."

"Song Jiang... this boy's meticulousness and far-reaching scheming are truly... chilling!"

He forced out those words through gritted teeth, unwilling to accept the situation.

From the moment Prince Pingcheng arrived at Broken Soul Slope and "coincidentally" learned that Song Jiang was the real murderer of his daughter, everything fell into Song Jiang's trap!
Blinded by hatred, Zhao Yan recklessly advanced without considering the enemy's plans.

Song Jiang personally presented the bell, inflicting extreme humiliation, which completely ignited Zhao Yan's anger, leading to the army being ambushed in a dangerous place, suffering heavy casualties and collapsing morale.

They then used the terrain to precisely divide the battlefield, preventing Li Daosheng from escaping while protecting Zhao Yan, thus luring Wang Jingchuan into a dangerous situation alone...

A series of interconnected events, each step fraught with danger!
All of them became pawns on Song Jiang's chessboard, manipulated at will!
call--!
The mountain wind finally dispersed the smoke and dust from the cliff top completely.

The cool moonlight once again fell upon the cliff top.

Two figures, like demons from the deepest abyss, appeared clearly at the edge of the cliff, coldly and condescendingly looking down at the crowd below, who were like ants.

The man at the front stood tall and straight like a pine tree. His dark face gleamed with a cold, hard color in the moonlight. His signature phoenix eyes were calm and still, yet unfathomable, as if they contained a chilling coldness that could freeze the soul.

It’s Liang Jin!

Standing a step behind him was a figure shrouded in a wide black robe, his hood hanging low, his face hidden in deep shadow.

Only a cold, decaying, and suffocating aura of death permeated the air.

The man in black robes!
The moment he saw this person, it was as if a bright flash of lightning had struck Li Daosheng's mind!

All the points that I couldn't understand before suddenly became clear!
"I see……"

Li Daosheng muttered to himself, his last glimmer of hope completely extinguished.

An inside manipulator providing intelligence? He's probably already been manipulated by Song Jiang!
at this time.

On the top of the cliff.

Liang Jin's gaze moved slowly, like two cold searchlights, and finally landed precisely on Li Daosheng.

An indescribable, immense pressure, without needing to be announced in words, pressed down heavily like a collapsing sky!
There was no overwhelming or oppressive aura.

There was no overwhelming killing intent boiling over.

There was only one question, so bland it was almost cold.

The voice wasn't loud, yet it clearly pierced through the clamor of the mountains, like the whisper of death, directly imprinting itself into the depths of everyone's soul:
"Do you also want to fight me?"

A light word.

To Li Daosheng, it sounded like a thunderbolt!

An irresistible, soul-freezing chill instantly shot from the tailbone straight to the top of the head!

He felt as if he were being gripped by an invisible, all-encompassing giant hand, making even breathing incredibly difficult!
This is the ultimatum!

It's also the only chance of survival!

Li Daosheng no longer hesitated in the slightest, nor did he feel any burden as a third-rank martial artist.

The horrific sight of Wang Jingchuan's body, melted into a pool of blood, was right before my eyes!
This man in black robes is sinister and eerie!
Liang Jin, who could easily severely injure or even kill Wang Jingchuan... his true strength is as unfathomable as an abyss!

Wang Jingchuan's dying words still seem to echo in my ears.

The fact that the battle with Liang Jin could shock a sect leader to such an extent shows how terrifying and shocking it was for him.

Li Daosheng is no better than Wang Jingchuan.

How can one fight back when alone?

Li Daosheng took a deep breath, straightened his somewhat disheveled Taoist robe, and solemnly bowed to Liang Jin at the top of the cliff, performing a standard Taoist kowtow.

His voice was clear, calm, and even carried a hint of relieved composure, echoing far and wide on the mountain breeze:

"I, Li Daosheng, have no intention of being enemies with Hero Song."

"Today, witnessing the hero's divine might, I realize that there are heavens beyond heavens and people beyond people."

"We earnestly beg Hero Song... to show leniency and grant us this opportunity!"

"This humble Taoist priest... departs immediately! And swears—in this lifetime, never again will he set foot in Changzhou!"

(End of this chapter)