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The man was dressed in ordinary gray clothing and carried a sheathed longsword in his hand.

He walked slowly, his footsteps landing silently, but with each step he took, a sharp, sword-like aura drew ever closer.

Bone Forging Realm!

Moreover, he was by no means someone like Li Lie who had just entered this realm; the refinement of his aura indicated that he was a true master who had been immersed in the Bone Forging Realm for a long time.

Cheng Ziqian's gaze lingered on Shen Dujiang's face for a moment, a very subtle smile curving his lips, his voice hoarse and grating:

"Shen Dujiang... Everyone in the black market says you're slippery and cunning, always knowing how to protect yourself. Unexpectedly, tonight you've shown a rare display of loyalty and righteousness, even coming back to inform me when you yourself are in dire straits?"

Shen Dujiang's face was ashen, the veins on his hand gripping the short blade bulging. He turned to Chen Yue and growled, "You run! Run deeper into the alley to the west. The terrain there is complicated. I'll hold him off for a moment!"

Shen Dujiang ran back mainly because he didn't want to lose this stable source of Marrow Cleansing Pills.

This elixir is not only about money; more importantly, it contains the effects of cleansing the marrow and strengthening the body, which can alleviate his long-standing injuries.

Chen Yue's gaze swept over Cheng Ziqian, then quickly glanced at the dark alleyways on both sides, and shook his head: "You can't stop them."

Shen Dujiang paused for a moment upon hearing this, and was about to retort when he suddenly caught a glimpse of another figure slowly emerging from the shadows of another alley not far behind Cheng Ziqian.

This man was dressed in dark, close-fitting clothes and carried a long sword. He was slightly taller than Cheng Ziqian, and his aura was as deep and solid as a mountain, making him almost equal to Cheng Ziqian.

Shen Dujiang couldn't help but take a deep breath, and the words he was about to say changed abruptly:

"Damn it, there's still one more! Can't you find a way to lure one away? Otherwise, you won't die, but you'll be confined to alchemy for the rest of your life!"

"If I turn around and run, I can lure one away," Chen Yue whispered.

"Okay!" Shen Dujiang's eyes flickered slightly, and he nodded.

As the two were talking in hushed tones, Yuan Tiansu, who had appeared later, stood side by side with Cheng Ziqian. Yuan Tiansu's gaze swept over Shen Dujiang, who was standing ready, and then landed on Chen Yue, who was wearing a mask:

"You can't even handle this little scene with a half-dead old man and a sneaky alchemist? You still need me to make this trip?"

Cheng Ziqian's expression remained unchanged: "That old fellow must have been quite a figure in his younger days, but he seems to be injured now, otherwise he wouldn't have gotten rid of me so easily. As for this alchemist..."

I was lured away by Shen Dujiang and just got back. Those three good-for-nothings inside are probably already done for.

"Oh?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Yuan Tiansu's eyes, and his gaze toward Chen Yue became more scrutinizing. "To be able to take down three skilled fighters silently, it seems that this alchemist is also quite capable. I underestimated him."

Although the two were talking, they did not stop walking. Their auras were firmly locked on Chen Yue and Shen Dujiang, like a large net slowly closing in, approaching step by step.

Within a few breaths, the distance between the two sides had been reduced to less than ten feet.

Sweat beaded on Shen Dujiang's forehead; he knew he couldn't wait any longer. He gritted his teeth and roared, "Kill!"

Before he finished speaking, he moved like an arrow released from a bow, lunging at Cheng Ziqian with a flash of cold light from his short blade, aiming straight for Cheng Ziqian's throat.

"You're asking for it!" Cheng Ziqian's eyes turned cold.

He didn't want to waste time on Shen Dujiang, but Shen Dujiang's attack was powerful and he couldn't completely ignore it, otherwise he would be a laughing stock.

He immediately flicked his wrist, and the longsword in his hand, like a venomous dragon emerging from its cave, struck first despite being behind, aiming at Shen Dujiang's short blade. At the same time, the sword's momentum surged, containing several subsequent changes, aiming to completely engulf Shen Dujiang.

Upon seeing this, Yuan Tiansu originally intended to join forces with Cheng Ziqian to first deal with Shen Dujiang with lightning speed, and then work together to capture the alchemist.

But out of the corner of his eye, he saw that at the same time Shen Dujiang lunged forward, the masked alchemist had already retreated gracefully.

"Trying to run away?"

Yuan Tiansu snorted coldly, exerted force with his feet, and his figure transformed into a wisp of green smoke, chasing after Chen Yue in the direction he had fled.

Our target tonight is this alchemist who can refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill; we absolutely cannot let him escape.

Chen Yue weaved through the alleyways, and after a moment, he rushed into a dead end, stopped abruptly, and slowly turned around.

Almost at the same time he stopped, Yuan Tiansu's figure appeared at the alley entrance, blocking his retreat.

He stood there, sword in hand, looking at Chen Yue who had stopped running, and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Knowing you can't escape, you've given up the struggle?"

Chen Yue didn't answer his question, but instead asked through the mask:

"The Divine Flame Sect is already stirring up trouble in Youlin County. What are you all doing here? Why are you all crowding around? Could it be that this small county town really hides some extraordinary treasure, attracting all sorts of people to get involved?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Tiansu's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He looked Chen Yue up and down, then suddenly laughed:

"You actually know about the Divine Flame Cult? It seems you're not entirely a fool who only knows alchemy."

"If you really want to know the answer, it's simple, just come with me. We mean you no harm; we just want your help in refining some pills. With your alchemy skills, following us will only lead to a brighter future!"

"Alchemy?"

Chen Yue's voice was calm, "I'm not the only one in Youlin County who can refine pills. Why go to all this trouble to invite me from the black market when there are so many famous alchemists available? That's giving me too much credit."

Yuan Tiansu frowned slightly, his eyes already showing impatience: "I've already told you, come with us, and you'll naturally understand the reasons. Don't worry, as long as we cooperate, you'll definitely get your share of the benefits!"

Before he finished speaking, Yuan Tiansu's eyes flashed with cold light. He stomped his foot, causing the bluestone ground to crack slightly. He sprang up, and the long sword in his hand emitted a sharp whistle, transforming into a sword light that aimed straight for Chen Yue's right shoulder acupoint.

The intention was clear: capture them alive!

This sword strike perfectly showcased the speed, power, and exquisite swordsmanship of a Bone Forging Realm martial artist. Even before the sword tip arrived, the sharp sword energy had already caused Chen Yue's shoulder skin to tighten slightly.

Using his left foot as a pivot, Chen Yue slightly turned his body, and instantly condensed protective qi on his left palm, striking out with a palm to meet the incoming sword blade.

He actually wanted to use his bare hands to confront the sharp sword blade!

"Um?"

Yuan Tiansu's brows furrowed suddenly. In a fight between martial artists, unless there is a huge difference in strength or they possess divine weapons and armor, who would dare to take a direct hit with a weapon with their bare flesh?

Unless... the other party is absolutely certain that their hand will not be injured.

In a flash, Yuan Tiansu chose the safest approach. With an extremely subtle flick of his wrist, the tip of his sword, aimed at Chen Yue's right shoulder, drew an almost imperceptible arc in the air.

In the nick of time, he dodged Chen Yue's left palm strike, the sword trembled, and then thrust towards Chen Yue's right chest.

This sudden change of move was fluid and natural, demonstrating his profound skill in swordsmanship.

However, at that very moment of this "safe" change of tactics, Chen Yue suddenly kicked his right foot backward.

"Bang!"

The bluestone slabs beneath their feet shattered with a crash, and with a sudden stepping technique from the Cloud-Soaring Steps, which shrinks the distance between them to an inch, they instantly closed the already extremely close distance between them once again.

Yuan Tiansu's sword moves were indeed exquisite, and his impromptu changes were swift enough, but this subtle adjustment still caused a slight delay.

In that brief moment, Chen Yue brazenly closed in.

Yuan Tiansu's pupils contracted sharply, and alarm bells rang in his mind. He never expected that his cautious change of tactics would be so decisively exploited by his opponent, turning it into his own weakness.

As Chen Yue's figure rapidly enlarged before him, a fierce glint flashed in Yuan Tiansu's eyes. He quickly stepped forward, his body flying backward like a willow catkin. At the same time, his longsword continued its momentum, and with a flick of his wrist, the sword swept towards Chen Yue's neck like a poisonous dragon's tail.

If you dare to get any closer, I'll kill you!