Human Clan Defender

After the news spread, a large number of Black Tiger Army soldiers assembled. They completely surrounded the alley where the courtyard was located, rendering it impenetrable.

Meanwhile, the residents in the alley were roused from their sleep and quietly moved out.

"Are you sure he's inside?" Shen Changqing looked toward the darkened alley ahead, his expression grave.

Wen Ce, who was beside him, nodded. "Indeed. I've had everyone surround the entire alley. There's absolutely no way he could have escaped."

"Good." Wen Ce's response made it clear to Shen Changqing.

In some respects, the Black Tiger Army was much more thorough than he had thought.

"Now that we've confirmed the Barbarian's location, there's no need to hesitate. You all guard this place; leave the rest to me!"

"Lord Shen, please be extremely careful," Wen Ce said gravely.

The narrow alley was unsuitable for the Black Tiger Army to fight in. If they couldn't form a military phalanx, an individual Black Tiger Army soldier was, at most, at the Body Tempering Realm. This being the case, casualties were inevitable.

Therefore, only an expert like Shen Changqing could fight inside. The Black Tiger Army would guard the perimeter, ready to suppress the enemy the moment they tried to escape.

Without any escort, Shen Changqing entered alone.

KNOCK, KNOCK!

The courtyard door was knocked upon again.

"Who's there?" a wary voice came from behind the door.

Shen Changqing spoke indifferently, "Routine night inspection."

"Didn't you just check? Why are you checking again now?"

"Enough idle chatter. Are you trying to instruct the Imperial Court on how to conduct its business?" Shen Changqing's voice grew icy.

Hearing this, the voice behind the door dared not say more and could only helplessly open the courtyard door.

The courtyard door opened. The man's first sight was Shen Changqing standing at the entrance, but behind him, there was no one else.

In an instant, a terrible premonition surged in his heart.

However, the man recalled his actions. Convinced he hadn't revealed the slightest clue, he managed to suppress his unease and offered Shen Changqing an ingratiating smile.

"Lord, may I ask what you've come to check now?"

"What I'm checking isn't important. What I'm taking is important."

"What are you taking?"

"Your life—"

The moment Shen Changqing finished speaking, he stepped forward, his right hand striking out with a palm. The fierce palm wind, like a landslide, barreled towards the man, whose face instantly changed color.

Without hesitation or concern for remaining hidden, the man dodged swiftly. The howling palm wind instantly shattered the already open courtyard door.

"How did you find me?" Having put some distance between them, the man's face was as dark as water.

A powerful Yin Evil Aura erupted from him, and his eyes shifted from their normal black to a ghastly green.

He couldn't understand how he had been exposed. From start to finish, he thought he had hidden himself perfectly, without revealing any trace of his presence. Yet now that someone had come to kill him, it meant everything about him had been exposed.

"Barbarian, you deserve to die!" Shen Changqing's expression was indifferent. He drew the Lengyue Blade from his waist, and a chilling Blade Gang sliced through the air, aiming straight for the man's vital points.

Sensing the threat of the Blade Gang, the man's expression changed again. With a light tap of his toes, his body vanished like a specter.

The next instant, a chilling wind gusted as a palm struck for Shen Changqing's back.

Protective Gang Qi!

The palm strike hit the Protective Gang Qi, instantly shattering it. With unabated momentum, it then landed on Shen Changqing's body.

BOOM—

A shockwave blasted outwards.

The man's expression changed drastically. The palm landing on his opponent's back didn't feel like it struck flesh and blood, but rather an incredibly hard diamond.

How is that possible! He had never seen anyone who could withstand his attack relying solely on their physical body and Protective Gang Qi.

However, even if the man refused to believe it, the truth was before his eyes, leaving him no choice but to accept it.

His strike having failed, he wanted to retreat.

But just because the man wanted to retreat didn't mean Shen Changqing would allow it. As the attack landed on his back, Shen Changqing had already spun around. The Lengyue Blade sliced through the air, striking the man's body with the speed of lightning.

In an instant, a spray of blood scattered.

The man clutched his shoulder and staggered back.

Shen Changqing stomped hard on the ground. His body shot out explosively, his pursuit as relentless as a shadow, giving the man no chance to escape.

Seeing this, the man dared not confront him head-on and could only dodge left and right, trying to evade Shen Changqing's attacks.

The man before him was far beyond what he could handle. His physique was robust, impervious to attacks, and he was extremely fast, his attacks exceptionally fierce.

If not for the absence of a True Intent Manifestation, the man would have mistaken Shen Changqing for a Martial Arts Grandmaster.

Out of nowhere! A thought flashed through his mind. Half-Step Grandmaster! The opponent is a Half-Step Grandmaster! Since when did Jincheng have such a powerful expert? Impossible! If there really were a Half-Step Grandmaster here, there's no way I wouldn't have heard any news—

As the man dodged Shen Changqing's attacks, his mind reeled, trying to recall any details he might have overlooked.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't understand why Jincheng would have a Half-Step Grandmaster.

However, thinking more now is pointless. The most important thing is how to survive an encounter with a Half-Step Grandmaster!

With this thought, while dodging, the man took a palm-sized black flag from his sleeve.

Immediately, he waved the small flag. Black mist surged from it, instantly unleashing a sweeping Yin Evil Aura.

The next moment, Demon Evils emerged from the black mist and attacked Shen Changqing.

"Ridiculous!"

Seeing the Demon Evils emerge from the black mist, Shen Changqing's expression remained unchanged. His Lengyue Blade, coated in robust Heavenly Martial Gang Qi, slashed through the air, instantly tearing apart the Demon Evils and the black fog.

AHHH!!

The Demon Evils shrieked piercingly as their bodies dissipated into the air.

A familiar sensation surged through Shen Changqing. Without a moment's pause, he continued his assault on the man.

The long blade tore through the air, a scorching aura sweeping out. The instant the Blade Gang fell, an arm dropped to the ground.

Before the man could scream, Shen Changqing closed the distance in a single step. He struck the man's chest with his palm, and the terrifying force caved it inwards. Blood gushed from the man's mouth.

His body flew outwards like a withered weed.

After hitting the ground, the man's breath was faint, like a flickering thread, as if he could expire at any moment.

From the start of the battle, he had been utterly suppressed, with no chance to retaliate. The power Shen Changqing displayed was despairingly overwhelming.

He watched his opponent approach, the tip of the snow-white blade angled towards the ground, scorching True Qi flowing along it. A deadly threat instantly overwhelmed him.

"Don't—"

"Don't kill—"

The man struggled to speak.

But before he could finish, the long blade fell. His large head, the size of a bushel basket, abruptly tumbled from his neck. The blood, like a horrific poison, instantly corroded a large patch of the ground.

After slaying the man, Slaughter Value flowed into his panel.

However, Shen Changqing did not let his guard down; instead, he turned to look towards the house.

There, he felt a powerful aura beginning to awaken.

「At the same time.」

In the blood pool, as the man was slain, Zhou Qin, who was submerged within it, suddenly opened her eyes. Her pupils were completely scarlet.

BOOM!!

The blood pool shook.

Zhou Qin, transforming into what seemed like a blood shadow, shot towards the secret chamber's exit.

BANG—

The wall shattered. An overwhelmingly thick stench of blood assaulted his senses.

Shen Changqing launched a sudden palm strike, colliding fiercely with the blood shadow.

The two terrifying forces collided. Shen Changqing stood firm, as if rooted to the ground, while the blood shadow was sent flying.

Only when the blood shadow landed did he get a clear look at it.

"Corpse Puppet?"

Shen Changqing didn't recognize Zhou Qin, but the figure's appearance instinctively reminded him of Corpse Puppets.

But unlike ordinary Corpse Puppets, the strength Zhou Qin had just displayed was no less than that of the man he had just slain.

After a brief stun, Shen Changqing quickly recovered and advanced on Zhou Qin with his blade.

No matter what it is, kill it.

The man had been no match for Shen Changqing, and neither was Zhou Qin.

After only a few exchanges, she was beheaded by a single slash.

Looking at Zhou Qin's decapitated body, Shen Changqing glanced at his panel. The Slaughter Value hadn't increased at all. He couldn't help but shake his head.

What a pity! If Zhou Qin's death had contributed Slaughter Value, it would have been a significant gain. Unfortunately, she wasn't a Demon Evil but rather some kind of powerful Puppet, incapable of providing Slaughter Value.

Shen Changqing stood in place and spread his senses, thoroughly checking the courtyard inside and out. Once certain there were no lingering issues, he turned and left.

「Outside the alley.」

The Black Tiger Army still had it surrounded. The sounds of battle from within were clearly audible to those outside.

"Lord Wen, will Lord Shen be alright going in alone?" Listening to the sounds of battle, a martial artist from the Jianghu couldn't help but ask.

Wen Ce shook his head. "You underestimate Lord Shen. There's no one in Jincheng who can match him. A mere Barbarian is no match for Lord Shen's strength. We just need to stand guard here and prevent that Barbarian from escaping."

Wen Ce had great confidence in Shen Changqing's power. Although he had never personally seen Shen Changqing in action, Wen Ce knew from all reports that his strength was extraordinary.

That Barbarian might be strong, but it was unlikely he could contend with Shen Changqing.