Chapter 238: Chapter 139: Killing Momentum
On the other side of the corridor, another person shuffled a few steps into the courtyard, snickering quietly from a distance.
"Fourth, you take my post for the second half of the night," Third Brother said impatiently.
Just then, the window of a side room next to the main hall opened. A cold, sinister voice called out, "You lot, stand your posts properly. No more noise. If anything goes wrong, I’ll have your heads!"
"Master Ruan, I was wrong." Third Brother immediately froze, spoke respectfully, and trudged resentfully back toward the corridor.
They had only relaxed for a moment, but Chen Cheng had already snuck into the corridor. After a quick glance toward the side room, he slipped into the rear courtyard.
The Zhou Family’s rear courtyard was even more expansive, composed of several nested courtyards. One directly ahead was brightly lit, its main gate wide open. A middle-aged man dressed as a steward stood by the entrance, his back bowed.
The decadent sounds of women shrieking and crying out drifted from the courtyard, clearly audible from the corridor.
’That bastard Zhou Hongda is just as the rumors say—a starving ghost for sex!’
Chen Cheng noted this to himself. He no longer needed to search; he knew that courtyard was Zhou Hongda’s den.
Amidst the wanton cries, a muffled grunt sounded. Immediately after, Zhou Hongda pushed open the door to his room, his chest bare.
"Master, your Tiger Whip Soup." The middle-aged steward took a bowl of herbal decoction from a food box beside him and presented it respectfully.
Zhou Hongda drained the Tiger Whip Soup in one gulp, smacked his lips, and glanced at the disheveled woman who came trembling out from behind him. "Send the twelfth one back and call for the seventh."
"Yes, sir." The middle-aged steward complied, quickly helping the woman out of the courtyard and toward another one not far away.
"Twelfth Mistress, please rest well."
After seeing the woman back, the middle-aged steward turned to head for another courtyard. He had only taken a few steps when he suddenly felt a cold breeze behind him.
He tried to turn, but a hand clamped down on the nape of his neck. He wanted to cry out, but his throat was constricted, unable to make a sound. In the next moment, he was lifted like a chick and dragged to a secluded corner.
The attacker was none other than Chen Cheng, who had been following close behind.
"Good sir, spare my life!"
Seeing Chen Cheng masked and dressed in black, the middle-aged steward knew at once he had run into an intruder. He was already pale with fright, begging for mercy in a choked whisper.
Though terrified, the middle-aged steward’s mind was still clear. This intruder had snuck into the Zhou Family estate undetected and could handle him like a chick. If he dared to call for help, he would probably be crushed to death on the spot!
"Why are there so few Hospital Martial Artists in the Zhou Family tonight? Who is on guard?" Chen Cheng asked.
"The... the Hospital Martial Artists were all sent to the blacksmith shop. Tonight, Master Ruan, Master Tang, and the Twelve Black Armor Guards are standing watch." The middle-aged steward’s eyes darted around as he put on a look of extreme fright, spilling everything.
"The Twelve Black Armor Guards? Who are they?" Chen Cheng frowned. When he came in, he had only seen six Hospital Martial Artists in the central courtyard, and they seemed to be wearing Heavy Armor.
The Great Yu Law forbade commoners from possessing armor and crossbows. However, during his investigation of the Zhou Family, Chen Cheng had learned that Zhou’s Blacksmith Shop seemed to be forging Heavy Armor for the Protectorate Army outside the city.
’Trying to take down the Zhou Family on the charge of privately possessing armor wouldn’t be easy. After all, if the City Guard Department came to search the premises, the Zhou Family could simply order their men to take off the Heavy Armor and claim it was just stock.’
The middle-aged steward said, "The Twelve Black Armor Guards are twelve Perfect Martial Artists of the Skin Grinding Realm. Clad in Profound Iron Armor, they fear neither sword nor saber. They’re also skilled in Battle Array coordination and can fight on par with a Martial Artist at Small Success in the Bone Forging Realm."
"The Zhou Family’s defenses may seem lax tonight, but they are actually tighter than usual. Even a Martial Artist at Small Success in the Bone Forging Realm wouldn’t gain any advantage if they attacked."
"Sir, although you managed to get this far, getting out will be incredibly difficult. I am willing to provide a distraction and escort you out of the Zhou Family estate."
"Is that so?" Chen Cheng was also surprised. He immediately realized something and asked, "Why are the Zhou Family’s defenses so tight? Don’t tell me they have some kind of treasure?"
The middle-aged steward trembled. "I am just a steward for the rear courtyard. I don’t know where Master Zhou has hidden the treasure."
"You dare lie to me?" Chen Cheng suddenly gripped his throat again, gradually tightening his hold.
The middle-aged steward was on the verge of suffocating. He struggled and sputtered, "Good... good sir, spare me!
I saw... this evening, the master had someone carry a large chest back. It’s... it’s in Master Ruan’s room in the central courtyard. I really don’t know anything else."
Chen Cheng said coolly, "Hmph. That’s more like it. Whether you live or die depends on how obedient you are from now on..."
...
Zhou Hongda’s eyes were slightly narrowed. He leaned back against the brocade bed, conserving his energy. For some reason, he was extremely excited tonight, like a ferocious tiger with endless energy to vent.
’Perhaps the Zhou Family’s crisis has made me too tense. But this tension isn’t so bad. It’s let me regain my vigor. Even that little slut, the twelfth one, couldn’t handle it. I’ll have to let the seventh one come and help me blow off some steam!’
Zhou Hongda grinned savagely. His "second dragon" suddenly perked up again. Just then, footsteps sounded from outside the courtyard, followed by the steward’s voice, "Master, the Seventh Mistress has arrived."
"Seventh, get in here, quickly!" Zhou Hongda ignored the steward, calling out impatiently.
A faint CRACK suddenly sounded from outside the room. Zhou Hongda paid it no mind, assuming one of his concubines had bumped into something.
He adjusted his body, settling into a comfortable position, letting his "second dragon" stand tall and wait to be served.
The door opened, and a sudden breeze stirred. An alarm bell went off in Zhou Hongda’s mind. His eyes shot open. Just as he was about to get up and investigate, a black shadow flashed by like lightning, and a cold sensation touched his neck.
Zhou Hongda’s corpulent body fell back onto the brocade bed with a dull THUD. The light in his wide eyes gradually faded.
A magnificent Perfect Martial Artist of the Muscle Strengthening Realm had been felled by a single strike of the Wind Chasing Saber Stance!
The newcomer was Chen Cheng. He had first crushed the steward’s neck outside, then, with the speed of a thunderclap, cut down the defenseless Zhou Hongda.
He skillfully rummaged through the clothes on a nearby cabinet, pocketed a heavy Money Bag, and with a flicker of his body, he was out of the residence and sneaking toward the corridor.
"What—" The Hospital Martial Artist guarding the corridor was quite alert. Noticing a slight breeze, he started to shout.
But before the word was fully out of his mouth, a hand grabbed his helmet. An immense force struck, and his entire head, along with the heavy helmet, was brutally twisted off.
"Third Brother!"
"Third!"
...
The other men in the courtyard heard the commotion and looked over, only to see a black shadow flash by. Third, still wearing his Heavy Armor, had already been decapitated. They all cried out in alarm, thrusting their Long Sabers forward as they charged the black shadow.
The black shadow was Chen Cheng. With a few ghostly flickers, he appeared beside the first charging Hospital Martial Artist. The Powerful Claw Stance passed, and another head was twisted off.
The remaining four were aghast. They tried to group up and form a Battle Array to attack together, but Chen Cheng was too fast. Before they could gather, he was like a tiger among sheep, twisting their heads off one by one.
The Wind Chasing Saber Stance enhanced his Body Technique, and the Powerful Claw Stance increased his Power Dao. It was as effortless as twisting the heads off scarecrows.
In just over ten seconds, all six Heavy Armor-clad Hospital Martial Artists in the courtyard had been killed!
"What scoundrel dares to run wild in the Zhou Family’s home!"
With furious shouts, two saber-wielding figures burst through the windows of two different side rooms, attacking Chen Cheng from the left and right.
Both of them had extremely fast Body Techniques, and their Blade Techniques were ferocious and vicious.
It was the Black and White Double Slaughter, both possessing the strength of Great Success in the Muscle Strengthening Realm.
But Chen Cheng was faster. His Long Saber suddenly appeared in his hand. His figure, like a phantom, shot toward the two of them. A ripple spread through the gentle breeze. The saber chased the wind’s momentum, so fast it was formless and traceless.
"Not good! It’s Saber Momentum!"
Ruan Gaolou cried out, instinctively swinging his saber to block.
Tang Youming, however, chose to dodge rapidly to the side.
But in the end, both were too slow.
PFFT! PFFT!
With two soft sounds, two heads were severed and fell to the ground.
BANG!
The door to another side room was kicked open, and six more Hospital Martial Artists in Heavy Armor filed out, Long Sabers in hand.
They surrounded a single point, vaguely forming a Battle Array. Their Long Sabers thrust out frequently, some executing offensive moves, others defensive ones.
Their offense and defense were complementary, leaving no openings. They were like an incomparably solid torrent of steel, faintly emanating an invincible, murderous momentum as they bore down on Chen Cheng.
Although these six were only Perfect Martial Artists of the Skin Grinding Realm, clad in Heavy Armor and coordinating with a Battle Array and Cultivation Technique, the pressure they exerted on Chen Cheng was far greater than that from Ruan Gaolou and Tang Youming, who were at Great Success in the Muscle Strengthening Realm.
Even if Chen Cheng wanted to attack with his Powerful Claw Stance, he would be wounded by their murderous momentum.
’No wonder they claim to be able to fight a Martial Artist at Small Success in the Bone Forging Realm head-on.’
’So this is the legendary Heavy Armor Battle Array? Perfect Martial Artists of the Skin Grinding Realm who haven’t even cultivated Momentum can join forces to unleash a murderous momentum. Their combat power is likely no less than that of a Perfect Martial Artist of the Muscle Strengthening Realm who *has* cultivated Momentum.’
