Chapter 93: Confrontation
Ding Daoxiao immediately stepped outside with Li Changqing to see what was happening. What greeted them was the sight of Wu Wei, Hao Wen, and Chu Qiguang standing at the forefront of a massive crowd that had completely surrounded the Ding Manor.
"Wu Wei! Hao Wen! Have you gone mad?!" Ding Daoxiao yelled. "Are you trying to start an uprising?"
"Everyone, disperse at once!" Li Changqing commanded in an authoritative voice. "Otherwise, all of you will be charged with participating in an uprising and exiled to the border!"
"I think the Ding Clan should be the ones exiled!" Chu Qiguang scoffed.
"Master Li, this scoundrel must be the one deceiving the people and turning them against us!" Ding Daoxiao said as he glared resentfully at Chu Qiguang. "He was also the one who instigated the fiend tax case! I think he should be captured and interrogated!"
Li Changqing knew that Ding Daoxiao intended to make an example out of Chu Qiguang to intimidate everyone else. That suited him perfectly, as he also held a grudge against Chu Qiguang, so he immediately sprang into action.
As a fifth-state martial artist, capturing Chu Qiguang would be like child's play for Li Changqing. As he unleashed his power, waves of scorching heat radiated from his body. Everyone felt as if they had run headfirst into a burning furnace, and they stumbled back in alarm.
Just as Li Changqing was about to grab Chu Qiguang by the head, Abbot Chen Zhu appeared behind him amid a shower of golden light.
Li Changqing sprang back in alarm as the three divine generals were summoned to protect Chu Qiguang.
"Chen Zhu! What is the meaning of this? I still haven't even gotten payback for my unjust imprisonment, yet you dare to oppose me again? I was only just released from your Daoist temple a few days ago! Are you going to claim that I've fallen under demonic influences once again?"
Ding Daoxiao stepped forward to stand beside Li Changqing as he declared, "Abbot Chen Zhu, I'll have you know that my father has already sent a letter to the capital to report your unjust imprisonment of Master Li, so you can expect an investigation into your temple any day now! I suggest you stop compounding your crimes!"
Abbot Chen Zhu offered no response. Just then, He Wenyan squeezed his way out of the crowd, followed by a group of bailiffs.
Ding Daoxiao's eyes lit up. "You came at just the right time, County Magistrate He! Chu Qiguang, Wu Wei, and Hao Wen have rallied all of these people against us! Apprehend them immediately!"
He Wenyan looked at Ding Daoxiao coldly as he declared, "The Ding Clan has committed the grave crimes of illegal trade and colluding with fiends! All of you are to be detained!"
Ding Daoxiao stared back at He Wenyan in disbelief as he exclaimed, "Do you understand what you're saying right now, County Magistrate He?"
At that moment, several leaders of other prominent clans in Azure Sun County stepped forward and began loudly denouncing the Ding Clan, eager to draw a clear line between themselves and the Ding Clan.
"Ding Daoxiao! We know that your clan has been destroying the spirit veins of Plum Mountain! How could you? You're going to doom our entire county!"
"No wonder fewer and fewer wusheng have emerged from our county over the past few years! It's all because of you!"
"This is why I haven't been able to make a breakthrough to the third state! The Ding Clan has profited over everyone's expense!"
"I was truly blind to marry my granddaughter into your clan! Once the imperial court finds out about your collusion with fiends, you're going to get all of us killed!"
"From this day onward, our clan is cutting all ties with your Ding Clan! Off with your heads!"
Ding Daoxiao's heart quickly sank as the gravity of the situation finally dawned on him.
Never had he imagined that the Wu Clan, the Hao Clan, the county office, the Daoist temple, and all the other prominent clans in the county would form a unified front in such a short time.
All of a sudden, the Ding Clan had become the public enemy of the entire county.
Eager to fan the flames, someone in the crowd (Chu Qiguang) yelled, "Loot the Ding Manor! Seize all their assets!"
People immediately sprang into action.
Immediately afterward, someone else (also Chu Qiguang) hurled a bag of lime powder at Ding Daoxiao. He managed to dodge it, but the lime powder landed right on a group of guards behind him, instantly eliciting a chorus of agonized screams.
With the first figurative punch thrown, everyone erupted into a frenzy and began closing in on the Ding Manor from all directions.
Ding Daoxiao's eyes were practically shooting daggers as he turned to Chu Qiguang with murderous rage, but he had more pressing concerns to worry about as there were already people charging at him with weapons raised.
The guards of all the prominent clans, the bailiffs and archers of the county office, the Daoist priests of the Azure Sun Daoist Temple... Together, they formed a formidable army of close to a thousand men, and they all charged into the courtyard of the Ding Manor to attack the members of the Ding Clan and the people from the Demon Vanquishing Department.
Li Changqing tried to flee the scene, only to be stopped in his tracks by three divine generals as Chen Zhu confronted him once again.
With his back against the wall, he swallowed three pills in one go, then drew his fiend-slaying saber and engaged the three divine generals in a fierce battle.
He continued fleeing as he fought, and everyone in his path hurriedly moved aside for fear of being caught up in the battle. Before long, Li Changqing and the three divine generals had already crashed through several walls and were getting further and further away.
Meanwhile, Ding Daoxiao was being attacked by He Wenyan and a group of bailiffs. Spears and sabers were being thrust and swung at him from all directions, and it didn't seem like he would be able to avoid death and injury for much longer.
Right at that moment, an explosive roar rang out as a spear shot through the air like lightning. It plunged straight into the ground in front of Ding Daoxiao with a resounding boom, shattering the earth and temporarily forcing all of Ding Daoxiao's assailants to stumble back in retreat.
Ding Zhize stormed onto the scene with his sons and grandsons, and to everyone's surprise, it was as if he had returned to his physical prime.
He had taken a Dragon Tiger Explosive Tendon Pill, and his entire body was brimming with qi and blood as waves of intense heat radiated from his bulging muscles.
The Heavenly Master Religion's Dragon Tiger Explosive Tendon Pill could stimulate one's qi, blood, flesh, and tendons to drastically enhance their physical prowess for a short time. After taking the pill, Ding Zhize was able to temporarily return to the peak of his power as a fifth-state martial artist.
Ding Zhize crashed down in front of Ding Daoxiao like a cannonball, then pulled his spear out of the ground before sweeping it horizontally through the air with a mighty swing.
A series of loud thumps rang out as over ten bailiffs were instantly sent flying. They were unable to get back up after tumbling to the ground, groaning and howling in pain from broken bones and snapped ligaments.
He Wenyan blocked the tip of Ding Zhize's spear with his saber as he yelled, "Ding Zhize! Cease your foolish resistance this instant!"
"Traitorous dog!" Ding Zhize sneered. "You think you can switch sides like this without any consequences? Savor the air that you breathe while you still can because your days are numbered!"
He Wenyan's expression instantly darkened upon hearing this, and he shouted righteously, "Don't try to intimidate me! I serve the Great Han Empire and am loyal only to His Majesty!"
