Taiping Township Pier.
On a luxurious pleasure boat, nearly two hundred people stood with their hands behind their backs.
At the bow of the ship were a burly man and a hunchbacked old woman.
The man was naturally Zheng Wu, and the old woman was Nan Ruyi from the Nan family.
"Don't worry, my dear Zheng. I will definitely go all out this time."
Nan Ruyi made a solemn promise.
"I am naturally confident in Grandma Ruyi's strength."
Zheng Wu nodded with a smile.
This time he was entrusted with the important task of the family and had many communications with the Hua and Nan families respectively.
I don’t know why, but the Hua family was very cold from beginning to end.
Not only did he show no interest in the position of Taoist master, he was even unmoved by all the promises and goodwill gestures from the Zheng family, completely changing his previous attitude of being smooth and tactful and not wanting to offend anyone in the slightest.
Even though Zheng Wu had a relatively open-minded personality, he couldn't help but get a little angry.
Fortunately, things are going smoothly for the Nan family.
Not only did he agree to fully cooperate with the Zheng family from the beginning, but after Zheng Wu pointed out the importance of the matter, he changed the original candidate to Nan Ruyi, who had the longest qualifications and the strongest strength.
As long as the Zheng family can stop the direct line of the Lin family, those at the sixth level of Yangshen can participate in the fight. Although it is not a sure thing, there is still a 70% chance of success.
From this perspective, it is actually a good thing that the Hua family does not participate.
"I wonder if I could visit the Zheng family... the elder of the Zheng family?"
Nan Ruyi originally wanted to say "direct bloodline", but changed her mind halfway through.
After all, before this, she only knew that Fang, Lin and Zheng were so arrogant, but she didn't know why they were so arrogant.
Suddenly hearing that their tradition has been passed down for nearly ten thousand years and that they have even fought with the founder of Daqing, I can't help but feel a little frightened and uneasy.
If someone needs to hide this secret, but you just blurt it out, wouldn't that just make the other person unhappy?
Fortunately, Zheng Wu did not show any dissatisfaction, and nodded naturally: "This time our two families are cooperating sincerely, and we should indeed get familiar with each other in advance to prevent the flood from washing away the Dragon King Temple."
As he spoke, Zheng Wu raised his left hand and turned the ring on his thumb.
After waiting for about two or three breaths, the ring began to glow slightly, and a proud and obviously impatient voice came out.
"What is it?"
"Reporting to the elders, Nan Ruyi of the Nan family and I have arrived at Taiping Township. I wonder where we should go to visit the elders?"
Zheng Wu said respectfully.
"Just participate in the duel normally. If there is nothing important, don't contact me."
After saying this, the light of the ring dimmed, and it was obvious that the other party had ended this contact.
Zheng Wu was a little embarrassed and opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
"Don't worry about it, little friend."
Nan Ruyi shook his head, his expression normal, "The Zheng family has been passed down for thousands of years, and the status of the clan elder is extremely noble. I didn't know this before, so I was a little abrupt."
"That's a big word."
Zheng Wu didn't say much, just nodded and floated down first.
Not long after, the two of them brought a large group to the Taiping Palace.
A dozen members of the law enforcement team dispersed and placed tables and chairs around for participants to register and draw lots.
Zheng Wu didn't say much. He waved his sleeves and signaled the men from the side branches to come forward.
However, before these people could move, a muffled sound suddenly came from the rear of the team.
Bang!
Several figures flew out backwards and directly smashed through the Zheng family's branch team.
When they landed, several people vomited blood and fainted on the spot.
Judging from the black robe embroidered with gold edges on him, he was obviously from the Zheng family's branch.
"presumptuous!"
Zheng Wu leaped up, his eyes gleaming with lightning.
With just one glance, he locked onto a figure in a purple robe, fleeing rapidly among the crowd.
"Lin family..."
Zheng Wu was filled with anger. He suddenly stepped into the air and changed direction to rush towards the target.
In fact, before coming here, he had thought that this trip to Taiping Township would definitely not be very smooth.
After all, the Lin family is also an ancient clan, and their overall strength cannot be much worse than that of the Zheng family.
But he never expected that before the competition even started, the Lin family would resort to such despicable means, completely disregarding their past friendship.
As the leader of this Taoist Master Competition, how would he explain to his clansmen if he just stood by and watched without fighting back?
So Zheng Wu didn't think much about it and planned to kill the murderer directly.
However, when he burst out at full speed without reservation, he suddenly discovered that the opponent had also sped up.
Moreover, he was only slightly slower than him.
Before he could get close, the man went into a large mansion and disappeared completely from sight.
"trap?"
Zheng Wu thought of this and stopped outside the gate of the mansion.
"My friend, beware of fraud."
Nan Ruyi's voice rang out.
The invisible and intangible Yang God wrapped her own body and the nearly two hundred members of the Fang family's branches and fell from the sky.
The injured were among them.
"I have checked them. Although they are seriously injured, their wounds are not serious and their lives are not in danger. However..."
Nan Ruyi glanced at the house with its gate wide open and said, "I'm afraid I won't be able to fight anyone in the short term."
"Thank you very much."
Zheng Wu nodded with a serious face and looked around.
Things have come to this point, and the best way to deal with it is to seek help from the local forces in Taiping Township.
For example, the ubiquitous law enforcement teams.
Attacking someone in the street and causing serious injury is a serious crime in Taiping Township, and is tantamount to provoking the entire Taiping Township.
However, the law enforcement team members, who should have gathered in groups at this time if they were a step slower, did not even see a single hair.
The street in front of the entire mansion was empty, and even some shops had their doors and windows closed, which was really eerie.
"The Lin family...has hooked up with Taiping Township?"
Zheng Wu's face looked ugly.
Once this thought came to mind, it quickly filled his entire mind.
yes.
The Lin family also knew that he had an old relationship with the Hua Nan family.
When there was no hope of winning over the other party, why couldn't the Lin family turn to winning over Taiping Township?
Although according to the nature of the people of Taiping Township and their sacred mentality towards the Taoist Competition, such a thing seems unlikely to succeed, but what if?
If the Lin family colluded with Taiping Township, the position of Taoist master...
Thinking of this, Zheng Wu turned around decisively and said, "Let's go!"
It's too late.
Just as Zheng Wu turned around, another purple figure shot out from the courtyard at a speed that was difficult to capture with the naked eye.
--Bang!
With a fierce palm, Zheng Wu was hit hard on the back.
Even though Zheng Wu had already broken through to the fourth level of Iron Bone and remained on guard the entire time, he still vomited blood and was thrown flying by this palm strike.
Fortunately, although the attacker's speed was a little weird, his strength was not too strong. At most, he was only slightly inferior to Iron Bone's Turn.
Even though it was a sneak attack, it only caused Zheng Wu's internal organs to vibrate and he spit out blood.
“Damn it!”
Zheng Wu landed and stood firm, ready to turn around and fight back.
However, in just a moment, the attacker disappeared again.
Zheng Wu could barely catch a glimpse of a faint purple with his peripheral vision.
"Master Deacon!"
A group of descendants from other branches came forward to check.
"I'm fine."
Zheng Wu waved his hand and looked at the gate of the mansion with a gloomy face.
Two attacks, both successful.
At this point, not only he, the team leader, had lost face, but the entire Zheng family's side branches and main lineage were also brought into disgrace.
Just by looking at the anger expressed by the tribesmen, one can tell that this matter cannot be let go.
So Zheng Wu turned the ring again, and despite the obvious dissatisfaction of the elders, he quickly reported the process and location.
After he finished all this, Nan Ruyi slowly stepped forward, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated: "Old man..."
"It's none of your business. Few people can react to that kind of weird speed."
Zheng Wu waved his hand nonchalantly, then stared at the house vigilantly and ordered everyone to stay together on guard.
Nan Ruyi was arranged at the back of the crowd, covered by the Yang Spirit leaving the body as the most superficial protection.
so……
No one noticed her extremely complicated expression.
Zheng Wu was right, the attacker was so fast that even she couldn't react.
But Zheng Wu didn't know what this meant.
Purple Mansion Seed Dao, or the realm of Yangshen Six Transformations...
What level, or what method, could be hidden from her who has such attainments in the soul, and make her unable to react?
Nan Ruyi didn’t know, but she understood that at least reaching the second level of the Tao was absolutely impossible.
In addition, the opponent was moving with his physical body the whole time, and did not use any special means like breaking the sky with one hand... It was obvious that the opponent was at least a strong man in the third realm.
Moreover, it is very likely the peak of the third realm.
After realizing this, Nan Ruyi was extremely frightened and wanted to tell Zheng Wu about it and persuade him to leave.
However, just as she was about to take action, a faintly familiar, restrained voice came into her ears.
——'Mind your own business.'
This sentence does not have much of a warning meaning, but more like an exhortation.
Admonition?
Did the attacker know me?
Nan Ruyi thought carefully despite the panic in her heart, and soon locked onto a young man whom she had met twice before.
The young son-in-law of the Hua family, Xu Chong.
Xu Chong...
Nan Ruyi was in a difficult situation.
On one side is the Zheng family which has been passed down for ten thousand years, and on the other side is a mysterious strong man who is suspected to be Xu Chong but is ridiculously powerful.
No matter which one, it seems that she and the Nan family cannot afford to offend them.
Even though Zheng Wu didn't understand the Zifu Seed Dao and ignored the suspicious point that she couldn't react to the attack, the direct descendant of the Zheng family would definitely notice that something was wrong.
How should I deal with it then?
Nan Ruyi thought hard and was very conflicted.
At this moment, footsteps began to be heard inside the house, as if someone had noticed the movement at the door.
"I was wondering who dared to make a noise at the door, it turned out to be you."
A middle-aged man led six or seven people out of the gate and stared at Zheng Wu coldly: "Why, winning over a small Nan family is worthy of you coming here to show off?"
"Lin Shu!"
Zheng Wu glared at them, "It was clearly your Lin family who launched the sneak attack first, yet you are actually blaming them? As an ancient family with a history of ten thousand years, have you become so shameless?"
"presumptuous!"
Lin Shu scolded him and said gloomily, "We have not left the house since we arrived at Taiping Township yesterday. You are just an outside steward. How dare you make trouble out of nothing and maliciously insult the Lin family?"
"Much ado about nothing? Ha!"
Zheng Wu laughed angrily and pointed to the side, "You mean, I hurt my own people and myself just to put a accusation on your Lin family? Do you think I'm stupid, or are you stupid?"
"Injured?"
Lin Shu looked in the direction Zheng Wu pointed and couldn't help but frowned.
In the Zheng family's team, four or five people seemed to have fainted and were being carried on the backs of their fellow clansmen.
There was also blood at the corner of Zheng Wu's mouth that had not yet completely dried.
To be honest, it doesn't seem like an act... With the two families being evenly matched in strength, there's no need to put on such a show.
Could it be...
Lin Shu couldn't help but tilt his head slightly and glance into the house behind him with his peripheral vision.
The entire branch, including him, would never do anything to attack the Zheng family.
It’s not that I don’t want to, but I don’t have the ability.
At least, he didn't have the ability to injure Zheng Wu and escape unscathed without his face being seen.
To achieve this level, I'm afraid only the direct lineage can take action.
But the problem is, this is even more impossible...
Lin Shu thought of the methods that the direct lineage actually used to deal with the Zheng family, and immediately ruled out the possibility of a sneak attack by the direct lineage.
"This is absolutely impossible. I can guarantee with my life that the entire Lin family will never carry out a malicious sneak attack."
Lin Shu spoke in a deep voice.
Before he finished speaking, everyone in the Zheng family started cursing excitedly.
"Still trying to quibble! We saw the attackers escape here with our own eyes!"
"Not only that, after he escaped into the house, he attacked the deacon while we were not paying attention. He is so bold!"
"And the clothes he's wearing are obviously the same as yours! In the entire Taiping Township, who else besides the Lin family would dare to dress like this?"
"Ha, your head? What's the use of your head? Should I use it as a chamber pot?"
“…”
This is the Zheng family’s argument.
The six or seven people from the Lin family who came out with Lin Shu were naturally unwilling to be outdone and they all fought back.
Seeing that the verbal fight was getting more and more intense and was about to escalate into physical combat, Lin Shu suddenly roared, "Shut up, everyone!"
Like a bolt from the blue, the verbal battle between Zheng and Lin inevitably paused for a moment.
Lin Shu also took the opportunity to speak up and said quickly: "Don't you think this is a bit strange?"
Everyone in the Zheng family wanted to curse again, but Zheng Wu raised his hand to stop them.
"Tell me about it."
Zheng Wu said with a sullen face.
"I won't tell you why I rushed here even though I knew you were following me. You will think this is a feint by the Lin family."
Lin Shu began to analyze, "But why don't you think about it, is there any need for my Lin family to launch a surprise attack on you?"
"Don't forget, there are still several days before the competition. Even if all of you are killed here, we are fully capable of recruiting more people."
"Besides, you and I both know that the key to victory at this moment does not lie in your family or mine."
"Instead of attacking the Zheng family, why don't the Lin family attack the Zheng family's real bargaining chip?"
As he spoke, Lin Shu pointed at Nan Ruyi who was behind the Zheng family team and said, "Although our Lin family has no dealings with the Nan family, it is not a problem to recognize her."
It has to be said that as an external steward of the Lin family, Lin Shu's ability may not be that good, but his mind is really quick.
In just a few words, he pointed out the doubts in the matter, causing Zheng Wu to fall into deep thought.
Even the impulsive members of the Zheng family's side branches began to waver as they looked at each other.
Seeing this, Lin Shu breathed a sigh of relief.
However, just as he was about to continue speaking, an inopportune voice suddenly interrupted.
"Whatever the truth of this matter is, it doesn't matter. I am more interested in something else now."
An arrogant old man descended from the sky and landed in front of the Zheng family. He looked at Lin Shu calmly and said, "I arrived at Taiping Township ten days ago, but the direct descendant of your Lin family has not shown up yet."
"Even today, when the Zheng family's side branch came to my door to make trouble, I didn't care."
"Your Lin family..."
"What are you planning?"