Chapter 51: Assassination!

"How dare you!"

Fang Jinrui bellowed, his spiritual pressure at the half-step Purple Mansion stage erupting as he struck at the three men with a mighty palm.

With a thunderous crash, the three were forced back by the blow. Fang Jinrui prepared to advance, but just then, the intelligence broker beside Tu Lu—his face already pale—suddenly stepped forward. To everyone's shock, a powerful aura at the late Sea-Filling stage burst forth from him!

"Spirit-Binding Array!"

He shouted fiercely, producing a formation disk. With a flick of his fingers, even Fang Jinrui's expression changed drastically. Instantly, Fang Jinrui’s body felt ten times heavier, his spiritual energy nearly stagnant—he could not move an inch!

"Kill!"

Suddenly, a chorus of voices rang out, and this time more than ten attacks came from all directions, so densely packed that even Tu Lu’s face darkened.

"Help!"

Zituo Peak’s slightly plump face turned ashen as he shrieked, fumbling to crush who knows how many jade tokens, setting up at least a dozen protective barriers before him.

As the shadows of blades, swords, and axes assaulted his defenses, the wards shattered one by one, their power weakened layer upon layer. Though Zituo Peak retched blood repeatedly, he was never severely injured—none of the attacks truly struck his body.

"Despicable villains! When I get out, I’ll tear you all limb from limb!"

Fang Jinrui roared, his spiritual pressure surging ever higher. The intelligence broker holding him in check flushed red, hurriedly spitting a mouthful of essence blood onto the formation disk to barely maintain the array.

"Attack harder!" he shouted.

In an instant, the owners of those dozen attacks rushed out from every direction.

Witnessing this, Zituo Peak’s face went deathly white. He shouted desperately, "Help! Somebody save me! I’ll give a magic treasure, a bottle of Violet Soul Pills, and make him deputy city lord!"

By now Tu Lu had already retreated. Things had gone beyond his expectations, and he intended to watch how they unfolded.

Yet, hearing these words, he was stirred. He sensed an unknown disturbance within Yellow Cloud City, and another aura—almost Purple Mansion level—rapidly approaching. At last, he made up his mind!

Before, though he hadn’t changed his appearance, he’d disguised his cultivation as a Mountain-Moving stage cultivator. Now, his true power burst forth, several avatars merged as one, releasing the overwhelming aura of a Sea-Filling peak expert!

"I’ll save you!"

With a shout, he swept his sleeve, unleashing the frigid domain of Yin Sunflower. Instantly, frost covered the ground.

"Not good!"

"Who are you?!"

The attacking cultivators’ faces changed. Within this domain, their spiritual power was hampered, their speed reduced by at least thirty percent!

Tu Lu was already close to Zituo Peak. Seizing the moment of confusion, he darted forward, threw up the Heavenly Dragon Order’s shield without hesitation, and stood before Zituo Peak.

The next moment, with a deafening crash, the ground trembled as the attacks of more than ten Sea-Filling cultivators struck at once, blasting a gaping hole in the city lord’s residence.

Even within the Heavenly Dragon Order’s protection, Tu Lu’s face flushed crimson—the defensive energy was more than half depleted in a single blow.

"Retreat!"

Seeing the situation hopeless, the intelligence broker spat another mouthful of blood onto the trembling formation disk to steady it, then shouted loudly.

"Villains! Where do you think you’re going!"

At that moment, an enraged voice rang out. Countless formations lit up across Yellow Cloud City, instantly suppressing the attackers!

The array made Tu Lu’s face change—it was even more powerful than the restrictions in Divine Wind City!

Immediately after, a bald, red-bearded elder appeared outside the city lord’s residence, striding up to the intelligence broker.

"Speak! Who sent you here?!"

The intelligence broker opened his mouth, but before he could reply, his body dissolved into a pool of blood—as did the other dozen attackers, all at once.

Seeing this, the bald elder’s face darkened. Looking at the bloodstains on the ground, a trace of worry flickered in his eyes.

"Young master, are you alright?"

With the broker’s death, the formation disk shattered. Fang Jinrui broke free and rushed to Zituo Peak’s side, anxiously inquiring.

"Forgive this old servant for arriving late!"

The red-bearded elder also spoke.

But Zituo Peak ignored them, turning instead to Tu Lu with gratitude. "Thank you for saving my life! From this day on, you are my greatest benefactor. I will fulfill my promise now—from this moment, you are the deputy city lord of Yellow Cloud City!"

His face then darkened as he turned. "Old Fang, Old Jin, hurry and fetch a magic treasure and a bottle of Violet Cloud Pills for our benefactor!"

Fang Jinrui and Jin Donghe’s faces changed drastically.

Tu Lu quickly interjected, "Thank you, Acting City Lord, for your kindness. I will gladly accept the treasure and pills, but as for the deputy city lord position, I must decline."

Only then did the two elders’ faces ease.

But Zituo Peak’s expression shifted. "No! My benefactor saved my life! How could mere treasure and pills be worth more than my life?"

With those words, the two elders tensed up again.

Tu Lu immediately saw through their concerns. Though he looked younger than Zituo Peak, his cultivation was at the Sea-Filling peak. If he were to actually become deputy city lord—a sensitive post—who could say what might happen? Yellow Cloud City, though small, was still a city of its own. Naturally, they dared not let Tu Lu truly take that seat.

Not that Tu Lu cared.

In his eyes, Zituo Peak’s life really wasn’t worth more than a magic treasure and a bottle of Violet Cloud Pills. Of course, he would never say that aloud.

"How about this," he said, "since the City Lord feels so indebted, why not let me accompany you to Supreme Void Manor to propose marriage? Once you settle there, you may reward me as you see fit."

"If my benefactor insists, then… very well." Zituo Peak hesitated for a long moment before finally nodding, though he seemed dissatisfied.

"Old Fang, Old Jin, hurry and give the treasure and pills to our benefactor, and get to the bottom of this! These men were supposed to be my entourage for the marriage proposal, yet they dared try to assassinate the future husband of the Supreme Void Manor’s mistress! They must have grown tired of living!"

"Yes!"

Fang Jinrui and Jin Donghe nodded at once, their faces grave.

"Very well, I shall return to my residence now."

With a nod, Zituo Peak hurried away as if fleeing.

After Zituo Peak returned to the city lord’s residence, Jin Donghe began investigating through the inn and the hired entourage, hoping to uncover the truth behind the attack.

Meanwhile, Fang Jinrui led Tu Lu to the city treasury.

"May I ask your name, young master?"

"My surname is Tu," Tu Lu replied.

Fang Jinrui nodded, pondering, but could not recall any Sea-Filling peak cultivator surnamed Tu in the vicinity of Yellow Cloud City. He asked, "Young Master Tu, what do you think of the City Lord’s plan to go to Supreme Void Manor to propose marriage?"

Tu Lu was taken aback, not answering immediately.

Fang Jinrui smiled. "You find it foolish, don’t you?"

Tu Lu was momentarily stunned.

Fang Jinrui continued, "But before the old master disappeared, the message he left was precisely this. It’s the only clue we have to his whereabouts. I’ve thought it over—perhaps the old master was trying to tell us something. Since we can’t decipher it, letting the young master make the proposal is our best bet. Though not many know the details of what happened back then, enough do—and most are now influential figures. If Supreme Void Manor refuses to acknowledge the matter, their reputation will suffer among those great personages. Besides, the old patriarch is still alive. As long as the young master reaches the county city of Supreme Void Manor, no matter how unwilling they are, they wouldn’t dare let anything happen to him there... It’s not impossible!"

As he spoke, a glint of sharpness flashed in his eyes.

At last, Tu Lu understood Fang Jinrui’s intent—he did not trust him! The analysis was but a way to weigh the pros and cons, to stabilize Tu Lu’s intentions, and to tempt him to sincerely assist Zituo Peak. After all, with Zituo Peak’s gratitude, if this succeeded, the rewards would be endless.