Chapter 163: Chapter 103: Watching Death (2)

He was on his last legs. In twenty more moves, at most, the man in black would kill him with his spear. Once he died, Yue Gui and the others would be in danger too.

"Haha... A fellow disciple from the Purple Sun Sect has arrived! You dare ambush disciples of the Purple Sun Sect? You’re all dead men!" Qin Ze’s attacks grew fiercer, and a flurry of heavy blows sent one of the men in black staggering backward.

Yue Gui and Liu Qian’s auras also sharpened, and their attacks became even more ferocious.

"Sorry, I was ambushed as well. I’m badly injured and can’t fight right now. You all just hold on. I’ll head back to the Sect to get help for you."

With a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, Xu Yang drifted off to the side and continued on his way, showing no intention of meddling in their affairs.

These people had kicked him out of the Alliance without even telling him. While he didn’t hold a grudge, he wasn’t about to repay their malice with kindness.

Had it been any other disciples from the Purple Sun Sect, even ones he didn’t know, he would have helped without a second thought. But not for Qin Ze and his group.

They had gone out of their way to draw a line between him and them. He wasn’t about to warmly offer help to those who had given him the cold shoulder.

Not joining the men in black to finish them off was, in his mind, already an act of supreme benevolence.

"Xu Yang..." Qin Ze froze, never having expected Xu Yang to completely ignore whether they lived or died.

After all, with Xu Yang’s combat prowess, intervening would not only be risk-free for him, but he could also claim some spoils of war.

Yue Gui roared, "Brother Xu, if you help us, the loot is all yours! Afterward, we’ll each give you fifty taels as a reward."

’He didn’t believe a word of Xu Yang’s bullshit about being injured. His voice was strong and resonant; he didn’t sound hurt in the slightest. The only explanation is that he’s refusing to help because of the Alliance business.’

Of course, if their roles were reversed, he wouldn’t have helped either. That’s why he immediately promised a reward.

"Sorry, I’d like to help, but I’m really injured." Xu Yang’s voice drifted over, completely devoid of emotion.

"That guy isn’t going to help. Put your backs into it and finish them off," one of the men in black shouted.

Their attacks were no longer hesitant, becoming sharp once more. Blasts of Gang Qi were unleashed one after another.

"Hand over all your money, or die," another man in black yelled.

Killing wasn’t the goal; the money was.

Chen Jiang pleaded, "Brother Xu, we wronged you before! Please, be the bigger man and don’t hold it against us! Save me, I beg you! I’ll give you three hundred taels afterward!"

Previously, when Qin Ze had suggested helping Xu Yang, he was the one who said they should make a clean break. Now, at the moment of life and death, he had completely forgotten his own words.

’He didn’t know if Liu Qian, Qin Ze, and the others would die. But if Xu Yang didn’t save him, he was definitely going to die here today.’

Among the group, he had been the last to reach the Qi Cultivation Gang realm, and his Cultivation was the weakest. He had already narrowly avoided being impaled by his opponent’s greatspear several times.

At these words, Yue Gui and the others looked embarrassed. None of them had ever imagined that after kicking Xu Yang out of the Alliance, they would be the ones begging him to save their lives.

"Hold on! I’ll race back to the Sect for reinforcements!"

Xu Yang’s voice drifted back from the distance, his figure already gone from sight.

Chen Jiang’s face turned ashen. He was filled with regret.

’No one knew if staying in the Alliance with Xu Yang would have gotten them into trouble. But for kicking Xu Yang out, he was now about to pay with his life.’

"Stop! I’ll give you all the money I have," Chen Jiang yelled.

With his life hanging by a thread, he no longer cared about money. Survival was all that mattered.

"Xu Yang..."

A venomous look appeared in his eyes, his features twisting with hatred. ’If I can make it back alive, I’ll definitely get revenge on Xu Yang.’

"Just you isn’t enough. All of you have to agree."

His opponent’s greatspear was tyrannical and fierce, striking like a dragon, and he showed no intention of stopping.

Chen Jiang failed to dodge in time, and a spray of blood blossomed from his arm.

Cold sweat dripped down his back. If he hadn’t reacted quickly enough, that spear would have pierced his throat.

’So he resents me now. Looks like I can’t let you get back alive.’

Xu Yang was hiding in a large, distant tree, taking in every detail of Chen Jiang’s expression.

His refusal to save them was, in a way, no different from the actions of the men in black. So naturally, he had to be wary of Chen Jiang and the others holding a grudge.

The best way to guard against resentment was, of course, to eliminate those who might resent him. That was why he hadn’t actually left, but was hiding nearby, looking for an opportunity to ensure Chen Jiang and his entire group were left here for good.

After the Alliance disbanded, the worst that should have happened was that they would go their separate ways. But because of today’s events, they would likely become true enemies.

"Brother Qin, Brother Yue, Miss Liu, I can’t hold on anymore!" Chen Jiang yelled to the three of them.

The implication was clear: ’If I die, you won’t survive either, so hurry up and hand over the money.’

Yue Gui’s expression changed. He hardened his heart and gritted his teeth. "Break through and escape separately."

He had brought his entire fortune to attend the auction, a full five or six hundred taels of silver. If he meekly handed it over, he’d have trouble affording meals for the next few months.

’Most importantly, Chen Jiang was the one about to die, not him. He was confident he could break out and escape. Why should he obediently hand over all his silver just to save Chen Jiang?’

As the first person to propose kicking Xu Yang out of the Alliance, he was by no means a man who valued loyalty. He pursued profit above all else.

He threw a heavy punch to force his opponent back and, ignoring Qin Ze, who was fighting alongside him, erupted with Gang Qi and dashed toward the Purple Sun Sect.

At almost the same moment, Liu Qian also knocked her opponent back and fled in another direction.

"Damn it!"

Qin Ze gritted his teeth. He had wanted to save Chen Jiang, not abandon him. If they had continued to fight to the death, the assailants wouldn’t have had an easy time.

But with Yue Gui and Liu Qian having already fled, staying behind would only mean one more person dead.

He took a direct blast of Gang Qi, spitting a mouthful of blood as he finally broke through the encirclement and fled in another direction.

Three of the men in black gave chase, while one, radiating killing intent, closed in on Chen Jiang.

"You bastards! I hope you die a horrible death!" Chen Jiang roared in grief and fury, his eyes nearly splitting with rage.

The three of them had actually ignored the Alliance pact and abandoned him to escape, just as decisively as they had kicked Xu Yang out.

Yue Gui didn’t even look back. Liu Qian had a flicker of shame on her face, but she didn’t hesitate either.

Hearing the curse, Qin Ze glanced back and saw Chen Jiang being swarmed by two men in black. One of his arms had already been severed.

"AHHH..."

A bloodcurdling scream echoed across the wilderness. A greatspear impaled Chen Jiang, lifting him into the air.

’Just as I thought. A bunch of faithless cowards. An Alliance like this only works when things are going well. The moment there’s a real crisis, it’s more fragile than paper.’

Xu Yang leaped down from the tree and continued on his way.

A man in black was chasing Yue Gui, and they were heading right in his direction.

He couldn’t stay here any longer; he had seen that after the two men in black killed Chen Jiang, one of them had started chasing in this direction as well.

These men in black were clearly more formidable than the two he had killed earlier. At the same cultivation level, their combat strength was no weaker than that of an Outer Disciple of the Purple Sun Sect.

’Xu Yang watched and did nothing. Chen Jiang is dead.’

Fear and anger raged in Yue Gui’s heart.

’I even offered him a reward, and still Xu Yang refused to help. How could he be so ruthless over such a trivial matter? He clearly could have scared off the men in black just by making a move. But instead he just stood by and watched, ripping away the last shred of dignity from all of them.’

’A mud-legged peasant, daring to treat us like this.’

He ran for his life, Gang Qi surging and exploding beneath his feet, gradually shaking off his pursuer.

’I won’t die here. I will make it back to the Purple Sun Sect safely. As for Liu Qian and Qin Ze, their fates are in the hands of heaven.’

’After this, the Alliance is probably finished. Nothing is more important than staying alive.’

’They can’t catch me.’

He glanced back; the man in black was no longer in sight. But he couldn’t stop yet. He didn’t know if the pursuer was still on his tail. Only by returning to the Purple Sun Sect would he be truly safe.

WHOOSH!

As he passed a giant boulder, a sharp whistle of tearing air suddenly reached his ears. Yue Gui’s pupils contracted violently. The hair on his body stood on end, and his scalp felt like it was about to explode.

A cold gleam of light shot out from behind the boulder like a waterfall crashing straight toward his chest.

’This is bad!’

He roared inwardly. This was a blade, radiating a ferocious aura, that had been lying in wait to ambush him.

’When did that man in black get ahead of me?’

Yue Gui didn’t have time to circulate his Gang Qi for protection. In that critical moment, he could only take a step to the side to dodge the sneak attack.

The sound of a sharp blade severing bone echoed in the silent wilderness. Accompanied by a flash of blood, an arm was sent flying high into the air.