Li Guanqi hid less than ten zhang away behind the group. He had completely concealed his aura, his presence blending in like a stone.
At that moment, a flicker of unease crossed Ye Feng’s eyes. The woman in front of him, Wen Mei, seemed too anxious. The instant she saw him, she clung to him as if he were her last hope, her body trembling with fear.
The child on her shoulder looked innocent enough, but his eyes brimmed with panic as he clutched tightly at her clothes.
Ye Feng studied them carefully. He found nothing out of place.
The aura emanating from the jade box in her hands was unmistakably that of a blood vitality fruit—and a rather aged one at that. Coming from a family that dealt in spirit herbs, Ye Feng had no trouble identifying its authenticity.
A five-hundred-year-old blood vitality fruit was exceedingly rare. Consuming one would be worth ten years of hard cultivation. If he took it, he might very well break through to the mid Golden Core Realm on the spot.
But just as Wen Mei offered him the box, the burly, bearded man across from them suddenly grew agitated. As soon as she revealed the fruit, Ye Feng understood the reason behind the man’s pursuit. Someone in the early Golden Core Realm walking around with such a treasure was bound to attract greedy eyes.
The man lunged forward, his footwork mysterious and swift, reducing the gap between them in the blink of an eye. Now a few zhang away, he swung his silver-ringed broadsword, the blade slicing through the air with a fierce gleam.
A smirk tugged at Ye Feng’s lips. The man was strong, but his control was crude. To Ye Feng, his attack was full of openings, and he could think of seven or eight ways to counter it on the spot.
He reached back to shove the woman away and face the enemy alone. But then, a sudden chill surged from behind. A cold flash of light shot toward his back like a bolt of lightning.
It was a two-pronged ambush.
Ye Feng had no time to think. He twisted his body and kicked the woman hard in the shoulder, then whipped his sword behind him to meet the incoming blade.
The powerful kick sent the woman flying far away. The impact made her left arm go limp, and the blow sent the child in her arms into the air.
Ye Feng hesitated, unsure of how to deal with the airborne child. However, the child’s once-terrified eyes quickly turned cold. He pulled out three daggers and threw them in one swift motion.
To Ye Feng’s shock, the child’s body emitted powerful vital force, equivalent to the early peak of the Golden Core Realm.
The three daggers glowed with energy, forming a triangle as they streaked toward Ye Feng like arrows. At such close range, there was nowhere to dodge.
Behind him, the woman lashed out with a dark green vine whip. In front, the bearded man pressed in with his broadsword, trapping Ye Feng in place.
Three layers of vital force barriers crumbled like paper before the enchanted daggers. Ye Feng leaped into the air, twisting midair to barely evade two of them.
One dagger sank deep into his thigh.
At once, a wave of numbness spread through his body. His limbs stiffened. His vital force was sealed.
Poison! That dagger was poisoned!
Now surrounded, Ye Feng could only watch as the three attackers shed their disguises. The once-timid woman stood tall and cold, cracking her whip and sending him slamming into a tree.
All trace of frailty had vanished from her. She played with the jade box in her hand and let out a low chuckle. “This one’s got a pretty face. What do you think? Should I keep him for a while before the deal?”
The burly man, blood still dripping from his arm, scowled and cursed, “Damn it, the brat’s got some sword skills!”
He turned to Wen Mei. “Keep him? You couldn’t even keep the last one alive for three days! If you ask me, we cripple his Golden Core and sell him to the church market. He might fetch a decent price.” Read complete version only at NovєlFіre.net
Ye Feng couldn’t move. His face was pale, his limbs were numb, and his vital force was completely sealed.
Only now did he grasp the full extent of the trap.
Now, the jade box held nothing but a dried fruit core.
Wen Mei twirled it between her fingers and smiled flirtatiously. “This thing never fails. Someone always falls for it. Da Niu, how much do you think he’s carrying?”
The bearded man, Da Niu, grinned viciously. “Doesn’t matter what he’s carrying. It’s all ours.
“And if it’s not enough, we cripple him and sell him. If you want to enjoy him later, you’ll have to pay.”
Da Niu treated his wounds as he turned to the child, who was actually a dwarf in disguise. He kneeled respectfully. “Big Brother, what do we do with him?”
The small figure no longer looked innocent. His expression was cold and composed, far beyond his apparent age. He waved his hand and said, “The usual. Strip him first.”
He continued, “After that, cripple his Golden Core and sell him to the church market. As for the brothel deal, talk to the madam. If Wen Mei wants him, she can have her fun now.”
Ye Feng heard every word, his heart filling with regret. If he’d listened to Li Guanqi, he would never have ended up .
The trio clearly preyed on passing cultivators. The five-hundred-year-old blood vitality fruit was just bait. A trap designed to lure him in. And he’d walked right into it.
If he could move, he’d slap himself twice. Why did I stick my nose in where it didn’t belong?!
The so-called child was no child, but a cunning dwarf with deadly skill. He scanned the surroundings warily and muttered, “I thought I sensed two auras earlier... Was I mistaken?”
Just as Da Niu prepared to shatter Ye Feng’s Golden Core with a palm strike, a blur of motion suddenly streaked through the air—a flash of purple sword light zipping through the night like lightning.
In the next instant, Da Niu’s broadsword shattered into countless fragments. His massive head soared through the air as his body collapsed to the ground.