Colin Jiang had always been a suspicious man by nature. When Ian Song publicly offered to hire Barry Jiang to kill him, Colin started keeping a close eye on his steward. So, when Barry suddenly lashed out with a palm strike, Colin dodged dozens of meters away and barked at him, "Barry, have you lost your mind? If I hadn't saved you back then, would you even be alive today?"
"You're right, Your Grace. If you hadn't rescued me all those years ago, I'd have been nothing but bones by now. So I've worked like an ox and a horse in the Duke of Qi Residence for twelve hundred years, and I'd say I've repaid your kindness. Today, I won't be showing any mercy!"
As he spoke, Barry Jiang strode forward and unleashed another punch. Black energy flickered around his fist, radiating a power that seemed to tear space itself.
"Damn it!"
Hearing this, Colin Jiang flew into a rage: "Mountain Invincible, seize that old traitor for me!"
Colin Jiang shouted angrily as he dodged Barry's attacks.
At Colin Jiang's order, Mountain Invincible and the others snapped out of their shock. None of them could have imagined the fiercely loyal chief steward would ever betray the duke.
"Go!"
In the next instant, Mountain Invincible led the five guards of the Jiazi Squad forward, intercepting Barry Jiang.
Pavilion Mistress Bei and Old Zhou were both stunned by the scene. Neither of them could have imagined things would escalate to this point.
As for Raina Quinn, the Calamity Sword Maiden, her eyes were practically sparkling as she stared at Ian Song: "This guy is loaded. If I became his Dao-partner, I'd never run out of spirit crystals again!"
Don't be fooled by her status as a core disciple of the Calamity Blade Sect—life was still tight for her. Even if she wanted a few nice accessories or beautiful clothes, she had to hesitate and struggle for ages before buying them.
"All of you, get lost, or don't blame me for getting nasty!"
With both fists swinging, Barry Jiang barked coldly, unleashing punch after punch.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
All six of Mountain Invincible's men were sent flying!
Whoosh, whoosh!
The next moment, Barry Jiang transformed into a streak of black light, charging straight at Colin Jiang.
Boom!
Colin Jiang formed a hand seal to meet the attack, his aura surging to peak mid–Nascent Divinity. But Barry Jiang was a seasoned late–Nascent Divinity expert, far stronger. In the next instant, Colin's momentum was shattered, and he was slammed into a building. Most of it collapsed, burying him in the rubble.
"Die!"
Killing intent flashed in Barry Jiang's eyes as he formed a hand seal. Instantly, a colossal black grinding disc appeared in the sky.
Rumble!
The black grinding disc brimmed with the power of heaven and earth, overflowing with a destructive aura. As it pressed down, everything beneath it was instantly crushed to dust.
"So that's late Nascent Divinity? That's insane!"
Inside the formation, Ian Song couldn't help but click his tongue in awe. He thought to himself, If I were trapped under that grinding disc without using the Art of Great Teleportation, I'd probably be ground to powder too.
"Barry Jiang, you muddle-headed old fool, did you really think I was that easy to kill?"
With Colin Jiang's furious roar, a figure clad in blood-red armor and wielding a blood-colored spear shot into the sky. The spear swept out, its bloody shadows gathering into a blood lotus that collided head-on with the giant black grinding disc.
Boom!
The terrifying force swept out in all directions, forcing Pavilion Mistress Bei, Old Zhou, Raina Quinn, and Jace Zhao to retreat again and again. Within a radius of ten li, every building was reduced to powder—except for Ian Song's formation, which remained standing.
Old Zhou stared at the blood-red armor and spear on Colin Jiang.
"That must be the Duke of Qi Residence's town-suppressing treasures—the Bloodfiend Warplate and Bloodfiend Spear!"
The first Duke of Qi fought alongside the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Li Tianya, slaying countless foes. The Bloodfiend Warplate was forged from the blood-fiend aura released by tens of thousands of dying cultivators.
Though not a spirit artifact, its defense rivals a top-grade seventh-rank spirit armor. The Bloodfiend Spear started as a mere third-rank spirit weapon, but after drinking the blood of tens of thousands of cultivators, its spiritual power soared, reaching the seventh rank.
After the Tang Dynasty was founded, the Bloodfiend Warplate and Bloodfiend Spear vanished from public view and were never seen again.
"Kill!"
Mountain Invincible led five Nascent Divinity guards back into the fray.
Spells, divine abilities, and magic treasures bombarded Barry Jiang from all directions.
"A bunch of ants dare to challenge me? Get lost!"
With a thunderous shout, Barry Jiang's aura surged. His previously thin frame suddenly expanded to nearly two meters, and he unleashed a barrage of punches.
What looked like an ordinary punch from Barry Jiang actually carried an overwhelming, unrivaled power. Wherever his fist landed, spells, treasures, and Dao arts shattered instantly. As for Mountain Invincible, who tried to attack him up close, he was sent flying by a single punch, coughing up blood.
In that moment, Barry Jiang—usually so low-key—seemed possessed by an ancient demon god. No one could withstand him.
But Colin Jiang was not cowed by this display of power. His true essence surged as he merged with his spear, transforming into a thin blood-red line that shot straight at Barry Jiang.
"Go die—Blood River Divine Spear!"
Whoosh!
The blood-red line reached Barry Jiang in an instant, radiating an intense, murderous intent.
"No matter how strong you are, this old man will break it with a single punch!"
Facing Colin Jiang, who had fused with his spear, Barry Jiang sneered and threw a punch without hesitation.
Rumble! Rumble!
The force of their clash detonated repeatedly, and a wave of blood-fiend energy spread outward from where the two fought, turning the surroundings into a world of crimson.
But in the next moment, a figure was sent flying and crashed heavily to the ground—it was Colin Jiang.
Fine cracks began to appear on his armor.
Pa pa pa!
As the blood mist dispersed, Barry Jiang strode forward, his hair wild, eyes locked greedily on Colin Jiang as if staring at a peerless beauty.
"Barry Jiang, after all these years as master and servant, do you feel nothing for the kindness I've shown you?!" Colin Jiang used his spear to support himself as he stood.
"Heh, kindness?" Barry Jiang sneered. "I've worked like an ox and horse for you—what kindness is there to speak of!"
Seeing that sentiment wouldn't work, Colin Jiang could only resort to threats: "If you kill me, the Sixth Prince won't spare you, and neither will the Tang Dynasty!"
"The world is vast—there's more than just the Tang Dynasty. And with five hundred thousand top-grade spirit crystals, I can go anywhere!" Barry Jiang retorted.
As soon as he finished speaking, Barry Jiang threw another punch at Colin Jiang's head.
"Stop!"
Just then, two streaks of light shot over, transforming into a man and a woman.
One of them formed a mystic hand seal, conjuring a phantom mountain to suppress Barry Jiang, while the other spat out a golden flying sword that shot at his brow.
"Anyone who blocks me is my enemy!" Barry Jiang roared.
Barry Jiang barked fiercely and swung out two punches!
The first punch shattered the mountain phantom, the second dimmed the golden sword and sent it clattering to the ground. Then he threw a third punch straight at Colin Jiang's head.
Just as Barry Jiang's fist was about to crush Colin Jiang's head, Colin suddenly grinned sinisterly: "Barry Jiang, think you can kill me? Dream on—go to hell!"
In the next instant, an incredibly powerful golden light erupted, instantly engulfing Barry Jiang.