Starting from the imperial palace guards, his clones spread all over the world

#398 - Hunted by the Four

As a loud shout rang out from the crowd, two figures stepped forward in response.

One of them was the corpulent Dong Xiong, the chief of the Black Boar Stronghold, whose round belly was simply too conspicuous.

The other was the lithe and agile Lei Zhen, known in the martial world as "Iron Fist."

Initially, Lei Zhen hadn't intended to reveal his real name in this strange and unknown place.

Unfortunately, he had demonstrated his unique fist techniques in front of Dong Xiong in the real world, so when he practiced his boxing in this strange space, Dong Xiong recognized him at a glance.

Dong Xiong was a blabbermouth who couldn't keep a secret, and once the news spread from him, everyone knew that the famous "Iron Fist" Lei Zhen was among them.

After the two men appeared, the voice rang out again:

"If you're each willing to give me five thousand taels of silver, I can sell you this important information."

Dong Xiong and Lei Zhen remained calm upon hearing this, clearly unmoved.

Dong Xiong's expression even darkened as he asked in a deep voice:

"Boy, what's your background?"

"You say the information can save us, and we're just supposed to believe you?"

Although Lei Zhen didn't speak, his eyes revealed the same skepticism.

The figure remained unhurried and continued, saying:

"Your affairs originally had nothing to do with me. But I heard that you robbed the government's grain to save many people, and I really can't bear to see you die like this."

"I'm charging you five thousand taels, which isn't much, considering that I'm also taking a risk."

"I've said what I needed to say. If you believe me, we can go find a broker to trade privately; if you don't believe me, then forget it."

Having said that, the figure adopted an indifferent attitude, as if he didn't care whether the deal went through or not.

These words made Dong Xiong and Lei Zhen hesitate.

Dong Xiong sneered directly, mocking:

"I, Lao Dong, have been struggling in the pugilistic world for so many years, I can't even count the number of people who have tried to deceive me."

"It would be fine if you could produce something concrete, but you want to swindle Lao Dong's silver with just empty words? Dream on!"

"Boy, let me tell you, in a few days, I, Lao Dong, will be able to lead my brothers to Banquet Mountain Stronghold. By then, who will be able to kill me, Lao Dong?"

After speaking, Dong Xiong turned his head and strode away to check out other items, his resolute back seeming to declare his disdain for the figure.

The figure merely snorted at this, without offering further explanation, as if he had expected Dong Xiong to react this way.

Lei Zhen hesitated for a while, but in the end, he stepped forward to try and bargain:

"I don't have five thousand taels; I only have one thousand six hundred taels of silver on me. If you're willing, I can give you all of it."

"I don't care about my own life or death, but I have two brothers, and I have to think of them, which is why I've come to you to buy this information."

When the figure initially heard that Lei Zhen only had a little over a thousand taels of silver, he kept shaking his head, clearly preparing to refuse.

But when he heard the last sentence, he hesitated.

He seemed to be struggling, or perhaps weighing something.

Finally, he sighed deeply:

"I've heard of your two brothers, 'Timely Rain' Song Jiang, and 'Blood Sword Lone Wolf' Xiao Liu. The three of you are all heroes who help the people."

"Forget it, for the sake of all the things you've done for the people, one thousand six hundred taels it is. Let's go find a broker to trade privately."

Having said that, the two men came to the wooden puppet that everyone called a "broker."

As he spoke, Lei Zhen took out all the silver notes and loose silver he had on him and placed them neatly in front of the wooden puppet.

As if possessing sentience, the wooden puppet understood his intentions without Lei Zhen needing to explain too much.

The wooden puppet slowly extended its hand, its movements stiff yet precisely taking the silver notes and loose silver.

In the next moment, the silver notes and loose silver instantly disappeared.

Immediately afterward, Lei Zhen and the figure felt a flash of light before their eyes, and the two suddenly disappeared from the spot.

When they reappeared, they were on a huge lotus-shaped stone platform.

Clouds and mist swirled around the stone platform, obscuring everything, making it impossible to see a single figure, as if they were in a fairyland, yet permeated with an air of mystery.

This was the private trading venue created by the wooden puppet.

Lei Zhen steadied himself and said:

"You can speak now."

The figure cleared his throat and slowly said:

"The case of you robbing the prefect last time caused a big stir and has already attracted the attention of the Six Doors in the capital."

"Just yesterday, Capturer of the Wind, one of the Four Great Arresters of the Six Doors, has already arrived in Chang Prefecture and has reached Kaixin County."

"Capturer of the Wind has brought many Six Doors experts this time, and their target is your three brothers and the Black Boar Stronghold gang."

"Now that the Black Boar Stronghold has been breached by government troops, I think Capturer of the Wind will most likely go after your three brothers."

Upon hearing this, Lei Zhen's heart jolted, and the expression on his face instantly froze.

He never expected that the seemingly ordinary robbery case would alarm the Four Great Arresters.

You should know that the Four Great Arresters deal with major cases across the land. Why would this mere robbery case attract their attention?

Could it be as Dong Xiong said, that the damned prefect exaggerated the stolen grain tenfold after returning, thereby provoking the court's wrath?

In an instant, Lei Zhen's mind was filled with thoughts, and various ideas flashed through his mind.

He wasn't sure whether this information was true or false, but since he had already spent money to buy it, he wouldn't go back on his word.

"Thank you for telling me!"

Lei Zhen cupped his fist at the figure, his tone full of gratitude.

The figure also sighed and said:

"I hope that you, Hero Lei, will prepare early to avoid any misfortune."

"In my heart, I also don't want the three heroes to be captured by the government."

Lei Zhen nodded, then shouted loudly at the sky:

"Transaction complete!"

In the next moment, the wooden puppet appeared out of thin air.

It handed one thousand three hundred and forty taels of silver to the figure.

One thousand six hundred taels of silver, deducting the ten percent transaction fee of one hundred and sixty taels, and then deducting the one hundred taels required for a private transaction, leaving this much.

The figure took the money and carefully counted it.

He could bring this silver, which had passed through the wooden puppet's hands, back to the real world.

After confirming that it was correct, he replied:

"Transaction complete."

The moment both parties completed the transaction, Lei Zhen and the figure's eyes blurred, and in the blink of an eye, they had returned to the City of the Wrongfully Dead.

Around them, the others were still busily engaged in their respective transactions, with the sounds of bargaining and laughter intertwined, as if nothing had broken the lively atmosphere that had just occurred.

After a while, everyone's transactions were completed.

Dong Xiong immediately urged:

"Brothers, now that everyone has finished their buying and selling, let's rush up and fight the final expert!"

Everyone responded immediately and set off.

They were already familiar with this place, following the streets and running towards the distance.

At this time, Dong Xiong quietly came to Lei Zhen's side and said in a low voice:

"Hero Lei, that fellow just now was sneaky and suspicious, he must have bad intentions. Don't fall for his tricks."

Lei Zhen glanced at Dong Xiong, didn't say anything, but continued on his way, his steps firm and steady.

Dong Xiong wouldn't let it go and said again:

"By the way, what did he tell you? Tell me, Lao Dong."

"Let Lao Dong help you find the loopholes and weaknesses in his words, so as to see through his treachery!"

Hearing this, Lei Zhen looked at Dong Xiong and shook his head helplessly, then quickly stepped forward, trying to get away from Dong Xiong.

Dong Xiong smiled awkwardly and then chased after them.

The group quickly followed the street to their destination.

Here, stood a majestic palace.

In front of the palace was a wide square.

The mysterious expert whom everyone feared was already waiting on the square.

The group had been here countless times and had fought this mysterious expert countless times.

However, each time they could only stop here, unable to advance any further.

But today, some changes had occurred.

The mysterious expert on the square was holding a long spear, the tip of which gleamed with a cold light, as if it could pierce the sky.

“This guy actually… actually switched to using a spear!”

Someone exclaimed, their voice filled with surprise and fear.

“Damn it, this time it’s going to be tough!”

Another person couldn't help but complain, their face full of worry.

“What are you afraid of? So many of us survived this time, we can win even if we have to fill it with our lives!”

Someone retorted, shouting loudly, trying to boost the morale of the others.

The group had fought this mysterious expert many times.

At first, the mysterious expert used fist techniques. After countless hard battles, just when the group was about to win, they never expected the mysterious expert's fist techniques to suddenly change, reversing the situation in one fell swoop.

After that, the mysterious expert began to frequently change weapons, sometimes using a sword, sometimes a saber, and sometimes a one-legged bronze man, as if constantly searching for the most suitable weapon for himself, which also gave everyone a headache.

Without being familiar with his routines and moves, it was extremely difficult to defeat him.

At this moment, Dong Xiong turned to Lei Zhen and asked:

“Lei Zhen, are you participating in this battle?”

Lei Zhen had once said that this mysterious expert was kind to him, so he often gave up fighting the mysterious expert.

Without Lei Zhen, a fifth-rank expert, the group's battle became particularly difficult.

Lei Zhen clenched his fist and stepped forward to answer:

“Senior has already told me last time to let me fight with all my strength.”

“So this time, I will participate in the battle.”

The crowd was immediately excited when they heard this.

With Lei Zhen's participation, the group's chances of winning seemed to have increased a bit.

“Then what are we waiting for!”

Dong Xiong shouted:

“Brothers, let’s go together!”

With that, he took the lead and rushed forward, followed closely by the others, their shouts deafening.

The long spear in the mysterious expert's hand moved, the spear shot out like a dragon, with fierce power.

When he thrust his spear, he could conjure thousands of red spear shadows, like a prairie fire, sweeping towards his opponents.

The spear technique was sometimes strange and unpredictable, and the delicate parts were like embroidery needles, which could easily hit people's acupoints.

At other times, it was continuous and interlocked, so that even when fighting against the few, he could cope with ease.

Whenever the crowd thought they had found a flaw, the mysterious expert could always display the corresponding spear stance, easily resolving the crisis, as if this set of spear techniques had reached a perfect state.

In a sea of spear shadows, people fell one after another, turning into green smoke and dissipating.

This battle was extremely tragic, with shouts of killing and the sounds of weapons colliding intertwined, as if to shatter this world.

As time passed, the battle gradually came to an end.

All the besieging warriors, whether Dong Xiong or Lei Zhen, died under the long spear and turned into wisps of green smoke.

The sound of battle gradually disappeared, and finally returned to silence.

In the end, only the mysterious expert holding the long spear remained in the field.

It was Liang Jin.

Liang Jin glanced at the long spear in his hand and sighed:

“After trying it out, the long spear is still the easiest to use, probably because the 'Prairie Fire Spear Technique' itself is very good.”

“It’s decided, I’ll use the spear from now on!”

Ever since Liang Jin upgraded the 'Great Subduing Demon Fist' to the 'World Great Subduing Demon Fist' in the Nine Sky Unbounded Realm last time and obtained the fist intent.

He had been thinking about what martial art to upgrade next, and what weapon to use.

In terms of martial arts, his goal was very clear, it must be an Earth-level martial art.

Because Liang Jin was not short of Earth-level martial arts now, he wanted to use the Nine Sky Unbounded Realm to upgrade Earth-level martial arts to Heaven-level martial arts.

Liang Jin knew that this process would probably be very long.

After all, it had taken him a lot of time to upgrade a Profound-level martial art to an Earth-level martial art, and the time required to upgrade to a Heaven-level martial art would probably increase exponentially.

In comparison, condensing spear intent might be easier.

But it was easy to condense primary spear intent, but it was difficult to improve spear intent.

His clone had heard Yu Linglong say that martial intent was divided into three levels: Observation, Introspection, and Perfection.

Martial intent at the Observation level was like reading the texture of water, which could make one's martial arts more powerful.

Martial intent at the Introspection level was like entering the underworld, understanding the principles of life and death of all things.

Martial intent at the Perfection level returned to simplicity, martial intent was the way of heaven.

Regarding the three levels of martial intent, Yu Linglong only knew the most about the Observation level, and knew very little about the other two levels.

After all, since ancient times, warriors who had cultivated martial intent were rare, and most of them stayed at the Observation level.

Only those peerless experts who dominated their respective eras could reach the Introspection level.

And these experts were generally the best in the world in their era, extraordinary and detached, beyond the reach of ordinary people, and it was impossible to explain the situation of the Introspection level in detail.

As for the Perfection level, it was a legendary realm, and people who entered this realm had become legendary figures, whose authenticity was difficult to distinguish, illusory and ethereal, and difficult to define.

Liang Jin's own Dawn Fist Intent had just been condensed and had not yet been stabilized in the Observation level, and he also understood that it needed more training.

Fortunately, with the characteristics of the [Nine Sky Unbounded Realm], his fist intent would improve rapidly.

Then, he glanced at the item bar and said with satisfaction:

“I made a lot of silver today.”

“It seems that I have to increase the proportion as there are more people in the future.”

The wooden puppet, which was called a “broker” by the warriors, was actually being controlled by Liang Jin.

As a god in the Nine Sky Unbounded Realm, he could easily control everything here.

There is such a description about the Nine Sky Unbounded Realm:

[Note: The Nine Sky Unbounded Realm is both real and illusory, both true and false. The items in the item bar can be used in the Nine Sky Unbounded Realm, and can also be taken out of the Nine Sky Unbounded Realm.]

Liang Jin had a whim and wanted to try whether he could realize the transactions between these warriors through his [Item Bar] as an intermediary.

As a result, it worked!

So Liang Jin acted as a transaction intermediary to help the warriors carry out transactions.

Liang Jin knew very well that only by letting these warriors feel the great value of the [Nine Sky Unbounded Realm] would they regard being able to enter the [Nine Sky Unbounded Realm] as a precious opportunity, so that they would not wait to enter every day.

And Liang Jin will firmly control the [Nine Sky Unbounded Realm] platform in the future, and to a certain extent, he will also be able to control the future of each warrior.

At this time, Liang Jin couldn't help but think of the conversation between Lei Zhen and the figure he had heard before.

This also made him feel a burst of helplessness:

“Four Famous Arresters… I just solved one, and another one is coming.”

“It seems that I really have a connection with the Four Famous Arresters.”

Liang Jin had already checked the position of that Qin Feng through the [Thousand Mile Tracking] characteristic.

As the figure said, Qin Feng, one of the Four Famous Arresters, was indeed tracking towards Liang Jin and the others!