At that critical moment, a massive dapudao—over nine feet long—swept upward in a devastating arc. The force of the swing sent two of the assassins’ knives flying through the air. Before they could react, the blade slashed horizontally, cutting them down at the waist and sending them crashing to the ground.
Wu Ma Nan Sheng landed on the front of one cart, grabbing hold of its side panel to steady the vehicle, preventing any more watermelons from spilling and breaking open. At the same time, Qilin—displaying astonishing agility—caught hold of the second cart and gently lowered it to the ground, ensuring it remained intact.
The four assassins, still standing, froze in shock when they recognized the man in the iron mask.
A flicker of terror passed through their eyes. Not a single one dared to attack again.
Two of the injured assassins, who had been struck down by Wu Ma Nan Sheng, happened to be close together. One whispered in a low voice, “The clan leader… he’s alive. He has finally returned.”
The other man, face pale with fear, hissed, “Shut up! Don’t expose our identities!”
But the first assassin couldn’t help himself. “If the clan leader has returned, what do we have to fear?”
No one else had overheard their exchange.
Qilin, after stabilizing the cart, didn’t hesitate—he leapt onto the top of the red-canopied carriage.
Wu Ma Nan Sheng’s heart nearly stopped. If Qilin startled Lord Xiao Wang, he would be in serious trouble! Just as he was about to drag Qilin down, he saw something unexpected—Qilin rolled up his left sleeve, then used the index finger of his right hand to cut a deep gash along his forearm.
Wu Ma Nan Sheng immediately noticed something peculiar—Qilin’s index and middle fingers were unusually long, longer than an average person’s.
After slashing his arm, Qilin pressed his fingers against the wound, forcing out a stream of bright red blood. Then, reaching into his robe, he pulled out a yellow talisman paper. Soaking it with his blood, he flicked his wrist and tossed it into the air.
The blood-soaked talisman shattered mid-air into tiny paper fragments, scattering in every direction. But rather than dispersing randomly, the fragments seemed to aim themselves, flying straight toward the swarming corpse beetles.
The moment the insects came into contact with the blood-soaked talisman fragments, they instantly weakened, their fierce movements faltering. Now, a simple swipe from a soldier’s hand was enough to send them tumbling lifelessly to the ground.
One after another, Qilin continued soaking talisman papers in his blood and casting them out, swiftly bringing the chaotic scene under control.
Meanwhile, Wu Ma Nan Sheng made his way to the front of the red-canopied carriage—only to discover that the coachman had mysteriously disappeared.
Alarmed, he called out, “Lord Xiao Wang, are you unharmed?”
No response.
“My lord, forgive my offense. I, Wu Ma Nan Sheng, must lift the curtain to confirm your safety.” He reached out and pulled back the curtain—
The inside of the carriage was spacious and lavish.
But it was empty.
Wang Cang Hai was gone.
Wu Ma Nan Sheng felt a chill run down his spine. Where did he go? Had he been kidnapped?
From his perch on the carriage roof, Qilin peered down and asked, “Is Wang Cang Hai alright? Why do you look so stunned?”
Wu Ma Nan Sheng, still in shock, muttered, “My lord… he’s not here.”
Suddenly, from the direction of the tea shop, another wave of assassins came rushing in, wielding blades. This group was clearly well-trained, charging straight at the Silver Armor Battalion while slashing at the legs of the warhorses first.
This was an ambush in multiple stages, Qilin realized.
First, they had used the tea shop as bait, attempting to drug the soldiers with knockout-laced tea. Then, they had sent the watermelon carts to scatter the formation and release the bloodthirsty corpse beetles. And now, the final strike—armed assassins in a full-scale attack.
Just who in the world had Wang Cang Hai offended?
The one who orchestrated this elaborate trap was both ruthless and brilliant.
Qilin almost wanted to meet them—such an intelligent and capable villain deserved to be known.
However, the immediate situation was far from ideal.
Wang Cang Hai had vanished.
The Silver Armor Battalion was in disarray, their commander being none other than the “all-brawn-no-brains” Wu Ma Nan Sheng—who, so far, had issued zero orders.
Realizing this, Qilin took a deep breath and shouted at the top of his lungs:
“All Silver Armor soldiers, heed my command! Form a Five-Wing Plum Blossom Formation with the red-canopied carriage as the center! Repel the enemy advance!”
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