170. Aggressive (First update, subscriptions requested)

Although the Dark Blood Assassin Wilson and the Angel Mercenary Gregory had entered Chinese territory upon receiving intelligence to seize a fortuitous opportunity, their deaths on Chinese soil were entirely unacceptable to their respective organizations.

Although nearly half a year had passed, both factions had been verifying the matter through various channels. Now certain that they had perished within a subterranean palace in China and that their deaths were naturally tied to the Chinese, they had come to demand an explanation and exact retribution.

Moreover, they deliberately targeted only the martial arts elite of Northeast China to avoid making an enemy of the entirety of China. Both factions knew full well that even if they combined their forces, challenging the entire Chinese martial arts world would be an impossibility.

Yet, for confronting merely the regional martial arts community of Northeast China, they believed two peak grandmaster martial artists would be more than sufficient. To ensure absolute foolproof success, they had even specially invited a supreme Xiantian Martial Saint to accompany them in secret just in case.

"Clive, we still need to exercise some caution. After all, China boasts numerous formidable experts. Should we inadvertently alert more of them, even with Lord Nirom present, the rest of us will inevitably face trouble," Dragoo reminded him after a brief moment of thought.

"I am well aware of that. We are currently facing only a tiny fraction of China's martial artists, and since we arrived so swiftly, their other cultivators cannot possibly gather so quickly. With Lord Nirom secretly protecting us, even if our mission hits a snag, safely retreating will present no problem at all," Clive replied with considerable confidence.

"They are twenty kilometers away from the Chinese cultivators. Among those cultivators are four martial arts grandmasters, though only one is at the peak grandmaster level, while the other three are beginner grandmasters. As for the dozen or so martial arts masters accompanying them, they are of little consequence,"

At that moment, the Xiantian Martial Saint Nirom abruptly spoke up to offer a warning. With the strength and perceptual abilities of a Xiantian Martial Saint—comparable to a Qi Refiner in the foundational stages—sensing the aura of powerful martial artists twenty or thirty kilometers away was effortless.

After issuing his warning, Nirom's aura returned to an elusive, faint state. Upon closer inspection, it felt almost indistinguishable from those of the other martial arts masters, entirely stripped of any terrifying Xiantian Martial Saint pressure.

"Attention everyone, those Western experts are about to arrive," Malia also warned the surrounding martial arts experts with a solemn expression. Standing alongside her were Uncle Thirteen Wu Xie, Marina, and Wan Huafeng.

Surrounding this core group were over a dozen martial arts masters, among whom were Hong Chongshan, Wan Jianlin, and Bai Longtu—whom Chen Fengyun had previously encountered by chance while Bai happened to be attending to business in the Northeast, prompting him to step forward voluntarily upon crossing paths with them.

"Do not panic, everyone. Should a conflict break out shortly, the three of you need only hold off one of their peak grandmasters. The rest of you outnumber them, so you can surround and overwhelm them. Furthermore, the longer the battle is dragged out, the more reinforcements we will receive."

Seeing anxiety flicker across the faces of several martial arts masters as the auras of the enemy's two peak grandmasters advanced brazenly without any concealment, bearing down directly and closing the distance rapidly, Malia spoke to steady their nerves.

"That's right. Ten minutes ago, I notified Dingdang from our Ma family. She is now a peak grandmaster herself. As long as she manages to arrive from the capital, our victory is secured," Marina announced loudly to the crowd.

While Bai Longtu from the south was unfamiliar with Ma Dingdang, upon hearing her name, all the northern martial arts experts immediately wore expressions of delight. They knew that despite her young age, Ma Dingdang possessed extraordinary talent and her strength had already surpassed that of her aunt.

"It seems the Ma family has worthy successors. I wonder how this young Miss Dingdang compares to my little brother?" Uncle Thirteen Wu Xie asked Malia with a smile.

"Uncle Thirteen, which little brother are you referring to?" The members of the Ma family were well aware of Chen Fengyun because Ma Dingdang had mentioned him, but the northern experts present were in the dark, prompting Wan Huafeng to ask out of curiosity.

"Haha, all of you should have heard of my little brother: Mr. Chen of Rongcheng," Uncle Thirteen Wu Xie declared with a hint of pride.

"So it is Mr. Chen. I have indeed longed to meet him for a long time," someone immediately chimed in.

"Uncle Thirteen, half a year ago, rumors spread that Mr. Chen had slain the Japanese master, Yasui Kazuo, who had already reached the realm of a peak martial arts grandmaster. Was he already a grandmaster back then?" another person asked.

"Mr. Chen must have been a martial arts grandmaster long before that. Down in the Changbai subterranean palace, he effortlessly eliminated five or six foreign martial arts masters with a mere wave of his hand, and it didn't even look like he was using his full strength," Hong Chongshan proclaimed loudly.

"Most importantly, Mr. Chen is similarly young. He should be about the same age as Miss Ma Dingdang," Wan Jianlin added.

"Ha ha, Uncle Thirteen, it seems you aren't aware yet. Your little brother and our Dingdang are both studying at Peking University, and they share a very close relationship," Malia said with a chuckle.

"Oh? There is such a thing? Could it be that my little brother has taken a fancy to your girl?" Uncle Thirteen paused, then asked with a laugh.

"As for that, young people know their own business; we haven't questioned them about it yet." Malia truly hadn't heard of this details, and a glance at Marina revealed that the latter seemed equally clueless.

"Even if Mr. Chen was a martial arts grandmaster half a year ago, surely he still can't compare to Miss Dingdang? After all, Miss Dingdang is a peak grandmaster now," the northern cultivators naturally argued in favor of Ma Dingdang.

"Do not underestimate the heroes of the world, everyone. Our Dingdang stated herself that her strength is far inferior to Mr. Chen's, and the fact that her power has grown so rapidly is largely thanks to Mr. Chen's assistance," Marina shook her head and earnestly corrected the crowd.

Silence fell over the gathering. Although a few remained skeptical in their hearts, since members of the Ma family had stated as much, it was difficult to argue further. At that moment, two immense and powerful auras manifested in the distance, and a group of figures could be seen rapidly flying toward them.

"Dragoo, Clive, leading your followers into China while making no attempt to conceal your auras—is this an open challenge to the Chinese martial arts world?" Malia's voice rang through the heavens like a thunderclap, causing the ears of the surrounding experts to ring incessantly.

"Old woman of the Ma family, I never expected you to still be among the living. What is this? Friends have come from afar, yet you show no welcome? Is this how hospitality works in China?" A voice echoed from afar.

"When friends arrive, we offer fine wine; when jackals arrive, we greet them with hunting rifles. That is our Chinese brand of hospitality. You two undead relics, marching so brazenly into China—have you grown tired of living?" Uncle Thirteen Wu Xie shouted back in a similarly resonant voice.

"Ah, it's Old Ghost Wu. Word was that you suffered grievous injuries back then, and to think you didn't die either! However, although your injuries have healed, your strength leaves much to be desired," Dragoo laughed heartily before a multitude of figures descended upon the mountain peak opposite the Chinese group.

"Hmph, the two of you arrive bristling with hostility. Do you take the Chinese martial arts world for a collection of nobodies?" Seeing the brazen arrogance of their opponents, Wan Huafeng could no longer hold back and bellowed in anger.