#276 - Chapter 276: Interception 2

The black-robed man moved swiftly, silently weaving through the bustling crowd. Each step seemed perfectly calculated, avoiding both the guards patrolling the street corners and the seemingly casual but watchful eyes.

The air was thick with the mingled scents of spices and food, but to the black-robed man, these were merely background noise on his escape route.

Meanwhile, inside the Jinxi Tower, the martial artists who had followed the black-robed man out had just witnessed everything. Exchanging glances, one burly man with a thick neck said, "Fortune favors the bold. Let's follow him and see."

On the other side, the task of tracking the black-robed man quietly unfolded.

The informants from various factions were all straining to follow the black-robed man. A martial artist who could pull out three hundred thousand taels of silver was a fat sheep indeed. Anyone with a brain wouldn't believe that was all he had.

This was an auction, after all. Wouldn't he be afraid of others buying the item if he didn't have enough money?

An old man in a grey robe, with eyes as sharp as an eagle's and an almost imperceptible smile playing on his lips, slowly stepped into the crowd. He was a well-known tracker in the city, known as 'Shadow Trace,' possessing unique methods of tracking and concealment.

Relying on his familiarity with the city's terrain and years of accumulated experience, Shadow Trace quickly locked onto the general direction of the black-robed man's movements, gesturing a few times to his partner, who nodded and rushed off along another path.

While keeping the black-robed man in sight, Shadow Trace spoke with mocking intent, trying to affect the man's state of mind: "Young man, do you really think you can escape the palms of those great figures?

The Li, Lin, Liu, and Zhang families above don't want any other forces to rise and take over their territory.

Below, the Angry Tiger, Horizontal Stone, and Ironclad gangs are watching with covetous eyes, and in between are numerous small families and factions hoping for scraps.

You probably don't know how many people want the auxiliary technique you spent so much money on. You actually managed to buy it.

You definitely won't be able to escape. Why not copy the technique and distribute it to the major forces? That way, you might save your life."

The black-robed man moved with great strides, completely ignoring Shadow Trace.

Instead, he increased his speed even further, darting through narrow alleys, using the complex terrain to evade pursuit.

But Shadow Trace kept pressing closer, always managing to keep up. A silent chase unfolded between the two.

Shadow Trace pursued at a leisurely pace. This was entirely based on his experience. Actually fighting and robbing wasn't something he did!

Occasionally saying a few idle words could also disturb the other party.

Just as the black-robed man thought he had successfully shaken off his pursuer and was about to enter an alley that appeared to be a dead end,

a crack silently opened in the wall on one side of the alley entrance, and a young man in night clothes leaped out, wielding a short blade, heading straight for the black-robed man. This young man was the ambush Shadow Trace had arranged in advance.

Seeing this, the black-robed man abruptly changed direction, striking out with a palm. The palm wind was fierce, carrying a force not to be underestimated. The young man moved nimbly, borrowing strength to soar into the air, avoiding the palm wind, while the short blade transformed into a streak of cold light, aiming straight for the black-robed man's throat.

The black-robed man seemed prepared, his figure blurring again, using some kind of brilliant footwork to instantly appear behind the young man, striking him unconscious with a palm.

Just as the black-robed man was about to leave, a low chuckle came from the alley entrance, and Shadow Trace slowly stepped in, his gaze profound: "Your Excellency has great skill, but I'm afraid it will be difficult to escape unscathed today."

The black-robed man snorted coldly, not saying a word, but the blood energy around him surged, clearly preparing for battle.

Shadow Trace glanced at the black-robed man and silently stepped aside, clearing the way forward: "Fang Lian, it's up to you."

A large figure appeared from the shadows. The newcomer was bare-chested, with muscles all over his body, a towering physique nearly two meters tall, a bald head, and a sinister, bloodthirsty expression. He was clearly not someone to be trifled with.

Fang Lian snarled: 'Hand over the Silken Thread Art, and I might spare you. Otherwise, I'll tear you apart alive!'

The black-robed man's eyes gleamed in the night, and faced with this sudden threat, he showed no sign of panic. Blood energy swirled around him, surging like a tangible substance, revealing the powerful force hidden within him. He coldly swept his gaze over the tall man called Fang Lian, a sneer curving his lips.

"Silken Thread Art? You dare to interfere in this matter when you know nothing. You are the ones courting death."

The black-robed man's voice was low and firm, each word seeming to carry the weight of a thousand pounds.

Hearing this, the burly man's expression became even more ferocious. He roared and lunged forward like a tiger descending the mountain, heading straight for the black-robed man. His fists were wrapped in whistling wind, clearly intending to overwhelm him with force and subdue him with a single blow.

The black-robed man moved slightly, as if blending into the darkness, easily avoiding the burly man's attack. His movements were ghostly, each appearing perfectly in the burly man's blind spot, leaving the latter with brute strength but no way to use it.

"Hmph, a cowardly rat who only knows how to dodge!" The burly man roared, his attacks becoming more fierce, but the black-robed man was like a fish playing in water, always maintaining a delicate balance, neither confronting the burly man head-on nor giving him any chance to breathe.

Just then, another disturbance came from the alley entrance, and several grey-robed subordinates of Shadow Trace quietly appeared, surrounding the alley. Clearly, Shadow Trace had already laid a net, waiting for the black-robed man to fall into the trap.

And on the periphery of the encirclement, more figures vaguely appeared.

Seeing this, a sharp glint flashed in the black-robed man's eyes. He knew that if he wanted to escape unscathed today, he had to show his true strength.

He took a deep breath, and the blood energy around him suddenly surged, a powerful pressure emanating from his body, causing the surrounding air to freeze.

"Since you seek death, then don't blame me for being merciless!" The black-robed man shouted, his figure erupting like a tiger out of its cage, heading straight for the tall burly man. This time, he no longer dodged, but chose to confront him head-on.

Fists and palms collided, erupting in a deafening roar. The black-robed man's figure drew a graceful arc in the air, landing steadily, while the tall burly man was shaken back, his face as pale as paper.

"This... how is this possible!" The burly man widened his eyes in disbelief. He had never seen such a powerful opponent.

The black-robed man did not give him a chance to breathe, his figure erupting again, darting between the crowd like a ghost, each strike precise and deadly. Soon, the grey-robed subordinates fell one after another, and the alley returned to silence.

Shadow Trace had already run away and hidden in the distance when the black-robed man's tone changed, watching this scene with a complex expression:

"Fang Lian, who is in the mid-stage of Bone Refinement from the Horizontal Stone Gang, is no match for him. It seems he must be at least in the late or complete stage of Bone Refinement."

"But what use does a martial artist in the complete stage of Bone Refinement have for the Silken Thread Art?"

Looking at Fang Lian, whose life or death was uncertain, Shadow Trace was too lazy to care. He was just here to earn some extra money, not to solve problems for others!