The sound of hurried breathing was almost impossible to suppress, reverberating through the alley. Behind it, the sound of clothes fluttering tightly followed, never leaving, like a night owl circling with a cold laugh. The footsteps had already begun to become chaotic. Xu Guangmao tightly clutched his chest with one hand, feeling that the injury could no longer be suppressed. The wound had reopened, blood soaking his inner shirt, and the smell of blood kept drilling into his nose. His vision was beginning to blur. This was because not only was his chest wounded by a blade, but during escape, he was struck from behind; the enemy's hidden weapons technique was highly skilled, and the poison was as well. The breathing was too hurried, and the heartbeat sound was growing louder. Fresh chapters posted on NovєlFіre.net At this moment, strangely enough, he no longer felt tired. The scent of blood was actually similar to the smell of rust. The wind scraped across his blood-stained chest, a northwest wind, coarse like sand. His father was an iron grinder. Back then, when the wind blew through the courtyard and alleys, this was the smell, this was the feeling. Along with the sound of grinding metal and the calls of peddlers on the street, he lay under the shade of a tree, squinting his eyes for a nap. At that time, he didn't know that such a warm scent could also be cold and despairing. An evil gust hit him from behind, pulling him back to reality under the willow shade of the alley. He tried to dodge, but his body could not keep up with his mental response. He avoided the vital points, but the distant Qi Force viciously landed on his shoulder. As if some balance was broken, Xu Guangmao's body was flung out, crashing to the ground. He struggled to get up, but his body seemed already at its limit, unable to muster the slightest strength. The whistle stopped long ago; no reinforcements would come. Indeed, there wouldn't have been anyone coming. The Ministry of Punishment, with their Wind Catching and Shadow Chasing, two major espionage organizations, concealed their names and identities. Each had their tasks. He only wished to try before dying, hoping if there might be a spy from the Ministry in this city, he could be saved, and the message he carried could be delivered without falling. But now, it seemed everything extinguished with the willow shade of the alley. Thinking of the intelligence on his body, a surge of strength seemed to rise within Xu Guangmao, propping him up. No matter what, the intelligence must be delivered… He staggered, almost crawling forward, only to take a few steps when a foot pressed on his back, slightly exerting force to push Xu Guangmao heavily to the ground. A disdainful voice sounded: "Are the people from the Ministry of Punishment all this good at running? Truly worthy of being hounds." Another female voice from the side said: "A keen nose indeed. If it weren't for our unease, and little extra caution kept, you might indeed have carried the message away." She was a woman with somewhat pretty looks, tilting her head to look at the distant lights, smiling: "Should say truly someone from the Ministry? Even at this time, trying to leave the city district market, afraid we would harm civilians? Pity, that was your only chance to survive." "I suddenly have a question; are the disciples of the Three Teachings and Ten Families all this stubbornly foolish?" "The person who died at our hands last time was too. They had a hard mouth, never speaking no matter what was asked. We had no choice but to bring in a master adept in slow slicing torture. Cut off much flesh, starting at starfall and only died at the next day's sunrise." "Still couldn't ask anything out, so fed them to the dogs." The consumptive man pressing on his spine coldly laughed twice, saying: "Good, very good, another tough bone here. Seems old Sai can indulge again, the two thin dogs at home have tasted human and have long been hungry." At this moment, suddenly, footsteps echoed, and all three were slightly startled. A hint of hope appeared in Xu Guangmao's eyes, while the other two became somewhat wary, glanced at each other, each pulling out a weapon. The man kicked Xu Guangmao's waist point, sealing his Qi and blood, kicking him aside to avoid disruption later. The footsteps gradually approached, echoing in the slightly narrow alley. Clouds covered the moonlight. The woman slightly frowned. Accompanied by the footsteps, a young man dressed in black slowly walked out from ahead, his expression somewhat indifferent. The consumptive man sensed the Qi Mechanism, detecting nothing unusual. Feeling reassured, he smirked coldly. Whether they're from the Ministry of Punishment or just some nosy Jianghu wanderer, weapons don't care if the blood is from one person or two people. It's rather more, the better. Those cursed animals in the backyard have quite an appetite. Despair appeared in Xu Guangmao's eyes. Fingers dug into the ground, making crackling sounds, struggling to stand up, gently supporting the wall to half-squat, barely catching his breath, shouting: "Cough, cough, cough, these two are Northwest outlaws, the Consumptive King Yan and the Pretty-faced Judge. You are not their match alone, cough, cough, run!" The consumptive man clapped and laughed loudly: "Can't run anymore, dear, let's not kill this one yet, need to kill someone to indulge or I'll die of suffocation!" The beautiful woman threw a glance, charmingly saying: "Nothing good comes out of a dog's mouth." While speaking, neither of them gave the emerging young man a glance, the woman's face showed a tempting hint of shyness as she spoke 'emit' but before she finished, the two already performed their movement technique, suddenly leaping out, clearly trying to catch the young man off guard. One wielded an unusual short-handled weapon, with a spear head and a scythe at the tail, ethereal like a ghost; the other held a cane, the head shaped like an eagle, imposing might with Vigorous Qi surging. Xu Guangmao's eyes widened, urgently saying: "Quick, avoid it! That scythe is the Soul Hook Lock, with Thirty-Seven Military Arts, each has Thirty-Seven Changes, able to perform spear techniques, swordsmanship, unusual weapons scythe, even chains, tough and unpredictable!" "The eagle-headed cane specializes in snatching weapons, inside hides a thin sword, these two cultivated rare Yin inner strength of Jianghu, in combat, excel at freezing blood vessels and limbs, with spirit-sapping Dharma, a careless moment and you will…" Someone laughed grotesquely: "Haha, say as much as you like, failing is failing, dead is dead, right dear?!" "Giggle, you actually said some human words indeed." Blade light burst forth! Terrifying and simple Vigorous Qi like a furious dragon, cutting sharp and fierce, fiercely cutting down. Xu Guangmao's breath suddenly paused, feeling like Heaven and Earth grew dim, a black moon rising. On the alley ground, a knife mark appeared with a crackle, Qi dust scattered. Like heavy ghost shadows, two Northwest bandits performing various Qimen Dunjia paused slightly in the air, then flew out like rag bags, crashing heavily to the ground, splattering blood everywhere. Xu Guangmao's voice stuck in his throat. He stiffly turned his head, seeing two Northwest bandits lying beside him, exactly where they stood before yet utterly breathless. For a moment, his mind went numb, difficult to think. Steady footsteps approached Clouds parted, under the clear cold moonlight, he struggled to rise, seeing the young man in black looking at him indifferently, slowly sheathing his sword, saying: "Did you just say something?" PS: Today's second update presented......