You Will Answer to My Ax

Juanxiu was shocked to see his Uncle Hao Shunyuan here. He couldn't believe it. Was his uncle behind this cult? Was he here to take revenge on the empire? Juanxiu's mind was racing with questions. But Old man Bai Fa's constant reminder kept him grounded.

"Prepare the formation," Hao Shunyuan ordered.

Eighteen people wearing robes moved to a specific location, and the ground lit up. Juanxiu's eyes widened as he saw the structure of the formation. It wasn't a trap formation, it wasn't a support formation, but an attack formation. The intention of the formation was to devour the soul of those within it.

Juanxiu's heart raced as he watched the formation come to life. He could feel the energy emanating from it, dark and foreboding. This was not a formation to be taken lightly, and he knew that they were in trouble.

As the formation grew stronger, the crowd began to stir. The hypnotized people were becoming restless, sensing the power of the formation. Juanxiu knew that if they didn't act fast, they would be overwhelmed by the cult's power.

Juanxiu felt a sense of urgency; he knew that if they didn't act fast, the people in the crowd would be devoured by the formation. Despite the risks, he turned to Old Man Bai Fa and whispered, "We have to do something to save these people."

Old Man Bai Fa nodded in agreement and together they approached the other parties in the crowd, sharing Juanxiu's plan with them. Cao Yin was hesitant, urging them to wait for Pan Geming and the reinforcements, but Juanxiu knew that they couldn't afford to delay any longer.

"We can't just stand by and watch these people die," Juanxiu said firmly, determined to take action and prevent the formation from causing any more harm.

Juanxiu's eyes flickered with determination as he looked at the people around him, all of whom were being slowly consumed by the soul-devouring formation. He knew they had to act fast, but his companions were hesitant.

Old Man Bai Fa spoke up, his voice filled with urgency. "We cannot wait any longer. We must act now and save these innocent people before it's too late."

Cao Yin, however, remained unconvinced. "But what can we do? We don't have the numbers or the strength to take on Hao Shunyuan and his followers. It's too risky."

…...

Liu Peng's heart was racing as he frantically searched through the sea of people, his eyes darting back and forth, scanning every face for any hint of familiarity. His family was somewhere in this crowd, he knew it, but finding them seemed an impossible task. Every second that passed felt like an eternity, and with each passing moment, his desperation grew.

"Mei-er," he called softly.

Liu Peng's eyes widened as he saw the familiar face of his neighbor. The neighbor was in a daze, just like the other hypnotized people in the crowd. Despite this, seeing the neighbor gave Liu Peng hope that his family was close. He continued to scan the crowd, his eyes darting left and right, searching for any familiar face.

"Liu Peng, we need to go," a member of the escort team interrupted.

"Go! I have to find someone first," Liu Peng insisted.

"We don't have time,"

"Just go. I will follow later,"

Liu Peng refused to leave without his family. He knew the danger they were in, he couldn't bear the thought of leaving them behind. He urged the escort team to go ahead without him and promised to catch up as soon as he found his loved ones.

Liu Peng frantically searched through the sea of people, his eyes darting from one face to another. He was no longer focused on the mission at hand, his mind solely consumed with the thought of finding his family. He could feel the tension building up at the front of the crowd, but he couldn't care less. All he could think about was locating his loved ones before it was too late.

As the formation grew stronger, the crowd began to stir. People were moving without anyone instructing them, sensing the power of the formation.

As Liu Peng pushed his way through the masses, he suddenly found himself caught up in a wave of movement. The crowd was shifting, enveloping him in its tide. Despite feeling the pressure and claustrophobia, Liu Peng didn't falter. He knew he had to keep searching, no matter how difficult it became.

As the formation took its full power, the ground started to shake and a loud sound resonated from within. The robed individuals moved in unison, their movements calculated and precise. The crowd started to follow them towards the center of the formation.

Once inside the formation, the hypnotized people started to move in an unnatural manner, their eyes glazed over and their movements jerky. It was as if their souls were being extracted from their bodies. The sound of their wails echoed through the air, sending shivers down Juanxiu's spine. He felt a sense of dread as he watched the people within the formation being consumed by its power.

Their bodies contorted and twisted as they screamed in agony. It was as if they were being ripped apart from the inside out. Juanxiu could see the terror in their eyes as they realized what was happening to them. The sound of their screams was deafening, and he felt helpless as he watched them suffer.

"Stop this Uncle!" Juanxiu shouted.

Juanxiu pushed his way through the crowd, his heart racing with urgency. He could see the formation taking its full power, and the hypnotized people moving inside it. He had to stop his uncle, but he knew it wouldn't be easy.

"Uncle Shunyuan, what are you doing? This is madness!" Juanxiu yelled as he emerged from the crowd.

His uncle turned to him, surprise written on his face. "Juanxiu, what are you doing here? You shouldn't be involved in this."

"I'm here to stop you. This is wrong, and you know it. You can't sacrifice innocent people to satisfy your thirst for revenge," Juanxiu said, his voice trembling with emotion.

"Our purpose is just, Juanxiu. We need to punish the Shaoying Empire for what they have done. These sacrifices are necessary," his uncle replied, his voice firm and unwavering.

"No, there is no justification for this. These people are not responsible for the sins of the empire. They don't deserve to die like this," Juanxiu retorted.

"We have to make a sacrifice to achieve our goal. This is the only way," his uncle said, his eyes filled with determination.

"There is always another way. We can't stoop to their level and become murderers. We have to find a peaceful solution," Juanxiu said, his voice rising in anger.

"Peaceful? Have you seen your Grandfather being decapitated? Our women being raped by the guards? Our guards entrails being extracted from their body? We have no other choice," his uncle replied, his voice growing louder.

"We can't give up hope. We can't let anger and hatred consume us. We have to find a way to make peace, to build a better future for our people," Juanxiu said, his words echoing through the crowd.

His uncle looked at him for a moment, then sighed. "I understand your ideals, Juanxiu, but they are not practical in the real world. Sometimes this is better."

Juanxiu shook his head. "No, I refuse to believe that. We can't sacrifice our humanity for the sake of revenge. We have to find a better way, a way that doesn't involve bloodshed."

The two of them stood there, staring at each other, neither willing to back down.

Before his uncle could respond, a new figure appeared in the crowd. He was dressed in a black robe and carried a scythe. "Kill all those who stand in our way," he growled, flexing his powerful qi.

But before the figure could approach Juanxiu, Hao Shunyuan stepped forward, brandishing his massive ax. "Touch him and you'll have to answer to my ax," he warned.

The two men faced each other, their qi radiating out in waves. Juanxiu felt small and insignificant in the face of their power, like a feeble sprout of a plant in the middle of a powerful storm.

For a few tense moments, the two sides stood their ground, neither willing to back down. But then, with a sudden explosion of energy, the robed figure charged forward, scythe raised high.

The battle was on.

As Shunyuan and the robed figure faced off, their intense qi caused the air around them to vibrate. Juanxiu could feel the pressure building, and he knew that this was going to be a battle of epic proportions.

The robed figure was the first to attack, launching himself at Shunyuan with lightning-fast strikes from his scythe. Shunyuan deftly dodged the attacks, and swung his massive ax with incredible force. The sound of metal striking metal echoed through the clearing, as the two combatants traded blows.

The ground shook as the two clashed, their attacks becoming more and more intense with each passing moment. Juanxiu could feel his heart racing as he watched, unsure of who would emerge victorious in this battle of strength and skill.

As the two fighters continued their intense battle, their qi colliding and creating shockwaves that shook the ground beneath their feet, the ax of Shunyuan grazed the robe of the mysterious person, his robe ripped open to reveal his face.

Old Man Bai Fa's eyes widened in recognition. It was Han Ru, a former scholar of the Shaoying Empire who had been sentenced to death for massacring an entire village.

The battle intensified as both men fought with renewed vigor. Han Ru, desperate to complete his mission, called forth his inner strength and unleashed a barrage of attacks on Hao Shunyuan. But the Master Axeman was not one to be easily defeated. With each swing of his massive ax, he repelled Han Ru's attacks and countered with his own powerful strikes.

The two warriors fought on, their movements becoming more and more erratic and unpredictable as the battle raged on. Juanxiu watched from the sidelines, his heart racing with fear and excitement.

The clash of metal echoed throughout the battlefield as Han Ru and Shunyuan continued their intense fight. Every move they made was filled with precision and deadly force, their weapons clashing with a deafening sound. As they exchanged blows, their words filled with malice and determination, their faces contorted with rage.

Han Ru's voice was filled with venom as he spoke, "This is the third time your nephew is foiling our plan."

Shunyuan tried to reason with him, "Let me talk to him," he said, but Han Ru refused to listen.

"Stop with your delusion," Han Ru spat, "we have a mission here, and the appearance of your nephew should not stop that."

Suddenly, Han Ru let out a fierce shout, "Suppress that kid!"

The other robed people moved closer to Juanxiu, their face twisted with a menacing grin. But Juanxiu's party acted quickly

Old Man Bai Fa stood tall and resolute, his body shielding Juanxiu from harm as the other moved closer. The air was thick with tension as the two sides faced off, each ready to make their move. Han Ru's eyes were filled with a cold, steely determination, while Shunyuan's expression was set in grim determination.

Cao Ying raises her hand, and with a swift motion, she sends a burst of qi into the air. The energy ripples through the space, leaving a trail of visible waves that travel to the far corners of the room.

Deng Ya. who as inside the prison cell, catches the signal and nods in response. She turns to her people and makes a series of hand gestures that communicate the plan. Each member of her team nods in understanding, and they move into position, ready to execute their mission with precision and speed.

The group inside the building sprang into action, their movements were swift and precise, like a well-oiled machine. Denga Ya and her people moved with grace and fluidity, taking down the guards outside the prison with ease. Their movements were quick and efficient, as they dispatched the guards with a series of swift blows.

Han Ru's face was twisted in anger and frustration, turned to Shunyuan. "It seems that your nephew has a habit of destroying our plans. We can no longer let him be. He has already become a thorn in our side. He has to die," he declared in a cold, menacing voice.