The Assassin's Gambit

Feng Mei hesitated, her eyes wide with concern. 

"Brother Yun, I can't just leave you here alone! I will also fight with you!"

Feng Yun gave her a reassuring smile, though his eyes remained sharp and alert. 

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. You need to get back to the clan and let them know what's happening."

But before she could Protest, the leader of the ambushers raised his hand, signaling his men to attack.

"Enough talk! Finish them!" 

He barked.

The dark-robed figures lunged forward, weapons drawn. Feng Yun moved swiftly, drawing his sword in one fluid motion. 

He met the first attacker with a swift parry, the clash of steel ringing out sharply in the narrow alley. 

Without wasting a moment, he pivoted and countered another blow, his movements precise and efficient.

"Peak Foundation Establishment Stage? Kid, you really hid well!"

The leader was a bit surprised to know that the information he got was wrong. 

It is known that Feng Yun has reached the Mid-Level Foundation Establishment Stage but right now, he is undoubtedly at the Peak Foundation Establishment Stage.

-SWISH!

Feng Mei's resolve hardened as she saw the attackers closing in. Ignoring Feng Yun's insistence, she stepped forward, her eyes flashing with determination. 

"I won't leave you," she said firmly. "I can fight, too."

The first two attackers aimed their swords at Feng Yun, but Feng Mei sprang into action, her own sword flashing as she intercepted their blows. 

Feng Yun's eyes widened in appreciation as he saw Feng Mei skillfully fend off her opponents. 

He knew she was strong, but seeing her holding her own against Core Formation Stage opponents gave him a renewed sense of confidence.

Moreover, with the attackers all nearby, it was more dangerous for Feng Mei to leave. 

-CLANG!

Feng Mei deflected a strike from one attacker and followed up with a precise counter, her blade slicing through the air with a deadly arc.

"Heavenly Emperor's Sword!" 

The attacker stumbled back, clearly surprised by her strength. 

She shifted her weight, moving fluidly to engage the second attacker, her strikes quick and precise.

Feng Yun, meanwhile, was engaged in a fierce duel with the leader of the ambushers and the other two enemies. 

-CLANG! -CLANG!

He parried a series of aggressive attacks, his sword humming with each block and strike. 

He could feel the pressure of the leader's power, the intensity of their battle echoing through the alley.

With Feng Mei holding off two attackers, Feng Yun was able to focus more on his own fight. 

"Ghostly Shadow Mirage!"

He used his agility to his advantage, darting in and out of range, each strike aimed to wear down the leader's defenses. 

The leader grunted with each impact, clearly struggling to keep up with Feng Yun's relentless assault.

Realizing he was being pushed back, he tried to regain control of the fight, but Feng Yun's aggressive and unpredictable moves left him no opening to counterattack.

As Feng Yun pressed his advantage, he became fully absorbed in his duel with the leader, focusing all his energy on breaking through the enemy's defenses. 

This intense focus, however, left him vulnerable to a secondary threat. 

One of the attackers, noticing an opportunity, slipped past Feng Mei's guard and moved toward Feng Yun from behind, weapon raised and ready to strike.

Feng Mei's eyes widened as she caught sight of the ambusher sneaking up on Feng Yun. She realized the danger immediately and knew she had to act fast to prevent the sneak attack.

"Watch your back!" Feng Mei called out, her voice steady despite the chaos. 

She spun around, deflecting a blow aimed at Feng Yun from an attacker who had managed to slip past her guard. 

Feng Yun nodded his thanks. 

He twisted his blade, catching the leader off-guard and driving him back. With a sudden burst of energy, he unleashed a powerful strike, forcing the leader to retreat.

The leader's face twisted in anger and frustration. He glanced around, seeing his men struggling against the combined force of Feng Yun and Feng Mei. 

As the fight wore on, both Feng Yun and Feng Mei took several hits. Feng Yun narrowly dodged a slash, but the blade grazed his arm, drawing a thin line of blood. 

Gritting his teeth, he continued to press forward, not letting the pain distract him. Meanwhile, Feng Mei's shoulder was nicked by an enemy's dagger, the sting sharp and immediate, but she didn't falter.

Despite their injuries, they fought with fierce determination, each blow exchanged allowing them to learn more about their enemies' fighting styles. 

They began to anticipate the ambushers' moves, countering with greater precision and minimizing the damage they took.

Gradually, Feng Yun and Feng Mei adapted to their opponents, the initial flurry of strikes that had wounded them now becoming less effective as they honed their defenses. 

Their movements became more synchronized, each covering the other's blind spots, making it harder for the attackers to land a clean hit.

As the minutes passed, the duo grew more confident, the rhythm of their battle flowing like a well-rehearsed dance. 

Their injuries slowed them down slightly, but they compensated with sharper reflexes and more strategic positioning, turning the tide against the ambushers.

( Ho ho! Not bad! Not bad at all! )

Master Minghao watched Feng Yun and Mei fight with satisfaction. He thought that they were worthy of being called geniuses as they could go against 5 Core Formation Stage for so long.

However, he knew that as time passed by, Feng Yun and Mei would lose as the Qi consumption of using those Heaven Grade Techniques was too high. 

However, he didn't want to help Feng Yun unless his life was really in danger. 

Moreover, he already detected some other enemies far away who seemed to be observing them.

( Several Grand Qi Condensation Realms and one Three Elements Divine Realm Cultivator? They don't look like they will intervene but if they will, then they can say goodbye to their life! )

He still can't carelessly show his power, lest he alert those enemies. It was better for him to wait and see.

However, compared to Minghao's patience, Yan Zhan and others were getting impatient as they saw the stalemate. 

Originally, they planned for those groups of cultivators to kill Feng Yun and have those killers disguised as Evil Cultivators.

Of course, they knew that Feng Chen would obviously doubt them. It would be better if Feng Chen retaliates so that Elder Zhou and his brother could intervene without any consequence from the Royal Family.

Even if Feng Chen didn't retaliate, it would have just taken a few more weeks before Feng Clan fell without Second Grade Alchemist.

"Damn it! How could Feng Yun be so strong? Even that little girl is holding her own against two of our assassins!"

Yan Zhan couldn't help but burst out in anger. 

Feng Yun, who everyone thought was trash, not only became a Second Grade Alchemist but now was demonstrating combat abilities far beyond what anyone had anticipated. 

Yan Zhan's frustration grew with each passing moment. He hadn't expected the fight to drag on this long or for Feng Yun and Feng Mei to be this strong.

"Family head, why don't I just do it?"

Elder Luo asked. 

Now that it has come to this, they could only go with their second plan which was to get a Grand Qi Condensation Realm cultivator like himself involved.

Although his involvement will surely get noticed by others including Feng Clan and Wang Clan, it was better than to let such a talented enemy grow.

"Hmm… do it!"

Yan Zhan agreed after some thinking. 

Although the risk of them getting exposed will be increased, it was better than letting Feng Yun escape. 

From today's fight, Yan Zhan was certain of one thing: they couldn't let Feng Yun grow stronger, or he would become an even bigger problem than Feng Chen.

"Feng Yun, you must die!"