Yefutidaolu

Chapter 428 Hijacking
The return of Gao Jian and the Sima of the Demon Suppression Division was like two pebbles thrown into a seemingly calm lake, stirring up turbulent undercurrents beneath the surface of Cangzhou, a land of water and marshland.

Cangzhou remains a place of small bridges and flowing water, shrouded in mist and rain, maintaining its usual tranquility.

But beneath this calm, undercurrents were surging. The first thing Lord Sima did upon returning to the Demon Suppression Division was to issue an emergency summons with the highest authority, demanding that the heads of all the major and minor families in Cangzhou come to the meeting immediately.

The order itself was unusual. When the key figures from each family gathered anxiously at the Demon Suppression Division and saw Sima sitting in the main seat, his face slightly pale but his aura even more somber, an ominous premonition, like a cold snake, coiled around their hearts.

What terrified them even more was that the Shui family patriarch had not returned! Not only the Shui family patriarch, but also Wang Gang, the renowned member of the Wang family, had vanished without a trace!
The atmosphere inside the council chamber was so oppressive it was suffocating.

Sima didn't engage in much small talk, directly announcing that the Demon Suppression Division would take full control of Cangzhou's defenses, restore order, and demanding unconditional cooperation from all families to investigate and eliminate any traitors colluding with Hell and harming the region. His words were firm and unquestionable, yet he made no mention of the whereabouts of the Shui and Wang families.

This deliberate omission is more frightening than a direct declaration.

The news spread like wildfire through aristocratic circles.

Panic began to spread. Inside the Shui family mansion, the elders who remained behind were pale-faced, their repeated attempts to contact their ancestor using secret methods all ending in vain; in the Wang family compound, shouts of shock and anger rose and fell, but could not conceal the chill that came from the bottom of their hearts.

Other powerful families closed their doors and engaged in endless internal debates, debating whether to side with the Demon Suppression Bureau or seek another path.

A tremendous sense of crisis and fear of the unknown compelled them to immediately find out what had happened deep within the ancient battlefield!
We must know whether our ancestor is alive or dead!

That very night, Cangzhou City seemed to awaken like a ferocious beast of the night, with countless hidden channels being activated.

Encrypted communication talismans rose silently into the air like fireflies, attempting to fly out of the state to seek help or gather information; moreover, skilled individuals adept at stealth and concealment emerged from every corner like ghosts, taking advantage of the cover of night to speed towards the outskirts of Cangzhou City, especially towards the location of the ancient battlefield.

They need to go to the scene in person to find conclusive evidence, or... confirm the worst-case scenario.

Late at night.

The city of Cangzhou remained as tranquil as ever, with little nighttime activity.

The people had long since turned off their lights and gone to bed, with only the monotonous sound of the night watchman's clapper echoing in the empty streets and alleys.

Perhaps one day in the future, this place will be able to have a vibrant nightlife like those bustling metropolises, but it's definitely not possible now; Cangzhou is not yet wealthy enough for that.

Outside Cangzhou city, in front of an abandoned farmhouse.

These small courtyards are everywhere in Cangzhou. They are left behind after families have been destroyed. If no one takes care of them, someone will take them over in no time, weed them, move in, and then the cycle continues.

But before this cycle of reincarnation even began, Gao Jian was already sitting on it.

Takami sat alone at the bottom of the moss-covered and cracked stone steps in front of the main house.

The steps were almost completely submerged by weeds, and a few unnamed wildflowers stubbornly peeked out from between the stones, appearing particularly desolate in the cold moonlight. The night dew was heavy, carrying the damp chill unique to this water town, but he seemed oblivious.

His spirit, like an invisible net, had long since enveloped this area that was the only way to the ancient battlefield.

The divine dynasty has lost its divine consciousness.

But... he seems to have it now.

Occasionally, he would casually raise his hand, channel a surge of pure internal energy, and flick his fingertips. An ordinary pebble would then soar into the air, seemingly possessing a life of its own, and shoot precisely towards a certain point in the night sky.

“Puff—puff—”

A soft popping sound echoed high in the sky. Immediately afterwards, two extremely dazzling but fleeting "fireworks" would suddenly bloom in the night sky.

It wasn't real fireworks, but rather the last burst of light from some cleverly crafted communication talismans or concealment artifacts. After being struck in the core by a pebble, the internal structure collapsed, and the energy went out of control, vanishing along with the urgent information it carried.

He did it casually, as if he were just shooing away annoying mosquitoes.

However, such effortless tactics and the shockingly precise interception finally forced those lurking in the shadows to cease their silence.

In the darkness, not far from the abandoned mansion, two figures emerged slowly from the dense canopy of trees, like cheetahs blending into the shadows. Their auras were extremely well concealed; unless they deliberately revealed themselves, they would almost blend into the surrounding natural environment. They were two powerful experts from aristocratic families, sent out of the city to investigate, both possessing considerable cultivation.

Gao Jian didn't even look up, still staring at the swaying wild grass in front of him. He simply waved casually, his tone as indifferent as if he were calling a neighbor's child:

"Come down."

The two experts lurking in the treetops felt a chill creep uncontrollably into their hearts.

They had pushed their concealment techniques to their limits, confident that even martial artists of the same level passing under the tree might not be able to detect them at all.

But the other party not only spotted them precisely, but even the words "Come down" seemed to ring directly in their ears.

Their thoughts drifted back to the council chamber of the Demon Suppression Division not long ago.

Inside the hall, Sima of the Demon Suppression Division sat in the main seat, his expression calm, without deliberately exuding the terrifying pressure of a ninth-realm martial artist.

But what truly made all the experts from the aristocratic families present feel uneasy and chilled to the bone was the few empty seats—the patriarch of the Shui family, and several top combatants from the aristocratic families who followed him into hell, were nowhere to be seen!

Lord Sima has returned, but those others have vanished without a trace. What does this mean? It's chilling to think about.

The specific content of the meeting was no longer important. When the heads of each family emerged from the hall, pale-faced and unsteady on their feet, the undisguised panic and disbelief on their faces said it all. They didn't even bother to exchange a glance with the other families before hastily departing with their entourages amidst a cacophony of probing, fearful, and gloating gazes, leaving behind countless terrifying speculations that festered wildly in the Cangzhou night.

Now, facing such insightful opinions, they felt more than just apprehensive; they were filled with fear and trepidation!

What they found even more incomprehensible was the invisible pressure emanating from Gao Jian.

This is by no means a simple pressure of qi and blood, but a more profound and direct suppression of divine will that targets the mind and spirit! The opponent must be a great master who has opened the "divine gate"! But the information they have clearly shows that the master should have opened the "essence gate" in his cultivation... This is strange no matter how you look at it.

Moreover, according to common sense, the martial arts intent condensed by martial artists mostly carries strong personal characteristics, or even a certain obsessive belief. Without a soul-stirring determination, how can one forge an indestructible intent?

The profound insight before them, though vast in its divine will, did not appear extreme. Instead, it possessed an indescribable depth and tranquility, which completely contradicted their understanding!
Gao Jian seemed to be able to sense the many questions and wariness in their hearts. Although he himself might not be able to fully clarify what level he was at at the moment, he had a clear intuition on a mental and spiritual level—he had probably already surpassed everyone in the Divine Dynasty.

Who says that spiritual strength must be expressed as brutality, extremism, or prejudice?

Having witnessed the grandeur and desolation of the world's birth and death, and experienced the cruelty and inevitability of the cycle of life and death, under the illumination of his inner lamp, his divine will can be like a deep pool, seemingly calm, yet containing countless mysteries.

Of course, Gao Jian felt that he was not truly at peace either, but there was no need for him to maintain his stubbornness.

He smiled, a smile that appeared somewhat blurred in the moonlight: "Aren't you coming down? I'm coming over."

Before the words had even finished—

The two masters from prestigious families only saw a blur before their eyes. Gao Jian's figure, which had been sitting on the steps, swayed slightly like a reflection in water before vanishing. The next instant, a chilling aura silently rose from behind them!

He appeared silently, like a ghost, on the same thick tree branch behind the two of them, so close that they could almost feel the temperature of each other's breath!

"hiss--!"

The two men felt their hair stand on end and their scalps tingle instantly!
Extreme horror made them almost instinctively unleash all their strength to rush forward, while simultaneously unleashing their strongest attack with a backhand!

However, Takami's voice rang out again calmly, as if whispering in their ears:

"Don't be nervous, I'll ask you a few questions."

As they spoke, Gao Jian's fingers seemingly casually rested on the jade pillow acupoints of the two masters from prestigious families, the touch of which was icy cold.

Without a word, they all understood that if that fingertip released even a fraction of its terrifying power, their heads would explode like overripe watermelons, with no chance of survival.

Just as they were locked in a life-or-death stalemate, strange sounds belatedly drifted in from the surroundings.

It's an echo.

A dull, rumbling echo, like an explosion in a valley, slowly spread from afar. This sound… was clearly the aftershock of a shockwave generated when an object broke the sound barrier at high speed, compressing the air and striking the ground!

The two were shocked and couldn't help but force their eyes to glance at the spot where Takashi had been sitting.

Two shallow pits had appeared in front of the stone steps covered with weeds and moss!

The soil around the pit was slightly turned up, and the wild grass was flattened, which were typical marks left by a martial artist when he suddenly burst out and kicked the ground.

That's right! When a martial artist moves, especially with such speed, there must be a reaction force, so it's only natural that they would leave a mark on the ground!
Just as this realization dawned on them, they noticed that some of the more fragile tree branches nearby had broken and fallen to the ground. This further corroborated the fact that a powerful force had just swept through, disturbing the surrounding environment.

But this only confused the two more, and they even felt a chill run down their spines to the top of their heads!
Something is wrong!
If Gao Jian relied solely on pure speed to move behind them in such a violent manner that it was enough to leave craters in the ground and shake down tree branches, the resulting commotion should have been synchronous, or even arrived before he himself!

With their keen senses and reaction speed, they would definitely be able to detect the shockwave, see the abnormality on the ground, and react before Gao Jian gets close!
No matter how fast a person goes, they can't outrun light! The faster a person goes, the more they disturb the airflow, and these disturbances will never disappear.

But the truth is, they only heard and saw these supposed "signs" after they were subdued by Gao Jian!

Looking at the extent of the damage to the surrounding environment, although it is obvious, it is by no means enough to support an absolute speed that is "so fast that one cannot react at all".

Logically speaking, given the speed represented by this level of movement, they should have been fully capable of blocking or dodging, and it would have been impossible for them to be subdued from behind without warning.

That leaves only one chilling explanation:

For a fleeting moment, they were lost in thought.

It wasn't just a fleeting moment, but possibly more than a crucial half-second!
In that half-second of distraction, Gao Jiancai rushed from the steps with a speed they "should" have been able to react, stepping out of the pit, shaking off tree branches, and then leisurely came up behind them, placing his fingers on their vital pressure points.

They were completely unaware of the entire process, their consciousness experiencing a terrifying blank until everything settled down, at which point the delayed sound and light effects, like stuttering images, flooded into their regained senses.

Once they understood this, both of them felt a chill run through them, as if they had fallen into an ice cave.

At their level of strength, what does a half-second lapse in concentration mean? It means that even an opponent of lower cultivation could deliver a fatal blow in that half-second! Moreover, Gao Jian's strength is clearly superior to theirs!
This is not due to speed at all...

This could very well be the power of the opponent's martial arts divine will! A divine will that can deprive them of their perception of time and create a void in their consciousness?

Although I know that the effects of a martial artist's martial arts intent are unpredictable, is it really possible to achieve this?

Their self-assured stealth, vigilance, and reactions became a complete joke in the face of the other party's ability to directly affect the mind and distort cognition.

Takami sensed the stiffness in his two subordinates' bodies. He knew they had grasped the key to the matter. He didn't explain, but maintained that suffocating calm, slowly speaking, his voice still flat, yet carrying an undeniable authority:
"Now, can you answer my question properly?"

“Please… ask your question,” said one of the experts from the aristocratic families.

At this point, saving one's life is the most important thing.

Having cultivated to this point, it hasn't been easy for anyone; not dying would be the best outcome.

"Who were you planning to send a message to?" Takami asked.

“Yes… for the central command,” another person answered quickly.

He has to say something, otherwise if he remains silent and gets killed after the questioning, that would be a huge injustice.

"Central hub? The central hub of the Divine Dynasty?" Gao Jian raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, the imperial court has been searching for some information recently... looking for a piece of clothing, and we found... that you happen to be wearing this kind of clothing, Lord Gao," the man said.

Clearly, they want to bring in the power of the Divine Dynasty's central government.

(End of this chapter)