“Courting death!”
Lawson Daugherty retorted, sweeping out a gust of wind to block the blade light. His eyes narrowed as he raised his hand to form a barrier that enveloped the entire third floor. This maneuver was clearly to prevent the battle from spreading too widely; otherwise, the entire tower would be at risk.
He then looked at the others and shouted, “Everyone, attack together! Finish this quickly!”
Upon hearing his command, several people, including Leah Daugherty, launched their attacks simultaneously. A ninth-rank Holy Realm elder conjured a massive phantom axe, slicing through the air with sharp, cold beams. On another side, Lawson Daugherty extended his right hand, an air vortex forming above his palm, its center pitch black like an abyss.
The others unleashed their strongest moves towards Billy. As they attacked, the barrier felt like a vacuum, filled with suffocating pressure.
At the same time, Billy moved. Facing the combined assault of several late-stage Holy Realm experts, he dared not be careless and immediately activated Dragon Soaring Skies. In a matter of moments, Nine Dragons Unite emerged, a phantom divine dragon surging forth with earth-shattering force.
A deafening explosion echoed, causing everyone within the barrier to feel as if their ears were ringing. The powerful shock waves spread rapidly, tearing through everything in their path. The barrier surrounding Ian Blade and the larger outer barrier both cracked.
Simultaneously, everyone, including Billy, was sent flying back, crashing into the barrier before falling to the ground. Except for Lawson Daugherty and the ninth-rank Holy Realm elder, the others lay on the ground like dead dogs.
Though breathing, they had no combat strength left and their survival was uncertain.
The ninth-rank Holy Realm elder was also in poor condition, his combat power reduced by more than half as blood continuously flowed from his mouth. Lawson Daugherty, having taken the brunt of Nine Dragons Unite’s attack, was severely injured as well, his combat strength diminished by thirty to forty percent. If not for the others absorbing part of the phantom divine dragon’s force, his situation would have been worse.
Billy, on the other hand, spat out a mouthful of blood after hitting the ground, his breath chaotic. Despite his formidable defensive abilities, he couldn’t emerge unscathed from the full-force attack of several late-stage Holy Realm experts. His internal organs felt displaced and his meridians were damaged to some extent. Overall, his injuries were comparable to Lawson Daugherty’s.
“Boss, are you alright?” Ian Blade and the others broke through the damaged barrier and approached him.
“I’m fine!” Billy replied, swallowing a healing pill and activating Heart Sutra of the Azure Void to repair his meridians.
“You really deserve to die!” Lawson Daugherty snarled at Billy through gritted teeth after catching his breath. He could never have imagined that Billy’s combat strength would be so monstrous. If he hadn’t experienced it himself, he wouldn’t have believed that a mid-level Holy Realm youngster could withstand the full-force attack of five or six late-stage Holy Realm experts.
“Today, none of you will leave here alive!” Lawson Daugherty declared before turning to Elder Hudson. “Call for reinforcements!”
Elder Hudson nodded and took out a sound transmission talisman.
At that moment, a ripple appeared in the void at the center of the barrier and an old man’s figure emerged. Billy and his companions were stunned to see Joel Wooler from Akabuchi Chamber of Commerce.
“Why is he here? Could Deep Sky Pharmacy be owned by Akabuchi Chamber of Commerce?” Stout wondered aloud.
“Greetings, Mr Wooler!” Lawson Daugherty quickly bowed with a hint of panic in his eyes.
“Greetings, Mr Wooler!” Elder Hudson also bowed, looking slightly fearful.
“Lawson Daugherty, I’ll give you a chance to explain,” Joel Wooler said sternly.
“Mr Wooler,” Lawson Daugherty began nervously. “These people caused trouble in our pharmacy and injured our staff, so I…”
“Still lying?” Joel Wooler interrupted coldly. “Your greed will make you pay dearly! Even if you obtained Mr Billy’s treasure, do you think you could keep it? Do you know how many people are eyeing it? And do you realize how much trouble your actions today could bring to our chamber?”
“Mr Wooler, Elder Lawson did this for the chamber…” Elder Hudson tried to explain.
“For the chamber?” Joel Wooler sneered. “If you got that treasure today, would you hand it over to the chamber?”
“We…” Elder Hudson hesitated.
“Do you think I’m an idiot?” Joel Wooler cut him off again.
Elder Hudson opened his mouth but said nothing.
“You can shut up now!” Joel Wooler ordered sternly.
At that moment, Lawson Daugherty made a move to escape. As an old member of Akabuchi Chamber of Commerce, he knew they had zero tolerance for internal betrayal. If he didn’t leave now, he wouldn’t get another chance.
“Do you think you can escape?” Joel Wooler’s voice sounded like a death sentence in Lawson Daugherty’s ears. In an instant, Lawson Daugherty exploded like an overripe watermelon, leaving only a blood mist behind. In his final moments, he regretted his greed that cost him his life.
“Did he really kill him?” Stout exclaimed.
“It seems this was indeed their personal action and not related to Akabuchi Chamber of Commerce,” Ian Blade replied.
“It appears so,” Night Orchid agreed.
“Uncle Lawson…” Leah Daugherty muttered as blood gushed from her mouth. Her head slumped and she died shortly after.
“Destroy your cultivation and leave!” Joel Wooler commanded Elder Hudson.
“Mr Wooler, I…” Elder Hudson began.
“If I have to do it myself, it won’t be just your cultivation,” Joel Wooler warned.
Despair flashed across Elder Hudson’s face. With a determined look in his eyes, he struck his own abdomen with a powerful blow, shattering his dantian and collapsing like mud.
“Mr Billy, I apologize for the trouble,” Joel Wooler said as he approached Billy and bowed slightly. His attitude was vastly different from before.
Without waiting for Billy’s response, he continued, “Would Mr Billy be willing to come with me?”
“For what?” Billy asked.
“Someone wishes to meet with you,” Joel Wooler replied with another bow.