"Marquis, City Lord Zhao is here to visit."

Just after lunchtime on the second day, the guard led Zhao Wudao into Qin Tian's residence.

"Marquis of Pingxi, sorry for the disturbance."

Zhao Wudao entered with a cheerful smile.

"Not at all, not at all, City Lord Zhao visiting in person, I wonder if there is a matter at hand?" Qin Tian seemed to sense a slight unease within.

"Oh, it's nothing significant. It's just that the sun is nice today, so I took the liberty to come and invite the Marquis of Pingxi to stroll with me around East Lake. I wonder if the marquis could honor my invitation?"

"East Lake? Haha, I've long heard that the scenery there is excellent. Very well, since you have come to invite me, let's have a stroll then? After all, the battle situation in East State is at a stalemate, the Dragon Clan hasn't advanced en masse, so it's a good time to relax."

No matter Zhao Wudao's motive, Qin Tian, now with his connection to the Fourth Prince, saw himself as a blade, taking everything as it comes, believing that people of the Fourth Prince were certainly watching Zhao Wudao and himself.

"Great, then I'll wait for you outside your residence. Shall I?"

"Alright, wait a moment, I'll go change clothes."

Qin Tian walked inside, Zhao Wudao watched Qin Tian's back, then turned towards the front gate with a satisfied smile in his heart.

Originally, Zhao Wudao thought it would take some persuasion to invite Qin Tian out, and he had prepared various reasons in mind.

Unfortunately, they were unnecessary, he didn't expect Qin Tian to agree so readily.

"Heh heh, very good..."

Zhao Wudao chuckled sinisterly.

The two, each accompanied by two attendants, headed directly to East Lake.

Zhao Wudao introduced the local customs of East Lake to Qin Tian. They had already reached the side of the deepest forest of East Lake when Zhao Wudao lied about needing to relieve himself and was preparing to leave.

"City Lord Zhao, are you sure you want to leave?"

Qin Tian called out to him, which left Zhao Wudao momentarily stunned, but he seemed to understand something instantly as he looked into Qin Tian's eyes.

However, Zhao Wudao still feigned ignorance, looking at Qin Tian with a smile, saying, "Marquis of Pingxi, I need to relieve myself..."

"Still pretending?"

Qin Tian looked at Zhao Wudao, "Do you think we still need to keep pretending?"

Zhao Wudao had initially planned to bring Qin Tian to East Lake according to Sun Changqing's instructions and then find an opportunity to slip away.

However, he didn't expect that Qin Tian, somehow picking up on slight clues, had become wary!

"Marquis of Pingxi, what exactly are you saying? I truly don't quite understand." Zhao Wudao grinned awkwardly.

By now, he had already led Qin Tian into the trap designed beforehand, giving him the confidence to speak without fear.

Qin Tian said lightly, "Bringing me here today, I suspect, was not for the scenery, was it? Hmm, you didn't bring attendants, and you're with the Ninth Prince, do you think we still need to keep pretending? Is it meaningful? The feud between me and the Ninth Prince, do you think I would believe he hasn't given you any instructions?"

"Hahaha, bringing me here, whatever plots have been set up, you might as well reveal them now, right?"

Qin Tian's words pressed forward step by step, forcing Zhao Wudao to speak what he didn't want to, thus Zhao Wudao saw no need to pretend further, slightly twitching the corner of his mouth: "Oh, turns out you spotted it."

Zhao Wudao looked at Qin Tian, "In that case, you remain so calm still? Qin Tian, are you truly confident or do you realize there's no way out now, simply surrendering?"

"Neither."

Qin Tian smiled, "I knew what you wanted to do when you invited me to East Lake. I patiently followed you here just to see what tricks you had up your sleeve. What, you won't disappoint me, will you?"

"Hahaha... as expected of the Marquis of Pingxi, quite the braggart! Such arrogant talk indeed!"

Suddenly, amid the tranquil, deserted woods, a voice rang out. Following that, Sun Changqing's figure appeared out of thin air, stepping directly towards Qin Tian.

"During my time in the Imperial City, I constantly heard how formidable the Marquis of Pingxi was, hmm, finally a chance to meet face to face, indeed, a hero among youths!"

"Youth my foot, this old man is over thirty and still a youth? Hmph..." Qin Tian rolled his eyes upon hearing.

"Just the two of you? Just the two of you, thinking to handle me today, isn't that a bit too confident?"

Qin Tian glanced at them, extending his Divine Sense: "Oh, you have accomplices too, why hide? Come out together!"

Sun Changqing was surprised, as his men were all top experts, extremely well-hidden, yet Qin Tian spotted them with a mere glance.

"Come out, everyone, greet the Marquis of Pingxi, then send him on his way."

Sun Changqing spoke loudly, and immediately, six men in blue clothing appeared suddenly from the lake, the woods—surrounding Qin Tian from front and back.

"Just the eight of you? Enough?"

Qin Tian scanned Sun Changqing and his men, lips curving into a slight smile.

"Enough to kill you!"

Sun Changqing gave the assassins a meaningful glance, thereafter, the eight swiftly concentrated True Qi from their Dantians, forming True Qi Light Waves around Qin Tian, trapping him directly!

"With the True Qi Power of the eight of us, let's see what tricks you have to escape! Narrow the scope, suppress him with force!" 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Under Sun Changqing's command, the Qi Waves of the eight merged into a sphere, completely enveloping Qin Tian.

Moreover, this True Qi Light Ball grew increasingly dense, slowly contracting!

They intended to use the combined strength of the eight to effortlessly subdue and kill Qin Tian with pure True Qi Power!

At this moment, the True Qi on Qin Tian surged automatically, streams of energy clashing with the contracting Qi Waves!

Buzzing!

Qin Tian's True Qi collided with the combined True Qi of Sun Changqing's eight men, creating a whistling sound!

Seeing that Qin Tian did not collapse as swiftly as anticipated, Sun Changqing's expression hardened, saying: "Everyone, unleash more True Qi, this kid can't hold on anymore!"

Buzz!

Just as Sun Changqing finished speaking, the True Qi Ball they formed trembled violently!

As Sun Changqing looked up, he saw Qin Tian at the center of the Light Ball, his slightly closed eyes suddenly snapped open, and then he shouted: "Get lost!"

A fierce shout, True Qi swept out!

The True Qi Ball formed by Sun Changqing's eight men shattered instantly under Qin Tian's abrupt impact, sending three people flying directly into East Lake!

Qin Tian knew very well that if the eight really tried with their full True Qi to suppress him, he would surely struggle more, hence he struck first, using a burst of power to crush the initial assault of Sun Changqing's men!