Zu An was surprised to learn that nearly every single one of these black-clad men were at the fourth rank. As cultivators at the fourth rank, all of them were strong enough to be considered for positions of authority in a small county!

In other words, the strength of these black-clad men were about the same as his own, perhaps even higher. After all, he had just broken through to the fourth rank.

Sang Qian had brought his trusted aides with him this time, and not those River Patrol Army idiots. If they’d been here, they would probably have been wiped out in that first exchange.

Even so, Sang Qian’s group seemed no match for these black-clad men. Their levels of cultivation were high, and their attacks were vicious.

Sang Qian roared in anger as his subordinates fell one after another. “Go to hell, you thieves!”

He swung the long blade of his sword at them. Flames raged across the blade’s surface, extending forward to form a forty-meter long saber....