The Heavenly King of the North let out a loud cry, flipped over, and fell to the ground, his eyes full of disbelief. Although he had just struck down with his blade, he was wary of Edward Carter's cunning, so he pretended to be unable to break free, planning to counterattack ruthlessly. Thus, all his attention was focused on Edward Carter, never expecting that an ordinary, dazed commoner would suddenly make a move—and that move would be an exceptionally skillful sword technique!

The incident happened so abruptly that Maitreya Buddha and the Heavenly Kings of the East and South had no time to intervene. The three of them leapt down, surrounding Edward Carter and the commoner.

Edward Carter was on the verge of collapse, yet he could still manage a smile. “Looks like I’m not fated to die yet. I can’t believe you managed to sneak in too.” With the Heavenly King of the North dead, he picked up the broadsword, feeling its weight, and his heart sank, knowing he had just expended a tremendous amount of energy. The commoner said, “Whether you live or not still depends on your luck.”

Torrential rain poured down, drenching everyone to the bone, but the commoner, washed by the rain, seemed even sharper, like a sword honed to a fine edge. Suddenly, the Heavenly King of the South exclaimed in surprise, “Charles Reed? The famous constable Charles Reed from the capital?”

The commoner smiled slightly and said, “That’s me.”

This commoner was the young man Henry Sullivan had seen at the county office, none other than the renowned constable Charles Reed from the capital, nicknamed “One Charles Reed.” Seeing that the Heavenly King of the South recognized him, Charles Reed kept a smile on his face, but his mind raced, pondering the true identities of those before him.

This time, Edward Carter had come to Fenzhou by imperial order, recruiting imperial guards as a cover, while secretly cooperating with the Kaifeng constable Charles Reed to eradicate the increasingly powerful Maitreya Sect. Charles Reed was clever and highly skilled in martial arts. After arriving in Fenzhou, he investigated thoroughly and finally discovered the Maitreya Sect’s stronghold, even managing to infiltrate it. Edward Carter’s knowledge of the sect’s secret codes was also thanks to Charles Reed. Fearing to alert the enemy, Edward Carter did not bring troops to attack directly, but decided to capture the ringleader first. Charles Reed agreed with Edward Carter’s plan and disguised himself as a commoner to enter the valley, waiting for a chance to assist Edward Carter.

Earlier, when Edward Carter missed his strike, Charles Reed was greatly surprised and couldn’t understand why. Later, when the stage went pitch black, Charles Reed had to wait below, looking for an opportunity to help. He knew Edward Carter was highly skilled and wasn’t worried about his ability to handle the Four Heavenly Kings. But when Maitreya Buddha suddenly attacked and injured Edward Carter, Charles Reed was unable to help in time.

At Edward Carter’s most critical moment, Charles Reed finally arrived just in time, and together they killed the Heavenly King of the North in a single move. But now, Maitreya Buddha and the Heavenly Kings of the East and South were unharmed, and Edward Carter appeared seriously injured. The two of them facing three formidable foes—it would not be easy to escape unscathed.

Edward Carter understood Charles Reed’s intentions and didn’t want him to be distracted. He said with a sneer, “I’m fine. Killing a few more is no problem.” In truth, he was just putting on a brave front; after taking a stab and a palm strike, even channeling his strength made his chest ache terribly.

Though the fire had died out, thunderbolts flashed one after another, lighting up the surroundings as bright as day. Charles Reed thought to himself that such a storm was a rare sight in his life, and it left him and Edward Carter with nowhere to hide—truly, Heaven was turning a blind eye. By now, nearly half of the thousand commoners had perished. Edward Carter and Charles Reed were appalled by such cruelty, but had no time to intervene.

Maitreya Buddha’s face always wore that compassionate smile, but the murderous intent in his eyes could not be concealed. The five of them stood motionless like statues, while the crazed commoners seemed to retain some respect for Maitreya Buddha, only tearing at each other outside the group.

Another bolt of purple lightning split the night sky. Suddenly, Maitreya Buddha shouted something loudly, but Edward Carter and Charles Reed couldn’t understand what he said. Before his shout faded, the Heavenly Kings of the East and South had already attacked Edward Carter.

Charles Reed did not move, for he noticed that Maitreya Buddha’s eyes, sharp as blades, were fixed on him. If he made even the slightest move, he would likely face Maitreya Buddha’s most ferocious attack. This master of seduction and rebellion was actually a martial arts expert of the highest order!

Edward Carter was already struggling to hold on; anyone could see that, gravely wounded, he could not last much longer. The Heavenly King of the East’s sword gleamed like snow, while the Heavenly King of the South’s great umbrella was as cold as ice. With both attacking at full strength, Edward Carter was already frozen in place. Maitreya Buddha had not moved, but victory was within his grasp. His intent was clear: kill Edward Carter, then destroy Charles Reed!

Charles Reed felt as if he had just been pulled from water, rain streaming down his forehead, over his eyelids, and dripping from his chin. He didn’t blink, but his heart had already sunk—he realized he had no confidence in victory.

Suddenly, Edward Carter staggered, and the Heavenly King of the East’s broad sword flashed down, slashing Edward Carter’s arm. Blood spurted out, only to be washed away by the rain in an instant. Edward Carter let out a fierce roar and counterattacked with a slash at an extremely tricky angle. Charles Reed was slightly pleased, knowing that this move would help Edward Carter regain some advantage. Unexpectedly, the Heavenly King of the South’s umbrella suddenly opened, blocking Edward Carter’s strike!

Edward Carter’s blade struck the umbrella, only to feel it sink and rebound, the force of his attack completely neutralized. Who knows what material the Heavenly King of the South’s umbrella was made of, but even a sharp blade could not cut through it. The Heavenly King of the South deflected the broadsword, then with a sudden shout, transformed the umbrella into a spear and thrust it at Edward Carter!

At last, Charles Reed made his move. With a tap of his toe, he feigned a rush toward Edward Carter. Maitreya Buddha gave a cold laugh and was instantly at Charles Reed’s side. Charles Reed gave a sharp shout, spun around, and a flash of blue light appeared in his hand. In an instant, he stabbed Maitreya Buddha three times in succession. This feint to the east and attack to the west was meant to lure the opponent in and seize the chance to deal a heavy blow.