The Rich Cultivator-Chapter 250. Battle at the Cedar Garden

"For the past year, that B!tch has tormented me in business. Even though they’re not making any profit by selling at half the price, they’ve taken all our customers!" Qiao Fu, the head of the Woodcutter Association, growled through gritted teeth, his fists clenching tightly.

"Let’s kill her in this garden and feed her to these blood-sucking cedars," he continued, his voice filled with venom. The men around him, clad in black cloaks, nodded silently. There were at least twenty of them, all Grandmaster-level warriors and mage. Their cloaks were enchanted to conceal their presence, blending seamlessly into the surrounding environment. Even to the naked eye, they were nearly invisible, their camouflage rendering them like shadows in the night.

"How many targets?" Qiao Fu’s wife asked, her voice soft yet commanding. She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, her charm undeniable. Her striking features and graceful figure contrasted starkly with the situation at hand.

"Three Grandmasters," one of the cloaked men replied. "There’s also another individual whose strength is concealed by an artifact. We can’t determine his level."

"Tsk," Qiao Fu sneered. "Even if he’s a Grandmaster, it doesn’t matter. We have twenty on our side. Let’s see how he can escape."

"Understood, sir. We’ll wait until they reach the ambush point," the cloaked man affirmed.

The group remained silent, hidden among the cedar trees. Moments later, the faint sound of voices reached them. Mana and Tyler were chatting as they strolled through the garden.

"How do you plan to deal with Qiao Fu?" Mana asked casually, her tone light but her gaze sharp.

"At first, I thought about seducing his wife and poisoning him," Tyler said with a sigh. "But we don’t have time for that."

"..." Qiao Fu, hidden in the shadows, froze, his eyes narrowing in fury.

Qiao Fu’s wife stiffened, unsure how to react. She turned her face away, her expression caught between embarrassment and unease.

"Why are you sighing?" Mana asked with a small smile.

"Well, let’s be honest. His wife is stunning, sexy and he looks like..." Tyler paused for dramatic effect before continuing, "...an animal ?. It’s like giving a garland of flowers to a Monkey."

Mana couldn’t help but chuckle, her laughter light and melodic. The bodyguards nearby also stifled their amusement. Even Qiao Fu, despite his rising anger, let out an involuntary snicker before his rage took over.

Qiao Fu’s wife unconsciously laughed a little.

Slap!

Qiao Fu’s hand came down hard across his wife’s face, leaving a visible red mark on her pale skin.

"What are you laughing at, you useless s|ut—!" he barked, his voice dripping with cruelty.

His wife covered her face, tears brimming in her eyes. This wasn’t the first time she had faced his wrath, and she knew it wouldn’t be the last.

"Enough waiting! Let’s kill them!" Qiao Fu roared, unable to contain his fury. His men surged forward, their cloaks fluttering as they emerged from the shadows.

"Oh... Looks like the taunt worked," Tyler said, smirking. Mana had already detected the intruders earlier, alerting Tyler through divine sense. Guessing it was Qiao Fu, Tyler had deliberately provoked him.

As the black-cloaked men advanced, Tyler and Mana remained calm, standing still. They didn’t move a muscle, leaving the fight to their bodyguards.

Reva stepped forward, her small shield strapped to her back suddenly expanding into a massive, glowing orange barrier. It floated before her, shimmering with magical energy. She grasped the shield’s handle with both hands and lunged forward, vanishing in a blur of motion. In an instant, she reappeared in front of three attackers, her shield crashing into them with a deafening boom. The last thing they saw was the brilliant orange glow before they were sent flying into the trees.

Another cloaked figure appeared to Reva’s side, his blade raised to strike. Before he could react, a searing blue fireball exploded against his face, hurling him backward. Hart, stood at a distance, his wand glowing faintly as he prepared another spell.

Meanwhile, Gru, a towering swordsman— no, the healer who heals with sword, raised his blade high. Light radiated from its edge, illuminating the area and dispelling the cloaks’ enchantments. One by one, the hidden enemies were revealed, their forms shimmering back into visibility.

Surrounded by so many Grandmaster-level opponents, the bodyguards felt a momentary pang of fear.

"Well, well, well. Looks like we’ve got some trapped rabbits here," Qiao Fu sneered, his voice dripping with mockery.

Tyler, however, didn’t respond. His attention wasn’t on Qiao Fu at all—it was on the striking woman standing behind him. His calm demeanor further enraged Qiao Fu, who had been expecting fear. He didn’t expect him to oolge at his wife in front of him.

"You dare ignore me?" Qiao Fu’s voice rose, and his mask of composure shattered. Fury took over, and he bellowed, "Kill them! Attack at once!"

The mages accompanying him immediately began casting spells, unleashing a barrage of magical attacks. The warriors followed suit, their weapons gleaming under the faint moonlight as they charged forward.

Tyler’s bodyguards—Reva, Gru, and Hart—stood their ground, forming a protective line in front of Tyler and Mana. They didn’t move an inch, ready to counter. But the expected explosion or clash never came.

A faint hum filled the air, and a shimmering barrier materialized around Tyler’s group, deflecting the onslaught of spells and weapons effortlessly.

"An array...?" Gru muttered, glancing at the glowing runes etched into the ground.

"Hmph! Let’s see how long that will last!" Qiao Fu scoffed. He motioned for his men to continue attacking. The warriors struck the barrier with relentless force, while the mages chanted incantations to overwhelm it.

The cracks began to show after a few minutes, thin lines spreading across the transparent shield. Qiao Fu’s lips curled into a triumphant smile. "It’s breaking! Push harder!"

But just as the array shattered, Tyler calmly reached into his storage device and retrieved another Array Disc. Without a word, he activated it. A fresh barrier sprang up instantly, replacing the broken one. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

Qiao Fu’s victorious expression froze. "Another array?" he hissed.

"Attack again! Break this one too!" he shouted, his frustration growing.

The cycle repeated.

Ten minutes later,

When the second barrier was on the verge of breaking, Tyler pulled out another Array disc and activated it without so much as a glance at the attackers.

Half an hour passed, and Tyler deployed yet another array.

The battle dragged on.

Five hours later....

The situation had shifted dramatically. Qiao Fu’s warriors and mages were drenched in sweat, their movements sluggish, and their breaths labored. They had poured every ounce of their strength into breaking the barriers, yet each time, Tyler simply replaced them without batting an eye.

Meanwhile, inside the protective dome, Tyler, Mana, and the bodyguards were completely at ease. They sat around a small table, sipping tea and playing cards. Mana leaned back with a smirk, casually tossing a card onto the pile.

"Your turn, Tyler," she said, glancing at the exhausted attackers outside the barrier.

Tyler chuckled, drawing a card.

"Boss, lunch is ready," Hart announced, setting down a steaming plate of dumplings.

Before Tyler could respond, Mana darted forward and snatched a few, stuffing her mouth without hesitation.

"They’re not going anywhere, you know," Tyler said, raising an eyebrow.

"Mmmm mmm mmh," Mana mumbled something unintelligible, her cheeks puffed like a chipmunk’s.

The scene drew amused glances from Reva and Gru, who shook their heads at her antics. Despite the tense situation outside the barrier, the relaxed atmosphere within was almost surreal.

Tyler picked up a dumpling, savoring the bite before nodding in approval. "Hart, your cooking skills are wasted as a bodyguard. These are excellent."

Hart grinned, taking a seat. "Glad you think so, Boss."

Nightfall came, casting an eerie glow over the battlefield. Outside the barrier, Qiao Fu’s men were visibly drained. Their repeated attempts to breach the arrays had taken a toll. Even their explosive charms, was no use because Tyler seems to have Unlimited protection array.

Inside the barrier, however, Tyler and his group remained undisturbed. They had even moved on from cards to discussing plans for the next day, the soft hum of the active array providing a sense of security.

Tyler finally stood, brushing off his robes. He reached into his storage device—a seemingly bottomless trove—and retrieved a stack of array discs. Handing them to Reva, Gru, and Hart, he spoke calmly, "Activate these when the barrier starts to break. No need to rush; let them waste their energy first."

Reva took the discs with a smirk. "Got it. Let’s see how much more frustration they can handle."

Outside, the attackers were at their limits. Sweat dripped from their faces as they unleashed spell after spell, only to see another barrier replace the previous one. The futility of their efforts was beginning to sink in.

Qiao Fu’s face twisted in frustration. His carefully orchestrated ambush had devolved into a humiliating slog. He clenched his fists, his anger simmering beneath the surface.

"Boss, should we... retreat?" one of his subordinates dared to ask, his voice trembling.

Qiao Fu glared at him, but the suggestion struck a nerve. He could see the exhaustion in his men’s eyes, the way their movements had slowed.

His gaze shifted to Tyler, who appeared completely unbothered, as if the entire ordeal was nothing more than an inconvenience. The sight infuriated him, but he couldn’t deny the reality.

Gritting his teeth, Qiao Fu made a decision. "Fall back," he growled reluctantly.