Outside an abandoned temple, dozens of shadows flit in and out.
"Young Master, we have investigated clearly, that group of bandits is hiding inside this abandoned temple."
Xing Kui said in a low voice.
"How many people? What’s their strength?"
"There are over thirty bandits, but their strength is unknown."
"Have we found out why they are here?"
"Not clear, but I saw a box in the abandoned temple, everyone is guarding it. It must contain something extremely precious," Xing Kui said.
Zhong Lin pondered for a moment and then said sternly, "Take action."
So many people from the Hundred Herbs Hall have died, we must give everyone an explanation. Regardless of who these people are, they all must die.
Upon Zhong Lin’s command, dozens of black shadows slowly approached the abandoned temple.
The dilapidated temple door was suddenly smashed open as Xing Kui led the Guard Team in instantly to kill.
A loud shout rang out followed by many torches lighting up the temple, turning it as bright as day.
Leading them was a tall man with eyes like a spiritual body and as strong as a bear, carrying a door-panel-like saber.
On his body, his Qi-blood was blazing, and the heat rolling off him made everyone in the temple feel as if they were in a furnace.
"Such powerful Qi-blood, a Fourth Grade Divine Power Realm expert. Young Master, leave this one to me."
The silent gray-robed elder who had been by Zhong Lin’s side suddenly spoke up.
"Thank you, Elder Tian," Zhong Lin said respectfully.
"No need for formalities, Young Master, it’s what I should do."
With that, he leapt into the air like a large bird, landing inside the temple.
Tian Li, the Guardian Elder of the Hundred Herbs Hall, at the peak of the Fourth Grade Divine Power Realm, ready to step into the Upper Third Grades at any moment.
Also, the bodyguard left for him by his master.
Zhong Lin, worried about encountering formidable enemies, brought him along, unexpectedly making good use of him.
The braw bear-like man roared, placing his massive saber on the ground, splitting the bluestone beneath and revealing the saber’s weight.
Tian Li looked coldly at the man before him and said icily, "You killed members of our Hundred Herbs Hall, and you still ask who I am? Prepare to die."
Stepping forward, his body moved like a whirlwind, reaching the giant man in the blink of an eye.
His skinny palm swelled threefold in an instant, like a fan, glowing red-hot like a brand, striking towards the man’s face.
The giant man sneered, swinging his door-sized saber horizontally at Tian Li.
Tian Li snorted coldly, turning his palm to a fist, leaving space in the void, accompanied by a booming white airwave, blasting the saber off course.
Seizing the opportunity, Tian Li stomped the ground, thigh muscles twitching, Qi-blood roaring, rushing out like a black streak, his punch like cannon fire landing on the giant man’s chest.
The sound of bones shattering was heard as the giant man’s chest caved in, with crimson blood pouring out.
Tian Li pressed forward, grabbing the man’s arm, and with a forceful grip, the sound of cracking bones echoed, instantly shattering the man’s limbs.
From afar, Zhong Lin clearly watched this scene, filled with amazement.
Both were Fourth Grade Divine Power Realm, seemingly well-matched, yet within a few moves, the giant man was rendered powerless, his limbs crushed like a chick in Tian Li’s grasp.
Zhong Lin also took down the Black Rosewood Bow from his back, drew out an arrow, and notched it.
With a crisp sound cutting through the air, a bandit at the Seventh Grade Bone Forging Realm fell, pierced through the heart by a quivering arrow tail.
Zhong Lin remained expressionless, drawing another arrow.
Each arrow’s tremor brought a bandit’s death, no one could evade.
Zhong Lin was like a death god in the night, his position unknown, only the twang of the bowstring followed by a scream.
Moreover, no one could comprehend the flight path of the arrows. Though sensing their approach and attempting to block with a sword, the arrow would curve and strike another target.
How could such archery skills exist in this world?
With each lethal bowstring sound, the bandits inside the temple could no longer bear the psychological pressure, screaming in terror, fleeing without regard for the swords before them.
"I surrender, don’t kill me, don’t kill me."
"Help! Don’t kill me."
Prayers proved futile, as the arrows continued to pierce the air, and in moments, all bandits inside the temple were dead, leaving only the maimed giant man.
Zhong Lin stepped out from the darkness, Xin Kui stepping forward to take the Black Rosewood Bow from his hands, full of respect on his face.
"You can’t kill me, I’m Fan Ming, the Third Chief of Black Wind Village. The Village Chief won’t let you go if you kill me."
The giant man Fan Ming looked at the approaching Zhong Lin, eyes full of shock and fear, enduring his limb pain, shouting angrily.
"The Village Chief is an Upper Third Grade Martial Artist, of immense divine power, unmatched. Let me go and I’ll pretend nothing happened, or the Village Chief will avenge me, exterminating your family completely."
Such a familiarly strange name! A staple in novels.
Xing Kui, knowing the Young Master wasn’t familiar with such matters, quickly stepped forward to explain: "Young Master, Black Wind Village is a den of mountain bandits assembled by a rebel leader. The Village Chief, Wu Jingguang, is a Third Grade Inner Breath Realm expert. Ten years ago, he escaped the court’s army’s encirclement with his strong martial arts cultivation skills, fleeing to the Black Wind Mountain Range to establish Black Wind Village. Due to the complex terrain of Black Wind Mountain Range, easy to defend and hard to attack, several sieges by the court’s army were unsuccessful, allowing him to grow. He frequently robs passing caravans on the road, and Wu Jingguang is long on the wanted list, with a thousand tael bounty."
Zhong Lin frowned. The Black Wind Mountain Range is even farther from here, and the Hundred Herbs Hall has never interfered with Wu Jingguang. What are Black Wind Village’s people doing here?
"How did Black Wind Village’s people get here? Why kill the people of my Hundred Herbs Hall? What’s inside the box?"
Zhong Lin asked three questions in a row.
Fan Ming stubbornly turned his head to the side, refusing to answer.
A dark shadow passed by, and Fan Ming’s right arm fell from his shoulder, with blood instantly gushing out.
"You can continue not answering, and I shall see how many pieces you can be broken into."
"I’ll talk, I’ll talk."
By this time, Fan Ming realized his Village Chief’s reputation could not suppress these people before him.
"The box contains the Heavenly Female Origin Pearl. We were ordered by the Village Chief to bring it back to Black Wind Village. Passing through Turtle Back Mountain, we wanted to rest a bit and accidentally encountered the people from your Hundred Herbs Hall. To prevent news from leaking, we silenced them," Fan Ming quickly explained, fearing Zhong Lin would cut off another arm.
"Heavenly Female Origin Pearl."
At these four words, Tian Li, standing by, trembled, blurting out.
"Where did you get this treasure from?"
"The Zheng family of Jiang You."
"So, it’s the Zheng family of the maritime market. No wonder they have such a treasure."
As he spoke, Tian Li opened the wooden box to find a fist-sized golden pearl lying inside, golden all over, radiating a misty glow, bringing a warm feeling just by approaching,