Chapter 57: Ambush and Kill

……

Seeing his elder brother remain silent, the man did not speak either, merely continuing forward in silence.

The two brothers were originally from Jiunan City. After the city was captured by rebel forces, they fled to Songyi City.

After settling outside Songyi City, they made a living through hunting.

However, they hadn't expected the impact of the rebel forces to grow so large that it reached their territory, making hunting an unsustainable way of life. Out of desperation, they had turned to banditry.

Although they possessed decent martial arts, having skill did not guarantee a decent job.

Wealthy families simply did not dare to employ martial artists like them—those of unknown origins, without social standing or verifiable backgrounds.

The stronger such people were, the greater the potential trouble they could cause if something went wrong.

When Lin Zheyu first arrived in Songyi City, he faced the same issue. Despite his knowledge and proficiency in mathematics, no one would hire him, and there was no one to recommend him. Only those looking for temporary laborers for dirty or grueling work were willing to recruit him.

After numerous attempts, he eventually found work as a storyteller.

Fortunately, he was a good storyteller and had earned a reputation.

Furthermore, because he had been targeted by Jia Yanming—who failed to poach him—he gained a reputation for being a man who repays kindness. It was this reputation that caught Xu Jingwu's eye, allowing him to join the Flying Rainbow Gang.

"Brother, why don't we join the Nine Nether Sect instead? Let's believe in that damn Nine Nether Demon God," one of the men behind them suggested.

Recently, a sect known as the Nine Nether Sect had risen among the bandits in Lion Valley, worshipping the Nine Nether Demon God.

The name "Nine Nether Demon God" sounded like something straight out of a cult.

But what if it was a cult? As bandits, they were already living in the shadows. In these times, as long as they could survive, they didn't care about righteousness, evil, or any such distinctions.

"Yeah, Brother. I heard that if you join the Nine Nether Sect, you can get food and grain through their channels," another man added.

"Don't be in such a hurry. Let's observe for a while longer. If all else fails, we'll choose between the Nine Nether Sect and the Songyi City City Guard to join," the lead man said after a moment of contemplation.

He felt that the Nine Nether Sect didn't seem like a good crowd either, and he had many reservations.

Hearing this, the men fell silent and continued their silent march.

……

*Whoosh.*

*Whoosh, whoosh.*

Lin Zheyu moved rapidly through the mountain forest, his figure graceful and ghostly, without making a single sound.

Once his Golden Goose Skill reached the fourth level, his speed far surpassed that of ordinary Blood-Qi Realm martial artists. At full burst, he quickly caught up to the band of bandits.

The bandits were numerous, numbering sixty-eight.

They were alert, weapons in hand, constantly monitoring their surroundings.

"Chang Feng, do you sense anyone following us?"

The lead man rushed into the forest, and after passing through several remote paths, he asked the middle-aged man behind him.

Chang Feng was an experienced herbalist with an incredibly keen sense of smell, capable of detecting unusual scents.

Relying on Chang Feng's ability, they had many times discovered individuals hiding in the shadows with ill intentions.

"No," Chang Feng said, sniffing the air.

"Good. Keep moving. Head straight for the secret outpost. Stay vigilant," the man commanded.

The group passed through one concealed path after another, advancing toward the valley.

Every time they passed through specific patches of grass or flowers, they would take out a dark green powder and sprinkle it on themselves, though their purpose was unknown.

"They certainly are cautious."

Lin Zheyu followed them from a great distance.

Having learned his lesson from Ma Wangcheng, he made sure to avoid any unusual-looking bushes or groves to prevent carrying any strange scents on his person.

Fortunately, the bandits hadn't run very far when he caught up, otherwise, they might have truly escaped.

"Found them. The bundle in that man's hands must be the loot they just snatched!"

Lin Zheyu slowly approached. After observing for a while, he finally spotted several men among the bandits carrying bulging bundles. They were clearly quite heavy.

These men were surrounded in the middle, being strictly protected.

*Whoosh.*

Lin Zheyu's figure blurred as he closed in rapidly.

In the dense forest, the trees rustled.

As a light breeze blew past, the bandit named Chang Feng sniffed the air. Detecting a strange scent, his expression changed instantly.

"Not good, someone is clos—" Chang Feng cried out in alarm.

Before he could finish, several flying knives shot out from the dense forest. The blades gleamed sharply, moving with startling speed.

"Aaaah!"

Screams rang out through the woods. With a sickening *thud*, the flying knives pierced the foreheads of five bandits, shattering their skulls upon impact.

Their eyes bulged, and in their fading gazled, there was nothing but shock and resentment.

The bandits reacted quickly. As their comrades fell, those nearby immediately aimed their crossbows toward the direction the knives had come from and fired.

Dozens of arrows were released simultaneously, whistling toward the spot where Lin Zheyu had just been standing. However, they hit nothing but air. At the very moment the knives were launched, he had already shifted his position.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—*

From another direction in the forest, five more flying knives shot out, precisely embedding themselves into the skulls of five more bandits.

The head was a human's fatal weakness. Unlike the body, where one might struggle or even be saved if treated in time after being struck by a knife, a flying knife to the forehead was almost certainly a death sentence.

"It's an expert!"

As five more comrades fell, the leader was struck with terror.

Gripping his great saber, his nerves taut, he scanned his surroundings, but he could not locate his opponent.

The flying knives were too fast; even if he wanted to block them, he couldn't.

Such terrifying strength and speed meant the opponent's power was far beyond his own!

"Which senior is—"

*Pfft—*

Before the man could finish his sentence, a silver flash streaked past, sinking into his temple.

His voice cut off abruptly, and the light vanished from his eyes.

"Brother!"

The man beside him let out a cry, his face contorted with rage and fear.

He glanced at his lifeless brother, then turned sharply and bolted into the forest.

The attacker was too strong; they had killed his leader with a single flying knife. He feared that the Blood-Qi Realm expert from the merchant caravan had tracked them down.

Just now, they had used drugs and smoke to launch a surprise attack. Although they had managed to seize some silver and goods, they had still lost over a dozen comrades to that man.

That person was incredibly powerful!

When they were out in the open, the expert had been cautious, unable to use his full strength because he had to guard against other thieves lurking in the shadows.

But here in the forest, with no such concerns and an attacker who lacked martial honor by striking from the shadows, it was terrifying—far beyond anything they could handle.

*Pfft, pfft, pfft!*

Flying knives continued to rain from the forest. The bandits couldn't even see a silhouette, and panic spread like wildfire among them.

Once the first person fled, the survivors stopped caring about anything else and scattered in all directions.

Lin Zheyu watched the fleeing bandits, but he did not attack them. Instead, he pursued the men carrying the bundles.

His flying knives were limited; he had only prepared thirty, as carrying more would be inconvenient.

*Thud—*

With a flash of cold light, a flying knife whistled through the air and pierced the back of a man's head. The man collapsed forward, his body trembling a few times before going still.

Seeing this, the other two bandits carrying bundles dropped them in terror and lunged into the nearby bushes.

In an instant, the group of sixty-odd bandits was reduced to a dozen corpses on the ground and three abandoned bundles; the rest had vanished without a trace.

*Rustle, rustle.*

A figure slowly emerged from the dense forest—it was Lin Zheyu, who had been tracking them.

He walked over, picked up the three bundles, and weighed them. They were quite heavy.

Suddenly, Lin Zheyu's expression shifted. With a flash of his blade, a colorful small snake, three or four meters long, was sliced in two.

This area was not far from Lion Valley, belonging to its outer perimeter.

The forest was perpetually filled with miasma and mist, and poisonous insects and snakes were everywhere. Lin Zheyu had encountered many of them along the way.

Having secured the bundles, he did not continue chasing the fleeing bandits but instead quickly exited the forest.

The smell here was foul, and the mist might contain certain toxins.

Tying the bundles securely to his back, Lin Zheyu moved rapidly through the woods.

Once he left the outer perimeter of Lion Valley, the mist vanished, along with the unpleasant odor.

After walking about another two miles...

*Whoosh—*

Suddenly, an arrow shot out from the grass.

Lin Zheyu pivoted his body, swinging his long saber to slice the arrow in two.

Simultaneously, a flying knife shot out from his sleeve, its light cold and sharp.

With a *thud*, the knife struck the nearby grass, followed by a scream.

A man rolled out from the brush, aiming his crossbow at Lin Zheyu once more. He pulled the trigger, and three arrows whistled forth.

*Clang, clang, clang!*

A flash of saber light followed; the sharp blade split all three arrows in two. At the same time, his left hand shot out a flying knife.

With a *thud*, it buried itself in the man's forehead.

The man's eyes bulged, filled with venomous hatred as he stared fixedly at Lin Zheyu before drawing his last breath.

Lin Zheyu approached the man and began to search him.

The fellow was a pauper; he only had a few bottles of medicinal powder, a crossbow, and a dozen arrows on him.

……

By the time he returned to Senior Brother Han's camp, the sky had grown dim.

"Young Master, you're back! Thank goodness, Lord Han has been waiting for you for a long time."

Zhao Gang saw Lin Zheyu from afar and ran over excitedly. He had been truly worried that something might happen to this gentleman; Lord Han had scolded him severely upon his return.

If something had actually happened to this gentleman, Zhao Gang would have been in deep trouble.

"Is Senior Brother back?"

"Do I need to go in and announce myself?" Lin Zheyu asked.

"No need, no need. Follow me," Zhao Gang said hurriedly.

He stole a glance at the three bundles behind Lin Zheyu, a strange look in his eyes, but he didn't dare speak up, silently leading Lin Zheyu into the military camp.

Following the soldiers into the camp, they passed through simple tents until they reached an open area.

Han Mo was dancing with his saber, immersed in his cultivation.

His body had long since reached the threshold of the Blood-Qi Realm. Blood energy constantly steamed from his veins, but because his mental strength was not yet sufficient, he could not yet condense it into tangible Blood-Qi.

Lin Zheyu did not disturb his senior brother, standing silently to the side to wait.

Sensing movement, Han Mo stopped and looked at Lin Zheyu.

"Excellent saber technique, Senior Brother!" Lin Zheyu praised, clapping his hands.

"Why did you run all the way out here? You didn't run into any danger, did you?" Han Mo asked.

"No. The Golden Goose Skill is excellent for lightness work. Although my strength is a bit lacking, my ability to escape is quite good," Lin Zheyu replied. He looked at the white gauze wrapped around Han Mo's chest. "Senior Brother, why are you injured? Is it serious?"

"It's nothing, just a minor wound. I was ambushed a few days ago while chasing a group of bandits," Han Mo said.

"You must be careful when hunting bandits, Senior Brother. Sister-in-law is still waiting for you to come home."

"Those bandits are all insidious and ruthless; they'll use any means necessary. Don't go too deep into the mountains when you're hunting them," Lin Zheyu cautioned.

"You brat, do I really need you to tell me that? The number of bandits I've killed..."

"Don't tell me you've eaten more salt than I have. I don't believe you," Lin Zheyu said with a grin and a pout.

"Haha..."

Han Mo laughed a few times and sat down nearby.

He looked at Lin Zheyu and asked, "It's incredibly dangerous outside the city right now with bandits running rampant. Why did you run out?"

"To scout the path. If things look bad, it'll be easier to make a run for it, right?" Lin Zheyu said.

"True."

"But you must be extremely careful. Don't go into the mountains. The danger in the woods isn't just bandits; the hunters and herbalists aren't necessarily good people either," Han Mo warned.

"Mhm, I'll be careful."

"Careful, my foot!"

Han Mo couldn't help but scold him. "I just heard the soldiers say you went chasing bandits? Are you looking for death, going after them all by yourself?"

"But I'm fine, aren't I?" Lin Zheyu said.

He had just been attacking from the shadows; he hadn't even gotten a drop of blood on him.

Han Mo glared at him and inspected him closely. He was indeed fine; even his clothes were clean.

"Are these bundles of yours all looted from bandits?"

Han Mo looked at the four bulging bundles beside Lin Zheyu with a strange expression. "Don't tell me you robbed civilians or merchant caravans!"

"How could I!"

"You know my character. Am I the kind of person who would do such a thing?" Lin Zheyu said, exasperated.

"These three bundles were stolen from a merchant caravan by that group of bandits. I followed them secretly, waited for the right moment, and snatched them back. This one was just something I picked up on the way."

"Really?"

Han Mo was skeptical. After all, even he, going alone to hunt bandits, would likely just be delivering himself to his death.

"Really. Why would I lie to you?"

"That merchant caravan probably had about three hundred people. Do you think I have the strength to take things from them?"

"I followed the bandits into the forest, and they ran into an ambush by another group of bandits. The two groups started fighting each other, and I just took advantage of the situation," Lin Zheyu made up an excuse.

"Do less of this in the future. One slip-up and you'll lose your life," Han Mo warned.

"Mhm, mhm, won't happen again," Lin Zheyu said.

Beside Han Mo, he opened the bundles and began to count the contents without any hesitation.

The first bundle contained various medicinal herbs. There were many kinds, emitting a thick medicinal fragrance. He recognized a few that were part of the Blood-Nourishing and Bone-Strengthening Soup recipe.

The second bundle contained various exquisite pieces of jewelry and jade, looking very luxurious and likely quite expensive.

The third bundle held two hundred and thirty taels of silver, and inside that was another smaller bundle containing medicinal powders, poisonous powders, and various hidden weapons.

"A share for everyone. Senior Brother, here are thirty taels of silver for you."

Lin Zheyu took out thirty taels and handed them over.

During his time in Songyi City, his senior brother had taken quite good care of him. After their master left the city, Han Mo would often find time to come and practice combat with him.

"Take it back. Save it for when you get a wife. What do I need your money for?"

Han Mo did not accept it, speaking in the tone of an elder. "You'll need to marry and start a family in the future. There will be many places where you'll need money. You must use it sparingly and not squander it all."

"Since you won't take the silver, then Senior Brother, pick out some beautiful jewelry. I'll give it to Sister-in-law when I go back. We've known each other for so long, and I haven't even given her a gift yet."

Lin Zheyu pointed at the pile of jewelry.

Under his persistent urging, Han Mo stopped refusing. He selected a beautiful jade pendant and nothing else.

After packing away the jade, jewelry, and silver, Lin Zheyu began to organize the poisonous and medicinal powders.

"How many bandits did you run into on your way here? How do you have so much poison and so many hidden weapons?" Han Mo asked, looking at the contents of the bundle.

"Oh, I just picked them up."

"The mountains are incredibly dangerous. Bandits fight and hunt each other too. I just happened to come across a few bandit corpses and scavenged them," Lin Zheyu lied.

Han Mo: "..."

Han Mo looked at his junior brother speechlessly. He didn't believe him for a second, but he didn't ask further.

That was just his personality; if his junior brother didn't want to talk, he wouldn't pry. Everyone had secrets they didn't wish to share.

"Senior Brother, do you know any experts with some proficiency in poisons?" Lin Zheyu asked after finishing the organization.