Chapter 3: Team Wipe

Mu Guitu being killed instantly completely took Red Wolf and Ling Tian by surprise. Moreover, the manner of Mu Guitu’s death was so terrifying that Red Wolf and Ling Tian lost their composure, standing frozen in place for a long moment.

Red Wolf and Ling Tian fell into a state of stunned shock. However, a sharp, chilling glint flashed in Mu Xian’s star-like eyes from behind Ling Tian.

There was a faint, almost imperceptible crackling sound at Mu Xian’s feet. His slender body swayed slightly, and in the next instant, Mu Xian had become a blur, appearing before the black longsword that had fallen from Mu Guitu.

Mu Xian’s sudden movement immediately snapped Red Wolf and Ling Tian out of their daze. But seeing Mu Xian’s figure, which was almost impossible to track accurately, sent Red Wolf and Ling Tian into shock once more.

Wasn’t Mu Xian a useless person who had cultivated for over a decade yet remained at the initial stage of the Flesh Body Realm? How could someone at the initial stage of the Flesh Body Realm be so fast? Even someone at the initial stage of the Condensed Essence Realm might not achieve such speed, right?

While Red Wolf and Ling Tian were dumbfounded, Mu Xian had already picked up the black longsword Mu Guitu had dropped and was sprinting straight towards Red Wolf.

It was at this moment that Red Wolf and Ling Tian realized what Mu Xian intended to do.

“Xian’er, no! It’s dangerous ahead! Come back quickly!” Thinking of Red Wolf’s Condensed Essence Realm cultivation and the dozens of Fire Wolf Gang members lying in ambush in the dense forest behind Red Wolf, Ling Tian grew extremely anxious.

Red Wolf was momentarily stunned, then the corners of his mouth quirked upwards, and a cruel smile flashed in his eyes. “Kid, if you had stayed obediently behind Ling Tian, I might not have been able to touch you. Since you’re coming to your death yourself, don’t blame me for being heartless.”

As he spoke, Red Wolf calmly took the fine steel bow from his back and leisurely nocked an ironwood arrow onto it.

By now, Mu Xian had already reached the point midway between Red Wolf and Ling Tian. Red Wolf was confident he could end Mu Xian’s life with an arrow before Mu Xian could get close. At this distance, even if Ling Tian wanted to help Mu Xian, he would be powerless to do so.

Seeing Red Wolf raise his bow with a cold sneer, aiming at Mu Xian, Ling Tian’s heart leaped into his throat. His body instinctively shot towards Mu Xian, even though he knew his effort might be in vain.

Facing the huge bow raised by Red Wolf, a mocking smile flickered at the corner of Mu Xian’s mouth. His body didn’t pause for a second; his feet tapped rapidly on the ground, his speed increasing again until he completely became a blur of afterimages.

Seeing the mockery in Mu Xian’s smile, a trace of unease flashed in Red Wolf’s heart. Instinctively, he drew his arm back to pull the bowstring. With this pull, Red Wolf’s expression changed drastically.

To his astonishment, Red Wolf discovered that the Yuan Power within his body had vanished completely. The giant bow, which usually felt weightless in his hands, now felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. Even using all his strength, he couldn’t draw it back even a fraction.

Red Wolf’s fine steel bow was forged by fusing it with heavenly meteorite iron. The bow body alone weighed over eight hundred jin. Red Wolf had spent his life’s savings to have it forged after his cultivation reached the Condensed Essence Realm. Relying on this Meteoric Iron Fine Steel Bow, Red Wolf could challenge those above his level, easily suppressing martial artists at the middle stage of the Condensed Essence Realm, which had made him quite famous.

But what was usually a great asset to Red Wolf now became a burden. When the fine steel bow couldn’t be drawn, it was less useful to him than an ordinary longsword.

In the instant of Red Wolf’s shock, Mu Xian’s body was already just a step away from him, and the black sword in Mu Xian’s hand was less than ten centimeters from his throat.

At that very moment, the scene of Mu Guitu being cleaved in two by Ling Tian’s blade involuntarily surfaced in Red Wolf’s mind.

Red Wolf had originally thought Mu Guitu was instantly killed by Ling Tian because Ling Tian was far stronger and had pretended to be weak.

Only now did Red Wolf understand the real reason for Mu Guitu’s instant death. It wasn’t that Ling Tian had hidden his strength, but that Mu Guitu had suddenly lost all his power, giving Ling Tian the opportunity.

“Spare…” Feeling the cold sword energy at his throat, a flicker of panic finally flashed in Red Wolf’s eyes, and he cried out involuntarily.

Red Wolf only managed to utter that one word before the icy longsword pierced through his throat. A spray of blood flowered in the air, exceptionally glaring.

Feeling the power within his body rapidly draining away, Red Wolf’s eyes filled with resentment and regret. In his final moment, he instinctively recalled how he had completely looked down on Mu Xian before, toying with him like a cat playing with a mouse.

With a clang, the fine steel bow in Red Wolf’s hands fell to the ground, as if mourning for its master.

Immediately after, Red Wolf’s body also crashed heavily to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

At the same time, Ling Tian finally reached Mu Xian and Red Wolf’s side.

But seeing Red Wolf, who had died with his eyes wide open, and Mu Xian, standing there bent over and panting heavily, Ling Tian’s mind couldn’t quite process it.

Ling Tian had been prepared to collect Mu Xian’s body, but instead, he was met with this outcome.

“Uncle Ling, this is a Tiger Blood Pill. Everything now depends on you.” While Ling Tian was stunned, Mu Xian’s extremely weak voice sounded in his ear. Then, a warm pill was placed in his hand.

Ling Tian was about to ask Mu Xian what had happened when he saw Mu Xian’s body topple straight towards him. It was then that Ling Tian noticed Mu Xian’s face was completely devoid of color, a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and his eyes were already closed.

Hearing angry curses and commotion coming from deep within the dense forest, Ling Tian frowned. With one arm, he caught Mu Xian. With the other, he scooped up the black longsword and the Meteoric Iron Fine Steel Bow from the ground, and also retrieved the arrow quiver from Red Wolf’s body. Then, he exploded backwards, retreating to where the carriage was.

After placing Mu Xian inside the carriage, Ling Tian tossed the Tiger Blood Pill into his mouth and closed his eyes to rest and recuperate.

The Tiger Blood Pill was an extremely popular healing pill on the market. It used the blood of a Blazing Flame Demon Tiger as a catalyst, combined with two types of spiritual medicine: Blood Python Branch and Iron Ginseng. It was highly effective for martial artists at the Condensed Essence Realm and below, not only quickly restoring internal vitality but also having an immediate healing effect on external injuries.

Because Mu Xian’s meridians were fragile, he was more prone to injury and bleeding than ordinary people. Therefore, Mu Yuanshan and Tang Qiluo had prepared a large supply of Tiger Blood Pills for Mu Xian for protection.

Knowing he was about to face a fierce battle, Ling Tian naturally didn’t stand on ceremony with Mu Xian.

When the group of Fire Wolf Gang members rushed out of the dense forest, they looked at the composed Ling Tian, then at Mu Guitu, who was cut in half, and Red Wolf, who died with eyes wide open. They all halted their steps, not daring to advance any closer to Ling Tian.

The Fire Wolf Gang members had been hiding in the forest and didn’t know the truth about how Mu Guitu and Red Wolf were killed. So, they were completely intimidated by Ling Tian’s displayed strength.

It had to be known that today’s ambush was primarily led by Mu Guitu and Red Wolf. The Fire Wolf Gang members hiding in the forest and setting traps were just a precaution.

In the eyes of the Fire Wolf Gang members, Mu Guitu, as a strong expert at the Great Perfection stage of the Condensed Essence Realm, could completely suppress Ling Tian. Although their leader, Red Wolf, was only at the middle stage of the Condensed Essence Realm, with the Meteoric Iron Fine Steel Bow in hand, he was enough to contain and deter Ling Tian. Today’s ambush was a sure thing.

They never imagined that in just the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the seemingly god-like Mu Guitu and their invincible leader were both slain, while the other side only suffered light injuries.

“If you don’t want to die, get lost! This Shitang Town is not a place for your Fire Wolf Gang to run wild!” While the Fire Wolf Gang members’ expressions shifted uncertainly, Ling Tian had completely absorbed the Tiger Blood Pill, and his injuries were mostly healed. He swept a cold glance over the Fire Wolf Gang members and harshly rebuked them.

Under Ling Tian’s gaze, the group of Fire Wolf Gang members instinctively looked down or glanced around, not daring to meet his eyes.

“Lord Ling, as the saying goes, two fists are no match for four hands. We know your cultivation is profound, but we have a full forty men here, and you have a burden by your side. Are you sure you have us completely figured out?” After a long silence, one of the Fire Wolf Gang members asked with a sinister expression.

Ling Tian responded with a cold snort. He slowly picked up the Meteoric Iron Fine Steel Bow and ironwood arrows placed beside him and said icily, “Why don’t you test my archery? Let’s see how many of your forty-plus men will be left standing by the time you reach me!”

Seeing the Meteoric Iron Fine Steel Bow and ironwood arrows in Ling Tian’s hands, and the undisguised killing intent in his eyes, the expressions of the Fire Wolf Gang members turned extremely ugly.

But remembering the Mu Family Elders’ astronomical reward and Ling Tian’s isolated situation, a glint of greed and determination flashed in their eyes.

“Brothers! This Ling Tian is only at the high stage of the Condensed Essence Realm. He must have exhausted all his strength killing the Sixth Elder and our leader. He’s at the end of his rope now, merely putting on a show to scare us. We must not fall for it!” The Fire Wolf Gang member who had just spoken roared and then charged forward.

Seeing someone take the lead, the other Fire Wolf Gang members, who already coveted the Mu Family Elders’ huge reward, immediately followed without hesitation.

Seeing this, Ling Tian snorted coldly and unhesitatingly drew his bow and nocked an arrow.

With several sharp twangs of “twang”, “twang”, “twang”, the men charging at the front immediately fell.

Seeing Ling Tian’s arrows pierce hearts with unerring accuracy, and seeing that drawing the bow and nocking arrows didn’t seem the least bit strenuous for him—in fact, he appeared even more skilled and at ease than their own leader had been—the group of Fire Wolf Gang members rushing towards Ling Tian looked at each other in dismay, their hearts and courage chilling.

While the Fire Wolf Gang members were stunned, Ling Tian’s hands didn’t pause for a moment, mechanically repeating the motions of drawing the bow and nocking arrows.

In just a dozen or so breaths, all those who had charged at Ling Tian had fallen, completely dead.

The remaining Fire Wolf Gang members were utterly intimidated by Ling Tian’s cold-bloodedness and cruelty. They let out a great shout and then scattered in all directions, no longer daring to charge at Ling Tian.

Although the cultivation resources promised by the Mu Family Elders were tempting, one needed to be alive to enjoy them.

“Now you think of running? Too late!” Seeing the rabble before him trying to flee, a savage glint flashed in Ling Tian’s eyes. He leapt into the air, and the “twang”, “twang” sounds from the Meteoric Iron Fine Steel Bow in his hands became incessant.

For a time, the dense forest was filled with flying sprays of blood, cries of agony rising and falling, descending into complete chaos.