Chapter 84: The Ruffians

After defeating the wolf pack and feeding a few Blood Pearls to the dying Sky Splitting Tiger to keep him alive, Mu Feng carried him on his back and ran swiftly. He rushed back to Jing Family Village overnight. Even from behind several large mountains, he could see from afar that the direction of Jing Family Village was ablaze with fire, lighting up half the sky.

“That little fellow Chu San, he wouldn’t have gathered the entire village to come rescue me at Pingyuan Ancient Town, would he?”

Mu Feng shook his head with a bitter smile. Thinking of the worried Jing Wushuang, he instinctively quickened his pace.

So much time had passed. Not only had she not seen her elder brother Sky Splitting Tiger, but even he himself was missing and his fate was unknown. She must have been extremely worried! Suddenly seeing him and Sky Splitting Tiger return safely, he couldn’t imagine how overjoyed she would be.

Recalling Jing Wushuang’s warm, spring-like smiling face and imagining her happy expression, Mu Feng felt as if his body was filled with endless strength. He walked faster and faster. After trekking over mountains and through rivers, and crossing several large mountains, Jing Family Village, surrounded by mountains on three sides, was now right before his eyes. Just as he prepared to speed up again, suddenly, his body froze, and he abruptly stopped. His nostrils twitched slightly.

As the distance closed, he could see that the sky above Jing Family Village wasn’t just lit up red; there were also waves of heat, something that definitely couldn’t be caused by torches. Even worse, the wind carried chaotic noises, along with the faint scent of blood.

Not good!

Mu Feng was startled. With several leaps, he rushed up a hill. Standing on the high hill and looking over, his eyes instantly turned red.

He saw that the once beautiful and tranquil Jing Family Village was now a sea of flames, with corpses scattered everywhere. All the villagers, regardless of gender or age, had been slaughtered by a group of heavily armored ruffians. They killed everyone they saw, leaving no one alive.

Looking up, he happened to see a young hunter holding a crossbow, protecting his wife and child as they rushed out of the village entrance. Before they could hide in the dense forest nearby, over a dozen ruffians chased them out from the village. Left with no choice, the young hunter turned to intercept them, covering his wife and child’s escape. His arrows flew like shooting stars, instantly killing several ruffians. But the next moment, he was swarmed by the ruffians and hacked to death. Then, his wife and child, who hadn’t gotten far, were caught up to, dismembered by chaotic slashes. Even the infant held in the young wife’s arms wasn’t spared; a ruffian lifted it into the air with his spear!

Village massacre!

This was a bloody slaughter!

Mu Feng was both shocked and furious. The veins on his neck bulged. Holding the Overlord Spear, he charged straight down from the high hill.

He didn’t know who these ruffians were. He didn’t know what deep hatred they held to warrant massacring the village. He didn’t know whether Jing Wushuang was alive or dead. But they didn’t even spare the elderly on their last legs or infants just months old. The cruelty of these ruffians was simply appalling; each of them deserved to die a thousand deaths to atone for their sins!

“Quick, there’s another one over there, charging down from the hill!”

“Hey, this guy isn’t hiding in the forest; he actually dares to run back and throw his life away?”

…

The dozen or so ruffians who had chased out of the village entrance quickly spotted Mu Feng. Driven by their bloodlust, they swarmed forward without a second thought, intending to dismember him on sight and chop the approaching Mu Feng into mincemeat. Relying on their numbers, they had been slaughtering freely tonight, cutting down everyone in their path, their eyes red with frenzy. They thought another fool had come to die, but this time, they miscalculated.

Buzz…

Like a tiger’s roar or a dragon’s cry, Mu Feng thrust his spear. The two ruffians in front only saw a cold gleam flash before their eyes, then their bodies fell to the ground. Not until Mu Feng brushed past them and their bodies hit the ground did they feel a sharp pain in their brows, blood gushing out like a fountain. The next moment, boundless darkness surged over them, and they quickly lost consciousness.

Emperor’s Thrust!

Mu Feng showed no mercy. With one spear thrust, he killed the two in front, then charged at the remaining ruffians like a fierce tiger descending the mountain.

“Kill him, everyone attack together!”

“He’s a master, attack together, quick!”

…

Witnessing Mu Feng’s fierce attack, the remaining ruffians were greatly startled and all struck out with full force.

Ding, ding, ding, ding… After a series of crisp sounds, the swords and spears in their hands were all sent flying. Even with over a dozen men attacking together, they were no match for Mu Feng. Exchanging glances, they saw fear in each other’s eyes, turned, and ran. But it was too late. Almost simultaneously, their bodies were pierced from behind by Mu Feng’s spear. Not one managed to escape.

“You… you are Mu… Young Master Mu Feng?”

The last ruffian, lifted up by the Overlord Spear, turned his head with difficulty, wide-eyed, looking at Mu Feng in disbelief. Before he could finish his sentence, his head slumped limply. At that moment, Mu Feng noticed a somewhat blurred character ‘Mu’ on his blood-stained armor.

A disciple of Mu Manor?

Did Mu Manor order the massacre of this small mountain village?

Mu Feng was shocked, but then quickly dismissed this absurd idea. Mu Manor was one of the top great families in Jianning. How could they suddenly attack a small, unrelated mountain village, and with such brutality? Clearly, this must be the work of some scoundrel among the Mu Manor disciples!

“Mu Qingyuan, could it be him again?”

Thinking of the scoundrels in Mu Manor, Mu Feng first thought of that vile young master Mu Qingyuan, recalling his reckless demeanor. Without further thought, he gripped the Overlord Spear and sprinted straight toward Green Mountain Villa, fearing that Jing Wushuang had also fallen victim. Along the way, he saw the bodies of villagers everywhere, their eyes wide open in death. The blazing fires made his heart grow heavier and heavier.

Like the other houses, the refined and elegant Green Mountain Villa was also engulfed in flames. Before he even got close, he heard a familiar, hearty laugh from inside.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, look at this fair, tender skin. She truly is a fresh, lovely girl. That kid Mu Feng really has good taste!”

Mu Qingyuan’s voice came from within Green Mountain Villa, accompanied by his unrestrained laughter. “What a pity, what a pity. Such a fair, tender, and lovely girl ends up being enjoyed by me in the end, hahaha. Still stubborn now? Wait a bit, when you taste the blissful pleasure, let’s see if you still won’t say where that kid Mu Feng has gone, hahaha!”

Looking at Jing Wushuang, who was tied to a tree trunk and unable to move, Mu Qingyuan laughed heartily, his face ferocious.

Not far away, the thin Chu San was tied to another tree. He looked dazed, muttering to himself, repeatedly calling ‘Mother, mother…’. He was covered in blood, both his arms severed at the roots. The flesh on his face was torn and slashed countless times, only barely revealing the outlines of his features.

Even more appalling, Mu Qingyuan and his group had roughly treated his wounds, deliberately preventing him from dying immediately, keeping him alive for slow torture. He could neither live nor die. In front of him, a large bundle of dry firewood burned fiercely, and a middle-aged peasant woman placed atop it had already been burned to a charred corpse.

“This is the fate of everyone connected to that kid Mu Feng!”

Mu Qingyuan’s formerly self-proclaimed handsome face was twisted, looking especially sinister. “Pretty girl, don’t blame me for being cruel. Blame yourselves for not knowing your limits, hahaha. Mu Feng, oh Mu Feng, aren’t you so powerful, so remarkable? Today, I will enjoy your woman before you, let’s see how you can hold your head high after this, hahaha!”

Mu Qingyuan laughed recklessly and stepped closer and closer to Jing Wushuang, who was tied to the tree. With a forceful tear, he ripped off his own upper garment, his beastly nature fully unleashed.