Chapter 81

"Killing intent?!"

Jiang Ye was slightly stunned, a trace of confusion flashing in his aged eyes.

So that extremely yin and cold, extremely evil and poisonous breath was killing intent.

But what was the use of this killing intent?

Just now, it only circled his body once before retreating like a tide, dissipating without a trace.

He tried to capture it, to perceive it, but could no longer find a trace of that breath, as if everything just now was just an illusion.

"Could it be that I need to use the Qi-Nurturing Method to nurture the killing intent?"

As soon as this thought emerged, he felt it was a bit absurd himself.

How could there be anyone in this world who specifically nurtures killing intent?

The Qi-Nurturing Method nurtures the qi of the five elements of heaven and earth; it is the upright and proper path.

And something like killing intent, yin, cold, evil, and poisonous, is incompatible with the righteous path; where would there be a corresponding cultivation technique?

"There shouldn't be a Qi-Nurturing Method in this world specifically for nurturing killing intent..."

He shook his head slightly, temporarily suppressing that overly bold thought.

He would learn about the killing intent slowly after returning to the sect.

He raised his eyes to look at the wooden houses not far away, his gaze narrowing.

Important matters were urgent.

"Captain Zhao, Brother Shi, did you hear the shouts of those bandits outside?"

The several guards bound tightly by iron chains, who had originally slumped on the ground in despair, now felt their spirits lift one by one, listening intently.

"Listening to this commotion, it's not small!"

"It's like someone has broken into this Black Wind Stronghold!"

"Who has such great courage to dare to break into the Black Wind Stronghold!"

"Could it be Liu Shi!"

Mentioning Liu Qingshi, the guards' eyes lit up.

Before Liu Qingshi was injured, he had led them on trade routes several times, and that figure, steady as a mountain, and his character of valuing relationships and righteousness, had long been deeply imprinted in everyone's hearts.

Zhao Gang, covered in wounds, suppressed the severe pain in his body, gritted his teeth, and said in a deep voice: "I don't hope it's Liu Shi who came."

"Yes."

Shi Lei, beside him, was also covered in wounds; he gritted his teeth and nodded forcefully.

He and Zhao Gang both knew that this Black Wind Stronghold was a dragon's den and a tiger's lair, with five leaders all at the Transformation of Force Realm, plus hundreds of desperate outlaws, so even if Liu Qingshi came alone, it would be more ominous than auspicious.

They would rather die here themselves than have their master risk his life.

But only a moment later, the heaven-shaking noise suddenly disappeared, as if cut off by a blade.

"What's the situation......"

"Why did those beasts stop shouting all of a sudden..."

"Could it be that they dealt with the intruder..."

The people in the room looked at each other, their faces full of confusion.

Zhao Gang and Shi Lei felt their hearts sink even more.

If the intruder was really Liu Shi, wouldn't that mean......

"Please don't let it be Liu Shi!!!"

The two prayed silently in their hearts, and in their usually firm eyes, a rare trace of panic now appeared.

At this time.

Bang!

A dull sound.

The wooden door was blasted into sky-filling wood chips by an irresistible force, the fragments flying everywhere.

Immediately after, a figure dressed in a gray robe with gray hair stepped into the room slowly.

He carried a blood-colored curved blade in his hand, and blood was still slowly dripping from the tip of the blade.

It was indeed Jiang Ye.

The moment he stepped in, an indescribable breath permeated the air.

That was the killing intent of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, cold and bone-chilling, domineering and unparalleled, as if countless wronged souls were wailing behind him.

Everyone in the room, including Zhao Gang, the Transformation of Force martial artist, felt their hearts tremble at that instant, as if they were being stared at by some ancient beast, unable to make a sound in their throats.

The few guards with slightly weaker cultivation instinctively lowered their heads, shivering, not even having the courage to raise their eyes to look.

Jiang Ye's gaze swept over Zhao Gang and Shi Lei obscurely.

Those two young men who were covered in wounds but still kept their spines straight.

He didn't say anything, just flicked his wrist.

Whoosh!

A Blood Moon blade light swept past.

The chains that bound everyone tightly snapped in response and scattered on the ground.

"Those bandits have already been killed by me, leaving only a few on guard duty outside. You guys settle yourselves and go down the mountain."

Jiang Ye's voice was as flat as water, as if he were just stating a trivial little thing.

As his words fell, his figure flickered and disappeared outside the door like a ghost, leaving only the room full of wood chips and broken chains.

The room fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone looked at the broken iron chains, looked at the empty doorway, and were stunned for a good while before finally coming back to their senses.

"We... we're saved!!!"

I don't know who was the first to let out a cheer of survival, and immediately after, those few guards jumped and shouted as if they had gone crazy, tears streaming down their faces.

Staying in this bandit den was truly torture every single moment.

"Those bandits, those beasts were all killed by the senior just now!!!"

"My god! There are so many bandits in the Black Wind Stronghold, how did that old man do it..."

Zhao Gang and Shi Lei looked at each other, their eyes full of disbelief and horror, but also carrying the joy of survival.

Shi Lei stared blankly at the door, his eyes filled with gratitude, shock, and a trace of familiarity that even he couldn't explain.

"Faster!!! Faster!!!"

The First Leader, Zhou Laoguai, used all his strength to run for his life on the steep mountain path.

He kept looking back; behind him was the dark mountain forest, with no trace of the gray-haired old man catching up.

But the unease in his heart not only didn't diminish but grew stronger, like an invisible hand, gripping his heart tightly.

"As long as I get there and slide over, I'll be safe!"

Zhou Laoguai ran faster and faster, finally escaping to the cliff.

Here, there was only an iron chain as thick as an arm connecting to the mountain opposite.

The iron chain swayed slightly in the night wind, making a "creaking" sound, and below was the abyss, pitch-black and bottomless.

This was a retreat he had left for himself, and even the other leaders didn't know he had such a trick up his sleeve.

He looked down at the cliff, and the bottomless darkness made his legs go slightly weak.

After taking a deep breath, a look of determination flashed in his eyes.

He grabbed the sliding buckle on the iron chain, his internal force burst forth, and his whole body was like an arrow off a bow, sliding rapidly toward the mountain opposite.

After a good while, he finally slid to the opposite mountain.

The moment his feet touched the ground, his legs went weak, and he almost knelt on the ground.

But on that fat face, he couldn't help but let out a wild laugh of survival:

"Hahahahaha, I survived again."

He looked back.

On the edge of the cliff, the figure of the gray-haired old man finally appeared.

"Caught up so fast?!"

Zhou Laoguai's heart tightened; he suddenly drew the long sword from his waist, his internal force exploded, and he slashed fiercely at the iron chain connecting the two mountains.

Clang!

Sparks flew, the iron chain as thick as an arm snapped in response, and half of the iron chain fell into the abyss with a "whoosh," and the echo of it hitting the ground could not be heard for a long time.

Zhou Laoguai's hanging heart finally let go.

He stood up, looked at the old man opposite with a hideous face, and laughed loudly: "Old thing, if you have the ability, fly over......"

As soon as his words fell.

The old man opposite tapped his feet lightly, and his whole body soared into the air like a light, agile bird!

He didn't use any help, just stepped through the air, like a real bird, sweeping toward this side rapidly.

"How is this possible?!"

The hideous smile on Zhou Laoguai's face suddenly froze, his eyes full of disbelief and horror.

That look of horror was like seeing a ghost in broad daylight.

Let alone the Embracing the Pill Realm, even the legendary Divine Qi Realm experts had never been heard of flying.

Because he was too shocked, Zhou Laoguai even forgot to run, standing there like a fool, watching that figure get closer and closer.

When he finally realized he should run, Jiang Ye had already landed lightly in front of him.

The moment he landed, Jiang Ye backhanded a blade.

Whoosh!

A Blood Moon blade light carrying red-gold true qi tore through the void, heading straight for Zhou Laoguai.

"You......"

Zhou Laoguai subconsciously mobilized all his internal force and raised his sword to block.

Clang!

A sound of metal clashing!

The long sword made of refined steel in Zhou Laoguai's hand actually snapped in response like tofu!

The Blood Moon blade light's momentum didn't diminish, slashing fiercely at him!

Pfft.

Zhou Laoguai's upper body was almost split in half by the blade, leaving a wound deep enough to see bone in his chest, the skin and flesh rolling back, the edges charred black, emitting wisps of burnt stench.

His whole body was like a kite with a broken string, slamming heavily onto the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood foam.

This was still Jiang Ye deliberately holding back; otherwise, this one blade would have sent Zhou Laoguai to reunite with his other brothers directly.

"Heh... heh..."

Zhou Laoguai gasped heavily, blood constantly gushing from the corners of his mouth and the wound on his chest.

He stared fixedly at the gray-haired old man in front of him, his eyes full of fear and resentment.

He didn't even ask Jiang Ye why he wanted to kill him.

Like a bandit who licked blood from the edge of a blade like him, he had offended too many people; everyone wanted him dead.

"Do you know why I spared your life?"

Jiang Ye looked down at him indifferently, his voice as flat as water, without a hint of emotion.

"I heard you guys are very good at making money; you must have saved a lot of money over the years."

He lowered his eyes slightly and said coldly:

"Be quick, tell me where you hid the money, and I'll let you die quickly."

He knew the habits of these bandits, who were very good at the trick of a cunning rabbit having three burrows, separating the stolen silver.

Rather than searching hard himself, it was better to let this Big Leader spit it out himself.

"So you wanted silver..."

A miserable smile appeared on Zhou Laoguai's face, his left hand raised slightly, as if to point in a certain direction.

The next instant.

Whoosh!

A black figure, like lightning, burst out from his sleeve, heading straight for Jiang Ye's neck.

Jiang Ye, who had been prepared, didn't even blink, casually extending two fingers and clamping the black shadow steadily in his hand.

"Death-Dealing Scorpion?"

He examined it.

This was a scorpion that was pitch-black all over, its tail needle glowing with a cold, dark blue light.

He had seen the introduction of this type of poisonous creature in the "Poison-Taming Scripture"; its toxicity was not weak, sealing the throat upon seeing blood.

"Like playing these little tricks with me, huh."

Jiang Ye looked at Zhou Laoguai with a fake smile.

"You..."

Zhou Laoguai had already been in despair, but seeing Jiang Ye actually dare to grab the Death-Dealing Scorpion with his bare hands, a trace of morbid brilliance rekindled in the depths of his eyes, "This idiot, doesn't he know how fierce a scorpion's sting is!!!"

Sure enough, the Death-Dealing Scorpion held in Jiang Ye's hand struggled violently for a while, its tail arching forward, that fatal tail needle raised high, and then stabbed fiercely at Jiang Ye's wrist!

Ding.

A light sound.

The Death-Dealing Scorpion's tail needle broke.

"Ah......"

Zhou Laoguai was completely numb.

He widened his eyes, staring fixedly at Jiang Ye, his eyes like looking at a monster.

His lips trembled violently, his voice changing tone: "You... you also practiced Hard Gong!!!"

At this moment, he knew he was definitely going to die.

His heart hardened, he raised the hand still holding the broken sword, wanting to slit his own throat.

Jiang Ye's speed was faster than his.

He stepped down, with a "crack," Zhou Laoguai's right hand snapped in response, and the broken sword fell to the ground with a "clang."

"Thinking of seeking death now? Too late!"

Jiang Ye sneered, his smile appearing exceptionally hideous under the moonlight.

He took a jade box from his bosom and opened it gently.

"Since you are so uncooperative, then I can't let you die easily either."

Hiss!!!

A fire-red figure darted out like lightning.

At the same time.

A figure finally arrived at the entrance of the mountain path.

He was dressed in a green robe, his face firm, it was Liu Qingshi.

He looked up at Black Pine Mountain, which was shrouded in the darkness of the night, and took a deep breath.

"Zhao Gang, Shi Lei, wait for me."

He took a step and entered the mountain forest.