Chapter 73: Lawless Lands on the Edge of the Wild!

Dead silence.

A needle‑drop‑audible dead silence.

In the wide‑open eyes of the axe‑bearing hulking man, the terror and disbelief of his final moments still lingered.

His massive body lay limp on the ground, a clear palm imprint sunk deep into his chest, blood and shredded flesh blending together.

The six or seven lone cultivators who had earlier been ferocious now resembled chicks with their throats clutched, each with a blank stare, bodies trembling like leaves in the wind.

Their gazes at Wang Shan were filled with utter terror.

One palm.

Just one palm!

Their Body Refining eighth‑rank leader, gone just like that?

This is no hapless lamb; it's clearly a prehistoric beast cloaked in sheep's skin!

Wang Shan slowly withdrew his palm, the jade‑colored glow in his palm fading.

He didn't even glance at the hulking man's corpse again.

His cold gaze swept over the remaining lone cultivators.

"Ancient Palace."

Someone swallowed a mouthful of saliva first, and the sound was unusually harsh in the dead silence.

"Thud!"

"Thud! Thud!"

A series of muffled thuds.

These thugs who moments ago were shouting about killing and looting now hurriedly dropped their weapons, knees buckling, and knelt down in unison.

"Senior, spare my life!"

"Brave man, spare me!"

"We, with eyes that cannot recognize Mount Tai, collided with you, senior. We beg your great mercy, grant us a way to live!"

The sound of kowtowing filled the air, foreheads striking the ground with dull thuds, each person weeping profusely, no trace of their earlier ferocity left.

The members of the Wang Family watched this dramatic scene, their hearts a swirl of emotions.

A moment ago they threatened life and death; a moment later they were wagging their tails, begging for mercy.

Wang Zhize and Wang Zhitao and the others looked at Wang Shan's back, filled with awe.

Clan Leader, too strong!

Wang Shan's face was expressionless, his voice revealing no emotion.

"Leave your storage bags, get out!"

Those simple six words sounded like celestial music to the lone cultivators.

"Thanks, senior, for sparing us!"

"Thank you, senior!"

They, as if granted a pardon, fumbled to detach the storage bags at their waists, trembling as they placed them before them.

Then, rolling and crawling without looking back, they rushed into the dense forest, as if wishing their parents had grown two more legs.

In the blink of an eye, the spot was left with a mess of weapons, several storage bags, and the still‑warm corpse.

Oh, there's one more.

In a corner, a lone cultivator lay limp, his crotch soaked, eyes rolled white, having been scared straight into unconsciousness.

Wang Shan glanced briefly, then ignored it.

He bent down and picked up the seven or eight storage bags on the ground.

His Spiritual Sense probed one of them.

A few Lower Grade spirit stones, several bottles of inferior Healing Pill, and some scrap beast bones and unknown ore.

Better than nothing.

He examined several in succession; the contents were largely the same, all cheap trinkets.

These lone cultivators were indeed very poor.

The Wang Family members also gathered around, watching Wang Shan tally the loot.

When Wang Shan opened the last storage bag—the one belonging to the axe‑bearing hulking man—his brows twitched slightly.

What lay inside was somewhat better than that of the other lone cultivators.

Several dozen Lower Grade spirit stones, a few bottles of decent First Order pills, and a few rough Magic Artifact prototypes.

In addition, Wang Shan found a folded beast hide.

He took out the hide and slowly unfolded it.

It was a crude map made from the tanned hide of some demonic beast.

In unknown pigments, it sketched the courses of mountains and rivers in a crooked manner.

The map's scope wasn't huge, seemingly a region on the outer edge of the Man Yun Mountain Range.

Special symbols marked several locations on it.

Some spots bore snarling skulls, annotated with "Black Wind Wolf Den", "Poisonous Swamp" and the like, clearly dangerous areas.

Other spots depicted a few blades of grass, labeled "Coagulating Blood Grass Origin", "Iron Wood Forest", likely sources of certain elixirs or materials.

At the map's edge, an irregular circular area painted in black ink was highlighted.

Next to it were three characters: 【Heishi Town】.

Wang Shan's gaze tightened slightly.

Heishi Town?

He was pondering, when he suddenly recalled that scattered cultivator who had been frightened into fainting.

"Zhitao, go wake him up."

"Yes, Clan Leader."

Wang Zhitao stepped forward and, without any courtesy, slapped the scattered cultivator's face a few times.

"Uh…"

The scattered cultivator slowly came to, and the moment he opened his eyes to see Wang Shan's calm, unruffled face, a sudden shock seized him, and he almost fainted again.

"S-senior, spare me! I don't know anything!" he pleaded repeatedly, his voice trembling with sobs.

"I ask, you answer," Wang Shan said evenly.

"Yes, yes, yes, senior, ask away; I will speak without omission, say everything!" the scattered cultivator nodded hurriedly.

Wang Shan spread the beast‑skin map before him and pointed to the mark for Heishi Town.

"What kind of place is this Heishi Town?"

The scattered cultivator glanced at the map and hurriedly replied, "Answering senior, Heishi Town is the largest pioneer settlement on the outer rim of the Man Yun Mountain Range."

"A pioneer settlement?"

"Yes, senior. The Man Yun Mountain Range is vast and boundless, rich in resources, yet fraught with danger. Many scattered cultivators like us, or desperate wanderers, venture to the mountain's outskirts to try their luck—hunting demonic beasts, gathering spirit herbs, or mining ore."

"Heishi Town is the foothold and trading hub that these people have spontaneously formed at the mountain's edge."

The scattered cultivator swallowed, then continued, "It's a chaotic mix of all kinds of people. Supposedly, several long‑standing local forces control it; they've set simple rules to keep order, but overall the place falls outside Da Yong Dynasty's official jurisdiction—a so‑called 'no‑man's‑land' beyond the law."

"Resources are relatively scarce, since the good stuff has been taken by those local powers and stronger adventurer groups. But its advantage… is freedom."

Wang Shan heard this and felt a stir in his heart.

Lawless land? Outside official jurisdiction?

For him and the surviving members of the Wang Family, that might not be a bad thing.

What they fear most now is being discovered by the Wan Family.

If they could find a chaotic spot beyond official reach to lodge temporarily, it would be a viable option.

At least they could evade the Wan Family's net that spans the Da Yong Dynasty.

"What are the forces there like? What cultivation level is the strongest?" Wang Shan pressed.

A hint of fear appeared on the scattered cultivator's face: "The biggest factions in Heishi Town have leaders said to possess Body Refining Ninth Stage or even Body Refining Peak, and their subordinates include many skilled hands. We insignificant scattered cultivators are utterly outmatched before them."

"However, they usually don't bother outsiders unless… unless someone can bring them enough profit."

Wang Shan nodded and asked, "Recently, any special news about Heishi Town or its surroundings?"

Upon hearing the question, the scattered cultivator's complexion shifted slightly, his eyes flickering.

"Speak," Wang Shan's voice deepened.

The scattered cultivator shivered, dared not conceal, and rattled out the information like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.

"Answer… answer, senior, there's indeed a rumor circulating around Heishi Town lately, all the buzz."

"It is said that the Wan Family of Qingyang City issued a Sky‑High Bounty to hunt down a group of fleeing family remnants."

Wang Shan's pupils contracted imperceptibly.

Wang Zhize and the others felt their hearts tighten as well.

The scattered cultivator continued, "The Bounty Notice describes that the group of family remnants is small, about twenty‑to‑thirty, old and young alike; their leader is not weak, apparently proficient in a tremendously powerful palm technique…"

He spoke while furtively watching Wang Shan and the others' reactions.

"It is said the Wan Family's bounty is enormous; whether one provides clues or captures those remnants, the reward is enviable, even offering a chance at the Wan Family's protection and cultivation!"

"Therefore, now many scattered cultivators and minor factions around Heishi Town and the outer Man Yun Mountain Range are frantic, scouring everywhere for people matching the description."

As he spoke, the scattered cultivator's voice grew softer, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

Even if he were foolish, he vaguely guessed the identities of the people before him.

Wang Shan's expression remained calm, showing no ripple.

The Wan Family's actions were faster and harsher than he had expected.

The Bounty Notice had already reached this lawless fringe of the wilderness.

It seems Heishi Town is not an absolutely safe haven.

Danger always walks hand in hand with opportunity.

Wang Shan paused briefly, then folded the map away.

He glanced at the trembling scattered cultivator.

"What's your name?"

"I… I'm called Zhao Si."

"Zhao Si, the information you provided is useful."

Zhao Si heard this, forced a smile uglier than crying onto his face: "Senior, your praise is flattering; serving you is my honor…"

Before he could finish, a flash of cold light flashed before him.

A short blade, somehow drawn from his storage pouch, appeared in Wang Shan's hand and cleanly sliced across Zhao Si's throat.

"Uh…"

Zhao Si's eyes widened, he covered his neck, and blood gushed out between his fingers.

He stared at Wang Shan in disbelief, seemingly not understanding why telling the truth earned him death.

Wang Shan's gaze showed no flicker.

Leaving a survivor would only expose their whereabouts.

Since the Wan Family's bounty has reached here, any source that might leak the information must be cut off.

Mercy toward the enemy is cruelty toward the clan.

He will not repeat the same mistake.

Zhao Si's body twitched a few times, then quickly fell silent.

Wang Shan sheathed his Short Blade, his gaze turning toward the deep forest, the direction of Heishi Town on the map.

"Clan Leader, we…" Wang Zhize stepped forward, a worried expression on his face.

The Wan family's bounty weighed on every surviving clan member like a mountain.

Wang Shan turned and looked at the remaining twenty‑one clan members.

Their faces bore fatigue, sorrow, and a trace of panic born from the recent upheaval.

Yet he also saw a glimmer of unyielding resolve and hope in their eyes.

"Heishi Town is our next target," Wang Shan said, his voice clear and firm.

"Though chaotic there, it also means opportunity."

"The Wan family's bounty is indeed troublesome, but we are not without a fighting chance."

He paused, his tone carrying an undeniable strength.

"The wilderness is fraught with danger, yet it may conceal the chance for the Wang Family to rise again."

"Whether blessing or curse, we charge through and will find out!"

The road ahead remains perilous, not only confronting the wilderness itself but also endless bounty orders and unknown native forces within Heishi Town.

Yet Wang Shan knows they have no retreat.

Only by meeting the challenge can they cut a bloody path!