Chapter 77

The Shi clan's ruffians fled in disarray, urine and feces streaming, leaving the courtyard eerily silent for a moment.

The door panel kicked apart earlier lay scattered in pieces, a few broken planks lying alone, announcing the recent clash.

"Clan Chief..." Wang Zhe approached Wang Shan, his face still pale from shock, voice trembling slightly, "These... these Shi clan people, they won't let this go easily."

Wang Shan gave a soft "hmm" from his nose, his gaze sweeping over the foul-smelling puddles on the ground, his brows faintly furrowing.

"Uncle, are we not offending them terribly?" Wang Boyan came over, his old face full of worry, "This Heishi Town is their turf."

"Uncle, what's there to fear!" Wang Zhitao, hot-blooded and indignant, protested, "They bully people too much! Are we just to let them slaughter us?"

Wang Shan waved his hand, silencing the discussion. He walked to the pile of broken door panels, picked up a relatively large piece, weighed it, then tossed it back down, producing a "clang."

"Zhe, take a few people and block the entrance with stones. Starting tonight, keep watch in shifts; no one may relax." Wang Shan's voice was not loud, yet carried an undeniable authority.

"Yes, Clan Chief!" Wang Zhe responded immediately, calling several strong young clansmen to begin moving stones from the corner of the courtyard.

The children, frightened by the earlier scene, now clung to their mothers, softly sobbing. Wang Fang and the other womenfolk also turned pale, forcing themselves to calm the children.

Wang Shan observed all this, his mind clear as a mirror. The Shi clan had suffered such a great humiliation today, lost so much face—would they let it rest? This Heishi Town was a place of the strong devouring the weak; if you are not strong enough, not ruthless enough, you will only be devoured.

"Clan Chief, what should we do next?" Wang Yong also stepped forward, his nature steady, yet now somewhat undecided.

Wang Shan did not answer immediately; he walked to the center of the courtyard, his gaze slowly sweeping over each clansman's face: "Everyone, we fled from Qingyang City all the way here—for what?"

The crowd fell silent.

"To survive!" Wang Shan's voice suddenly rose several degrees, "To leave a trace of bloodline, a sliver of hope for our Wang family! This Heishi Town is indeed a dragon's pool and tiger's den, but it is also our only foothold now. To survive here, we cannot fear trouble!"

He paused, his tone turning grim: "If the Shi clan dares to come again, I don't mind letting them know that the Wang family is not so easy to bully!"

His words steadied the people's hearts somewhat, yet also made them more solemn. Indeed, having come to this point, besides fighting, what else could we do?

Wang Shan ordered everyone to return to their rooms to rest, while he himself walked alone into the relatively intact stone house on the east side.

The stone house was small, containing only a crude stone bed and a stone table. Wang Shan sat cross-legged on the stone bed, beginning to calmly consider countermeasures.

A direct confrontation would surely fail. The Shi clan had operated in Heishi Town for years, deep-rooted; according to information gathered by Wang Zhe, the Shi clan head Shi Tianba possessed cultivation at the Body Refining Ninth Layer Peak, and there were not a few cultivators at the Body Refining Seventh and Eighth Layers in the clan. Although Wang Shan could rely on the system's power and the element of surprise to intimidate them temporarily, a full-scale war would be beyond the Wang family's meager manpower—not enough to even fill the gaps between their teeth.

"It seems we need to find a way to make them hesitate." Wang Shan muttered to himself.

How to make them hesitate? Nothing more than demonstrating sufficient strength, and…… sufficient value.

One who could casually produce a Spirit Blood Branch, this supreme healing medicine, and easily intimidate a Body Refining Sixth Layer cultivator—such an "old man" was already no ordinary figure. If I could further display other "value," such as pill refining or talismans, perhaps the Shi clan would weigh their options before acting.

"System, check my current Spirit Plant Points."

【Host's current Spirit Plant Points: 2150 points.】

"Some were used to hasten the Spirit Blood Branch; there are still over two thousand points left." Wang Shan calculated in his mind, "The Spirit Blood Branch is good, but if refined into pills, the effect would be better and the value higher."

He remembered the system mall had pill formulas for exchange, though he had not yet gotten around to it.

"System, search for first-order upper-grade pills, healing and blood-replenishing types."

【Search complete. Recommended formula: Blood-Nourishing Pill. Using Spirit Blood Branch as main ingredient, supplemented with several common first-order spirit herbs, can refine a first-order upper-grade Blood-Nourishing Pill, effect: quickly replenish qi and blood, treat moderate injuries, superior to common Return Spring Pills on the market. Exchange price: 300 Spirit Plant Points.】

"Blood-Nourishing Pill…… not bad, that's it!" Wang Shan immediately exchanged for the formula.

With the formula in hand, Wang Shan, within the system space, placed the remaining Spirit Blood Branches and some low-grade auxiliary spirit herbs scavenged from Wan Hong's storage bag into the system's pill furnace.

【Refining…… estimated consumption of Spirit Plant Points: 100 points.】

【Ding! Blood-Nourishing Pill refining successful! Obtained 12 first-order upper-grade Blood-Nourishing Pills.】

Twelve dove-egg-sized pills, entirely crimson, emitting a faint bloody scent and medicinal fragrance, appeared in Wang Shan's hand.

"The quality is indeed good." Wang Shan nodded satisfied. These Blood-Nourishing Pills, whether for personal use or for trade, are more valuable than directly using Spirit Blood Branches.

Besides pills, talismans are also useful for self-preservation and intimidation.

"System, do you have more powerful second-order attack and defense talisman schematics?"

【Search complete. Recommended schematics: Second-Order Metal Edge Talisman (attack), Second-Order Earth Guard Talisman (defense). Exchange price: each 200 Spirit Plant Points. Materials needed: second-order talisman paper, second-order beast blood, specially made cinnabar.】

"Exchange!"

Wang Shan again consumed 400 Spirit Plant Points, obtaining both talisman schematics. The materials for drawing talismans were already in Wan Hong's storage bag, just right for use.

He then consumed about 250 Spirit Plant Points to purchase sufficient talisman paper and cinnabar, and within the system space, focused his mind and began drawing talismans.

With his Body Refining Eighth Layer Midphase cultivation, aided by the system, drawing second-order talismans was not too difficult for him.

Soon, three Metal Edge Talismans flashing with faint golden light and three Earth Guard Talismans emitting a earth-yellow halo were completed.

After finishing all this, Wang Shan's Spirit Plant Points remained: 2150 - 300 (formula) - 100 (refining) - 400 (schematics) - 250 (materials) = 1100 points.

"I've gained a few more trump cards." Wang Shan let out a long breath, feeling much more at ease.

He properly stored the pills and talismans, then rose and left the stone house.

The sky gradually darkened; a few wisps of cooking smoke rose from the stone roofs of the western residences where women and children lived, mixed with a faint meat aroma. That was the meat of the Dark Shadow Leopard hunted during the day.

Although the Wang family members were fatigued, under Wang Shan's arrangements, the interior and exterior of the small courtyard exuded a tense yet orderly atmosphere.

However, some people seemed incapable of learning.

Just as evening fell, with the moon atop the willow branches, a sneaky figure, under the cover of night, silently approached the outer wall of the Wang family's small courtyard.

This person was precisely one of the Shi clan youths who had followed the triangular-eyed thug during the day, later frightened by Wang Shan's aura—the sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked fellow, whose cultivation was around Body Refining Third Layer.

He poked his head out furtively, his gaze scanning the Wang family courtyard, finally settling on the weakly lit western stone house—where the Wang family women and children resided.

"Hehe, those few young ladies…… I didn't look closely in the daytime, but it seems there are a few with decent looks……" The sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked fellow licked his lips, a flash of lewd light in his eyes, "When I find a chance, I will definitely have a taste…… that old fellow may be fierce, but he can't watch all the time, can he?"

He lowered his voice, thinking himself unseen and unheard, unaware that his every move, including that sordid thought, was laid bare by an invisible spiritual probe.

Inside the stone house, Wang Shan, who had been resting with eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes, a cold light flashing in his pupils and then gone.

"A thing that doesn't know death!"

He did not alarm anyone; his form flickered, and he vanished like a ghost from the spot.

The next moment, he appeared soundlessly behind the sharp-mouthed, monkey-cheeked Shi clan youth.

The fellow was still stretching his neck, sly eyes peeking into the courtyard, muttering uncleanly: "That little girl from earlier had a decent figure, just a bit fierce, but I like this spirited type……"

Before his words finished, he suddenly felt a numbness in his back, as if bitten by a mosquito.

"Who?!" He jumped in shock, wanting to turn around, but found his body as if immobilized by something, unable to move.

A wave of extreme yin cold power, like a bone‑eating maggot, spread rapidly from the back of his heart, sealing his meridians inch by inch wherever it passed, and the spiritual power in his dantian, as if encountering its nemesis, melted away at breakneck speed.

"Ah… my… my cultivation…" the pointy‑mouthed, monkey‑cheeked guy finally sensed something wrong, his face showing utter terror. He could clearly feel that the cultivation he had painstakingly built over years was retreating at a horrifying speed! Body Refining Third Layer… Body Refining Second Layer… Body Refining First Layer… until it vanished completely!

Dantian, shattered! Meridians, ruined!

He had become an ordinary mortal! A cripple who couldn't even truss a chicken!

"No… don't…" He wanted to beg for mercy, to shout, but found his throat as if gripped by an invisible hand, only able to emit a hoarse "huh‑huh" of despair.

Wang Shan's figure appeared behind him, his face showing no expression. That palm of his, though seeming casual, actually contained exquisite hidden strength, mixed with a trace of the 【Bone‑Eroding Powder】's medicinal potency he had obtained from Wan Hong.

This 【Bone‑Eroding Powder】 is originally a poisonous substance, but in small doses it produces the remarkable effect of ruining one's cultivation without harming life.

"Some people just remember to eat but not to get beaten." Wang Shan's voice was ice‑cold, devoid of any warmth, "Since you can't control your eyes and mouth, keeping this cultivation is nothing but a disaster."

Having said that, he tossed the already limp‑as‑mud pointy‑mouthed, monkey‑cheeked fellow like trash, hoicking him up and flinging him straight onto the doorway of the small courtyard, which had been temporarily blocked with stones.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud roused the night‑guards Wang Zhize and others inside the courtyard.

"Clan Leader?" Wang Zhize followed the sound and saw Wang Shan standing with his hands behind his back at the gate; outside, a figure lay curled up, continually letting out weak groans.

"Go tell Shi Tianlei," Wang Shan's voice was not loud but carried clearly, imbued with an indisputable killing intent, "Keep your dog in check! If you dare set foot here again, or harbor any ill will toward my kin, it won't be as simple as just ruining your cultivation."

"Yes, kill without mercy!"

Those three words, like three heavy hammers, hammered hard into that person's heart on the ground, and also into the hearts of every Wang family member who had come running at the sound.

That pointy‑mouthed, monkey‑cheeked fellow now had none of his former lewdness left, only endless fear and despair. He rolled and crawled, exerting all his strength to flee into the depths of the alley, leaving behind a string of shrill, despairing wails that echoed far across the silent night sky.

Wang Shan slowly turned, looking at the clan members with varied expressions in the courtyard, and said lightly, "Reinforce the gate a bit more. Get some rest early."

Having said that, he turned and returned to his stone house, as if he had merely done a trivial little thing.

In the courtyard, the Wang family members stared at one another, for a moment unable to speak.

Wang Boyan opened his mouth, finally letting out a long sigh: "This… this grudge… I fear it will only grow deeper."

Wang Zhitao's eyes shone, his face full of admiration as he watched Wang Shan's retreating back: "Clan Leader, mighty! Just like that! Let them know our Wang family is not to be trifled with!"

Wang Zhize frowned tightly, thinking even more than Wang Zhitao. The clan leader's move, while certainly establishing prestige, also amounted to utterly offending the Shi clan to the death.

Next, how will the Shi clan react?

The night in Heishi Town seemed to grow even deeper.