Chapter 311: Kill with Another

That's enough.

Chen Mu raised his hand, cutting off his "advice," his tone calm: "I understand your meaning."

Speaking, he rose to his feet, a steady, mountain-deep aura naturally radiating from him, his gaze level: "Rest assured, even if that bandit chief is a Ground Altar realm Peak Crown, I may not be his match—but with a few tricks, I can withdraw safely without trouble."

Du Yuansheng felt the overwhelming confidence emanating from Chen Mu, knowing the moment had come; further persuasion would seem suspicious.

His face flickered with struggle and concern several times, then he bowed deeply, lowering his head, his voice "heavy" as he spoke.

"Since my lord has made his decision, your subordinate can only wish you swift victory—take great care!"

Deep within his lowered eyes, a flash of cunning triumph and coldness swiftly passed.

Success!

…

Watching Du Yuansheng bow and retreat, hurrying away, Chen Mu's gaze sharpened, lost in thought.

"This guy is suspicious."

Chen Mu sneered inwardly, "He acted too well—it gave him away."

Whether it was the overly exaggerated concern or that final phrase—"take great care"—which sounded resigned yet subtly guiding—it all carried an unnatural tone.

"The Tiger Tooth Mountain side clearly has issues—or perhaps, that Tiger Tooth bandit chief himself is part of their plan?" Chen Mu mused. His eyes held not a trace of fear.

Instead, a sharp gleam flashed through them.

"Very well. I'll go see for myself what tricks you're playing."

His confidence came from the Star Talisman in his palm—neither real nor illusory.

With this object, even if ahead lay a dragon's pool or tiger's den, or a trap laid by a Heaven Palace realm expert, Chen Mu could at any moment retreat into the "Star Palace" and escape safely.

Joining the "Star God" organization—this lifeline was among its greatest benefits.

…

Still within that private courtyard.

Du Yuansheng's face bore uncontainable delight as he excitedly addressed Tang Ji and He Xiaoming, who waited there.

"It's done! Chen Mu fell for it! He's arrogant—he's decided to go alone to Tiger Tooth Mountain to deal with Ximen Fenghua!"

He Xiaoming, upon hearing this, mused: "I wonder if Ximen Fenghua can handle Chen Mu? After all, he killed Bu Nantian."

"He should be able to."

Tang Ji interjected, his tone confident: "Though Ximen Fenghua's cultivation flaw has kept him from fully entering the Ground Altar realm—he's always been half a step short—his demonic arts, fused with miasma and poison, are bizarre and unpredictable."

"Especially within the unique environment of Tiger Tooth Mountain—he can draw upon the accumulated toxic miasma of the mountainside. In full eruption, even a Ground Altar realm Three Flowers Crowned expert might not easily subdue him."

"Precisely."

Du Yuansheng sneered coldly, adding: "We don't need Ximen Fenghua to actually kill Chen Mu—just wound him badly enough to force him back injured, and that's enough!"

"A superior officer wounded and needing time to recover—how could he possibly bother with our 'trivial matters'?"

…

Tiger Tooth Mountain, evening.

The setting sun's glow could not pierce the thick, faintly sweet-scented crimson miasma blanketing the mountain, making the entire range feel even more sinister.

Chen Mu descended silently from the air, landing soundlessly halfway up the slope.

His spiritual force spread like liquid mercury, swiftly locking onto a cluster of crude wooden huts built into the deep valley.

The crimson miasma grew denser the deeper one went, nearly solid.

In Chen Mu's perception, hundreds of bandits with chaotic, bloodstained auras lurked within this Shanzhai.

Additionally, dozens of faint, terrified auras were concentrated in several wooden huts—clearly ordinary civilians kidnapped.

Shhh~

His form blurred—he appeared like a ghost behind the largest wooden hut, listening intently.

From inside came coarse laughter and curses, drunken revelry, and unrestrained talk of plunder and murder—confirming their identities beyond doubt.

For this.

Chen Mu no longer hesitated; the Xian Long Sword slipped silently into his hand, its blade flashing crimson light.

The next instant, several razor-sharp flame sword qi, like celestial punishment, tore through the air without warning and struck precisely at the two nearest wooden huts, packed with bandits!

"Boom!"

"Boom—!"

The thunderous roar shook the heavens.

The wooden huts instantly shattered and ignited under the violent sword qi, becoming two massive fireballs.

Dozens of bandits inside never even screamed—they were reduced to charred corpses in flame and sword aura.

The colossal explosion and blazing fire instantly alerted the entire Shanzhai.

"Intruder!!"

"Kill!"

The remaining bandits, like a stung hornet's nest, surged out of their huts, weapons in hand, roaring in fury.

Chen Mu's expression was cold, like a god of death reaping lives, his Xian Long Sword swinging casually.

Streams of scorching flame sword qi crisscrossed, weaving a net of death.

Shhh~

Puff! Puff! Puff!

Where the sword qi passed, the air warped from heat; severed limbs and spurting blood flew everywhere.

Against the absolute power gap, these bandits—mostly Post-Heaven realm—could not withstand even a single clash; they fell in waves, like wheat cut down.

Some smarter bandits far off, sensing the tide had turned, screamed in terror and turned to flee into the deep wilderness.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Chen Mu didn't even move. With a mere shift of intent, more fine, dense flame sword Qi shot forth from his body, as if they had grown eyes, precisely chasing down every fleeing figure, piercing them through and setting them ablaze.

In less than three minutes from start to finish, aside from that existence deep within faintly emanating a sinister, powerful aura, every one of the several hundred bandits in the entire Shanzhai had been slain. The air was thick with the acrid smell of char and the stench of blood.

【Corpse discovered. Pick up?】

"Yes!"

【Corpse discovered. Pick up?】

"Yes!"

……

Cards in hand, he quickly checked them.

Most were Internal Force Cards, Stamina Cards, and Energy Cards. Five Power Cards, three Cultivation Cards, two True Qi Cards.

There was also one Soul-Boosting Card!

That was an unexpected delight.

……

Whoosh~

The mountain breeze blew.

Chen Mu arrived before a wooden hut that had been split in half. The commoners locked inside had long since been so terrified they were curled up in a ball.

"Come out."

Chen Mu's tone was calm. "The bandits have been eliminated. You may go down the mountain on your own."

"……"

The commoners were stunned at first, then realization hit them. The wild joy of surviving a calamity surged into their hearts, and they all dropped to their knees, kowtowing as if mashing garlic.

"Thank you, great hero! Thank you, benefactor!!"

Afterwards, supporting one another, they staggered yet impatiently fled down the mountain.

……

"Seeking death—"

Shortly after the commoners had fled, a hoarse, gloomy low snarl filled with fury and evil Qi, like the cry of a night owl, suddenly rang out from the deepest part of Tiger Fang Mountain where the miasma was thickest!