Chapter 100: A Slash Between the Legs (Third Chapter Update)

After making their preparations, the group slipped into the forest.

Everyone moved with extreme caution; logging was forbidden today.

The trees in the mountains were unusually agitated today—accidentally breaking even a single small branch would instantly turn them into malevolent spirits, one branch capable of flaying flesh to the bone, another tearing the soul apart, after which the roots would emerge and drag the corpse underground to rot as fertilizer.

That single crow’s eye had been coldly watching them all along.

Only after Xu Yuan and the others had fully entered the forest with no sign of crossing the boundary did it close silently.

……

Today, Ceng Si and the others instinctively kept their distance from the locusts.

The old locust woman put on an air of innocence—after all, you have no proof.

The group climbed a slope, and the old locust woman cackled: “Once we cross the mountain ahead, we’ll reach Crow’s Mouth. Pass through Crow’s Mouth, and we’ll be on Broad Goods Street.”

Master Qin’s face was grim: “You truly have a way to get us through Crow’s Mouth?”

“Relax,” said the locust woman. “She Snake Rod has already reported to those few. That ghost bird won’t speak—it won’t question you.”

Since it’s called “Crow’s Mouth,” there must be a “mouth.”

But even ordinary malevolent spirits in the mountains didn’t know what this “mouth” truly was.

Master Qin nodded.

The locust woman asked again: “Did the Purification Office’s life cultivator just give up?”

“The Purification Office is always like a sticky plaster—once it sticks, you can’t shake it off. But getting into the mountains isn’t easy for them,” Master Qin walked forward. “Let’s hurry to the street, make our arrangements with those few—it’ll benefit you all.”

The locust woman said no more.

Each of the mountain entry passes was guarded by the children; since they hadn’t seen any Purification Office people enter, there was no need to worry.

After the last battle, the locust woman and Master Qin had discussed it—they mistakenly thought the “Hunger Devouring” trick was caused by a certain destiny pattern, suspecting Xu Yuan was both a life cultivator and an alchemist.

Xu Yuan had cast the trick inside the cart; none of them had seen the true situation.

Though their reasoning was wrong, their conclusion was correct.

After crossing the mountain ahead, Crow’s Mouth came into view.

Master Qin’s eyes gleamed with excitement; though his men had suffered heavy losses and he himself had been badly wounded, he finally saw the hope of completing his mission.

“Hurry!” he urged his men, rushing ahead toward Crow’s Mouth.

Ceng Si and the others quickened their pace; the locust woman cackled and spurred the children to follow.

On the riverbank, impatient Master Qin still led the way.

He overlooked one thing: facing Crow’s Mouth, he should have let the locust woman go first and confirm the situation.

It was a minor oversight, for once he reached the boundary line, Master Qin would surely realize his mistake.

But if the locust woman had gone ahead first, all the traps on the riverbank would have been triggered by her locusts.

In the forest, Xu Yuan felt his “Eight-Way Harmful Influence” stir again.

One of Master Qin’s men suddenly screamed; the others turned to see he had stepped into a trap—a shallow pit only a foot deep, now transformed into a gaping maw with fangs, clamping down hard on his ankle!

“Ahh!”

Everyone thought they were under attack by malevolent spirits and scattered in panic; three more stepped into traps and were bitten, unable to break free.

Ceng Si rushed back—then suddenly felt pain under his foot; he looked down and saw a counting rod embedded in his sole.

He had walked through this spot moments ago—there had been nothing there!

Yan Lao could control his own counting rods.

The remaining four of Master Qin’s men all screamed at once, collapsing and clutching their feet—each sole pierced by a counting rod!

Yan Lao had calculated their exact standing positions with perfect accuracy.

Fu Jingyu’s traps activated—rocks flew through the air, phantom flames erupted; those trapped screamed in agony.

In the forest, Xu Yuan shouted: “Attack!”

Bai Lao and Lu Zhengyan burst out first.

Lu Zhengyan carried his Great Pass Blade; before he even left the forest, he had already drawn his horn bow to full tension and loosed an arrow.

*Plop!*—it struck precisely at the neck of a man lying on the ground!

Bai Lao could use a bow too; mountain folk always carried two weapons: a woodcutter’s knife and a bow.

His bow was a simple hunter’s bow, dull and plain, far less ornate than Lu Zhengyan’s horn bow.

But it too struck one of the men caught in the trap.

They exchanged glances—both simultaneously felt the urge to compete.

*Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!*

Arrow after arrow flew from the forest; Master Qin watched his men fall one by one, throats pierced, his eyes blazing with rage: “Don’t panic—”

After the last battle, Master Qin had nine men left besides Ceng Si.

Two had been eaten last night; seven remained when they reached the riverbank.

Three were caught in the traps, four had their soles pierced by counting rods.

Bai Lao and Lu Zhengyan had Moqi ; Bai Lao shot first at those bitten by the traps, Lu Zhengyan shot first at those pierced by counting rods.

Bai Lao killed three; Lu Zhengyan’s speed was no slower—he also killed three; both drew their bows simultaneously and fired at the last man.

*Plop!*

The two arrows struck the man’s neck almost at the same moment.

The man, whether lucky or cursed, clutched his neck with both arrows embedded and collapsed.

“Impressive technique!” Bai Lao praised Lu Zhengyan.

Lu Zhengyan set aside his bow, flipped his hand to draw his Great Pass Blade from his back, and muttered: “You won.”

Bai Lao’s arrows all struck the throat; Lu Zhengyan’s had struck one in the chest.

“The heroes of these mountains are truly formidable!” Lu Zhengyan genuinely respected them.

Master Qin was furious—his opponents moved too fast; arrows kept flying. His artifact hadn’t even fully unfolded—if he’d been just a moment slower, he could have protected at least two or three.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

Massive spider legs unfolded one by one; Master Qin charged straight at Lu Zhengyan!

He knew Lu Zhengyan was a master archer; the strange-looking figure beside him, he ignored.

He hadn’t seen the details of their archery from inside the forest.

Lu Zhengyan roared, bringing his blade down—crashing into the spider leg.

*Crash!*

Lu Zhengyan staggered back two steps; Master Qin’s spider leg plunged deep into the ground, his body swaying.

Bai Lao shrank his body, sliding along the ground beneath the spider leg, raising his woodcutter’s knife upward—

Master Qin, relying on his sturdy armor, twisted slightly to avoid vital points…

*Crack!*

The armor split open!

Underestimating the mountain folk came at a cost.

Master Qin broke into a cold sweat—damn it! I still need to secure blessings for my descendants!

You nearly cut off my lineage.

But immediately after, searing pain surged from the wound.

“Aaaagh!” Master Qin screamed, pounding his drum downward violently.

*Thud! Thud! Thud!*

Bai Lao collapsed onto the riverbank.

A massive spider leg lifted and stabbed toward him.

A rope flew through the air, wrapping around Bai Lao’s foot and yanking him away.

*Snick!*

A steel spike sliced past Bai Lao’s head; the rope retracted swiftly. Master Qin, enraged, sent multiple spider legs chasing after him in rapid succession.

(End of Chapter)