Chapter 160

In the following days, Wu Tie entrusted Wu Qing'er, and with all his might exchanged the gold ingots, jewels and similar movable wealth on his person for various primordial herbs, primordial fruits, and all kinds of cultivation resources.

The Primordial Scripture is indeed perfect, but it truly consumes too much; whenever Wu Tie thinks of it, he is filled with sorrow and sheds tears.

Fortunately, Wu Valley enjoys exceptional natural bounty; the Wu clan's noble daughter possesses such overwhelming charm that countless major powers in the surrounding dozens of realms drool over her, and the treasury of Wu Valley piles up with tribute offerings, bribes, and resources procured at extremely low purchase prices, stacking up like mountains.

Wu Tie expended ninety-nine percent of his movable wealth, and the cultivation resources he obtained in return were terrifying.

Wu Qing'er was driven by Wu Tie to run about in all directions, while Wu Tie led Wu Xiaoxi and the Wu maiden running wildly throughout Wu Valley.

Thanks to Lao Tie's favor, Wu Tie's mind teemed with countless odd ideas; he taught Wu Xiaoxi how to brew wine, how to make ham, how to tan leather, how to refine rock salt, how to polish gemstones… all sorts of strange, ingenious amusements.

He also brought Wu Xiaoxi and the Wu maiden to the Yin River to set traps, drop huge hooks, and literally caught seven or eight enormous water pythons, five or six enormous water beasts, and even a flood dragon that had already taken form, its strength reaching the high stage of the Chonglou Realm.

Each and every one of these amusements made Wu Xiaoxi and the Wu maiden play to the point of madness, nearly forgetting what day it was and where they were.

Wu Tie himself had never before played and frolicked in such a way.

He had never before played and frolicked this way with his own blood-related younger sister.

Every day he and Wu Xiaoxi ran about playing and causing a ruckus, making the whole Wu Valley chaotic as chickens flying and dogs jumping; when the False Sun grew dim, they returned to stone building, where Wu Mother had already prepared dinner by hand and was waiting for them.

In just seven or eight days, Wu Tie wholeheartedly made up for the regrets of the past ten or more years.

He wholeheartedly, bit by bit, used the most delicate thoughts to savor this thick familial affection, which was utterly different from the affection of the four rough men—Wu Zhan, Wu Jin, Wu Yin, and Wu Tong.

He opened his heart, slowly infusing this warm, delicate familial feeling into the depths of his heart……When the day came that he left Wu Valley, he would completely seal off his heart, making himself iron-hearted and ruthless.

He would chop off enemies' heads, one blow after another.

He would chop off foes' heads, one blow after another.

He would chop off his own innocence, his own kindness, all the good things in his heart, one blow after another, until at last he became a monster that even he himself felt alien.

Wu Tie hoped that, many years later, when he could still look back and reflect, he would recall this brief little span of time today, remembering this bit of warmth, this bit of affection.

Just like Lao Tie, that old fellow whose whole body is full of iron lumps……His heart still holds the 'starry sky', the 'night wind', the 'flowers blooming under moonlight', and the 'beloved maiden'……

The gold coins were also busily bustling about, driven by the huge pile of gold coins, as if gone mad.

The Dark Guild, this vast power with its tendrils spread across hundreds of realms, once it possessed enough gold coins as motive power, the information Wu Tie wanted quickly returned to Wu Valley through their dense intelligence network.

That badge belonged to a notorious hunter band called the 'Gold Wraiths', a dark force that had no scruples whatsoever in pursuit of wealth. They roamed like stray hyenas, never letting slip any chance to make a fortune.

The headquarters of the Gold Wraiths lay in the Black Serpent Realm, a realm nineteen realms away from Wu Valley; even if one rode the fastest mount without stopping, it would take at least a year and a half to get there.

Naturally, the gold coins proudly introduced to Wu Tie the Dark Guild's secret teleportation network; as long as Wu Tie paid a 'meager' toll, they could directly teleport to a place only half a month's journey from the Black Serpent Realm.

Because Wu Tie had supplied ample gold coins, the gold coins eagerly retrieved for him the teleportation records of the Dark Guild in several neighboring realms as well.

According to the Dark Guild's records, six months before the Wu family's Shibao was ambushed, an elite squad of the Gold Wraiths reached the Qingmu Realm controlled by the Changsheng Sect via the teleportation network; that elite squad likely followed the Qingmu Realm's merchant caravan onward to the Cangyan Realm.

According to the teleportation records, when that squad teleported back, only a handful of people remained.

The captain of that squad was the Gold Wraiths' veteran hunt captain, the 'Black Ring Lord' Sun Zuo.

As information about the Gold Wraiths, about the Black Ring Lord Sun Zuo, and about the Black Serpent Realm kept flowing back under the powerful drive of money, Wu Tie and Wu Xiaoxi grew ever more careless and reckless in their wild play.

Wu Tie knew he was about to leave.

Wu Xiaoxi also faintly sensed this.

In the past, Wu Xiaoxi's life in Wu Valley had not been good; her extraordinary talent merely made her a little lamb that countless evil wolves eyed hungrily, and at that time Wu Mother lacked the ability to protect her, leaving her constantly in a state of worry and fear.

Wu Jin's arrival, with his madness and tyranny, gave Wu Xiaoxi for the first time the feeling of being cared for and protected by an older brother.

That feeling was wonderful.

But at that time Wu Jin also fared poorly; he was constantly targeted by Wu Yue, and especially his several occasions of caring for Wu Xiaoxi only deepened the great conflict between him and Wu Yue's group.

Later on, Wu Xiaoxi became sensible and actively distanced herself from Wu Jin.

Until Wu Tie arrived.

Wu Tie was more domineering and stronger than Wu Jin; as soon as he entered Wu Valley, he beat to death or scared away the gang that constantly pestered Wu Xiaoxi. For the first time in her life, Wu Xiaoxi felt relaxed and at ease, with no one watching her covetously—a feeling that was truly wonderful.

Especially since Wu Mother became the matriarch of Wu Valley.

At the same time, Wu Xiaoxi, now protected and cherished by mother and elder brother……really went crazy playing.

She also felt that Wu Tie was about to leave……so she grew ever more wildly reckless, running about with Wu Tie and trying out every strange, odd contraption he had devised.

They even inadvertently provoked a huge nest of poisonous spiders, drawing millions of fist‑sized poisonous spiders to hunt them for several hours……So what? Well, those poisonous spiders weren't they all burned to a crisp by Wu Tie's fire……

The taste was not bad.

Especially that spider queen—her big long legs, once roasted, had an excellent texture, and sprinkled with chili powder they became even more delicious.

In just a few days, Wu Xiaoxi ate until her little face rounded out a bit……Wu Tie truly deserved all the credit.

A clear laugh rang out from the cliff face, while a sword‑spined lizard let out a low growl, continually hopping along the ground, trying to leap up to attack Wu Xiaoxi standing on a protruding stone ledge of the cliff.

Wu Xiaoxi held aloft a long‑barreled double‑barreled hunting rifle, laughing as she aimed at this seven‑to‑eight‑meter‑long sword‑spined lizard; with a 'bang' gunshot, a specially made armor‑piercing round from Lu Ji shot forth furiously, striking the lizard's head.

A spray of blood burst forth; the sword‑spined lizard writhed in pain on the ground, rolling repeatedly, then turned and fled in a sorry state.

Wu Xiaoxi screamed and jumped up: 'It got away, it got away… ah, I wanted to shoot its eye, I was off by just a little, just a little…'

She fiercely slapped Lu Ji's shoulder and sighed: 'Lu Ji, your craftsmanship is no good…… you can't even pierce the skull of this sword‑spined lizard……'

Lu Ji pulled out a self‑made armor‑piercing round with a frown, examined it helplessly, and shook his head.

Is my craftsmanship too trendy?

Or is Wu Xiaoxi's marksmanship not accurate?

Wu Tie, meanwhile, laughed, thrust his right hand forward with a fierce grab, and the sorely fleeing sword‑spined lizard was hoisted up by a tremendous force, suspended immobile in midair a hundred meters away.

'No problem,' he said, 'if one shot doesn't pierce, fire two; if two don't pierce, fire three…… aim and shoot, hit its eye socket or mouth, uh, aim for a vital spot and fire……'

Wu Tie laughed brightly, took the hunting rifle from Wu Xiaoxi's hands, and loaded her with two fire‑burst rounds.

This is an extremely narrow stone fissure, no more than thirty‑odd meters wide, stretching dozens of li deep, and here dwell five or six groups of various lizard species.

Wu Tie inquired with the gold coins, spent a small sum, and finally discovered this 'hunting' good spot; he deliberately brought Wu Xiaoxi here to play.

Lao Bai was responsible for driving the lizards out of their nests, Lu Ji for supplying firearms, Wu Xiaoxi for target practice, and Wu Tie for mopping up; each had their division of labor, and they enjoyed themselves immensely.

Their laughter echoed back and forth in the stone fissure, and thanks to the fissure's natural amplifying effect, it carried for over ten li.

These days, Wu Yao, who had not come out to show her face, wore a tight black leather armor; her long hair sprawled like twisted snakes behind her head, her complexion gloomy as she rode a venomous golden-pattern spider, turning her head to listen to the faint laughter coming from afar.

"Wu Xiao Xi, that little slut…… and Wu Tie, that damned bastard……" Wu Yao's body trembled slightly; compared to her age, her figure was overly fiery and voluptuous, clearly the build of a mature woman.

The tight leather armor perfectly outlined her fiery curves; the black tight leather armor gleamed faintly, and the barely visible snake-skin pattern on the material added an evil allure to her out of nowhere.

Several youths similarly mounted, standing beside her, had fiery eyes, their gazes intentionally or unintentionally sweeping over Wu Yao's body.

The Wu Clan Direct Daughter's innate divine ability was miraculous and powerful; Wu Yao's talent among the Direct Daughters could be called top-notch. She keenly sensed these fellows' greedy, substantive gazes, and deliberately put on a grim face, presenting the demeanor befitting an ice-cold beauty.

She knew, the colder she acted, the crazier these despicable men became about her.

The colder she was, the more she hooked their appetites; sometimes just giving them a little sweetness made them willingly die for her.

Just like those two useless wastes, Gongsun Ying and Gongsun Xiong.

Wu Yao suddenly let out a cold snort.

Thinking of them…… she didn't feel heartbroken over their deaths; but Gongsun Yuan was also killed by Wu Tie, which Wu Yao couldn't accept for a while…… no matter what, among her bed companions, Gongsun Yuan was the one she found most satisfactory.

More importantly, with Gongsun Yuan dead, the Gongsun family lacked the nerve to settle scores with Wu Mu, instead pressuring Wu Yao and her mother Wu Xiu…… What is this? What is this? A whole clan of immortals, bullying her and her mother, two women——what is this?

That bunch of bastards from the Gongsun family……

Fortunately, she still had her trump card. Of course, if unnecessary, she wouldn't use it. The Wu Clan's innate divine ability is overly powerful and mysterious; even Wu Yao herself couldn't say how deep the clan's hidden reserves go.

So…… letting these stupid men make a move would be perfect.

"I know nothing, it has nothing to do with me." Wu Yao listened to the muffled 'bang bang' coming from the stone fissure, sneering as she said: "I know you're all interested in that little slut Wu Xiao Xi…… whoever gets her, gets her."

Wu Yao lowered her gaze to her own snow-white, tender palm: "Whoever can seize her, whoever can make her bear a child…… hehe, my mother will decide for that lucky one."

As Wu Yao spoke, a faint glimmer of ethereal light flickered at her brow.

A bewitching power silently spread, and the seven young masters she had carefully selected from the sons of the great clans residing in Wu Valley—those decadent heirs of the great families—found their breathing growing hurried.

As Wu Yao's emitted power silently diffused, the seven youths drew a deep breath, then fiercely swung their hands forward, taking the lead as they rushed into the stone fissure.

Behind them, the nearly five hundred elite warriors they had brought surged forward.

They either ran on the ground, flew through the air, or raced vertically up the rock walls……

Moreover, over a hundred ferocious, meticulously trained giant spider war beasts swiftly climbed up the rock walls to the dome of the stone fissure, hissing as they charged into the fissure.

"Wu Xiao Xi…… hehe!" Wu Yao laughed softly: "Damned Wu Jin, if not for you…… Wu Xiao Xi would have already been captured and sold…… how much profit could I get? Damned, truly damned…… but this time, I'll see how you escape."

Wu Yao lightly patted the venomous golden-pattern spider beneath her; the spider, about three meters long, silently bounced back a few steps, then quickly turned and retreated.

After running along the stone fissure for several li, here the fissure narrowed, becoming only five or six meters wide.

Wu Yao gave a soft shout and clapped her hands firmly.

Several youths in black robes quietly emerged from behind a lush mushroom patch; a sturdy, broad-shouldered young man grinned, his greedy gaze harshly sweeping over Wu Yao.

"Wu Yao junior, I never expected we'd be fellow travelers…… but indeed, only we, such outstanding heavenly sons, are qualified to become the chosen ones. Mm, from now on we should get closer and closer……"

Wu Yao's gaze was like water as she lightly swept over the sturdy youth: "Gongsun Cheng, I also didn't expect you to hide so deeply. Hehe, I sent out a signal to summon companions to aid me—I never expected you to be here."

"Since you were selected, it seems your talent is far superior to Gongsun Yuan's…… from now on, we ought to get close and close."

Wu Yao's glances were like honey, almost sticking to Gongsun Cheng's sturdy, strong chest.

They hadn't noticed that, right above their heads on a protruding stone platform, a group of sturdy men whose aura was like stone itself were staring at them with mysterious expressions.