124: Appear

As the first light of dawn broke, more than ten people had already gathered inside the Mission Hall of the Yang Wei Martial Arts Hall Branch.

Over a dozen wooden plaques hung on the bluestone wall, with commissions of different Ranks written in cinnabar—Grade A was the most difficult, usually involving enemies at or above the Jiaojin Realm or major events; Grade B was next, requiring experts at the middle to Late Stages of the Flesh Refining Realm; Grades C and D were mostly trivial matters such as ordinary escorting, finding items, or providing backup.

Chen Linsheng stood before the Grade B area, his gaze sweeping over a dark brown wooden plaque:

“Grade B No. 3: Escort a batch of valuable medicinal materials from ‘Huichun Hall’ to the neighboring Qinglin Town. The distance is one hundred and twenty li, requiring a three-day round trip. Reward: Two hundred taels, eighty martial arts hall contribution points. Requirement: A team of at least three Disciples at or above the Late-stage Flesh Tempering Realm. Note: Bandits have been active near Qinglin Road recently, and there may be exotic beasts obstructing the path; caution is required.”

Martial arts hall contribution points could be used to exchange for access to Cultivation Techniques, opportunities for guidance from famous teachers, and even certain rare resources. For Chen Linsheng, who was about to participate in the Martial Examination and urgently needed to further solidify his Foundation, contribution points were just as important as practical combat experience.

“Junior Brother Chen is also interested in this mission?” A slightly raspy voice came from beside him.

Chen Linsheng turned his head and saw two young men dressed in the dark green martial attire of the martial arts hall approaching. The one on the left was tall and thin with a slightly pale face, but his eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, and a thin sword hung at his waist; the one on the right was short and sturdy, with knotted muscles on his arms, carrying an iron-clad wooden shield half the height of a person on his back.

The speaker was the tall, thin young man, whom Chen Linsheng recognized.

Zhou Ming, known as the “Wind-Chasing Sword” among the senior Disciples, had a cultivation at the Late Stage of the Flesh Refining Realm. His set of “Thirteen Wind-Chasing Swords” was swift and ruthless, and he had completed several Grade B missions alone. Beside him was the sturdy man, Sun Shi, known as “Iron Wall,” also at the Late Stage of the Flesh Refining Realm. He specialized in the “Monolith Skill” and shield techniques, possessing extreme defensive power, making him a trusted and solid shield in team missions.

“Senior Brother Zhou, Senior Brother Sun,” Chen Linsheng cupped his hands. “That is exactly my intention. With the Martial Examination approaching, I want to find some practical combat experience and accumulate some contribution points while I'm at it.”

Zhou Ming sized up Chen Linsheng, a complex expression flashing through his eyes—admiration, envy, and perhaps a subtle hint of competitiveness. Chen Linsheng had become famous after the Hidden Dragon Banquet and his reputation in the hall was now at its peak, but these senior Disciples who had toiled for many years might still feel a need to compare themselves.

“Junior Brother Chen’s strength is formidable; with you on the team, we’ll have a better chance of success on this trip,” Zhou Ming said frankly, quickly composing himself. “Sun Shi and I originally planned to take this mission and were just short one person. If Junior Brother is willing to join, the three of us together should be safe as long as we don't encounter Jiaojin Realm experts or large-scale bandit gangs.”

Sun Shi gave a simple, honest smile, his voice like muffled thunder: “Junior Brother Chen, my shield, your spear, and Senior Brother Zhou’s sword make for a perfect combination!”

After a brief thought, Chen Linsheng nodded in agreement: “Then I shall rely on you two Senior Brothers to look after me.”

The three took the wooden plaque and went to the deacon's office to register. The deacon was an old Instructor with graying hair and beard. He carefully checked their identity tokens and warned them: “Qinglin Road has indeed been unsettled lately. Some Disciples returned from there earlier and said they saw livestock carcasses picked clean by the roadside, which didn't look like the work of ordinary beasts. Furthermore, a small merchant caravan was attacked in the middle section of Qinglin Road a month ago; none of the seven people survived, and the goods were completely looted. There were many Sharp Weapon wounds on the bodies, but no signs of a fierce struggle at the scene—it's quite strange. You must be careful; if things become impossible, prioritize your own safety.”

Chen Linsheng felt a slight chill in his heart and exchanged a look with Zhou Ming and Sun Shi, seeing the gravity in each other's eyes.

That afternoon, the three met at ‘Huichun Hall’ in the east of the city.

Huichun Hall was one of the largest pharmacies in Jiuqu Prefecture City, and it was said to have the shadow of the Prefectural Governor's Mansion behind it. The medicinal materials to be escorted this time were packed in three sealed camphor wood boxes and loaded onto a carriage drawn by two horses. Leading the group was a manager from Huichun Hall surnamed Li, in his forties, with a capable appearance, accompanied by two workers.

“I'll have to trouble you three young heroes,” Manager Li said, cupping his hands. “Inside the boxes are three fifty-year-old ‘Blood Ginsengs,’ two ‘Earth Spirit Mushrooms,’ and a batch of supplementary medicines for use with them, worth no less than five thousand taels. Old Master Wang of Qinglin Town has had a relapse of an old injury and urgently needs these medicines to sustain his life. The Wang family has a three-generation friendship with our Huichun Hall; this entrustment must not fail.”

Chen Linsheng nodded slightly. Blood Ginseng greatly nourished Qi and blood, while Earth Spirit Mushrooms harmonized the Meridians; both were Saint Grade healing items. No wonder it was worth posting a Grade B mission.

After checking that the vehicle and horses were in good order, the group of six set off.

Qinglin Town was located northeast of Jiuqu Prefecture City. They needed to travel eighty li along the official road first, then turn onto a mountain path of over thirty li. The official road was flat, with frequent patrols and merchant caravans, making it relatively safe; the real need for vigilance would be after entering the mountain path.

The first day was calm and uneventful.

While resting at a post house by the official road in the evening, Zhou Ming and Sun Shi whispered about their past mission experiences, while Chen Linsheng silently circulated his Hunyuan True Body to nourish his Qi and blood. Manager Li and the two workers retired early.

In the dead of night, Chen Linsheng sat cross-legged in his room, his Tracking Perfection perception quietly unfolding.

Inside and outside the post house, there were the snores of ordinary travelers, the sleep-talking of workers, the snorting of livestock in the stables, the chirping of insects in the distant fields... nothing unusual.

But the string in his heart never relaxed.

The description from the old Instructor deacon made him vaguely feel that the 'unsettled' state of Qinglin Road might not be as simple as bandits or exotic beasts.

The next morning, they continued their journey.

In the afternoon, the convoy turned onto the Qinglin Road mountain path.

The road suddenly narrowed, with steep cliffs on both sides and dense forests. It was late autumn, and the withered yellow leaves were falling, adding a touch of desolation. The sound of wheels crushing the gravel road was exceptionally clear in the silent mountain forest.

Zhou Ming rode at the very front of the convoy, his gaze alertly scanning the bends and slopes ahead. Sun Shi walked with his shield on the left side of the carriage, while Chen Linsheng was on the right, his long spear already in hand.

Manager Li and the two workers sat at the front of the carriage, looking tense.

When they reached a narrow passage between two mountains, a sudden change occurred!

“Whoosh! Whoosh whoosh!”

Over a dozen crude bamboo arrows shot out from the dense forest on the left slope, aimed straight for the convoy!

“Enemy attack!” Zhou Ming shouted. His sword left its scabbard, the blade flashing like wind, knocking away the three arrows aimed at him with several clangs.

Sun Shi let out a low growl, his massive shield suddenly raised. With a series of thuds, five arrows buried themselves deep into the wood of the shield, their fletching trembling violently.

Chen Linsheng flicked his long spear, the tip creating three points of cold light, precisely knocking away the three arrows aimed at the carriage. His movements were effortless, barely making a sound.

Just as the first wave of arrows passed, raspy howls came from the slope!

Over twenty figures rushed out of the forest, lunging toward the convoy!

These people were dressed in rags and looked emaciated, with a hodgepodge of weapons in their hands—rusty Cleavers, sharpened wooden sticks, and even hoes. They looked no different from ordinary displaced people or bandits.

But Chen Linsheng’s pupils suddenly contracted!

The eyes of these people!

They were cloudy, reddish, and their pupils were dilated. There was no common bandit-like ferocity or greed in their eyes, but rather a hollow madness, as if they had lost all sense of pain and fear, leaving only the most primitive desire to kill!

Even more bizarre was that they staggered as they charged, their body postures twisted, and some even had foam hanging from the corners of their mouths, yet they were incredibly fast, making strange “Heh-heh” sounds in their throats.

“Something's not right!” Zhou Ming also noticed the abnormality. His sword swept out, “Wind Sweeping the Clouds!” The sword light, like a bolt of silk, swept toward the three people in the lead.

Those three didn't even try to dodge, slamming their bodies directly into the sword light!

“Puchi!”

The blade entered flesh, and blood splattered. One person had an arm severed, another had a deep gash cut into his chest that revealed the bone, and the third had half his shoulder sliced off.

If it were ordinary people, such heavy injuries would have had them on the ground wailing. But these three seemed completely oblivious. The one with the severed arm used his other hand to wave a Cleaver and continue charging; the one with the split chest even reached out to grab Zhou Ming’s sword; and the one whose shoulder was sliced off opened a mouth full of yellow teeth, lunging forward with a “Heh-heh” scream!

“What on earth are these things?!” Zhou Ming’s face paled in horror, and he hurriedly withdrew his sword and retreated.

The pressure on Sun Shi’s side was even greater. Five or six crazed bandits surrounded him, recklessly slamming their bodies against his shield and wildly bashing it with their crude weapons. The shield surface thudded loudly. Although Sun Shi was as steady as a rock, he was forced back step by step by this suicidal brute force.

Chen Linsheng’s long spear was like a dragon, piercing a bandit’s throat with a move called “Startled Swan Glancing Shadow.” The opponent’s body stiffened, yet he still reached out with both hands to try and grab the spear shaft, the madness in his eyes not diminishing in the slightest until he fell dead.

“The state of these people is wrong; it's like they're being controlled by something!” Chen Linsheng shouted in a deep voice. “Strike their vitals, finish this quickly!”

He no longer held back, infusing the Layered Waves force into the spear. With one thrust, three layers of hidden force erupted!

“Bang!”

A bandit’s head exploded like a watermelon, red and white splattering everywhere. The headless corpse swayed for a moment before finally collapsing.

Zhou Ming grit his teeth, his sword technique suddenly becoming sharp. His “Wind-Chasing Thrust” specialized in vital points like the eyes, throat, and heart, every strike aimed to kill. Sun Shi also changed his strategy, no longer purely defending. The sharp iron cladding on the edge of his shield became a weapon; with a horizontal sweep, he sent two bandits flying, the sound of breaking bones clearly audible.

However, these crazed bandits were truly bizarre. Unless they were killed on the spot, even with broken arms or legs, they would still struggle and crawl to attack. More troublesome was that they seemed completely oblivious to pain and unafraid of death, their fighting style purely exchanging their lives for injuries.

In just a short moment, seven or eight bandits were dead, but Zhou Ming’s arm had been sliced by a Cleaver, and Sun Shi’s lower leg had been pierced by a wooden spear, dripping with blood. Manager Li and the two workers hid behind the carriage, their faces pale and trembling.

A cold light flashed in Chen Linsheng’s eyes.

He couldn't drag this out any longer.

His figure moved suddenly, the Crane Ape Illusory Wind Steps unfolding as he cut into the group of bandits like a ghost. His long spear no longer sought to kill in one hit but turned into a sky full of spear shadows, specifically targeting the joints of their limbs!

“Crack!” “Crack!”

The sounds of bones shattering rang out one after another. In less than three breaths, the remaining seven or eight bandits all had their leg or arm bones broken, falling to the ground and struggling, but unable to stand.

“Heh... heh...” A bandit with both legs broken still used his elbows to prop himself up, crawling toward Chen Linsheng with blood-red eyes and a low, beast-like growl.

Chen Linsheng flicked his spear and knocked him unconscious.

The battle came to an abrupt halt.

The mountain forest returned to silence, with only the smell of blood permeating the air and the unconscious groans of the severed limbs and broken bodies on the ground.

Zhou Ming and Sun Shi panted heavily, looking at the mess on the ground, the lingering fear in their eyes not yet dissipated.

“Who... who on earth are these people?” Sun Shi tore off a piece of his clothing to bandage his leg wound, his voice heavy.

Zhou Ming’s expression was grim: “They don't seem like ordinary bandits. It's more like... they've been possessed.”

Chen Linsheng didn't speak, his gaze falling on a leader among the fallen bandits who was dressed slightly more neatly and had a gray cloth wrapped around his head—during the melee just now, this person had been hiding in the back, shouting and directing. Although he also appeared crazed, he seemed to have retained a sliver of reason.

He walked over and leaned down to check.

The leader’s chest had been crushed inward by the edge of Sun Shi’s shield, blood was oozing from his mouth and nose, and he was already dead. But Chen Linsheng’s Tracking Perfection perception caught a very faint, familiar fishy-sweet scent from his bosom.

He reached into the man's bosom; it felt ice-cold to the touch.

He pulled out two things.

A palm-sized wooden plaque with rough edges, with a twisted lotus flower painted on it in blood-red paint.

The petals were as hideous as claws, and in the center of the lotus, there seemed to be a blurry human face, exuding an eerie aura.

There was also a small gray cloth bag. After opening it, inside was a small amount of grayish-white powder. Chen Linsheng pinched a bit with his fingertips and brought it to his nose—that faint, nauseating fishy-sweet smell was emanating from this very powder!

The White Lotus Sect!