146: Crisis in Lujia Village!

The next day, what woke Lu Chen was not the morning sun, but the clamor from the village entrance.

He rubbed his sleepy eyes, pushed open the wooden door, and the sight before him instantly sobered him up—dust billowed at the village entrance, and over a hundred fully armed cavalrymen had surrounded the village gate, making it impenetrable.

Each of these riders wore finely crafted iron armor, with gleaming weapons hanging from their waists, and their warhorses snorted restlessly, creating a scene of grim solemnity.

Village Chief stood at the village entrance, his back ramrod straight despite being over fifty. He sternly shouted, "What do you want to do? Our Lu Family Village is under the protection of Feiyun City! If you dare to invade the village, Feiyun City's army will never let you off!"

His voice was loud, but his hands trembled slightly.

The leading knight removed his helmet, revealing a Face covered in scars. He sneered, "Village Chief Lu, what are you saying? Who said we were going to loot your village? I am Ma Tianxiong, the Second-in-Command of the Horse-Slaying Gang, sent by City Lord Ge Xuan of Feiyun City, specifically to purchase the Baleful Beast you hunted. Don't worry, we'll pay market price, you won't be shortchanged."

Second-in-Command of Zhanma Gang was a Transcendent Third Layer expert.

And beside him, a burly bald man with a fierce Face had reached the Transcendent Sixth Layer Realm.

Even more terrifying, the weakest of the hundred-plus knights behind them had a Body Tempering Stage Eighth Layer cultivation.

Such a lineup was enough to sweep through any village within a hundred-mile radius.

Village Chief had long heard of the Horse-Slaying Gang's name.

These bandits roamed the borders of Feiyun City, specializing in plundering passing merchant caravans.

But they never dared to cause trouble within Feiyun City's jurisdiction, because the Feiyun Army's iron-fisted methods struck terror into their hearts.

Intriguingly, City Lord Ge Xuan often secretly hired them to handle some unsavory matters, maintaining a delicate understanding between the two parties.

Village Chief clearly understood the implications, took a deep breath, and suppressed his anger, saying, "Ten thousand taels. The Baleful Beast's flesh, fur, and bones are all yours."

"Ten thousand taels?" Ma Tianba, the Third Leader, suddenly drew his wolf-tooth club and sneered, "Do you take us for fools? Five thousand taels, five thousand taels at most!"

Iron Mountain Lu could no longer hold back: "How is this any different from outright robbery? This is a twenty-year-old Baleful Beast! Its fur alone is worth five thousand taels, not to mention the bones that can be refined into weapons!"

Ma Tianba's wolf-tooth club slammed heavily onto the ground, scattering gravel: "Then ask my wolf-tooth club if it thinks it's worth ten thousand taels or five thousand taels?"

Village Chief's Face was ashen.

He glanced at Lu Chen, who was watching from a distance, and thinking of the Genius that had finally appeared in the village, he knew nothing could go wrong at this critical juncture.

He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, five thousand it is!" Then, he turned and shouted to the villagers, "Bring out the Baleful Beast!"

When the villagers brought out the complete beast hide and the cured beast meat, Iron Mountain Lu and the hunting team members' eyes turned red.

This was their spoils of war, earned with blood, and a treasure hunted at the cost of a brother's life, yet now they had to hand it over so cheaply.

Ma Tianxiong nodded in satisfaction: "Very good, you are sensible. But..." He revealed a cunning smile, "I left in a hurry today and didn't bring any silver. We'll send the money over after we sell the Baleful Beast."

"You're going too far!" Iron Mountain Lu was furious, his fists clenching with a cracking sound.

Ma Tianba's wolf-tooth club was already at Iron Mountain Lu's nose: "Say that again? Who's bullying whom? We forgot to bring it, we're not refusing to pay!"

Village Chief hurriedly pulled Iron Mountain Lu back, forcing a smile and saying, "Sirs, please take your leave slowly. We... we trust you."

Watching the Horse-Slaying Gang swagger away, Lu Chen remained standing in place.

It wasn't that he didn't want to act, but he clearly knew that with his Third Layer of Meridian Opening cultivation, he was no match for a Transcendent expert.

At this moment, Lu Chen understood more profoundly than ever:

To be backward is to be beaten; this is an eternal truth.

There is no such thing as injustice or being wronged.

Only the weak speak of injustice and fairness; the strong only strive to better themselves!

However, less than an hour after the commotion subsided.

The hurried sound of hooves echoed at the village entrance again.

The Horse-Slaying Gang's bandits had returned, dust flying, and over a hundred fully armed knights once again surrounded the village entrance.

Village Chief rushed out, his Face ashen, his voice angry: "Why are you back again!!"

Ma Tianxiong looked down from above, a mocking smile on his Face: "What do you mean, 'again'? When have we ever been here before?" He turned to the bandits behind him and shouted, "Brothers, have we been here before?"

"No!!" A hundred bandits shouted in unison, their voices making the leaves rustle.

Ma Tianxiong spread his hands triumphantly: "Did you hear that? This is our first time here, sent by the City Lord to purchase the Baleful Beast. Hurry and bring out the Baleful Beast, we will buy it at market price, and we will not shortchange you."

Village Chief trembled with rage, no longer able to suppress his anger: "You are going too far! The Baleful Beast has already been given to you, where would we have a second Baleful Beast!"

Ma Tianxiong slowly stroked his beard: "No Baleful Beast? Aren't you best at hunting? Go hunt in the mountains then! I've delivered the message. If you can't produce a Baleful Beast, and the City Lord gets angry, don't blame us for not warning you."

At this moment, Iron Mountain Lu could no longer hold back and rushed out with over a hundred hunting team members.

They held hunting forks and bows and arrows; although their equipment was simple, their eyes burned with flames of anger.

"Lu Family Village will never suffer such a great humiliation! If you're deliberately looking for trouble, then have the guts to kill us all!"

Ma Tianba sneered, brandishing his wolf-tooth club: "Do you think I wouldn't dare?!"

Before he finished speaking, he swung fiercely, and a visible wave of Qi swept out, sending Iron Mountain Lu and the others flying like fallen leaves, crashing heavily to the ground.

The strength of the Transcendent Sixth Layer was an absolute crushing force.

Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Lu Chen quickly stepped forward, respectfully cupping his hands and saying, "Sirs, how about this, wait a few more days, we will definitely find a way to hunt a Baleful Beast in the mountains, and then we will present it with both hands to satisfy you!"

Ma Tianxiong narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing Lu Chen, then suddenly burst into laughter: "Hahahaha! Young and promising, very good, very good! Old fellows, learn from him, see how sensible the young man is!"

Iron Mountain Lu wanted to retort but was pulled back by Lu Deshan: "Don't be impulsive! Lu Chen must have his reasons for doing this."

Ma Tianxiong actually didn't dare to truly massacre the village; after all, Feiyun City wouldn't stand idly by.

He waved his hand with a feigned magnanimity: "Good! For the sake of this young brother's Face, I'll give you seven days. If you can't produce a Baleful Beast by then, don't blame us for being impolite!"

After speaking, he left with his brothers.

Ma Tianba asked, puzzled: "Second Brother, why give them seven days? Wouldn't it be faster to just rob them?"

Ma Tianxiong smiled sinisterly: "What do you know? How much money can you get from massacring a village? Forcing them to hunt Baleful Beasts is a long-term plan; a single Baleful Beast can sell for a hundred thousand taels on the market!"

Ma Tianba suddenly understood: "Second Brother is brilliant! Then can't we come back regularly to 'collect taxes'?"

Ma Tianxiong nodded in satisfaction: "Exactly! This Lu Family Village is our cash cow!"

... "Lu Chen! What exactly do you want to do! Seven days, where are we going to find a Baleful Beast!" Iron Mountain Lu was on the verge of collapse.

Lu Chen was more serious and calm than ever: "No need to find Baleful Beasts! Seven days! Give me seven days! I want to go into seclusion! As long as I can Breakthrough the Meridian Opening Realm and reach the Transcendent Realm, I won't have to fear them!!"

Lu Qingfeng yelled: "Lu Chen! Are you crazy! Even if you are a Genius, you are only at the Third Layer of Meridian Opening now, how can you possibly reach Transcendent First Layer in seven days! Aren't you gambling with the lives of the entire village!!"

Village Chief angrily rebuked: "Shut up! Lu Chen is doing this to buy time. Now there are two paths: first, send someone to Feiyun City, with silver, to explain the situation to the City Lord and ask him to send reinforcements; second, the hunting team goes into the mountains to find Baleful Beasts, to stall for as long as possible!!"

Lu Chen nodded. If he couldn't Breakthrough to Transcendent, this was the only way.