14: Killing the chicken to scare the monkey

A pig-slaughter-like scream came from the old man’s mouth:

“Ah! You little rabbit!”

His hands, which had been clutching his left leg, quickly moved to his right leg.

He wailed, rolling on the ground with even more enthusiasm.

“Old man, next time you try to swindle someone, open your eyes wider,” Tao Rong said with a smile.

The old man, still wailing, said intermittently:

“You’re talking nonsense! How am I swindling anyone? So many of you are bullying an old man like me!”

Lin Mu shook his head at the sight. If it were him, he would have broken his other leg too.

“Let’s go.”

Lin Mu turned and had only taken a few steps when he heard a loud roar from behind him:

“Stop right there! You hit someone and just think you can leave?!”

Hearing this, the group all turned to look back.

They saw a white-clothed youth angrily pointing at them.

Behind the youth was a maiden of about sixteen, seventeen years old.

At this moment, the maiden was holding the youth’s other hand, which held a sword, trying to persuade him not to act impulsively.

“Xiao Qi, let go! It is our responsibility to draw our swords to help when we see injustice!”

The maiden still held his hand and had not let go, so he couldn’t forcefully step forward.

He could only stand in place and continued to say:

“You few martial artists, bullying an ordinary person, don’t you feel ashamed?”

The old man, who was rolling on the ground, saw that someone was standing up for him.

He shouted even louder: “Help! Young hero, save me!”

His voice was tearful, whether from good acting or genuinely crying from pain, no one knew.

The youth, hearing the old man’s cries, said with even greater indignation: “If you don’t give an explanation, you’re not leaving today!”

Lin Mu looked at the hot-headed youth before him, finding it a bit amusing: “Oh! What kind of explanation do you want?”

The youth was also stunned by Lin Mu’s question.

He had just blurted it out.

After pondering for a moment, he said:

“Apologize to this old man, compensate him for his medical expenses, and promise not to do evil again in the future.”

The youth even raised his head, quite proud of himself.

Lin Mu walked to the old man with interest.

“Which leg did you break just now?”

The old man was about to say his right leg, but then thought it was wrong: “At first I broke my left leg, and then this person kicked and broke my right leg.”

Lin Mu feigned surprise.

“So both your legs are broken, how truly pitiful.”

Saying this, he also imitated Tao Rong, kicking the old man’s left leg.

Lin Mu’s action left the youth stunned.

Lin Mu said mockingly: “Now both legs are truly broken.”

The youth recovered from his shock.

He flung away the girl who was holding him, drew his longsword, and thrust it towards Lin Mu.

“Villain, take this!”

Tao Rong and Tao Qian, seeing the youth’s thrust, both drew their swords and clashed with him.

Unexpectedly, with just a tremor of his sword energy, the youth knocked both their longswords to the ground.

Having succeeded in one strike, the youth’s longsword continued its trajectory, thrusting towards Lin Mu again.

“Young Master, be careful!”

Tao Rong and Tao Qian cried out simultaneously.

Lin Mu stood calmly in place, not dodging.

He lightly extended two fingers and easily clamped the youth’s longsword.

The youth saw that Lin Mu had blocked his longsword with just two fingers.

He mobilized all his spiritual power, wanting to withdraw his sword and retreat.

However, the longsword remained completely motionless.

“With just this much ability, you want to play the hero?” Lin Mu looked at the youth mockingly.

Lin Mu’s two fingers exerted a slight force, and the longsword in the youth’s hand snapped instantly.

The youth looked at the broken longsword, then flashed back a few steps.

He was too ashamed and angry to speak.

The maiden behind him, seeing the youth suffer a loss, rushed forward and asked: “Brother Hao, are you alright?”

The youth said dully: “I’m fine.”

Seeing that the youth was only startled, the maiden turned and bowed to Lin Mu.

“Greetings, Young Master. We are from the Cui Family of Yunzhou. I apologize to everyone on behalf of Brother Hao.”

“The Cui Family of Yunzhou?” Lin Mu looked at Tao Rong.

Tao Rong quickly said: “The Cui Family of Yunzhou and the Yunzhou Lin Family are both top families in Yunzhou.”

After hearing Tao Rong’s words, Lin Mu already had a plan in mind.

“To reach the Spirit Roaming Realm at such a young age, he might be useful for the Grand Gathering this time.”

“I don’t care about any Cui Family of Yunzhou. Those who dare to attack me usually don’t end well.”

Xiao Qi, hearing this, forced herself to remain calm:

“We have greatly offended you this time. Please be lenient, Young Master, and consider it a favor owed by the Cui Family.”

Immediately, Xiao Qi took out a jade box and presented it with both hands:

“This box contains a boundary breaking pill. After taking it, a Spirit Building martial artist can break through to the Spirit Roaming Realm.”

“I see that this Esteemed Sir has already reached Spirit Building Great Perfection; I imagine he will find it useful.”

The maiden looked at Tao Qian.

“Xiao Qi, no! That’s for your breakthrough, given to you by your Master!”

Cui Hao quickly spoke to stop her.

“It’s fine, Brother Hao. I’ll ask Master for another one another day.”

“It’s not that easy. Do you think the boundary breaking pill is like a common cabbage? Your Master…” Cui Hao was interrupted before he could finish.

“Alright, Brother Hao, I have my own plans.”

This boundary breaking pill was hard-earned, and she was reluctant to part with it.

But the person before her had shattered Brother Hao’s Dragon Roar Sword with his bare hands.

Only a Flying Heaven Realm expert could likely do that.

Lin Mu looked at the box before him, took it, and opened it. Inside was a reddish-brown pill.

Spiritual energy flowed on the surface of the pill, indicating it was no ordinary item.

“It is a good item, but not enough to spare his life.”

The maiden, Xiao Qi, heard this and said: “Young Master, what other conditions do you have? Please speak freely, as long as our Cui Family can achieve it.”

“It’s not a difficult matter. I want you to help me with one thing. If you succeed, I will spare his life.”

“What is it?” the maiden asked.

“It’s very simple. The prize of this Yunzhou Grand Gathering contains something I need. As long as he can get it and give it to me, that will suffice.”

Lin Mu pointed at Cui Hao.

“Could you tell us what item it is? Perhaps our Cui Family’s treasury might even have it,” Xiao Qi said again.

“I need a map of the Nine Nether Continent. Does your Cui Family have it?” Lin Mu asked.

Xiao Qi thought for a moment and said: “I truly cannot be certain about that. Why don’t you, Young Master, accompany me to the Cui Family, and I will inquire with the elders of our clan.”

“That would be good,” Lin Mu agreed.

He wasn’t worried about the Cui Family playing any tricks.

Tao Rong then stepped forward and asked: “What should we do with that old swindler?”

Lin Mu said indifferently: “Since he can no longer walk, you can send him on his way.”

Tao Rong’s heart skipped a beat.

Then, seeing Lin Mu’s cold gaze, he dared not say more.

He picked up the broken sword from the ground and walked towards the old man.

The old man had already realized from the conversation that he had messed with the wrong people.

Seeing Tao Rong approaching him with the broken sword and an unfriendly expression, he was terrified.

He shuffled his body backward while pleading for mercy.

“Young hero, spare my life! This old man was momentarily confused and offended you all.”

As Tao Rong drew closer, he looked at Cui Hao with pleading eyes.

But Cui Hao, at this moment, had his head down, not daring to look directly into the old man’s eyes.

The old man, not knowing where he found the strength, suddenly stood up and, limping, turned to run.

Tao Rong leaped forward in one swift motion and pierced the old man’s chest with his sword.

Lin Mu had always detested people who staged accidents to extort others.

Originally, the old man’s crime was not punishable by death.

It was Cui Hao’s fault for blindly stepping in.

Lin Mu’s action was merely to kill a chicken to scare the monkeys.

Cui Hao looked at the old man’s corpse, filled with self-reproach.

He turned to look at Lin Mu’s retreating figure, his eyes revealing a deep sense of dread.