11: Chapter 11 Killing Lin Hu

This morning, after Lin Qing finished his collective Stance Training practice for the day, Wang Yuan approached him while he was having lunch in the martial arts hall's canteen.

"Lin Qing, have you heard? Centurion Xiao of the Zhenwu Division was injured on Qingyang Mountain and is still unconscious."

"I haven't heard. Why? Is he a relative of yours?"

Wang Yuan rolled his eyes.

"What nonsense! Centurion Xiao is already the strongest Martial Artist in the county. He went to handle the Vicious Beast incident on Qingyang Mountain, but not only did he fail to resolve it, he came back injured. Now the Zhenwu Division has no choice but to seek help from the prefecture city. The news wasn't kept well, and now it's spread everywhere."

Hearing this, Lin Qing said indifferently:

"That doesn't have much to do with us, does it? Since they've asked for help, the prefecture will send someone to resolve the matter."

Wang Yuan had an expression like he was watching a show.

"What do you know! Centurion Xiao is at the Third-rank Peak. A Vicious Beast that can seriously injure him and leave him unconscious must be at least at the Third-rank Peak, or even reach the Fourth-rank. That's a Fourth-rank Vicious Beast! It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say its entire body is a treasure. Now that the news has spread, the experts in the Jianghu can't sit still either. Qingyang County is going to get quite lively for a while."

The two chatted briefly for a few more minutes. After finishing his meal, Lin Qing returned to his small courtyard to continue cultivating his Health Preservation Technique.

Just as Wang Yuan said, within a few days, the already busy streets of Qingyang County became even more bustling.

Most of the people coming and going were in a hurry, with sabers or swords at their waists and eyes as sharp as eagles, exuding an aura that was either steady or fierce.

Inns and wine shops were packed early on, and even the simple, dilapidated temples on the outskirts of the county town became resting places for many Loose Cultivator Martial Artists.

The temptation of a Fourth-rank Vicious Beast was enough to drive the entire Jianghu into a frenzy. The power of blood and Qi contained in its flesh was enough to allow a Third-rank Peak Martial Artist to take that final step. Its bones and tendons could forge top-tier weapons, and its fur and hide could be made into precious armor.

With such a heavy treasure before them, let alone the Loose Cultivators in the Jianghu, even the Sects and prominent families from the surrounding prefectures had quietly sent out their elites to Qingyang County, wanting a piece of the pie.

The atmosphere in the Zhenwu Division also grew increasingly heavy. After the prefecture received the plea for help, although they had quickly dispatched a Fourth-rank Martial Artist for reinforcement, as the news spread, the threat the Zhenwu Division faced was no longer just the Vicious Beast.

Now, Qingyang County was a mix of dragons and snakes, with various factions harboring hidden agendas. Naturally, the Zhenwu Division had to be wary of these outside high-rank Martial Artists to prevent them from causing trouble in the county town.

Unfortunately, Qingyang County was just a small county town. The Zhenwu Division's original configuration only had one Third-rank Peak Centurion Xiao, and the Generals Flags and Little Flags below him were only first or second-rank Martial Artists. It was impossible for the prefecture to send too many reinforcements at once; only an elite squad of about a dozen people led by a Chiliarch arrived.

In normal times, the Zhenwu Division could naturally use force to suppress the entire county town; even if a "crossing-river dragon" occasionally arrived, they wouldn't find it easy to stir up trouble in the county.

But this time, the temptation of the Fourth-rank Vicious Beast was simply too great. Who among those who dared to come for a piece of the pie wasn't a ruthless character? Even with a Fourth-rank Chiliarch from the prefecture presiding, the Zhenwu Division in Qingyang County was now somewhat unable to keep things under control, with Martial Artists coming to blows in the city almost every day.

The once peaceful small county was completely swept up in this sudden storm. The air was filled with restlessness and undercurrents everywhere. A dispute centered around the Fourth-rank Vicious Beast had silently begun, and the slightest disturbance would ignite a fierce slaughter.

However, these matters didn't have much impact on Lin Qing. He stayed at home every day to grind his proficiency, and his residence was in a sparsely populated area. Nevertheless, he was still targeted.

...

When the Vicious Beast attacked Lin Family Village, Lin Hu's family was among the unlucky ones. Lin Hu couldn't outrun the Vicious Beast, but he could outrun his parents.

This day, after Lin Qing finished his morning practice at the martial arts hall, he walked toward his small courtyard along the street. He was still wearing the clean martial arts hall training uniform. After these dozen or so days of Cultivation, his posture was upright, his face was ruddy and spirited, and his whole body exuded a steady and restrained aura. His temperament was no less than those Martial Artists in the county town who had cultivated for many years.

Meanwhile, in a restaurant by the street, Lin Hu was having lunch. Ever since his family was attacked by the Vicious Beast, he had taken his family's property and fled to the county town to hide.

Raising his eyes inadvertently, Lin Hu happened to catch a glimpse of Lin Qing walking past the window. Seeing Lin Qing's tidy clothes, glowing face, and composed steps, Lin Hu was stunned for a moment and immediately developed a scheme.

Back in Lin Family Village, he had coveted Lin Qing's money and sought him out that very night. Unfortunately, Lin Qing was slippery and had escaped in advance. He had felt unwilling then, and now, seeing Lin Qing living so prosperously in the county, the evil thoughts in his heart began to grow wildly once again.

Seeing Lin Qing's smooth-sailing appearance, the more Lin Hu thought about it, the more his heart itched. He hurriedly paid for his meal, kept his eyes fixed on Lin Qing's back, and quietly followed him.

He wasn't bold enough to strike in broad daylight; he simply noted the location of Lin Qing's small courtyard and quietly left.

In the blink of an eye, it was late at night. The bustle in the county town gradually faded, and the streets were silent, save for the occasional calls of the Night Watchman striking the watch, which sounded exceptionally clear in the night air.

It was now mid-June. The night sky was clear, and a bright moon hung high, casting its pure light over the earth.

Lin Hu was careful all the way, fearing he would be seen, as he reached the outside of Lin Qing's small courtyard. He looked left and right, and after confirming no one was around, he stealthily climbed over the low courtyard wall, intentionally lightening his steps as he landed.

Although Lin Hu was physically strong, he was still just an ordinary person. After entering the small courtyard, he inevitably made a bit of noise.

On the bed, Lin Qing suddenly opened his eyes. By now, Lin Qing was no longer the frail youth from the village; his senses were already much sharper than those of an ordinary person. Living alone, and with the recent turmoil in Qingyang County, he had been maintaining a high state of alertness. This trace of insignificant noise still managed to wake him.

Lin Qing immediately held his breath, rose without making a sound, and quietly moved to the window to observe the courtyard through a crack.

Under the moonlight, he saw a burly figure crouching and moving cautiously toward the bedroom. With the help of the bright moonlight, Lin Qing clearly saw the other person's features—it was actually Lin Hu!

The moment he recognized the intruder, the alertness in Lin Qing's eyes instantly transformed into a raging fire of anger.

This fellow Lin Hu had tried to make a move on him in the village. It was one thing that he hadn't succeeded, but he actually dared to chase him all the way to the county. Now that he had appeared sneakily in his courtyard, his intentions were self-evident.

Anger rose from his heart, and malice grew from his guts. Lin Qing's gaze became incredibly cold. He walked noiselessly to the door, picked up a sturdy wooden stool, gripped it tightly in his hands, and waited quietly for Lin Hu to enter.

Outside, Lin Hu was completely unaware that danger had arrived. He felt his way and pushed open the slightly ajar bedroom door. After entering, he walked straight toward the bed.

That was the moment!

Lin Qing's eyes sharpened. Seizing the moment when Lin Hu's back was turned and he was completely off-guard, he raised the stool high and ruthlessly smashed it against the back of Lin Hu's head!

"Bang!"

A dull thud echoed in the silent bedroom. Lin Hu had no time to react; he only felt a surge of sharp pain from the back of his head. A sense of dizziness instantly swept through his body, and his burly frame stumbled forward a few steps as his vision went black.

Lin Qing didn't hesitate for a second. After the successful strike, he immediately stepped forward, pressed his knee against Lin Hu's back, stretched out his arm, and firmly choked Lin Hu's neck. His arm muscles tightened as he used every ounce of his strength.

Although Lin Qing's physique still couldn't compare to Lin Hu's, he was more than a level stronger than he had been ten days ago. Combined with the surging anger in his heart, he exploded with twelve-tenths of his power.

Lin Hu was choked until he couldn't breathe. His face instantly turned a purplish-blue, his hands flailed wildly, and his feet kicked out frantically, desperately trying to break free.

But in the end, he was just an ordinary person with a slightly stronger physique. Having lost the initiative, no matter how he struggled now, it was all in vain.

Before long, Lin Hu's struggles grew weaker and weaker. His hands dropped powerlessly, his body went completely limp, and finally, all breath left him.

Lin Qing slowly released his arm. Looking at the motionless Lin Hu on the ground, a trace of lingering fear flashed in his eyes. But he knew that from the moment Lin Hu stepped into this small courtyard, there could only be a life-or-death outcome between them.

The moonlight outside remained cold, spilling into the bedroom and illuminating the mess on the floor, as well as Lin Qing's calm but increasingly determined face.