Chapter 169: Feral Beasts Rampage
Long Qiushui acted with thunderous speed and directly issued the attack order.
Although Bai Shan Town was breached, the feral beasts attacking the city were not humans; although they would destroy buildings, they would not plunder too much.
If they could quickly counterattack, they could greatly reduce the losses.
Moreover, how exactly Bai Shan Town was breached, how the defending formation was destroyed—these things were all in Bai Shan Town.
Ma Family Head Ma Tianhong’s eyes flickered slightly, while Lin Family’s Lin Zifang and Zhou Family’s Zhou Yaokun also showed subtle expressions.
This Dragon True Person Long Qiushui of Guizang Valley was not easy to deal with.
However, there was still a method.
The three men simultaneously turned their gazes to Su Yan. Although Su Yan had just entered the sect not long ago, his identity was no secret to some people.
Their families all had disciples in the Beast King Sect, and with the recent changes to the Tiger Ranking, they naturally received the news first thing.
Long Qiushui’s disciple, the first among new inner disciples—this title was not small.
The crowd entered the city, with Long Qiushui stationed in Feng City.
Mountain Guard Commander Hao Yi mobilized the Mountain Guard to assemble, numbering over a thousand strong, all martial artists clad in black armor with black scaled leopards as mounts, with the lowest strength at the fourth realm of Body Tempering Realm—Spirit Nurturing Realm cultivation.
True Intent Realm martial artists made up the majority, and with their armor, this army was no less than a flood of steel.
“Outer disciples are to be incorporated into the Mountain Guard’s auxiliary forces; they may explore with the army and strangulate feral beasts, but they must not disrupt the military formation.”
Hao Yi was a veteran of the Mountain Guard, over fifty years old, with cultivation long since stepping into the fourth realm of True Intent Realm—Divine Union.
He had handled so many such tasks that he knew how to direct the inner and outer disciples continuously arriving from the sect.
Seeing him busy, Su Yan did not go up to disturb him for the moment.
Instead, Ma Tianhong and the other two came over together: “Young Master Su.”
The three were quite polite. Su Yan said, “Do the three family heads know me?”
Ma Tianhong said, “How could we not? My nephew is on Fuyue Peak, also an inner disciple, though he can’t make the Tiger Ranking—not like Young Master Su’s ability to reverse the Hundredth Rank.”
After exchanging names, Ma Tianhong, leveraging his status, showered Su Yan with praise.
It takes a crowd to carry the sedan chair. Ma Tianhong’s ability to operate the Ma Family into such a clan was evident in his smooth words upon meeting.
“Ma Family Head’s news is quite well-informed.”
Su Yan smiled, his words sharpening slightly, causing Ma Tianhong’s expression to change subtly.
Lin Zifang at the side interrupted: “What well-informed? This beast tide came suspiciously, with not a shred of news beforehand. It’s probably bandit cultivators stirring trouble.”
“Bandit cultivators?”
Su Yan showed a subtle expression, half-smiling.
Zhou Yaokun frowned slightly: “Young Master Su may not know how chaotic it is outside the walls in the sect. The Hundred Thousand Great Mountains have plenty of treasures, it’s true, but you need to have your life to hold onto them. Bandit cultivators plunder, and plotting to invade towns is not uncommon. After this beast tide, they will be taking advantage of the chaos—Young Master Su should be careful.”
Su Yan raised his eyes slightly, thinking to himself: ‘It seems like a reminder, but it’s actually a hint. None of these three guys are simple.’
“Which group of bandit cultivators does Zhou Family Head think did this?”
“Don’t know.”
Zhou Yaokun shook his head, but Lin Zifang added: “Maybe the Four Tigers Bandits.”
Ma Tianhong interrupted, cupping his hands: “Clearing feral beasts will inevitably be chaotic. If disciples from our families encounter danger, please lend a hand, Young Master Su.”
The group said no more and each headed toward their family teams.
Their numbers were not comparable to the Mountain Guard, but there were one or two hundred, clad in armor, with traces of training—a force not to be underestimated.
“The outside families have more schemes than holes in a wasp’s nest—Junior Brother, don’t let them cloud your eyes.”
Hao Yi’s voice came from the side. He was now fully clad in black armor, emanating majestic spiritual energy.
“Senior Brother.”
Su Yan turned his head, glanced at Hao Yi, and asked flatly: “Do you think the Bai Shan Town incident involves them?”
“Yes.” Hao Yi stated firmly, his battle-hardened eyes low and majestic like a tiger.
“Cold Shadow Peak governs four towns, spanning hundreds of li in territory, with yearly profits in unknown quantities of origin stones. With Master Bai leading in tribute payments, suppressing the Lin and Zhou Families, and checking the Ma Family, his position draws a lot of hatred.”
Bai Family Head Bai Pan was dead, with over half the family’s main forces lost.
Even if Bai Shan Town was retaken, with the Bai Family’s current strength, it was impossible to operate it into an impenetrable fortress.
In other words, this slice of Bai Shan Town’s cake was claimed by these three families.
Although Cold Shadow Peak oversaw these areas and collected tribute, it could not manage them so meticulously itself.
Too many matters, too miscellaneous, not enough manpower—only fostering new forces was possible.
This time gap was enough for them to stir up trouble.
“Hating and daring to kill are different.”
Su Yan said leisurely. Hao Yi looked at him in surprise, his eyes darkening slightly, then nodded: “Dragon True Person passed word to me—you form your own team to investigate this matter. I won’t assign you Mountain Guard; that’s sect rules. But you can commandeer a batch of outer disciples as you need.”
The Mountain Guard’s duty was guarding the Beast King Sect, answerable only to the sect.
It wasn’t something one person could command just because they wanted to.
Su Yan didn’t mind and nodded in agreement: “Thanks, Senior Brother.”
With the reminder, he naturally appreciated the goodwill.
Soon the entire force began heading outside Feng City.
Mountain Guard cavalry charged ahead, surging directly toward Bai Shan Town beyond the walls.
The force moved extremely fast, with Su Yan and others in the midst.
As the force advanced, disciples with feathered eagle contracted beasts scouted from the air. Soon the Mountain Guard split into ten routes, each led by a True Intent third realm Condensing Momentum Stage captain.
Like a large net gradually probing into the peripheral areas of Bai Shan Town.
Their task was to clear most of the feral beasts, driving them out of Bai Shan Town’s area.
This clearing method was like a fishing net sweeping through, giving the feral beasts no chance at all.
After entering Bai Shan Town, such searches immediately provoked the feral beasts’ ferocity.
Waves of feral beasts, upon discovering the Mountain Guard, roared and launched attacks.
Dozens to hundreds of feral beasts charged continuously, looking at first glance like a flood bursting from the mountain valley.
The Mountain Guard was prepared; a team formed a formation, their auras linking, weapons swinging as they charged and killed relentlessly.
No matter how strong the feral beasts, facing the military formation’s strangulation and faintly forming an array, they were scattered in just a few rounds.
Over an entire morning, no fewer than thousands of feral beasts on Bai Shan Town’s borders were strangled.
Hao Yi’s ten Mountain Guard squads occupied three villages, thrusting like daggers into Bai Shan Town’s heartland, supporting each other and sealing off the feral beasts’ spread.
After accomplishing this, news soon came from Hao Yi’s position: disciples from the three families, inner disciples, outer disciples, and squad Mountain Guard began pushing into the heartland.
Including Su Yan, after leaving the temporary camp, they headed straight for Bai Shan Town.
……
“Long Qiushui’s disciple has left, heading for Bai Shan Town.”
In the wilderness, the heads of the Ma, Lin, and Zhou families met, eyes flickering with varied expressions.
Lin Zifang said, “This kid is quite troublesome. If he really gets to Bai Shan Town, who knows what might happen.”
Zhou Yaokun raised his eyes slightly, curiosity in his expression: “What, was Bai Shan Town your doing?”
“Hmph, Zhou Yaokun, I think it was your Zhou Family.”
Lin Zifang immediately distanced himself, his eyes chilling—this was something that could be said, but not this.
“You two still bickering with such intentions and time to spare?”
Ma Tianhong’s face darkened slightly: “Most business outside the walls is dirty. The sect usually lacks energy to investigate—it’s just raising pigs. Now they’ve found a pretext; none of our three families can escape.”
Without reason, the Beast King Sect wouldn’t make a big fuss.
But this time, whether they did it or not, they all had to bleed heavily.
“What to do—don’t tell me…”
Lin Zifang’s face showed ruthlessness. Zhou Yaokun’s expression changed: “If you want to die, don’t drag me down.”
“The old three tricks—send a gift first.”
Ma Tianhong glanced at the two, his gaze suppressing them, then settled the matter.
In these turbulent times, life for their outside families wasn’t easy either.
……
Su Yan entered the wilderness and mountainous area around Bai Shan Town. Though he knew where it was, only after entering did he realize the roaming and rampant feral beasts numbered far more than expected.
After traveling just two or three li, over a dozen feral beasts had already attacked, and if not for evading, he would have crashed into a group roaming like a flood.
Su Yan directly summoned the six-winged blood centipede, along with the shadow horn spider that came out together.
After days of feeding, the shadow horn spider’s body had grown considerably.
From its original head-sized form to a pitch-black giant spider a full zhang long.
Su Yan used the shadow horn spider as a mount, sitting on its back.
When feral beasts attacked, the shadow horn spider’s appendages moved with flickering black shadows, suddenly raising several thread-like shadows that blocked the incoming feral beasts.
The shadow horn spider pounced, shadows turning into blades atop its appendages, instantly piercing the prey.
Controlling the shadow horn spider, Su Yan saw it control several feral beasts around in one clash, and he felt inwardly pleased.
The shadow horn spider was no longer in nascent stage; after sufficient energy supplementation, it had now fully matured into adult stage, formally stepping into Nascent Stage.
Su Yan fought and killed for a while, soon slaying seven or eight feral beasts, including some second-order early stage ones.
“Kacha”
A crisp sound rang out. Su Yan’s eyes sharpened as a short knife suddenly shot from the shrubs, true essence flowing, straight for his brow.
Su Yan reacted decisively, clashing with his scorpion profound spear, instantly knocking the short knife flying.
“Come out!”
His eyes fixed on the shrubs, from which two men suddenly burst, attacking Su Yan from left and right.
True intent gathered over their bodies, manifesting as two ferocious evil rats with scarlet eyes, sharp claws and fangs merging with short knives, slashing out ten meters of blade light.
The six-winged blood centipede coiled in front, spewing poison like arrows from its mouth, straight at the two ambushers.
The two attacked from separate sides, already two or three zhang apart.
But the poison came regardless of distance, heading straight for their eyes and brows.
The two men’s faces changed drastically; they dodged, the poison hitting the ground with sizzling sounds.
The six-winged blood centipede pressed its advantage, charging with its massive body.
The two fought entangled, shocked inwardly, gritting teeth to withstand the six-winged blood centipede’s attacks.
‘Tough customer—how are these sect disciples so strong?’
The more shocked, the harder to parry.
Their peripheral vision swept the shrubs as they roared: “Why aren’t you attacking?”
A faint fragrance wafted over the battlefield. Su Yan smelled it and his expression changed slightly.
“Poison.”
“Attack now!”
The two robbers roared, and suddenly a third person charged from the side.
That person had been hidden underground for a long time, a ferocious giant rat with orange-yellow fangs and double heads pouncing.
His blade slashed like cold moonlight, even faster than Qing Tianyi’s sword.
But Su Yan reached out and grabbed; with a clang, the blade back was pinched in his hand.
The man’s face changed drastically.
Su Yan’s gaze was cold, looking at the attacking man’s gaunt, sallow face: “Sneak attacking and thinking of escaping?”
He slashed down with one hand; the man drew his blade to block.
A clang rang out, the blade warping as if reforged under an iron hammer.
The ambusher flew back; Su Yan stepped forward, spearing through his shoulder with one thrust.
The remaining two, seeing the tide turn, tried to scatter like birds and beasts.
But as they moved, they suddenly found countless black threads wrapping their feet.
Just as the two prepared to flee, their bodies halted and were yanked to the ground.
“Spare us—we’re willing to buy our lives with origin stones.”
The two begged slickly. Su Yan just stirred his mind, and the six-winged blood centipede’s appendages pierced their shoulders like spears, pinning them to the ground.
“Origin stones aren’t enough for your lives—how many of you are there?”
The three grimaced in pain. Boss Pei Xing immediately said: “Three, only three. We’re rogue cultivators, not demonic path disciples.”
Pei Xing reacted quickly; there was no point hiding it here.
Underreporting numbers wouldn’t save them—it would just bring more from the Beast King Sect.
Su Yan showed disappointment—three people might yield nothing.
“Lord, we’re willing to serve you, just hoping…”
“Bai Shan Town was attacked—tell me everything you know. If satisfactory, I’ll spare your lives.”
Su Yan had a flash of insight and asked directly about Bai Shan Town.
Pei Xing’s face fell upon hearing this.
“L-Lord, we really don’t know anything.”
Puchi!
A muffled sound, as the six-winged blood centipede thrust its entire centipede leg into the chest of the young man beside.
“Wang Hongyan!”
Pei Xing’s face changed abruptly. Su Yan watched the blood surge out without reaction.
“Speak. Setting an ambush here means you have some news.”
“We really just wanted some extra profit.”
Su Yan shook his head slightly. Pei Xing’s eyes shook, and he immediately said: “I’ll talk. Someone posted a dark flower—killing disciples of the Ma, Lin, or Zhou Families earns origin stones. Bandit cultivators within hundreds of li all got the news.”
“Ambush and kill the three families?”
Su Yan raised his eyes: “What about Beast King Sect disciples?”
Pei Xing’s gaze flickered: “Y-Yes… there is. Lord, we were bewitched—please spare us.”
“Who offered the reward?”
“Sacred Weapon Path.”
Puchi.
After Su Yan finished asking, one thrust pierced Pei Xing’s throat.
“Sacred Weapon Path, huh.”
