Chapter 38: No One Will Ever Find Out, Will They?

Bai Haisang, Bai Sen, and Li Tan were drenched in cold sweat.

Three years had passed, but the incident where they were ambushed and almost killed still weighed heavily on their minds. They were in constant fear that the Ten Bandits would eventually come knocking at their door.

They had spent these three years staying within the market town or traveling to and from Qianyan City, never lingering anywhere along the way.

Nothing had happened during all that time.

But now, just when they thought they could venture to the Hundred-Mile Volcano range to collect some Flame Iron, they found themselves ambushed once more.

Their faces were grim.

“Nobody has ever killed a member of our Ten Bandits and walked away carefree. So the three of you, surrender and await your deaths.” 

Xi Wen, the pale-skinned gentleman, spoke these terrifying words with casual indifference.

As he finished speaking, the menacing man with a scarred face on the other side suddenly launched an attack.

With his strength of Innate seventh layer focused on physical cultivation, the scar-faced man used nothing more than his big palms to toy with the three of them like they were mere ants, crushing them effortlessly.

He sent the trio flying with a single slap.

The scar-faced man sneered menacingly, “Hmph, I initially thought if you could kill that group of people you’d have some skills. Turns out you’re all utterly pathetic. The people who died by your hands really are a disgrace. They got what they deserved.”

Losing interest in toying with them, the scar-faced man pulled out two axes from behind him. He was ready to finish off these insignificant pests.

Just when the trio were in the depths of despair, a voice that was both familiar and unfamiliar to Bai Haisang echoed in his ear.

“Do you have Flame Iron? Let’s make a trade.”

Zhang Shen had already arrived nearby, observing everything that had transpired. He couldn’t believe he had run into Bai Haisang again in such a place.

Initially, he had no intention of getting involved, but the words from Li Tan about handing over the Flame Iron made Zhang Shen stay.

Tempting treasures could move anyone’s heart, and he was no exception.

So, when the trio found themselves in a dire situation, he spoke up.

Who would refuse a lifeline in times of need?

Bai Haisang was profoundly shocked, momentarily lost in thought at this critical juncture. However, the murderous aura radiating from the scar-faced man snapped him back to reality in an instant.

“Senior, please lend us a helping hand. After this, all the Flame Iron will be yours,” Bai Haisang murmured softly, his lips trembling. 

Aside from him, no one else could hear what he was saying.

“Scared to the point of shaking, are we? How pathetic. Your mental fortitude really is lacking. But then again, I do enjoy watching people in states of despair and panic,” said Xi Wen, his lips curling up as a sense of excitement surged through him.

Suddenly, a chilling sensation shot up his spine, jolting him to full alertness.

His brain sent out a strong warning, and his warrior instincts told him that immense danger was closing in.

With his wealth of experience, Xi Wen immediately took the most appropriate action. His internal energy burst forth suddenly, propelling him to the side, away from his current position.

Bone Piercing Claw!

A sharp claw tore through Xi Wen’s robes, slashing down from his arm and ripping away a large chunk of flesh.

“What a shame.”

The person who attacked was none other than Zhang Shen. He had ambushed this Innate eighth layer practitioner, but unfortunately, the latter’s alertness was beyond what he had anticipated, allowing him to dodge the fatal blow.

Xi Wen, caught off guard and in intense pain, let out a terrible scream.

The piercing cry drew the attention of everyone present.

The scar-faced man saw Xi Wen’s left side reduced to a bloody mess, ribs laid bare. He turned pale with horror, forgetting his assault on Bai Haisang and his companions, and rushed to Xi Wen’s side, warily eyeing Zhang Shen.

Meanwhile, Bai Haisang, Li Tan, and Bai Sen showed expressions of joy. Despite the years that had passed, they still recognized Zhang Shen.

They hastily dragged their injured bodies behind Zhang Shen, seeking his protection.

“Who are you? Daring to interfere in the affairs of the Ten Bandits? Are you seeking death?” Xi Wen’s voice was filled with suppressed rage, fueled by the excruciating pain coming from his left side.

However, his warrior’s intuition told him that the man before him was not to be trifled with. One misstep could cost him his life.

He wanted to make Zhang Shen retreat for now and settle the score later. But Zhang Shen paid him no mind, flicking off the blood and flesh from his fingers as his bones cracked audibly.

His murderous intent was palpable.

Once he engaged, Zhang Shen intended to eliminate all threats completely, leaving no loose ends.

At times like this, he usually couldn’t be bothered with idle chatter unless it gave him a strategic advantage.

A crushing sense of pressure closed in on Xi Wen and the scar-faced man.

“Damn it!” Xi Wen cursed, forcibly channeling his internal energy to suppress the pain. “Be careful, guy’s not easy to handle.”

The scar-faced man nodded. “I’ll take the lead, you back me up. Let’s take him down.”

While Zhang Shen’s aura was intimidating, it hadn’t yet reached a level that would make them despair. They believed they had a chance of winning by working together. Their only concern was Xi Wen’s injury.

Zhang Shen unleashed the full extent of his physical strength, focusing the explosive power into his fist.

Scar-faced man furiously channeled his internal energy, boosting his already formidable physique even further.

Their fists collided with loud cracks.

With a single punch, Zhang Shen shattered all five of the scar-faced man’s fingers.

How could a martial artist focused on physical conditioning compare to him, who has completely mastered the path of physical strength? Especially when he was at an even higher level.

Surviving a head-on punch without being killed was a testament to the scar-faced man’s mastery in his cultivation.

The collision of fists sent shockwaves rippling through the air, pushing the scar-faced man backward. Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Shen mercilessly pressed his advantage, sending out a flurry of punches. For a moment, the unsteady scar-faced man even felt the shadow of death looming over him.

Just then, a glint of a blade flashed by as Xi Wen chose this critical moment to attack.

Initially prepared to endure the strike, Zhang Shen felt a sudden chill in his heart. He sensed the sharp aura and the eerie color on the small dagger. Swiftly dodging, he avoided what could have been a fatal blow.

Xi Wen’s eyes narrowed, disappointed by the missed opportunity.

This was his top-grade Innate weapon, the Poison Fang Dagger, which was inherently venomous.

Even for those at the Innate stage, a few slashes from the dagger would result in their flesh rotting and dissolving into a puddle of mush. Although one could resist its effects temporarily, the ongoing impact during combat could be sufficient to determine the outcome of the battle.

‘Just one slash. All I need is to land one, and I can easily kill him afterward,’ Xi Wen thought, his eyes flickering with a cruel and hateful light.

Zhang Shen’s keen physical senses continuously alerted him to the danger of that dagger.

‘As expected, the only tough one to deal with is this seemingly refined but twisted man,’ Zhang Shen thought.

Zhang Shen had realized earlier that the scar-faced man, who had cultivated his body to a high degree, was no match for him. Within ten punches, he could reduce the man to a puddle of mush.

However, Xi Wen presented a unique challenge. Slender and brimming with a potent, agile flow of Qi, it was clear that he specialized in agility-based cultivation techniques. 

Casting a brief glance at the wound on Xi Wen’s left abdomen, Zhang Shen unleashed his punch, snarling, “Then bleed to death!”

The fist generated a fierce wind, accompanied by a sizzling sound as it cleaved through the air. Xi Wen, recognizing the danger, dodged in rapid succession.

Xi Wen was indeed astoundingly swift. He continued to thrust his venomous dagger at Zhang Shen, who had no intention of learning about the blade’s lethal potential first-hand. Consequently, both fighters found themselves locked in a stalemate.

The scar-faced man, having somewhat recovered, joined Xi Wen in attacking Zhang Shen. Despite being outnumbered, Zhang Shen maintained the upper hand, his only concern was the dagger dripping with poison.

“Perhaps you’re hoping to wear me down until I bleed out,” Xi Wen silently scoffed. “Well, you’ve miscalculated.”

Unbeknownst to Zhang Shen, Xi Wen had secretly ingested a healing elixir. Some in this world might overlook the existence of such recovery elixirs, especially those inexperienced in combat.

Xi Wen initially worried that Zhang Shen, with his face etched by time and hardship, would notice his discreet action. However, his concern proved unfounded.

Yet as the moments passed, Xi Wen felt a growing sense of unease. The Qi within his body began to rebel, spiraling out of control. Seizing this golden opportunity, Zhang Shen gripped the arm that Xi Wen was using to hold the dagger. With bone-crushing force, he shattered Xi Wen’s arm. With a brutal yank, he ripped the limb clean off. Blood spewed in all directions, coating the scar-faced man’s visage in a gruesome spray.

Caught off guard, the scar-faced man was momentarily stunned. Seizing this opportunity, Zhang Shen’s fist instantly shattered Xi Wen’s skull.

Xi Wen had lost control of his internal energy and was powerless to defend against Zhang Shen’s lethal punch. His frail physique simply couldn’t withstand the devastating force.

As Xi Wen’s headless body collapsed to the ground, Zhang Shen remained stoic, immediately shifting his focus to the now-recovering scar-faced man.

Regret surged within the scar-faced man. His brief lapse in focus led to Xi Wen’s death, leaving him to fend for himself against Zhang Shen. Even if they had fought together and couldn’t win, at least they could’ve bought some time to escape. But now, all options were off the table.

Mustering all his strength, the scar-faced man fought back as fiercely as he could, but it was in vain. Zhang Shen obliterated him with just five punches.

Surveying the gruesome scene, Zhang Shen methodically looted the corpses before incinerating them with a flicker of innate flame, reducing them to ashes.

Amidst the rising inferno, Zhang Shen’s expression remained cool and composed.

‘If you imbeciles thought to use poisoned daggers, did you really think I wouldn’t employ poison?’ he thought to himself.

To ensure the success of his initial strike, Zhang Shen had smeared a Qi-disrupting substance on his fingers. Though minimally effective against Innate stage cultivators, it was better than nothing.

It wasn’t that Zhang Shen was averse to using more potent poisons, he had simply realized too late that he hadn’t packed any in his storage bag. He had only brought materials to dispose of corpses, not toxic substances effective against Innate warriors. Such items were rare and, given his years of intense cultivation, he had neither the time nor the opportunity to acquire them.

Even if he had such deadly poisons, Zhang Shen would’ve been cautious in using them. 

After all, who would want to handicap themselves with a debuff even before the battle began?

With superior tactics overcoming inferior planning, both the scar-faced man and Xi Wen met their grisly fates at the hands of Zhang Shen.

This time, Bai Haisang was exceptionally quick to react.

Watching Zhang Shen effortlessly dispatch the two men, Bai Haisang was simultaneously awestruck and grateful.

“I, Junior Bai Haisang, am indebted to you, Senior, for saving my life,” he said, bowing deeply as he presented three large pieces of ore.

“Senior, these are the pieces of Flame Iron that I’ve managed to find,” he added.

Zhang Shen nodded and accepted the previously agreed-upon payment.

Then, Bai Haisang continued, “Senior, these two individuals were part of the Ten Bandits, the same gang responsible for ambushing and killing my comrades three years ago.”

“The Ten Bandits?” 

Zhang Shen wasn’t ignorant of local matters. He was somewhat familiar with this notorious gang that had been terrorizing the area.

His gaze intensified as he looked at Bai Haisang, Bai Sen, and Li Tan. 

“I presume the Ten Bandits won’t ever find out that it was I who killed these men, correct?” he asked, his voice laced with icy undertone.

The chilling question sent shivers down the spines of the three men.

“Senior, this secret will be known only to the heavens, the earth, and the three of us present. No one else will ever find out,” Bai Haisang assured him, swallowing hard to steady his racing heart.

Bai Sen was somewhat surprised. He had been too flustered to know what to do just a moment ago. But as he looked at Bai Haisang, his eyes unconsciously revealed a sense of admiration and respect.