C18 The Good Heart Was Not Rewarded

In the still of the night, a sentence reverberated repeatedly through the village, leaving no doubt among the villagers that misfortune was about to befall the old man's household. They trusted the warning implicitly, for the old man was revered as the most knowledgeable and powerful figure in their midst.

Lee Erhei emerged from his home, joining the chorus of urgent cries. "Everyone, come together quickly! If we unite, we stand a chance against the wolves; otherwise, they'll devour us all."

As the villagers poured out of their homes to rally together, the old man stood alone at the village's southern edge, confronting the wolves. He called out with resolve, "Remember my charge, young and old! Lin Xiaoqiang must be brought to justice. I go ahead of you now."

His gunshot rang out, aimed at the encroaching darkness of the wolf pack, but it was as if the bullet had vanished into the abyss, stirring not a single wave.

In an instant, the alpha wolf darted into the old man's house, shattering his skull with a swift, lethal bite.

Like a flood, the ravenous wolves surged into the village, sending neighbors into a panicked flight for their lives.

Then, cutting through the chaos, a familiar voice boomed, "With the Azure Dragon Blade in hand, let's see if you dare continue your wicked ways!"

Unseen until that moment, Lin Xiaoqiang had ascended to the rooftop of the old man's house, brandishing the formidable Azure Dragon Blade as he faced down the menacing pack.

The villagers, no longer spectators, scattered in all directions, while a cluster of wolves, their eyes gleaming with a sinister green, leaped onto the roof, aiming for Lin Xiaoqiang's throat.

Fear was an understatement for what Lin Xiaoqiang felt. With his eyes nearly shut, he cried out, "White Tiger Leaps Across the Gorge!"

This was the signature technique of the Azure Dragon Blade, renowned for its unmatched power in single combat.

With the cry still hanging in the air, Lin Xiaoqiang soared, vaulting over ten meters into the sky with the Azure Dragon Blade gripped firmly in his hands. He plunged toward the wolf, his blade cleaving through the air with the ferocity of a tiger pouncing on its prey.

The village was left in stunned silence, save for the agonized howl that echoed across the sky.

Then came the thunderous collapse of buildings.

In a single, swift stroke, Lin Xiaoqiang had cleaved the wolf in two, the blade slicing so cleanly that it never even grazed the wolf's flesh.

The wolf perished in agony, its blood not spilling to the ground but instead ensnared by the red aura of the Azure Dragon Blade, which absorbed it at a visibly rapid pace.

Within seconds, the Azure Dragon Blade lengthened by an inch.

The dragon soul within buzzed loudly, causing Lin Xiaoqiang's grip on the blade to tremble slightly, nearly losing his hold.

Simultaneously, Lin Xiaoqiang gained 500 battle experience points in one fell swoop, catapulting him to the status of a Level-6 Ice River Warrior.

Just then, the Wolf King and its pack encircled Lin Xiaoqiang. Without a moment to spare, he executed his second technique, Howling Wind.

The Azure Dragon Blade created a whirlwind of afterimages around Lin Xiaoqiang, repelling the attacking wolves in an instant.

All the wolves, except for the Wolf King, sustained various degrees of injuries and were in a pitiful state. Witnessing the carnage, the Wolf King let out a loud cry and led the retreat out of the village, vanishing into the forest.

Seizing the moment, Lin Xiaoqiang allocated all his newly acquired attributes to his strength, transforming his body once more. His muscles bulged visibly, and he grew significantly taller.

Lin Xiaoqiang marveled to himself, "This world is terrifying. Even the body my parents gave me can change."

No sooner had Lin Xiaoqiang fended off the hungry wolves than the villagers encircled him, armed with weapons and torches.

The ringleader, none other than Lee Erhei, brandished a kitchen knife at Lin Xiaoqiang and declared, "Fellow villagers, let's unite and confront this demon. He's the reason our village has suffered wolf attacks. As long as he's here, the wolves will seek vengeance. Tonight, we'll join forces to eliminate him."

You must charge forward if you're to make a difference, but he noticed that the villagers, though present, hesitated to advance.

Liu Erhei retreated in embarrassment, urging, "What are you waiting for? Let's deal with him now."

The villagers were reluctant to harm Lin Xiaoqiang, intimidated by his earlier display of might in slaying a wolf with a single stroke.

Moreover, some villagers were perplexed: if Lin Xiaoqiang had summoned the wolves, why would he slay one himself?

Da Kui gripped a kitchen knife, stepping to the forefront as the villagers hesitated to make a move.

"Did you not just witness our elder's death at the jaws of the wolf? What's there to second-guess? The mercy you show today will be tomorrow's feast for the wolves. Think hard about that."

With those words, Da Kui charged at Lin Xiaoqiang, knife raised, and Lee Erhei, without a word, was right on his heels, brandishing his own blade.

Emboldened by their lead, the villagers surged forward, hurling whatever they had at Lin Xiaoqiang.

Lin Xiaoqiang sprang up, once again landing on the rooftop.

"Have you lost your minds? Can't you see I have no ties to the wolves? I returned today to save you all. If I hadn't shown up, imagine how many more the wolves would devour."

In the midst of the crowd, Lee Erhei shouted accusations, "Nonsense! Why did the wolves target our uncle first? Why not enter from the west gate? Was it not you who led them to our uncle for revenge? You were banished yesterday because of him, and now you're back, heart full of spite, seeking retribution."

Lin Xiaoqiang glared at Lee Erhei, fighting the urge to end him then and there, knowing it would only make things worse.

Biting back his anger, he pointed at Lee Erhei and retorted, "Lee Erhei, oh Lee Erhei, the day the truth comes out, you'll regret your words. If I were after revenge, why would I kill the wolf that attacked my uncle?"

"You did it to deceive us, to prevent us from uncovering your true intentions," Lee Erhei shot back.

Lin Xiaoqiang was left dumbfounded, at a loss for words to defend himself.

The crowd, interpreting Lin Xiaoqiang's silence as an admission of guilt, was once again consumed by rage.

They grabbed their weapons and stones, flinging them at Lin Xiaoqiang with fury.

A stunned Lin Xiaoqiang took a blow to the head, blood streaming down his face. As he looked down at the frenzied mob below, he knew descending would mean certain death.