C7 Hive
"Who are you people? Why are you after us?" Lee Cann yelled furiously at the figures before him.
Elder Shan gave Lee Cann a surprised glance and let out a chuckle. "Impressive, still so full of vigor even after being struck by my Ten Fragrance Tendon Powder. It seems the Young Patriarch's hunch was spot on; this man must be at least a ninth-rank Martial Disciple."
"A ninth-rank Martial Disciple? That's incredibly high!" Young Patriarch Zhou Fan exclaimed, eyeing Lee Cann with astonishment.
The other three burly men scoffed. "Elder Shan, big brother, you've got it wrong this time. This kid's nothing but a silver-tongued weakling. There's no way he's as strong as the ninth rank."
"What are you blabbering about? Could Elder Shan possibly be mistaken?" Zhou Fan scolded, chiding his brothers.
Intimidated by Zhou Fan, the three men bowed their heads in submission, silenced by the reprimand.
Zhou Fan grabbed a sack and approached the bed, his gaze lingering on Mu Wan'er, whose rosy cheeks and captivating beauty were undeniable.
Such an extraordinary woman, what a shame!
With a sigh, Zhou Fan opened the sack and gently placed Mu Wan'er inside.
"Elder Shan, I'm indebted to you for your assistance. Once this affair is concluded, the Zhou family will surely express our profound gratitude."
Zhou Fan expressed his thanks, but Elder Shan simply shook his head. "Young Patriarch, you flatter me. My part is done; I shall take my leave now."
With that, Elder Shan departed.
Turning to his three brothers, Zhou Fan instructed, "I'll take her to meet the Young Master. This one is your responsibility—make sure it's handled cleanly."
"Don't worry, big brother," they assured him.
With Mu Wan'er in tow, Zhou Fan left the scene.
One of the hefty men sneered down at Lee Cann. "Kid, you've got bad luck. Flaunting a beauty like that and not knowing how to conceal her—you ever heard of the crime of possessing a gem?"
"Second brother, why even bother talking to him? Let's just smother him with a blanket, drag him somewhere deserted, dig a hole, bury him, and be done with it!"
"Agreed!"
The three men converged by the window, only to be taken aback as they noticed the man they thought was on the brink of death was actually smiling.
"What are you laughing at?"
Lee Cann let out a chuckle. "I'm laughing because you're on the brink of death and you don't even realize it!"
"Haha, I think you're just scared—"
Puff!
The big men's words were cut short as a flash of sword light streaked by.
A sharp pain struck their necks, and warm blood began to flow from the wounds, soaking their chests.
They instinctively tried to stem the bleeding with their hands, but it was futile.
Mouths agape, they attempted to speak, but blood gushed out, rendering them speechless.
Thud!
Their consciousness fading, the three men collapsed, their blood staining the floor crimson.
"Ding! You have killed a fifth-rank Martial Disciple. You have earned 600 exchange points."
"Ding! You have killed a fifth-rank Martial Disciple. You have earned 600 exchange points."
"Ding! You have killed a sixth-rank Martial Disciple. You have earned 700 exchange points."
Lee Cann rose from the bed, gave the fallen men no further glance, opened the window, and leaped out.
Perched atop the inn's roof, he surveyed his surroundings.
Several hundred meters away, an old man strolled leisurely.
That was Elder Shan.
Lee Cann had never intended to let him go.
His Genuine Qi surged, unleashing the full force of his Martial Master prowess.
With a mighty leap, Lee Cann vanished into the distance.
Within seconds, he was behind the old man.
Sensing danger, the old man spun around, his cry of alarm cut short. "Why is it you? You weren't affected by—"
Puff!
A sword thrust through his chest, the sword qi pulverizing his heart.
"Sword qi... released... you... you're a Martial Master!"
Elder Shan coughed up blood, his voice a low growl.
"You've realized too late!"
Lee Cann withdrew the Dragon Cry Sword with a flick, its blade now spotless.
"Ding! You have killed a tenth-rank Martial Disciple, a master of poisons, and earned 5000 exchange points."
Looking down at Elder Shan, Lee Cann smirked. "Turns out you're quite the prize. Not bad at all!"
With another bound, he was back on the rooftop.
Gazing into the distance, he spotted a horse-drawn carriage racing under the moonlight.
Zhou Fan was the one furiously driving the horse.
"Gotcha!"
Lee Cann leapt into the air, bounding across the rooftops lining the street.
"I'm worth a lot—could it be a hitman?"
Elder Shan looked up at Lee Cann's vanishing silhouette, the spark in his eyes fading away.
Lee Cann quickly caught up with the horse-drawn carriage, but he didn't attack; he simply followed it silently.
After about fifteen minutes, the carriage halted in front of an expansive estate.
From Lee Cann's vantage point, the property stretched over a hundred acres.
The estate was a marvel of architecture, with soaring eaves and intricate pavilions, rivaling the opulence and scale of royal residences, second only to the imperial palace itself.
The signboard on the gate bore two characters: Underworld.
Seeing the name, Lee Cann nearly burst into laughter.
Such peculiar taste.
Having located his destination, Lee Cann felt no inclination to dawdle any longer.
"Wan'er, catch the sword!"
With a flick of his wrist, Lee Cann sent the Fearful Kris spinning through the air.
A ripping sound emanated from the carriage as the sack inside was torn open.
The Fearful Kris pierced the carriage's interior.
Boom!
The carriage exploded, and Mu Wan'er soared into the sky like a deity, the Fearful Kris dancing in her grasp.
"Villain, meet your end!"
Mu Wan'er's furious cry echoed; her disdain for the Zhou family's young master was palpable.
Zhou Fan's face paled, and with a metallic ring, he drew his long saber.
Puchi!
The Fearful Kris sliced effortlessly through the blade and then Zhou Fan's neck.
"A magic weapon, it's actually a magic weapon! Who are you people?"
Zhou Fan collapsed, his face etched with shock and bewilderment.
Lee Cann approached the foreboding entrance of Underworld, its door exuding a chilling, deathly aura—it truly felt like stepping into the Underworld.
"Young Master, is this the Fiend Sect's stronghold?" Mu Wan'er inquired.
Lee Cann grinned, "Whether it's their stronghold or not is uncertain, but this sinister energy is a definite hallmark of the Fiend Sect."
"Come on, let's confront the Fiend Sect!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Lee Cann rapped on the door with the butt of his sword.
"Who's there?" came a voice from inside.
"I'm Zhou Fan, here to bring some gifts to the Young Sect Master," Lee Cann announced.
"Zhou Fan? The Young Sect Master has been awaiting you... Wait, you're not Zhou Fan. Who are you?"
Clang!
The Dragon Cry Sword slid from its sheath, resting at the throat of the man before him.
"I'm the one your Young Sect Master has been searching for."
Pfft!
A line of red blossomed, and the door opener crumpled to the ground, clutching his neck.
"Ding! By killing an ordinary disciple of the Fiend Sect, you've earned 300 exchange points."
The death of the door opener caught the immediate attention of a dozen patrollers in the front courtyard.
They swarmed towards him.
Lee Cann held back from attacking and instead accessed the Merchant Shop.
Dash talisman, exchange!
Dash talisman, exchange!
...
He rapidly exchanged for ten dash talismans.
15,000 exchange points vanished.
Truth be told, it pained Lee Cann a bit.
"Wan'er, take these six dash talismans. If you encounter a master, use one immediately. A single talisman can boost your speed by fifty percent. If we can't win, we run!"
