Rumble! 

Under the cloudless sky, a group of people on horses darted at full speed. The ground quaked and clouds of dust and dirt were whirled up into the air. 

Two mighty scaled horses headed the group and sitting astride one of them was Lian Rufeng. The other was a thin goateed man in bright silk clothing. 

The stranger was dressed in beautiful luxurious clothing and oozed arrogance and superiority; the old man clearly wasn’t from the remote mountain village.

A group of dozen guards consisting of those from Feiyun Village and the bodyguards of the old man closely followed Lian Rufeng and the old man. 

“Elder Wu, we will reach Feiyun Village in just over an hour.”

Lian Rufeng smiled as he spoke, his expression respectful and obsequious. 

Elder Wu’s full name was Wu Henshui. He was the chief steward of the Wu’s Apothecary in the Qingyang Tribe and he possessed a cultivation base of the Big Cycle Stage, the eighth-layer True Martial Stage. He was extremely powerful and fierce. 

Even in the Qingyang Tribe where merchants often gathered, Wu Henshui enjoyed a resounding reputation and could be regarded as one of the top influential figures in the Qingyang Tribe.

The Wu’s Apothecary was precisely where Lian Rufeng and other village guards traded for supplies in the past years. 

It was also through Wu Henshui that Lian Rufeng successfully sent his son Lianfei to cultivate in Donglin City.

To Lian Rufeng, Wu Henshui was a master with extreme intelligence and remarkable abilities. He couldn’t help but treat him with respect 

Wu Henshui nodded indifferently, and then he suddenly asked, “Have you heard of Blood Essence Sand?”

Taken aback, Lian Rufeng asked in puzzlement, “Is that the name of a medicinal plant?”

Lian Rufeng’s ignorance was clearly shown in his one question. Wu Henshui gave Lian Rufeng a sweeping, contemptuous glance and shook his head. The villagers from a mountain village are indeed extremely vulgar and ignorant. 

Although Lian Rufeng was a brute, he had sharp insight and he immediately knew that he had embarrassed himself. “I wonder why Elder Wu suddenly mentioned that object?” 

Wu Henshui pondered for a moment before he answered, “There’s no harm in telling you. I heard that there is an abandoned Feiyun Fire Copper ore vein near your village.”

Lian Rufeng nodded. “Correct.” 

Wu Henshui said, “Then you should know that generally, places with Feiyun Fire Copper attract blood red bats because it provides an ideal environment for them to nest.”

Lian Rufeng nodded repeatedly and exclaimed in an ingratiating tone, “Elder Wu is indeed knowledgeable. I remember that there are indeed blood red bats in the abandoned mine. I had always treated it as a forbidden place because I was worried about the dangers I would encounter. I would have forgotten about it if not for your reminder.”

Wu Henshui stroked his goatee as he said smugly, “It’s a coincidence. I happened to read an ancient book a while back and it recorded that Blood Essence Sand are found in places where blood red bats nest. Blood Essence Sand is valuable. One grain can be exchanged for ten copper coins.”

Lian Rufeng immediately flattered Wu Henshui. “Elder Wu’s eyes are as illuminating as the brightest torches. A vulgar person like me can’t be compared to you. But what sort of wonderful uses does Blood Essence Sand have?” 

Pleased with the compliment, Wu Henshui didn’t mind giving Lian Rufeng pointers. “It’s very precious because it can improve one’s blood, essence and body. It can increase a cultivator’s chance of breaking through the fifth-layer True Martial Stage by at least twenty percent.”

Lian Rufeng’s heart violently quivered, “It’s that amazing?”

He had stagnated at the fourth-layer True Martial Stage and hadn’t been able to make a breakthrough.  

If Blood Essence Sand could refine a person’s blood and essence, how could Lian Rufeng not be astounded by this fact?

Wu Henshui looked at Lian Rufeng with a ruminative expression and said, “You—you are still lacking.”

Lian Rufeng suddenly asked, “Elder Wu, did you come for Blood Essence Sand?” 

Wu Henshui nodded. “That’s one of the reasons. The other is for the aeth fields near Feiyun Village.”

Lian Rufeng smiled and said, “You won’t have to worry about that. I have been preparing for a long time. I guarantee that I will complete the task.”

Lian Rufeng had been plotting with Wu Henshui to occupy the aeth fields of Feiyun Village!

Given their contributions in that task, Lian Rufeng and his people believed they could establish themselves in the Qingyang Tribe and then carve out a territory in Donglin City through their relationship with Wu Henshui.

As to whether the villagers in Feiyun Village would agree or object, Lian Rufeng didn't care. Why would he care about their opinions more than his future cultivation path?

So what if they objected?

To him, they were just ordinary people and no different than lowly ants. 

Wu Henshui said indifferently, “That would be good. When those aeth fields are planted with aeth herbs, it will fetch even more money than they do now, and I won’t forget to give you a share then.”

Lian Rufeng’s face lit up. “I must thank Elder Wu for taking care of me.”

While they were talking, the aeth fields came into their sights and the village outline became faintly visible. 

Aeth grains were sprouting in the aeth fields. Like green silk fabric, the verdant fields covered the entire area and were extremely pleasing to the eye.

“We’ve arrived!” 

As Lian Rufeng gazed at the familiar village and aeth fields, his heart blazed ferociously. I will be able to continue my grand plans once I complete today’s mission. 

The guards behind him also couldn’t contain their excitement.

“What a waste. Such good aeth fields are just growing aeth grains. Isn’t that wasteful for such a good place?” 

Wu Henshui ran his eyes over the aeth grains sprouting in the aeth fields and he couldn’t help but shake his head.

“Elder Wu, are there good and bad aeth fields?” asked Lian Rufeng. 

Wu Henshui shot him a look of disdain and said, “How much land is there in the Great Three Thousand Mountains? How much of it could be used as aeth fields?” 

He pointed to the aeth fields in the distance and continued, “Take a look, there are strands of aeth veins underneath each aeth field. Otherwise how would there be such rich soil? You country bumpkins really are ignorant.”

Even if Lian Rufeng was furious about the insult, he still put on an ingratiating smile. “Elder Wu is right. We are indeed too ignorant.”

Wu Henshui snorted. “What arrangements do you have for the residents in your village?”

“If they are willing to help you plant aeth herbs, then that would be best. But if they don’t…I have no choice but to kill them!” Lian Rufeng said coldly through gritted teeth. 

Wu Henshui nodded. “It’s indeed better to keep them alive. We are going to need many people to plant and harvest aeth herbs. I don’t want to waste money to purchase another group of slaves.”

Lian Rufeng nodded enthusiastically. “Elder Wu is right.”

Wu Henshui didn’t want to waste time talking nonsense. He commanded, “Go, let’s go to the village and take a look.”

Suddenly, the group of men on horseback clattered towards Feiyun Village in a blatantly mighty manner, showing their arrogance.

To them, only a group of country bumpkins were living in Feiyun Village. They felt no need to draw up a strategy to deal with such people. They could just storm the village and kill them directly. 

Wu Henshui and Lian Rufeng shared the same thought and so did all the other guards. 

However, what they didn’t expect was that Feiyun Village would be completely different than a few months ago. 

Just as they arrived at the village entrance, a sharp ear-piercing screech almost took their souls away.  

“This is bad! An ambush!” 

Wu Henshui’s expression changed ever so slightly as he pulled back the reins and halted the horse.

Lian Rufeng felt a chill in his heart and his hair stood on end. He subconsciously spun around his horse to hide. 

Bang!

A beam of sharp black light narrowly brushed past Lian Rufeng’s shoulder and pierced into the chest of a guard behind him. Blood wildly gushed in all directions. 

It was an arrow fired with incredible speed!

If Lian Rufeng hadn’t evaded in time, the arrow could have taken his life. 

Lian Rufeng was drenched in cold sweat, but before he could react, the arrow that shot past him into the guard’s chest suddenly exploded. 

Boom! 

Like a thunderstorm, the guard’s body exploded into pieces and blood sputtered everywhere. The surrounding guards were so shocked that they couldn’t even dodge and were all hit with the gruesome aftermath

“Bastard! Is this what you’ve been preparing these days?”

Although furious and shocked, Wu Henshui maintained his composure. He somersaulted off his horse and hid behind the horse’s butt with a guarded gaze.  

“Elder Wu, please calm down.”  

Lian Rufeng clenched his teeth, his eyes glinted fiercely. He suddenly drew his blade with a slashing stroke and roared, “Don’t panic. Everyone, be ready to fight!”

Yong！

Before his voice faded, the familiar whistle rang again. An arrow blasted over from the village like a shooting star.

Boom!

Another guard failed to evade in time. He, together with his horse, exploded into smithereens. His flesh and blood flew all over the place. 

Two arrows had taken the lives of two guards in a flash!

The sudden attack threw the guards into chaos. Everyone abandoned their horses and hid far away.  

They couldn’t locate the enemy’s position and only knew that the arrows were fired from the village. 

Naturally, Lian Rufeng also saw that. Terrified and irritated, he turned ashen-faced. When did an expert archer come to the village? 

An archer who could kill a cultivator wouldn’t be an ordinary one!

“Could it be that little bastard Lin Xun? No, it can’t be. I told Lu Ting and Qian Qi to watch over the village. That kid should be dead by now...Wait, it can’t be!”

Lian Rufeng realized that he hadn’t seen Lu Ting and Qian Qi. 

“Ridiculous. Quickly charge into the village. Do you want to stay here and act as live targets?”

Wu Henshui had a wealth of combat experience and so he knew that the leveled unsheltered ground they were on was extremely dangerous and that they would be exposed to attacks.

However, he also wouldn’t recklessly charge into the village. Just who knew how many masters were lying in ambush?

Lian Rufeng snapped to his senses and thundered, “Brothers, come with me to kill that damn archer!” 

As he roared, he bolted into a full speed dash into the village like a panther. 

The guards behind him panicked, but they also knew that they could be killed next if they didn’t get rid of the enemy. 

They summoned up their courage and followed Lian Rufeng. 

Yong！

Just as they acted, the familiar screech pierced their ears again like the voice of death from hell!