Glittering gold shone with a dazzling radiance. Including Long Tonghai, every bandit leader's eyes lit up.
One after another, the commanders hurried forward, reaching into the chests to inspect the gold, silver, and jewels.
Several even put them in their mouths and bit down, afraid the gold might be fake.
"Ha ha ha, Boss, it's real! It's real!"
"Ha ha ha ha, Brother San Huo is truly righteous. At our first meeting, he's already brought us so many gifts!"
"We're rich! We're really rich this time!"
The minor leaders were beside themselves with excitement. One of them even grabbed a handful of gold ingots and ran to Long Tonghai, stuffing them into his hands. "Ha ha ha ha, Boss, I've never seen so much gold in my life! Hurry up and slap me—I think I'm dreaming!"
"Get lost, look at you!"
Long Tonghai laughed as he cursed, then kicked the fellow flying.
The people around them laughed happily, and Li Yan laughed happily too.
Laugh. The happier you laugh, the faster you'll die later.
"Ha ha ha ha, Brother San Huo has given this old brother quite a grand gift. But since you've come bearing such a heavy present, I wonder what matter you have?"
"Rest assured, brother, I'm not some fool who doesn't know what's what. If there's anything you need Black Cloud Stronghold for, just say the word. Everyone in Black Cloud Stronghold will stand behind you to the bitter end."
In his high spirits, Long Tonghai patted his chest and made the promise loudly.
The surrounding commanders were the same, grinning from ear to ear. Their gazes at Li Yan brimmed with goodwill, as though he were a blood brother they had not seen in years.
Hearing this, Li Yan laughed heartily as well. "The Stronghold Chief is truly straightforward. To be honest, I did come here today with a matter in which I'd like everyone's assistance."
"Ha ha ha ha, easy, easy. Brother is generous with his gifts, and we're people who know what's what. Just speak your mind."
"This matter is simple enough. I only need to borrow something from the stronghold."
"Oh? What do you wish to borrow?"
Li Yan pushed aside the chest filled with treasure and reached toward its bottom.
The next moment, a brilliant streak suddenly burst forth. With a shriek of steel, the blade precisely sliced open the throats of two commanders.
Even as they died, the two were still clutching treasure in their hands, having no idea what had happened.
"I am untalented, but I wish to borrow the lives of everyone in Black Cloud Stronghold. I hope Elder Brother Stronghold Chief will grant my request."
For a moment, the hall that had been filled with endless laughter fell silent as a grave. Everyone stared fixedly at the two corpses on the ground, watching blood slowly stain the solid wooden floor red.
"Damn it!"
"Wan Sanhuo, what are you doing?!"
"Bastard, you're courting death!"
Roars of fury instantly resounded through the entire hall. Every commander drew their weapons at once, eyes glaring wide.
Yet Li Yan's gaze remained fixed on Long Tonghai, making Long Tonghai feel chilled to the bone.
Just as Long Tonghai was about to speak, his expression suddenly changed.
At this moment, the True Qi within his body had unexpectedly become slightly sluggish in its circulation.
It was not only Long Tonghai. The minor commanders below were in the same state. They could barely stand now, their legs giving way as they dropped to their knees one after another.
"You... you poisoned us!"
One commander wanted to shout, only to discover that he did not even have the strength to roar.
Naturally, this poison was another fine item Li Yan had obtained from Li Fucai.
Fragrant Wood Tendon Softening Powder was an invisible poisonous gas with a faint fruity, woody scent. Inhale even a little, and for two days one's muscles and bones would go weak, leaving them unable to move.
Ice Heart Qi Condensing Powder was a white powdered poison. Once touched, it caused the True Qi within the body to stagnate. Before reaching the Energy Gathering Realm, one could only wait for the medicine's effects to fade unless they had an antidote.
When the chests had just been opened, the Muscle Softening Powder had already spread through the hall.
Then these fellows had touched and bitten the gold, silver, and jewels, greatly enhancing the effects of the Qi Condensing Powder.
Now that both strange poisons had taken effect at once, this group of Qi Condensation Realm experts did not even get the chance to strike. They had already become meat on the chopping block.
"Ha ha ha, it seems none of you have any objections to my proposal. Then I won't stand on ceremony."
As he spoke, Li Yan spun his blade in a flourish and immediately walked toward the nearest minor commander.
Just as he was about to bring his blade down, a powerful whistling sound tore through the air. Turning his head, he saw Long Tonghai wielding a nine-ringed saber as he chopped down at him.
Taking a step forward, Li Yan casually slashed with his own blade. The instant the two sabers collided, Long Tonghai's nine-ringed saber snapped in two with a clang.
The blade in his hand did not lose any of its force, severing the half of Long Tonghai's arm that held the saber!
Blood sprayed everywhere, accompanied by a howl of agony.
Long Tonghai crashed heavily onto the floor, staring in disbelief at the severed arm and long saber in the distance. He clearly could not believe what had just happened.
That saber had been specially forged by skilled craftsmen at Grand Commandant Wu Zongren's order, as praise for Long Tonghai's loyalty.
It might not have been an unparalleled divine weapon, but ordinary iron could not compare to it. How had it broken?
Li Yan twirled his saber in a flourish, extremely satisfied with the weapon in his hand.
This, too, was a fine item he had taken from Li Fucai—a slightly curved saber.
According to Li Fucai, it was the final work made in the twilight years of Great Wu's foremost forging master. Its name was Waning Moon; any weapon that directly swept against its edge would be left broken and incomplete.
Though that was an exaggeration, this blade was indeed extraordinary.
Turning back to Long Tonghai, Li Yan knew that strike had already been his final counterattack. Now that the two poisons had fully taken effect, Long Tonghai could not even stand up again.
"Wh... why?"
Long Tonghai did not understand. Black Cloud Stronghold had never made things difficult for Wan Sanhuo, so why had he gone to such elaborate lengths to kill them?
"Heh, don't blame me. I'm only taking money and doing the job."
With a cold laugh, Li Yan walked step by step toward Long Tonghai.
"No... you can't kill me. I belong to the Grand Commandant. If you kill me, Lord Grand Commandant will definitely..."
Pfft!
The blade flashed, piercing through his throat. Long Tonghai had not expected the youth before him to be so decisive in killing, treating his threat as nothing at all.
"Don't look at me like that. Don't worry, sooner or later I'll send Wu Zongren down to keep you company."
Pulling out the blade again, Li Yan looked at the clusters of Attribute Points on the ground without any rush. Saber in hand, he walked toward the other minor commanders.
He would deal with these big fish first, then start on the small fry outside.
Just then, a small bandit rushed in through the doors. The instant he saw the state of the hall, he shouted loudly. In no time, the more than one hundred people in the stronghold were all alarmed.
"Wan Sanhuo, you're dead for sure! There are over a thousand people in the stronghold—can you kill them all?" one minor commander said with particular force.
Li Yan smiled. Before the man's terrified eyes, Waning Moon easily pierced into his chest, then was withdrawn.
"No need to trouble yourself over that. After all, you won't be around to see it."
Standing up, Li Yan looked at the remaining commanders around him and shrugged. "Commanders, we only just met today... well, that doesn't count either, since I don't even know your names."
"I still have the trash outside to deal with, so I'll send you all on your way first."
The moment his words fell, his figure flashed. The cold edge easily slit every commander's throat.
Then, facing the bandits who howled as they charged into the great hall, Li Yan spread his blade and charged into the slaughter once more.
A streak of blood rose out of nowhere, dyeing a stretch of Dark Cloud Peak red.
Even after the sun had set, bandits still encircled the stronghold layer upon layer, three deep inside and three deep outside. Within the stronghold, hundreds of corpses lay piled haphazardly, terrifying beyond measure.
In the great hall, Li Yan sat on Long Tonghai's throne, stuffing the now-cold fruit and food into his mouth.
Damn it, killing people was physical labor too... so damn tiring...