A Hammer Is Meant for Killing

Humiliation.

Naked, blatant humiliation.

Dai Mubai's fists clenched tightly.

His nails dug deep into his palms.

He was the dignified third prince of the Star Luo Empire.

The heir to the Evil-Eyed White Tiger.

When had he ever suffered such utter disgrace?

He wanted to lash out.

He wanted to rush up and question Lin Xi.

Why?

But when his gaze met Lin Xi's calm, unfathomable eyes—

All his anger seemed to have icy water poured over it.

It was extinguished in an instant.

He could not beat her.

He did not even have the right to resist.

Zhu Zhuqing silently walked over to the pile of raw meat.

She picked up a dagger.

Cut off a small piece of tiger meat.

And put it into her mouth expressionlessly.

She chewed it slowly.

The bloody taste spread through her mouth.

Making her stomach churn.

But she did not spit it out.

She merely swallowed it, bite by bite.

As though she was not swallowing raw meat.

But her pride and dignity.

Xiao Wu followed her example.

She picked up a piece of raw meat and began eating.

She was a soul beast.

She found raw meat far easier to accept.

But she ate very slowly.

As she ate, she watched Lin Xi.

Her eyes were filled with confusion.

Ning Rongrong's face went pale as she looked at the bloody pile of raw meat.

She had been pampered in luxury since childhood.

She had never even set foot in a kitchen.

Much less eaten something like this.

She would rather starve to death.

Than touch it even once.

"Here."

A hand extended toward her.

Resting on it was a steaming Great Sausage.

It was Oscar.

He looked at Ning Rongrong with a fawning smile.

"Rongrong, eat this first to fill your stomach."

Ning Rongrong looked at him, her eyes reddening.

She accepted the sausage and softly said—

"Thank you."

Oscar produced several more sausages.

And handed them to Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing.

He took one for himself as well.

Then he walked over to the pile of raw meat.

And began eating like Zhu Zhuqing had.

He understood.

Lin Xi was tempering them.

If he could not even endure this little hardship—

Then he truly was useless.

For a moment.

A strange scene appeared beside the campfire.

On one side were Lin Xi and Tang San.

Eating fragrant, exquisite food.

On the other were Dai Mubai and the others.

Gnawing on bloody raw meat and tasteless Soul Power sausages.

The distinction was clear.

Like two separate worlds.

Tang San looked at his companions.

And felt somewhat reluctant.

He set down his chopsticks.

"Lin Xi."

"Hmm?"

"They..."

"You want to plead for them?"

Lin Xi cut him off.

"Tang San, I told you before."

"Misplaced compassion is a strong person's greatest enemy."

"Today, they only faced a nine-hundred-year Ghost Tiger."

"What if it had been a nine-thousand-year one?"

"What if it had been a ten-thousand-year one?"

"Do you think they would still be alive and standing here?"

Tang San fell silent.

"This world is cruel."

"Weakness is the original sin."

"I can protect them once, twice."

"But I cannot protect them for their entire lives."

"They must learn to lick their own wounds."

"To crawl out of the mire themselves."

"Otherwise, sooner or later, they will die."

"And what kills them will be the compassion you are showing now."

Lin Xi's words were like a heavy hammer.

Striking Tang San's heart viciously.

And bringing him sudden enlightenment.

He understood.

Lin Xi was not humiliating them.

She was using the most extreme, most brutal method.

To force them to grow.

After lunch.

Following a brief rest.

Lin Xi gave another order.

"Keep moving."

This time, no one complained.

They merely followed silently behind Lin Xi.

Heading deeper into the forest.

The afternoon journey went surprisingly smoothly.

They did not encounter any more powerful soul beasts.

It was as though the death of the Ghost Tiger earlier.

Had intimidated every predator in the area.

The sun gradually sank westward.

Darkness fell.

Lin Xi found a sheltered cave.

And made it their campsite for the night.

"Tang San, Xiao Wu, gather some dry firewood."

"Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing, stand guard."

"Oscar, Ning Rongrong, clean up the cave."

Lin Xi assigned the tasks in an orderly manner.

Everyone immediately got to work.

No one dared slack off in the slightest.

Very soon.

A campfire was lit inside the cave.

The orange-red flames drove away the darkness and chill.

And brought a trace of warmth.

Dinner was still tiger meat.

Lin Xi still only cooked portions for herself and Tang San.

The others still had raw meat with sausages.

This time, Dai Mubai did not hesitate.

He picked up a piece of raw meat and chewed it in large bites.

As though venting something.

The night deepened.

Everyone took turns keeping watch.

Lin Xi and Tang San sat by the campfire.

"Do you want to use your hammer?"

Lin Xi suddenly asked.

Tang San froze.

He lowered his head and looked at his left hand.

During the battle that day.

He had used Blue Silver Grass the entire time.

It was not that he had forgotten he still had the Clear Sky Hammer.

He simply did not dare use it.

Or rather, he had instinctively been avoiding it.

Deep in his subconscious.

The Clear Sky Hammer was a memento his father had left him.

Something sacred and inviolable.

It should be used for protection.

Not slaughter.

"It is a weapon of murder."

Lin Xi seemed to see through his thoughts.

"One of the greatest weapons of murder in this world."

"If a weapon of murder does not drink blood."

"Then it is nothing more than scrap iron."

She rose to her feet.

He walked to the mouth of the cave and looked out into the endless darkness.

"Do you know what my real objective was in coming to Star Dou this time?"

Tang San shook his head.

"A three-thousand-year-old Man Faced Demon Spider."

Lin Xi spoke a name that made Tang San's scalp tingle.

A Man Faced Demon Spider!

It was an existence even more terrifying and evil than a Ghost Tiger!

They were cruel, bloodthirsty, cunning, and incomparably venomous.

They were the nightmare of all Soul Masters!

"A three-thousand-year-old Man Faced Demon Spider is as strong as a Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast."

Tang San's voice was dry.

"We can't beat it."

"No."

Lin Xi shook her head.

"You can't beat it."

She turned to look at Tang San.

"Tomorrow, I'll lure it out."

"Then I'll cripple its limbs and break its fangs."

"Make it lose all ability to resist."

"Finally, you'll deliver the fatal blow."

"With your hammer."

Tang San abruptly rose to his feet.

"Why?"

"There is no why."

Lin Xi spoke calmly.

"A hammer is meant for killing."

"You have to get used to this feeling."

"Get used to using it to smash your enemies' bones."

"Get used to using it to crush your enemies' skulls."

"Get used to the sight of it covered in blood and brains."

"Only then."

"Can it become your true strength."

"A Clear Sky Hammer that makes even the gods tremble!"

Her words were like a demon's whisper.

Echoing in Tang San's ears.

Making even his blood boil.

He looked at his left hand.

As if he could see a slumbering beast.

Slowly awakening.