Zhang Heng

These people were from the Medicine Hall.

Lu Zhaojin hadn't intended to eavesdrop, but they were talking without regard for his presence.

He'd only been in Qishan County for a few days, and he'd already encountered the County Yamen and the Moon Wolf Gang. This was his first time dealing with the Medicine Hall.

They always carried a faint, pleasant scent of medicine, likely from constantly working with herbs.

The medicinal fields at the foot of the mountain were no longer visible from below. However, if one looked down from the mountainside, they would see a vast expanse of tender green waves, with occasional black dots moving about – those were the farmers at work.

Qishan County had lost the precious wild herbs from Mount Qi, yet it still attracted many merchants to purchase medicinal herbs because of those fields.

Naturally, the Medicine Hall was behind these fields. Although the County Yamen and the Moon Wolf Gang members had some knowledge of pharmacology, they lacked the skills to cultivate or grow medicinal herbs well.

This demonstrated the Medicine Hall's significant status in Qishan County.

"Better not provoke the county magistrate, but never provoke a Medicine Doctor."

This widely circulated saying in Qishan County was practically a survival guide.

Unfortunately, it wasn't applicable now.

Their journey hadn't been peaceful; they kept encountering roadblocks, either from the Moon Wolf Gang or the Zhang Family.

These people were blocking others from ascending the mountain to reach the Cave Mansion.

The middle-aged man from the Medicine Hall had tried to reason with them, but facing people with such tempers meant trouble. A blade was swung at him the moment they met.

If he hadn't possessed some skill himself, he would have likely died on the road.

Of course, Lu Zhaojin had killed all of them, turning them into experience points to enhance his cultivation.

However, the road was filled with Ninth-Rank Martial Artists, so the EXP gain was very slow. He still needed the experience of at least two Eighth-Rank Martial Artists to achieve Perfected Flowing Water Art.

[EXP: 1608]

Although he had gained EXP, the Medicine Hall members' gazes towards him had changed slightly after this spree of killing.

Fear?

Apprehension?

A desire to keep their distance?

It was likely a mix of all three.

Along the way, they encountered individuals with formidable strength, making it clear that the Cave Mansion was not something they could covet. Even if they were unwilling, their lives were more important. Upon discovering valuable herbs nearby, they bid farewell to Lu Zhaojin and departed.

Lu Zhaojin continued alone. After walking a considerable distance, he finally saw the cave entrance as night fell.

The entrance was guarded by members of the Zhang Family and the Moon Wolf Gang, preventing anyone else from entering.

Martial Artists from outside Qishan County looked at the guards with resentment and indignation, but their low cultivation forced them to swallow their pride, hoping that those who entered first wouldn't be too ruthless, leaving something for them to pick up.

At this moment, Lu Zhaojin appeared before the crowd. Seeing him holding a long sword and slowly approaching the cave entrance, disregarding the Zhang Family and Moon Wolf Gang members, it seemed he intended to force his way in.

They saw that Lu Zhaojin was young, around sixteen, but fearless. They couldn't help but feel a hint of mockery, anticipating a good show.

However, the Zhang Family guards and Moon Wolf Gang members guarding the entrance recognized Lu Zhaojin's face, and their expressions drastically changed. They gathered together, intending to use their numbers to deal with this God of Slaughter.

The onlookers hadn't figured out what was happening before the guards and gang members were slain by Lu Zhaojin. Bodies piled up at the cave entrance, blood seeping from the wounds in their necks and spreading across the ground.

The smell of blood stimulated everyone present. They looked at the young man in terror, not expecting him to be so ruthless. His appearance suggested a young man just entering the martial world, but his methods were as brutal as a God of Slaughter.

At this moment, they suddenly remembered that the Zhang Family and the Moon Wolf Gang had been searching for a young man on the mountain. They had initially thought it was the person inside the cave, but now, could it be this very individual?

However, with the guards at the entrance dead and no one to stop them, they hesitated for a moment before embracing the idea of seeking fortune in danger and resolutely entered the Cave Mansion.

The dark tunnel wasn't long. Lu Zhaojin walked about sixty steps before reaching an open area.

There was firelight here, allowing him to see.

Lu Zhaojin was slightly taken aback when he saw the group of people. He recognized them, or rather, his enemies.

Several Zhang Family guards held torches, their light illuminating most of the area. They had Zhang Heng surrounded in the center, warily watching their surroundings, not missing any movement.

The cave was silent; even footsteps could travel far.

Therefore, when they heard Lu Zhaojin's footsteps, they all looked in his direction.

But.

Since Lu Zhaojin hadn't yet reached the area illuminated by the firelight, they could only vaguely see a figure. Not recognizing who it was, they shouted, "Who's there! Come out!"

Lu Zhaojin made no move, merely observing Zhang Heng, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground. Zhang Heng was regulating his breathing, suppressing a chaotic surge of energy that didn't belong to him. It was evident that he hadn't gained any advantage from his fight with Zhao Jinzhi and was instead injured.

The guards' shouts alerted Zhang Heng. An outsider had arrived, forcing him to divide his attention. He opened his eyes to look towards the newcomer.

His gaze seemed to pierce through the darkness, and Lu Zhaojin's appearance was fully reflected in his pupils. They contracted slightly, and he almost gritted out the other person's name, "Lu Zhaojin!"

Lu Zhaojin emerged from the cover of darkness, walking boldly into the light. He met Zhang Heng's gaze, which was filled with a desire to devour his flesh and blood, and calmly said, "Why does Patriarch Zhang look at me like that? Did you ever consider the present when you slaughtered my Sihai Escort Agency?"

Zhang Heng did have some regrets, but not about the decision to slaughter the Sihai Escort Agency. His regret was not being able to personally kill Lu Zhaojin; otherwise, how could he have survived after jumping into the river?

He didn't know what fortunate encounter Lu Zhaojin had in the Qi River. In just a few days, he seemed like a completely different person, his cultivation greatly increased, and even Jiao wasn't his match.

A strange glint flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes. If he could force Lu Zhaojin to reveal his fortunate encounter, perhaps he could reach the Sixth Rank. "I, Zhang Heng, never regret my actions. As for you, it seems you don't understand the capabilities of a Seventh-Rank Realm Martial Artist."

As soon as the words fell, Zhang Heng suddenly struck out with his palm. A dull thud echoed, and the void itself seemed to distort for a moment, as if an invisible palm print was slamming towards Lu Zhaojin.

Facing this palm strike, Lu Zhaojin merely sidestepped and dodged it. The palm print landed on the stone wall behind him, exploding with a rumble and leaving a clear imprint.

Surprise flashed in Zhang Heng's eyes. He hadn't expected Lu Zhaojin to be able to dodge it. He had used this move before to kill many Eighth-Rank Martial Artists, and they had almost always died instantly.

But today, he had miscalculated.

It must be because of that True Qi within him.

Zhang Heng's face darkened. He thought of the instigator of this True Qi and his resentment grew. He couldn't fathom how Zhao Jinzhi had broken through to the Seventh-Rank Realm, especially considering Zhao Jinzhi was only seventeen years old this year.

A seventeen-year-old Seventh-Rank.

He was a prodigy in both Yanling Commandery and Luoshui Commandery.

To think that after decades of cultivation, he couldn't compare to a mere youth, his Dao heart had almost shattered.

He recalled how he had once considered Zhang Jiao to be the Zhang Family's Prodigy, and had often compared Zhang Jiao to Zhao Jinzhi. This only fueled his jealousy and hatred. What was his Zhang Family lacking?

Lu Zhaojin didn't care how much or how little Zhang Heng thought. In short, he would seize the opportunity to end Zhang Heng's life, and then proceed to the depths of the Cave Mansion to kill Zhao Jinzhi, thus eliminating any future trouble.

These guards were no match for his sword. They died with a single, swift stroke.

Finally, he held his sword and thrust it directly at Zhang Heng.

Facing imminent death, he could no longer regulate his breathing. Zhang Heng roared, and surging waves of energy erupted around him, attempting to block the sword.

But the sword light, like a bamboo leaf floating in a strong wind, pressed forward stubbornly, albeit slowly. Finally, it was caught by a large hand, unable to advance even an inch.