Decisive Action

Decisive Action

Decisive Action

Someone had mingled among the water ghosts and even had a way to avoid them. This did not seem like a good omen for them, or even for the martial artists of Changhe County.

The moment Li Hao spoke, Zhu Hao understood as well. Lowering his voice, he said, "What do you say? There are only a few of them. Should we kill them here?"

Zhu Hao truly was straightforward by nature. Since someone dared mingle among the water ghosts and scheme, their strength certainly would not be weak, and they even dared take the initiative to seek people out...

Li Hao hurriedly pressed down his hand and said hastily, "We cannot fight them head-on. We still do not know their background. These are no ordinary water ghosts."

"Mm. The three of them are coming over soon. Later, keep an eye on my position, maintain the distance, and negotiate with them."

Lin Mo and the others were in an awkward position. They could practically only advance or retreat. If they turned back now, everything they had done before would have been for nothing.

The three men in blue-gray fitted outfits happened to be blocking the route ahead. If they moved forward, they would definitely run into them. Lin Mo simply remained where he was, preparing to use a blind spot in their vision to negotiate with them.

As the men gradually advanced to within a little over thirty meters, the others also thoroughly confirmed the rough location of Lin Mo's group.

The sharp-faced, monkey-cheeked man at the front called out in a shrill voice, "Brother, are you here to clear out water ghosts too?"

Lin Mo and the others exchanged glances, then nodded, deciding to let Li Hao negotiate. He and Zhu Hao had basked in the limelight these past few days. No matter what these men were here for, it was best to send out the least conspicuous one.

"Indeed. Where are you from, brother?" Li Hao answered vaguely, then returned the question.

"Heh, we were passing through Changhe County and came to take a look when we saw that something was wrong." The man replied shrilly. His eyes visibly shifted as he made a gesture to confer with the two behind him. The three gradually spread apart, closing in with a gap of five or six meters between them.

Golden light flashed through Lin Mo's eyes, and a cold smile appeared on his face. Beneath [Insightful Eye], every little movement they made was clear as day.

"Oh, then that is wonderful. When the time comes, I will surely treat you to a good drink. I wonder, brother, where are the others with you?"

"Others? What others? Hahaha, I am alone. These water ghosts are somewhat dangerous. I thought it would be better to team up with you, brother."

"That is wonderful. I have two people here." Li Hao smiled and replied.

In this situation, it was not realistic for him to claim there was only one person. Zhu Hao's fist winds were fierce, while his own saber techniques were clean and swift. The sounds they made were naturally different.

The sharp-faced, monkey-cheeked man silently nodded, already understanding. A savage smile spread across his face as the three pressed their encirclement closer.

Li Hao saw Lin Mo make a hand signal. The three slowly retreated, keeping the distance at around thirty meters. Their conversation was merely idle nonsense meant to brush each other off.

Zhu Hao lowered his voice until it was nearly a mosquito's buzz. "Brother Lin, what skills do those people have?"

"They have not erupted with qi and blood. The water ghosts along the way were all put to sleep by some strange method. I cannot tell what level they are at..."

Unable to judge for the moment, Lin Mo could only keep everyone maintaining the distance. In fewer than several dozen breaths, the other side was already growing impatient.

"Brother, come closer to my side. Let us travel together. These water ghosts are vicious as hell!"

The sharp-faced, monkey-cheeked man continued persuading them, his feet never stopping. While guarding against water ghosts emerging from the mist, he moved closer to Lin Mo's group.

"Brother, we want to go over too, but there are simply too many water ghosts." Li Hao called out loudly as well. Then his tone abruptly changed. "Watch out!"

Lin Mo immediately caught on. Channeling his qi and blood, he kicked a water ghost flying with one foot, aiming directly at the pockmarked man to the left of the sharp-faced, monkey-cheeked man.

With the distance of over twenty meters and Lin Mo's kick, it was so fast it nearly left an afterimage. The pockmarked man had been watching behind him; when he turned around, a foul-smelling gaping maw was already lunging at him.

His eyes suddenly widened. He forcibly held back a cry, twisted his steps, and lashed out with a hand like a snake whip, tightly wrapping around the water ghost's head.

Almost without a sound, the water ghost's head was quietly removed. He carefully placed both it and the body on the ground.

"Brother, why are there footsteps on your side too?"

The man did not answer, instead asking, "May I ask what brother is called?"

"The Li Family Prodigy, Li Hao. And which family's prodigy are you—"

Li Hao was about to make a joking remark when the men opposite exchanged glances and nodded. Their qi and blood erupted in an instant as they surged toward the source of the voice.

"Three Second Level martial artists! And damn it, they really came for the Li family!"

Zhu Hao's expression changed at once. Lin Mo had already swept past the two of them and charged forward, leaving behind a warning. "I will draw two of them away. You two only need to tie down one!"

Lin Mo's target was exceptionally clear: the sharp-faced, monkey-cheeked man at the front and the pockmarked man beside him. There was no other reason—he simply found the two unpleasant to look at.

Judging by the density of their qi and blood, the pockmarked man was merely at Second Level Entry, while the sharp-faced, monkey-cheeked man had reached Second Level Minor Accomplishment.

As long as he could find a way to separate them and defeat them one by one, dealing with two at once should not be much of a problem.

Even if he could not defeat them, escaping would be exceptionally easy for Lin Mo.

His gaze settled on the two. He saw only white vapor wafting above their heads. They were both ordinary fates, so they presumably had no special methods.

Nor did they possess the ability to fight above their level. Only then did he completely set his mind at ease.

"Let the two of you test my current skills!"

Neither man carried a weapon, so they should both rely on hand techniques. The sharp-faced, monkey-cheeked man on the left had fleshy palms with thick knuckles, tinged an unnatural blue-gray.

He had clearly steeped himself in sinister techniques like Poison Palm, and he was also a Second Level Minor Accomplishment martial artist. Lin Mo therefore shifted his focus to the pockmarked burly man instead.

The burly man had a thick build and a face full of pockmarks. When he had killed water ghosts earlier, his arms had been astonishingly supple, and his shoulder joints moved through a range unlike that of an ordinary person.

At the very least, he should be easier to deal with than that sinister thing!

Thoughts churned through Lin Mo's mind as he took the initiative to attack, shouting in a low voice, "Take this!"

The moment the sound rang out, his body shot backward like a white ape. He was not retreating, but circling around to their side and rear through a blind spot.

With First Stage Perfected qi and blood coursing through his entire body, Lin Mo shot out like a ghost. Extending one arm, he brought the five fingers of his right hand together like a halberd and thrust toward the opponent's left eye with a move called White Ape Explores Cave.

His fingertips tore through the air and split the mist, producing a sharp hiss!

"Damn, this kid is targeting me?!"

The pockmarked man was startled. He had not expected the other party's attack in the mist to be so tricky and vicious, as though he could see!

His upper body abruptly arched backward, while his supple right arm flicked upward in reverse like a boneless venomous snake. His forearm twisted bizarrely, trying to coil around and lock Lin Mo's wrist.

Lin Mo's strike missed, but his finger edge changed at once. He turned the thrust into a swinging palm strike and viciously smashed it toward the connection of the opponent's unguarded shoulder joint.

Smack!

With a crisp crack, the pockmarked burly man's right sleeve exploded apart, leaving behind only a dark purple palm print. His entire "snake arm" was like a serpent whose vital seven-inch spot had been seized.

"Come die!"

Lin Mo pressed his advantage without mercy. Before the pockmarked man could recover from the pain in his shoulder and the sluggishness of his arm, he stepped forward half a pace and viciously unleashed a White Ape Cannon Fist.

Bang!

The pockmarked man was smashed straight into the water ghost horde. Before he could react, several miserable howls rang out, and the surrounding water ghosts immediately swarmed together and cruelly tore him apart.