Cave, Exposed!

The White Lotus Disciple named Old Liu, with his handlebar mustache, was a First Blood Skin Refining martial artist, but his skin had not been refined to sufficient toughness.

Moreover, the beast trap that had caught him was one Su Que had bought at great expense. It was made of iron rather than wood, exceptionally hard and sharp.

After Old Liu was caught, blood gushed from the wound like a spring. The Golden Wound Ointment he had just applied was quickly washed away by the blood.

Thus, he could only tear off a strip of cloth and tightly bind it around his thigh to slow the bleeding before applying the Golden Wound Ointment again.

"Old Gao, wait a moment!" he called to his companion. Only after applying the ointment did he limp toward the depths of the cave.

Before long, he saw several large redwood chests and some other items.

"This is probably where that Mysterious Martial Artist stores his medicine!"

Old Gao, whose face was covered in a bristling beard, sounded quite excited. A few days ago, Bai Wuji, their leader, had declared that anyone who found clues about the Mysterious Martial Artist would receive a generous reward.

Now that they had even found this Mysterious Martial Artist's medicine stash, the reward would probably let them live extravagantly for quite some time.

"Old Gao, go look through it and see what the Mysterious Martial Artist has among his belongings."

Old Gao answered, then went over to the items Su Que had piled up and began rummaging through them one by one.

Old Liu limped over to the pile as well.

"Masks, clothes, lime..."

"Who would have thought that someone so powerful would still use tricks like lime!"

"Since I first entered the martial world, I've never used lime!"

Old Liu muttered as he watched Old Gao search through the items.

"Damn it, Old Gao, search faster and see if there's any money!"

Old Liu ordered Old Gao, then continued:

"I collected the bodies of those dead men before and found that all their money was gone. Nine times out of ten, that Mysterious Martial Artist picked it clean!"

"Search and see if there's any. Once we take it, we'll hurry back and report it. If that Mysterious Martial Artist returns, we'll both be dead!"

Not long after Old Liu finished speaking.

Old Gao let out a strange cry. "Old Liu, damn it, you were right—there really is!" He pulled several Silver Ingots, several Silver Sycees, and more than a dozen Silver Notes from the pile.

The two men's eyes immediately lit up, and they swiftly divided the money equally.

They both folded up the Silver Notes and tucked them inside their clothes.

As for the Silver Ingots and Silver Sycees, they took several pieces of cloth from Su Que's pile—the cloth Su Que usually used to wipe his sweat—wrapped them up, and carried them in their hands.

"Go, go, go, Old Gao! Let's get out of here quickly!"

Old Liu urged as he limped toward the exit, afraid that if he moved any slower, he would run into that "Mysterious Martial Artist."

"Wait, Old Liu!" Old Gao suddenly said.

"What is it?" Old Liu slowed slightly.

Old Gao glanced at the redwood chests. "Old Liu, why don't we pick out a few valuable medicinal herbs, hide them somewhere, then come back in a few days and sell them?"

"After all, besides us, no one knows how much medicine that Mysterious Martial Artist has used up."

"Damn it, Old Gao, you're bloody clever!" Old Liu praised him, then said:

"Hurry and take out a few more pieces of cloth. Wrap up the herbs, and move it!"

Thus, the two took several pieces of cloth from Su Que's pile, opened the redwood chests, and wrapped up valuable medicinal herbs such as Mountain Ginseng and Lingzhi.

After a while, they tied up the cloth bundles, slung them over their shoulders, and left the cave.

"Hey, Old Gao, we can't easily hide these things elsewhere. If we hide them in Jade Water City and someone finds them, won't they treat us as accomplices of that 'Mysterious Martial Artist'?"

As the two walked, Old Liu suddenly said:

"Why don't we find somewhere nearby, dig a hole, and bury these things for now? Once the Mysterious Martial Artist has been dead for a while, we'll come back and dig them up."

"Fine, let's do that!"

Old Gao agreed wholeheartedly and headed in another direction with Old Liu, arriving at another patch of woods.

Each of them drew his bloodstained heavy-backed saber and began digging into the ground.

As Old Liu dug, he said, "Old Gao, how do you plan to spend the Silver Notes in our pockets?"

Old Gao first gave two strange "heh-heh" laughs. "Tonight, I'll first go to Hui Chun Tang in Jade Water City to buy a few doses of medicine, then head to Spring Full Tower in Black Water City and summon five girls."

Because Jade Water City was already controlled by their White Lotus Sect, most of its brothels were also under the White Lotus Sect's control.

If they spent lavishly, they would likely be discovered soon enough, and people would begin suspecting where their money had come from.

Black Water City lay west of Jade Water City. It was somewhat less prosperous than Jade Water City, and the White Lotus Sect had no plans to take control of that city yet.

Hearing this, Old Liu also gave a "heh-heh" laugh. "Old Gao, you're fucking useless. I don't need medicine—I'll go straight to Spring Full Tower in Black Water City and summon ten girls!"

After leaving the city, Su Que looked around and, seeing no one nearby, let loose his pace and sprinted toward Qinghua Mountain.

As he passed through a forest near Qinghua Mountain, he faintly heard the rhythmic sound of metal scraping against mud and stone coming from deep within the woods.

What's going on? Could someone be burying a corpse after murder? Or hiding treasure?

Su Que frowned slightly and decided to take a look. He immediately lightened his footsteps and silently approached.

Very soon, he saw two men with strange expressions, giving strange "heh-heh" laughs as they used two heavy-backed sabers to dig a pit in the ground.

When Su Que saw four bundles on the ground—two large and two small—his gaze instantly sharpened.

The cloth used for those bundles looked very familiar... Damn it, wasn't this the cloth he had bought in Jade Water City...?

Su Que's gaze shifted and settled on one man's lower leg.

The wound on that man's lower leg had clearly been caused by a beast trap.

By now, Su Que was almost certain that these two had definitely been to his cave.

He immediately walked toward them.

"Heave-ho, heave-ho..."

Afraid that what they were hiding would be discovered, the two dug the pit very deep. After a while, they began to feel their strength failing.

Suddenly, Old Liu scratched his handlebar mustache, and his body abruptly trembled.

Because from the corner of his eye, he saw someone walking toward them.

He hurriedly turned to look and found that it was actually a scholar.

"Damn it, why would a scholar pass through here?" Old Liu said in a low voice.

Old Gao froze, followed Old Liu's gaze, and also saw the approaching scholar.

Old Liu said, "This scholar is truly unlucky. Of all times to pass through, he had to come now. He saw what we were doing. Though he doesn't know what we're up to, I'm afraid he'll spread word of it everywhere!"

"If word reaches the ears of the other White Lotus Sect members, we're finished!"

"Old Gao, let's kill him."

"Fine."

Old Gao immediately stopped digging, lifted his heavy-backed saber, and prepared to kill. He had killed plenty of people before, and felt no burden at all.

Very soon, the two White Lotus Disciples raised their bloodstained heavy-backed sabers, gripped them with both hands, pushed off with their feet, and charged at Su Que.

To prevent Su Que from escaping, they flanked him from left and right.

When they drew close, both men raised their heavy-backed sabers high and chopped down at Su Que.

The heavy-backed sabers sliced through the air, producing a howling wind.

Su Que merely extended his right hand and lightly punched the air. Two faint currents of Seven Injuries Fist force burst forth.

Suddenly.

Bang! Bang! Two dull thuds rang out in succession.

Struck by the Seven Injuries Fist force, their clothes suddenly caved inward at the chest. Their forward momentum came to an abrupt halt, and their entire bodies were violently hurled backward.

The two flew a full two zhang before crashing heavily to the ground. They each plowed a furrow over a zhang long before finally coming to a stop.

Thanks to the mighty Book God Haocheng for the monthly vote!!!

Thanks to the mighty Hot-Blooded Bandit for the monthly vote!!!

Thanks to reader 160512174923319 for the monthly vote!!!

Thanks to all esteemed readers for following along and for the recommendation votes!!!