A Restless Heart Calls for Blood!

The night was cool as water.

Dozens of corpses lay across the ground of Miraculous Garden's square.

A thick stench of blood hung in the air.

Many Apprentices, pharmacists, physicians, and Guard Team martial artists stood in the square, silently watching the corpses on the ground.

The entire square seemed to have fallen into deathly silence.

Lu Changsheng stood among the crowd, his gaze falling upon a mutilated corpse on the ground. Elder Wen!

Among the dozens of corpses, one belonged to Elder Wen.

Elder Wen's chest had caved in. At a glance, it was clear that powerful palm force had shattered his internal organs.

Such strength could only belong to an Organ Refining martial artist, at the very least.

One of Elder Wen's arms had also been chopped off. It still had not been found, and no one knew where it had fallen.

His face still bore an expression of panic, terror, and pain.

Lu Changsheng said nothing, but his gaze grew colder and colder.

Though Elder Wen was not Lu Changsheng's master in name, he had in truth imparted nearly all of his skills without reservation.

They were not master and disciple, yet they were closer than master and disciple.

But now Elder Wen was dead, and he had died such a miserable death.

"Family Head, the traitor has been caught."

At that moment, two Guard Team martial artists escorted a bruised and battered man into the square.

"Whoosh."

Countless gazes fell upon the battered man.

Zheng Renxin's eyes narrowed slightly. His voice was as cold as ice as he slowly said, "It was you, Zheng Yihai! You are a member of the Zheng Clan and a Guard Team martial artist, supported by Miraculous Garden. Why did you collude with criminals and slaughter your own clansmen?"

With a thud, Zheng Yihai dropped to his knees and repeatedly begged, "Family Head, spare me! I was muddleheaded for a moment."

"I... I gambled and owed a great deal of silver. Then those criminals came looking for me."

"They promised that if I only gave them information about the Organ Refining martial artists in Miraculous Garden, they would give me silver to pay off my debts."

"I thought those criminals would never dare do anything to Miraculous Garden, and I was only providing some information. It was nothing difficult, so I agreed."

"But I truly didn't know those criminals would be so bold. They actually dared to kill their way into Miraculous Garden."

"Family Head, spare me, spare me..."

Zheng Yihai had clearly been beaten badly. His teeth had been knocked out, and even his speech was slurred.

Still, everyone understood what he meant.

A traitor!

This Zheng Yihai was the traitor!

Because Zheng Yihai had leaked information about Miraculous Garden's Organ Refining martial artists, those criminals had seen an opening and dared to kill their way into Miraculous Garden.

Zheng Renxin's eyes turned red. He stared fixedly at Zheng Yihai, gritted his teeth, and said word by word, "Spare you? You caused so many deaths, and you still want to live?"

The next moment, Zheng Renxin suddenly drew his blade and slashed.

"Splurt."

Zheng Yihai's head fell to the ground, and blood sprayed everywhere.

Zheng Renxin was covered in blood, but he did not care in the slightest.

His face was ashen as he said coldly, "It would have been one thing if those criminals had merely looted Miraculous Garden's pharmacy last time. Yet they did not flee. Instead, they even killed their way into Miraculous Garden. They have gone too far! Do they truly think the Nanyang Zheng Clan has no one left?"

At that moment, a Guard Team martial artist said in a low voice, "Family Head, those criminals looted Miraculous Garden's treasury. There was so much silver that they could not possibly carry it away in a short time. Moreover, our men have been watching every city gate, and no suspicious people have left. Therefore, those criminals must still be inside the city."

"Then search for them! Even if we have to dig three feet into the ground, we must find that gang of criminals."

"When the time comes, I will personally lead the Guard Team and cut those criminals down with my own hands!"

Zheng Renxin radiated killing intent.

The Nanyang Zheng Clan had once been renowned far and wide. When had anyone ever killed their way into Miraculous Garden?

Yet now, a gang of criminals had actually bathed Miraculous Garden in blood.

If this grudge went unavenged, how could the Nanyang Zheng Clan continue to stand in Nanyang Prefecture?

This time, Zheng Renxin had made up his mind. He would certainly wipe out that gang of bandits!

The people in the square eventually dispersed, and Lu Changsheng returned to his small courtyard as well.

He summoned the Attribute Panel.

Host: Lu Changsheng

Comprehension: 211 (considerable potential)

Mighty Ox Bone Forging Technique: Third Layer

Lu Changsheng had already cultivated the Mighty Ox Bone Forging Technique to the third layer.

He had even begun attempting his fourth Bone Tempering.

Once it was complete, Lu Changsheng's Mighty Ox Bone Forging Technique would reach perfection.

Judging by the time, it would be either today or tomorrow.

Thus, as usual, Lu Changsheng mobilized his qi and blood to temper his bones.

Once, twice, three times...

Lu Changsheng's qi and blood was exceptionally abundant, allowing him to temper his bones again and again.

In the past, Lu Changsheng could temper them dozens of times. With how vigorous his qi and blood had become now, it was no problem at all.

If he pushed himself, he might be able to completely finish the fourth Bone Tempering tonight and bring the Mighty Ox Bone Forging Technique to the perfected realm.

Yet Lu Changsheng suddenly stopped.

The scene in the square appeared in his mind again, especially Elder Wen's corpse. Elder Wen's eyes had even remained open, unable to rest in peace!

Memories churned within him, and his emotions could not settle. Naturally, there was no efficiency to speak of in his bone tempering cultivation.

"My heart is not at peace!"

Lu Changsheng murmured softly.

His heart was unsettled because of Elder Wen, and Elder Wen had died terribly!

When the heart is restless, one must kill!

Lu Changsheng touched the Dagger in his robes.

When one carried a sharp weapon, the urge to kill arose of its own accord.

What was more, he was avenging Elder Wen!

At that moment, even Lu Changsheng's qi and blood seemed to boil.

Lu Changsheng put on a Nightwalker Robe, donned a bamboo hat, and covered his face with black cloth, wrapping himself up tightly.

"Whoosh."

The next moment, Lu Changsheng darted away and vanished into the night.

Outside an abandoned temple in the western part of the city, several dozen figures could vaguely be seen appearing and disappearing in the darkness.

"Bang, bang, bang."

The sound of the night watchman's clapper drifted from afar.

"The sky is dry, beware of fire."

It was already the third watch of the night, yet the figures outside the temple remained motionless.

"Family Head, it is already the third watch. There seems to be no movement inside..."

A Miraculous Garden Guard Team martial artist spoke cautiously.

Zheng Renxin's gaze was dark, and his face was incomparably grim. He said nothing, merely staring intently at the Desolate Temple.

There had previously been lamps burning inside the Desolate Temple, but now every lamp had gone out.

"That gang of criminals is hiding inside the Desolate Temple?"

Zheng Renxin asked again.

"Yes, the criminals are in the Desolate Temple. There are only a little over thirty of them, while we have seventy or eighty skilled fighters. We hold the advantage in strength..."

Zheng Renxin weighed the matter.

Perhaps he had lived in wealth and comfort for too long, for he could not bring himself to make a decision.

After all, this battle was crucial.

Nearly all of Miraculous Garden's experts had been mobilized. If they failed, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Attack!"

At last, Zheng Renxin made up his mind.

This time, he had assembled four great Organ Refining Masters.

During the day, there had only been two Organ Refining martial artists among the criminals who entered Miraculous Garden.

No matter what, Miraculous Garden held the advantage.

At Zheng Renxin's command, dozens of Shadowy Figures slowly approached the Desolate Temple.

"Bang."

The dilapidated gates of the Desolate Temple were smashed open in an instant.

Dozens of Miraculous Garden's skilled fighters rushed inside.

But the next moment, countless Crossbow Bolts flew out from within the pitch-black Desolate Temple.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh."

Using the cover of night, those Crossbow Bolts were impossible to guard against. In an instant, they shot down many of Miraculous Garden's skilled fighters inside the Desolate Temple.

"Crossbow Bolts?"

Zheng Renxin's eyes widened.

Weren't Crossbow Bolts only possessed by the Imperial Court's troops?

How could this gang of criminals have them?

Suddenly, Zheng Renxin thought of a possibility.

The Bandits who had once blocked the trade route had been wiped out by the Imperial Court's army, but some Bandits had escaped.

Perhaps those Bandits had taken some Crossbow Bolts from the Imperial Court's soldiers.

"Hahaha, since you have come, don't think of leaving. Stay here, every last one of you!"

A loud shout suddenly rang out.

Immediately afterward, many torches sprang up inside the Desolate Temple, illuminating it as brightly as day.

Zheng Renxin focused his eyes and saw a towering man with eyes like bronze bells and the burly build of a bear. He carried a massive blade like a door panel over his shoulder and stood quietly within the Desolate Temple.

His qi and blood blazed like fire, heat waves rolling off him and making everyone in the Desolate Temple feel as if they had been thrown into a furnace.

Most notably, the man had a shaved head and a striking scar on his brow.

"Blade-Dragging Heavenly King Li Ji! You're actually alive?"

"Impossible! When the Imperial Court's army surrounded and suppressed you last time, didn't they say the bandit leader had been eliminated? How could you still be alive?"

Zheng Renxin seemed to recall something and cried out in alarm.

"Hehe, how could the Imperial Court's lackeys possibly kill this Heavenly King? They merely killed innocents to claim credit and falsely reported their military achievements."

"Zheng Renxin, this Heavenly King merely took some of your silver, yet you had the gall to come knocking at my door."

"Since that is the case, this Heavenly King will deal with you as well. Once I wipe out your Nanyang Zheng Clan, it will count as restoring this Heavenly King's prestige!"

So this Li Ji was actually the leader of the Bandits who had once blocked the trade route, known as the "Blade-Dragging Heavenly King."

It was said that he possessed boundless strength and had even escaped alive from the hands of a Divine Strength Realm expert.

With this man here, how could Miraculous Garden's four Organ Refining martial artists possibly be a match for him?