A Woman Appears

Another Overlord's Soldier, shot through the chest and nearly impaled, was brought in. Lin Xiao continued his violent methods to provide emergency treatment for the Overlord's Soldier. Lin Xiao roughly rolled the Overlord's Soldier on an oilcloth, haphazardly smearing all sorts of strange medicinal powders and ointments onto it. Seeing that the bleeding from the Overlord's Soldier's wound had stopped, its groans gradually grew louder, and finally, like its comrades, it let out earth-shattering screams!

Xue Wu truly couldn't bear to watch anymore. Even though he was a demon king who had fought his way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, he couldn't watch this. He felt that under Lin Xiao's hands, his men weren't like severely injured patients, but more like pigs being tied to a chopping block during the New Year! Even the screams they let out were identical.

Angrily, he went to Ling Batian, who was overseeing the battle, and informed Ling Batian of Lin Xiao's methods.

Ling Batian raised an eyebrow in surprise and asked, "So far, none of the men sent over have died?"

"Indeed!" Xue Wu nodded in annoyance.

"Oh, then let him do as he pleases!" Ling Batian smiled. "This kid has a knack for it. We sent over ninety-seven injured men just now, and I had determined that twelve of them were beyond saving. Yet they still managed to survive? Not bad, it's not a loss to take this kid in."

"But he..." Xue Wu wanted to complain.

Ling Batian glanced at him and said calmly, "Fifth Brother, don't forget, what we in the Blood Kill Demonic Path need are iron-blooded heroes who have survived a hundred battles. Hmph, suffering a little hardship will be even more beneficial for their cultivation. At least when they enter the sect later, passing the 'Blood Sea Body Refinement' trial will be much easier! You should pray that the kid is even more ruthless, the more painful the better!"

Upon hearing the words 'Blood Sea Body Refinement', Xue Wu's expression immediately changed. He clapped his hands excitedly and laughed, "How could I forget about this? Heh, hehe, alright, let him do as he pleases!"

Ling Batian chuckled a few times and then turned his gaze towards Shen Family Fortress, which was locked in a bloody struggle.

Hundreds of Overlord's Soldiers had already swarmed onto the city walls, pushing back the Shen Family Fortress guards. The Overlord's Soldiers attacked ferociously, practicing the Blood Kill Demonic Arts, which were vastly different from orthodox martial arts. Every move and every strike carried a fierce and savage aura that aimed to kill the enemy even at the cost of mutual destruction. How could those guards be their match? They were often cut down after just one exchange.

What terrified the Shen Family Fortress guards even more was these berserk Overlord's Soldiers. After cutting down their enemies, they would often add dozens more blows to the enemy's body, ensuring they were chopped into a bloody pulp before grinning and charging at other enemies. They seemed to revel in the bloodlust of the battlefield, thus they were determined to create an even thicker atmosphere of carnage.

In just fifteen minutes, the eight hundred guards of Shen Family Fortress collapsed. Over four hundred guards were killed on the spot, and the remaining three hundred plus fled in all directions.

Eight thousand Overlord's Soldiers let out a cheer and surged into the opened city gate like a tide.

Ling Batian coldly watched Shen Family Fortress, now engulfed by screams and pleas for mercy, and said calmly, "The Third Prince's intention is that all Shen family members, except for the direct relatives of Shen Guan Shou, are to be sent to Feiyun Pass to threaten Shen Guan Shou. All other Shen family members are to be executed. Xue Yi, you handle this matter."

Xue Yi smiled faintly. "Boss, actually, if we were to attack Feiyun Pass, why would it be so troublesome?"

Ling Batian smiled lazily, tilted his head, and said calmly, "Where would such a cheap thing exist? The price offered by the Third Prince is not enough for us of the Blood Kill Demonic Path to fight so desperately for him. We'll take it step by step. We have to make the Third Prince understand one thing: without us, he can't accomplish anything. Only then will he obediently become our most obedient puppet!"

"Boss is wise!" Xue Yi flattered Ling Batian with a light pat.

Ling Batian shook his head and said calmly, "The Dao Command is wise. This is not my idea. Alright, go and kill freely. Hmm, not a single copper coin should be missed."

Xue Yi nodded lightly, and as he was about to lead his men into the fortress, Ling Batian suddenly called out to him, "Never mind, I'll go with you. Hmm, you go and kill, I'll go treasure hunting. Such a large Shen Family Fortress, it would be a waste if we didn't find any cellars or secret rooms."

Xue Yi's face twitched a few times. He bared his teeth and forced out a smile, obediently following behind Ling Batian.

Lin Xiao forcefully slapped the wound of an Overlord's Soldier who had been stabbed in the thigh. The pain caused the Overlord's Soldier to yelp and pass out.

Wiping the blood from his hands, Lin Xiao turned to look at Xue Wu, who was standing behind him, and said calmly, "What do you plan to do with that manor up ahead after you capture it?"

Xue Wu narrowed his eyes, looked with satisfaction at the more than a hundred wounded soldiers lying on the open ground nearby, and casually replied, "Doing a favor for someone, killing, capturing people, that's all!"

Lin Xiao's body trembled slightly. He looked up at the pale blue moon in the sky, took a deep breath, and said, "I need to go in."

Xue Wu frowned. "What are you going in for?"

Lin Xiao pointed to the dwindling supply of medicine and said coldly, "We're running out of medicinal ingredients. Such a large manor, they must have a medicine storehouse."

Slapping his forehead, Xue Wu laughed heartily. "I forgot about that. We Overlord's Soldiers rarely stockpile medicinal ingredients. Those few doctors who follow the army are only useful for treating the ailments of livestock. Hmm, alright, I'll take you in."

Tying his small bundle to his waist, Lin Xiao followed Xue Wu and walked slowly towards Shen Family Fortress.

Young Lin Xiao had already made up his mind. He couldn't stay with the Overlord's Soldiers. He couldn't use his medical skills to save these bandit soldiers, nor could he let these bandit soldiers he saved kill more innocent civilians. Therefore, he wanted to find an opportunity to escape. Although he didn't have much experience in the martial world, Lin Xiao had spent many years at Spring Return Hall and had heard many stories about the Jianghu from the people who came seeking medical treatment from all directions. A large fortress like Shen Family Fortress must have secret escape routes.

Even if he couldn't find a secret passage, it shouldn't be too difficult to find a hidden place to hide in such a large estate.

First, he had to escape the Overlord's Soldiers. As for what would happen afterward, Lin Xiao couldn't worry about it.

Perhaps going to the Capital City, which was relatively peaceful for now, would be a better choice. With his medical skills, he wouldn't starve there at least.

The Capital City, the princes had been fighting for years, yet no one dared to fight fiercely near the Capital City. After all, that was the foundation of the Great Yuan Kingdom.

Perhaps the only peaceful place in the world now was the Capital City?

Under the moonlight, Lin Xiao, dressed in green, slowly walked into the city gate of Shen Family Fortress.

As Lin Xiao entered Shen Family Fortress, the Overlord's Soldiers looked at him with a subtle, grateful gaze.

This gaze made Lin Xiao's mood extremely complex. These Overlord's Soldiers were not good people. But he, Lin Xiao, had saved their lives, and they were grateful to him. Yet, this gratitude made Lin Xiao feel as if his entire body was being burned by fire, making him feel as uncomfortable as possible. He had saved over a hundred Overlord's Soldiers, and how many people would die by the hands of these Overlord's Soldiers in the future?

It was too difficult for a young boy to comprehend some of these truths.

Shen Family Fortress had fallen into chaos. Eight thousand Overlord's Soldiers swarmed into every building, capturing everyone and bringing them to the large training ground in the center of Shen Family Fortress. This was originally a place for Shen Family Fortress to train its guards and for the clan members to gather. Today, it was surrounded by nearly a thousand Overlord's Soldiers, and thousands of terrified Shen family members huddled in the training ground like chickens and dogs awaiting slaughter. Many still didn't know what had happened. Their faces were numb as they stared at the blood-clad soldiers around them, occasionally letting out meaningless grunts.

Lin Xiao slowly walked along the edge of the training ground. He looked at the Shen family members in the training ground and couldn't help but frown, asking, "Don't you Overlord's Soldiers usually only seek wealth?"

Xue Wu said carelessly, "This time, we also seek lives. Your Great Yuan Kingdom's Third Prince wants us to eliminate everyone except the direct relatives of Shen Family Fortress."

Lin Xiao's body suddenly stiffened. He stood frozen in place and slowly turned his head to look at Xue Wu.

Xue Wu looked at Lin Xiao, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "Don't look at me, some things are beyond your comprehension."

"Then, may I ask who you are to decide the fate of thousands of people like this?" Lin Xiao asked Xue Wu indignantly, his voice low.

After a moment of contemplation, Xue Wu replied very seriously, "We are not the same as you. Therefore, your anger, pity, and unwillingness are meaningless to us." He forcefully pushed Lin Xiao's shoulder and said lightly, "You are now the military doctor for our Overlord's Soldiers. Your purpose is to treat our men. Beyond that, you have no power, no right to interfere in anything else. Little boy, do you know what is most important in this world?"

Xue Wu suddenly felt it was necessary to instill some correct concepts in Lin Xiao, so he asked Lin Xiao a question that, in his opinion, was purely rhetorical.

What is most important in the world? Lin Xiao opened his mouth but couldn't speak. Lin Shan and the doctors at Spring Return Hall had all told him that the most important thing for a doctor was a kind and compassionate heart. But it was clear that a kind and compassionate heart was something laughable to these Overlord's Soldiers.

Xue Wu looked at Lin Xiao very seriously and said gravely, "In this world, fists are the most important! If your fists are strong enough, you can have everything. If your fists are not strong enough, you will die without a burial place!"

"Nonsense!" Lin Xiao clenched his fists. He opened his mouth wide, wanting to argue.

Xue Wu gently ruffled Lin Xiao's hair, his gaze like lightning, causing Lin Xiao's eyes to ache intensely. But Lin Xiao stubbornly lifted his head, even as the sharp pain in his eyes brought tears, he refused to bow his head before Xue Wu. Xue Wu nodded approvingly, retracted the divine light from his eyes, and said coldly, "If your father's fists were strong enough, he wouldn't have been killed by the Wutian Commander of the Jimo Sect!"

Lin Xiao, his body stiff, became like a stone statue, and even Xue Wu couldn't sense any trace of life from him.

Xue Wu touched his lips in bewilderment. Had his demonic arts advanced so much recently that a single sentence could kill someone?

Then he saw Lin Xiao's large eyes blink. He exhaled heavily and said faintly, "So, Father is really dead. The Jimo Sect, the Wutian Commander? Alright!"

A cold glint flashed in Xue Wu's eyes, and he said with a somewhat excited laugh, "Actually, you could consider joining our Blood Kill Demonic Path!"

"Blood Kill Demonic Path?" Lin Xiao gently shook his head and said faintly, "I don't like the name."

"But we are strong enough!" Xue Wu clenched his fists forcefully and laughed heartily, "I think your aptitude is quite decent. Perhaps you can achieve success in cultivation in the future. Then, what is a mere Wutian Commander?"

Lin Xiao sneered, looked up at Xue Wu, and asked, "Are you his opponent?"

Xue Wu frowned, spread his hands in all honesty, and said helplessly, "I am not his opponent."

Nodding slightly, Lin Xiao smiled, "Therefore, he is not a mere Wutian Commander."

Turning around, without giving Xue Wu a chance to speak, Lin Xiao walked along the horse track by the training ground towards the main residence in the center of Shen Family Fortress. Xue Wu tilted his head, grinned, and with a touch of indignation, shattered a stone post by the roadside with a palm strike before chasing after Lin Xiao with long strides. As he walked, he muttered softly, "Blood Kill Demonic Path? What a nice name! We are the number one demonic path on Chaoyuan Star, the Blood Kill Demonic Path! Although Chaoyuan Star is nothing in the entire cultivation world, our Blood Kill Demonic Path is truly not weak!"

Muttering incessantly, Xue Wu followed Lin Xiao to the entrance of the Shen family's main mansion, where he saw several blood-armored personal guards leading a large group of Overlord's Soldiers, escorting a group of disheveled Shen family members out.

Xue Wu let out a strange laugh and shouted, "Second Brother, why did you bring out a bunch of ground rats?"

Xue Er, thin and with a dark, grim expression, said with a smug smile, "They fled into a secret tunnel trying to escape, but I found them with the Earth Listening Technique. Aren't they all disheveled?"

Fled into a secret tunnel, only to be found by the 'Earth Listening' Technique?

Lin Xiao's body trembled slightly, and he walked silently past the Shen family members.

Xue Er narrowed his eyes and scanned Lin Xiao with a doubtful look. Xue Wu shrugged and said lightly, "There aren't many medicinal ingredients left in the army. He's going to the Shen family's medicine storehouse to get some."

Xue Er nodded in sudden realization and said calmly, "This is important business. Alright. Children, let's go!"

Waving his hand, a group of ferocious Overlord's Soldiers, like wolves and tigers, pushed and pulled the direct descendants of the Shen family, dragging them out of Shen Family Fortress.

On the training ground that Lin Xiao and the others had just passed, screams and the sounds of blades and spears piercing flesh suddenly erupted. The massacre of the collateral branches of the Shen family had begun.

Lin Xiao covered his ears, trying to block out the cruel sounds. But perhaps it was psychological, even though he covered his ears tightly, he still felt countless people's wails constantly entering his ears. He even felt as if his hands had been stained with a faint layer of blood. He had saved those Overlord's Soldiers, and those Overlord's Soldiers would go on to kill more people!

Like a walking corpse, he arrived outside the medicine storehouse of Shen Family Fortress and slowly pushed open the door. Just as Lin Xiao had predicted, the Shen family, having risen from the military, had a large medicine storehouse within the fortress, storing a vast quantity of medicinal ingredients. He took a deep breath and slowly walked into the storehouse. Xue Wu led a team of Overlord's Soldiers, lit dozens of torches, and followed Lin Xiao inside.

From a distance, the sounds of boxes and cabinets being rummaged through echoed, along with the sounds of countless bottles and jars being smashed.

Ling Batian's voice reverberated throughout Shen Family Fortress: "Be thorough, don't miss a single copper coin! Damn it, I said, not a single copper coin is allowed to be missed! Money, do you know what money is? Money is the thing I like most in this world!"

As soon as he entered the medicine storehouse, Lin Xiao noticed something was wrong. Some of the neatly arranged medicinal ingredients had been carelessly swept onto the floor, and several medicine baskets had been knocked over, spilling their contents. Lin Xiao glanced regretfully at one of the medicine baskets, which contained a jar of excellent 'Inch Gold Vine Liquid'. It had excellent healing effects for burns and was rare and precious, yet it had been knocked over.

Sighing, Lin Xiao walked around a medicine rack, but suddenly he heard faint breathing from behind a pile of medicine baskets.

Xue Wu also noticed the movement behind the medicine baskets. He drew his long saber, ready to stab through.

Lin Xiao hurriedly blocked Xue Wu and knocked over several medicine baskets with his hand.

A little girl, wearing a simple white gauze dress, with a round, flushed face that had turned pale with fright, trembling like a little bird in the cold wind, looking no more than eleven or twelve years old, appeared from behind the rolling medicine baskets.

Xue Wu's long saber bypassed Lin Xiao's body and was placed at the little girl's neck.

Lin Xiao pushed Xue Wu's saber away and embraced the little girl's body, which had become stiff and cold with fear.

He glared at Xue Wu and roared, "What are you doing?"

Xue Wu said calmly, "This girl doesn't have the golden chain unique to direct Shen family members around her neck. According to the boss's orders, I have to kill her!"

The little girl opened her mouth in panic, her small hands tightly gripping Lin Xiao's body.

Lin Xiao's vision flashed with vast expanses of blood. He seemed to hear the groans and screams of the collateral Shen family members on the training ground.

He looked at Xue Wu and said with unwavering determination, "If she lives, I live; if she dies, I will fight you all!"

Xue Wu opened his mouth, then suddenly sheathed his saber and nodded vigorously at Lin Xiao, praising, "Kid, you've got guts! This girl is yours!"

After saying that, Xue Wu turned and strode out of the medicine storehouse. (To be continued)