So You're Shi Hao? What Gives You the Right?

The Land of Guardianship was a clustered town of buildings. Its gate tower stood dozens of zhang high, and the walls were fitted with rows of crossbows that seemed to be purely decorative. At the very top were four ceremonial cannons that constantly fired fireworks spelling out the words "Land of Guardianship."

After bidding farewell to the two women, Ye Kong and his dog hurried to a dirt slope northeast of the city gate. Out of habit, he took out a telescope and surveyed the area from above.

Through the lens, he saw two burly gray-clad youths who looked fifteen or sixteen, weapons in hand, extorting tolls at the city gate.

The youths leaving the city did not even dare look them in the eye. Trembling, they handed over the Spirit Essences in their hands and hurried away.

"Brother Lion, this Land of Guardianship really does have a gang of delinquent youths collecting protection fees. Time for us to do good and accumulate virtue."

The Golden Lion dog lay on the ground, its front paws gripping a specially made telescope. Its nose sniffed intently at something, and its brow furrowed beneath its golden fur.

"It's more than that. I can smell a strong stench of blood on those two. Each of them has at least fifteen lives on their hands, and all of them were recent!"

Hearing this, Ye Kong abruptly turned his head, and the casualness in his eyes vanished.

"Those two are serial killers?"

"Fifteen lives, at the very least! I can smell over thirty different blood scents on them! And on the slope over there, I smell the corpses of more than twenty people. They should all have died within the past few days."

"Sigh, looks like we may have run into people who deserve to die. We should prepare to send them to meet Buddha. Let's go."

Man and dog exchanged a look, then leaped down at the same time and swaggered forward.

"You there, stop! Entering the Land of Guardianship requires paying protection money!"

Seeing another fat sheep arrive, Shi Jingtian—large-framed and bald—stepped forward, raised his stone axe, and shouted.

"We can discuss whether I'll pay the protection money later. Could you two introduce yourselves first? What are your names, and what have you done?"

Ye Kong smiled and cupped his hands. Before he understood the situation, he had no desire to kill indiscriminately. After all, killing people was as common as eating and drinking in this place.

"Hmph! Since you're a rookie, this lord will graciously tell you!

This lord is Shi Jingtian, and this is my younger brother, Shi Hao! We brothers call the shots in this Land of Guardianship. Our words are the rules, understand?!"

At those words, a trace of surprise appeared in Ye Kong's eyes as he carefully examined the gray-faced youth beside him, who held a shield.

So you're Shi Hao? What kind of nobody are you to share a name with Huang?

And Shi Jingtian and Shi Hao?

Weren't these the two cannon fodder characters Mu Chen defeated before entering the North Cang Spiritual Institute in the original Legend of the Spiritual Path? It seemed they even received King-level evaluations on the Spiritual Road.

Shi Jingtian was somewhat pleased by the look Ye Kong gave his younger brother. It seemed the infamous reputation of the Shi Brothers truly was widely known—even a little rookie had heard of them.

"Kid, since you've heard our names, obediently follow the rules:

For your first entry, hand over two Level Three Spirit Essences. From now on, every time you enter or leave and see us, you must hand over one Level Three Spirit Essence. Even if you don't run into us, you still have to find us and pay up yourself."

"Since you brought a dog, you pay double. Hand over four Level Three Spirit Essences before you can enter. If you don't have them, that's fine too—leave the dog behind as collateral, then get lost and go kill Spirit Beasts!"

Shi Jingtian's sinister voice rang out, as though he had Ye Kong, this casually strolling fledgling, completely in his grasp.

"That's right. Your dog looks like it has some meat on it. We brothers will help lighten your burden. Leave it behind, and from now on, you'll only need to pay one Level Three Spirit Beast's Spirit Essence each time you enter or leave."

Shi Hao, the second Shi brother fortunate enough to share a name with some big shot, had also set his sights on the glossy Golden Lion dog. He swallowed, as if grilled dog meat were beckoning him.

After hearing the rules, Ye Kong understood just how ruthless and tyrannical these two were.

In the original Legend of the Spiritual Path, protagonist Mu Chen, while a Level One Spiritual Body, had gone through great effort just to deal with a Level Three Spirit Beast. Even as a Level Two Spiritual Body, he had only barely managed to kill a Level Four Spirit Beast after joining forces with another Level Two Spiritual Body.

It could be said that a Level Three Spirit Beast was already the limit an ordinary Level Two Spiritual Body youth could handle. Against a Level Four Spirit Beast, even risking one's life gave little chance of victory.

As for a Level Five Spirit Beast, it took an expert with the strength of a Level Three Spiritual Body to kill one; even protagonist Mu Chen was no exception. Earlier, Wen Qingxuan had severely wounded that Level Five Spirit Beast, the Fire Cloud Tiger, before Peak Level Two Spiritual Body Xiuling could seize the opportunity to finish it off.

Of course, Spiritual Bodies meant nothing to him. With his physical strength, no matter what level of Spiritual Body came at him, they would all end up being slapped to death.

But to the other youths on the Spiritual Road, these two were practically stripping the feathers off every goose that flew past.

"You sound very strong, but what would you do if I refused to pay? Rob me by force, or kill me?"

Ye Kong rubbed his fingers together, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"To us brothers, there's no difference!

Many people asked that question before you. They're all lying on that mountain now!"

Shi Hao waved the spiked shield in his hand and pointed toward the slope opposite the city gate as he spoke in a deep, muffled voice.

"Then that settles it. What rotten luck..."

Shi Jingtian could not hear what Ye Kong was muttering. Seeing no Spirit Essences he had expected, the flesh on his face twisted into a vicious smile. He strode forward and swung down his axe, intending to kill and loot him outright.

At that moment, Ye Kong lifted his eyelids. His eyes were filled with an icy, bone-deep stillness of death. His right hand shot up, striking out after Shi Jingtian yet arriving first as a surging wall of force bore down on him.

With a crisp crack, the axe in Shi Jingtian's hand shattered into pieces. The immense force instantly stripped Shi Jingtian of all sensation, turning his body into a crimson mist of blood that sprayed across the walls of the Land of Guardianship.

At the same time, Jinjiu Master roared, enlarging into a colossal beast three zhang tall. With one swipe of its paw, it smashed Shi Hao, who wanted to eat it, into a puddle of mangled flesh.

When a Golden Lion shows its might, do you really think I'm some pet dog?

The next moment, Ye Kong noticed an almost invisible thread of light entering his Mustard Seed Bracelet, along with a familiar sense of Merit Pure Light.

Suppressing his surprise, Ye Kong glanced at the mixed-colored splatter on the wall and shook his head.

"For fifteen years, I, Ye, have strictly observed the Buddhist Sect's precepts and never enjoyed killing. Why did you have to put your heads against my iron palm? Since you sought death yourselves, don't blame this monk for being merciless!"

On a hillside several li away, the two women, who had arrived late, happened to witness the instant Ye Kong and Brother Lion erupted.

Seeing with their own eyes as the man and dog unleashed their strength, killed the Shi Brothers, and departed, Xiuling—who also used an axe—felt deep terror. She clung tightly to Wen Qingxuan, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Didn't they say the monks from Buddhist Temples were all mystical and never liked killing? Why was this guy so practiced at killing people? And he was so scary.

"Sister Qingxuan, that guy turned that big brute directly into a mist of blood. Are Buddhist Disciples all this terrifying? Sister Qingxuan? What's wrong?"

Flustered, Xiuling tightly grasped the person she relied on, only to discover that her leader's usually radiant eyes were somewhat unfocused. Wen Qingxuan stared into the distance and murmured softly.

"What's going on? Why did that dog's roar sound so much like the Golden Lion Tribe?"