Arrow Technique: Two Stars in a Row

Jiang Ruoyun snapped back to her senses, her face draining of color.

"Clang..."

With a crisp ring, the arrow was blocked by a shield that had suddenly appeared in Jiang Feng's hand.

"Well, well, losing your temper and firing a sneak arrow to hurt someone?"

Jiang Feng forced himself to sound composed as he mocked him, but his forehead was already slick with cold sweat.

Lu Feng's earlier arrow had been swift, precise, and ruthless, showing no mercy. Jiang Feng knew full well that if his reaction had been even half a beat slower, his heart would already have been pierced through.

Jiang Feng stared in horror at Lu Feng below, whose face remained gentle and calm. It was hard to imagine that such an arrow had come from him. His eyes were filled with uncertainty. Was this young man, around his own age, fearless because he knew nothing, or was he decisive in killing, unafraid of anything?

Watching Lu Feng fire that arrow without the slightest hesitation, Jiang Ruoyun was completely stunned, a trace of worry lingering between her brows.

She had not intended to kill Jiang Feng just now, nor could she have killed someone in the Six Soul Realm. Yet Lu Feng's arrow had plainly been one meant to kill, merciless and without hesitation.

Jiang Ruoyun recalled what Lu Feng had said not long ago: If someone crosses the bottom line, then kill them! A chill ran through her heart.

She had thought he had merely said it casually, but only now did she realize that he truly possessed such resolve.

Jiang Feng's sneak attack had been meant to take his life. He had clearly crossed Lu Feng's bottom line, and Lu Feng was angry!!!

Under Jiang Ruoyun's unsettled gaze, Lu Feng drew his bow once more.

The second arrow was nocked!

Lu Feng had long expected Jiang Feng to block the previous arrow. Given the strength of the Six Soul Realm, it would have been stranger if he had failed to block it. But that did not mean Lu Feng intended to stop there.

"Still coming? Do you really think that shabby bow of yours can shoot through my shield?" Jiang Feng sneered, viciously hurling the wine jar in his hand at Lu Feng's head.

"Watch out!" Jiang Ruoyun cried.

Lu Feng's eyes sharpened as he caught the wine jar's trajectory. The fully drawn bowstring in his hand was released in an instant. The arrow shot forth, precisely piercing through the wine jar and knocking it off course. Its momentum unspent, the arrow continued toward Jiang Feng—this time aimed at his shoulder.

Lu Feng had expected the first arrow to be blocked. It had merely been meant to disrupt and intimidate, while also testing the opponent's defensive method and gauging the shield's sturdiness.

For the second arrow, Lu Feng knew it would still be blocked. That arrow alone would not be enough to pierce the shield, so the instant he fired it, Lu Feng had already drawn and nocked a third arrow, firing it through the brief gap.

Arrow technique, Two Stars in a Row!

What Lu Feng used was the arrow technique he had learned in the Stone Chamber of Worryfree Village. Though he had not yet fully mastered it, at such close range, he was completely confident.

"Clang..."

Just as expected, the second arrow was blocked by the shield. At the same time, however, it left a tiny crack in it.

"Crack..."

With a sharp sound, a gap appeared in the shield. The third arrow, following close behind, struck the crack and actually pierced through the shield, shooting into Jiang Feng's shoulder.

Lu Feng put away the Netherworld Bow and smiled disdainfully. "Your shield is far too shabby."

Fury covered Jiang Feng's face as he swiftly pulled out the arrow. After pressing his acupoints, he covered the wound with one hand and applied the trauma medicine powder Jiang Caiyun handed him. Then he roared furiously at Lu Feng, "Just you wait! I'll kill you..."

Lu Feng was utterly unafraid, a faint scornful smile curling his lips. "You should treat that wound first. Once the poison takes effect, no one will be able to save you."

"What? The arrowhead was poisoned?"

Jiang Feng's expression changed drastically. No longer caring to trouble Lu Feng, he grabbed Jiang Caiyun and hurried toward the nearest medicine shop.

"Just you wait!" he still threatened before leaving.

Watching Jiang Feng flee in such a sorry state, Jiang Ruoyun could not help but laugh happily. "You tricked him, didn't you? There was no poison on the arrowhead, right?"

"He was too stupid." Lu Feng smiled and nodded. "Let's leave this place first, in case he comes back to kill us after realizing he was fooled."

"Pfft..." Jiang Ruoyun let out a sweet laugh. "Now you know fear? Where did the momentum of those three arrows go?"

Lu Feng smiled awkwardly. Though he said that, if Jiang Feng truly dared to chase after them, he had plenty of ways to trap and intercept him amid the disorderly streets.

The two turned back for home. Along the way, Jiang Ruoyun wanted several times to ask about Lu Feng's origins, but when she remembered how she herself had concealed so many secrets, she abandoned the thought.

Back in the courtyard, Lu Feng took out the remaining four hundred-odd soul coins and tried to return them to Jiang Ruoyun, but she refused.

"Keep them with you. We'll pack up and leave this place. Once Jiang Feng realizes he was fooled, he'll definitely come looking for trouble," Jiang Ruoyun said.

"Empty-handed and light as a feather, there's nothing to pack." Lu Feng smiled and walked toward the Ancient Banyan Tree nearby. "You go pack first. I'll rest here for a while and prepare some little gifts for Jiang Feng and the others."

Seeing the few pieces of jade Lu Feng took out, Jiang Ruoyun guessed he wanted to set up an array. She teased him with a smile, "Jiang Feng is already in the Six Soul Realm. Ordinary arrays can't hurt him."

"It's fine. If he dares to act recklessly, at least they can cause him some trouble." Lu Feng grinned wickedly. From their brief "exchange" just now, it was clear Jiang Feng's hollow Six Soul Realm cultivation had been raised through medicine.

"Then hurry up. Once I'm done packing, we'll go hide in Azure Mushroom Mountain together. We can catch a few spirit beasts to exchange for money while we're at it. Otherwise, in four months, we won't be able to afford that house anymore."

Jiang Ruoyun considered it. With her strength and Lu Feng's archery, they had a good chance against some low-level spirit beasts. The beast core of even a first-rank spirit beast could fetch nearly a hundred or even a thousand Copper Soul Coins.

Azure Mushroom Mountain lay west of Azure Dragon Town, in exactly the opposite direction from Worryfree Village, where Lu Feng had come from. There were many rare medicinal herbs and low-level spirit beasts in the mountains.

"Come eat," Xiao Rou called as she carried over the meal she had prepared long ago.

After the fight in the street, Jiang Ruoyun was indeed rather hungry.

Lu Feng had also finished setting up the final array and rose to walk inside.

The simple meal of coarse tea and plain food carried a touch of homely warmth. Lu Feng looked at Xiao Rou thoughtfully. Was this maid truly as scheming as Jiang Ruoyun had said? What did she want to gain from Jiang Ruoyun?

Jiang Ruoyun suddenly said to Xiao Rou, "Lu Feng and I are going to Azure Mushroom Mountain in a while. If you have nothing to do, go wander around town. Don't stay here. You can come back tomorrow."

"Mm, then I'll go home for a visit." Xiao Rou nodded happily. Her home was in the west of town, where her elderly father still needed care.

After Lu Feng and Jiang Ruoyun finished a simple meal, they set off toward Azure Mushroom Mountain. It would take more than half an hour to walk from Jiang Manor to Azure Mushroom Mountain. Along the way, Lu Feng and Jiang Ruoyun talked about many things, and he indirectly asked about all manner of matters in Azure Dragon Town.

What Lu Feng cared about most was naturally the whereabouts of the Dragon Saliva Water. Yet after asking around in many ways, Jiang Ruoyun had never even heard of it. Still, through their conversation, Lu Feng gained a deeper understanding of some things about Azure Dragon Town.

The land where Azure Dragon Town stood had once been wasteland long ago. In the center of the town stood a dragon-shaped stone. It had been entirely ordinary and unremarkable, until one day, when a craftsman skilled in carving happened to pass by. On a whim, he carved the dragon-shaped stone into the Azure Dragon Statue.

Later, the Azure Dragon Statue was discovered by some traveling merchants, and word gradually spread. It attracted many people, and where there were people came settlement and trade. After nearly a thousand years of change, the prosperous Azure Dragon Town of today came to be.

For a thousand years, the Azure Dragon Statue had remained in the plaza at the center of town. At every year's end, people gathered around it to burn incense and offer sacrifices. It had become the faith and solace of the town's people.

A beautiful yet desolate legend circulated among the people: if Azure Dragon Town ever faced a great calamity, the Azure Dragon Statue would come to life and protect the town.

However, Lu Feng had already seen that statue while wandering around that morning. Though it had been carved with lifelike detail, there was nothing special about it. No matter how he looked at it, it was merely the most ordinary stone sculpture.

Furthermore, from their conversation, Lu Feng also learned how the forces in Azure Dragon Town were divided. Azure Dragon Town could roughly be said to consist of one official and Eight Manors. The one official was the prison officer sent by Spirit Prison to govern the town, while the Eight Manors were Jiang Manor, where Jiang Ruoyun belonged; Qiao Manor, where Qiao Xue'er belonged; Tang Manor, where Tang Yuan—the man who had privately pledged their lives together with Qiao Xue'er—belonged; Yan Manor, where Yan He belonged; and the remaining Cheng Manor, Ma Manor, Shi Manor, Qu Estate...

The Eight Manors of Azure Dragon Town each operated in different fields and had different sources of wealth. Though competition existed, it was rare. Relatively speaking, they coexisted in harmony.

As they chatted and laughed along the way, Lu Feng and Jiang Ruoyun unknowingly arrived at the foot of Azure Mushroom Mountain.

Azure Mushroom Mountain did not fall under Azure Dragon Town's jurisdiction. The prison officer of Azure Dragon Town had no authority over anything that happened within the mountain. It could be called a lawless zone between neighboring towns.

"Let's not go too deep. We'll hunt around the outer perimeter," Jiang Ruoyun said cautiously. Deep within these mountains, the most terrifying things were not the high-level spirit beasts, but humans—humans who would stop at nothing for profit.

Lu Feng smiled knowingly, took out the Netherworld Bow from the Kirin Ring, and placed several arrows in his quiver, always guarding against danger that could arrive at any moment.

"Let's go. It'll be dangerous once night falls," Jiang Ruoyun said.

The two walked one before the other, raising both their sight and hearing to their sharpest state as they warily watched their surroundings.

Jiang Ruoyun walked ahead, using her long whip to clear a path. Thorns and vines burst apart to either side beneath her lashes, while Lu Feng kept his bow drawn and arrow nocked, scanning the surroundings and ensuring their safety at all times.

Jiang Manor, Side Courtyard, Jiang Ruoyun's residence.

"Damn it! They actually dared to trick me!" Jiang Feng stood at the entrance, seething with anger. The wound on his shoulder had improved considerably after being bandaged, but the fire in his heart only burned hotter.

Jiang Caiyun stood beside Jiang Feng, equally indignant. She chimed in sweetly, "That contract slave Lu Feng is truly too despicable. He actually dared to injure Brother Jiang Feng."

As she spoke, Jiang Caiyun craned her neck to look into Jiang Ruoyun's courtyard, surprise flashing across her face. "It seems they aren't here?"