He slowed his pace, his hand quietly reaching for the Silver Needles in his robes. After walking for about two miles, he saw a patch of woods ahead, with the path running through the middle of it.
The moment Lin Taichu entered the woods, he heard a whistle. Immediately afterward, more than a dozen men armed with blades and axes sprang out from the grass on both sides, surrounding him.
At their head stood a scar-faced middle-aged man, gripping a Ghost-head Saber. He stared at Lin Taichu with a cold sneer. "Lin Taichu, we finally caught you."
Lin Taichu swept his gaze over the people around him. Their clothes were ordinary, but their weapons were of fine quality, and their stances were steady. One look was enough to tell that they were trained fighters, not common bandits.
His heart sank. There was no need to think about it—Zhao Tianba had sent these people.
"Zhao Tianba sent you?" Lin Taichu remained where he was, warily studying the people around him. "He certainly has plenty of free time. He just lost a duel, yet he dares send people to block my way. Is he not afraid I'll return and tell the Lingxiao Sect, so they come knocking at his door?"
The scar-faced man gave a derisive snort. "Sect Leader Zhao said that as long as we deal with you, there'll be no evidence left. Even if the Lingxiao Sect suspects something, they won't be able to prove it. Besides, this is the middle of nowhere. Once we kill you and throw your body into a ravine, who will know we did it?"
Lin Taichu knew full well that since they had dared to ambush him here, they must have come thoroughly prepared.
His injuries had yet to fully recover, and he had