Harvest

After removing the storage ring from Pei Xiong's hand, Lin Ming glanced across the abyss. But there was no sign of anyone on the other side now. They had probably started fleeing the moment Pei Xiong was defeated. Lin Ming no longer paid attention to those who had run away. Without a Dou Master to hold it together, the Pei Family Mercenary Group could not survive against another Mercenary Group with two Dou Masters. Disbandment was inevitable.

Lin Ming sat cross-legged and began to recover Dou Qi. He had seen two figures approaching from this direction. Anyone who still dared to approach at a time like this either believed their strength was no weaker than Pei Xiong's, or thought they had no grudge against him and that he would not attack them.

But regardless of which it was, Lin Ming had to remain wary. He had just finished a major battle and had used at least two Profound Tier Dou Techniques. In a place this small, the appearance of even one Profound Tier Dou Technique could cause two Mercenary Groups to fight to the death, let alone at least two.

Before long, the two figures arrived on the other side of the abyss. Looking at Lin Ming as he regulated his breathing, they made no unusual moves and simply waited there.

Half an hour later, Lin Ming got to his feet and looked at the man and woman across from him. When Lin Ming saw them, they looked at him, and the man spoke first. "My wife and I thank you, young friend Lin, for saving our daughter Shanshan. We will never forget this lifesaving kindness."

Lin Ming had been about to say that he had not saved their daughter. The Pei Family Mercenary Group had simply been courting death by provoking him. But then he heard the man continue, "Our daughter has already told us the full course of events, so there is no need for you to decline."

Since they already knew what had happened, Lin Ming had no need to explain further. He did not want to waste words.

Seeing Lin Ming remain silent, the two hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "How does young friend Lin intend to handle the Pei Family Mercenary Group?"

That was probably their true reason for coming. Although they guessed Lin Ming was someone from a Great Family here to gain experience, no one could be certain without confirmation. If Lin Ming stayed and formed his own Mercenary Group, they would have to make preparations early. After all, people in the same trade were rivals. If their interests clashed in the future, they needed to have a plan.

"I have no time to deal with the Pei Family Mercenary Group. If you want it, handle it yourselves. Consider it payment for Shi Shanshan taking care of Yin Lin for me. If there is nothing else, you may leave." Lin Ming finished speaking and glanced at Yin Lin beside him. Yin Lin had only arrived just now. Lin Ming had initially left her on the slope behind him so that he could take her with him even if he needed to leave. Only after the danger had passed did he summon Yin Lin over.

Seeing Lin Ming's attitude, the two clasped their fists and said, "Then my wife and I will take our leave." With that, they turned and departed. They were likely hurrying back to deal with the Pei Family Mercenary Group. Setting aside their old grudges, that group had even tried to harm their daughter not long ago. Now that they knew Lin Ming had no intention of taking over, they had nothing to fear.

Watching the two leave, Lin Ming knew that the Pei Family Mercenary Group would cease to exist today. The other members might be spared, but the Pei family's remaining two brothers would likely be unable to escape disaster. Forget it. There was no need to think about such trivial matters. He should see what Pei Xiong's storage ring contained.

Lin Ming opened Pei Xiong's storage ring. Inside was a pile of Gold Coin, roughly thirty thousand in total. There was one Yellow Tier High-grade Cultivation Method, one Yellow Tier High-grade saber technique, one Black Tier Low-grade fist technique, one Third-Order Magic Core, three Second-Order Magic Cores, and over a dozen First-Order Magic Cores. There were also various miscellaneous items.

This Third-Order Magic Core was likely the core of Yin Lin's mother, that large Scaled Beast. Lin Ming planned to keep it and, once he could refine a Shaping Pill in the future, make one for Yin Lin. He would give it to her after she took human form. It should be mentioned that Yin Lin was a Female Magical Beast. That was why Lin Ming had named her Yin Lin. In the original story, there were Medusa Cai Lin and Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils Qing Lin. Yin Lin's scales were silver all over, so Lin Ming had named her Yin Lin.

Lin Ming examined the Black Tier Low-grade fist technique. It was the Blood Explosion Fist Dou Technique Pei Xiong had used at the end. It was a fist technique that only reached Black Tier Low-grade by relying on self-mutilation. No wonder. At first, Lin Ming had wondered whether his Explosive Thunder Fist was really that powerful, enough to blast his opponent's arm into Blood Mist. It turned out that was due to the Dou Technique itself. That also explained why Pei Xiong had not used a Profound Tier Dou Technique earlier and had only used it after being defeated by Lin Ming's Startling Swan Saber Technique. Unless one had reached a dead end, no one wanted to injure themselves.

"Trash," Lin Ming said flatly. Forget the fact that this fist technique injured its user—even if it did not, Lin Ming no longer thought much of a Black Tier Low-grade Dou Technique. He put the Third-Order Magic Core and the Gold Coin into his own storage ring, then returned everything else to Pei Xiong's storage ring. Once he returned to the clan, he would toss it to someone else to deal with. He was not going to bother with such things himself.

After finishing up, Lin Ming called Yin Lin over and began descending the slope. After this battle, Lin Ming felt that breaking through to Dou Master was not far away.

On the Pei Family Mercenary Group's side, after those who had fled back reported Pei Xiong's death, everyone began grabbing whatever they could carry and fleeing. No one knew whether that person would come here to settle accounts. Even if he did not, once word spread that the Pei Family Mercenary Group's only Dou Master had died, their rivals, the Stone Beast Mercenary Group, would not miss such a good opportunity. If the other side's two Dou Masters came over, no one here could stop them. So they might as well take whatever they could now and run. They could return after things calmed down. By then, no one would care about insignificant grunts like them. Thinking this, the Pei Family Mercenary Group was soon completely abandoned.

When the Stone Beast Mercenary Group arrived with their men, all they saw was the empty Pei Family Mercenary Group. They could only sigh. Their former rival had ended up like this, making them reflect on the cruelty of this world. It was because they had offended someone they should not have offended, and more directly, because they themselves had been too weak. If Pei Xiong had won, he would have obtained everything Lin Ming had. With several Profound Tier Dou Techniques, Pei Xiong would have had no rival left in Stone Horse Town. The Stone Beast Mercenary Group would probably have met the same fate. Therefore, there was no pity. With an order from Shi Lin, his subordinates began searching for the Pei family's remaining two brothers.

"Captain, we found Pei Feng, the deputy captain of the Pei Family Mercenary Group." A man reported to Shi Lin and threw someone before him.

Shi Lin looked at the former deputy captain of the Pei Family Mercenary Group. Pei Feng's facial expression was pale, and he looked utterly listless, which surprised Shi Lin somewhat. He had received word that Pei Feng had been injured some time ago and had been recuperating ever since. But more than a month had already passed. Why did he look even worse now?

"Were you injured by Young Master Lin?" Shi Lin asked Pei Feng.

Hearing Shi Lin's question, Pei Feng gritted his teeth but said nothing.

"Tell me where your third brother is, and I'll let you die quickly," Shi Lin said as he looked at the silent Pei Feng.

"Do you think he would still come back?" Pei Feng asked in return.

That made sense. Shi Lin said nothing more and gave his subordinate a look. The man immediately swung his saber and killed Pei Feng. Looking at Pei Feng's corpse on the ground, Shi Lin had someone bury him. Once a person was dead, all grudges were settled. Let him rest in peace. Afterward, the Stone Beast Mercenary Group searched the Pei Family Mercenary Group from top to bottom but failed to find Pei Yuan, its third captain. It seemed that, true to his name, he had gone far away.

After searching through the Pei Family Mercenary Group, they found little besides some properties, land deeds, and large items. Most of the rest had likely been taken by the ordinary mercenaries of the Pei Family Mercenary Group. But now that the group had disbanded, as long as those people did not come out to oppose the Stone Beast Mercenary Group, Shi Lin would be generous and let the matter go.

That night, inside the room, Shi Lin looked through the sorted accounts and said to his wife, "Sister Miao, we'll keep these properties. As for the rest, I want to convert them into Gold Coin and give them to young friend Lin. Although young friend Lin said we could decide for ourselves, we should still give what is due. Whether he accepts it or not is his own matter. That is beyond our control."

Shi Lin's wife, Man Miao, said, "Brother Lin, I support this. Setting aside his kindness in saving our daughter, he also dealt with Pei Xiong and made us the largest Mercenary Group here. This is what we should do. Besides, we already gained the properties and land deeds."

"Good. Tomorrow, I'll have the brothers keep an eye out for young friend Lin. If any of them run into him, they can pass along a message: once he leaves, he should come to Stone Horse Town and visit the Stone Beast Mercenary Group. We will give him the Gold Coin from converting those goods. As for whether he comes, that is up to him." Shi Lin spoke, then put out the lamp and went to sleep.

On Lin Ming's side, five days had passed since his battle with Pei Xiong. Yesterday, Lin Ming had encountered a group from the Stone Beast Mercenary Group. After meeting him, they told him what had become of the Pei Family Mercenary Group. They also informed him that their captain intended to convert the seized supplies into Gold Coin for him. They told him that after leaving, he could go to the Stone Beast Mercenary Group to collect it, then took their leave.

Upon hearing this, Lin Ming inwardly sighed. As expected of an Old Hand. Not everyone could bring themselves to give away such a sum. Pei Xiong's possessions alone showed that the people here were not wealthy. His only Profound Tier Dou Technique was merely Black Tier Low-grade, and it even required self-mutilation. The Stone Beast Mercenary Group, as Pei Xiong's rival, was probably no better off. Otherwise, despite having two Dou Masters, they would not have merely been on equal footing with the Pei Family Mercenary Group.

Lin Ming naturally had no interest in such a small amount of wealth, so he did not intend to collect it. Right now, he only wanted to break through to Dou Master. Then, in another two or three months, Jia Nan Academy would begin admissions, and he would have to hurry back.