Egg

The poor Ox Tribe warrior.

When he went into the mushroom patch to gather edible mushrooms, he was directly sprayed with venom by a Black Ring Snake.

The Ox Tribe warrior reacted quickly, dodging as much as he could, but the venom still landed on his left eye. His eyeball was quickly corroded into blood, and the venom rapidly spread towards his head.

Shi Lingqing carried a very effective antidote.

She rushed over upon hearing the commotion and forced the antidote down the Ox Tribe warrior's throat. The warrior's life was no longer in danger, but losing an eyeball had cost him at least thirty percent of his combat power.

The aftereffects of the venom spreading through his head left the unlucky Ox Tribe warrior speaking incoherently, his thoughts jumbled.

This alone would reduce his combat power by more than ten percent.

Wu Tie stood on the small hill, silently watching Shi Lingqing and her group scramble.

From afar, seven or eight miles away, Luolin and his group were also observing them. All eight of them were there, accounted for.

"Truly an unlucky Ox Tribe fellow. Clumsy and careless, didn't he know Black Ring Snakes like to hide in mushroom patches or fern groves to ambush prey?" Wu Tie sighed. "Fortunately, it was just a Black Ring Snake. If it had been a Black Mamba, you'd be dead already."

It was clear that this Ox Tribe man's attack had nothing to do with Luolin and his group.

At least, Wu Tie couldn't see any connection.

Several miles away, Ding, carrying Luolin on his back, was running rapidly towards Wu Tie. Hearing the sound, Wu Tie patted the diamond-shaped protrusion on his chest with his left hand. His form-fitting armor shifted, and his hands and head were quickly covered by the armor.

Ding placed Luolin down dozens of meters away. Luolin, who had been beaten by Wu Tie the day before and suffered multiple fractures, slowly, astonishingly, walked to Wu Tie under his own power.

He carried no weapons. He particularly patted his waist, where the beast-skin pouch was usually attached. Those two short blades, capable of spinning in mid-air to attack and kill, were clearly not with him.

Wu Tie's fingers, gripping his spear, loosened slightly. The armor on his head shifted, and the faceplate silently slid open, revealing his boyish face. "An old fellow told me that a warrior never lets his weapons stray far from him."

Luolin stood about ten meters away and sat on a rock, shaking his head. "We're not warriors. We're Mist Blades. Ever heard of us?"

Wu Tie shook his head. Mist Blades? He truly hadn't heard of them.

Luolin exhaled and glanced towards where Shi Lingqing and her group were. The injured Ox Tribe warrior was still howling at the top of his lungs.

"What rotten luck, huh?" Luolin chuckled, then looked at Wu Tie and said gravely, "Mist Blades... we are killers, assassins, bloodthirsty beings who walk in darkness. To put it more plainly, whoever pays us, we help them kill."

Wu Tie looked at Luolin and pointed to Shi Lingqing in the distance. "Did someone pay you to kill them?"

Luolin shook his head and looked at Wu Tie, calmly stating, "This is personal revenge, unrelated to money or profit... What do you think Shi Lingqing is like?"

Wu Tie became very sensitive to this question, his heart skipping a beat. He replied flusteredly, "What kind of person is she? How would I know?"

Luolin gazed at Wu Tie profoundly. "Boss Wu said there aren't many traces of human activity around here. Are you the only one here?"

Luolin said gravely, "Wearing indestructible Ancient Treasure armor, wielding a spear of astonishing sharpness... I suspect it's also an Ancient Treasure."

"Your cultivation is probably at the early stage of Essence Blood Condensation? Just breaking through the first level of Foundation Establishment? Not even having condensed True Qi?"

"Yet your strength can completely suppress me."

"I practice the 'Mist Shadow Blood Kill' from the Mist Blade secret techniques, considered a top-tier Foundation Establishment secret art. I'm already at the half-step of Xuan Sensing, almost condensing spiritual energy. Yet, I'm being suppressed by you in terms of strength."

"Your Foundation Establishment technique comprehensively surpasses 'Mist Shadow Blood Kill'."

"Alone, young, possessing Ancient Treasures, with a supreme technique... Did you stumble into this desperate situation and luckily obtain an ancient inheritance, little fellow?"

Wu Tie was stunned by Luolin's words.

He took a few steps back in confusion, looking at Luolin in a panic.

How did they know so much? How did they know such details? It was as if they had witnessed Wu Tie's entire journey here.

Luolin looked at Wu Tie with certainty. "Do you see 'Qiao', the one who likes using chain blades among my brothers?"

Wu Tie looked over. Chain blades, a peculiar weapon. A sickle with a handle about a foot long and a blade about two feet long, connected to a thin iron chain several meters long at the handle.

During their fight yesterday, Wu Tie had paid close attention to this unusual weapon.

The one wielding it was a pale-faced, somewhat handsome young man with a slightly effeminate demeanor.

"It was him... who deduced it?" Luolin closed his faceplate again, enveloping his entire body in armor. Only then could he feel a sense of security.

"We spent one night searching everything within a two-hundred-mile radius," Luolin chuckled softly. "'Qiao' calculated that you've probably been here for less than a year."

"Few traces, clear clues. Qiao is the strategist of our team. He's been 'clever' and 'cunning' since childhood, and he excels at these things," Luolin said with a soft laugh. "So, I specifically came to visit you."

Wu Tie interrupted Luolin. "What are you trying to say? You have more people, you can suppress me?"

Luolin was silent for a moment, then his tone suddenly became extremely stiff and cold. "If your family was murdered, and in the most brutal way, what would you do?"

"Avenge them!" Wu Tie's eyes heated up, and he said loudly without hesitation.

"I am seeking revenge!" Luolin looked at Wu Tie with icy eyes. "Shi Lingqing is the main culprit who killed my sister. Why are you stopping me? Is it because she's beautiful?"

Wu Tie's heart panicked. He wanted to say something.

But he couldn't bring himself to speak.

In his subconscious, he agreed with Luolin's sentiment. If his family was murdered, revenge was necessary. Moreover, Old Tie had also instilled in Wu Tie the idea that revenge must be absolute, leaving no loose ends.

Old Tie was never a kind, soft-hearted person!

He had instilled in Wu Tie many extremely radical and dangerous thoughts of slaughter.

But from Wu Tie's true heart...

Regarding Shi Lingqing... Wu Tie's voice trembled slightly, "She's the main culprit who killed your sister? Perhaps you've made a mistake?"

Luolin gave Wu Tie a deep look. "We have eight people. We can take turns in three shifts. You're alone, your energy can't compare to ours. We are the Mist Blades, masters of all methods that lead to death."

"If we were to confront you head-on, it would cost us a considerable price to kill you. But with other methods..." Luolin struggled to stand up and walked towards Ding step by step. "Qiao asked me to pass on a message... We don't want to be your enemy, but you shouldn't overestimate yourself either."

Wu Tie's face flushed, filled with shame and indignation.

He clenched his spear and took a sudden step forward. Luolin had already spread his hands, smiling at him. "What? You want to kill an unarmed enemy?"

Wu Tie's steps faltered. He looked at Luolin, his mind in a turmoil, unsure of how to proceed.

Luolin chuckled and lightly returned to Ding's side. Ding glared fiercely at Wu Tie and quickly left, carrying Luolin on his back.

After Luolin and Ding had gone far away, a Metal Spider darted out from a fern thicket. Old Tie's stiff voice sounded.

"Little newbie, you were found out with just a few words."

"But it's not your fault... this group of little guys is far more professional than you."

"What should I do?" Wu Tie looked at the Metal Spider helplessly, knowing that Old Tie was watching him through it, using some unknown method.

"That's up to you to decide," Old Tie said. "Ask your heart. Do you believe Luolin's words? Or will you choose to help Shi Lingqing?"

"Humans, social intelligent beings, you must learn to deal with your own kind," Old Tie cackled. "Grandpa can teach you many things, but there are many things you can't learn from me."

"Grandpa is just an Ancient Divine Weapon, not a human." Old Tie's tone carried a hint of gleeful schadenfreude. "Besides, this is a rare trial opportunity... Those pitiful Giant Hippos and Gray Rock Lizards can no longer pose any threat to you... From today on, sleep with one eye open..."

"Learn well how to deal with people!" Old Tie laughed. "During this process, Grandpa won't remind you or help you. Use your wisdom to resolve this matter... Although, Grandpa doesn't believe there are more than a few drops of wisdom in your little head."

The Metal Spider retreated.

Wu Tie, annoyed, kicked a rock.

Did Old Tie mean that he, Wu Tie, was stupid?

Gritting his teeth, Wu Tie suddenly leaped and glided, rapidly heading in the direction where Luolin and his group were. He landed on a small mound about a hundred meters away from Luolin and the others, and sternly issued another warning to them.

"I don't care who you are or what your reasons are. In short, this is my territory, and you are not allowed to fight here." Wu Tie waved his hand threateningly, and a fist-sized rock lifted off the ground, flying out with a sharp whistling sound.

With a 'swish', the rock grazed past Luolin's face and hit a stalagmite behind him heavily.

The stalagmite, as thick as a man's embrace, was gouged out with a foot-square opening by the rock, sending large chunks of stone flying. The display was terrifying.

"If you dare to make a move, don't blame me for being ruthless." Wu Tie swung his spear, then leaped backward, lightly gliding a long distance away.

Luolin, Boss Wu, and the others looked grimly at the damaged stalagmite.

When Wu Tie controlled dozens of stones to attack, the momentum was grand, but the lethality was limited.

However, when he used the full power of 'Control Heaven and Earth' to control just one stone, its single-target destructive power became incredibly terrifying. At the very least, Boss Wu and the others felt that if they were ambushed and hit by Wu Tie, they would be severely injured.

"Tricky kid, but if he's alone... it's useless."

The Chain Blade rested on his shoulder, Qiao, with a pale face and a sinister complexion, chuckled softly. "As long as the plan is good, eliminating Shi Lingqing won't be difficult... Especially, I'm a bit interested in the ancient inheritance this little guy obtained."

"Brothers, what do you think?" Qiao looked at Boss Wu, then at Luolin, and then at the other young men. "Judging by his appearance, he looks about eleven or twelve years old. He's at the first level of Foundation Establishment, yet he can suppress the third brother who was almost breaking through to the Foundation Establishment realm. Hey, are you interested in this inheritance?"

Boss Wu, Luolin, and the others exchanged glances and burst into excited laughter.

Luolin had specifically visited Wu Tie earlier to probe his background... Now they were certain that Wu Tie was the only lucky one in this realm, and he had no other kin here.

If that's the case, it wouldn't be difficult to deal with Wu Tie.

"Let's do it. Qiao, you need to plan meticulously," Boss Wu said with a light, happy laugh.

In the following days, Shi Lingqing and her group encountered constant trouble.

Various strange and exotic venomous insects kept attacking her guards, and several bizarre accidents occurred.

Two more Human Race guards by Shi Lingqing's side were bitten by venomous spiders. Although they took antidotes in time, they still lost more than half of their combat strength in a short period.

Another Ox Tribe warrior went to the river to fetch water and somehow disturbed a giant Water Python. He was whipped by its tail, nearly breaking his spine. Under the cover of his companions, the Ox Tribe warrior managed to escape, but he wouldn't be able to fight for at least a month.

Shi Lingqing's group became dejected, realizing that if this continued, they would all perish here.

Wu Tie observed quietly for a few days. He also felt that something was wrong. One day, after eating his fill, he finally came to Shi Lingqing's wooden shed and looked at the unlucky guard who had just had his toe bitten by a Little Flying Snake.

"You've been quite unlucky these past couple of days," Wu Tie said stiffly, looking at Shi Lingqing.

Shi Lingqing's small face looked rather pale. The wound from the Blood-Scarred Fang-Breaking Snake's sneak attack a few days ago had likely not healed yet, as her steps seemed a bit awkward.

She looked at Wu Tie pitifully and whispered, "Young Master, this isn't an accident. These are clearly the ruthless and black-hearted... villains..."

Shi Lingqing suddenly burst into tears, two streams of clear tears flowing down her cheeks. "They, they, they used such shameless means to slaughter over a hundred of my clansmen in Thousand Fish City's Shi Family... Over a thousand family warriors were all poisoned in the water source and massacred overnight!"

Wu Tie swallowed. Over a thousand family warriors?

How powerful was the Shi Family of Thousand Fish City... At its peak, the Wu Family only had a little over fifty qualified family warriors.

Wu Tie wanted to say something, but he had no experience comforting young women. He stood there like a wooden post. At that moment, everyone heard dull footsteps approaching from a distance.

One of the youths in Luolin's group, carrying a longbow, rushed over with a gust of wind, shouting wildly about a "monster" and zipping past Wu Tie.

Before Wu Tie could figure out what was happening, a large, basin-sized green egg smashed heavily onto him, shattering with a 'splat'.

Wu Tie wasn't wearing his helmet, and egg yolk splattered all over his head and face.

The ground shook slightly, and then the tremors grew stronger.