Blood Refining Warrior and the Dark Vortex

"Halt, both of you!"

As they finally neared the village, someone spotted them and shouted to stop them.

Xia Fengshe and Ou Yanling merely wished for lodging, so they dismounted and waited for the person to approach.

A patrol squad met them. Seeing that both were dressed as martial artists, they sent one person back to the village to report and the other three approached Xia and Ou.

About ten meters away, the patrol squad stopped. The leader was a bald man who could tell Xia Fengshe was the leader between the two. He looked at him.

"Where are you from?"

Xia Fengshe cupped his fists in a salute and politely said, "I am Xia Fengshe, from Youshan City. I've been hired to escort my employer to Guihua City to visit relatives. It's getting late, and we'd like to lodge in your village for the night. Please, be accommodating."

Xia Fengshe was usually a scoundrel, but when he was serious, he still had a rogue's demeanor. Especially with his sturdy build and bulging muscles, he didn't look like a good person at all.

The bald man hesitated. Qingshan Village was in a mess right now; even their chief was severely injured after a fierce fight with a monster.

With two more strangers of unknown origin arriving, he couldn't make a decision.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. Not far away, the patrol squad leader was leading a group into the village. He quickly called out, "Headman Hua, these two outsiders want to lodge here tonight."

"Damn it, Baldy, what time is it? You're still bothering with this nonsense? Chase these two away. Why are they coming to the village at this time? Are they looking to die?"

The group slightly changed direction, and a middle-aged man shouted loudly at the bald man.

The bald man's face instantly darkened. It was true he was bald, but what did calling him "Baldy" mean?

Suppressing his anger, he turned to Xia Fengshe and said, "Brother, as you can see, our headman doesn't agree to you lodging here tonight. Although the sun has just set, there's still some light. If you travel east for another hour and a half, there's another village called Yuyang Village."

"Stop talking!"

Xia Fengshe suddenly waved his hand, interrupting the bald man, and asked loudly, "Tell me, is the village in trouble? Did a monster enter the village?"

This was a normal guess. The squad leader's refusal to let them lodge was partly to protect them from any accidents, and partly because they were unknown and he feared they might cause trouble.

Slap!

Xia Fengshe took out his token and threw it directly to the bald man. "Let me reintroduce myself. I am Xia Fengshe, the chief of the Bihai Association in Youshan City."

He looked at everyone sincerely, as if looking at a pile of money. "If there are monsters in the village, I can help. As long as, as long as you give me a small reward."

He opened his right hand, extended his index finger, and a burst of violent Inner Qi erupted. "See? I am a Body Refining Realm martial artist. I can truly help you solve your problems."

"And you only need to pay a small reward."

The air suddenly fell silent. Everyone looked at the bear-like Xia Fengshe. Although they knew he was a martial artist, they didn't expect this big guy to be a Body Refining Realm martial artist.

The Body Refining Realm had three stages: Body Refining, Bone Refining, and Blood Refining, each more difficult to break through than the last.

"Hmm... this brother speaks well. With him here, it should be easier for us to deal with that Blood Sha."

The speaker was a pale-faced man wearing a tall hat and green robes, dressed like a scholar, appearing refined.

"Wh-what?"

Xia Fengshe's body suddenly stiffened. He turned around with difficulty and looked at the pale-faced man, a dangerous look on his face. "Brother, are you saying there's a... Blood Sha in this village?"

"Yes." The pale-faced man smiled, his smile even more sincere. "Brother is truly warm-hearted. Don't worry, the reward will satisfy you."

Reward?

Whoever wants this reward can have it. I don't want it!

Xia Fengshe's expression suddenly changed. He glanced at Ou Yanling and cupped his hands to everyone. "Everyone, my employer is anxious to see her relatives. I think... we should continue on our way."

Ou Yanling also cupped her fists towards everyone, appearing delicate and weak.

After Xia Fengshe finished his pleasantries, he was about to mount his horse and leave. He absolutely could not stay in this village. He, a Body Refining Realm martial artist, encountering a Blood Sha was seeking death.

Just then, the pale-faced man suddenly put a hand on Xia Fengshe's shoulder and said earnestly, "A true man keeps his word. Brother, you're not really planning to just leave, are you?"

"Get lost."

Xia Fengshe's face darkened. His protective Inner Qi surged, and it seemed necessary to teach these people a lesson. He, Xia Fengshe, came and went as he pleased...

Huh?

He turned his head. On his shoulder, a palm pressed down. His protective Inner Qi continuously surged out, only to be extinguished.

At the same time, an explosive force gathered at his shoulder, held back but ready to unleash.

But he was absolutely certain that once this force erupted, he would be blown to pieces.

There was no other way to die.

"Heh... hehe."

Xia Fengshe's face froze, then he said word by word, "Blood Refining Realm!"

Stupid! I should have realized it earlier. A martial artist capable of handling a Blood Sha-level monster would be at least a Blood Refining Realm martial artist.

Why did I even say pleasantries when I first heard about the Blood Sha? I should have just ridden away on my horse.

"L-Lord, I was just joking. Of course, there isn't!"

The pale-faced man smiled with satisfaction. "I knew you were joking. The first time I saw you, I thought you were a warm-hearted person."

"Here, I have a pill that's very beneficial for the Body Refining Realm. Eat it, and this is your advance payment."

With his right hand on Xia Fengshe's shoulder, the man intently watched the flow of power within him, ready to strike him dead if there was any anomaly. With his other hand, he picked up a gray pill and offered it to Xia Fengshe.

"Sir, is this really necessary?" Xia Fengshe's voice turned cold.

"What do you think?" The pale-faced man smiled, but his eyes held a chilling indifference. If Xia Fengshe didn't know his place, he'd cripple him on the spot.

This high-level cannon fodder who had rushed over – how could he possibly let him escape?

"Hmph!" Sensing the pale-faced man's bottom line, Xia Fengshe took the pill and swallowed it without hesitation.

The hand withdrew. The pale-faced man's smile vanished. He glanced at Xia Fengshe, signaling him to follow.

"Just as I was thinking of testing the depths of this monster, heaven sends me a Body Refining Realm cannon fodder. Looks like my luck is pretty good this time."

Then, he led the patrol members directly into the village.

Behind him, Xia Fengshe's face was pale. He let out a heavy sigh and followed.

Though he didn't know what the pill the pale-faced man had made him eat was, he could guess it was some kind of slow-acting poison.

It was a shame his message talisman was too low-grade to reach Youshan City. Otherwise, he could have called for reinforcements.

After taking a couple of steps, his peripheral vision suddenly caught Ou Yanling following behind him. A surge of violence erupted in his heart. It was all this woman's fault. If not for her, he wouldn't have come here, and if he hadn't come here, he wouldn't be under someone's control!

He turned around and cursed, "You stinking..."

"Brother Xia, what are you saying..."

Ou Yanling looked up, her eyes as dark as ink, like a deep-sea vortex. She quietly watched Xia Fengshe, her face serene, her voice still soft.

"Oh, oh, it's nothing."

Xia Fengshe's mind suddenly became chaotic, his eyes hazy. He turned back in a daze and followed the team. Ou Yanling silently followed behind him, like a little follower.

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