Night Raid on the Lin Residence

At the west end of Linshan Town, a three-courtyard residence was brightly lit.

With high green-brick walls and vermilion-painted gates, guarded by two stone lions—in this frontier town, such an imposing residence was a rarity.

This was the private home of Lin Hai, owner of the Hongyun Gambling House.

Lin Hai was thirty-seven years old, portly in build with a fair complexion. His small eyes were habitually narrowed, revealing the shrewdness of a merchant.

He was a member of a branch family of the Lin family in Heishui City. Using his family's reputation and connections, he had established a business in Linshan Town and the surrounding forts, running gambling dens and lending money. Secretly, he was also involved in human trafficking and the fencing of stolen goods.

This line of work brought in money quickly, but it also brought even more enemies.

Over the years, Lin Hai had raised more than twenty thugs, and he himself had barely managed to step into the Blood Changing realm—not for the sake of fighting, but merely to strengthen his body and preserve his life.

Recently, as the harsh winter of the northern frontier approached, caravans from the Great Wilderness beyond the pass were returning one after another, and bandits from the depths of Dawang Mountain had begun to emerge.

The town had seen an influx of unfamiliar faces, most of them ruthless characters who lived by the blade. Lin Hai often woke up in a cold sweat at night, always feeling as if someone were watching him from outside his window.

And so, tonight, he invited Lei Jun, the young master of the town's only martial hall, the Leiming Martial Hall, to a banquet.

Inside the warm chamber, charcoal crackled in the brazier.

Lin Hai raised his glass, his face wreathed in smiles. "Young Master, this cup is for you. The martial hall's reputation is widespread, and Master Lei is truly a banner of our Linshan Town."

Lei Jun was in his early twenties, dressed in fine silks and a jade belt, his brows and eyes revealing the arrogance of a martial family descendant. He raised his glass in a perfunctory gesture and laughed, "Master Lin is too kind. My father often says that for a martial hall to establish itself in a region, it must protect the peace of that region."

Though the words were high-minded, both men knew the truth—this was business.

After three rounds of drinks, Lin Hai turned to the main topic and sighed. "I won't hide it from you, Young Master. I've been feeling uneasy lately. In the gambling business, enemies are unavoidable. With winter approaching from the north, all sorts of monsters and demons are crawling out of the woodwork."

Lei Jun set down his glass and said sternly, "What is Master Lin implying?"

"I would like to request that the martial hall send ten skilled men," Lin Hai said, holding up three fingers. "For a period of three months, to guard my residence and watch over the gambling house. As for the compensation..."

He clapped his hands.

Two servants entered from outside, carrying a red mahogany chest. When the lid was opened, it was filled with gleaming silver ingots and six stacked banknotes.

Another small box was opened, revealing a row of celadon bottles with red labels reading "Blood Replenishing Pill." Beside them, in a brocade box, lay a dozen strange herbs with purple leaves and bone-white flowers, emitting a faint, lingering fragrance.

A glint of light flashed in Lei Jun's eyes. Blood Replenishing Pills were rare and excellent for nourishing qi and blood.

Tendon Strengthening Grass and Bone Strengthening Flower—these were top-tier medicinal herbs for Body Forging realm martial artists to nourish their tendons and bones. Judging by their age, they were at least thirty years old.

At a pharmacy in Heishui City, a single stalk would cost over fifty taels, and even then, they were often unavailable.

"This is the deposit," Lin Hai lowered his voice. "Once the matter is concluded, there will be a further reward. If the martial hall is willing to cooperate long-term, I, Lin, have some influence in Heishui City. Medicinal herbs, pills—all of it can be arranged."

Lei Jun smiled, and this time, it was genuine.

He raised his wine glass. "You are straightforward, Boss Lin. Ten experts will arrive tomorrow. Three of them are in the body forging realm, more than enough to ensure your safety."

"Good, cheers!"

The two glasses clinked together.

Outside the warm pavilion window, a dark shadow lay silently in the shade of the eaves.

Qin Meng was like a stone statue, his breathing nearly stagnant. The environmental integration talent of the intermediate rank provided not only mimetic camouflage but also precise control over his body, shielding his temperature to blend in with his surroundings.

He opened his five senses, listening to the conversation inside. He recognized Lei Jun, the young master of the Leiming Martial Hall, at a glance, and his gaze swept over the chest of gold, silver, and medicinal herbs.

Lei Jun was likely in the blood changing realm.

Standing beside him were two guards, one old and one young. The young one was in the blood changing realm, while the old one was about forty, sturdy as an iron tower, his skin glowing with a bronze luster under the candlelight—clearly a martial artist who had tempered his skin in the body forging realm.

Lin Hai had only one guard standing beside him, with two more at the door.

There were six combatants in total.

In Qin Meng's eyes, these six people radiated different levels of heat.

The one with the most vigorous blood energy in the pavilion was the old guard beside Lei Jun, burning like a slow-stoked furnace; the others were like small, flickering fires, nothing to worry about.

His wild instinct talent spread out, and he felt no palpitations.

He could strike. Having made up his mind, Qin Meng slid down the eaves like a gecko, landing without a sound.

The rear window of the warm pavilion was left ajar for ventilation—the winter charcoal fire was stifling—which gave Qin Meng his chance. He slipped inside silently and hid, waiting for the right moment.

The banquet was coming to an end.

Lin Hai stood up and cupped his hands. "Thank you for gracing me with your presence tonight, Young Master. I will await the experts from your martial hall tomorrow..."

Before he could finish—

"Boom!" The wooden wall suddenly exploded, and splinters flew like arrows!

A dark shadow wrapped in cold wind and wood chips crashed into the warm pavilion, causing the candlelight to flicker wildly!

"Bastard! Who is it?" Lin Hai shrieked, his drunkenness instantly replaced by terror.

Lei Jun was young and had never encountered such an ambush; he sat frozen in shock. It was his old guard who reacted with lightning speed, grabbing him and pulling him back rapidly while shouting, "Assassin! Protect the Young Master!"

Qin Meng's target was clear—Lin Hai!

He took a step forward, shattering the floor tiles inch by inch. The waist saber in his hand carved a cold arc through the candlelight, aiming straight for Lin Hai's throat!

Lin Hai's blood changing realm cultivation was clearly inflated; he could only watch helplessly as the blade descended. If it connected, his head would fly, a one-hit kill.

But the guard beside him was faster—lunging forward to block the blade with his own body.

"Puchi—" The blade sank into flesh, slicing through half his neck as blood sprayed like a fountain!

Qin Meng was annoyed. He delivered a flying kick, sending the guard screaming as he flew backward, overturning tables and chairs. After hitting the ground, the man twitched a few times and went silent.

[Life source +6.3%]

Qin Meng once again felt that familiar warm energy drift into his body.

Lin Hai scrambled away, his voice hoarse as he screamed, "Young Hall Master, save me—!"

Only then did Lei Jun snap out of his stupor, his rage boiling over.

To assassinate an employer he had just finished negotiating with right in front of him—this was a slap in the face to Leiming Martial Hall!

"Who are you? How dare you commit murder here?"

Lei Jun drew his sword, the tip trembling—it was unclear whether from rage or fear.

Qin Meng turned his head, the scar on his sallow face twisting into a sinister grin. "A debt collector."

He took another step forward, and the blade flashed once more!

Lin Hai was terrified out of his wits, crawling toward Lei Jun on his hands and knees. "Young Hall Master, I have a heavy reward for you! Save me—!"

The blade was about to reach his neck!

Lin Hai was terrified out of his wits, crawling toward Lei Jun on his hands and knees. "Young Hall Master! I have a heavy reward for you! Save me—!"

The blade was about to reach his back!

"Insolent!"

A roar like thunder erupted, and the old guard finally moved!

His name was Zhao Tie, one of the ten Body Forging realm martial artists of Leiming Martial Hall. He took a single step forward, his thick-backed saber sweeping out, wrapped in a layer of crimson light.

"Clang—!"

Blade struck blade, sparks showering the air!

Qin Meng felt a surging, immense force travel through his weapon, numbing his palm and forcing him to retreat half a step!

Body Forging realm, huh? His eyes narrowed.

Zhao Tie was even more shocked. He had already channeled sixty percent of his blood energy into that strike; an ordinary Blood Changing realm martial artist should have had their weapon knocked from their hand and been coughing up blood by now! Yet, this assassin, whose blood energy fluctuations were not even that strong, had only been pushed back half a step?

"Take another blow!" Zhao Tie growled, swinging his saber in a wide arc and pushing his blood energy further. The crimson light on the blade intensified, cutting through the air with a faint, whistling wind.

Qin Meng did not retreat; instead, he surged forward!

He exerted force through his feet, causing the floor tiles to crack with a sharp snap. He did not dodge or parry, meeting the challenge head-on with his long blade.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Three consecutive strikes, each one more deafening than the last!

The candlelight in the warm pavilion was nearly extinguished by the force of the blade winds. Tables and chairs splintered, and bowls and dishes were sent flying.

The more Zhao Tie fought, the more alarmed he became—this assassin possessed an unbelievable amount of strength. Every strike was as heavy as a mountain, shaking his arms until they went numb.

What was even more terrifying was that while the opponent's swordsmanship lacked any discernible form, every move was ruthless and lethal, a style of fighting that disregarded his own life!

"Puchi—"

As their blades crossed for the fourth time, Qin Meng suddenly changed his technique. The blade edge flickered in a strange arc, carving a bloody gash into Zhao Tie's left arm.

"Senior Brother Zhao!" Lei Jun cried out in alarm.

Zhao Tie let out a muffled grunt and retreated. He looked down to see that the wound was not deep, but the strange force behind the opponent's blade had caused the blood flow in his entire arm to stagnate. Even more shocking was that his thick-backed blade had actually chipped in several places.

"Young Master, be careful! This man is strange!" Zhao Tie shouted sharply.

In that split second of hesitation, Qin Meng had already pounced toward Lin Hai like a cheetah.

Lin Hai had just crawled to the door of the warm pavilion and was reaching out to push it open and escape—

A flash of blade light!

"Urgh..." Lin Hai's neck was slashed open halfway. Blood surged wildly from his throat. With wide eyes, he clutched his neck with both hands before his body slumped limply to the ground.

"Wh... why..." Blood foam gushed from Lin Hai's mouth as he stared at the ferocious Qin Meng, breathing his last in a state of extreme unwillingness and confusion.

[Life source + 4.5%]