Meeting the Enemy

This was a group of men heavy with malice, their hands stained with countless lives. Each one had a fierce glint in their eyes, clearly not men of good character as they charged toward the entrance of the village.

"You bunch of rustic wild folk, you want to resist? A single charge from us will leave you with nowhere to be buried." A man with a scar on his face sat atop a ferocious beast, speaking coldly. He did not regard the villagers in the slightest, his aura of malice staggering.

There were not many of them, perhaps a little over a hundred, but they were all battle-hardened veterans, especially the few leaders who possessed powerful bone text secret arts.

"Boom," "Boom"...

At the same time, a terrifying sound erupted from behind them. The earth shook and rumbled as a gargantuan entity appeared.

It was a Pangolin, its entire body a pale gold. It was unimaginably massive, stretching dozens of meters long, crouching there like a golden mountain of flesh. Its eyes, like golden lanterns, gazed toward Stone Village, radiating intense Sha Qi.

Upon seeing this ferocious beast, everyone's heart turned cold. This was a Sacrificial Spirit; how could ordinary people possibly contend with it?!

Generally, a Sacrificial Spirit protected the human race, residing permanently in a village or town to accept the sacrifices of the people, and would not leave easily. Yet, this one was moving about on its own.

In particular, this Sacrificial Spirit was filled with extreme malice. A layer of blood-red light shimmered faintly over its pale gold scales, indicating it had surely engaged in endless slaughter and even devoured other Sacrificial Spirits—it was the most troublesome kind!

Shi Linhu, Shi Feijiao, and the others felt a sense of powerlessness rise within them. The moment they saw it, they knew they could absolutely do nothing against this dozens-of-meters-long Sacrificial Spirit; even if the whole village went up together, it would be a futile death.

That intimidating blood aura, the heaven-toppling fluctuations, and the terrifying runes were awe-inspiring. Just by looking at it, an involuntary sense of defeat took root.

"Do you feel your own insignificance? A bunch of aphids, yet you dare to dream of contending with a True Hou?!" A leader riding a beast sneered.

"Put down those ridiculous bows and arrows; what can they do? They are completely useless. Obey our commands, and we will spare your lives!" another man said coldly.

"What do you want?" an elderly clan elder asked, trembling as he stepped forward.

"Old man, you only need to follow orders; no need to run your mouth." A leader scolded, then raised his hand and lashed out with a horsewhip. A rune flickered, and the elder was sent flying instantly, a spray of blood erupting.

"Third Uncle!"

A group of people from the village rushed up to catch the old man. The children's eyes filled with tears, while the adult men's eyes turned bloodshot, ready to rush forward and fight to the death.

"Stop!" the village chief shouted, preventing them from acting immediately.

"Don't worry, the old man won't die; it was just a lesson for you." The man who struck laughed and said, "We aren't unreasonable, nor do we want to start a massacre for no reason. As long as you satisfy our demands, you will be safe."

The villagers glared with wide eyes, looking forward, all remaining silent.

"We give you twenty days to hand over five hundred jin of black gold. If you have enough on hand, then consider yourselves lucky. If not, go find a source of ore as quickly as possible. Otherwise, when the time is up, those who cannot pay will be killed without mercy!" the man said with a cold, sinister tone.

"Did you hear that? If you can't do it, in twenty days, we will wash this village in blood. We will slaughter everyone, leaving not a single survivor!" another leader shouted.

At the same time, the pale gold Sacrificial Spirit also raised its head and roared, shaking the mountains and valleys. Golden mist surged from its body, gorgeous yet hazy, chilling the soul. The villagers did not act rashly, their expressions miserable. A gap was a gap; they truly could not contend with them, and they were far from being a match for this group of fierce bandits.

The children held their faces tight, shocked, afraid, and angry. They had never encountered such a thing before—being bullied to the very entrance of their village, yet unable to fight back.

The Willow Deity was in deep slumber, like an ordinary piece of withered wood. The villagers had lost their protection, feeling stifled and pained, wishing they could just charge into a battle with the enemy.

Some children had red, swollen eyes, tears on the verge of falling. The opponent was so powerful, bullying them right at their doorstep, yet they had no way to respond.

"A bunch of wild folk, daring to resist with bows and arrows—you don't know what's good for you. Do you know that in this region alone, we have wiped out at least eight or ten villages just like yours?" one man scoffed, scanning the village entrance.

Shi Feijiao and the others were furious, but the village chief, Shi Yunfeng, ordered them not to act rashly. Everyone clenched their fists, feeling incredibly pained. When had they ever been humiliated like this?!

"Remember, you only have twenty days, or else wait for your clan to be wiped out!" a leader shouted, then lashed out with his whip again.

Runes flashed, and a bloody welt appeared on the faces of Shi Linhu and Shi Feijiao, the skin splitting and blood splashing from the deep wounds.

The group of strong men felt as if their eyes were about to spit fire. A scholar can be killed but not humiliated; if it were up to them, they would have fought to the death immediately.

However, the village chief still held them back, preventing them from throwing their lives away, stopping them with a stern gaze.

"Haha..." the leaders laughed, then turned their beasts around and rode away.

The pale gold Sacrificial Spirit turned, its golden eyes, as large as lanterns, coldly scanning the villagers once before stepping away. It moved with the force of an earthquake, booming as it left, truly terrifying.

"Wait!" A loud sound erupted from the direction of Stone Village.

In Stone Village, a pillar of golden light pierced the clouds. Shi Lin descended like a god, slowly flying from the golden pillar to stand before the people of Stone Village.

"Do not fear, I am here!"

The moment Shi Lin appeared, it was like a sedative for the people of Stone Village.

After all, Shi Lin's strength was plain to see.

"Who is this brat!" a leader who was preparing to leave barked.

The group of bandits stopped and looked toward Shi Lin.

"Me?" Shi Lin looked back at the bandits and took a step forward.

"You are not worthy of knowing, because you are all about to die!"

"Truly not knowing what's good for you, just a little brat, hahaha!" The bandits didn't take Shi Lin seriously at all.

Several of the bandits revealed smiles, their teeth white and sinister, looking quite cruel. Beneath them were several massive Mastiffs, standing two to three meters tall and five to six meters long, their canine teeth like daggers, white and frightening.

These Mastiffs, raised in the Great Wilderness, were fierce and sharp, with the most powerful sense of smell. They believed that even if the villagers left the village, they would not be able to truly escape.

"Brat, don't be ignorant, watch out, or we'll kill you!"

Shi Lin was speechless, staring at them coldly.

"Eh, that is..." Suddenly, a bandit spotted the Unicorn that had flashed through the village, a fierce glint appearing in his eyes, followed by a look of surprise.

"It's a variant of the Scaled Horse—a Unicorn! It has a sturdy build, its whole body shimmering with silver light, and it can travel ten thousand li a day. It's a mount with incredible speed!"

"Not just one, there are so many!"

The bandits all squinted their eyes, filled with immense excitement and agitation.

These spirit beasts were not particularly powerful, but they were prized for their speed and extreme rarity.

If they could mount these Unicorns, they would truly be able to come and go like the wind, moving with such swiftness that they could traverse the vast Great Wilderness and remain invincible.

"Hmm, being ridden by a group of children—are they preparing to flee at any moment?" one leader stared coldly, then looked toward the group of adults at the village entrance and said, "Make them come over and offer up the Unicorns."

However, no one responded; the group of strong men at the village entrance merely watched him with cold indifference.

"Wild folk, have you all gone mute? Did you not hear what I said? Tell those children to lead the Unicorns over and present them to us, or we will wash this village in blood immediately!" another leader threatened. He wore black armor, his gaze as piercing as a blade.

He urged his ferocious beast forward and swung his horsewhip, lashing out at the faces of Shi Linhu, Shi Feijiao, and the others. It was he who had previously whipped deep wounds into the faces of the men, drawing plenty of blood. He was just as savage and arrogant this time, attacking without a word, his malice astonishing.

"Bang!"

Shi Lin grabbed the whip, gave it a sharp tug, and sent the leader flying a great distance.

"Awoo..." the leader shrieked.

Dust billowed as his head and face made intimate contact with the ground. Blood sprayed from his mouth and nose; his mouth in particular was a mangled mess of flesh, and over a dozen teeth had been knocked out.

This turn of events was shocking. The bandits, never expecting that this weak village would dare to resist—let alone be defended by a child—were momentarily stunned.

The leader, furious and terrified, began to glow as runes intertwined around his body. He scrambled to his feet and charged at Shi Lin.

"You little brat, die!"

Shi Lin turned around, not even sparing him a glance, and flicked a rune from his hand, striking the leader and sending him flying once more.

"Pfft!"

A sound of tearing flesh rang out. The leader screamed as he slammed into a giant boulder, his bones shattered in multiple places and his body left in tatters.

Shi Lin lifted his left hand, drawing the man toward him like a dead dog, and tossed him at the village entrance. Shi Linhu stepped forward, planting a large foot firmly on the man's chest, and roared, "Weren't you being arrogant?"

"You dared to whip our faces? We've been enduring you for a long time!" A group of grown men crowded around, stomping down with their heavy boots.

"Ah..."

"Pfft!"

The leader's face deformed instantly, crushed like a rotten watermelon.

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. The group of bandits stood frozen; it was all too sudden. Last time, the villagers had been as weak as sheep, not daring to resist. How could they be so fierce today, even a child? And that group of adults was acting like madmen!

"Kill them!" the other leader shouted in a panic, ordering the bandits to attack and slaughter everyone at the village entrance.

The sound of "clang-clang" rang out incessantly as the men drew their sharp weapons and charged forward, intent on washing Stone Village in blood.

Shi Lin let out a shout and swiped at the men charging in the front. Runes expanded, and his palm seemed to grow to the size of a millstone. A series of "bang-bang" sounds followed as the bandits were sent flying one by one, all struck down.

This was an astonishing divine power. Every one of them suffered broken bones, and once sent flying, they could no longer crawl back up or move a muscle.

And this was merely a casual strike from Shi Lin; he hadn't even used much strength, yet it caused such devastating damage.

The remaining leader let out a sharp cry, his palms glowing as a brilliant radiance erupted, illuminating the village entrance. He had invoked his runes to unleash the Firelight Art.

In the past, when they went on their burning and looting sprees, he had been a key player responsible for incinerating villages and sending many to their deaths in seas of fire, all thanks to this Firelight Art.

However, it was useless against Shi Lin today. Shi Lin pushed out a palm with indifference, the runes crossing the air and directly extinguishing the blazing fire. Then, with a "bang," he struck like a towering mountain, sending the leader flying dozens of meters away.

"Crack-snap" sounds echoed as the leader's bones were shattered, leaving him unable to rise again.

"Bandits, where is your tyranny now? Where is your arrogance?!"

Shi Feijiao and the others stepped forward, wielding heavy weapons and smashing down; each strike sent a spray of blood into the air.

The group of thugs lying on the ground each had dozens of lives on their hands. Usually cruel and tyrannical, they were now filled with terror, their eyes wide as they shouted and begged for mercy.

Shi Lin had struck with thunderous speed; dealing with this small group of bandits was easy. He knew the true enemy was that Sacrificial Spirit, and this small squad was nothing.

However, the Pangolin had fled without a shred of loyalty, and Shi Lin did not bother to chase it.

The group of children was incredibly excited and stirred up. They immediately ran over and surrounded Shi Lin, chattering away. "Shi Lin, you're so amazing! You defeated these people with one slap each. Even that leader who knew the Firelight Art couldn't hold up against you."

"When will I be able to slaughter these bandits like cutting grass just like that?!"

"Brother Lin, you're so cool!" Little One praised him endlessly.

Dozens of men had been dealt with. Shi Feijiao and the others showed no mercy, throwing them into the mountains to feed the wild beasts. These bandits had blood-stained hands; to let them go would be to encourage evil, leading to more people being harmed.

As for their mounts, some were too ferocious to be tamed and were slaughtered to become rations for Stone Village. A dozen others, while still wild beasts, were relatively docile and became mounts for the villagers.

"Haha, Lin, you've made a great contribution! These exotic beasts are fine steeds. The only downside is their ferocity—they need to eat meat every day."

Shi Linhu, Shi Feijiao, and the others were overjoyed. Although they hadn't mounted the Unicorns yet, having a group of excellent wild beasts as substitutes for now was not bad at all.

The mounts of these bandits were naturally not of poor quality and were best suited for traversing the Great Wilderness. Though they were fanged and scaled, they were truly powerful, and once tamed, they would indeed be fine steeds.

As the red sun sank in the west, the clansmen were in high spirits. They boiled the slaughtered wild beasts in large cauldrons until they were tender, then roasted them over fires until they were golden and glistening with oil. The aroma of meat wafted out, making mouths water.

As they ate their fill, they discussed the day's events. The invading bandits had all been executed, which vented a great deal of their pent-up anger.

"That was truly satisfying. Who knows how many small tribes this group of bandits has harmed? They have countless lives on their hands. Slaughtering them today brings no sense of guilt at all."

"Well done, Shi Lin. I saw how easily you broke that terrifying Firelight Art when dealing with that leader. It's truly not simple; you're becoming more and more powerful, haha..."

A group of adults laughed heartily, praising Shi Lin.

Once the laughter died down, the old village chief's expression turned solemn. Standing before the bonfire, he reminded everyone, "This band of bandits has been executed, but if we don't return for a long time, it will inevitably draw out their main force and that Sacrificial Spirit."

"Grandpa Chief, I will go resolve the lingering threat," Shi Lin said, standing up.

The clansmen were worried upon hearing this. Although Shi Lin was very strong, he was still just a child, while the enemy had many experts and, even more daunting, a Sacrificial Spirit.

What was a Sacrificial Spirit? It represented mystery and power, requiring tribes to pay respects and worship it with piety. They were extremely troublesome, and no one wanted to make an enemy of one.

"It is an evil spirit, but I can eliminate it!" Shi Lin said with a confident tone.

"Child... we have burdened you!" the adults said, feeling ashamed.

"This is what I should do. I'm off!"

"Then... be careful!" Shi Linhu said.

"Mm!"

In the end, Shi Lin set off, and Little One followed along. The two rode the Unicorn, galloping toward the edge of the world, filled with heroic spirit as they went to wipe out that powerful band of bandits.

He had already learned the location of their hideout from the mouths of the bandits earlier, and now, without stopping, they charged into the Great Wilderness like a silver whirlwind.

The Unicorn moved with the speed of lightning, crossing mountains and ridges, traversing valleys and streams. The forests on both sides flew past, and after half an hour, they finally approached their destination.

The moonlight was hazy, and wild beasts roared in the mountains.

This was a highland area with simple fences where the band of bandits had temporarily set up camp. They had no fixed abode and had long since adapted to this lifestyle.

Bonfires flickered as the bandits ate game, sitting in groups of three or five around the fires, tearing into roasted meat while discussing something.

Not far away, a group of fierce beasts were either tethered to ancient trees or chained to giant rocks, each looking ferocious.

It was a simple mountain stronghold with a few people on guard, constantly watching for fierce beasts from the mountains; after all, this was the boundless Great Wilderness, where powerful monsters could appear at any moment. Shi Lin rode his horse, sitting atop the silvery-white Unicorn like a white-robed divine general descending from the heavens, turning into a streak of silver light that arrived in an instant.

"Who goes there?!" the guards at the mountain gate shouted.

Shi Lin casually threw out a few runes, and the men were sent flying, disappearing from sight.

He strode forward, truly like an undefeated general of a hundred battles. Though small in stature, he possessed an intimidating aura, carrying the might of a dragon and a tiger.

"Stop!" a bandit blocked his path, holding a war spear and thrusting it forward viciously.

"Bang!"

Shi Lin raised his hand and slapped out. With a crack, the war spear snapped, and the man was sent flying horizontally, crashing into a massive boulder dozens of meters away before coming to a stop, where he collapsed and remained motionless.

"So strong!" The bandits gasped, retreating rapidly. They drew their heavy bows and pulled the strings, sending iron arrow after iron arrow tearing through the sky. They whistled like ghosts, flying toward Shi Lin with precision and ruthlessness, extremely sharp.

"Hum."

Shi Lin drew a circle with his left hand, instantly forming a vortex of runes. As it spun at high speed, the dense rain of iron arrows was sucked in, then ground into iron powder, which fell to the ground with a rustle.

"Heavens, a little monster!" The bandits were shocked. They had been through many bloody battles and encountered all sorts of people, but they had never seen a child like this—so young, yet so terrifying.

Shi Lin slapped his palm out, and runes filled the sky. The dozen or so people who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion were sent flying like straw dolls, crashing into the boulders behind them, vomiting blood, and unable to rise again.