Abandoned Daoist Temple, Iron Corpse

After Su Yun left.

Some trembling bandits, having heard the commotion, cautiously began gathering together.

They stared at the debris-strewn, utterly collapsed Black Cloud Stronghold before them.

And could not help whispering among themselves.

"That baleful star is gone?"

"Whew, what terrifying strength. He actually overturned the entire Black Cloud Stronghold all by himself!"

"Why do you think that baleful star smashed apart the roofs of Black Cloud Stronghold at the end?"

"Who knows? Either way, I'm planning to run. Anywhere would be better than staying here."

"If you ask me, brothers, we should get out of here fast! What if that baleful star comes back for a second sweep?"

"Then we'll all be finished!"

These bandits did not dare linger any longer and all planned to flee the Black Absolute Mountain Range.

Su Yun still did not know.

That because he had wiped out Black Cloud Stronghold alone, the other bandits in the Black Absolute Mountain Range—

Had all become fearful for their own safety!

Now, they were all discussing where they should flee to.

In the years that followed, no one could have imagined it.

The Black Absolute Mountain Range, once overrun by bandits.

Would actually become the safest stretch along this trade route.

At this moment, Chen Ying paced back and forth, his expression anxious.

He still did not know Su Yun's situation and did not dare rashly go in to investigate.

After all, he still had to guard these goods.

"Hm? Third Young Master has returned?"

At a certain moment, Chen Ying's expression shifted.

He saw a familiar figure ahead, carrying a thick bundle as he approached.

It was Su Yun!

"Third Young Master, are you all right?"

Chen Ying hurried forward, carefully inspecting Su Yun as he asked.

"I'm fine."

Su Yun set the bundle inside the carriage, then said with a smile, "Black Cloud Stronghold is gone."

"The bandits hiding throughout the Black Absolute Mountain Range will not dare attack Su Estate's merchant caravans again in the future."

"What? Third Young Master, you really destroyed Black Cloud Stronghold all by yourself?"

Chen Ying was dumbfounded.

Others might not know how terrifying Black Cloud Stronghold was, but he had escorted shipments all year round and naturally understood.

Even when his foster father personally escorted a shipment.

He had to offer some tribute to pass through the Black Absolute Mountain Range.

They had to give Black Cloud Stronghold a considerable amount of silver.

Otherwise, a fierce battle was unavoidable.

But now?

It was only Su Yun's first time escorting a shipment, and he had completely solved the problem.

From now on, when they passed through here, the caravan would no longer need to pay a single coin.

"All right. Have the escorts and servants carefully inventory the goods. Once everything is confirmed, we'll depart immediately."

"This road has more than just the Black Absolute Mountain Range as a dangerous place."

"There are other bandits that need to be swept away as well."

Su Yun said.

"Yes!"

Chen Ying hurriedly nodded.

Time flowed on mercilessly, as the sun and moon rose and fell in turn.

In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.

Su Estate's caravan was already fairly close to its destination, Purple Jade City.

Along the way, Su Yun had swept through everything without equal.

No great bandit or fierce outlaw could withstand a single punch from him.

The other bandits lurking along the route had also memorized the flag of Su Estate's caravan and no longer dared provoke it.

Gradually, he gained a name among those bandits as well.

Asura Golden Fist!

With one punch unleashed.

No matter whether you were a world-shaking fierce bandit, a wanted outlaw, or a sect disciple who had taken to the hills as a bandit.

You would all be beaten to pieces!

In truth, Outer Sect disciples of the Mystic Blade Sect could also make names for themselves when they went out to complete missions.

Those without a name were usually not very strong.

Or perhaps they were hiding their strength.

That evening, the sun sank in the west.

The evening clouds glowed at the horizon, and the crimson sun hung low over the mountains, beautiful beyond compare.

Su Estate's caravan traveled down the official road in perfect order.

Every face was filled with joy, and everyone appeared relaxed.

Not long after, the setting sun vanished beyond the horizon.

Stretching the caravan's shadows long, like a black dragon.

Gradually, the darkness of night enveloped the caravan.

Occasionally, raindrops fell from the sky, accompanied by flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder.

It seemed that a heavy rain was about to fall.

Yet they were still some distance from Purple Jade City.

"Third Young Master, there is an abandoned Daoist temple ahead. It looks quite spacious."

"Why don't we go inside and shelter from the rain first, then continue tomorrow?"

At this moment, Chen Ying gazed into the distance and made a suggestion.

"That works."

Su Yun nodded.

Su Yun now held considerable authority within the caravan.

Since he had nodded, the others naturally followed suit.

Before long, everyone arrived at the abandoned Daoist temple.

The escorts and servants began lighting torches, counting the goods, and arranging them.

They also covered the goods with special cloth to keep them from being soaked by the rain.

Su Yun and Chen Ying entered the Daoist temple first to investigate.

"Hm?"

Yet before they had gone far, they discovered that there were people inside the temple.

A gaunt middle-aged Daoist nun stood with her back to them.

Her palms were pressed together as she silently recited mysterious scriptures before a collapsed stone statue.

There was also a little girl beside her, seemingly her Little Daoist Child, silently reciting scriptures as well.

The strange thing was.

Three large-framed martial artists stood around the two of them.

They were all dressed in black, with their faces covered, making their features impossible to see.

Their auras were also rather cold and eerie.

Moreover, the air inside seemed to carry a peculiar fragrance.

Chen Ying had just been about to step forward and ask.

But the moment he smelled the fragrance, his expression changed drastically!

He hurriedly warned.

"Third Young Master, this is Soul-Bewitching Incense!"

As soon as the words fell.

The two of them immediately flashed backward.

And retreated from the Daoist temple.

Chen Ying moved swiftly, immediately calling for the other escorts and servants to withdraw from the eerie Daoist temple.

Then, still shaken with lingering fear, he said.

"Third Young Master, when my foster father first took me along to escort shipments, he told me."

"Once you smell any strange odor or fragrance in the air while escorting a shipment, you must immediately stay away, lest you fall into a trap and meet a miserable death in the end."

"I never expected someone to have lit Soul-Bewitching Incense inside this abandoned Daoist temple!"

Chen Ying did not say who it was.

But it was obvious that it had to be the middle-aged Daoist nun.

Su Yun's expression turned grave.

He naturally knew about Soul-Bewitching Incense.

Once too much of it was inhaled, one would fall into an illusion, and their consciousness would grow muddled.

At that point, they might still be able to put up some resistance.

But everyone else in the caravan would be lambs awaiting slaughter.

"Third Young Master, don't make a move yet."

"Let me test the mettle of these people first!"

Chen Ying looked coldly at the middle-aged Daoist nun, anger on his face.

He had barely made a move along the way, and his hands had been itching for action.

Now that he had encountered this, he naturally could not hold himself back.

His gaze gradually settled on the three people standing there.

"What kind of shady Daoist nun are you, daring to use Soul-Bewitching Incense on us?"

"Die!"

Chen Ying roared. His blood and qi thundered as his body burst into motion.

He hurled a punch at the chest of one of the black-clad martial artists at breakneck speed!

The cultivation technique Chen Ying practiced was called the Fire Fiend Fist.

Though it was only a Human Grade Mid Tier technique, he had cultivated it to the level of great mastery.

With one punch, even a massive thousand-pound boulder would be reduced to powder.

Boom!

Yet when that punch landed on the other party's body, it produced the sound of iron and stone colliding.

"What? Not even a scratch?"

Chen Ying's expression changed drastically.

It felt as though his fist had struck an iron wall.

His knuckles were now bleeding, and he hurriedly pulled back.

Yet the martial artist opposite him immediately gave chase.

But its movements seemed somewhat stiff.

Whoosh!

At that moment, Su Yun drew his blade!

A dazzling crimson blade light instantly tore through the night sky, slashing across the black-clad martial artist's chest and drawing a streak of black blood.

Crack!

The next instant, the black-clad martial artist was forced back a hundred meters by the blade light. Its body shuddered, and its clothes tore apart.

Revealing its true appearance.

Its face was blackened and utterly bloodless, while its pupils held a bluish sheen.

The skin across its body was an unnatural blue-black.

It did not possess even a trace of a living person's aura.

"An Iron Corpse!?"

Chen Ying had traveled far and wide and seen much of the world. His expression changed sharply at once!

He had never expected that the martial artist he had just attacked was not a living person.

But an Iron Corpse!

Boom!

At that moment, thunder exploded at the horizon, and lightning raced across the sky.

Under the flashes of lightning, within the dim Daoist temple.

The middle-aged Daoist nun turned around and slowly opened her eyes.

Her blood-red, demonic eyes were filled with bloodlust.

"Hehe, since you've come, don't even think about leaving!"