The Three Tigers of Black Mountain were three brothers born of the same mother. They had trained in martial arts together since childhood, and their temperaments and techniques complemented one another.
The eldest, Scarface Tiger, wielded a thick-backed, nine-ring broadsword, striking with tremendous force. The second, the tall, thin one, used a pair of Emei daggers, attacking with cunning and ruthless precision. The third, a short, stocky man, wielded a copper cudgel, sweeping through ranks of enemies.
Not only were the three bound by blood, they were also inseparable year-round. It was said that they had long since learned to read one another's minds. When they joined forces, their teamwork was flawless, their attacks and defenses flowing between them with almost no openings.
That was why, though each was merely a top-tier martial artist in the jianghu when fighting alone, together they could form the Black Wind Death-Kill Array and challenge even a grandmaster who had only just entered the Force Tempering stage.
After scouting cautiously, the three hid in the shadow of a weathered boulder some distance away, holding their breath as they watched the edge of the Gold-Devouring Rat nest, which should have been teeming with danger.
"Big brother, something's wrong." The tall, thin second brother was the first to notice. He tilted his head to listen, his brows knitted tight. "It's too quiet... I can't even hear the young rats gnawing or digging."
Scarface, the eldest, also grew grim. With their keen hearing, they should have been able to hear the ceaseless rustling from deep within the nest and smell the peculiar mix of rat musk and metal in the air.
But now, aside from the wind, the place was terrifyingly silent. They couldn't sense a trace of life.
"Let's go take a look. Be careful." Scarface