Scroll, Iron-Tire Bow, Killing Intent!

Just as Lin Changsheng was buying the Dawnblade at the blacksmith's shop.

By the Grand Canal.

Not far from Pasture City, a huge crowd had gathered at a quiet inlet.

"Isn't that He Tieshou, master of the Iron Hand Martial School?"

"The master of the Golden Bell Martial School, Liao Jinzhong! And this is Ji Liuyun of the Flowing Cloud Martial School! I heard the three martial schools had been searching for their masters for days. Who would have thought they'd died in the Grand Canal!"

"Who could be so formidable as to kill the three masters? They were Pasture City's three greatest experts!"

"..."

Nearly a hundred residents and fishermen who made their living by the water looked at the three corpses on the ground and talked among themselves.

Before long.

The relatives and disciples of the three martial schools came rushing over.

After Lin Changsheng returned home.

Halfway through his meal with Yu Wenjing.

"Changsheng, I might... be leaving tomorrow morning. Thank you for taking care of me these past days."

All of a sudden, hesitation flickered in Yu Wenjing's beautiful eyes as she spoke softly.

"Tomorrow? All right."

Lin Changsheng nodded and did not ask why.

He had long expected Yu Wenjing to leave.

"Someone will come to pick me up then."

Yu Wenjing knew that her journey back would certainly not be safe. Some people would not let her return alive to Yu Capital, and she did not want Lin Changsheng dragged into her whirlpool.

Today.

She had received word from the person sent to meet her.

Lin Changsheng remained silent.

"This is for you, as a keepsake."

Yu Wenjing took a pale jade pendant from her chest and handed it to Lin Changsheng.

"Ah, this..."

Lin Changsheng was stunned for a moment. A jade pendant?

"Take it."

Yu Wenjing smiled radiantly and pressed the jade pendant into Lin Changsheng's hand. Without saying anything more, she got up to wash the dishes.

"Leaving tomorrow morning?"

"Then I'll make a trip to the Iron Hand Martial School tonight!"

Lin Changsheng thought to himself.

He had already visited the Golden Bell Martial School and the Flowing Cloud Martial School. The Iron Hand Martial School was a fat sheep too; he could not let it slip away.

Pasture City.

Iron Hand Martial School.

It covered a vast area, its buildings arranged row upon row in lavish splendor.

Yet the Iron Hand Martial School was now draped in mourning white, and a funeral hall had been set up in the main hall.

"Oh?"

"He Tieshou's body has been found?"

Using the Flying Eaves Lightness Skill, Lin Changsheng stood behind the funeral hall and thought to himself.

With his current cultivation as a First-Rate Master, no one from the Iron Hand Martial School could possibly detect him. Before long, he entered He Tieshou's bedroom.

It had to be said that He Tieshou truly knew how to enjoy life. His residence was exceptionally tranquil and elegant, complete with bamboo groves, artificial hills, scenery, courtyards, and pavilions. However, because He Tieshou had died, the martial school's people had all gone to the funeral hall.

His bedroom was temporarily empty and silent.

Inside the bedroom, the bed was enormous, and the quilt had been folded with perfect neatness.

"Huh, He Tieshou knew archery too?"

On the wall of He Tieshou's room, Lin Changsheng spotted a fine-looking bow. A gleam flashed through his eyes. This trip had truly been worthwhile—he had been wanting a stronger bow.

Yet he had found one at the Iron Hand Martial School.

It was a pitch-black Iron-Tire Bow, its string made from tough ox sinew. Beside it sat a quiver containing over twenty arrows.

"Something's not right. The Iron Hand Martial School charged ten taels of silver just for entry, so it should have quite a bit of wealth. Why haven't I found any silver?"

Lin Changsheng slung the Iron-Tire Bow and quiver across his back, then searched again. He found no martial arts manuals, silver, or banknotes, but he did find women's silk scarves, rouge, whips, candles, and other such things.

"What kind of messy hobbies are these?"

Lin Changsheng looked at a landscape painting on the wall. His heart stirred, and he stepped forward to lift it aside. At once, he saw a small protrusion.

Lin Changsheng drew the Dawnblade and carefully stepped forward, pressing the protrusion.

At once, a small drawer two feet square sprang open.

"As expected of the Iron Hand Martial School. It really is wealthy."

Lin Changsheng stepped forward and pulled open the drawer. Inside, he found a stack of banknotes, two manuals, and a small scroll.

He did not count the silver. One manual was Iron Sand Palm, while the other was Iron Leg Skill. As for the scroll, he had no time to open it.

Lin Changsheng packed the items away, turned, and vanished into the darkness.

Pasture City.

In the western part of the city, within a lavish manor.

Twenty or thirty people sat in the main hall, each carrying blades or swords on their backs, their auras powerful.

"Everyone, last time, that person was fortunate enough to be rescued on the canal, and the objective was not achieved. But our master keeps his word! Not a single bit of the promised reward will be lacking; everything will be delivered!"

"Our master has said that this time, this person must remain in Pasture City forever. Once the great undertaking succeeds in the future, we will all be great contributors, with glory and riches beyond measure."

A middle-aged scholar at the head of the group swept his gaze over the experts and spoke in a deep voice.

"Steward Yu, rest assured. Last time, she had a life as tough as fate itself. This time, she definitely won't be so lucky!"

A burly, powerful middle-aged man with a long saber on his back cupped his fists and spoke in a deep voice.

Upon hearing the middle-aged man speak, the others all nodded in agreement.

"Very good. Then I'll have to trouble everyone."

"Her location has already been told to you. I shall wait a hundred li beyond the canal for your good news!"

The middle-aged scholar raised his hands in a fist salute to the experts.

"Rest assured, Steward Yu! Wait for our good news!"

"Don't worry!"

"We'll be going now..."

The many wandering martial heroes cupped their fists, then turned and disappeared into the night.

"I'll let you enter Pasture City openly and aboveboard. Once you kill her, I'll set a trap a hundred li away and sweep you all up in one net. Then her death will have nothing to do with the young master!"

Watching the martial heroes' retreating figures, the middle-aged scholar's lips curved into a smile.

Lin Changsheng returned home.

He took out the spoils he had just obtained from the Iron Hand Martial School and counted them.

Three thousand two hundred taels of silver. He no longer had any use for the Iron Sand Palm manual, but the Iron Leg Skill manual could still be used. Training his legs into iron legs would be quite good.

"This scroll is rather strange."

Lin Changsheng held the scroll in his hand, frowning slightly.

He had no idea what kind of silk fabric it was made from, but it would not open. Worried that excessive force might damage it, he could only set it aside and wait to study it slowly later.

"Night prowlers are watching me?"

Suddenly.

Lin Changsheng heard faint footsteps and the sound of clothes slicing through the air from a hundred zhang away outside. His eyes narrowed at once. He grabbed the Dawnblade and his bow and arrows, pulled the door shut, and stepped outside.

Looking into the distance, he saw more than twenty experts of varying strength racing toward him!

The leading few were no weaker than He Tieshou.

From three other directions, more than twenty people each, all carrying blades and swords, were also rushing over!

"Two First-Rate Masters!"

Sensing the auras on these people, Lin Changsheng's heart tightened. He spoke in a deep voice. "Who are you people? What do you intend by coming here in the dead of night?"

As he spoke, he retreated step by step.

"Kid, blame yourself for meddling and saving someone. Die!"

At that moment, a lean young man in purple robes, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, spoke coldly. The way he looked at Lin Changsheng was as though he were already looking at a dead man!

As soon as the purple-robed youth finished speaking, he flicked his hand, and a flying knife shot straight for Lin Changsheng's throat!