Inn

Ten Mile Slope.

"Ten Mile Slope is right ahead. Once we cross it and pass through One-Line-Sky Gorge, we'll reach Iron Forging Town. Everyone, put some strength into it!"

At this point, dawn was still about two hours away. Then, an inn suddenly appeared ahead, and the escorts all said:

"Chief Escort! Let's get some breakfast! That battle earlier drained us badly, and we've traveled quite a distance. The brothers are starving!"

The Chief Escort pondered for a moment. Then he looked at the listless escorts and sighed. "Fine. Since you're all tired, we'll rest at the inn ahead."

"But I remember that this desolate place at Ten Mile Slope never had an inn like this. You need to watch out for whether it's a shady establishment. Stay alert, understand?"

The escorts replied solemnly, "Understood! But with Chief Escort here, we can rest easy. Any demons or ghosts can get lost!"

The Chief Escort frowned upon hearing that and sighed. "Fine, we'll go. He knew these men were truly exhausted. If they kept traveling and something happened again, their combat strength would plummet. That would be unwise."

Inside the inn.

A Seductive Woman, brimming with charm and radiating a bewitching aura, slowly approached them. She said softly, "Dear guests, our inn has just opened. All customers dining here receive a twenty percent discount. We just happened to make some beef buns. Would you like some?"

"Oh ho! I never expected the owner of this place to have such a seductive innkeeper. That's quite rare! Innkeeper, bring ten baskets of beef buns for my brothers!"

After saying that, he did not forget to slap the Seductive Woman's plump rear, letting out a lecherous laugh.

The Seductive Woman glanced at the escort who had slapped her buttocks. Her little face reddened as she said coquettishly, "What are you doing, sir? There are so many people watching. Aren't you afraid I'll cry molestation?"

"Hehe! That ass really is springy! It's got my lust flaring up. If there weren't so many people around, I'd have taken you right here!"

"Dear guests, all the buns have been served. Please enjoy. If it's not enough, just ask for more!"

The escorts wolfed down the buns, while Li Changfeng, the Chief Escort, and a young swordsman traveling with the escort party did not touch them.

Li Changfeng kept feeling that something was wrong, but he could not identify the problem. He only knew he did not dare touch anything here.

After everyone had eaten and rested for a quarter of an hour, they set off again.

As they walked, the Chief Escort sensed something was wrong. They had already traveled ten miles, and more than two hours had passed. Why was the sky still not light?

"Damn it! Isn't that the inn at Ten Mile Slope up ahead?" Li Changfeng said in shock.

"Damn it! We've run into something supernatural! It's Ghost Walling! Everyone, stop moving!" the Chief Escort shouted.

At that moment, the others seemed unable to understand the Chief Escort's words. They repeated what they had said before about going to the inn for breakfast and rest, then ignored him and rushed toward the inn.

"Follow them! Let's see what sort of demon dares provoke the Dragon Gate Escort Agency!"

Damn it! There are ghosts in this world! I'd heard this world had not only martial artists, but all kinds of demons and ghosts as well. I never expected this high-martial world to be so terrifying! Li Changfeng thought.

He gritted his teeth and followed them, determined to see what kind of ghost it was.

When they reached the inn, they saw the escorts' eyes had turned red as they crazily devoured buns, unable to stop. The Chief Escort's face darkened, and he struck one escort in the neck with a hand chop.

The escort's body jolted, but he continued eating buns as if nothing had happened. Then the Seductive Woman emerged and said softly, "Sir, won't you have some buns?"

Enough was enough!

The Chief Escort attacked directly, unleashing the indestructible leg force of Vajra Leg of Immense Power. He kicked at the Seductive Woman and shouted, "Die, demon!"

Li Changfeng refused to be outdone. He assumed the opening stance of Hong Fist's Dividing and Setting Inches, his true qi surging through his body. Then he unleashed the Hard Bridge of Gong Zi Taming Tiger Fist, charging fiercely at the Seductive Woman.

The seductive woman smiled faintly and suddenly vanished. The Chief Escort's indestructible kick missed, and its fierce force shattered the inn's main pillar into two pieces.

Li Changfeng stopped, while the escorts around him went mad and shouted, "Buns! Where are my buns? Did you hide my buns?!"

With that, they charged at Li Changfeng and the other two with bloodshot eyes. The three of them struck together, knocking away the crazed escorts, their faces grim.

"This won't work. These lunatics are charging at us without feeling pain. We can't kill them, and we can't knock them down. What should we do?"

"How about this? Master and I both cultivate Shaolin martial arts, which can restrain evil creatures. We'll kill that demon. Brother Zhang, stay behind and hold off these lunatics."

"Fine! That's our only option. Hurry up—I can't hold them off for long!"

"Send true qi into the eyes, and one may see demons and ghosts!"

Li Changfeng circulated true qi into his eyes. The moment he slowly opened them, he saw a Ghost Shadow on the roof. Half its face exposed horrifying bone, its scalp was rotted away until only a few clumps of hair remained, and disgusting maggots crawled out from its body. Meanwhile, the escorts had been eating buns filled with rotting flesh and maggots all along.

"Blegh!"

Li Changfeng retched repeatedly, then roared, "Damn you, you disgusting bastard!"

Li Changfeng assumed the Bridge Circling stance of Hong Fist, true qi rumbling throughout his body. Then he unleashed Iron Wire Fist - Twelve Interlocking Rings. He spread his hands, then flung them out. Twelve iron rings burst through the air with explosive whistles as they smashed toward the Ghost Shadow!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of explosions rang out. After being struck by more than a dozen iron rings, the Ghost Shadow let out agonized, piercing shrieks. Then Li Changfeng drew in his hands, and the twelve silver ring phantoms accurately returned to his arms.

Seeing the ghost creature injured, the Chief Escort seized the chance to unleash the demon-subduing power of Vajra Prajna Palm - Vajra Subdues Demons. A massive pale-golden palm formed and pressed the ghost creature to the ground. Amid its piercing shrieks, it was beaten to the brink of death.

Li Changfeng immediately followed with the final blow, unleashing Hong Fist: Iron Wire Fist - Double Pierce Fist. He drew back both fists, tightening the twelve iron rings, then punched straight out. Fierce true qi pierced through the ghost creature's body.

Bang!

A true qi explosion erupted within the ghost creature, blasting it into pieces. It was dead beyond doubt!

"What a fine fist technique. One punch pierced straight through the ghost creature, then erupted with three streams of Latent Force within its body, killing it outright. That Latent Force was the true killing move!"

"You flatter me, Chief Escort! If your Vajra Prajna Palm hadn't pinned it down and beaten it to the brink of death, I couldn't have killed it so easily!"

At that moment, the escorts woke up as well and began vomiting on the ground. They threw up piles of rotten flesh and maggots, disgusting beyond measure, and cried out, "What did I eat? How could I vomit up such foul, disgusting things?!"

Ding!

A system notification suddenly sounded.

"Congratulations, Host, you have activated the Demon-Slaying Function. For every demon, monster, or ghost you kill, you will be rewarded with 80 Experience Points. Keep up the good work!"

Experience Points +1

Experience Points +1

It continued increasing until it reached over one hundred Experience Points.

"What the hell is going on? Why did it suddenly increase bit by bit to over one hundred Experience Points?"

Li Changfeng looked utterly confused. He turned to look around, then saw the escorts vomiting on the ground and immediately understood.

"So I indirectly saved these escorts, and that was why I received Experience Points. It wasn't much individually, but it added up to quite a lot!"

Li Changfeng then opened the Attribute Panel.

A screen of light instantly appeared before him.

Host: Li Changfeng (Li Dazhuang)

Identity: Shaolin Temple disciple

Inner Force: 1 year (50 jin)

Strength: 250 jin

Experience Points: 260

Cultivation Methods: Shaolin Bronze Body Skill Beginner (50/160), Luohan Fist Beginner (80/160), Hong Fist Beginner (0/180)

Title: Jianghu Scrub

Fame: Unknown (20/80) (For every 10 Fame points, 1 Cultivation Point may be obtained)

Cultivation Points: 17 (For every 20 Cultivation Points, one Lucky Pack may be opened, or you may enter System Training Time at a 1:3 conversion rate. Each session allows one month of training.)

Current Lucky Packs: 0

Current Mission: Within three months at Shaolin, cultivate Shaolin Bronze Body to Mastery.

Side Mission One: Within one year, lay Gold Master, a Peak Third-Rate Expert, to rest! Reward: 200 Experience Points, 10 years of Inner Force, Superior Bronze Body Elixir.

Side Mission Two: As the saying goes, if I do not enter hell, who will? The Host must accept commissions from Shaolin Temple to help others lay wicked people to rest. No time limit. Reward for each completed commission: 50 Experience Points, 1 year of Inner Force.

Without another word, Li Changfeng raised Shaolin Bronze Body Skill to Minor Completion, from Shaolin Bronze Body Skill Beginner (50/160) to Shaolin Bronze Body Minor Completion (0/320). His body suddenly trembled as his strength increased by one hundred jin! His Cultivation Points also increased by five, becoming 22. He could now open a Lucky Pack or enter System Training Time.

"Shaolin Bronze Body Skill has finally reached Minor Completion! I need to raise it to Mastery as soon as possible. Time is running out. I have 150 Experience Points left for now, so I'll save them. Once I have enough, I'll add them directly to Shaolin Bronze Body Skill!"

"As for the Lucky Pack, now isn't the right time to open it. I'll deal with it slowly after completing this commission!"

"Master! We should set off!"

"Alright! Let's go!"

By then, the sky had begun to brighten. The morning sunrise was especially beautiful, but no one knew what would happen after it rose.

What trial awaited them next?

To be continued...