nucmednet #669 - Old Road
#669 - Old Road
“Well, they even made a Jing Guan,” Li Nian said, looking at the mountain of bandit corpses. “Are those three hanging up there the leader-level figures?”
Snow Owl shrugged: “I don't know, but those three were the best fighters, so I guess they should be the most heinous. After all, if you choose the wrong profession… the greater the ability, the greater the harm.”
“Of course, although saying they can fight is also relative. To me… it's just the difference between one or two cuts.”
As Snow Owl spoke, Li Nian nodded.
Gao Shan sighed beside them: “Actually, I don’t think it was necessary to do this, but… these people really brought it upon themselves. There are even more disgusting scenes inside the stronghold, so we won't go in to see them.”
“What is it?”
Li Nian asked curiously.
Gao Shan said in a low voice: “We found children's hands and feet in a pot…”
“And they didn't eat them because they were starving. On the contrary, their warehouse was full of food—so full that they even brewed many jars of wine,” Snow Owl said lightly. “So, these people deserve to die.”
Li Nian looked at them, her smile fading: “If that's the case, then you did well, but not well enough…”
She looked at the piled-up and hung-up corpses, almost all of them pierced through vital points with a single blow.
“You killed them too quickly. These people died too happily… No matter how you mess with their corpses after they die, you can't punish them anymore.”
Seeing the strange gazes from Gao Shan, Snow Owl, and Seagull, Li Nian spread her hands.
“Your gazes are a bit hurtful. It's like I shouldn't have normal values and hate villains who eat children…”
“Although I'm a member of the 'Freedom Alliance,' that doesn't mean I'm insane, okay?”
Hearing Li Nian say this, the three people's attitude towards her obviously softened a bit.
Lin Yu was also a little surprised.
“I didn't expect Li Nian to ease the relationship herself…”
It seems that although Li Nian looks carefree and acts casually, it doesn't mean she doesn't understand the importance of things.
And Snow Owl also answered Li Nian's question.
“After all, time is tight. Besides the necessary interrogation, there really wasn't time to punish them…”
“Of course, hanging them here isn't to abuse the corpses—it's for 'warning,' after all, there's more than one bandit den here.”
“Why haven't these corpses attracted demons to destroy and eat them?”
Shen Bingmiao's information didn't mention that demons only eat living people—in fact, if Jianghu martial artists fight in the wild and one dies violently, the blood emanating from the corpse often quickly attracts demons to eat it.
Powerful high-level demons may not bother to do this, but many demons are not much different from wild beasts themselves.
Even if there are no demons, there should always be wild beasts, right?
After being exposed to the sun for half a day, these corpses have no traces of being gnawed or destroyed at all.
“That's really strange—you guys should have left for a while, but these corpses are still so well preserved, and there are no demons wandering nearby. Why is that?”
Lin Yu raised the doubts in his mind.
And hearing Lin Yu's words, Snow Owl also immediately reacted.
“Now that you mention it, it is a bit strange. This place is so far away from the Chen Family Fortress of Double Saw Mountain. The spider demon shouldn't be able to clear all the demons and wild beasts… It's past noon, why haven't any demons come to scavenge?”
“Something is fishy. We should be careful,” Gao Shan said, seriously looking around. “Although this place was relatively safe when we first came to this Fire Prison, there are too many sudden situations in this [Instance]. The spiders that suddenly appeared from Double Saw Mountain have already explained the problem… After all, Double Saw Mountain should have been safe, so it's possible that this place has changed from safe to unsafe.”
Gao Shan's suggestion was also recognized by everyone.
Just as everyone was on high alert, a hearty laugh suddenly came from inside the stronghold.
“Hahahaha, please don't worry, heroes. These corpses haven't been destroyed because there are no demons or wild beasts in the surrounding mountains—I've cleaned those things up.”
Before seeing the person, they heard his voice. This full-bodied voice echoed in the mountains, causing Lin Yu and his group to look sideways.
Soon, they saw an old Taoist priest wearing a cyan Taoist robe, with white hair and long eyebrows and beard, walking out from the depths of the stronghold. Although it could be seen that the old Taoist priest was not young, he still had a celestial air and a tall figure.
His steps were light, and his walking speed was extremely fast, as if he was flying close to the ground.
Snow Owl looked at the direction the other party came from and said vigilantly: “Old Taoist, stop—you came from the bandit's lair, could you be their friend?”
“Who are you? Quickly state your name!”
The old Taoist glanced at Snow Owl, stopped, and said with a smile: “This female benefactor has such a sharp murderous aura… You really misunderstood me. I am not acquainted with these bandits. I am from the Taiching Sect, the leader of the Taoist sect, and I live in seclusion in these beautiful mountains. How could I collude with those bandits?”
Snow Owl remained vigilant upon hearing this: “From the Taiching Sect, how can you prove it?”
The old Taoist was still not angry after being questioned by Snow Owl, and just said again: “Naturally, by looking at my skills and true energy!”
As he said that, the old Taoist drew out the long sword behind him and slowly performed a few moves from afar. The moves were upright and peaceful, and indeed seemed like orthodox martial arts.
Then, he gave a clear shout, holding the sword and pinching a hand seal, his Taoist robe fluttering, and then he spat out a mouthful of clear air.
“Chān! The Celestial Venerable is above, Taiching disciple asks for orders to perform the Dharma!”
The clear air flowed in the air, turning into two wisps of green smoke, and then suddenly dispersed.
A cool breeze blew across the faces of several people, dissipating the heat of this Fire Prison.
“Qi Transformation Clear Wind Art,” Old Zheng said quietly, “Indeed a direct disciple of the Taiching Sect… In the Prison Mountain Realm, this is a sect with a relatively guaranteed reputation.”
Lin Yu nodded and repeated Old Zheng's words: “Qi Transformation Clear Wind Art, the Taoist priest is indeed from the direct lineage of the Taiching Sect.”
The old Taoist heard this and looked at Lin Yu with joy, cupping his hands: “Benefactor has good eyes. I originally thought this trick could only prove my identity, but I didn't expect that benefactor could even see what Dharma I used. It's really extraordinary knowledge…”
Speaking of this, Lin Yu originally planned to return a few polite words and praise each other, but the old Taoist's next words made Lin Yu and the other five players become vigilant.
“—No wonder Xie Chong's incomplete remains are being kept by the benefactor!”