“Did the talk fall through, my lord?” the referee asked cautiously, then made a throat-slitting gesture.
“He's a disciple of the World Sovereign Empyrean Sect. You plan to kill him inside the city?” Nu Shihu said coldly.
“The World Sovereign Empyrean Sect?” the referee gasped and quickly replied, “I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare.”
Though the House of Fury ruled over Fury City as true overlords, in the vast Southern Region, they were just a drop in the ocean. The real giants were still the God Sect and the two Empyrean Sects.
“The heavens are high and the emperor is far away. What of the World Sovereign Empyrean Sect?” Nu Shihu’s eyes grew cold. “We can’t kill him in the city, but the Misty Forest is full of dangers. If someone dies there, who could be blamed?”
“What do you mean, my lord?” the referee asked.
“Don’t ask what you shouldn’t,” Nu Shihu said indifferently.
...
After leaving the Hero Tower, Xu Zimo didn’t return to the arena. He knew the House of Fury wouldn’t go back on the fusion stone matter. The arena had existed for thousands of years. If they couldn’t even honor this, who would still do business with them?
When he returned to the inn, Liu Rufen and the others were already waiting on the first floor. It was now dusk. The sunset cast its glow across the sky, and autumn winds shook the trees, scattering falling leaves.
When Xu Zimo arrived, everyone looked at him in awe.
“Junior Brother Lin, the more I look at you, the less I can figure you out,” Liu Yiyi said.
“We’re not that close to begin with,” Xu Zimo replied with a laugh. If not for this mission to find the Blood Lizard, they likely would never have met.
“True,” Yin Rong nodded from the side. “But speaking of which, with Junior Brother Lin as our big gun, heading into the Misty Forest will be much safer.”
“What about the arena? They’re not going to try to weasel out of it, are they?” Fang Xiang asked.
“That won’t happen. They’ll probably deliver it tomorrow,” Xu Zimo said.
“Good. We’ve ordered good wine and food to reward you.”
Everyone sat around the dining table on the first floor, chatting and laughing. Clearly, they were in good spirits.
The shadow left by Mu Zhoubai and Huangfu Xianyue’s deaths had slightly lifted.
The current challenges had mostly been dealt with. If they could safely return from the Misty Forest, the sect would definitely reward them greatly.
The arena moved fast. By nightfall, someone arrived at the inn and handed Xu Zimo a storage ring.
Inside were a million fusion stones, likely several years’ worth of the arena’s profits.Xu Zimo took out a few and examined them. They were crystal-clear, containing a special kind of energy.Humans couldn’t use fusion stones directly. Besides being fused with Blood Lizards, these stones were also food for the creatures of the Misty Forest.
...
The night passed quietly. As the sky brightened the next morning, the group prepared to leave Fury City. Before leaving, Xu Zimo planned to buy some maps. The most dangerous thing about the Misty Forest was losing one’s way. The mist there was unusual and couldn’t be dispersed. The deeper one went, the denser it became.
But near the outer edges, the mist was thinner. After generations of exploration by the city’s inhabitants, several useful maps had been created. There were four entrances to the forest, and each had its own map.
Xu Zimo thought for a moment and bought all four maps.
Once everything was ready, the group left the city. The Misty Forest lay southeast of Fury City, with some distance between them.
As they traveled, the sky began to grow overcast by afternoon. Autumn was a rainy season, and the cold wind carried a chill.
“The weather’s turning,” Fang Xiang said, looking at the darkening sky. “Is it really okay to head into the forest in this weather? Should we wait a bit?” Liu Yiyi asked.
As they spoke, rain began to fall. The autumn wind was cold, and so was the rain. The weather had shifted suddenly, and the raindrops grew faster and denser.
“We should deal with the trouble in front of us first,” Xu Zimo said with a smile. “What trouble?” Liu Yiyi asked curiously.
Just as she spoke, three figures appeared on the road ahead. They were draped in black cloaks, wore bamboo hats, one carrying a long zither on his back, another with a white flute at his waist, and the third holding a bell.
The three blended into the gloomy world, approaching like grim reapers with overwhelming pressure.
“Looks like someone doesn’t want us leaving so easily,” Liu Rufen said calmly, holding her sword. “The House of Fury is really petty,” Yin Rong said angrily.
The three said nothing. Their hats hid their faces, showing no expression. They stopped in place. One began to shake the bell in his hand, sending out visible soundwaves. Besides the piercing ringing in their ears, there were also the screams of women.
Another crouched down, left leg over right, placing the zither on his lap. As soon as the strings sounded, the earth shook, the rain poured, and the whole world seemed to twist.
The third, in his black robe, stood in the cold rain. His lips moved slightly, producing a deep, low flute sound. The flute echoed like thunder and formed a mist that surrounded Xu Zimo and the others. The three figures gradually disappeared into the fog.
“What is this?” Yin Rong asked gravely.
“Soul attack,” Liu Rufen replied.
“Everyone back to back. Soul attacks are both dangerous and simple. The problem is, we don’t know how their method works.”
“Junior Brother Lin, hurry!” Liu Yiyi shouted when she saw Xu Zimo standing still. “No worries. You all stay together. I can protect myself,” Xu Zimo said.
As he finished speaking, a monstrous figure emerged from the fog. It stood dozens of meters tall, wearing only gray shorts on its lower half, bare-chested. Red marks covered its body, and its bright red hair spiked high above its head.
With a roar, it lifted its foot and stomped toward the group.
“Vastsky Swordforce!” Liu Rufen shouted and slashed at the monster’s leg.
The sword aura passed right through the monster’s body, vanishing into the mist. But the creature’s foot landed solidly, kicking Liu Rufen away.
She coughed up blood and passed out on the spot. The mist surged again, swallowing her whole.
“Senior Brother Liu!” Yin Rong cried out. “Junior Brother Lin, save him!”
“I’ll think about saving you after you’re all dead,” Xu Zimo said with a grin.