Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Amidst the Brutal Tumults of the Martial World, I Wander at My Own Pace
The incorporation of a fraction of the Chaotic Intent Realm into the Mystifying Dharma had naturally boosted its power. However, due to its range limitation, it could only be used for close combat that caught the opponent off guard.
Therefore, Shi Xiaole had not used it previously.
"Young Hero Yi was sent flying."
"Impossible, who is that person? He seems even younger than Young Hero Yi."
In the rear, seeing Yi Nanxiong land awkwardly, the hearts of the black-clothed elder and others were shaken, finding it hard to maintain composure.
Who was Yi Nanxiong? He was a top genius of the Floating River Area. Although he was at a disadvantage among the top geniuses because of his age, he was still much stronger than his peers.
When did the Floating River Area produce a peer who could suppress Yi Nanxiong?
"I think I’ve seen him. He came to our sect to exchange Dragon Tendon Grass a few days ago."
An Iron Bone Sect disciple pondered for a while, then suddenly shouted.
"Are you sure?"
The black-clothed elder stared coldly at the disciple.
"Their appearances are very similar, and they both had swords."
The disciple said timidly.
At this moment, the sound of the wind breaking could be heard as the Iron Bone Sect Master and his experts all arrived.
The black-clothed elder hurriedly went up to them and recounted the previous incident.
"Even Young Hero Yi was not his match?"
Everyone looked astonished after hearing this.
Seeing Yi Nanxiong approach, the Iron Bone Sect Master, ’Iron Hegemony’ Zhou Yilou, showed a concerned face and said: "Young Hero Yi, are you badly hurt?"
"That little bastard cunningly used underhanded tactics to attack me. But he still can’t break my Copper-to-Gold Body."
Yi Nanxiong blandly stated.
A lot of people felt relieved.
They were some distance away earlier, making it hard for the black-clothed elder and others to fully grasp the situation. Thinking about the weird situation where Yi Nanxiong suddenly stopped, it was indeed strange. Now they realized he was ambushed.
However, the strength of that green-robed youth should not be weak either; otherwise, the previous groups of people would not have been assassinated.
"Young Hero Yi, did that little guy steal the Elephant Strength Fruit?"
The man with prominent cheekbones, who was guarding the forbidden area, asked.
"Yes, I smelled the aroma of the Elephant Strength Fruit. I wanted him to return the stolen item, but not only did he not listen, but he stubbornly tried to ambush me."
Yi Nanxiong complained indignantly.
"Young Hero Yi, you are very kind-hearted. The Iron Bone Sect will remember what happened today. And as for that little guy, he has violated the rules of the Iron Bone Sect. There will be no place for him in heaven or on earth!"
A murderous intent showed on Zhou Yilou’s stern face.
The value of the Elephant Strength Fruit was so high that even he, the sect master, could not ignore it. If they could digest it, it might enable him to break through the Qi Absorption Realm and become one of the top experts in the Floating River Area.
But all of that was ruined by that green-robed youth. Even worse, he also picked many herbs growing in the forbidden area.
Of course, Zhou Yilou was not a fool. Considering all the circumstances, he also had suspicions about Yi Nanxiong. His social status and position were high. Thus, this suspicion could only be temporarily suppressed.
The next day, a storm stirred in the Martial World.
The Iron Bone Sect, known for its rough style, issued a rare Rivers and Lakes Assassination Order.
The Rivers and Lakes Assassination Order was not unique to the Iron Bone Sect. It was an extraordinary order that sects, which were part of the Qingxue Alliance, were allowed to issue.
Note that the Qingxue Alliance was the largest martial arts organization in Qingxue State, headed by several top powers, and encompassed a series of powerful orthodox sects in Qingxue State.
Moreover, in addition to its martial arts background, the organization also had support from the court. It was hard to determine its exact strength. One thing was for sure: any independent sect wanting to become a recognized sect had to have the Alliance’s establishment support token.
The Rivers and Lakes Assassination Order was a unique method of the organization.
Whenever a sect issued such an order, other members of the Qingxue Alliance in the same region had to assist the sect entirely.
Over the recent decades, only two Rivers and Lakes Assassination Orders were issued in the entire Qingxue State.
The first time, a notorious thief in Qingxue State, known as ’Wandering Cloud and Untraceable Stream’, enjoyed his freedom for decades until he offended the daughter of an association leader. He managed to evade them for only two days before being surrounded and killed.
The second time, a Devil Path madman who had committed countless crimes and was at the peak of the ninth level of Xuan Qi was killed in just seven days.
And now, it was the third time.
No sect would casually use a Rivers and Lakes Assassination Order because it was a significant killing weapon. Once used, others indebted the sect.
In other words, Shi Xiaole’s strength didn’t warrant such action either.
Only a few people knew that the Iron Bone Sect used this opportunity to declare its attitude towards the outside world. Anyone who dared to covet their forbidden territory would be endlessly pursued and shown no mercy.
"He has provoked the Iron Bone Sect and even forced them to issue a Rivers and Lakes Assassination Order."
In a certain courtyard, a cold-faced young man was complex upon receiving the news as he put away the long black spear in his hand.
"Big Brother, you don’t seem to be very happy?"
On the side, another young man who looked like the cold-faced young man was smiling and seemed to enjoy it.
He was the ’Single Gun’ Ling Tianhua.
Since Shi Xiaole broke his arm in Dongfang Haoran’s cave, he had been holding a grudge against Shi Xiaole. When he learned that the latter had provoked the Iron Bone Sect and was driven to a dead end, he immediately ran to tell his brother this "good news".
"Why should I be happy?"
Ling Tianyu shook his head and said, "Revenge must be carried out by oneself, Tianhua, you can’t always rely on others."
At Ling Tianhua’s moment of shock, Ling Tianyu had already looked towards the horizon, seemingly lost in thought.
"Such a fuss."
Within the Will Sect, a helpless look spread across Shangguan Xing’s face when he received the news.
The Will Sect was also a member of the Qingxue Alliance, so theoretically, they also had to send people to pursue Shi Xiaole.
"The rules of the Qingxue Alliance cannot be broken, Sect Master, let me handle this."
The Grand Elder stood up and said.
As Shangguan Xing was hesitating, he heard the Grand Elder’s voice flowing into his ears.
"I understand the priorities. If that Shi boy can survive for nine days, it proves his potential is stronger than we imagined, and I will act accordingly. If he can’t, then don’t blame me."
Watching the Grand Elder’s disappearing figure, Shangguan Xing gave a smile and then muttered to himself: "Shi Xiaole, Shi Xiaole, I can only help you this much."
Even the peak of the ninth layer of the Xuan Qi, a famed Devil Path master, couldn’t survive for seven days under the Rivers and Lakes Assassination Order, for Shi Xiaole to survive for nine days, it seemed as difficult as reaching the sky.
Of course, the strength of the factions in the Floating River Area surely cannot compare to those who pursued the Devil Path master, but Shi Xiaole’s own strength was also far from the others’.
By a faultlessly clear lake, rows upon rows of buildings stretched out. In the largest pavilion sat a man with a fierce countenance.
He was Jiang Zhenglin, the head of the Whale Lake Gang, known as the ’Whale Lake Evil Dargon’.
The Whale Lake Gang was a criminal gang and naturally not a member of the Qingxue Alliance. However, their response was much bigger than many of the Sects in the Qingxue Alliance.
Or perhaps it should be said that even before the Iron Bone Sect issued the Rivers and Lakes Assassination Order, the Whale Lake Gang was already chasing Shi Xiaole all over the Floating River Area.
Jiang Zhenglin was always bothered by Xue Ang’s death, so he mobilized the entire power of the Whale Lake Gang to investigate the murderer, only to find out half a month ago that ’knows everything’ suddenly told him that there is an eighty percent chance that it was Shi Xiaole who did it.
The very man who nearly killed Jiang’s son in Dongfang Haoran’s cave!
Jiang Zhenglin was naturally furious. He immediately dispatched the gang’s top experts to hunt down Shi Xiaole, but for some reason, this matter was detected by the people of the Will Sect, who hindered their pursuit.
"Hmph! Once the assassination order is out, even if the Will Sect had the guts, they wouldn’t dare to help that kid. I must cut him into a thousand pieces and feed him to the fish in Whale Lake."
The more Jiang Zhenglin thought about it, the more angry he became. In the end, he decided to take matters into his own hands.
Otherwise, if he acted too slowly, that kid might be captured by someone else.
By dealing with Shi Xiaole himself, the Iron Bone Sect would not vent their anger at the Whale Lake Gang. After all, the Iron Bone Sect issued the Rivers and Lakes Assassination Order to kill Shi Xiaole; the more people respond to it, the better.
Just when the entire Floating River Area’s martial world was boiling due to the Rivers and Lakes Assassination Order, Shi Xiaole, who was considered by countless people as a dead man, was drinking in a luxurious tavern.
The sunlight shone on him through the window, illuminating the amber-colored wine, lending an air of idleness.
Around him are pairs of eyes filled with murderous intent and even fanaticism, like hunters staring at the most delicious prey.
This group included experts from the Iron Bone Sect and strong people from other Sects, as well as many martial artists who wanted to gain fame by killing Shi Xiaole.
But they all held back.
None dared to make a move inside the tavern in the Dark Alley.
Ever since his identity was revealed, Shi Xiaole knew that he was in trouble, so he entered the Dark Alley in Zhongshan City overnight. As expected, early the next morning, a large group of experts entered the Dark Alley and stalked him day and night, never letting him out of their sight.
"Hmph, the two people targeted by the Rivers and Lakes Assassination Order in the past, the first one, a thief, didn’t have the time to enter the Dark Alley, he was killed. As for the second one, the devilish madman, got caught because his identity was revealed, even leading to the Dark Alley making a move. This kid, he won’t hold on much longer."
An eyebrowless old man stared at Shi Xiaole, as if he wanted to devour him. This was the Iron Bone Sect’s Elder Ma.
Since the Iron Bone Sect was just outside Zhongshan City, they temporarily sent Elder Ma and a group of people into the Dark Alley to keep an eye on him, others blocked off the perimeter of the Dark Alley, just waiting for Shi Xiaole to fall into their net.
Ignoring everyone’s gazes, Shi Xiaole stood up, and the people around him immediately stood up as well.
As he walked out of the tavern, a large group of people followed closely behind, blending into a torrent with the experts on the street, sticking to him every step of the way.
"What a hassle."
Shi Xiaole sighed inwardly.
Just like Elder Ma said, he was indeed in big trouble - he was broke.
It must be known that the price of living in a Dark Alley inn for one night is twenty times more expensive than an ordinary inn outside, and as soon as the Rivers and Lakes Assassination Order was issued, the inn immediately increased its prices by another tenfold.
Adding other expenses, Shi Xiaole had already spent a total of two hundred thousand taels of silver in a few days, and now he didn’t have a penny left.
He didn’t want to touch the money in the Golden Phoenix Tower yet, and it wouldn’t last him long anyway. But if he cannot come up with the silver by sundown, Shi Xiaole would be kicked out.
Sleep on the streets? The Dark Alley does not allow it.
At that time, facing countless martial arts experts who were as ferocious as wolves and tigers, he will face nothing but death.
Ding!
"The martial world is full of evil winds and waves. I want to lead a carefree life! A man should walk with aplomb and ease, letting him face the storm, not losing even a piece of his clothing. Task six of the system is dispatched: limit the host to solve the crisis within two months, and in the process, do not be hunted by anyone."
"Task difficulty: Two stars."
"Task reward: As this time’s task is a top-level difficulty in the two-star tasks, the host can withdraw a second-rate martial arts in advance without worrying about the power loss, and get a thousand reward points."
"Task penalty: Closing Martial God Hall."
"Does the host accept the task?"
