Chapter 6: A Sudden Change in the Back Mountain

Ke Zhouyi seemed to be quite accustomed to such scenes, and there was no change in emotion on his face, which had not yet completely shed its childishness

Young man... you have chased after me for such a long time... your sect is indeed willing to spend lavishly...

The middle-aged man, resembling a corpse, had his fingers hanging down to the ground, which surprisingly twitched slightly. After a few breaths, he slowly opened his eyes

Elder brother, he has passed away

At this time, the weather has entered autumn, and the green grass appears somewhat withered and yellowed. Some trees on the mountain, swayed by the gusts of wind, shed their leaves in a flurry.

With a slight furrow of the brow and after a moment of contemplation, I suppressed my curiosity and decided to leave. Grudges and vendettas are a major taboo in the secular world; getting involved without reason could very well bring disaster upon myself and even the Zhou family. If I were to stay here for too long, I would easily be discovered. Although I rarely encounter opponents in physical training, if I were to face someone at the Fusion Realm who has awakened the power of deduction, I would undoubtedly face death.

After a brief silence, the elder brother spoke, his blood-stained teeth appearing quite unsettling

He sniffed the air, detecting a faint metallic scent of blood that ordinary people would not notice; only mercenaries who have tasted blood would be so sensitive.

The second man responded, cautiously walking up to the fallen man. He first kicked him hard twice, then pulled out a dagger and stabbed it into the man's leg. Noticing that there was no reaction, he began to tear off the ring from his hand

They whispered to each other, first noticing that something happened in the woods. As they moved, they heard very faint footsteps with their ears close to the ground

... ...

Zhou Yi quickly turned around and focused intently on the forest and the books, as some birds scattered away from the source of the sound, as if startled

After the city was broken, Zhou Yi lay on the raised grassy mound as usual

With a deep grunt, the elder brother released a surge of robust energy from within, transforming it into threads that flowed into the talisman.

As I gazed into the sky in confusion, a faint and indistinguishable metallic clanging suddenly emanated from the jungle on the back mountain, followed by an imperceptible tremor of the ground

The second one stepped back, and the two did not linger any longer, seemingly anxious as they transformed into shadows and disappeared

In this way, feeling utterly bored, Zhou Jiajia came to the back mountain. She initially wanted to come along, but since she had her own competition at the moment, they agreed that she would find him after the competition was over

Silence, a deathly silence. After the two left, the sound of blood flowing from the man's chest wound and the occasional chirping of birds in the area became particularly clear

The storage pouch is a type of storage equipment that almost every martial artist and adventurer possesses. Most of them are used to store some provisions and personal clothing

However, your fate is unfortunate... now you have no way to escape... hand over the 'Yuan species'...

At that time, upon receiving this task, the information provided indicated that this man had previously worked as a mercenary for a period of time and possessed exceptionally strong jungle combat skills. They did not pay much attention to this, believing that two individuals of equal rank to him would have no problem completing the task.

Creak creak

It seems that the one lying on the ground is already on the verge of death

Thirty strong individuals were taken down... in the end, only you survived

The autumn sunlight is not very dazzling or hot, making it unsuitable for cultivating vital energy; perhaps lying here for a long nap is more suitable for me

A few days ago, after agreeing with Jiajia, I also decided to stay at the Zhou family for three months. After all, going out recklessly, I have no idea what to do. Their small team has already scattered far and wide, and if I were to go out searching, it would indeed take considerable effort. At that time, when we were leaving, everyone had said they would never be mercenaries again.

Squatting beside the middle-aged man, as if speaking to oneself, "Such spirit is something only mercenaries possess in the whole world. However, you clearly have not yet reached the highest realm of feigning death. Holding your breath is of no use; your pulse is still beating..."

The internal competition of the Zhou family officially commenced today. In the morning, Zhou Yi went to watch two matches, where the young participants were simply exchanging energy without any semblance of technique.

Ding!

Elder brother, please do not act impulsively

Not far away, two middle-aged men stood on either side of the fallen man, blocking the path back and forth to prevent him from playing tricks

There are a total of three ... ... one is on the ground, two are standing ... ...

What!

Um ... ...

After a long while, the sound of footsteps crunching on fallen leaves echoed, and a young boy appeared in the scene. It was Zhou Yi

After sensing for a few breaths, Zhou Yi slowly opened his eyes. His instincts provided several pieces of information: ahead in the woods, two individuals were pursuing one person, who had already been caught and was on the brink of death

Logically speaking, such a brutal and bloody scene is a terrifying experience for a young man, with blood gushing from his chest and a dagger embedded in his leg, and even the air is permeated with a faint crimson hue

After Zhou Yi arrived, he first closed his eyes to sense his surroundings for a moment. Confirming that the two individuals had already walked far away, he then opened his eyes, untied the ribbon that was wrapped around his nose, and walked towards the middle-aged man who appeared to be dead beyond any doubt.

Each of these events is a piece of good news for the young men. If they possess sufficient strength, they can stand out in these competitions, join a sect or a prestigious academy, and soar to great heights. It is said that many of the powerful figures dominating the continent have emerged from Duancheng. This motivates the young men to train even harder, as these competitions are of utmost importance to them, with the outcomes potentially determining the future direction of their lives.

Original species? ! The original species of the extraordinary things in heaven and earth? Things that can change the attributes of original energy?

Well

The crime scene was approximately fifty meters away, and Zhou Yi came to a stop. This area was densely forested, so there was no immediate concern of being discovered.

Enough, stop pretending

Hmm

The Third Elder spoke very correctly; this technique is the culmination of all practical experience. By closing or covering the eyes, one can heighten the sensitivity of the skin, while hearing and smell reach their peak. The flowing air will then outline the still and moving objects, which can be perceived by the four senses. It is in this way that one can successfully evade Zhou Jiajia's sword dance

The second brother remained silent, drawing a dagger and plunging it into the man's chest. He then withdrew it, and blood gushed forth, yet the man showed no sign of movement.

Brother, here you go

With the ears pressed to the ground and the eyes closed, scenes invisible to the naked eye gradually unfolded.

The frail body trembled involuntarily, as if enchanted, and with gritted teeth, it struggled to move toward the direction of the forest

The elder brother spoke coldly, his hair disheveled, his clothes tattered, his complexion slightly haggard, and his eyes bloodshot, appearing as if he had been pursued for a long time without rest

The back mountain ... ... there are people ... ...

These three months are the most bustling period in Duancheng, surpassing even the annual Ancestor Worship Festival. Firstly, there are the selection competitions for the seed candidates from the three prominent families of Duancheng, followed by the contests among the younger generation of these families, and finally, the enrollment of the Brilliant Academy.

Second brother, are you sure that he is completely dead

The elder brother has a medium build, holding a broad axe, the blade of which is already stained with fresh blood. Another person carries a large black sword on his back, his expression dark and sullen

This can also be considered another ability apart from the power of the aura, which Zhou Yi refers to as instinctive foresight. Throughout his mercenary career, he has relied on this skill to escape death countless times and avoid life-threatening situations

Puff ... ...

In the month that followed, they were relentlessly pursued, enduring immense suffering, and on several occasions, their feigned deaths nearly cost them their lives. The man at present is exceedingly cunning; even in death, he does not dare to be reckless or careless.

Holding onto his knees, he coughed violently, staining his chest a deep crimson. His face contorted in a grimace, an overwhelming rage erupted from within, "https://www.hetushu.com. How dare you set up a restriction when there’s nothing in the barrier! Second brother, turn this dog into minced meat for me!"

"Second brother, you go search him and bring the talisman over; I will conduct the detection"

The second son respectfully handed over the ancient amulet, redirecting his gaze to the man on the ground, his hand tightly gripping the hilt of the sword at his back, his eyes fixed without blinking

After a few breaths, the elder brother suddenly turned red in the face and spat out a mouthful of fresh blood

What is going on

Alright, I believe they are completely wiped out. Let us investigate along the path we came from; perhaps this fellow is hiding somewhere

Moreover, this distance precisely corresponds to the strongest range of instinctive perception, allowing for an exceptionally accurate awareness of everything.

Take out the ribbon and first wrap it around the nose to prevent the smell of blood from affecting perception, then close your eyes, and immediately images appear in the mind

Taking a few steps back, the expression on his face, filled with murderous intent, changed for a moment. He leaned in sideways, whispering something into his elder brother's ear that only the two of them could hear

Under the immense temptation, a trace of rationality still remained. The steps were light, and there was a constant vigilance in observing the surrounding situation, demonstrating great caution

This expanse of land, rendered incredibly tranquil and gentle by the azure and pristine sky, allows the sense of discontent and anger that has accompanied me since my arrival on this continent to be alleviated only under such circumstances

From beginning to end, the second son’s gaze never left the man on the ground, yet his expression fluctuated between dark and light.

... ...

Zhou Yi, who originally intended to leave, paused in mid-step, unable to move forward, as he followed the sound of the wind and, guided by an instinctive sense of foreboding, heard a fragmented conversation.