Martial Saint through Reading

”Linn Yong the Escort Master, you don’t look well.”

Jiang Zhan stared at Linn Yong, his eyes flickering, as he also noticed something off with Linn Yong.

”Hero Jiang, I still need to check the escort goods, farewell.”

Linn Yong’s eyes avoided contact, bowing with cupped hands, then hurriedly left.

”Commander Meng Wanfu, be careful when we enter the mountain later. Linn Yong’s behavior today is very strange compared to last night.”

”The body was dissected, the heart and lungs removed, it reminds me of...”

”Blood Evil Sect.”

”Yes.”

Their voices were very low.

”Commander Meng Wanfu, I left something in the room, could you accompany me to retrieve it?” Chu Ming suddenly spoke.

”I’ll go retrieve it,” Jiang Zhan said.

”Commander Jiang, go and take care of the horses.” Chu Ming stood up.

Jiang Zhan was visibly taken aback; he had been the one arranging things the past two days, but today...

”Commander Jiang, I’ll wait for you with Commissioner of Canal Transport Mr. Chu at the inn’s entrance.”

”...Alright.” Jiang Zhan stuffed a few snacks into his mouth, then went to fetch the horses.

”Chu Royal Attendant?”

After Jiang Zhan left, Meng Zhen hurriedly looked at Chu Ming.

He knew Chu Ming’s intention was to send Jiang Zhan away.

Chu Ming spread his palm open, revealing two medicine pills: ”Antidote.”

Meng Zhen’s expression changed immediately: ”Chu Royal Attendant, do you mean...?”

”Yes, it stops the operation of qi blood.”

Just now, Linn Yong the Chief Escort Master of Celestial Treasure Escort Agency in Pingzhong County entered, along with a few others.

Though they seemed to have come for breakfast, in reality, they secretly spread an intangible, odorless poison.

The Sword Gourd Spirit observed minutely, and the poison was quite potent, capable of preventing a martial artist’s qi blood mobilization, even those in the Refining Organ Realm would fall prey.

It seems someone was targeting the team heading into the mountains today.

Or rather, was it targeting him?

Judging from the blood scent emanating from Linn Yong and the vomit stain on his chest, it was because he was forced to swallow something he shouldn’t have.

As for what it was, his expression when hearing about internal organs already provided the answer.

”It could be the Blood Evil Sect, be cautious.”

The two stood up and moved to the inn entrance, where Jiang Zhan had already brought around three horses.

”Is nothing left behind?”

”Nothing, Commander Jiang, let’s go.”

”Alright.”

”Ah? Commander Meng Wanfu, what are you holding?”

After mounting his horse, Meng Zhen took out a bamboo tube, inside mixed with the antidote.

”This is the local specialty tea; I bought some. Would Commander Jiang like some?”

”Let me try it.”

”....”

...

Deep within Thousand Mile Mountain, a dilapidated mountain temple lay hidden among the woods.

Inside the temple, cobwebs crisscrossed, dust thick, with collapsed pillars and beams pressing down on a broken Buddha statue.

Before the statue stood a person.

This person held a head in his right hand, his feet surrounded by corpses.

The blood from the bodies flowed like a river, converging under the Buddha statue.

”Sir, last night around five hundred people were sacrificed in the blood ritual.” Someone reported while bowing.

”Only five hundred people...?” Lang Sha’s voice was hoarse, speaking while his gaze never left the statue, ”In half a shichen, it’s not enough for a thousand. Use your own bodies for the blood ritual.”

”Yes...yes...”

The one reporting exited the temple in a rush.

Lang Sha approached the statue and with a single palm strike, shattered the supporting pillars and beams instantly, causing the already broken statue to lose another half of its body.

Sunlight from the dawn streamed in, illuminating the Buddha statue that hadn’t seen light for countless years, pouring into the temple.

As the dust dispersed, it revealed a person beneath the statue.

To be precise, it was not a person but a Blood Guard, refined from the body of a Lower Realm strong person from the Meridian Unlocking Realm, a Bloodthirsty Guard.

Wherever Lang Sha moved, the Bloodthirsty Guard followed.

He glanced at the statue exposed to the sunlight, then at the shattered body of the statue, a cruel smile on his lips.

”I, Lang Sha, am a Lower Realm strong person in the Meridian Unlocking Realm. With a Bloodthirsty Guard comparable to the Lower Realm, why would I need a mere evil spirit like you?”

”If not for the Young Master’s command, I could have completed the task last night.”

”Why are you glaring at me? So what if I blasted off one of your arms? Without me blood ritualizing you, who knows when you’d next taste blood.”

”...”

Lang Sha had arrived with his men and the Bloodthirsty Guard at Thousand Mile Mountain last night.

This place was agreed upon by Baili Xinghua and Blood Evil Sect’s Young Master Yaan Qu for ambushing Chu Ming.

The choice was due to the evil presence within the mountain temple of Thousand Mile Mountain.

Ten years ago, this evil presence was dispelled by the Divine Mystery Bureau, but not entirely, similar to the evil substances beneath the mines of Jingyan County. The Divine Mystery Bureau kept a root for continuously obtaining Primordial Artifact Material, nurturing it here.

Yaan Qu’s task for Lang Sha was to blood ritualize the evil presence here, using whatever means necessary to kill Chu Ming and the mysterious forces behind him.

”Sir, a hundred-man team has entered the mountain.”

Outside, someone came to report again.

”Did the escort master use the poison?”

”Reporting, sir, the poison was used, Linn Yong is right outside.”

”Have him come in.”

”Yes.”

Linn Yong entered the mountain temple timidly.

”I’ve done as you instructed, sir, please release my son.” He fell to his knees with a thud.

”Your son...”

Lang Sha took a few steps towards the outside, stopping right at the boundary of sunlight and shadow, his face sinister in the light.

”What was your son’s name again?” he raised his hand, casually picking at his nails.

”Linn Xing, sir, my son’s name is Linn Xing.” Linn Yong pleaded, almost in tears.