"No."
Wu Song shook his head, then said something that made Tong Bapi's heart pound:
"Have you... offended a Viscera Realm expert?"
Martial Dao cultivation progresses through three realms: first, Qi and Blood; second, Essence realm; and third, Viscera Realm.
The strength difference between them is vast; each Breakthrough in a realm multiplies one's power several times over.
Although Tong Bapi and his youngest son, Tong Hao, were both second-realm Essence Tempering Martial Masters, in front of a third-realm Viscera Martial Master...
They would be utterly powerless.
Just like Wu Song earlier, if they were close enough, he could even kill them with a single flick of his sleeve.
"Ah... a Viscera Realm expert? I... no... I haven't offended..."
The smile on Tong Bapi's fat face froze, and a layer of cold sweat seeped from his forehead.
"Then perhaps not."
Wu Song glanced at him, the scar on his face twisting, making him look even more terrifying:
"Your steward was beheaded with a single strike, the wound as smooth as a mirror, and yet the villagers at the scene didn't even see a shadow of the assailant...
It's hard to say... when they might sneak into your room in the middle of the night and give you a similar cut..."
Hiss!
Tong Bapi gasped, feeling a chill down his neck.
But no matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn't recall ever offending a third-realm Martial Master!
For a moment, the air in the study seemed to solidify, terrifyingly quiet.
After a long while, he came to his senses and looked at Wu Song as if pleading for help:
"Great Master... save me!"
"I am willing to offer a thousand taels of silver; please save my life, Great Master!"
Wu Song's lips subtly curled, and seeing that the time was right, he slowly said:
"You and I are friends; talking about money hurts our feelings. However, I am injured and indeed need to concoct some medicinal pastes...
Consider this money a loan.
As for the assailant, if they don't come, so be it. If they do, they will simply become another soul under my blade."
Tong Bapi breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this.
Then, he recalled the increasingly severe Tiger Demon disaster recently...
If it were known that he had sent people to steal the Tiger Demon cubs, thus bringing about this disaster, causing nearly a hundred casualties in villages within ten miles...
His Tong Family would surely become the target of public wrath, and the government's accountability would be unavoidable.
If he could persuade this person to act and slay that Tiger Spirit...
All problems would be solved!
"Master Wu, the tiger disaster is rampant, and our neighbors are suffering immensely. I am willing to offer two thousand taels of silver to ask you..."
"Wait!"
Wu Song waved his hand, stopping him before he could speak, and said indifferently:
"I, the humble monk, consume wine and meat freely, without any dietary restrictions, but I have one vow... I must not harm tigers!
Please forgive me... but I am unable to help."
Having said that, he flicked his sleeve, turned cleanly, and left.
Watching Wu Song's receding figure, Tong Bapi's expression changed several times, finally leaving only a look of...
Ruthlessness.
Back in the study, he sat down again on the arhat bed and closed his eyes to rest.
A moment later, a person pushed open the door and entered, bowing and standing still. He called out "Master" and, when he raised his head, it was a middle-aged man of about thirty...
Who bore a six or seven-tenths resemblance to the deceased Steward Cheng!
"Cheng Er, your brother died suspiciously; you must investigate thoroughly."
Tong Bapi opened his eyes, reached up to touch his neck, and spoke a bit faster:
"Investigate secretly, do not make a big fuss. See who exactly is targeting our Tong Family."
"Yes."
Cheng Er responded in a low voice, then after a moment of silence, he whispered:
"Today, several households in the village were planning to go to the city to report to the government, but I stopped them.
However, other villages, I'm afraid, will..."
"This damned beast, it's eaten so many people, and it still won't stop!"
Tong Bapi first cursed the Tiger Demon, then began to curse the villagers:
"...And these damned dirt-poor peasants, always causing trouble for me."
A moment later, he stopped, breathing heavily, but he also knew that the matter had escalated and could no longer be delayed; either report it or resolve it.
Otherwise, if the government pursued the matter, his crimes of "knowing but not reporting" and "dereliction of duty" as the village chief would be enough to bankrupt him.
At that time, those insatiable fellows would show him no mercy.
After much hesitation, he slowly began to speak:
"Tomorrow, go to the city to find Hao'er. Tell him... that I intend to eliminate the Tiger Demon disaster for our neighbors, and ask him to request a few Hunters from Young Master Zheng."
——
【You died, refunding 87 points of Spiritual Essence.】
"Damn it!"
Liu Sheng cursed as he closed the panel and carried his iron saber home.
Just now, he had impulsively performed another deduction, resulting in a wasted 13 points of Spiritual Essence, leaving him with only 116 points now.
In the previous deduction, he had also spat venom and dug holes, then waited until the cover above the hole was opened to release new snakes, at which point he would erupt and attack, but...
He was strangled to death by someone.
The person above the hole's cover was at least a second-order Essence Realm cultivator...
Who had condensed Essence Realm strength!
And they wore refined iron gloves, isolating the venom.
"In that case, is the only hope of escaping to evolve into a spirit within the snake cave?"
Liu Sheng walked, recalling his previous deduction experiences.
In his first life in the snake cave, he lived until the twenty-eighth year, only to encounter a fully evolved male snake. At that time, he was old and frail and simply couldn't defeat it.
During that time, there was no opportunity to evolve into a spirit at all!
So, where exactly was the key to breaking the deadlock in this "Iron Scale Snake" deduction?
Even after returning home, this question remained unanswered.
"You're back."
Yu Niang dutifully greeted him, serving him as he washed and placing the prepared breakfast on the table.
The Shanyang steamed meat, made from a mixture of pork and potatoes, steamed with flour, was soft and tender, melting in the mouth.
The steaming hot lamb offal soup, simmered for half the night with medicinal herbs like astragalus and angelica, had a few sprinkles of green onion on the oil, adding a fresh, green fragrance that diluted the gamey smell.
There were also steamed buns the size of a human head, stacked high...
These were all made at Liu Sheng's request, as he needed to practice martial arts, which required not only meat but also a huge appetite.
Liu Apo, being accustomed to frugality, couldn't bear to see food wasted, but when faced with her beloved grandson, she would only nag a bit.
She, Yu Niang, and Er Ya only ate steamed buns, at most drinking a bowl of clear soup, leaving all the steamed meat and lamb offal for Liu Sheng.
"Grandma, I can't finish it all by myself; you guys help me out!"
After saying that, without waiting for Grandma to speak, he divided out one-third of the steamed meat and lamb offal; any more and he feared Grandma would get angry and flip the table.
After all, this old woman was fierce enough to threaten people with a firewood knife to make them her concubine.
"You child..."
Looking at the soft, tender steamed meat in her bowl, Liu Apo mumbled a few words. Seeing Yu Niang and Er Ya looking at her eagerly, not daring to touch their chopsticks, she finally nodded:
"Eat. Get your bodies stronger; then when you have babies next year, you'll have milk."
Liu Sheng raised an eyebrow, subtly glancing at Yu Niang, only to see her secretly looking back, her eyes so alluring they seemed to drip with water.
Had this woman acquired a taste for it?
Amitabha!
Lust is a bone-scraping blade!
Young men, beware of lust!
Liu Sheng silently recited a few phrases, quickly averting his gaze, which allowed the small Dragon, showing signs of awakening, to return to hibernation.
Snakes are inherently lecherous, it's annoying!
This house is unbearable!
After wolfing down breakfast and tossing aside his bowls and chopsticks, Liu Sheng grabbed his gear and went hunting with Zhao Lei.
During this time, the Tiger Demon disaster had intensified, making Black Wind Mountain almost a Forbidden Land.
But Zhao Lei relied on hunting to support his family, and with the summer tax due soon, he had no choice but to risk entering the mountain.
Liu Sheng now had no worries about food or drink, but fearing Zhao Lei might encounter misfortune, he went along to protect him.
After all, Zhao Lei had helped his family many times in the past, a deep kindness.
On the mountain path, Zhao Lei shared his many years of hunting experience, explaining the habits of prey, and happened to mention several common venomous snakes.
After explaining, he brought up an interesting anecdote he had heard:
"...I heard Qin Wuye say that in places where venomous snakes gather, a small, highly venomous snake is occasionally born.
It is fierce by nature, preying on other venomous snakes. When the toxicity in its body accumulates to a certain level, it will activate the Bloodline within its body and shed its skin to become a spirit..."
"Hmm...?!"
Eating snakes activates the Bloodline, shedding skin to become a spirit?!
Liu Sheng suddenly stopped, staring blankly at Zhao Lei, his heart surging—
The key to the successful deduction of "Iron Scale Snake" was hidden here?
If he hadn't accompanied him into the mountains to hunt today...
He might have missed this crucial information.
It really is...
Good deeds are rewarded!