Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 364 Killing One Person in Ten Steps (1)

The strange smile on Xiao Fei's face left Song Yan completely bewildered.

Could it be that the Ghost Cave Master has many sons, and he is clearly the least favored one, which is why he betrayed the Ghost Cave and even his own father without hesitation? The longing in his eyes seems to wish he could kill his father, which is why such a smile appeared on his face.
Moreover, he emphasized it several times at some complicated intersections, as if he was afraid that he might accidentally take the wrong road and not be able to find his father... Just how much does this person hate his own father?
In a short time, Song Yan had conjured up a dramatic ethical drama in his mind that rivaled the struggle for the throne among the nine princes.

Seeing that everyone's eyes were on him, Song Yan breathed a sigh of relief, bent down and removed the head of the Ghost Cave Master's son. This identity was still somewhat useful, right? He wrapped the head up and handed it to Nahetoya before saying, "Let's go."

The murky sewage, the sticky texture, and especially the soft, gooey feeling underfoot when you stepped on it, gave Song Yan an instinctive sense of nausea.

The strong, indescribable stench made it difficult for him to breathe.

Ten brothers followed behind him, their gleaming scimitars already drawn, their eyes warily scanning their surroundings, especially at intersections where they were extra cautious.

Its slightly bent body resembled that of a cheetah ready to pounce at any moment.

This is the instinct of elite soldiers in the army.

They can get into the fight in the shortest amount of time.

However, Ziyu, Nahetuya, and a few other girls couldn't stand the harsh environment. Even the usually aloof Luo Tianyi frowned and involuntarily moved to the side. Although it was just as filthy, at least she didn't have to submerge her calves in sewage.

Only Luo Tianxuan and Hua Lianyue were completely unaffected, walking on the surface of the sewage... yes, the surface. The moment their delicate little feet touched the ground, an invisible barrier seemed to appear beneath their shoes, the rounded indentations clearly visible on the water's surface, preventing them from falling into the water.

Song Yan couldn't help but feel envious.

When will I be able to reach that level?
This skill is far more impressive than anything that involves walking on water.

This pose, in particular, is incredibly stylish; it's the perfect way to show off. Fortunately, there weren't such powerful martial artists in Qin Shi Huang's era, otherwise, the emperor would surely have mistaken him for an immortal and dragged him back to Xianyang to refine elixirs.

They hadn't walked far when, illuminated by the torches, they saw several figures ahead. Perhaps because the ditch was too stuffy, these people, despite having little clothing on their upper bodies and only a few tattered strips of cloth left, hadn't frozen to death.

They were emaciated, skin and bones, like a layer of human skin draped over a skeleton, with no trace of muscle or fat. Their bodies were covered in filth, their dry, yellowish-white, tangled hair resembling a bird's nest, and their sunken eye sockets made their eyes appear exceptionally large, bulging, as if they might fall out of their sockets at any moment.

Their eyes were dull and lifeless.

They were like walking corpses.

Only when he saw Song Yan and his group did a burst of crazed glint suddenly appear deep within his eyes:
"stranger."

"meat!"

"meat!"

"meat!"

The soles of my feet stomped in the sewage, making a splashing sound.

Song Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. He had already learned from the dwarf that although these people were just ordinary people, they were the Ghost Cave's best informants. They would memorize the faces of all Ghost Cave members, and any strangers who appeared would be attacked immediately. The sounds they made were the best signals.

Of course, the vast majority of them will die.

But those who survived all received a piece of flesh as a reward from the Ghost Cave.

For these people who only have a dry cornbread every day, a piece of meat is enough to drive them crazy. The feeling of hunger is so unbearable; it is simply the cruelest torture in the world.

In an instant, the eyes of these people, which had been dull and lifeless, turned bloodshot. Their gazes toward Song Yan, especially those of the women, were filled with an uncontrollable greed. These women, with their delicate skin and tender flesh, must be incredibly delicious. They were already skin and bones, with hardly any strength left in their bodies, but at this moment, they were like ferocious hyenas on the savanna, rushing forward with mournful howls.

scoff.

A knife at the waist.

Slowly pull it out.

Nakhtoya held a torch in her hand, the flickering flames casting a chilling light.

Swish.

The steel blade then slashed out.

The sharp blade sliced ​​across the neck of the person at the front as easily as cutting tofu.

Perhaps because it was too thin, a little blood spurted from its severed neck, and fell into the sewage along with its severed head, splashing up a spray of water.

People are dead.

But the remaining people showed no fear in their eyes.

Instead, their eyes gleamed with a frenzied, beast-like light. The smell of blood seemed to have triggered their sensitive nerves, and those behind them instantly pounced on the headless corpse. They didn't care how filthy the sewage was, or how dirty the body was; they opened their mouths and began to tear at it.

The dry skin is quite resilient.

In a moment of carelessness, the few remaining large, yellow teeth were torn out, leaving his mouth full of scarlet blood.

But nobody cared at all, as if they had already gotten used to it.

In the dark ditch, this is the final resting place for the dead.

Seeing that there were no seats left, the people who surged forward from behind turned their menacing gazes toward Song Yan and his companions.

Just then, three elite soldiers stepped forward from behind Song Yan, their steel blades slashing down, quickly decapitating the men who had rushed at them. Glancing at the men frantically tearing at the corpses in the sewage, the three soldiers exchanged a glance, then swung their blades again, and with a series of sharp, slicing sounds, their heads were also severed.

No matter who they are or what their status is, anyone who harbors ill will towards the General is their enemy.

The corpses floated and sank in the filthy sewage.

Three elite soldiers continued forward, followed by the rest of the group.

They already knew the underground trenches were a complex network of pipes, but when they actually entered, they realized the situation was far worse than they had imagined. Even with the information provided by the son of the Ghost Cave Master, they could still easily get lost. Along the way, they encountered many ragged, emaciated people, just like the first few they had met. They were completely unable to communicate, and the moment they saw them, these people pounced on them like a pack of jackals, howling.

No one knows exactly how many were killed.

All I know is that there were corpses everywhere along the way.

Blood gushed from the neck and chest. As soon as Song Yan and the others moved a little further away, countless rats, cockroaches, and flies crawled on the corpse. The rustling and gnawing sounds, in this dim environment, sent chills down everyone's spine.

"stranger……"

"Meat...meat...meat..."

As they drew closer to the place the son of the Ghost Cave Master had described, they turned a corner and found themselves in a familiar scene: the screams of impending death echoed through the ceramic pipes.

Ghost Cave Lair.

The faint screams echoed in my ears.

In an instant, the martial artists who had been whispering stopped talking, those who had closed their eyes to rest, and those who had been meditating cross-legged opened their eyes.

All eyes were drawn to the dirty wooden door.

The screams came from behind the wooden door.

Rough fingers instinctively reached for the weapon beside them, their eyes filled with chilling killing intent. The screams of ordinary people in the dark ditch were their signal... If it weren't for the fact that these ordinary people's lives could serve as a warning, why would they keep these people around for nothing?
Do you really think steamed buns are free?
An uninvited guest has wandered into the ditch.

Many people grinned, their faces filled with chilling smiles: trespassing into the ghost cave is courting death.

Even the master of the Ghost Cave came out of his residence, his brows furrowed.

His ears twitched slightly, then he pressed them against the wall, carefully discerning the faint sounds. Every now and then, a scream would come, clearly indicating that people were being killed. The sounds had gone from being faint at first to being clearly audible now.

The other party was clearly after the Ghost Cave; he even knew the route to it.

Could it be that Song Yan has already broken in?
Impossible, absolutely impossible.

The moment the thought crossed his mind, the Ghost Cave Master shook his head, dismissing the hypothesis.

Although Song Yan is vindictive, he is by no means a reckless and ignorant fool. Even if he wanted to take action against Ghost Cave, he would not have rushed in alone. According to his calculations, Song Yan would rely on his relationship with the Fang family to gather thousands of constables and runners, which would be impossible to do in less than three to five days.

Most importantly, if thousands of constables were to act together, such a large-scale operation would likely cause the walls to tremble slightly, unlike the current situation where there is no sound other than screams.

Perhaps, he is a chivalrous hero who wants to uphold justice?
A slight sneer appeared on the Ghost Cave Master's face. Since the Ghost Cave was established, countless people in the martial arts world had tried to rise to power by stepping on it. Countless young people, full of enthusiasm and chivalry, wanted to punish evil and uphold justice after learning of the Ghost Cave's existence.

But heroes come and go, yet the Ghost Cave remains.

Aside from adding a few more white bones to the filthy sewage, they serve no other purpose.

He dared not provoke the nobles and officials of Dongling City, nor did he dare provoke the Marquis of Champion Song Yan. But what was a mere Jianghu person?
The Ghost Cave Master waved his hand, and immediately a sixth-rank martial artist silently walked towards the entrance.

……

After an unknown amount of time, Song Yan finally stopped.

Suddenly, the space in front of me became spacious.

To the right front, a dirty, rotten, and dilapidated wooden door stands out conspicuously in this dark ditch.

Looking down at the knife in his hand, he saw that the blade had become warped and jagged, having long lost its original sharpness.

He casually tossed the steel knife aside and walked toward the dirty wooden door. Even through the door, he could hear the chaotic breathing and heartbeat coming from behind it.

Raise your right hand slowly.

Squeak.

The wooden door was gently pulled open.

laugh.

The moment the door was opened, a piercing whistling sound suddenly rang out.

Song Yan didn't even have time to see what was behind the wooden door before a gleaming blade flashed past him, slashing straight down toward his head.

With a single, powerful strike, he split Mount Hua in two.

The moves are very simple.

Combined with the brute strength of the person making the move, it truly possesses the power to shatter even a mountaintop.

But... this strength isn't enough.

Although Song Yan had not practiced martial arts for a long time, he had tempered his physical body far more times than other martial artists of the same level. Even the physical bodies of eighth-rank and even ninth-rank martial artists were not as tempered as Song Yan's.

In Song Yan's eyes, this strike was so slow and weak.

He raised his right hand and grabbed straight at the blade.

hum.

The tip of the blade trembled violently above Song Yan's head. His thumb and forefinger gripped the sides of the blade tightly, and no matter how hard the martial artist behind the door tried to exert all his strength, the blade remained motionless, and his face even turned red from holding his breath.

The next moment, Song Yan suddenly stepped forward and slapped a palm at the person behind the door.

Song Yan moved extremely fast. He had also practiced lightness skills. Although he didn't have much talent in lightness skills and couldn't be as graceful as Luo Tianxuan or as mysterious as Hua Lianyue, with the help of his brute strength, he was definitely not slow in terms of speed.

The sixth-rank martial artist didn't even have time to react before a figure flashed before his eyes, and a slap landed on his forehead.

Click. A crisp sound rang in my ears.

The skull was fractured by the shock.

My brain seemed to have suffered an unprecedented shock, buzzing loudly.

The next instant, with another bang, that fine head exploded.

The headless corpse, with its neck shattered, was gushing blood, instantly staining the area near the doorway crimson.

A few breaths later, the headless corpse swayed and fell to the ground with a thud, still twitching nervously.

hiss.

This scene caused everyone in the Ghost Cave to change their expressions.

Those closest to the entrance are the weakest.

With a single move, he shattered the head of a sixth-rank martial artist. This person was ruthless enough to be an enemy they could not possibly defeat. They instinctively retreated, their faces filled with fear.

Even the Ghost Cave Master frowned slightly. He could tell at a glance that the person's cultivation level was between the fifth and sixth rank, which meant he had some strength. However, he couldn't understand how a sixth-rank martial artist could have his head smashed so easily, especially when attacked by a sneak attack.

This young man is quite extraordinary.

His actual combat strength cannot be judged from his cultivation level.

In the martial arts world, there are exceptionally talented individuals who can challenge those of higher levels.

Perhaps, the young man in front of me is one of them.

Such people often have extraordinary backgrounds, perhaps nurtured by powerful sects or forces. Although one of his brothers was killed, he truly didn't want to provoke such beings unless absolutely necessary. But if the other party insisted on provoking him, he wouldn't show any mercy. Dark Ditch was Ghost Cave's territory, and no one could interfere. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and the Ghost Cave Master stepped forward: "Who are you, and why do you trespass into my Ghost Cave?"

Behind them, some highly skilled martial artists also had gloomy expressions. As the Ghost Cave Master spoke, their fingers were already on the hilts of their swords, their gloomy eyes fixed on Song Yan. When they saw the stunning beauties appearing one after another behind Song Yan, the gloom in their eyes turned into greed and desire.

What a beautiful woman.

In this dark ditch, it was like a bright moon hanging in the sky; in a daze, the entire ditch became bright.

They were already getting impatient and were just waiting for the cave master's order to swarm in and take care of the men as quickly as possible. As for the remaining women, they would be their spoils.

Song Yan chuckled: "You arranged for someone to hunt down Bu Yu, and now you're asking me who I am?"

Bu Yu?

The Ghost Cave Master was taken aback, then suddenly realized what was happening, and his expression became more bizarre than ever before: "You are Song Yan?"

Are you kidding me?
Is Song Yan out of his mind?
He had considered that Song Yan would retaliate against Ghost Cave, but he never expected that this guy would actually dare to lead more than a dozen people into the dark ditch. Did he have a death wish?
But now, things have become a bit complicated.

Ghost Cave will not provoke nobles.

It had already been decided that they would not get involved in the power struggles between the bigwigs. They planned to arrange for someone to be beheaded by Song Yan to quell his anger and then the matter would be over.

But who could have imagined that Song Yan would arrive so quickly, leaving no time to prepare?

Even more unexpectedly, Song Yan actually found the Ghost Cave's lair.

Wait a moment……

Suddenly, the Ghost Cave Master thought of something important: his son had just left the Ghost Cave not long ago. Could he run into Song Yan?

Given Song Yan's personality, if she falls into his hands, her fate will be...

With a barely perceptible tremor, the Ghost Cave Master's face instantly turned ashen, his throat bobbing slightly: "Have you seen my son?"

"Your son?" Song Yan gently patted his forehead. "I've met him. I even brought him with me."

He turned and took the small package from Nakhtoya's hand. He opened the package and casually tossed it on the ground. A head rolled out of it, a familiar face with a strange, chilling smile on it.

"Here it is."

hiss.

Boom... Crack!

In an instant, the Ghost Cave Master's body trembled violently, as if struck by lightning.

The rosy glow on his face faded like a receding tide, replaced by a deathly pallor. His body swayed precariously, his pupils contracted, his breathing continued, and his fingers trembled slightly. That was Xiaofei, his son.

He was his only son.

Just like that...dead?
Squeak squeak squeak...

An indescribable sound came from the throat of the Ghost Cave Master.

He seemed to be in great pain and distress, which puzzled Song Yan. Over the years, countless children had been harmed by the Ghost Cave, and countless women had been abducted by it. There were at least eight hundred or a thousand people like Bu Yu who had been assassinated. Why couldn't he bear it when such things happened to him?

Could it be that the master of this Ghost Cave believes, in his domineering way, that he is the only one who can kill, and no one is allowed to kill him?

Suddenly, the Ghost Cave Master raised his head, his bloodshot eyes fixed on Song Yan: "You dare to kill my son?"

"court death."

To hell with not killing nobles.

To hell with not killing scholar-officials.

Screw the rules.

All my previous rationality and caution vanished at this moment.

His only son is gone, and he wants everyone to die with him.

Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah……

A surge of inner energy rippled and spread through the Ghost Cave Master, causing his white robe to billow and flutter.

The momentum grew stronger and stronger.

The pressure from the ninth-rank martial artist was almost overwhelming.

In the dark ditch, a sudden gust of wind seemed to rise out of nowhere.

Seeing that their leader was about to make a move, the other desperados became even more excited, and with a series of swishing sounds, they all drew their gleaming weapons.

The Ghost Cave Master approached Song Yan step by step. He wanted to personally deal with this bastard who killed his son and make Song Yan understand what kind of sin he had committed.

"Originally, you killed many of our brothers, and I didn't hold it against you because I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. Do you really think that Ghost Cave can't do anything to you?" With a hoarse voice, the distance between Ghost Cave Master and Song Yan grew closer and closer: "What you rely on is nothing more than Luo Tianyi, a ninth-rank martial artist."

"But what can a ninth-rank martial artist do?"

"There are two ghost caves."

Following the voice of the Ghost Cave Master, another figure stepped forward. It was an old man in his sixties with a hunched back. His aura was no longer concealed and surged forth. Although he could not compare to the Ghost Cave Master, he was undoubtedly a ninth-rank martial artist.

This person should be the other ninth-rank martial artist mentioned by the Ghost Cave Master.

The information provided by the dwarf was indeed not complete.

The next instant, with a whoosh, the Grand Elder rushed towards Luo Tianyi. Her figure, wielding a long sword, immediately revealed her identity to the Grand Elder. The Grand Elder knew very well that he was no match for Luo Tianyi; he only needed to entangle her and buy some time. With the Cave Master's strength, he could kill Song Yan instantly. At that point, it would be two Ninth-Rank cultivators against one; dealing with Luo Tianyi would be a simple matter.

Almost at the same time, the Ghost Cave Master lightly touched the ground with his toes, and in an instant, his body floated towards Song Yan like a ghost. His speed was incredibly fast, and Song Yan even felt that afterimages appeared before his eyes.

In an instant, the master of the Ghost Cave appeared in front of Song Yan, his curved fingers like sharp eagle claws, directly grabbing Song Yan's neck: "Song Yan... die."

The arm moved rapidly, creating a flurry of claw shadows.

Up close, one could see even more clearly the ferocity of the Ghost Cave Master's face, and the deep hatred and resentment hidden in his eyes. The overwhelming pressure made Song Yan take a step back, and a layer of cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

Although his sister-in-law and Ziyu were always by his side, and he had spent a lot of time with the ninth-rank martial artist, he didn't think much of him until this moment. Only then did Song Yan truly feel how terrifying the power of the ninth-rank martial artist was. His body swayed precariously, as if he were a small boat in a stormy ocean, as if he could capsize at any moment.

My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of my chest.

His teeth chattered uncontrollably, and he trembled, but from beginning to end, Song Yan kept his head high, and in his eyes looking at the Ghost Cave Master, there was not a trace of fear, only a deep mockery.

It seemed to be mocking the Ghost Cave Master's overestimation of his abilities.

Just as the sharp fingers were about to touch Song Yan's neck, a black figure appeared out of thin air. The small, white hand, like a soft venomous snake, passed through the layers of barriers in an incredible way and gently patted the Ghost Cave Master's shoulder.

boom.

In an instant, the surging internal energy of the Ghost Cave Master dissipated.

Before he could even react, he felt an incredibly terrifying force suddenly press down on him. His body sank, his legs completely out of control, and he knelt down in front of Song Yan with a thud.

Song Yan was speechless: "The New Year is long over, isn't it a bit too late to kowtow now? There won't be any red envelopes for you."

These words enraged the Ghost Cave Master to the point of near death. He had no idea what was going on, or why he had inexplicably knelt down. He struggled desperately, but his inner strength seemed to have completely vanished, and he couldn't mobilize it at all.

Behind them, the group of experts from Ghost Cave looked at each other in bewilderment, none of them knowing what was going on.

The various eerie gazes and rustling sounds filled the Ghost Cave Master with shame and rage.

Just then, a cold, eerie voice came from the side:

"Two ninth-rank martial artists, is that so great?"

The clear, crisp voice carried a hint of mockery.

In his words, he showed no regard for the ninth-rank martial artist.

The Ghost Cave Master then noticed that a woman in a long black dress had appeared beside him. The woman was stunningly beautiful, like a fairy from a painting. In the next instant, a surging aura, like a tsunami, suddenly erupted from the woman's body, more than ten times stronger than the Ghost Cave Master's inner energy.

hum.

The master of the Ghost Cave felt as if he had been struck by a heavy blow.

My heart was pounding wildly; the intense palpitations were a warning sign of danger.

After struggling for a while and finally managing to lift his knee a little, it slammed heavily to the ground again with a thud.

That was an indescribable despair.

That was an unparalleled power.

It's a crushing defeat that leaves you utterly devoid of any desire to resist.

The Cave Master of the Ghost Cave stared wide-eyed, his gaze filled with disbelief and horror:

"...Grandmaster."

(End of this chapter)