The God of the Human Realm!

Chapter 100 I, Hong, have no habit of giving experience points to the enemy (5k)

Thirty miles north of Qingxu County, in a secluded mountain valley amidst snow-covered forests.

Boo!
With a loud, sharp whistle piercing the air, a majestic black eagle circled overhead, flapped its wings, and swooped down.

A gray figure darted out of the ravine, swiftly traversing the snow-covered, slippery, and muddy mountain path. In a flash, it reached a precipice and whistled.

The black eagle let out another cry and fluttered over.

Gray Shadow was a robust, middle-aged man with a broad face and wide mouth. His hair was messy, and his temples were slightly gray, as if he hadn't taken care of it for a long time.

He looked tired, and his eyes were bloodshot.

This man was named Guo Xiaochuan, and he was the third most important person in the Guo family after Guo Zhen and Guo Wei.

He was originally a member of a collateral branch of the Guo family. Due to his outstanding talent, he was promoted by Guo Zhen and Guo Er, and rose to a high position. He was extremely loyal to the two of them.

His bloodshot eyes were now filled with hatred. He touched the feathers of the eagle that had landed on his shoulder, took a bamboo tube from its talons, snapped it open with a 'snap', and found a wad of paper in his palm.

Guo Xiaochuan then took out a squeaking, plump mountain rat from his pocket, fed it to the black eagle, and then leaped into the ravine.

A large black pine forest grows in this mountain hollow. Walking a hundred feet in, a spacious cave is revealed under the intertwined vines.

The candlelight flickered in the cave, concealing dozens of people. Some were silently gnawing on cold, hard strips of meat, while others were polishing their weapons. Each of them exuded a fierce aura and a menacing presence.

This group of people were the remnants of the Guo and Hua families.

The Guo family was led by Guo Xiaochuan, while the Hua family was under the leadership of Hua Shouzheng.

Hua Shouzheng is the cousin of the clan chief, Hua Shouren.

Hua Shouzheng had a handsome face and, like his cousin Hua Shouren, a fondness for refined pursuits. Now, his long hair was disheveled, his clothes were stained with blood, and he gripped a short blade tightly in his hand as he looked at Guo Xiaochuan, who had entered the cave: "What was that thief's reaction?"

His voice was hoarse, filled with a thick, unyielding resentment.

The 'traitor' he was referring to was, of course, Hong Yuan, who had annihilated both clans.

The others also stopped what they were doing, their bloodshot eyes fixed on Guo Xiaochuan, hoping to hear from him that the 'thief' was furious and thus gain a sense of revenge.

Guo Xiaochuan remained silent, shook his head, and handed the note to Hua Shouzhen after he had already read it.

Hua Shouzheng read it impatiently, grabbed the note, his hands bulging with veins, and hissed, "Good! Good! That scoundrel really looks down on us, only sending Qing Lingzi as the leader. Let's cut off his arm first, and make him feel the pain..."

Even a centipede with a hundred legs will not fall down when dead. Large clans like the Guo and Hua families, which have lasted for one or two hundred years, have deeply entrenched power and are extremely difficult to eradicate.

Even when they were on the verge of destruction, they still maintained spies in the prefectural city, who could keep them informed at any time.

Just as Qing Lingzi received his orders and left the city, a messenger arrived by hawk and quickly learned the news.

They even found out the details about Qing Lingzi, who had only recently joined Hong Yuan's side.

The Zhenhai Alliance, which encompassed the former Jintang Camp and the Caobang forces, was led by Tao Gongwang, Qian Shanzhi, and others, with Hong Yuan as its leader.

In addition, there were two capable ministers, one civil and one military.

'Wen' refers to Xie Yansheng, who served as both the head of the Supervisory Hall and the chief of the staff.

'Wu' refers to Qing Lingzi of the Wuding Sword Sect.

"That traitor Xie Yansheng betrayed my Hua family, yet he's climbed higher and higher in rank. It's a pity it wasn't him who came this time, otherwise I would have skinned him alive, torn him to pieces!"

Hua Shouzheng sneered repeatedly.

The rest of the Hua family members in the cave were also filled with boundless hatred.

The Hua family and the Xie family of Jiangling have some kinship ties, and Xie Yansheng is said to be a descendant of a declining branch of the Xie family who joined the Hua family and gradually gained the favor of Hua Shouren, but then...

The Hua family's hatred for Xie Yansheng was no less than that for Hong Yuan.

"I couldn't lure that scoundrel surnamed Hong out, and I couldn't kill him with my own hands to avenge him. I really can't quell the hatred in my heart," Guo Xiaochuan said with a muffled groan.

They were well aware of their own limitations and knew they were no match for Hong Yuan, so they dared not cause trouble in the prefectural city, but only dared to stir up trouble in Qingxu and Yangquan.

But since they dared to make a move, they must have some trump cards up their sleeves.

"Where are they?"

Guo Xiaochuan said in a low voice.

“He only showed up once. One of them asked him a few questions, and then he disappeared.” Hua Shouzheng’s voice was low, filled with both apprehension and anticipation.

As he spoke, his gaze subtly swept around the cave, as if the 'them' he was referring to were hidden in the dim candlelight and flickering shadows.

"Fine, let that scoundrel get away with it! Let 'them' collect his head. This time, we'll leave all those lackeys like Qing Lingzi behind." Guo Xiaochuan's voice was icy.

Hua Shouzhen nodded silently, then sighed again: "It's a pity that my niece is still in seclusion at the Xuanbing Sect, and all the people we sent were blocked, otherwise..."

Two days later.

Inside a residence near the county government office in Qingxu County.

Qing Lingzi smelled the strong stench of blood and stared expressionlessly at the several corpses lying haphazardly on the ground, except for one who was an official dispatched by the Zhenhai Alliance.

The rest of the dead were servants and guards from the mansion.

Qing Lingzi examined the official's wounds. His tongue had been cut off, obviously to prevent him from shouting. His bones were shattered all over, with the final fatal wound being to his throat.

The opponent could easily kill this subordinate, but tortured him for a long time before finally killing him.

"Senior Brother Li!" Another subordinate official, pale-faced, knelt on the ground, his expression sorrowful.

"Zhang Dianshi, please accept my condolences!" Qing Lingzi glanced at him and casually offered a word of comfort.

Zhang, the clerk, wiped his eyes, his eyes red-rimmed, and said bitterly, "Please, sir, you must capture those remaining villains and avenge my dead brothers."

The deceased Li surnamed official and Zhang Dianshi were both from the Yang family martial arts school.

Qing Lingzi nodded slightly, and a Zhenhai Alliance scout rushed in and reported, "Sir, our men have captured several prisoners alive."

Qing Lingzi's spirits lifted, and he strode out.

As dusk fell, after more than an hour of interrogation, they finally managed to pry open their mouths and find out the hiding place of the remnants of the Guo and Hua families.

Zhang Dianshi was overjoyed: "Sir, I will arrange the manpower right away."

Qing Lingzi waved his hand, his brows furrowed slightly, a hint of unease in his expression. Zhang Dianshi urged, "My lord, delay could lead to unforeseen circumstances. If those remaining rebels move to a different location after their companions haven't returned, finding them again will be like searching for a needle in a haystack."

“Alright, let’s set off immediately! But Zhang Dianshi, you don’t need to gather any more men.” Qing Lingzi made up her mind.

Zhang Dianshi could only summon yamen runners and constables, which were of little use against agile martial artists and would only alert the enemy.

Although Qing Lingzi had only twenty men under his command, they were all skilled fighters.

Following the directions given by the survivor, the group groped their way out of the city. When they reached a mountain peak, the dense trees made the darkness even more intense.

Fortunately, the forest was covered in snow, and since everyone in the group was a martial arts practitioner, they were still able to vaguely discern their location. With the two prisoners pointing out the location, they soon arrived at the black pine forest.

The group became increasingly cautious, moving with light steps. After a short while, they could vaguely see a cave ahead, from which a faint light shone.

Zhang Dianshi's expression brightened with joy, and he lowered his voice, saying, "Excellent! These remnants are still around. My lord, give the order to attack."

Qing Lingzi frowned, remaining silent as he stared intently at the dim firelight emanating from the cave, muttering, "Something's not right..."

In the darkness of night, the cold wind howled through the forest, and the pines rustled in the breeze.

Qing Lingzi suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Without thinking, he drew his longsword swiftly and slashed it out with a backhand motion.

A sudden change occurred!

A blurry black shadow, almost blending into the night, slid down from a huge pine tree like a ghost, silently heading straight for Qing Lingzi's back.

next moment!
With a clang of metal on metal, sparks flew as Qing Lingzi swung his longsword back and struck the cold blade hidden in the attacker's sleeve.

The leaping sparks also revealed the face of the attacker, who was none other than Hua Shouzheng.

Hua Shouzheng's arm trembled as a powerful force surged through him, causing him to stumble back a step, a look of astonishment appearing on his face.

He dared to make a move because he had thoroughly investigated Qing Lingzi's background and knew that the other party was at the level of 'freedom of control'. However, faced with his silent sneak attack, the other party not only reacted quickly, but the speed, angle, and timing of the counterattack were also beyond his expectations.

Especially when the longsword trembled, a vague and unpredictable force surged, making it difficult for him to defend himself.

Qing Lingzi was also somewhat frightened. If he hadn't received guidance from Hong Yuan these past few days, which greatly improved his strength, he would have had no chance of avoiding this attack.

The resounding clang of swords clashing echoed through the forest, causing the martial artists around Qing Lingzi to change their expressions and draw their weapons.

Seeing that his attack had failed, Hua Shouzheng roared and unleashed a burst of power with his feet, his body retreating rapidly!

Just as Qing Lingzi was about to give chase, a sharp whistling sound rang in his ears, and a sharp arrow pierced through the air and shot straight at his face.

Qing Lingzi raised his sword and shattered the incoming arrow, his face darkening.

Just then, the snow churned all around, clumps of snowflakes rose, and figures darted out of the snow, wielding powerful crossbows and flashing blades.

The surrounding pine trees also made a rustling sound.

Immediately, Guo Xiaochuan's voice, filled with murderous intent, fell.

"Do it!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a series of whooshing sounds filled the forest, and the sounds of crossbows and arrows piercing the air came from all directions.

Long before the arrow was fired, Qing Lingzi had already spun around and swept his leg, causing large swaths of snowflakes mixed with soil and leaves to tumble up and form what looked like a wall.

Swish!
His longsword danced like a curtain of light, swift as the wind, and a series of crackling sounds could be heard as arrows were cleaved in two by the sword.

While protecting himself completely, Qing Lingzi did not forget his two disciples and the rest of his men. His sword flashed and split, blocking the arrows that came flying at him.

Even so, muffled groans continued to be heard as three of his men were hit by arrows.

Even though these people were all wearing leather armor and had considerable martial arts skills, the remnants of the Guo and Hua families who dared to seek revenge against Hong Yuan were all elite and fierce. Fueled by their family feud, their crossbowmen and archers were both accurate and ruthless.

Ten zhang away, Guo Xiaochuan held a longbow and shot the first arrow. Hua Shouzheng stood beside him, holding a short blade.

The two exchanged a glance and both saw the surprise on each other's faces.

"This man's martial arts are much stronger than I expected; he's probably not far from reaching the level of 'subtle internal strength.' I can ignore the other lackeys, but we absolutely cannot let him leave alive..."

Hua Shouzheng snorted coldly. Although the first round of arrows stopped, the archers and crossbowmen were ready for the second round in the blink of an eye.

Hua Shouzheng waved his hand, and with a series of 'thump thump' sounds, figures leaped down from the pine trees, slowly approaching Qing Lingzi and the others with a 'rustling' sound.

Using the snow as a backdrop, Qing Lingzi and the others could see shadowy figures, indistinct and hard to discern. Even the surrounding trees looked like ghostly shadows, and they had no idea how many people were lying in ambush.

Zhang Dianshi and the group of martial artists showed signs of panic. Qing Lingzi was still able to maintain his composure, but his heart sank.

Knowing that a fierce battle was inevitable.

Hua Shouzheng and the others did not get too close. When they were about four or five zhang away, they suddenly stopped. Hua Shouzheng said loudly, "Qinglingzi, I, Hua, am mindful of your considerable martial arts skills and do not want to kill you just like that. I will give you a chance to abandon the darkness and turn to the light!"

"Put down your sword and surrender!"

While saying this, Hua Shouzheng was actually trying to shake Qing Lingzi's will. Even if the other party really put down his sword, he would still kill him without hesitation.

The Hua family is now just a remnant, no longer the powerful clan it once was. How could they possibly be qualified to recruit a master like Qing Lingzi?
If it's placed next to him, he has to sleep with one eye open.

Qing Lingzi didn't answer. Instead, he looked at the group of people around him and shouted, "Come to my side, form a battle formation, and charge out!"

"Stubborn and unruly! Kill!"

Guo Xiaochuan and Hua Shouzheng shouted in unison, and then arrows flew out of the darkness like locusts, once again falling on Qing Lingzi and the others.

At the same time, there was a 'sizzling' sound, and several pottery jars with sparks flew through the air.

"Porcelain Thunder!" Qing Lingzi's eyelids twitched wildly as he sensed a great danger. He was about to leap up and use his longsword to deflect the pottery jar.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a strong wind blew, as if a hurricane was blowing around me, and my ears were ringing. The next moment, the ground shook violently, and snowflakes swirled like dragons and rose into the sky.

The group of martial artists were thrown away, with only Qing Lingzi managing to stand still.

The pottery jars were flung through the air, followed by a series of booming sounds, bursts of flame, and painful screams.

Qing Lingzi's eyes widened as she saw a tall, slender figure appear in the center, facing the arrows shooting in from all directions, slowly extending a hand into the air.

The arrows that were shot at him, whether from the front or behind, seemed to be trapped in a viscous airflow when they reached within a foot or so around him. They lost their momentum instantly, either falling to the ground or being pulled towards his palm.

The figure casually waved his hand, and the arrows that fell into his palm whistled through the air and reflected back at an even faster speed, accompanied by a series of short screams.

"Alliance Leader!" Qing Lingzi called out, having already recognized the newcomer's identity.

It was Hong Yuan.

The surrounding flames hadn't yet dissipated, casting flickering light on the man's face. Hua Shouzhen and Guo Xiaochuan's eyes widened in horror: "How could this be? That Hong guy..."

Before the words "scoundrel" could be uttered, Hong Yuan flashed and covered four or five zhang in an instant. Hua Shouzheng and his companion only felt a blur before their eyes, and the other party was already in front of them, looking at them indifferently.

"Is it strange that I'm here?"

“Theoretically, I really shouldn’t have come. People like you are no match for me to take action…” Hong Yuan sighed, seemingly troubled.

"But if you don't come, and we just keep feeding you kills and letting you level up and gain experience... I don't think you guys have any protagonist aura, but you're still really stupid."

Hua Shouzheng and Guo Xiaochuan couldn't understand the meaning of Hong Yuan's words, but they could hear the sarcasm in them. Hua Shouzheng roared, "I'll kill you!"

With a flick of his long sleeves, he thrust the short blade in his hand toward Hong Yuan's heart like a venomous snake.

On the other side, Guo Xiaochuan also abandoned his bow, wielded his long sword, his face contorted with rage, channeling his hatred into his power, and slashed at Hong Yuan's head.

His momentum was as if there were an impenetrable wall of bronze and iron in front of him, which he was determined to break through as well.

Hong Yuan remained motionless, but as the short knife thrust forward, he suddenly flicked his finger. With a crisp "pop," the knife struck the blade as if pierced by a thunderous force, instantly shattering into countless fragments that scattered in all directions.

Chi Chi Chi!
The metal fragments seemed to have eyes; one of them flashed with cold light and pierced Guo Xiaochuan's throat, sending him flying backward. The long sword in his hand fell to the snow, and he could only open his big eyes, panting for breath.

Immediately following, screams echoed through the surrounding darkness, piercing the night sky.

Hua Shouzheng stared blankly at the short-handled knife in his hand, then 'thud' stabbed it into Hong Yuan's heart. The latter tilted his head and quietly looked at him: "Do you feel like you've avenged your great enemy?"

The fragments bypassed Hua Shouzheng, none of them hitting him, yet he felt icy cold all over, his body trembling uncontrollably, laughing hysterically as tears welled up in his eyes.

"Since I have already spared your lives, why seek your own death? Isn't it better to be alive?"

Hong Yuandao.

Hua Shouzheng laughed through his tears: "You surnamed Hong, do you think you've won? We're just taking our leave first. You won't live much longer either... Heh! Once we're in the underworld, our two families will settle accounts with you."

"You powerful clans..."

Hong Yuan sighed, "When you were doing evil in the past, you never believed in anything about hell or the underworld. Why are you still spouting such nonsense now that it's happening?"

"And, are you referring to them as your source of confidence?"

Whoosh!
He took a step forward, his figure blurred, and as if teleporting, he swept several feet away, suddenly appearing under a large pine tree, where he gently pressed his palm down.

The pine bark seemed to be cut by countless blades, peeling off inch by inch, and suddenly a short human figure appeared inside, curled up like a ball of flesh inside the tree.

His face was expressionless, but his eyes were wide open, and he was holding a black iron box in one hand, unable to move.

A terrifying force surged into his body, shattering his accumulated power and exploding throughout his limbs and bones.

Just as Hong Yuan made his move, a strange fluctuation swirled around him and spread out. Then, the snow beneath his feet broke open, and thorny vines rapidly spread upwards, wrapping around his legs and writhing like giant pythons.

"The Five Elements magic?"

Hong Yuan murmured and looked up. In the darkness, a cold wind swept through, and fine dust invisible to the naked eye spread out.

Behind him, a cold glint appeared, like a starlight flashing and disappearing in the dark sky.

(End of this chapter)