Chapter 348 339: There's No Such Thing as a Free Lunch

On the narrow, steep official road, the group closed in on Zhou Feng. The battle erupted in an instant.

It was just as Guo Laojiang had said: "We all stick together because of trust. Everyone believes the brother next to him is a brother he'd die for, someone he can entrust his back to. After what you've done, who would dare trust you again?"

There was something even more serious that Guo Laojiang left unsaid, but it undoubtedly echoed in everyone's heart: 'After what you've done, not only will we not trust you, but we'll probably start suspecting everyone around us, unable to trust anyone again.'

If that happened, trust would collapse. How could they travel and do business together from now on?

If they could no longer travel the merchant roads, it wasn't just cutting off their livelihood—it was as good as murdering their parents!

It was a feud of life and death. Whether for their brothers or for themselves, a decisive end was necessary.

Guo Laojiang made the first strike, and at almost the exact same moment, everyone else drew their weapons.

Although Zhou Feng possessed a ruthless and decisive Sword Drawing Technique, making him more skilled than many of his companions, he couldn't withstand so many people attacking at once.

In the perilous battle, he weaved through the attacks with his Body Technique, desperately defending himself while roaring, "It's true I, Zhou, was wrong to kill someone today, but the rest of you... are you all completely innocent? Without a single fault to your names?"

"Luo Jing, you pride yourself on having the highest Cultivation, at the Perfection of the Organ Refining Stage, and you contribute the most to the group. But when it's time to divide the profits, you have to split it evenly with us mediocre folk.

And Boss Guo, whose Cultivation is clearly a bit weaker than yours, whose Qi Blood has already begun to decline—just because he has the title of leader, he gets to take a twenty percent larger share than the rest of us every time.

You're not happy about it, you're resentful, you do nothing but complain! You've secretly tried to rally people to pull Boss Guo down several times. You think I don't know? I saw you! I saw it long ago!

You've been quietly winning over Xiaoliao. Whenever he needs help, you're the first to jump in. Xiaoliao, you tell us, am I right?"

In the crowd, young Xiaoliao's face was filled with panic. He stammered, shaking his head, "N-No... You're lying!"

As he spoke, his movements with his short staff became clumsy. It was a clear sign of a guilty conscience. Even if his words denied it, who couldn't see the truth?

A flaw appeared in the group's encirclement. Zhou Feng spotted the opening and charged fiercely toward Xiaoliao.

The sharp edge of his blade reflected a glint as cold as ice water under the starlight. Xiaoliao's legs went weak, and he dodged to the side.

"Die!" Zhou Feng roared furiously, kicking up a gust of wind like a wild bull as he charged past Xiaoliao.

Just as he was about to escape onto the path ahead, Guo Laojiang bellowed, "After him!"

Even as he shouted to give chase, his hand swept across his waist, instantly pulling out a handful of Iron Thorns.

The Iron Thorns glinted coldly, scattering in all directions with a SWISH SWISH SWISH in the night.

One of the Iron Thorns struck Zhou Feng squarely in the back, while several others, shockingly, shot toward Liao Xiu and Luo Jing at the same time.

Liao Xiu was targeted by one, Luo Jing by three.

"AHH!" Liao Xiu and Zhou Feng screamed as they fell to the ground simultaneously.

The three Iron Thorns flying toward Luo Jing came one after another, covering his upper, middle, and lower body. Each one was imbued with heavy and abundant Qi Blood.

Luo Jing, originally holding a long spear and about to pursue Zhou Feng, was caught off guard by the swift and cunning attack of Guo Laojiang's Iron Thorns. With no room to dodge while running, he immediately spun around and swept his spear to strike them down.

With that one sweep, in a flash, he blocked the first two Iron Thorns. But the last one, the one aimed at his face—his spear couldn't reach it!

The advantage of a long spear lies in its reach: an inch longer is an inch Stronger.

It allowed for grand, sweeping maneuvers, capable of mowing down an army. With its long-range advantage, it could deliver heavy and devastating blows to the enemy.

But as good as a long weapon was, its weakness was also obvious.

Without a doubt, a long weapon was difficult to maneuver when facing close-range Attacks.

Just like at this moment, Luo Jing's spear could not block the Iron Thorn heading for his face.

In the nick of time, Luo Jing tilted his chin up slightly and, with a speed so precise it was measured in milliseconds, opened his mouth and caught the Iron Thorn with his teeth.

BANG!

The Iron Thorn collided with his mouth. Having completed Refining the Internal Organs to its peak, Luo Jing's body surged with vigorous Qi Blood. Shrouded by this dense Qi Blood, his lips were only slightly cut, and his white teeth bit down hard on the Iron Thorn, holding it fast.

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Luo Jing spat, sending the Iron Thorn out along with a spray of bloody foam.

He said hatefully, "Boss Guo, I respected you as our leader. I believed you were the most steady and fair. But look at you now. Someone says a few instigating words, and you resort to such vicious means. What do you have to say for yourself? Do you really intend for this to be a life-or-death struggle between brothers today?"

Zhou Feng had fallen not far away on the roadside. Liao Xiu lay beside Luo Jing. Adding in Zhang Qing and Chang Wei who had died earlier, their eleven-man team had now lost four members.

Now, Luo Jing was facing off against Guo Laojiang, and they were the two with the highest Power in the entire group. They were usually the pillars of the team. With them now turned against each other, the remaining five men stood frozen, utterly at a loss for what to do.

The night wind blew, stirring a sense of panic and sorrow in everyone's heart.

Luo Jing's question silenced Guo Laojiang for a moment. Guo Laojiang's hand caressed his waist, where he wore not only his Hidden Weapon pouch but also a Soft Whip that, at first glance, looked just like a belt.

Everyone was waiting for Guo Laojiang's answer. They all understood that the future of their group—whether it would be completely destroyed or somehow stitched back together—rested on Guo Laojiang's next decision.

Guo Laojiang said in a hoarse voice, "Younger Brother Luo, your talent is better than any of ours, and you're not afraid of hardship. Besides your poor background, you have no other faults.

However, in this world, a poor background and no connections *is* a fatal flaw. So what if your aptitude is good? It's not like you're a peerless genius.

If you went to one of those big sects or factions, even if they took you in, where in this world can you find a free lunch? If you eat their food and use their resources, you have to be willing to die for them!

You came to me, Old Guo, precisely because you didn't want to sell your life to others. You'd rather risk your own neck to make a living, right?

Do you remember what you were like when you first met me, Old Guo? You were so skinny back then. Forget about Martial Arts Training, you barely had the strength to eat!

Who supported you through those first, most difficult times? It was me, Old Guo! The meat, the Cultivation Technique, the Elixirs—when you first started training, which of those did I, Old Guo, not provide?

We agreed long ago. I, Old Guo, told you not to worry about paying me back. As long as you stayed with the group and pulled your weight before breaking through to the Innate realm, you would receive the same share as everyone else!

A real man's word is his bond. Luo Jing, are you going to go back on your word?"

After he finished speaking, everyone in the group was visibly moved.

In fact, it wasn't just Luo Jing who had received Old Guo's help. Who in this group hadn't?

Luo Jing's grip on his spear loosened and then tightened. He said in a low voice, "I am not going back on my word..."

Before the words even left his mouth, his expression suddenly changed.

A strange, deep purple mark instantly appeared on his philtrum and shot upward. In the space of a single breath, it crossed the bridge of his nose and covered his forehead.

Luo Jing couldn't see the change on his own face, but he could feel a bizarre, agonizing pain suddenly wracking his body.

His eyes widened. He pointed at Guo Laojiang, a rasping sound coming from his throat. "You... you actually... used poison!"

Yes, Luo Jing had been poisoned.

The poison had clearly come from the Iron Thorn he had caught in his mouth. He never would have imagined that Guo Laojiang would not only use a Hidden Weapon against him, but also coat that Hidden Weapon in poison.

Luo Jing's mouth hung open, his eyes wide in disbelief. He fell backward, collapsing to the ground, dead with his eyes still open.

At that moment, a chill ran through the hearts of everyone in the group.