Chapter 629 - 391: Kill

Chapter 629: Chapter 391: Kill

As the villagers buried the bodies,

the righteous, awe-inspiring expression on Li Changxi’s face vanished, replaced by his usual look.

"Let’s go. We head into the mountains immediately. In time, these people will automatically forget what happened here. They won’t cause us any trouble."

Han Ning glanced at the pitiful little girl, then turned and left the house.

The three outsiders who had been watching had disappeared at some point.

The two didn’t linger. They retrieved their luggage from the old woman’s house and set off west, traveling without pause along a narrow mountain path.

After easily covering more than ten li of gentle terrain, a great, sprawling mountain range stretched out before them, descending into the distance.

Li Changxi, who was leading the way, reminded him, "We’re about to enter the mountains."

"Let me tell you about the dangers we might face."

Han Ning gazed at the pitch-black mountain forest in the distance. "I’m all ears."

Just then, the rain began to pour, plunging the world into darkness. It was a truly apocalyptic scene.

"With your strength, Mr. Han, you don’t need to worry about common wandering Extraordinary Beings. But there are two things we must guard against." Li Changxi held up two fingers, his tone grave. "First, be wary of the Flying Eagle Association. Second, be careful of polluted monsters."

"The Flying Eagle Association is a group of Extraordinary Beings who roam between Rongzhou and Ludao. Most of them have criminal records and make a living by scavenging for Spiritual Materials in the deep mountains. Their leader, ’White-headed Eagle,’ is a Tier Seven Extraordinary Being."

"White-headed Eagle has been laying low for the past few years. The one who’s been active recently is the Flying Eagle Association’s second-in-command, an Extraordinary Being who just advanced to Tier Seven. If we run into him, you’ll at least be prepared."

"As for those polluted monsters, you’ve seen one before. My own journey to becoming an Extraordinary Being began when I encountered one... I almost lost my life that time."

Li Changxi suddenly fell silent.

"Well?" Han Ning was a little exasperated.

’My curiosity is piqued, and now this kid is being all quiet and profound again.’

"Back then, I was just an eighteen or nineteen-year-old kid. I went on a hiking trip in the mountains with some classmates. I vaguely remember the weather was bad that day, and it was raining hard. We found an old, abandoned house to take shelter in."

"Right after we got inside, a few drops of thick, foul-smelling liquid landed on my head. I thought the roof was leaking, so I just moved to another spot and sat down."

"But as soon as we got a bonfire going, I saw a spider bigger than a man perched on the rafters."

"The spider’s body was a mix of gray and black, with a huge, swollen abdomen. Its eight legs were stabbed into the rafters like razors. But the most terrifying part was... it... it had the head of a woman with contorted features."

Li Changxi swallowed hard, a trace of fear still lingering on his face. "Startled by the firelight, it let out a wail that sounded like a sob. The sound was so piercing it felt like my head was splitting open. In just an instant, it had chewed the heads off of three of the people with me."

"We were terrified and fled outside like madmen. Luckily, as soon as we were clear of the abandoned house, the horrifying monster stopped its pursuit. Six of us went on that trip, but only two came back."

"Later, we got lost in the mountains. Along the way, we met a Daoist in very old-fashioned robes who spoke with a thick, local accent."

"Seeing that we looked dazed and completely lost, he approached us to ask what was wrong."

"So I told him what had happened."

"He led us back and exterminated those polluted monsters. Afterward, he said I had excellent potential and wanted to take me as his disciple."

"Oh? So that strange god-summoning technique of yours, that old Daoist taught you that?"

"Yes. He was the Observatory Master of Zhongyun Temple in Ludao. I studied under my master for several years, and he provided all the materials for my advancement," Li Changxi nodded.

"Then why didn’t you ask your master for help?"

"He passed away two years ago. I’m actually the only successor to Zhongyun Temple."

"I see."

"You mentioned the Flying Eagle Association earlier, and there’s also the Black God Association in the city. Tell me about the official and unofficial Extraordinary Organizations in the Ludao region," Han Ning continued to ask.

"And what’s the standing of an Extraordinary Being at your level in Ludao?"

"That depends on who you’re comparing me to," Li Changxi said with a chuckle.

"Minyue is located on the southeastern border of the Tangge Federation, so Extraordinary Beings aren’t as concentrated here as they are in the central regions. In Ludao, a Tier Nine Extraordinary Being can help an organization with daily tasks for a decent salary. The side effects from their Extraordinary Abilities are also relatively minor."

"A Tier Eight is basically at the mid-level leadership rank." Li Changxi himself was a Tier Eight Extraordinary Being.

"Besides the Foreign Affairs Team, the more powerful factions within Bailu are the Three Associations and One Society."

"The Three Associations are the Eternal Spring Association, the Black God Association, and the White Shark Association. The One Society is the Xishan Society. Most of these groups are crime syndicates."

"With the Foreign Affairs Team keeping them in check, they can usually only conduct underground business."

"The Eternal Spring Association controls nearly seventy percent of the city’s underground gambling dens, nightclubs, and flesh trade. Their president is Han Ge. His strength is unknown, but he’s at least a Tier Six Extraordinary Being. On the streets, he’s known as ’Han Bancheng.’"

Li Changxi unhooked his water canteen, took a sip, and continued,

"You already know about the Black God Association. It controls nearly ninety percent of the production and trade of mountain goods within Ludao’s borders. They even have a hand in official channels for Extraordinary materials and maintain close ties with major local companies. Their president is shrouded in mystery. I only know that he goes by the name Black God."

"The White Shark Association deals in secret transport routes in Ludao and the aquatic products trade. Its president is Liang Tie, a Tier Six, known as the ’Sea Flood Dragon.’"

"Finally, the Xishan Society is the most mysterious of all. Its members are rarely seen in public, so they don’t have much of a reputation. However, they’re rumored to be the shadow of the Foreign Affairs Team, handling matters the government can’t deal with openly."