NOVPUB"You... you’ve destroyed my Dantian..." The one-armed Shi Qing was a mix of shock and rage, his howl was piercing and furious, his hair disheveled as if he were about to charge in desperation, but Shi Lan held him back tightly, knowing that impulsiveness would only lead to their demise against a stronger opponent.
Su Changkong did not pay attention to the resentful glint in their eyes. He said indifferently, "I’m sparing your lives for Shi Bupo’s sake. Take this as a small punishment and a major warning, now scram!"
Su Changkong certainly had no intention to let them off easily; had it not been for his superior strength, considering the attitude they had shown earlier, they would have certainly skinned him alive!
"Let’s go..."
Shi Lan, pulling Shi Qing, stumbled down the mountain with their heads lowered.
Even though their Dantians were ruined, as members of the noble Shi Family, they had miraculous pills capable of repairing Dantians. Once back at the Shi Family, they could fully recover!
As for this black-clad youth with Blade Intent? They were not even a Five-Qi Grandmaster; even if he were a true Five-Qi Grandmaster, the Shi Family, as a bloodline clan, would not fear him!
"We must have the Family Head... tear this brat to pieces and flay him!"
Shi Qing’s eyes were red with rage as he mentally roared in frenzy.
Su Changkong watched as the two had made a considerable distance away, already reaching the foot of the mountain. He sighed, holding the Star Pattern Gold Strong Bow in one hand, and drawing the bowstring slowly with an arrow nocked.
"Letting you die without much pain... now that is my mercy."
Of course, Su Changkong had no plans to spare them. He had killed offspring of noble families before and knew these scions carried bloodline marks. Recklessly killing them would brand him with these bloodline marks.
But killing from a distance could avoid this issue.
"Run!"
Having reached the foot of the mountain, Shi Lan and Shi Qing felt an unsettling dread. They quickened their pace, ignoring the pain of their shattered Dantians as they dashed frantically, seeking to distance themselves from Book Fragrance Mountain.
"Whoosh!"
The sound of the arrow leaving the bow rang out, a fleeting glimmer of cold light, and despite Shi Lan’s awareness, severely wounded as he was, he was powerless against Su Changkong’s arrow. An arrow pierced through his skull, his head burst open, and his body was thrown before crashing to the ground.
"Big brother..."
Shi Qing managed only a cry of alarm before a searing pain engulfed his head as an arrow struck him precisely in the back of the skull, piercing through it.
"Initially, dealing with Mu Jin gave me quite a headache... These two are dozens of times stronger than Mu Jin, yet killing them feels no different than crushing ants."
Su Changkong sighed with emotion.
The first time he killed a scion of a noble family, Su Changkong had to hide for nearly half a year.
Though the Shi brothers seemed vulnerable in Su Changkong’s hands, they were actually elites of their family, far from weak. Yet, Su Changkong killed them as if they were mere ants!
"The Li Family probably moved their entire clan due to the Shi Family’s threat. Their current whereabouts unknown, it’s not wise to stay here long. Better leave soon."
Su Changkong pondered; with the deaths of two Shi Family members on Book Fragrance Mountain, he couldn’t stay much longer; it was time to leave and plan further.
"Hmm?"
But suddenly, a look of disbelief crossed Su Changkong’s face. He had a sense and looked up towards the deeper parts of Book Fragrance Mountain.
In a clump of trees, a twisted gateway had appeared at some point – the space around it seemed distorted as if in disarray. Through the twisted space, one could vaguely glimpse an idyllic landscape.
"Friend, you’ve been on Book Fragrance Mountain for some time now, and I have not welcomed you from afar. Would you care to come inside for a chat?"
A deep voice drifted from the portal.
"What is this? The voice claims to be ’I,’ is it someone from the Li Family? Haven’t they left Book Fragrance Mountain?"
Su Changkong looked at the revealed gateway and the dimly visible, picturesque scene behind it with hesitation and uncertainty.
After a long moment of hesitation, Su Changkong approached the gateway, probing it with a thread of Heaven Silkworm Silk, detecting no danger.
"Let’s go in and see..."
In the end, Su Changkong stepped through the gateway.
When Su Changkong passed through the twisted gateway, the scenery before his eyes changed dramatically. No longer was it desolate vegetation; instead, Su Changkong saw mountains and rivers aplenty.
But what was strange was that these mountains and rivers didn’t seem real, but more like a living ink painting, the air filled with the fragrance of ink!
Su Changkong also saw layers of misty clouds in the sky, birds flitting and soaring, all made of black ink yet seemingly alive, truly magical!
"Could this be... Cave Heaven and Blessed Land?"
Su Changkong’s heart stirred.
It was said that some top sects or noble families not only occupied lands with excellent feng shui but also possessed higher-level Cave Heaven and Blessed Lands.
These Cave Heaven and Blessed Lands were like pocket dimensions, isolated from the world. Although not vast, they were resource-rich, capable of sustaining a family or a sect!
The Li Family was not an ordinary family, but one that governed a Cave Heaven and Blessed Land!
"Young friend, welcome to Literacy Paradise."
The voice that had invited Su Changkong to enter earlier spoke up. Su Changkong followed the voice to see on an ink river a wooden boat on which several figures in white robes stood. Most were young, but the one who spoke was a middle-aged man garbed in white, holding a folding fan, with graying temples, looking like a scholar.
The middle-aged man looked at Su Changkong with a smile, cupped his hands in greeting, "I am Li Song, the Family Head of the Li Family. Greetings, young friend."
"As expected..."
