“Now is a special period, I wonder, how about one second-tier intermediate spirit core per person?” At this moment, Lin Xiao suddenly curled the corners of his mouth into a smile and said.
“Enough, enough,” the young man nodded repeatedly.
What a joke, how could he dare to ask for more? Even if they gave him nothing, he would have no choice, not to mention they were already offering one second-tier intermediate spirit core, which was the recent entry fee amount.
“Good then,” Lin Xiao restrained his aura, casually flipped his hand, and a third-tier beginner spirit core appeared in his palm. “One second-tier advanced spirit core can be exchanged for fifty second-tier intermediate spirit cores. I suppose you wouldn’t mind if three more of us entered, would you?”
“Not at all, not at all,” the young man nodded vigorously.
“Let’s go,” Lin Xiao waved his hand, no longer paying attention to the gatekeeping youth, and turned to walk towards the city gate.
“You got lucky,” Ling Hu muttered a low curse and followed suit.
“Hmph!” Qing Yun stepped forward, glaring fiercely at the youth before walking ahead.
Immediately, more than fifty people entered the ancient city in a grand procession.
“This time I’ve hit a wall!” The youth wiped the cold sweat from his brow, watching the group finally enter the city, his heart finally easing.
The streets of Black Wind City were exceptionally wide. In the chaotic lands, it was a rare place for trade. Shops lined both sides of the streets, selling pills, rare herbs, special spirit cores, and all sorts of goods, with the sounds of buying and selling echoing incessantly.
Whether it was the vendors or the passersby walking the streets, everyone carried a unique aura, one characteristic of the chaotic lands: ferocity and barbarism, as if they might strike at any moment.
Lin Xiao and his group walked along the broad street, with countless gazes from all around turning towards them.
“The way these people are looking at us seems a bit strange?” Lin Xiao said with some suspicion.
“Although Black Wind City has some semblance of order, it’s not safe. It’s a tacit understanding built on strength. Without strength, robberies and murders still happen. Apart from some key forces, the city lord’s mansion won’t intervene,” Qing Yun explained in a low voice beside him. “Moreover, with so many forces entering recently, these people are all killers with little regard for rules. We’d better be careful.”
Hearing Qing Yun’s words, Lin Xiao nodded slightly. Survival of the fittest was a rule that applied everywhere, only more pronounced in the chaotic lands. The strong held status and dignity, while the weak were left to be trampled.
Black Wind City, it seemed, was no different.
“Hahaha, what a juicy prize!”
Just as Lin Xiao and Qing Yun were talking, a burst of hearty laughter came from ahead. A group of rough men, bare-chested, emerged from the crowds on both sides, blocking Lin Xiao and his group’s path.
There were about thirty of them.
“Look at these soft-skinned folks, probably disciples from some academy faction here for training. Those academy disciples are filthy rich! Boss Man, I’m starting to regret splitting with you!” The leader, a middle-aged man with a hairy chest, sighed excitedly.
“Heh, Boss Hu, this isn’t your Hu Mountain. If you try to hog it all, even if you swallow it, you’ll have to spit it back out. Cooperation benefits us all,” a voice chuckled from behind Lin Xiao’s group.
Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow slightly and turned his head to look. Another group of more than twenty people approached from behind, cutting off their retreat.
The leader of this group was a burly middle-aged man clad in animal hides, his muscles rippling with power.
“Heh heh, plenty of factions must be eyeing this fat sheep, but they don’t have our guts, haha,” the bearded man, called Boss Hu, laughed loudly. His sharp gaze then turned to Lin Xiao at the front of the group, and he barked, “Kid, if you don’t want to die, hand over everything you’ve got!”
“You’re so brazen about this. Has the city lord’s mansion stopped caring lately?” Lin Xiao asked fearlessly, ignoring the demand.
“The city lord’s mansion? Hahaha, you’re actually hoping the city lord’s mansion will save you? What a bunch of greenhorns!” Boss Hu let out a mocking laugh. “Let me tell you, we’ve wiped out five factions already, and not a single shadow from the city lord’s mansion has shown up!”
“That’s right, the city lord’s mansion has been awfully busy lately. Even if they wanted to step in, they couldn’t!” The burly man behind them, called Boss Man, also sneered. “Just hand over your stuff obediently and save us the trouble.”
As their words fell, both men fixed their gazes on Lin Xiao, curious to see how the leader of this group would respond. If he dared say no, they’d attack immediately.
To their surprise, Lin Xiao didn’t flinch. Instead, a thrilled smile spread across his face. “If the city lord’s mansion isn’t intervening at all, then I’m relieved.”
At Lin Xiao’s words, the two men froze, and the onlookers nearby were equally stunned. These two bands of mountain bandits, who knows where they came from, had already robbed five newly arrived factions right on the main street.
Most people feared these bandits, yet this young group showed no trace of fear. Was it youthful recklessness, or did they have confidence in their large numbers?
“Hmph, big talk! Today I’ll show you what my Hu Gang is capable of. Attack!”
Boss Hu’s eyes narrowed slightly. A large axe appeared in his hands, his knees bent slightly, and then he charged forward with explosive force, like a ferocious lion, rushing towards them.
“Ling Hu, Hu Yue, take some people and handle the rear. Leave the front to me!” Lin Xiao ordered. A black iron rod appeared in his hands, and with a swing, he charged forward to meet the attack.
*Clang!* A piercing metallic clash rang out as their immense forces collided, the impact so strong it seemed to shatter the very space around them.
The clash was evenly matched.
“Not bad!” Lin Xiao was mildly surprised. To be this ferocious, this guy’s strength wasn’t weak.
Boss Hu’s face also showed a hint of astonishment. At the ninth level of Heavenly Martial, with a powerful physique, he hadn’t expected this young man to be at the eighth level and still able to match him across tiers.
“That compliment should go to you, but it’s just a bit of skill, nothing more!” A wild aura surged from Boss Hu’s body, a violent intent forming a barrier-like shield around his arms.
“Mountain-Splitting Axe, Break!” Boss Hu roared. His axe glowed with blinding golden light, radiating intense fluctuations. The axe felt as heavy as a mountain as he swung it down, its unmatched force compressing the surrounding space.
“Wild Martial Intent?” Lin Xiao was startled. He hadn’t expected this guy to have comprehended Wild Martial Intent as well. His talent was impressive—those who rose in the chaotic lands were indeed no ordinary people.
In an instant, a wild aura erupted from Lin Xiao too. Vast primal energy surged through his body, pouring into his arms. With a mighty swing of his rod, he struck back with overwhelming force.
“One Rod Shatters the Mountain!”
With Lin Xiao’s shout, the space around seemed to warp under the immense power of the black iron rod. Unmatched waves of energy rippled outwards.
*Clang!*
An ear-splitting metallic clash echoed through the air. The massive collision unleashed a tremendous shockwave that spread out from between their rod and axe.
Once again, their clash was evenly matched!
“How is this possible?” Boss Hu’s face showed shock. Few could match his strength amplified by Wild Martial Intent, yet this young man, so young, had also mastered it and stood toe-to-toe with him.
Lin Xiao felt his hands go numb from the impact. This Boss Hu was no pushover. Ordinary bandits wouldn’t have the rare talent to comprehend Martial Intent.
His strength was truly astonishing.
