Chapter 36

Inside the dilapidated temple, Jiaoshumu glared at the six people in front of him with eyes filled with hatred, wishing he could drink their blood and flay their skin.

Before today, he had a happy and fulfilling family.

The Jiao family, in the town, was also a martial arts family, with a lineage that had lasted over two hundred years. An ancestor had once been a third-rank martial artist. However, for some unknown reason, they chose to settle in this small town.

In this generation, the Jiao family was neither the best nor the worst.

His father was a sixth-rank martial artist. He himself was exceptionally talented, having reached the seventh rank at the young age of eighteen, and was seen as the hope for the family's revival.

Until last night, everything was lost.

These six people were his father's good friends, who had visited his home a few days ago. Last night, they accidentally discovered a secret chamber in the Jiao family's house, which contained a treasure map left by their ancestors.

It was this treasure map that led to the destruction of his family.

When his father discovered the secret chamber had been opened, he demanded the treasure map back from the six people. The moment he retrieved it, he was attacked by them and severely injured.

His father fought to the death to escape, handed the treasure map to him, and told him to run.

At that moment, the six people caught up, and his mother blocked them, dying on the spot.

Jiaoshumu fled, but they still caught up with him.

He was no match for the six people. The only reason they hadn't killed him was to force him to reveal where the treasure map was.

"Do you want the treasure map? Dream on!"

Jiaoshumu knew he was going to die and didn't want to suffer at their hands. Without hesitation, he raised his sword to his neck.

"No!"

"Stop!"

...

The six people's faces changed dramatically, and they cried out in shock.

At that moment, a figure appeared beside Jiaoshumu, snatching the sword from his hand and saving his life.

The six people were all startled by this sudden appearance.

The person had a cloth covering their face, revealing only a pair of eyes, and was dressed in the most ordinary clothes.

The problem was that no one had seen how this person appeared, indicating that their skills far exceeded theirs.

The most shocked of all was Jiaoshumu himself. He had been prepared to die, never expecting someone to appear and save him.

He turned his head and saw a pair of eyes as calm as water.

"Do you hate them?"

A magnetic voice echoed in his ears.

More than hate?

"The treasure map for me, and I'll kill them all for you. How about it?"

Jiaoshumu, without hesitation, replied, "Deal."

Before he agreed, the six people's faces had all changed dramatically, and they scattered in different directions.

The moment he spoke, the mysterious person beside him disappeared, moving like a ghost, and one by one, they were cut down. The six people didn't even make it out of the dilapidated temple before they all fell.

Then, the mysterious person returned to his side as if nothing had happened.

In a few breaths, the six murderers who had killed his parents and relatives were all lying in pools of blood.

Jiaoshumu felt as if he were in a dream, unable to react for a moment.

"I've killed them. Where's the treasure map?"

When the mysterious person's voice reached his ears, he snapped out of his daze and knelt down, "Senior, you've avenged my great wrong. I will never forget this kindness."

"This is just a deal. Give me the treasure map, and we're even."

Jiaoshumu looked up, hesitating, "I threw it into the lake. It will take some effort to find it."

"Take me there."

...

The lake Jiaoshumu mentioned was not far from the town.

By the time the two of them reached the lake, it was already daylight.

"Right here. I'll go down and find it." Jiaoshumu found the spot where he had thrown the treasure map, took off his outer clothes, and dived into the water.

Gu Yang stood by the lake, watching the surface.

This boy's strength was low, and he wasn't worried about him playing tricks. He could afford to wait.

At that moment, he heard footsteps nearby and quickly hid behind a tree by the lake.

A seductive voice came from a distance, "Young Master Liu, is this the Fairy Lake you mentioned? It doesn't look particularly special."

"Miss Cao, you don't know. The Fairy Lake has a beautiful legend..."

Then, there was the sound of galloping hooves, and another man's anxious voice, "Miss Cao, why did you leave without a word? Did Liu Ze take you away by force?"

The seductive voice replied, "Young Master Liu, what should we do? He's chasing us."

"Don't worry, as long as I'm here, no one can hurt you." The first man said loudly, "Zhang An, Miss Cao has repeatedly refused you. Why are you still纠缠着她？"

"You're lying! It must be your doing, Liu Ze. Leave now, or don't blame me for being impolite."

"Hmph, do you think I'm afraid of you?"

Then, the sound of weapons clashing filled the air.

Gu Yang frowned. He had stumbled upon a typical love triangle. Judging from the sound of their fight, both were seventh-rank martial artists.

Soon, with a scream, the fight was over.

"Actually, it ended in a death."

Gu Yang's frown deepened. Although he couldn't see, he heard the sound of a weapon piercing flesh, which likely meant a fatal wound.

"Miss Cao, I've killed him for you... He won't bother you anymore..."

This voice belonged to Liu An, the clear winner. His voice trembled, whether from excitement or fear, it was hard to tell.

The woman's voice, however, turned cold, "Zhang An is your lifelong friend. You killed him for me today, showing no mercy or righteousness. I find this truly despicable. Leave, and don't let me see you again."

Liu An, in disbelief, said, "Miss Cao, I... I did it all for you..."

"Today, you killed your friend for me. One day, won't you kill me for another woman?"

"How could I do such a thing? My heart for you is as clear as the sun and the moon..."

"How do you prove it?"

"Miss Cao, I... I wish I could rip out my heart to show you..."

"Fine, rip out your heart, and I'll believe you."

"Ah?"

"How, unwilling? I'll help you."

There was a slicing sound.

"Ugly."

Finally, the woman's voice, filled with disgust.

Then, silence.

Gu Yang, hiding behind the tree, was stunned by what he had heard. He never expected the situation to end like this.

The tone had shifted from a melodramatic romance to a chilling suspense.

The change was so sudden and intense that he almost couldn't react.

At that moment, a splash was heard, and Jiaoshumu's head emerged from the water, excitedly saying, "Senior, I found it."