Chapter 23

He floated upward, following a set of footprints. The middle-aged man in green had taken Zhao Ying to a small pavilion, and someone had taken her away. Chu Li followed these footprints, but he did not know the location of the Tiger Mountain Gang.

He pursued for five li, reaching the waist of Tiger Mountain.

He was somewhat puzzled. Logically, the bandit stronghold should be built halfway up the mountain, but there was no sign of the Tiger Mountain Gang within a three-li radius. It was likely built on the other side of the mountain.

The person who took Zhao Ying had inferior lightness skills compared to the middle-aged man in green, leaving clearer footprints. It was also possible that they were deliberately leading him into an ambush.

With the Great Round Mirror Wisdom, he was fearless, able to see the ambush in advance. If he wanted to avoid it, he could, but he feared there might be no way to avoid it.

A thought crossed his mind, and through the Great Round Mirror Wisdom, he saw a group of people.

A li away from Chu Li, where the footprints passed, four bald men were sitting quietly on a large rock, their eyes closed, their expressions calm and solemn, exuding a killing aura.

They were well-prepared, and their intentions were not good.

Chu Li, judging by their attire, recognized them as experts from the Tiger Mountain Gang, all of whom were at the innate level. Four innate experts—did they think they were invincible?

He slowed down, the surging spiritual energy rolling through his body, entering the innate realm. The Sutra of Withering and Flourishing advanced, allowing him to harness the spiritual energy of plants more purely, directly transforming it into innate true qi.

In such an environment, his internal energy was endless, and he was fearless.

When he was a hundred meters away, the four bald men were still sitting quietly on the rock, slowly opening their eyes and looking at him coldly, as if looking down on an ant.

A bald man grunted, "You're that kid, with such audacity!"

"Beauty is a curse, and heroes cannot resist the allure of beauty," another bald man grunted. "How can a young man like him resist the allure of beauty? He can't help but come!"

"Are you from the Tiger Mountain Gang?" Chu Li asked solemnly.

"Yes."

"Has my junior sister been taken by you?"

"Yes."

"Hand her over!"

"Only if you can defeat us!"

"Watch out!" Chu Li suddenly flicked his left hand, shooting out a cold light.

"Ugh..." The leading bald man clutched his throat, a delicate flying dagger embedded in it.

He stared at Chu Li in disbelief, slowly falling backward, his body trembling, not dying immediately.

"Sixth Brother!" The three bald men exclaimed, leaping up and rushing toward Chu Li, their long knives like silver ribbons hanging in the air.

Chu Li floated backward, landing on a tree. As they approached, he darted away, easily evading them.

The three bald men also landed on the tree and then leaped toward him again.

"Ugh..." Chu Li flicked his hand again, shooting out a cold light. A bald man clutched his throat and fell from the air.

"Bang!" He landed heavily, kicking his feet a few times, then stiffened and lay still.

"This kid's flying daggers are strange, let's go!" The remaining two bald men turned and ran.

Chu Li sneered, the internal energy surging from all directions, his speed incredibly fast. He shot out two more flying daggers, killing the two men instantly, leaving them no chance to resist.

Chu Li took a deep breath, leaning against the tree, the spiritual energy of the plants nourishing his meridians.

The continuous four strikes had put a heavy strain on his meridians.

The Sutra of Withering and Flourishing, the innate realm, and the Life-Ending Blade combined, indeed had astonishing power!

If he were in the city without plants, Chu Li wouldn't be so adept. The current environment was most advantageous for him.

The Life-Ending Blade was already powerful, fast, and accurate. As the flying daggers approached, the Sutra of Withering and Flourishing suddenly activated, the sudden internal energy piercing their bodies, disrupting their movements, and this disruption was the key to life and death.

He took a few breaths, letting the spiritual energy of the plants nourish his meridians, and continued to follow the footprints.

After more than two hundred meters, he circled around the mountain waist and came to a cave entrance.

The entrance to the Tiger Mountain Gang was actually a cave, a strategic location that could be easily defended. Besides the traps, there were surely countless hidden weapons.

He thought for a moment, whistled, and lifted a large rock beside him, throwing it into the dark cave.

The rock was as tall as a person, about the size of a person crawling in.

"Bang, bang, bang..." A series of sounds, and Chu Li followed in.

Hidden weapons were scattered on the ground, blue light occasionally flashing, and a sweet smell wafted, indicating the weapons were coated with poison.

He floated forward, soon reaching a bright area, a valley below, standing halfway up the mountain, with a group of people below.

Chu Li scanned the area. This valley was indeed a good place, warm and pleasant, and extremely secluded. There must be other exits, no wonder they were so brazen.

If not for the footprints, even with the Great Round Mirror Wisdom, it would have taken him a while to find this place.

The mountain waist was a hundred meters from the valley, about thirty stories high. The group below looked at him coldly, their eyes like knives, as if they wanted to cut him to pieces.

Chu Li scanned the group: 122 people, six innate experts, thirty-four at the peak of the acquired realm, the rest not a concern, but each holding a long knife, exuding a killing aura, not to be underestimated.

Chu Li estimated he had ten flying daggers left, enough to deal with the innate experts.

With the Great Round Mirror Wisdom, he found his junior sister Zhao Ying, relieved.

"Kid!... If you want your little lady, surrender quietly, or else, the brothers will have some fun with her!" A bald man with a scar on his head sneered.

Chu Li glanced at the bald man. The scar on his head indicated he was originally a monk, with six scars, indicating a high status, likely a rogue monk from some temple.

He came from the Autumn Leaf Temple and knew that monks were not all the same, some good, some bad. The monks of the Great Thunderclap Temple were strict, but not all temples were like that.

Chu Li said coolly, "If you touch my junior sister, I'll wipe out your Tiger Mountain Gang!"

"Haha..." The scarred bald man laughed, his voice like a bronze bell, "Alright, let's see if you have the ability. Come down!"

Chu Li grunted, "You're all cowards, afraid to fight me one-on-one. The Tiger Mountain Gang is more like a Rat Mountain Gang, with less courage than a rat!"

"I'll go, Chief!" A lean bald man said solemnly, "We can't let this kid get away with it!"

In front of everyone, Chu Li's sarcasm was unbearable. They were always arrogant and looked down on others, how could they tolerate such insolence?

"Third Brother, be careful, this kid is strange!" The scarred bald man frowned.

"Understood!" The lean bald man said solemnly.

He was lean but exuded great strength, like a leopard.

A wide stone staircase led to Chu Li's position. The lean bald man climbed the stairs like a monkey, leaping toward Chu Li.

A hundred meters was nothing in his speed.

Chu Li drew his sword, the Great Round Mirror Wisdom observing his every move, the speed of the man's internal energy, the rhythm of his actions, the stretching of his muscles, all clear in his mind.

As he approached, the lean bald man roared, like a tiger pouncing, lunging at Chu Li.

Chu Li thrust his sword, a flash of light, then floated backward.

The lean bald man clutched his throat, staring at him, and slowly fell backward down the stairs.

The scarred bald man caught him, slowly placing him down, his face dark, knowing it was too late to save him.

The sword had pierced his throat, blood gushing out, his breath gone, clearly shattering his brain, a ruthless strike.

He looked up at Chu Li, his eyes flashing with murderous intent.

Chu Li shook his head, "Not much!"

This strike chilled the hearts of the crowd, too fast and too ruthless. Even they would have no confidence facing such a strike. One strike, one death, the mighty Third Chief was now a corpse!

Chu Li said, "Chief, come on!"

"Good kid, come down, or don't blame me for being ruthless!" The scarred bald man sneered.

This kid was too strange, they couldn't fight him head-on, or the losses would be too great. The brothers who tried to intercept him must have been dealt with by him. The more he thought about it, the more intense his killing intent became. He had to eliminate this kid!

Chu Li sneered, "If I come down, will you let my junior sister go?"

With the Great Round Mirror Wisdom, the entire valley was in his mind. Zhao Ying was sitting cross-legged in a hidden cave, the entrance covered by green vines.

Without the Great Round Mirror Wisdom, he wouldn't have found this cave. A hundred meters to the south, another cave had an innate expert sitting nearby.

Zhao Ying sat in the dark cave, the cold air seeping into her pores, unable to move, freezing.

She thought, her acupoints sealed, and a powerful expert nearby, she had no chance of escape. She wondered if Brother Chu could find her!

She was conflicted, hoping Brother Chu would find her and save her, but also worried that if he did, the Tiger Mountain Gang was a den of tigers and dragons, with innate experts, and Brother Chu might die here!

Suddenly, Chu Li's laughter reached her, and she felt a mix of joy and anxiety, trying to stand but unable to move.

The bald man beside her opened his eyes, glaring at her, "Stay still!"

Zhao Ying opened her mouth but couldn't speak, her mute acupoint sealed.

The bald man sneered, "A love-struck fool, willing to die for you!... Since you're here, you won't leave. Good people don't live long, this is reality, little lady, give up!"

Zhao Ying glared at him, unable to speak.

The bald man closed his eyes, ignoring her.

Chu Li stood on the stairs, looking down at the crowd, and suddenly laughed, "Alright, I'll come down!"

He stepped off, leaping across a hundred meters in two bounds, using the Boundless Green Sea Technique to enter the cave. Before the bald man could react, a cold light pierced his heart, and Chu Li appeared in front of Zhao Ying.

Zhao Ying's eyes widened in surprise and joy.

Chu Li pulled her onto his back, turned, and rushed to the cave entrance, his internal energy flowing into her body, unblocking all her acupoints. Zhao Ying said, "Brother, how did you find me?"

Chu Li smiled, "How could I not come?"

They were at the cave entrance when a knife blade suddenly slashed down.

"Clang..." Chu Li's sword met the blade.

He followed up, another blade slashing down, then several more, trying to seal the cave entrance and trap them.

Zhao Ying quickly drew her sword, thrusting it out.

"Clang..." Her sword flew out, internal energy surging into her arm, causing intense pain, as if it were being torn. Fortunately, a warm internal energy from Chu Li's chest neutralized the incoming force.

Zhao Ying was surprised, "An innate expert!"

She then realized, Brother Chu was also an innate expert!

Chu Li stood on the stairs, looking down at the crowd, and suddenly laughed, "Alright, I'll come down!"

He stepped off, leaping across a hundred meters in two bounds, using the Boundless Green Sea Technique to enter the cave. Before the bald man could react, a cold light pierced his heart, and Chu Li appeared in front of Zhao Ying.

Zhao Ying's eyes widened in surprise and joy.

Chu Li pulled her onto his back, turned, and rushed to the cave entrance, his internal energy flowing into her body, unblocking all her acupoints. Zhao Ying said, "Brother, how did you find me?"

Chu Li smiled, "How could I not come?"

They were at the cave entrance when a knife blade suddenly slashed down.

"Clang..." Chu Li's sword met the blade.

He followed up, another blade slashing down, then several more, trying to seal the cave entrance and trap them.

Zhao Ying quickly drew her sword, thrusting it out.

"Clang..." Her sword flew out, internal energy surging into her arm, causing intense pain, as if it were being torn. Fortunately, a warm internal energy from Chu Li's chest neutralized the incoming force.

Zhao Ying was surprised, "An innate expert!"

She then realized, Brother Chu was also an innate expert!