Chapter 25

Chu Li sneered coldly, pretending not to know, and in one breath slaughtered all the people of the Tiger Den, leaving none alive. He found and killed without mercy those who had hidden, not letting a single one escape.

The valley was filled with a series of connected buildings, small courtyards linked together, with a large hall at the center. The hall was carpeted with thick rugs, and the aroma of fine wine and delicacies still lingered.

Fifty women, naked and unclothed, were lying on the ground like sheep, waiting for the men to play with them. They heard screams and curses, trembling in fear, but dared not come out to see what was happening.

When Chu Li floated in, they all widened their eyes, looking at him with a mix of fear and curiosity.

Chu Li glanced at the women, his face unchanged, but Zhao Ying blushed.

Chu Li whispered, "Junior Sister, take care of them."

"Send them home?"

"Better to keep them here for now."

"…Alright." Zhao Ying thought for a moment and nodded helplessly. If they returned, they wouldn't have a good life, so it was better to keep them here.

Chu Li said, "Choose a leader, let them arrange themselves. Seal this place to prevent outsiders from entering. They can live self-sufficiently and won't be in danger. If you're worried, you can come back to check on them later."

"Okay." Zhao Ying nodded lightly.

Chu Li put her down and then floated out of the cave, catching up with the scarred middle-aged man ten miles away.

His face was pale, he was panting heavily, and his movements were slow and sluggish, as if he were injured.

He had fled to the bank of a large river, where the water flowed eastward from the west, majestic and powerful. Just as he was about to jump into the river, Chu Li suddenly appeared, blocking his path, sword in hand, looking down at him.

"Little brother, let the one who can be spared go!" the scarred middle-aged man said solemnly.

Chu Li shook his head and sighed, "You have sinned too deeply, you cannot be spared!"

With that, he raised his hand.

A soft whistle, and a flash of white light shot into the scarred middle-aged man's throat.

He flew backward, and Chu Li leaped into the air, catching him. If he really fell into the river and the body couldn't be found, Chu Li would be restless.

The scarred middle-aged man clutched his throat, eyes wide open.

Chu Li said solemnly, "Where is the secret manual hidden?"

The scarred middle-aged man suddenly sneered, looking at him with a mocking smile. The smile grew larger, his body suddenly trembled, then sank, and he died.

Chu Li slowly put him down, exhaled two breaths of turbid air. Just now, he used the Desperate Life-Ending Blade, a move that gathered all his strength, more powerful than usual.

He knew the other party had a trump card, and the disciples of the Great Thunderclap Temple were not to be underestimated. If one strike didn't kill him, he would use a secret technique to stimulate his potential and kill Chu Li at the cost of his own life!

Surging spiritual energy from the surroundings rushed into his body, replenishing his empty meridians, nourishing them, and he quickly recovered.

He carried the corpse and floated up the mountain, running all the way to the summit, stopping under a pine tree.

This ancient pine tree seemed to be dying but was still full of vitality. Half of its branches extended over the cliff, the other half remained on the mountaintop, swaying gently in the wind, defying the cold.

Chu Li dug a meter away from the roots. The soil was hard but couldn't stop his sword. Soon, there was a "ding" sound as he hit a stone slab. Chu Li used his sword to pry open the slab and quickly stepped back.

"Zhi zhi zhi…" A large area of blue light shot out, dense like rain. If he hadn't known about this trap in advance, it would have been hard to avoid, and it was extremely poisonous.

After the blue light fell to the ground, Chu Li approached and used a stone to smash it hard. There was a muffled "bang," and "zhi zhi zhi…" another burst of blue light shot out.

After the blue light fell to the ground, Chu Li approached, used his sword to pick up a stone box, opened it, and found a yellowed silk scroll inside, with the words "Vajra Deliverance Divine Skill" written in bold strokes.

Chu Li picked it up and flipped through it. There were thirty-six pages, each with a posture, and the thirty-six postures were vividly depicted. The monk in the postures had an indistinct face, but the changes in every muscle were clear, with blue and red internal energy marked clearly.

Chu Li read through it once and imprinted it in his mind, then read it again to ensure nothing was missed. He exhaled his internal energy and gently pressed the silk scroll, then carefully put it back in the stone box, buried it, and restored everything to its original state.

The next person to open the stone box would find the silk scroll, but as soon as they touched it, it would scatter in the wind, turning to powder. Thinking of this, Chu Li smiled, feeling very pleased.

He buried the corpse of the scarred middle-aged man next to the stone box, then floated back to the cave, entering the Tiger Den. Zhao Ying had already gathered all the women, a total of 120, all of whom were quite beautiful.

The women without beauty had already been killed, and those left had value for continued play.

Chu Li didn't disturb Zhao Ying, found the bedroom of the scarred middle-aged man, searched it, and found a silver ticket worth 300,000 taels, which he put in his pocket. Then he floated into the hall and came to Zhao Ying's side, "Junior Sister, let's go!"

Zhao Ying looked at the women with reluctance, gave them a few words of comfort, telling them to be at ease, that she would seal the cave entrance so no one could enter, and that they could live in peace. She would come to see them when she had time.

Chu Li and Zhao Ying sealed the cave, covering it with some green vines to ensure no one could see it.

To be on the safe side, Chu Li also moved a large rock into the cave. Even a先天 (Xiantian) expert would have to spend some effort to enter, and those below Xiantian couldn't move the rock, let alone enter.

Seeing this, Zhao Ying felt reassured.

"Senior Brother, they are too pitiful," the two said as they used their lightness skills to speed away.

Chu Li smiled, "They are pitiful. We'll find a way to settle them later."

"How can we settle them?" Zhao Ying shook her head and sighed, feeling helpless. "Why not report to the mansion? The mansion must have a way."

Chu Li shook his head.

"Why not?"

"Open a tavern. Two taverns should be enough to settle them."

"Ah—?"

"I found some silver." Chu Li took out the silver ticket and handed it to Zhao Ying.

Zhao Ying was stunned, took the silver ticket, and her face changed in surprise as she looked up at him, "300,000 taels?"

Chu Li nodded, "Enough to open two taverns."

"But…" Zhao Ying hesitated.

Chu Li smiled, "With the support of the Duke's Mansion, opening a tavern isn't difficult. Among these people, there must be a few with talent, right?"