"Damn it, the mosquitoes in this Xuyang Prefecture seem far more vicious than those back in Jiangning Prefecture." Teng Qinghu slapped his face hard, crushing a mosquito. Traveling at night in summer, the worst torture was the sheer volume of insects.
"Heh, we're considered lucky here. I heard that deep in the Southern Barrens, the mosquitoes at night are truly ferocious. There's a type of venomous mosquito; just one bite on a martial artist's hand can numb the entire arm! A few more bites, and you could be poisoned to death!" Du Hong sighed.
Teng Qinghu was startled: "Such a powerful venomous mosquito?"
"Did you think the Barrens were easy to traverse? Since it's sparsely populated, it's where millennium spirit fungi, Ginseng Kings, and numerous rare spiritual treasures can arise. There are also unique monstrous beasts, and even secret manuals and weapons left behind by powerful martial artists who died there. If the Barrens were easy to pass through, it would already be filled with people," Du Hong lamented.
Teng Qinghu nodded in agreement.
For instance, the Golden Silkworm Silk Breastplate that Teng Qingshan had just obtained—that golden silkworm was unique to the Barrens.
"Deep mountains and ancient forests, places rarely visited by humans, are where monstrous beasts and heavenly treasures are more likely to be born," Teng Qingshan thought to himself. Even the 'Great Yan Mountain' near his hometown housed a Flood Dragon; how could the vast, boundless, and uninhabited Barrens lack formidable monstrous beasts?
"Everyone, quick! Just twenty li left until we reach the Three Stones Inn. If you want roast meat and big bowls of wine, just endure a little longer! Hold on until we reach the Three Stones Inn, then we rest!" the elderly Wu Tan called out loudly.
"Everyone, keep your spirits up. Just a little longer."
A chorus of responses followed, and the guards began eagerly discussing what they would eat and drink that night.
...
Nearly an hour later, the convoy finally arrived at the Three Stones Inn.
"Guests, esteemed guests, please come inside!" Seeing a large merchant group appear outside, three waiters rushed out, eagerly offering assistance.
The steward, Wu Tan, instructed, "Waiters, take these guards to your inn's backyard. Prepare several more tables back there, and let them order whatever fine wine and food they wish!" Wu Tan turned back to the group of guards and barked, "Brothers, be mindful, don't drink yourselves into trouble."
"Elder Wu, rest assured, we're not new to staying at inns. We won't jeopardize the mission," the leader of one contingent of guards chuckled.
Immediately, seventy or eighty guards, leading a large number of warhorses, carriages, and cargo, were escorted to the inn's backyard. After all, the cargo and warhorses were valuable, especially the warhorses belonging to the Black Armored Army, which needed close watching.
"Brother Qingshan, come on, let's go in and eat first," Zhu Chongshi said with a smile to Teng Qingshan.
Zhu Chongshi, his wife, their children, and a few servants entered the inn along with Teng Qingshan and the contingent of Black Armored Army soldiers.
Stepping into the inn!
Teng Qingshan's gaze swept across the room. He noticed five tables occupied by guests on one side. These men were either bare-chested or had their chests exposed, drinking heavily and speaking boisterously. Near their tables or chairs lay their weapons—swords and sabers. There were over twenty of them in total.
The moment Teng Qingshan and the group of Black Armored Army soldiers, clad entirely in heavy armor, entered the inn—
The temperature in the entire establishment seemed to drop. The loud chatter of the men subsided as they glanced over. One by one, they touched their weapons or adjusted them to a position within easy reach.
Out in the world, drawing swords at the slightest disagreement and spilling blood was an all too common occurrence.
...
Teng Qingshan frowned. Although the inn wasn't small, there were only ten tables downstairs. The opposing group occupied five, leaving only five tables remaining. The Black Armored Army men, all wearing heavy armor, required roughly one table for every four men. Even if they squeezed, the tables were insufficient.
"You people," Du Hong, still in his heavy armor, looked coldly at the others, "squeeze over and make a table available!"
"What did you say!" A tall, bare-chested man slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly.
"Hiss!"
The twenty Black Armored Army soldiers uniformly turned their heads, staring coldly at the man.
The tall man trembled inwardly, startled.
Clang! Clang!...
The twenty-odd men immediately gripped their weapons, but they were all filled with apprehension. They could see that the newcomers were wearing heavy armor; if a fight broke out, they would be at a disadvantage.
"Don't cause trouble," a stern man with long, flowing hair yanked the tall man back into his seat. Simultaneously, he cupped his hands in greeting: "Esteemed sirs, five tables are indeed insufficient for you. We will yield one table." This man with long, loose hair clearly held considerable prestige.
Although the other men were reluctant, they shifted to allow one table to be vacated.
Even with six tables, Teng Qingshan's party could only fit in somewhat tightly.
"Innkeeper, hurry up with the dishes and wine," Steward Wu Tan ordered immediately after selecting the dishes.
"Right away, coming immediately!" The innkeeper personally took the menu and rushed toward the backyard.
Teng Qingshan's party of six sat down. The neighboring group of twenty-odd men kept their voices significantly lower.
Soon—
Plates of food and pots of fine wine were continuously brought out. What Teng Qingshan's party ate was clearly far superior to the fare enjoyed by the rugged travelers.
"Brother Qingshan, everyone eat quickly, and then we can get a good rest. It's already late, and we need to be on the road early tomorrow morning," Zhu Chongshi advised.
Teng Qingshan nodded.
By now, the outside world was pitch black. Steward Wu Tan took out silver needles and the Lanyun Pearl to test the food for poison. The Black Armored Army soldiers also conducted their own checks before beginning to eat. Traveling the world, especially at an inn in the wilderness, required extreme caution.
...
In a large room in the inn's backyard, several dozen people were gathered. The one in charge was the Elder Meng.
"Light the lamps!" Elder Meng stated calmly.
"Yes," the short-shirted man dressed as a waiter nodded, immediately stepping out with an oil lamp. He walked past the backyard, exchanged a glance with the innkeeper in the main hall, and then replaced the lamp that had just been extinguished.
The oil lamp burned silently.
The short-shirted man glanced at the people in the hall, a flicker of coldness crossing his eyes. He sneered inwardly: Once you enter an inn, Old Meng doesn't even need to act. You are all doomed!
...
The group in the inn's main hall was enjoying their meal heartily.
"Qingshan, come, bottoms up," Zhu Chongshi raised his cup with a smile.
Teng Qingshan drained his cup in one gulp. A wave of heat surged into his stomach, feeling wonderfully comfortable. Suddenly, Teng Qingshan sniffed and his brow furrowed.
It must be known...
Teng Qingshan could control the flow of his Qi and blood; he could detect the slightest anomaly in his internal organs. He had already reached an apex of internal martial arts. Yet now, as he sniffed, he detected a colorless and odorless gas mixed in the air—a gas capable of numbing the nerves.
"Hold your breath, wet your towels and cover your mouths and noses!" Teng Qingshan roared suddenly. "Someone is using poison!"
"Poison!" A commotion erupted in the hall.
Teng Qingshan shot to his feet, gripping his Reincarnation Spear, his gaze sweeping toward the three waiters standing nearby.
"It really is poison." The first to collapse was Zhu Chongshi's youngest daughter, while others began feeling dizzy. Fortunately, Teng Qingshan had warned them quickly; they had only inhaled small amounts, otherwise, they would have already lost consciousness.
The better the physique, the harder it is to be poisoned. For instance, to render an elephant unconscious, one would need many times the amount of anesthetic required for a human. And Teng Qingshan's physique was far superior to an elephant's. Never mind inhaling a little; even inhaling a large amount would not easily render him unconscious. If Teng Qingshan then circulated his Qi and blood, poisoning him would be impossible.
"Commander!" Everyone turned toward Teng Qingshan.
"Protect Master Zhu Jiu, hurry to the backyard!" Teng Qingshan commanded.
"Kill!" A fierce shout came from the backyard.
Instantly, the sound of clashing steel erupted from the rear courtyard.
"Haha, the Black Armored Army Commander, 'Teng Qingshan,' truly lives up to his reputation as a supreme master! He detected the colorless and odorless 'Whispering Dream' so quickly!" A burst of laughter echoed, and then more than a dozen figures rushed out from the upper floor of the inn, all wielding bows and frantically shooting arrows downward.
Teng Qingshan looked up at the archers: "In a group fight, archers pose a great threat. They must be eliminated first!"
"Hmph!"
Teng Qingshan leaped up, soaring directly onto the second floor.
"Kill him!" On the corridor of the second floor, the archers drew the sabers at their waists and charged toward Teng Qingshan.
Puff! Puff! Puff!...
Like a whirlwind, Teng Qingshan moved like lightning, killing over ten archers in succession. By this time, the other Black Armored Army soldiers had protected Zhu Chongshi's family and were rushing toward the backyard.
After dispatching the ten-plus archers, Teng Qingshan kicked open a nearby door and burst into a room on the second floor. Then, with a thump, he smashed through the large window and leaped into the spacious backyard where the melee was raging.
Blood stained the ground!
Dozens of guards had already fallen, many pierced by arrows. The guards were clearly at a significant disadvantage until the Black Armored Army soldiers from the main hall rushed in and clashed with the assassins. The opposing force was large, numbering nearly a hundred men.
"There are quite a few Inner Strength masters! Damn it, at this rate, more than half of my Black Armored Army soldiers might die!" In just a moment, two Black Armored Army soldiers had fallen, though the enemy had also lost more men.
As soon as he entered the backyard, Teng Qingshan surveyed the frenzied fighting and instantly locked onto several figures.
Puff! Puff! Puff!...
Teng Qingshan's spear work was incredibly bizarre; no matter whom he struck, it took only a single thrust! Teng Qingshan killed eight men in quick succession; all eight were Inner Strength masters from the opposing side. However, under the might of Teng Qingshan's 'Shadow-Following' Spear Technique, they possessed no power to resist.
"Good skill!" a loud shout rang out.
"Boom!"
A figure shot out from a room, moving like a bolt of lightning. Its terrifying speed even stirred up a strong gust of wind, followed immediately by a dazzling, blood-red flash of saber light.
Teng Qingshan felt his entire body suppressed by this saber light, as if he had fallen into an ice cavern.
"A master, ten times stronger than Yue Song or Zhuge Yun!" This single, terrifying strike made Teng Qingshan's blood boil with excitement. "Finally, a real expert!"
"Whoosh!"
The spear whistled, resembling a Flood Dragon lunging toward that light!
Shadow-Following Spear Technique—Fifty Thousand Jin of Crushing Force!
He unleashed fifty thousand jin of brute force right from the start!
Clang!
The saber light and the spear shadow collided in mid-air. The expert’s figure spun like a whirlwind, effortlessly neutralizing Teng Qingshan's spiraling force, and simultaneously soared onto the nearby roof. That Meng Tian was also greatly shocked: "What a terrifying spear technique! That spear art seems to contain invisible vortices; even my Saber Intent was affected!"
"Get down here!" Teng Qingshan roared, slamming his spear hard against a nearby wall.
"Boom!"
The wall crumbled as if it were made of paper, sending debris and dust flying. Meng Tian immediately took to the air.
Teng Qingshan's gaze was sharp as a knife. He flicked his spear, and the weapon, which had just smashed the wall, instantly transformed into a thrusting motion. Whoosh! Like a bolt of lightning, it shot toward Meng Tian, who was suspended in mid-air.