Chapter 85: Rocky Slope

  The journey back home was swift and easy, covering several large mountains in just a few days.

  Along the way, Fang Ziyuan didn't put on any airs of a superior, chatting and laughing with everyone, pointing out the shortcomings in their martial arts whenever he saw them, every word hitting the nail on the head, allowing those who benefited from his advice to make great progress in their cultivation.

  Everyone was surprised and delighted, even Qin Fengchuan hoped that this road would go on like this forever.

  On this day, a fork in the road ahead split into two directions. Fang Ziyi bowed to everyone and said: "Zi Yan wants to go to Lin Feng City, let's part ways with everyone here."

  Wang Shou Dao reluctantly bid farewell, using force to clench his fists and say: "Being able to meet Master Fang is truly a fortunate encounter for me in three lifetimes. I look forward to having the opportunity to ask for your guidance again in the future."

  Fang Ziyuan smiled and nodded, turning his head towards Li Rengdao: "Rengdao, let's go."

  Wang Wanxuan was stunned in the crowd and exclaimed: "Ran Jian, aren't you going back to Wanghe Village?"

  Li Ruo Knife nodded silently and said, "Some time ago I sent my younger brother to the relatives' house in Lin Feng City. I'm going there to see my younger brother, so let's part ways here."

  Wang Wanxuan and Shan Lang took a step forward at the same time, Shan Lang was stunned and didn't say anything, while Wang Wanxuan asked gloomily: "Ran Jian, this separation doesn't know when we can meet again. Will you often return to Wanghe Village in the future? Xiaohu and I will miss you."

  Li Ruo Knife nodded silently, even he didn't know if they would meet again someday. In his previous life, Li Ruo Knife left that place and never came back. That place was just a memory of his youth. Once someone embarks on the long journey of drifting, it's likely that past memories can no longer be chased.

  Let that warmth of love stay forever in the deepest corner of our hearts.

  They bid farewell to the crowd, and Li Ruo Knife and Fang Zi Yan turned around and floated away on another mountain road. The people behind looked at the two figures, a wisp of melancholy lingering in their hearts. Wang Shou Dao sighed: "Ruo Knife is not something that can be bound by our Wang River Collection. This day he spreads his wings and leaves, from now on the sky is high and the earth is wide, it's unknown how far he will fly."

  "But fortunately, we have a way to keep Feng Chuan firmly tied up in our Wang He Village."

  Wang Shou Dao's eyes darted back and forth between Qin Feng Chuan and Wang Wan Xuan, causing everyone to burst out laughing at the same time. Wang Wan Xuan's face turned bright red with embarrassment as she stomped her foot and scolded, "Headmaster, you're always making fun of me!"

  Li Ruo and Fang Ziyan were both extremely powerful, and the two of them traveled quickly, not knowing how far they had gone. From a small mountain path, Fang Ziyan pointed to a strange and rugged mountain road in front of him: "That's where the Rocky Slope is. Legend has it that strong men and wild beasts roam there. When I was young, I was extremely afraid of this place and didn't dare take half a step. Although that mountain road is a shortcut, I've never taken it before. Ruo, how about you and I take a walk through there today?"

  Li Ran's knife was suddenly silenced and he lost his smile.

  Yes, the things that frightened you when you were young will leave a rather mysterious shadow in your heart. If you don't touch it, you'll always think it's a scary place.

  But with Fang Zhongyan's current strength as a powerful expert, walking on this rugged stone slope is like taking a leisurely stroll in the garden.

  Li Ruo's heart had long been with his brother in Linfeng City, and he agreed to take the shortcut. The two of them turned around and entered a narrow and rugged path on both sides, which was full of twists and turns, and they walked along it with great interest.

  In front of them, a dark and oppressive mountain wall seemed to be about to crash down on the small path, looking terrifying. The two of them leapt lightly and ran a few steps to the foot of the mountain wall, exchanged a smile, turned around the mountain wall and headed outwards. Suddenly, they saw that behind the mountain wall, on another road, five figures were also rushing towards this place in a hurry.

  Li Ruo and Fang Ziyan were taken aback, narrowing their eyes as they gazed at the five figures.

  The five people who came were all dressed as hunters, with the four on either side carrying long bows on their backs. One of them had a falcon perched on his arm, its wings spread wide. The person in the middle wore a small triangular eye mask and was dressed in luxurious brocade clothing, with an arrogant expression on his face.

  Two lines of people suddenly met at the corner of the mountain wall, and both were stunned, not knowing what kind of person they would meet on the rocky slope. The other person shook his hand and held out a waist knife to point forward. The person in the middle, Jin Cui, coldly sized up Li Nian's knife and Fang Ziyan for a moment, seeing that these two people didn't look like bandits at all, although they were suspicious of the two people daring to rush into the rocky slope, but also didn't want to make trouble. He snorted and shook his head, saying: "Don't let unexpected branches ruin my business."

  Those followers gazed at Li Ran and his companion with a cold, stern gaze, sheathing their waist knives as they spoke in low tones to the brocade-clad individual: "Young Master, will these two also be going after that..."

  "Shut up and let's hurry after them!" Jin Duanyi said coldly.

  The attendants bowed their heads and backed away.

  It seems that both teams are heading towards the middle stone path, preparing to cross over the mountain pass ahead.

  A group of hunters appeared, and Li Ranjian and Fang Ziyuan didn't mind either. The two groups turned around and moved forward at the same time. However, that group of hunters seemed to be in a hurry, and several people took a few quick steps before rushing forward. Suddenly, a whistle sounded from the front, and more than 30 people poured out of the mountain pass, wrapped in animal hides, holding sharp blades, with fierce glints in their eyes, blocking the way like a group of wild beasts.

  More than a dozen ropes hung down from the mountain wall behind, and more than a dozen people slid down quickly from the mountain wall, blocking the way back.

  Strong men with powerful arms and loud shouts block the way ahead and behind.

  Li Rendao and Fang Ziyuan were stunned, not expecting that the rumors about Luanshi Slope were true. It seemed that someone had been lying in wait here for a long time. Li Rendao cautiously looked at the five hunters beside him, only to see them also stop in their tracks with surprised expressions, apparently they weren't together.

  A robust man stood in front, with his arms thick and strong, muscles bulging like a python. On his back was a heavy crossbow that weighed over 100 catties, its metal surface etched with patterns resembling the gnarled roots of an ancient tree, clearly a deadly weapon.

  "Money is an external thing, don't let external things drag down your life! Put down the gold and silver, and get out of here quietly!" The group of thugs shouted again to boost their morale.

  After shouting, the robust man nodded towards a thin and weak-looking strongman behind him. The thin and weak-looking strongman suddenly jumped out, sneered coldly, and with a flick of his foot, a boulder the size of a human head flew up into the air. With one swing of his fist, the boulder exploded into powder in mid-air, and the dust dispersed in the wind.

  This punch made even Li Ruo Knife secretly nod his head, and without a strength of at least four layers of Jingyuan Qi, it would be impossible to achieve. And among this group of strong men, even a small follower had such strength, making Li Ruo Knife look at them with new eyes.

  A robust man in front shouted loudly: "Do you see that? I don't know if your heads are as hard as this stone, but if you don't want to die, quickly hand over the gold and silver."

  Fang Ziyuan smiled and turned his head to Li Rengdao, shrugging his shoulders: "Rengdao, it seems we need your help."

  Li Ran Dao smiled slightly: "These people didn't dare trouble Master Fang anyway."

  Li Rengdiao took a step forward, and the robust man opposite him suddenly showed a vigilant expression. He raised his hand, took down the heavy crossbow from his back, and pointed it at Li Rengdiao's chest: "Halt! Put your sword on the ground, open the package behind you. If you dare to take another step forward, don't blame me for killing you with this crossbow."

  Over 100 jin of heavy crossbow, the shooting speed will reach a terrifying level. Li Ran saw that these strong men only wanted gold and silver, not harming people's lives, and originally didn't want to take their lives. However, facing the heavy crossbow, he couldn't help but take it seriously, slowly taking a deep breath and preparing to charge over. Just then, the person next to him, Jin Cuo, urgently whispered: "Damn it, wasting all this time, I'm afraid Blood Fox is about to escape... Let's charge over."

  The word "go" had just left his mouth when a loud whooshing sound was heard, and an iron arrow shot out, like a meteor streaking across the sky. It pierced through the chest of the robust man, and a blood arrow spurted out. The leader of the strongmen could no longer hold onto his heavy crossbow, his eyes wide with shock as he fell backwards.

  The one who shot the arrow was precisely the attendant who had previously drawn his waist knife and pointed it at Li Ran.

  In an instant, there was a great commotion in the powerful team.

  Li Ran's eyes widened in surprise, the arrow just shot out with a speed and strength that was already astonishing, yet it possessed power exceeding eight times that of Jingyuan.

  How could an ordinary hunter have such skills?

  The strong men were clamoring and drawing their swords, with a fierce atmosphere, but they saw that the man in brocade was walking hastily, with four people by his side facing the strong men without fear. As they walked quickly, they shot arrow after arrow from their longbows, truly hitting the mark every time, each arrow shooting dead one of the strong men. The opposing team's blood arrows rose to the sky like a storm.

  A strong man slid down from the mountain ridge in the rear, and someone hastily raised his bow and arrow. Just then, a follower suddenly spun around and shot swiftly, piercing the chest of the strong man behind with a "whoosh" sound, sending him tumbling to the ground.

  In the blink of an eye, more than thirty people were killed, and the remaining ones were so frightened that their legs cramped up. Who would have thought that they would encounter these killing gods while robbing? With a shout, they ran away in all directions, leaving no one behind. The people who had been surrounding them also fled without a trace.

  The five hunters stepped on the bloody ground and corpses, ignoring Li Ran and his knife, and went straight through the stone path opposite to cross the mountain pass.

  In just a moment, the bustling stone path was left with only desolation in sight, and no human voice could be heard.