Chapter 13: Servants

At this moment, two martial artists from the Blackwater Stronghold, one specializing in close combat and the other in long-range attacks, approached in tandem, displaying a remarkable coordination.

Before Lu Li, blades flashed, and his own blade met the opposing one. Simultaneously, he leaned backward, contorting his body in an almost impossible shape.

A black goose feathered arrow passed in front of Lu Li, narrowly avoiding his nose.

With a powerful force in his hands, the clash of two blades forced Lu Li to step back, a consequence of evading the swift arrows earlier.

However, his opponent was equally in a dire situation, retreating three steps before regaining stability.

"At the third stage of the Pulse Connecting Realm!"

The newcomer was astonished, hardly believing that such a young man could possess such cultivation. The third stage of the Pulse Connecting Realm, indeed an unexpected revelation.

Continuous arrows rained down from a distance, a rapid barrage from an archer using swift arrows.

Facing the joint assault of two martial artists, one near and one far, Lu Li's thin blade transformed into a storm of razor-sharp blades.

Surprisingly, Lu Li's Swift Wind Blade Technique became faster and faster, making it impossible for ordinary water bandits to get close. Even the martial artist at the second stage of the Pulse Connecting Realm began to feel suppressed by Lu Li.

Suddenly, Lu Li's blade stalled, allowing the opponent to seize the opportunity with a single blade strike. However, Lu Li swiftly sidestepped, with his chest almost brushing the blade.

A punch followed, executing the Tiger Subduing Fist. Lu Li was not limited to the Swift Wind Blade Technique alone.

After battling for some time, the martial artist never anticipated that Lu Li, in addition to using a blade, was also formidable with his fists. Struck by Lu Li's punch, he was sent flying and crashed into a bamboo fence, blood spewing uncontrollably, severely wounded.

Lu Li paid no attention to the man, swiftly advancing towards the archer assisting on the side.

"Quick, stop him!"

Despite his severe injuries, the man with the blade continued to rage, spitting out blood incessantly. Lu Li's Tiger Subduing Fist, a technique that went beyond mere blade skills, proved formidable.

Lu Li forged a path through the water bandits, his blade sweeping through their bodies, leaving a trail of blood.

The archer received consecutive arrows, but unfortunately, they were all in vain.

Lu Li cleared a path of blood, a glint of blade aimed directly at the archer. Suddenly, at this moment, a figure wounded from behind, holding a female companion, intercepted the attack. Blades clashed, and Lu Li's two blades couldn't withstand the force, shattering.

Lu Li threw a punch, sending the man flying. He vomited blood profusely, propelled by Lu Li's punch into the water.

"Please, spare her!"

Plunged into the water, the man continued to scream desperately.

At this moment, Lu Li held the archer by the neck, lifting her body into the air. The girl struggled, but to no avail. Terrified, no one dared to approach.

"Young hero, I implore you to spare her. I, Chen Kang, am willing to surrender everything, including my life, in exchange for her safety."

The man, now out of the water, knelt before Lu Li, blood still flowing from his wounds.

"She is my daughter, never having left the stronghold, let alone committing murder."

Lu Li, holding the girl's neck, tightened his grip, and her face turned blood-red. Seeing this, Chen Kang continued to kowtow, blood streaming from his forehead.

"Never committed murder? Chen Kang, that is the best joke I've heard today. You, a water bandit, dare to speak such words. Have you ever considered that the lives you take may not be innocent, perhaps not even sparing chickens and ducks?"

Lu Li tightened his grip, and the girl's face turned crimson. Hearing Chen Kang's anguished voice, Lu Li hesitated for a moment.

Chen Axiu fell to the ground, panting heavily.

"Unexpectedly, you also have such a story!"

Lu Li said, suddenly kicking up a long knife from the ground. The Swift Wind Blade Technique, a flash of blades, and the remaining water bandits in the stronghold were decapitated, blood staining the sky.

Chen Axiu reached down to pick up the fallen bow and arrows but was stopped by Chen Kang!

Lu Li finished off the remaining water bandits, tossing the blade aside as it no longer suited his needs.

"Just now, if you had picked up the bow and arrows, you would now be the same as them."

"Chen Kang, lead the way!"

Having collected the accumulated wealth of the Blackwater Stronghold, Lu Li looked at Chen Kang and his daughter.

"I won't kill you today, Chen Kang. But your daughter cannot live her life as a bandit. With that said, I hope we never meet again!"

Lu Li turned away, and suddenly, he heard Chen Kang's sorrowful voice.

"Yurou, my greatest wish in this life is to avenge you. Alas, I fear I may never kill that wretched official!"

Lu Li didn't look back. The world was filled with injustices, and Lu Li had no intention of meddling in every affair. Not killing Chen Kang and his daughter was already his limit.

As his consciousness returned to his mind, the ferocity value had exceeded one hundred and thirty-four, a surprising result from today's elimination of nearly a hundred water bandits.

Lu Li was about to exchange for the introductory cultivation method when he noticed another shiny icon on the system interface.

"Hmm, a new function again. Servants, what does that mean?"

"Host, from now on, you can recruit servants. Servants can also earn ferocity points for the host. The higher the loyalty of the servant, the more ferocity points the host can obtain from them."

"So, if my recruited servants kill, I also earn ferocity points?"

"Host can understand it that way!"

Lu Li was delighted. Recruiting servants meant that he could gain ferocity points even if they killed. It was indeed a great help.

"How do I recruit servants?"

Lu Li hurriedly inquired.

"Recruiting servants requires spending ferocity points. The higher the strength of the servant, the more ferocity points it costs. However, the prerequisite is that the servant must willingly follow the host and cannot be forced."

"How many ferocity points does it cost for servants at the first and second stages of the Pulse Connecting Realm?"

"For the first stage of the Pulse Connecting Realm, it costs ten ferocity points, and for the second stage, it costs twenty ferocity points."