Trying to run?
The effect of the elixir was still unknown to Zhong Lin, but one thing was certain—it was painful.
That feeling of spending money while simultaneously feeling heartache… It had been a long time since Zhong Lin experienced it.
He didn't need the Bone Strengthening Pill at the moment, so he only bought five Blood Replenishing Pills, costing him a total of fifty taels of silver.
Even though Zhong Lin earned a good income from painting, his daily expenses were also high! Whether it was the daily meat consumption for himself and his brother or the Eight-Treasure Blood Nourishing Soup he had previously purchased for training, these all made up a large part of his expenditures. These fifty taels of silver nearly drained his savings.
If not for the recommendation of the doctor at the medical clinic, whom Zhong Lin trusted, he wouldn't have bought them at all.
Carefully, he placed the bottle of Blood Replenishing Pills into his chest pocket, afraid it might get damaged.
Zhong Lin's mind stirred, and he asked in a low voice, "Do you sell the pill formula?"
The masked stall owner silently glanced at Zhong Lin before finally Cackling.
"Heh heh!"
"…"
Time to go.
With his silver spent, there was no reason to linger in the black market. After making a final round, he turned and left.
As he was leaving, the burly man at the entrance suddenly said, "Once you leave the black market, your safety is no longer guaranteed."
Zhong Lin paused for a moment, murmured a quiet thanks, and then quickly walked away.
---
"Someone really followed me."
Zhong Lin cast a sidelong glance and vaguely saw a shadow flickering in the forest behind him.
Old Zhou had warned him many times about the dangers of the black market, even strongly advising against going. The burly man at the entrance had also given him an implicit reminder. With all that, how could he not take precautions?
Even so, he still underestimated the dangers of the black market. No matter how he tried to shake off his tail, someone was still following him.
"Come on, then!"
A trace of killing intent flashed across Zhong Lin's face as he feigned panic and quickened his pace.
"Trying to run? Block him!"
A rustling sound came from the forest behind him, and suddenly, three figures leaped out.
Leading them was a man with triangular eyes and a large nose, a ghost-headed saber strapped to his waist.
Two burly men flanked him, their expressions cruel and ruthless, clearly not easy opponents.
As they turned a corner, the three men suddenly realized—Zhong Lin was gone!
**Whoosh! **
Just as the leader frowned in confusion, a sharp whistle of an arrow cutting through the air rang out.
The triangular-eyed man's face changed drastically. He threw himself forward, shouting, "Get down!"
Too late!
The man on his left barely had time to see a streak of silver light before he felt a sudden warmth in his chest.
Lowering his head instinctively, he saw an arrow embedded deep in his chest, its feathered tail still trembling.
"So… so fast…"
With those final words, he collapsed to the ground, dead.
"Third Brother!"
The triangular-eyed man's eyes bulged in rage as he let out a furious roar.
After entering the first stage of martial arts cultivation, Zhong Lin had upgraded to a stronger iron-reinforced bow. This type of bow had iron strips embedded in the limbs to increase range and power—easily capable of piercing through a person.
**Whoosh! **
Another arrow flew, its whistle filling the air.
Terrified, the remaining two men dived for cover—one rolling behind a boulder, the other hiding behind a tree.
"AHH!"
A scream rang out. The man hiding behind the tree wasn't as lucky—an arrow had pierced his thigh, sending him tumbling to the ground.
"Boss, the arrow curved—"
Before he could finish his sentence, another arrow whizzed through the air and pierced his head, silencing him forever.
---
Full Mastery Archery: Curved Shot
In modern times, bullets travel in arcs due to gravity—arrows are no different. With the right technique, one can make arrows curve mid-flight.
Watching both of his men die before even seeing their attacker, the triangular-eyed man was shaken to his core. His fury boiled over.
"Come out! Come out, you coward! If you have the guts, fight me one-on-one! Show yourself!"
**Creak… **
Zhong Lin, hearing the challenge, calmly stepped out from the shadows. He even tossed his bow aside.
"I'm here."
Seeing Zhong Lin appear—without his bow, no less—the triangular-eyed man was overjoyed. He brandished his ghost-headed saber and charged, swinging it down with all his might.
"A fool! Throwing away his only advantage!"
Instead of retreating, Zhong Lin advanced. He twisted his body to evade the strike and delivered a powerful kick straight to his opponent's chest.
"Not good!"
The triangular-eyed man's heart trembled. He quickly steadied his stance in a deep horse stance, redirecting his falling saber into a horizontal slash aimed at Zhong Lin's waist.
**BANG!**
Zhong Lin's foot connected, but instead of using brute force, he skillfully borrowed the recoil to leap backward, dodging the saber's arc.
"So he has martial arts training and is far more experienced in combat than me… But as I suspected, he's just an ordinary person."
The reason Zhong Lin didn't kill him outright was simple—he needed a sparring partner to sharpen his own skills.
The moment he saw the triangular-eyed man dive to the ground to avoid his first arrow, he knew the man wasn't a true martial artist.
A real martial artist—someone who had broken into the first stage of cultivation—would have skin as tough as leather and wouldn't fear arrows. At most, they would cover their eyes.
That's why Zhong Lin spared him. If his opponent had been a true martial artist, he would have kited him to death instead.
The triangular-eyed man clutched his chest, feeling a dull pain. "Damn, that was strong! But he's an idiot for throwing away his bow."
Strength alone wasn't enough to scare him. He was confident that his ruthlessness and combat experience would allow him to win.
"DIE!"
He wasted no time, brandishing his saber once more and charging at Zhong Lin like a wild beast.
Zhong Lin didn't back down.
The saber came slashing down with terrifying force, cutting off all escape routes.
Zhong Lin remained calm.
He stepped forward, twisting his body like a floating leaf, evading the blade by the narrowest margin and closing the distance in an instant.
"Impossible!"
His opponent was stunned.
But instincts took over—his left hand darted to his waist, pulling out a dagger that he slashed toward Zhong Lin's stomach in a swift, practiced motion.
**Rip!**
The dagger cut through Zhong Lin's clothes…
But the sound that followed sent a chill down the triangular-eyed man's spine.
"Skin like oxhide… He's a martial artist!"
**SHNK!**
Zhong Lin's empty right hand suddenly produced a short blade, which sliced across his opponent's throat.
Blood sprayed like falling snow.
The triangular-eyed man clutched his throat, staggered, and collapsed.
The fight was over.
Zhong Lin glanced down at his torn clothing, revealing nothing more than a faint red mark on his skin.
"An ordinary person was able to push me this far… That day when I killed Chi Yan, it really was just pure luck."
---