Chapter 17

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Chapter 17: The Tragic Incident Caused by an Iron-Armored Cattle

The wasteland was the term used by cultivators to refer to the area inhabited by demonic beasts. The area west of the Lin family’s mountain gate, spanning over a thousand miles, fell under the category of wasteland. Besides cultivators hunting demonic beasts, there was no human presence here. Mortals could not survive in this place due to the poisonous insects and toxic miasma. Even for cultivators, survival was not easy.

At this moment, several young members of the Lin family were hunting an Iron-Armored Cattle demonic beast. Among low-level demonic beasts, the Iron-Armored Cattle was the most valuable. Its tendons could be used to craft bow and arrow spiritual tools, its hide could be refined into armor, and its horns were incredibly sharp. Even the meat of the beast was highly valued for its delicious taste compared to other demonic creatures.

The earnings from a single Iron-Armored Cattle would not be less than thirty spirit stones. This income was already quite significant, as there were independent cultivators who didn’t earn thirty spirit stones in a whole year.

“Lin Baocheng, Lin Baoyi, hold back the Iron-Armored Cattle. Hurry, don’t let it get close to me.”

The Lin family members worked together seamlessly. One person took command while the other two stepped forward to restrain the Iron-Armored Cattle. The beast was large in size and slow in reaction. They constantly harassed it, forcing it to charge at them. But as soon as it launched its attack, one person quickly fled while another attacked it from behind.

The real killer move was prepared by the three in command. Each held a powerful bow, not an ordinary one but a genuine magical weapon. The arrows shot from these bows were strong enough to penetrate boulders.

“Bang.”

Lin Baosheng shot another arrow, hitting the Iron-Armored Cattle’s neck, almost piercing through it. This made Lin Baosheng exclaim in surprise. With this kind of impact, the Iron-Armored Cattle was almost done for.

“The Iron-Armored Cattle has gone mad! Let it go!”

Lin Baosheng shouted loudly. The Iron-Armored Cattle had tenacious vitality. Even though it was covered in wounds, it didn’t die immediately. Instead, it went berserk. Several tribe members quickly dodged and made way for the beast to escape. They just needed to follow behind it, and in no time, they would capture it.

The rest of the group immediately obeyed Lin Baosheng’s command. They summoned flying swords one after another and hovered in the air. Low-level demonic beasts, except for flying monsters, couldn’t fly. The Iron-Armored Cattle roared at the group a few times and then fled in a panic.

The group flew on their swords, chasing after the Iron-Armored Cattle. Occasionally, they swooped down intimidatingly, making it speed up its escape and drain its life force faster.

The strong Iron-Armored Cattle charged through the jungle, knocking down countless towering trees. Before long, it crashed into a group of immortal cultivators who were hunting and killing monster beasts.

“Oh no, it’s a raging Iron-Armored Cattle!”

The people noticed the commotion and were filled with alarm. They were in a critical moment of hunting, and if the Iron-Armored Cattle charged at them, not only would their mission be ruined, but there could also be casualties.

“Jump up and avoid it!”

The leader shouted and rushed towards the Iron-Armored Cattle, aiming to slow its impact and create an opportunity for the others.

“Explosion sound”

The person took out a flying sword and thrust it into the bull’s head. The sword broke through but got stuck in the bone. Immediately, the Iron-Armored Cattle collided with the person, sending him flying.

“Big brother! Big brother!”

The rest of the people were scared and screamed loudly. Someone caught the injured person, but he still coughed up blood, his chest caved in. He was seriously injured, so the others immediately took out a life-saving potion and gave it to him.

“Boom.”

Perhaps this blow had exhausted the last bit of life from the Iron-Armored Cattle. Its enormous body collapsed with a loud crash, and its eyes closed forever.

“People from the Lin family.”

“People from the Zhou family.”

Lin Baosheng and the others caught up and saw the people from the Zhou family. Their expressions changed.

In the past few years, Zhou Yumin’s proposal to marry Lin Ying was unsuccessful, and the connection between the two families weakened again. They hardly communicated anymore. Meeting at this moment was extremely awkward.

“We killed this Iron-Armored Cattle, so we’ll take it and leave.”

Lin Baosheng didn’t want to get into a conflict with the Zhou family. He was ready to take the Iron-Armored Cattle and leave. The wilderness was full of dangers, and now that the Iron-Armored Cattle had lost a lot of blood, it could easily attract other beasts.

“Stop! Who says the Iron-Armored Cattle belongs to you?”

“What do you mean? Didn’t you see the arrow on its neck? It’s my Lin family’s armor-piercing arrow, with our family mark on it.”

“Hmph, I saw it, but have you seen the flying sword on its head? It belongs to my third brother. Plus, your actions have ruined our hunt. Our prey has escaped. How do you explain that?”

“What do you mean?”

“Take away your arrows, but leave the Iron-Armored Cattle as compensation for my third brother.”

The people from the Zhou family were furious. Their hunt was about to succeed, but now it was ruined. Their prey had escaped, and their third brother was seriously injured. They couldn’t let it go.

“Fuck you! You’re not capable of hunting monsters, so you want to steal from us?”

Lin Baocheng immediately cursed. Years ago, the Zhou family had killed someone from his Lin family—his own father. He had a deep hatred for the Zhou family, and now he was exploding with anger.

“How dare you curse at me?”

“What’s wrong with scolding you? You worthless coward! Aside from harming others behind their backs, all you know is how to steal, isn’t that right?”

“Exactly! Such a person still dares to propose marriage to my Aunt Ten? Pah! They don’t even bother to look in the mirror before dreaming.”

“Oh, it’s like that saying about a toad—”

“The toad wants to eat swan meat.”

“Haha, exactly, just like a toad.”

The Lin family members, filled with anger, mocked viciously. They despised the Zhou family for betraying them, and Zhou Yumin’s proposal only added fuel to the fire.

As the head of the Lin family, Lin Batian was full of pride. He refused to marry off his daughter, and his descendants shared his arrogance. To them, Zhou Yumin was unworthy of Lin Ying. The mere suggestion of a marriage alliance implied the Lin family needed to trade women for benefits, which was an insult.

The Zhou family, equally fiery and impulsive, was enraged by the mockery. Their spiritual power flared as a flying sword shot towards Lin Baocheng.

“Watch out, Lin Baocheng!”

Lin Baoyi quickly pushed him aside, but the sword still grazed his arm.

“How dare you attack me!”

“Let’s settle this once and for all!”

“Kill!”

The Lin family retaliated immediately, unleashing their flying swords. Chaos erupted as both sides fought fiercely.

The Zhou family suffered heavy losses. Their leader, in the later stage of Qi Refining, was gravely injured and unconscious, turning him into a burden. In contrast, Lin Baoyi, also in the later stage, was unencumbered.

“Call for reinforcements!”

Realizing they were losing, a Zhou family member activated their Soul Card to summon help. The Lin family, unwilling to be outdone, did the same.

“You thief! Dare to kill someone from the Zhou family? You’re courting death!”

A Zhou family elder in the Foundation Building Period arrived first. Seeing a Zhou family member killed by Lin Baosheng, his fury erupted. From hundreds of meters away, his flying sword struck, severely injuring Lin Baosheng. The blow shattered Lin Baosheng’s shield, leaving him unconscious and bleeding.

“Lin Baosheng!”

“Retreat quickly!”

The remaining Lin family members scattered, carrying the injured Lin Baosheng as they fled.

“Uncle Five, don’t let them escape! They killed Sixth Brother!”

The Zhou family leader’s voice rang out. A member of their family had fallen in the skirmish, and they were determined to retaliate.

The Zhou family head decided to escalate. To them, the Lin family was merely upstart nobility. With the Zhou family’s centuries-long legacy and two Golden Core cultivators, they viewed the Lin family’s single Golden Core as insignificant. Destroying the Lin family seemed a logical step.

“Aunt, aunt, help us!”

As the fleeing Lin family members spotted Lin Die approaching, they cried out desperately.

“Splat.”

Ignoring any pleas for mercy, the Zhou family head intensified their attack, killing Lin Baocheng outright. His body was nearly cleaved in half, leaving no chance of survival.

“How dare you!”

Lin Die’s eyes turned bloodshot. As a member of the Lin family’s second generation, she saw these third-generation members as her children and grandchildren. Watching them die before her eyes filled her with rage.

“Kill!”

Fueled by fury, Lin Die’s flying sword soared but was swiftly deflected. Undeterred, she drew a crimson spear, a weapon emblematic of the Lin family’s famed spear techniques.

The Zhou family’s Foundation Building cultivator tried to defend with a shield, but Lin Die’s precise strikes shattered it. In moments, her spear pierced through the cultivator’s defenses and impaled him.

“Boom!”

With a twist, Lin Die lifted the Zhou cultivator into the air. In a final, grisly motion, his body shattered completely.

“Leave none alive. Kill them all,” Lin Die commanded coldly, her gaze fixed on the fallen Lin family members. Consumed by grief and rage, she vowed to settle the score with blood.