Chapter 45: Mass Killing at the Finest

The White Horse Ravine stretches like a serpent, long and narrow. The ravine is surrounded with masses of mountains and forest land, a river runs into the ravine, flooding the debris.

In ancient times, there once was an emperor that led his army to battle. During the battle, that emperor lost contact with his army and so he rode in the ravine with his stallion. His journey was long, leading his horse to thirst. The horse would sustain its hydration by drinking the river water as the emperor waited.

During that time, the enemy forces pursued this trail to find the emperor. They followed him deeper into the ravine in hopes to kill him. Once the emperor was cornered, he had given up all hopes and considered suicide, but a miracle took place in saving this emperor. His white horse magically took air, jumping more than one thousand meters into the unclaimed sky. This took the enemy and the emperor by surprise, he would ride off howling a victory cry. Since then, people would rename this ravine to commemorate the horse that saved his owner's life. The White Horse Ravine.

It was a beautiful tale, Zhang Yang heard this story from the villagers before and this ravine is the very one in the story. The moonlight reaching the ravine was dim, the forest also becomes darker to the tens of thousands of trees that mixed with the land. This environment is suitable for Zhang Yang, but he has the tomb so there was no need of moving again. He passes by some human sentries, traveling up the river to lead out.

Zhang Yang hides behind an elder tree and plants his spiritual sense like seeds. 200 meters ahead, a campfire was set with about 6-7 people around.

It seemed the leader was the old man, with his aged hair and exquisite clothes, he radiated off the word "strong".

But Zhang Yang laughs at his amateur mistake. Once he inspects his senior with his spiritual sense, he discovers that his realm only laid at the measly Level 4 of the Qi Refining realm. There are two at Level 1 and it seems the rest are just mortals that are proficient at martial arts.

This Li Clan might be able to break the standings of mortals, but compared to Zhang Yang, they are just arrogant bullies with the greed rivaling the LaoShan disciples.

His range of divine sense allowed him to overhear every word spoken in the camp.

"This'll only bring unwanted disaster If we let others discover this. They'll fight for it and we won't have the power to stabilize our ownership. The spring might be a worldly treasure, but it'll be discovered soon. We should just leave it." A bulky middle-aged man in the group suggests.

"What do you mean?! Are you suggesting we give these opportunities to someone else? We all know the laws of the upper world. Rare items were meant to be taken by stronger sects and families. But we, the Li Clan cannot be compared in the mortal world. We may be the weakest Clan in the world of cultivation but that doesn't mean we can't change. I, Li Liang, believe we should take the spring as an opportunity to soar like a phoenix.

Li Liang is a young man who had just stepped into the realm of Qi Refining. He is also a good bit stronger than that middle-aged man, with no respect for the guy or manners, he doesn't want to include his opinions.

This disrespectful speech turns the middle-aged male blood-red, enraged by his speech.

He replied in an annoyed attitude.

"It may be a good treasure but living is much more important! Many villages have already spread the information that the Li Clan has found this spring. The sects near us like the LaoShan Sect will eventually learn of this. What if they send people over for the spring? Besides, the spring is only good for vision, it has no impact on cultivation. Is it really worth the risk?"

"Ha! You're a good joker. How is this spring only good for vision? What cultivator doesn't know the real value of this spring? If we sell the spring water, then we can rack in loads of spiritual stones for cultivation. We could also use the spiritual stones to purchase other treasures off the markets, so what if some lowly villagers overhead us? The situation probably didn't go that far yet and we can still reverse it. Just kill every villager and shift the blame onto some magical beasts, simple as that.."

Li Liang spoke calmly, his heart wasn't shaken at all when he spoke about killing the villagers, neither did his face change.

Zhang Yang became enraged hearing these foul lines coming from his despicable mouth.

"you people plan to kill those innocent people just hide your inconceivable acts?!"

"Okay!" The old leader shouts and enters the warfare of mouth, completely leading the members silent. His position is ancestor of the Li Clan, his authority cannot be ranked by anyone present.

The ancestor speaks again, "Li Liang is absolutely right, all cultivation resources belong to the hands of larger sects and clans, this Magical Spring is our only chance to rise. The risk is one that the Li Clan shall be willing to take. Li Liang, take a group and head for the villages, slaughter everyone to keep their mouths shut. Even children. Li Shan, you take people to drain the spring, collect the water and be very careful. Each droplet of water is worth a fortune, don't forget it Li Shan."

"Yes ancestor!" They repeat with utmost reaction.

Zhang Yang could absolutely not let their plan carry out.

"Dong!"

As the groups planned to fulfill their devious plot, Zhang Yang interrupted them quickly, blocking their road to the villages.

"Zombie! It's a zombie!"

The light of the campfire shone and revealed the creature of bloodlust. The symbol of undead, the zombie stood in their way.

"Shua Shua Shua"

They all unsheathe their weapons, knives, swords, sabres, and of the sort.

Zhang Yang pounces from the ground, leaving a dent where he previously stood. He flew over to the ancestor, seemingly carried by the wind while he was the leaf hitching a ride.

The ancestor didn't try to maintain proper appearances, and instead ran like a maniac as he waved his sword to engage Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang breaks his flimsy sword with a finger before gripping his neck and sinking his throat.

"Hu-Hu"

The ancestor struggled to breathe, even so, he attempted to escape from his grasps. Using his free hand, he displays some experienced hand seals.

At the next instance, a flame rises and catches on Zhang Yang's robes. But his Yin Qi overpowers the flames and extinguishes them in seconds.

"Ancestor!" The clan members in the back shout.

"Din Din Din"

The rest of them go up to cleave up Zhang Yang, but it only resulted as a failure as only his robes were penetrated, his iron body was barely skinned.

Zhang Yang's defenses were on par with a Level 8's even despite being Level 6. These puny metals couldn't harm him. Copper and Iron, these metals were of the same when facing Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang knocks off the ancestor's head, soon enough their clan's fate was decided with this simple head severing.

"T-The the ancestor is dead!" Everybody felt their spirits shatter into millions of pieces, they all began to run from the frightening zombie, some collapsing to fear.

Zhang Yang doesn't spare any lives, especially not the lives of these people that only cared about the gains. With one simple stroke of finger, eyes flew back with stunned bodies and awkward movements. The whole campfire group died that instant, heads rolled on the ground like marbles.