"It's so boring. Kill monsters, go back, and repeat. Why is even this life so bland? When will it get interesting? I might as well kill myself again if this is all that is to come," he used to think to himself.
"Oho, he is pretty strange. Why does he do all these weird things? It's like I'm a side character in his show. But as long as it's interesting there's nothing wrong with that. As long as he can put on a good enough show, even being a servant wouldn't be such a bad thing…" he thought inwardly.
***
Hao Xuan and the Mad Saints followed after the spider web for 30 minutes. On the way, several beasts came out of nowhere and attacked them as if they were waiting in advance. The further into the jungle they went, the worse it got.
Huge spiders, flesh-eating worms, venomous centipedes that were tens of meters long were just some of the beasts that had blocked their paths.
"We're close," Maddy whispered after he finished off a small 3-meter long worm creature that tried to surprise attack him from underground.
"Where?" Kuo asked carefully looking around. Maddy pointed towards the left. They recalled their Qi's and started moving in the shadows. After about two minutes of jumping from tree to tree, a narrow gorge came into view.
Its bottom was not visible and was mostly covered by mist but every now and then a creature could be seen coming out and going back in. It gave everyone an eerie feeling. Something told them that place was not meant for humans to inhabit.
Not to mention that the mist seemed to be seething, boiling almost. It didn't even look like mist but something with substance.
On the other side of the gorge a couple of tents could be seen placed right out in the open. Three huge figures were sitting outside of them with their eyes closed.
"That's them. The Jia," said Hao Xuan. "But there's one missing," he frowned after realizing the Monk guy wasn't there.
"S-So what do we do?" Luke asked from the side. The four newbies had come along as well. Although they weren't strong, Kuo wanted to give them some exposure and brought them along anyway. Hiding them wouldn't do any good.
Everyone looked at Kuo but Jin Wang looked at Hao Xuan with an expectant look on his face.
Kuo turned around and started giving out orders, "Form two teams, one goes from the left and one from the right. Maddy will scout out the surroundings and make sure there isn't anyone hiding in the shad-" while he was talking he saw the newbies utterly shocked expressions as they were looking in the direction of the Jia soldiers. He slowly turned and his mouth fell open as well, completely speechless.
Hao Xuan had casually jumped out of the trees, lept over the gorge, and was now standing just a few meters away from the soldiers.
"What the fuck!" he subconsciously screamed aloud from shock.
"Quickly, after him!" he gave the order and jumped forward with everything he had, landing right next to Hao Xuan.
"Hey, you guys said your leader wanted me to visit him, I'm here to take you up on that offer," Hao Xuan shouted with a smile.
The soldiers jumped up in surprise. They all took out their weapons and stood protectively in front of the tent. One of them had a greatsword, another had a giant club and the last one had a hammer. All extremely heavy weapons.
"You have some guts kid," the leader, Steel, said in a menacing tone of voice. "Because of you we almost died. Hell, those bandits and the prisoners from caravan already did," he said while tightening his grip around the greatsword.
Hao Xuan simply shrugged like it wasn't him he was talking to, "You shouldn't have forced my hand. I did warn you."
Kuo, Hash, and Maddy were standing right next to Hao Xuan, ready to jump into action at a moment's notice.
"So, are you gonna bring me to your leader or not?" he asked when no one made a move.
As if in response to his query, the tent's flap lifted up and a small figure, almost the same size as him walked out. He was in a hood as well with his face covered.
"You're the leader?" Hao Xuan asked with a frown. He was expecting a giant, not this little pipsqueak. He looked like a child standing next to the Jia soldiers.
"Yes," a voice came from under the hood.
"Why did you want to see me?" Hao Xuan asked after a few seconds of silent contemplation.
"It doesn't matter anymore. Would I be right to say that you now have the siblings?" the hooded figure who was obviously Jiang Ling asked.
"Yes," Hao Xuan nodded without hesitation. There was no reason to hide it anymore.
"Name a price. We must have them. Anything you want, spirit stones, weapons, treasures, beasts, women, you know the deal. Just name it and it's yours," Jian Ling asked casually as if negotiating with a shopkeeper over a common household item.
"They are people, not things to be bartered and sold," Hao Xuan replied with a hint of anger. Buying and selling humans was a disgusting thing. Taking away someone's freedom, there weren't many things worse than that.
"We must have them," Jiang Ling announced after a short moment.
"Alright, I'll make you a counteroffer. You have the general yes?" Hao Xuan asked after pretending to think about it for a second.
"Yes."
"Alive and well?"
"Alive….."
"Alright. Hand the general over and I'll let you leave, that's my offer," Hao Xuan said magnanimously.
"No deal," Jiang Ling shook his head without a second thought.
"Alright, kill them all," Hao Xuan slightly turned his head and ordered. If only Kuo, Maddy, and Hash could curse at him right now but in front of the Jia soldiers they had to put up a unified front. So like the good little soldiers that they pretended to be, they abruptly leaped towards the three soldiers in front of them, while Jiang Ling was left standing there alone.
"Don't worry. I'll fight you alone," Hao Xuan cracked his neck, took out a sword, and swiped it across Jiang Ling’s neck in one smooth motion, or as smooth as it could be coming from someone of his level.
