Lin Dong had some strength, but he hadn't puffed up to the point where he could take on two opponents alone, let alone leap across realms to fight a whole group of powerhouses.
True, he did have the Earth Puppet.
However, he didn't have enough Pure Yuan Pills to burn through it.
Nevertheless.
How was he to know that these two men had no interest in drinking; their true intentions lay elsewhere.
They were merely entrusted by someone, and committed to carrying out that task.
Di Teng didn't want to drag things out any longer.
With a grim proposal, he said, "Old Ghost Liu, let's strike together! Capture this little bastard and don't let him get away!"
Cold light surged in Liu Kui's eyes, and he nodded heavily. "My thoughts exactly!"
At their command, the men from the Di family and the Liu family all swarmed forward.
Their intent was obvious.
It was to capture Lin Dong.
Naturally, Lin Dong wasn't going to surrender without a fight.
He drew the Heavenly Scale Ancient Halberd.
And prepared for battle.
At that moment, Xiao Diao's voice sounded in his mind.
"Lin Dong, if you and I join forces, we have a forty percent chance of breaking through!"
Only forty percent?
Lin Dong shook his head slightly, swept his gaze across the crowd, and gritted his teeth. "You want to catch me? You'll have to see if you're even qualified!"
"A mere Great Perfection of the Origin Pill Stage, and you dare to talk big? Go to hell!" Di Teng let out a cold snort.
He took the lead in launching an assault on Lin Dong.
A certain gap existed between their respective strengths.
Coupled with the enemy's numerical superiority.
Even with Lin Dong pulling out all his tricks.
In the end.
He was still beaten to the point of vomiting blood under the combined assault of several men.
And given a thorough beating several times over.
Until he could no longer stand at all.
Only then were the men willing to let up.
Di Teng suddenly spoke up. "He only told us to spare his life; he didn't say we couldn't plunder his things, right?"
"Seems you're right," Liu Kui thought about it carefully before agreeing.
Right after that, Di Teng went straight to work.
Plundering all the tens of thousands of Pure Yuan Pills that Lin Dong had managed to scrape together, as well as the martial arts manuals he had previously snatched from Wang Yan.
After they left.
Lin Dong struggled to sit up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
His eyes were filled with unwillingness.
Xiao Diao drifted out and offered his analysis: "It looks like they were acting on someone's orders!"
"Who could it be?"
"Think about who you've offended lately."
Who had he offended lately?
Lin Dong frowned in thought. He had offended far too many people recently.
Yet, capable of commanding powerhouses at the Lesser Form Creation Stage to move against him.
There actually weren't that many.
Only the four major families qualified!
After turning it over in his mind.
Lin Dong ultimately concluded that the most likely culprit was Wang Yan of the Wang family!
So what if I snatched a spirit treasure and took your martial arts manuals?
Is it really necessary to exact such revenge?
Lin Dong clenched his fists tightly.
Wang Yan, you just wait for me.
Next time.
I will definitely beat you until you're kneeling on the ground and begging for mercy!
...
Meanwhile.
Di Teng and Liu Kui, having just completed their mission, returned to their tent and prepared to divide the spoils of war.
Only to be startled out of their wits.
They were horrified to discover that Chen Xuan had been waiting there all along.
Liu Kui hurriedly stepped forward to claim credit: "Senior, we have already followed your instructions and given Lin Dong a thorough beating."
Di Teng's eyes rolled as he handed over the loot: "Senior, these are all things we scraped off that brat Lin Dong."
What does it mean to be a wise man who submits to circumstances?
This was it.
However, Chen Xuan had no interest in these items.
He shook his head in refusal.
Then, he offered his approval: "You both did reasonably well. Continue tracking Lin Dong. As long as he's on your territory, find any excuse to beat him up at will—don't let him cultivate in peace!"
As he spoke, Chen Xuan added, "Oh, and try to drive him toward the Misty Forest, understand?"
"Yes, Senior."
Not daring to disobey, the two men hurriedly nodded in consent.
"These two ninth-grade martial arts manuals will serve as your reward for all your hard work. Do a good job."
Leaving behind the ninth-grade martial arts manuals, Chen Xuan vanished from the tent once again.
"Respectfully seeing off Senior."
Di Teng and Liu Kui held the ninth-grade martial arts manuals in their hands.
Astonishment written across their faces.
Who on earth was this person?
He just casually hands out a ninth-grade martial arts manual—wasn't he being a bit too lavish?
The two men quickly divided the spoils of war.
And leading their men, they set off in pursuit of Lin Dong.
By this time, however.
Chen Xuan had already appeared within the Misty Forest.
All around him.
A milky-white mist swirled densely.
This mist was capable of blocking the penetration of Spiritual Energy.
It also permeated with a bone-chilling cold that even powerhouses at the Form Creation Stage would find difficult to resist.
At this moment, however, it had not the slightest effect on Chen Xuan.
His figure, swift and elusive like a ghost.
Shuttled back and forth endlessly among the trees.
He was in the midst of setting up an illusion array at the boundary between Dayang County and the Misty Forest.
This array was something he had obtained from a system lottery draw.
The formation was exceptionally profound.
Even with the aid of the Heavenly Sky Demon Marten, Lin Dong would be unable to crack it in a short time.
He was bound to suffer excruciating torment.
This, too, was Chen Xuan's objective.
Having finished setting up the array, Chen Xuan was just about to leave.
When he suddenly sensed a faint fluctuation of Yuan Power coming from somewhere within the Misty Forest.
With a flicker of his figure.
He vanished right on the spot.
...
"Hall Master, why is it that every time we come to this Misty Forest, we run into these beasts!"
"These beasts are so damn annoying, when will this ever end!"
"What terrible luck, it's like kicking a hornet's nest—there's just no end to them!"
A group of people were surrounded by a horde of ferocious fierce beasts.
Even as they slashed and hacked wildly with their swords.
These beasts seemed as though they could never be completely killed off.
Not only did their numbers fail to diminish.
Instead, the more they killed, the more appeared.
Until they were covered in blood and utterly exhausted.
Right at that moment.
A foul stench drifted quietly through the thick fog.
The next second.
A rustling sound echoed through the forest.
Following that, two pairs of slightly blood-red beastly eyes appeared before everyone's eyes!
Accompanying them were two extremely ferocious auras.
"Male and female Misty Crocodile Leopard Kings!"
Looking at the massive figures, everyone's faces turned pale with despair.
When these two fierce beasts joined forces, they were not only comparable to powerhouses at the Great Accomplishment of the Form Creation Stage, but they could also unleash spiritual attacks.
They were formidable indeed.
"Roar! Roar!"
At their low roars.
Instantly, hundreds of fierce beasts with blood-red eyes charged out from the mist.
At that moment, the earth trembled violently.
Faced with such a situation.
Everyone present had only two thoughts in their minds.
Either fight for their lives to carve out a sliver of hope.
Or wait to die!
Gripping a heavy black sword, Jiang Lei, the broad-shouldered Hall Master of the Eagle Martial Arts Hall, directed the crowd to defend themselves together.
Alas, there were simply too many beasts, coupled with the presence of the Misty Crocodile Leopard Kings.
They were simply no match for them.
Soon enough, they were routed.
Seeing that their attacks had failed to pierce the defense after a long time, the Misty Crocodile Leopard Kings seemed to lose their patience and let out a low roar.
Dark red energy surged over their bodies, gathering momentum as they charged fiercely toward them.
Sending everyone tumbling in disarray and shattering their formation.
Jiang Lei knew that if things went on like this, they would likely all perish.
He glanced back at his two daughters behind him.
And gritted his teeth.
"Old Wu, take Yinyin and Xue'er and fall back! I'll hold the rear!"
"Hall Master!"
The expressions of everyone present instantly shifted drastically.
Given the current circumstances.
If he stayed behind.
He would truly be staying to hold the rear alone!
"No nonsense, go quickly! If you're late, none of us will make it out!"
Jiang Lei shouted in a deep voice.
"Dad, I'll help you!"
A young woman of about twenty years old stepped forward.
She possessed a tall figure, and her slightly tight clothing accentuated her graceful and curvaceous physique to the fullest.
It was none other than Jiang Lei's eldest daughter, Jiang Xue.
Clutching her long sword, determination was written all over her face.