Chapter 55: You'd better think this over carefully

  "There are three spots left for the merchant task. Six of you have come, so we'll choose from among you." Wang Shilin seemed to do nothing out of the ordinary as he turned his head towards them.

  Startled by Wang Lin's previous actions, several people subconsciously nodded, and no one dared to have any opinions. Shen Cong's face was calm, but he didn't say anything either. Debating with a strong fifth-stage Open Vein Realm cultivator like this was purely asking for trouble.

  Wang Shi Lin nodded in satisfaction, glanced at the six people, and didn't explain what had just happened. He said straightforwardly: "The rules are simple, those who can enter the house and walk out on their own later will get the position. I've said it like this, do you all understand?"

  Following Wang Shilin's line of sight, I found that there was a house in the courtyard with its door open, but it was closed before. It looked a bit dark inside, and what was arranged inside couldn't be seen clearly.

  "Are there other restrictions?" someone asked in a low voice.

  "Immortals are allowed to go, go!" Wang Shilin waved his hand impatiently. Obviously, he didn't attach much importance to these disciples in front of him who only had second or third-grade cultivation, which was why he used such a rough method to select people.

  When the first person walked into the inner room, it was that only three-stage cultivator. Two others exchanged a glance and immediately followed, seemingly also greeting softly. This move seemed to wake up the remaining two people, who also rushed in, leaving only Shen Cong walking at the end, seemingly not understanding anything.

  As the six of them entered, the door closed with a bang. Wang Shilin took a glance and then stopped paying attention, closing his eyes to meditate and regulate his breath. He didn't care who would win in the end among the six of them, as long as they listened to him. And after what had just happened, it was likely that no one dared not listen.

  The room was originally not very bright, and as the door closed, it became even darker. Shen narrowed his eyes slightly, gradually adapting to the brightness in the room, while the five people who had entered earlier were now standing together, seemingly discussing something.

  "The price has gone up a bit, and this time the reward for the task is almost all gone." Someone said reluctantly.

  "If you don't want to, then don't participate. Honestly, just stand aside, no one is forcing you." Lin Hui said impatiently, "You can't even make this small sacrifice, in the future you'll only be worthy of being a guardian for an ordinary family."

  "You..."

  "What, not convinced? Can't even withstand this little bit of anger. It seems you can't even do a good job as a guard. Quickly get out of my way, or else I'll beat you up!" Lin Lei waved his hand, with an expression that showed great disdain.

  "Lin Shixiong, you're being too greedy, how about taking a little less?" Huang Wei seemed reluctant.

  "I didn't ask you to pay much, just wait for the two who will pay the most later and occupy those three positions with me. It's all voluntary, if you think it's too much, just look for another opportunity next time, I won't force anyone." Lin Hui smiled dryly and looked at Shen Cong, "You, I'm talking about you, come here. How can you be so ignorant of the rules, do I need to invite you?"

  "In this case, I'm a bit unclear, younger brother." Shen Cong smiled and walked up.

  "Are you teasing me?" Lin Hui glanced at Shen Cong, finding a hint of confusion in his eyes, and couldn't help but smile. "It turns out that there really are people who came for the task itself. I won't say much to you either. Be honest and go to one side, after I go out with the other two fellow disciples later, we'll talk about other things."

  Shen Cong furrowed his brow, then smiled and walked over to the disciple who had been scolded away. The man saw Shen Cong approaching and, perhaps feeling a sense of camaraderie, revealed a hint of a kind smile.

  "Can you tell me, what's going on now?" Shen Cong smiled back.

  Huang Wei looked at Shen Cong with a puzzled expression: "You've just entered the inner door, and this is your first time taking on a team business task?"

  Shen nodded, and Huang Wei's expression changed to one of realization. He glanced at Lin Lei in the distance and said softly, "It's not a big deal, just an unwritten rule. Why are so many people participating in this merchant task? Apart from the high reward, there's another point that's valued by others - having the opportunity to gain the merchant's recognition and become their guard in the future."

  "Only for escorting?" Shen looked at him with some incredulity, this escort position wasn't high. Charging forward, eating meat afterwards, even if they seized beautiful women, they had to be handed over to the boss.

  "Too low? Ha!" Huang Wei sneered, "Looking at my junior brother, I think he still has potential. This position is indeed not to be looked down upon. But not all disciples in the sect have that kind of potential, and they can't keep walking on the path of cultivation. If one can luckily reach the fourth stage of Condensed Origin, there will naturally be many ways out. But how many people can have such an encounter? Being a third-stage Tongli can already make one a wealthy merchant or guard, which is not a bad choice."

  Shen was suddenly enlightened, and it turned out that this business trip had such things hidden in it. Looking at those few people over there, they were actually doing something under the table. Lin Lei's cultivation was at the highest level of the third stage of Tongli, mid-term, so being careful would indeed allow him to defeat several second-stage cultivators combined, which is why he was acting as the leader now.

  "Get out of here, both of you!"

  It seems that the discussion has been clarified, and another person walks out with a dejected expression. Lin Hui and his two companions, on the other hand, look refreshed and spirited, especially Lin Hui, whose expression appears haughty, looking at Shen Cong and his group with a condescending gaze.

  "Come over, the three of you." Lin Hui commanded Shen Cong and the other two. As they approached, he said: "Now that things have turned out this way, let's follow the rules. You three choose a place yourselves, I'll make some injuries appear."

  "What's the need for injuries? We can go out later tonight, can't we?" Huang Wei said loudly.

  "Did I ask you to ask questions?" Lin Wei looked at Huang Wei, sneering: "Later on, you won't have to choose yourself, I'll help you. You two hurry up and choose, otherwise later on I can also choose for you."

  The two men beside Lin Ke burst out laughing loudly. As for the gift they had just given to Lin Ke, they felt a little better in their hearts. "Hurry up, we still have other things to do and can't afford to linger here with you. If that Master Wang is dissatisfied, we'll beat you up again when we get back."

  Huang Wei's face turned iron-green, wanting to rush up, but was pulled back by someone beside him. Rushing up like this would really get him beaten up, which wasn't worth it. Although he was also furious in his heart, the situation was stronger than people, and he had no choice but to lower his head.

  "Three seniors are like this, isn't it a bit excessive?" Shen Cong suddenly laughed as he looked at Lin Wei and the other two.

  "Too much? Looking at your young face, I'm afraid you're just an inner disciple. Today, brother will teach you some principles." Lin Wei's face flashed with a hint of cruelty as he suddenly reached out to grab Shen Cong.

  Grasping coffin hand, Lin Wei's grasp was a direct and heavy blow. Not to mention ordinary second-stage cultivators, even martial artists of the same level as Lin Wei would have their shoulders severely injured by such a grab.

  Shen Cong smiled and took a step back, yielding to the catcher.

  "How dare you!"

  A foot suddenly kicked over, kicking towards Shen Zong's abdomen. That is the location of the dantian, if it wasn't for that, it wouldn't be just a simple serious injury, and this person's heart is even more vicious than Lin Huan. Shen Zong sidestepped half a step, easily dodging, but the smile on his face had already disappeared.

  He had been preparing for a powerful strike, but it didn't work out. The disciple felt ashamed and angry in his heart, looking at Shen Cong, "You only know how to dodge, if you have the ability, just take one of my moves."

  "Brother Shifu is right, hiding forever isn't an option." Shen Congyi chuckled and instead of retreating, he charged forward, bumping into the person's chest. The disciple had initially been delighted by Shen Congyi's words, but now his chest was in agony, where was the joy? Only shock filled his heart.

  "You..."

  "Brother, go to the corner and take a good rest, I think you must be tired." In a dull voice, that person's body flew out and crashed into the wall, hanging on it like a painting, and only slowly fell down after a long time, with bones scattered all over.

  Several people in the field looked at this scene and took a cold breath. Huang Wei looked at Shen Cong incredulously, earlier listening to Shen Cong's words was clearly someone who had just entered the inner door not long ago, and his cultivation was only at the second stage of combined force, what is going on now?

  "Junior brother's cultivation is really good, but previously I was blind to it." Lin Hui narrowed his eyes and suddenly smiled, "But it's also good, eliminating a weaker one, you come over and take the position, which is even better."

  "Do I need to hurt myself?" Shen Cong also smiled.

  "Junior brother, what are you talking about? Those were just jokes earlier, no need to take them seriously." Lin Lei burst out laughing and walked towards Shen Cong, putting an arm around his shoulder, but was dodged by him. A strange glint flashed in Lin Lei's eyes, but he didn't get angry, instead smiling: "Junior brother has such abilities, if you don't join this mission, it would be a real pity."

  "Lin, you accepted payment from Sanzi before, are you just going to abandon him like this?" Watson suddenly shouted loudly.

  "You can return the reward to him later, if you're not satisfied, you can also quit now." Lin Hui said nonchalantly, then turned his head to look at Shen Cong, "I haven't asked my younger brother's name yet, perhaps it's something that even I don't know about." This smile looked gentle, vastly different from before.

  "Be careful, young brother!"

  Huang Wei, who had been silent all along, suddenly shouted loudly. Unbeknownst to him, Lin Lei's palm had accumulated true energy at some point, and he viciously slapped Shen Cong's back of the head with it. This slap was so severe that even if it didn't kill him, he would likely be bedridden for the rest of his life.

  On the side, Hua Sheng's eyes lit up, and the long sword in his hand suddenly flashed out, fiercely stabbing towards Shen Cong's chest. As long as Wang Shi Lin is not dead, he can still be saved, so let him keep his breath.

  Huang Wei and the other two were in a great hurry, but the distance was quite far, and they couldn't make it in time to rescue them. Moreover, Lin Lei and that Huasheng's cultivation levels surpassed theirs, and they had been plotting against them all along, so at this moment, they couldn't catch up even more.

  The palm of the hand slapping through the air caused a whistling sound, Lin Wei's face flashed with a ferocious smile. Previously, he dared to hurt someone in front of him, and Lin Wei would sentence Shen Cong to death. Even if it was impossible to really kill, who said that death was the most terrifying?

  Shen Cong seemed to be unable to react, hearing the shouting voice, and didn't even subconsciously turn his head. Lin Lei felt a sense of unease in his heart, but he immediately threw it away. At such a close distance, Shen Cong couldn't even dodge a sneak attack, let alone someone with only second-stage cultivation like him. Now using this method to deal with him was already showing extreme caution, where was the possibility of making a mistake?

  "Boom!"

  A loud explosion, Lin Ke's arm rebounded and rose, then hung down beside him, staring at Shen Cong as if he had seen a ghost, then looking at his own arm, his eyes suddenly turned red, "You dare to break my arm, I'll let you..."

  "This arm is a leftover calamity, let your junior brother help you get rid of it." Shen Cong smiled and made way for the incoming sword. Suddenly, he grabbed Huasheng's hand that was holding the sword, and the two figures flashed forward like lightning, a cold light flashing in the room, accompanied by a shrill red glow and a pungent smell.

  "Bang."

  An arm flew up into the air and then fell to the floor, with fresh blood quickly staining the floor red. Lin Lei looked at his own mangled arm in incredulity, before his head shook violently as he stared at Shen Cong.

  Shen Congyi smiled, releasing Hua Sheng, and his body floated backwards in retreat. Hua Sheng looked at the long sword in his hand with fresh blood dripping from it, and suddenly let out a sharp cry, "It wasn't me, it wasn't me who did it, Lin Shixiong, this wasn't done by me!" His voice was filled with extreme fear, unsure whether he was scared of Shen Congyi or the possible revenge from Lin Pei in the future.

  "Ah, I'll kill you!"

  Lin Ke shouted loudly, first kicking Watson to the ground with one foot, and then rushing towards Shen Cong crazily.

  "Master wants to kill me? This matter, Master must think clearly." Shen looked calmly at Lin Wei, a flash of knife intent suddenly shot out from his eyes and pierced through Lin's mind.

  Lin Ke's expression changed, the anger on his face shattered like porcelain, he was stunned for a moment, and then suddenly knelt down to the ground, all his confidence was broken by Shen Cong.

  "Let's go, it's time to tell Master Wang the result." Shen Cong smiled, his expression returning to its usual harmless state. But Huang Wei and the others no longer dared to treat Shen Cong as the same junior apprentice who had just entered the sect, and they carefully followed behind him.