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墨書 Inktalez
The sack spontaneously ignited, and hundreds of venomous snakes crawled out in a frenzy, darting around like headless flies, and they were only a few dozen meters away from Kiln.
Seeing the swarm of snakes heading towards Kiln, a sinister smile flashed in the eyes of several people. In an instant, they vanished without a trace.
At that moment, Kiln was bustling with activity; everyone was sweating profusely and completely unaware of the impending danger.
Outside the Thatched Cottage, Xia Muxin immediately began her experiments upon returning. Shen Muhan assisted her by tending to the fire, watching as she ground, pounded, and mixed various ingredients. Her expressions varied from deep contemplation to moments of frustration when she would slap her forehead, which he found quite endearing.
“Muxin, let’s take this Mung Bean Porridge and Salt Ginger Water over first.”
Aunt Liu and Sister Swallow each carried a large bucket—one with Mung Bean Porridge and the other with Salt Ginger Water. As they stepped out of the courtyard and saw Xia Muxin busy at work, Aunt Liu called out to her.
“Hey, Aunt Liu, Sister Swallow, take your time!”
These tasks had always been handled by them, and Xia Muxin felt reassured. Seeing that they were carrying large buckets, she couldn’t help but remind them.
The two women smiled in response as they continued on their way.
At that moment, three piles of muddy substances lay at Xia Muxin's feet while she squatted in front of them, furrowing her brow in thought.
Shen Muhan watched her intently. After a long while, she suddenly clapped her hands excitedly and exclaimed:
“Ha ha! So that's how it is! Got you!”
With that, she began another round of grinding stones.
“Ah... Mother! Snakes! Snakes...”
Suddenly, a scream echoed from nearby, startling Xia Muxin so much that she fumbled and dropped the Limestone she was holding into the pot of boiling water. Instantly, the clear water turned murky white and began to bubble vigorously.
“Muxin, stay here. I'll be right back.”
Hearing the scream, Shen Muhan's eyes darkened as he addressed Zhaoxia Muxin before rising and heading toward the Kiln.
Xia Muxin was just one step away from success. Besides, it was normal for there to be snakes in Daimiao Mountain, so she didn't pay it much mind. She simply added some firewood to the stove and continued with her task.
“Ah...”
Suddenly, another piercing scream rang out from inside the house. Xia Muxin's heart tightened, and she dropped what she was doing, rushing out into the courtyard.
“Mother, what happened?”
She shouted as she ran. At this moment, Aunt Liu and the others had gone out to deliver something, leaving her mother alone at home. Usually, at this time, her mother would be sitting in the courtyard doing some needlework. Today, they were unloading the kiln and had prepared a lot of vegetables; she must have been sorting them inside. But that sudden scream had frightened Xia Muxin.
As she anxiously rushed toward the house, calling out, she reached the door only to have it slam shut with a loud bang, cutting her off outside.
“Mother, are you in there? Mother...”
Xia Muxin's heart raced as she pounded on the door and shouted several times.
But there was no response; the silence around her was oddly eerie.
“Who is messing around?”
Panic gripped Xia Muxin's heart, but she hadn't lost her composure yet. With a cold glare, she spoke up.
Hiss...
Hiss...
Suddenly, a strange sound reached Xia Muxin's ears, continuous and unsettling. Her heart sank as she turned to look behind her, and what she saw made her break out in a cold sweat—hundreds of snakes, their bright red tongues flicking in and out, were slithering toward her.
Having spent time training in the woods, she could immediately tell that these were highly venomous snakes.
"Oh my goodness!"
At that moment, You Shi also heard the commotion and stepped outside to take a look. Seeing that the Xia Family seemed deserted with the door closed, she approached to investigate. What she saw nearly made her faint; after a long pause, she clutched her chest in horror and exclaimed in a trembling voice.
"Mother, what happened?"
Wu Family happened to be returning from Zhou Changyuan's house. Seeing You Shi standing at the door looking as if she had seen a ghost, they thought she had another quarrel with the Xia Family. Spitting into her palm for good luck, they walked past her without glancing back. At that moment, Zhou Cailian was coming over with freshly washed clothes and noticed You Shi's pale face, prompting her to rush forward and ask.
"Snakes... so many... snakes..."
You Shi was now trembling uncontrollably, her words barely coherent. Her eyes were filled with terror, and her legs felt as if they were weighed down with lead, rendering her unable to move.
Her fragmented speech successfully drew the attention of Wu Family and Zhou Cailian toward the Xia residence. Upon seeing the scene, they too were paralyzed with fear, their limbs going numb. The basin in Zhou Cailian's hands clattered to the ground.
Xia Muxin remained composed as she watched the approaching swarm of snakes. She swallowed hard and noticed some firewood and a hoe by the entrance, slowly making her way toward them.
"What should we do? Should we call for help?"
Zhou Cailian stammered in fear, looking helplessly at Wu Family and You Shi as she asked in a trembling voice.
"What's the fuss about? Liulang is still thinking about this intruder. Isn't this a great opportunity?"
Zhou Guilian had emerged at some point, a bloodthirsty smirk flashing in her eyes as she spoke to the three terrified individuals.
After finishing her words, Zhaoxia Muxin hurriedly grabbed a handful of lime powder from the stove and walked to her yard, throwing it out through a gap in the courtyard wall. Xia Muxin, preoccupied with worrying about Aunt Xia and wary of sudden attacks from the snakes, failed to notice what was happening on this side.
The morning breeze was slightly cool, and with some water collected in various places of Muxin's yard, the lime blew onto the snakes. As they moved and touched the water, the lime reacted and began to heat up. Instantly, the snakes writhed wildly, fiercely rushing toward Zhaoxia Muxin.
Xia Muxin's pupils widened in shock at this sudden situation. Gripping her machete tightly, she swung it wildly in the air. In an instant, there was a sharp sound as one snake was cut in half and fell into the community.
The four members of the Wu Family watched with wicked smiles on their faces as they quietly walked back to their house, promptly shutting the door tightly behind them.
At the kiln, chaos erupted as hundreds of venomous snakes suddenly surged forth, frightening the villagers who were busy working underground. Fortunately, they were all strong men who had encountered snakes in these mountains before; they quickly grabbed their tools and began striking at the snakes.
However, their numbers were limited. After dealing with one snake, dozens more surged forward, catching them off guard.
"Form a back-to-back circle and attack from all sides to avoid being bitten. Look for an opportunity to get to the kiln!"
Shen Muhan chopped down two snakes in front of Aunt Liu and instructed her and others to retreat.
Aunt Liu and Swallow were greatly frightened, their lips trembling. They dared not linger and helped each other back.
Ming Yi and over ten others jumped down into the kiln and joined the fight against the snakes.
"Everyone be careful! The snake's blood is also poisonous; make sure not to get any on you."
Shen Muhan flew over with a burst of energy, grabbing one villager and tossing him toward the wooden bridge. He controlled his strength perfectly—neither injuring him nor causing him to stumble. Once steady, the villager quickly made his way across the wooden bridge and directly onto the kiln roof!
Ming Yi and the others followed Shen Muhan's lead, tossing the villagers onto the wooden bridge one by one. By the time only a dozen of them remained, he waved his hand, revealing a mask in his palm. Once he donned the mask, the real slaughter began.
In an instant, countless snake bodies flew in different directions, leaving a gruesome scene on the ground.
"Young Master Shen, hurry and save Muxin! She's surrounded by snakes!"
Just as they were finishing their massacre, Swallow's anxious voice echoed from afar. A bloodthirsty chill flashed in Shen Muhan's eyes as he vanished into the crowd. Ming Yi and the others exchanged glances before leaping into action.
Xia Muxin was surrounded by snake bodies, some still writhing in half-life. Gripping a machete in one hand and swinging a hoe with the other, she closed her eyes and hacked wildly.
When Shen Muhan arrived, this was the scene before him. Just as he was about to step forward, the back door suddenly swung open. A shadowy figure threw out Aunt Xia, who had already lost consciousness. Shen Muhan dashed forward, catching Aunt Xia securely in his arms before handing her over to Ming Yi and the others.
"Mother..."
Seeing Aunt Xia's pale face, Xia Muxin cried out in distress.
"She’s fine; she might have just fainted from shock," Shen Muhan reassured her immediately as he moved closer. However, just as he took a step, a cold blade glinted against Xia Muxin's neck.
"Let her go!"
A bone-chilling coldness flashed in Shen Muhan's eyes, his voice devoid of warmth causing Ming Yi and the others to shudder.
"Tsk tsk tsk, let her go? Is that even possible?"
The man was clad in black, draped in a large black cloak that exuded a foul stench of blood. His face was obscured by a black mask, and he regarded Shen Muhan's words as if they were the greatest joke he'd ever heard, his tone equally devoid of warmth.
Looking at the unconscious Aunt Xia, Xia Muxin's eyes were already filled with raging fury, but suddenly she burst into tears, crying out, "Wah wah wah... Uncle, save me! I don't want to die!"
Her sudden outburst startled everyone, and Ming Yi and the others exchanged glances. Only Shen Muhan kept his gaze fixed on her, afraid to miss even the slightest change in her expression. After a moment, he said, "Tell me, how much did they offer you? I'll double it."
It was clear that this person was not from Daimiao Village and was not an ordinary assassin. When Xia Muxin gave him a subtle signal, he softened his attitude.
Hearing this, the man in black threw his head back and laughed coldly, saying, "I want nothing but her life!"
As he spoke, he tightened his grip slightly. Xia Muxin frowned as a line of blood appeared on her neck before Shen Muhan's eyes.
Suddenly, Shen Muhan's dark eyes narrowed as he coldly uttered three words: "Black Snake Cave!"
As he spoke, the world around them changed dramatically. A fierce wind kicked up, sending sand and stones flying, obscuring their vision and making it hard to open their eyes. At that moment, a cold smile crept onto Xia Muxin's lips. Before Shen Muhan could strike the man dead with a single blow, she shrank her neck and thrust the machete in her hand directly into the man's groin. Then she spun around and fell into familiar arms.
"Uncle, my skills aren't too shabby either!"
Xia Muxin seemed to still be in high spirits as she waved the machete in front of Shen Muhan. Meanwhile, Ming Yi and the others had already moved forward to attack the venomous snake.
Shen Muhan furrowed his brow tightly, gripping Xia Muxin's shoulders firmly as he checked her from head to toe. Seeing that she was unharmed, he flicked her forehead lightly in reproach and exchanged glances with Ming Yi. They understood each other and prepared to take the person away.
Xia Muxin was not pleased by the sight. She stepped forward and blocked Ming Yi and the others, swiftly removing the mask from the person's face.
It was an unremarkable face, showing no signs of fear even when captured.
Xia Muxin, being exceptionally clever, realized that this person had come specifically for her and intended to kill her without hesitation. She grasped his chin firmly and coldly asked, "Who sent you? Why do you want to kill me?"
The person merely turned his head away, ignoring Xia Muxin's question.
Not one to waste time, Xia Muxin instructed Ming Yi and the others, "Take him to the mountain. I'll be there shortly."
With that, she grabbed some tools to deal with the snake corpses. However, instead of disposing of them, she found a sack to collect them.
"Muxin..."
"This warrior seems to enjoy dealing with snakes, doesn't he? Well then, today I’ll treat him to a nice snake stew."
Shen Muhan's words suddenly caught in his throat as he watched Xia Muxin carry the sack of snakes toward the kitchen outside, speaking cheerfully.
Upon hearing Xia Muxin's words, the person's expression finally softened slightly as he watched her start a fire and pour the snake corpses into a pot, adding a few large pieces of limestone. He then stood there with a relaxed demeanor, ready for whatever came next.
- End of Chapter -
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