Chapter 19 A Strong Enemy

• He had essentially gotten his hands on a hundred and fifty low-grade spiritual stones.
• Besides, a significant pile of banknotes, equivalent to five thousand gold pieces, was found on the young man in the purple robe. However, this didn't hold much value. In the world of martial artists, the common currency was spiritual stones. Gold and silver were only used by the commoners.
• The young man in the green robe was relatively poor, which was to be expected given his low status. Francis did not take his huge bow and arrows. The weapon was not suitable for him and could easily reveal his identity.
• After the body search was completed, Francis quickly departed.
• Moments after he left, the sound of a gust of wind echoed, and several people appeared on the scene. The sight of the two bodies on the ground caused their faces to pale significantly.
• A middle-aged man in his fifties, clad in a brocade robe, approached the corpses and took a glance. He then ventured into the wolf's den, studied the surroundings, and grabbed the air. He took a whiff and said in a deep voice, “Ten minutes ago, someone killed the young master. The killer is strong and powerful, likely trained in an aggressive martial skill. He also has a few wolf pups with him. He couldn't have gone far. Pursue him!”
• “Yes!”
• A few people nodded in agreement and split up to pursue.
• At the outskirts of Evergreen Mountain Range, deep within the dense forest, a figure dashed by at lightning speed.
• He was tall and strikingly handsome, carrying a large package in his hand.
• It was indeed Francis.
• He hid behind a large tree, cautiously scanning his surroundings. Sensing no pursuers in the vicinity, he breathed a small sigh of relief.
• After he had killed the young man in the purple robe the previous day, he had constantly felt people tailing him. There were several close calls where he was almost caught, but luckily, he was not slow on his feet. He could have run faster, but the issue was that he was carrying those wolf pups. The weight of those pups was not too heavy for Francis to handle, but their appetites were enormous. They were always crying out for food, forcing Francis to stop frequently to feed them.
• He went through a great deal to get those pups, so he wasn't going to let them starve to death.
• At that moment, the wolf pups in the sack started crying out again. Francis could only shake his head helplessly, unwrapping the sack to reveal the pups with their mouths wide open, howling. With a wry smile, Francis said, “Are you hungry again?”
• Luckily, he was well-prepared, carrying a pig's leg in his hand. This was from a wild boar he had killed the day before. He had only managed to roast it halfway when he noticed there were people after him, forcing him to make a hasty escape. In the course of a single day, the boar had been gnawed down to just one hind leg. He hadn't had a single bite, with the entire thing being devoured by these pesky wolf cubs.
• True to their lineage of being descendants of a Sky Gate Realm Level Five demonic beast, these wolf pups had quite an appetite. However, their size didn't seem to increase, suggesting a long growth period.
• Francis placed his bundle on the ground, tossing the pork leg toward the wolf pups. The pups immediately pounced on it, tearing and gnawing. In no time, they had devoured the pork leg, which was as large as their own bodies.
• Francis, on the other hand, was off to one side meditating and cultivating, seizing every moment to cultivate.
• Suddenly, he stood up, his gaze fixated on a certain spot. In a deep voice, he uttered, “If you're here, then show yourself. What's the point of hiding in the shadows?”
• From the spot where his gaze was fixated, a hearty laughter echoed through the woods. A middle-aged man in a blue shirt emerged. He was lean yet tall, appearing as if a gust of wind could knock him over. His face was gaunt, resembling a skeleton draped in a layer of skin. A cold and ruthless glint flickered in his triangular eyes.
• He gave Francis a once-over and said, “Brat, did you kill my master's son?”
• Francis knew that denying it at this point would be futile. He scoffed and responded, “He wanted to kill me. I had no choice but to kill him.”
• The middle-aged man in the blue shirt thundered, “Brat, do you have any idea who my master is? He is none other than the inner sect elder of Evergreen Sect, a formidable force in Heavenly Gate Realm! B*stard, how dare you kill his son? You're clearly courting death! Kneel on the ground now and beg! Deplete your own vital energy, and maybe I'll spare you a bit of suffering. Otherwise, you'll get a taste of my wrath!”
• “If you want to fight, let's fight. Why all the needless talk? Jerk, you're full of brags. If you have any real skill, prove it with action! Or can you only talk big?” Francis uttered coldly.
• “You b*stard! You're asking for it!” The man in the blue shirt was infuriated by the mockery, his face flashing with anger. Swiftly, he untied his belt. With a flick of his wrist, a black whip, over ten feet long, appeared in his hand. The whip was pitch black, subtly speckled with flickering golden stars, clearly no ordinary item.
• “B*stard, die!”
• The man in the blue shirt let out a fierce roar, his whip in hand lashing out like a venomous dragon. Fueled by vital energy, it spiraled toward Francis like a colossal dragon, striking at him with ferocious force.
• A chill ran through Francis' heart. He discerned that the man in the blue shirt was undeniably powerful.
• He, too, let out a loud roar. His Palm of Light, the size of a carriage wheel, coalesced and was ruthlessly thrust out, colliding with the dragon-shaped vortex. Upon their collision, Francis grunted and staggered back a step, a trickle of fresh blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. Meanwhile, the middle-aged man in the blue shirt merely swayed slightly.
• There and then, Francis knew he was at a disadvantage. I already possess the strength of three thousand and three hundred pounds. With the blessing of Palm of Light, I have at least three thousand and five hundred pounds of power. Yet, I'm still no match for him! This man must have at least five thousand pounds of strength, the power of ten tigers. He's a Sky Gate Realm Level Seven expert!