The sky over the rivers and lakes is very clear

Chapter 159

"Damn it..."

Thirteen Wolves forced out the last two words from deep within his throat, and then, unwillingly yet willingly, he collapsed. Although he underestimated the white-clad youth, he had not underestimated his opponent. He had indeed given it his all, yet he hadn't even seen how the sword pierced his throat.

Feng Xuese looked down at the corpse of Thirteen Wolves, a hint of pity in her eyes.

He doesn't like taking other people's lives, but often, eliminating evil people is to allow good people to live better lives.

In the distance, the faint sound of light footsteps could be heard. It must be Iron Palm Sun San and his group who were tracking Thirteen Wolves.

Feng Xuese returned the sword to its sheath, her white robe fluttering lightly, and vanished in an instant among the fiery, blood-red demonic flowers.

The clear stream meanders gently, and the moonlight is as cold as ice.

Dressed in a fluttering, maple-colored robe, she stood on a blue stone by the Moon Gazing Stream, washing away the murderous aura from her sword.

Suddenly, a woman's scream rang out from ahead. The sound was short and sharp, but it sounded particularly mournful in the quiet mountain forest.

The birds roosting in the forest were startled by the sound and took flight.

Feng Xuese suddenly looked up, lightly touched the ground with her toes, leaped across the clear stream, and glided towards the source of the sound like a drifting cloud.

After turning two bends in the mountain, at the foot of the mountain lies a small village. It is late at night, and there is not a single light in the village.

Although the scream was only once, Feng Xuese was still certain that it came from this village.

Then he saw a headless corpse lying in front of the outhouse at the entrance of the village.

The corpse, dressed in a woman's undergarment, still clutched its blue cloth belt, its head perched on a low fence not far away. In the desolate moonlight, the lingering fear in its eyes was exceptionally clear.

A large amount of blood splattered all over the ground, carrying a warm, fishy smell.

Blood was still gushing from the decapitation site. The flesh was contracted, the wound was even, and the bone fragments were neat, clearly indicating that the head was severed in one blow with a sharp weapon such as a knife or sword.

Ordinary murderers don't have this kind of technique. Even those who slaughter cattle and sheep year-round cannot cut a person's head and body in two so cleanly and efficiently.

The Sky Over the Martial World is Clear - Part One (4)

However, this is not what Fengxuese is most concerned about.

What he cared more about was that the woman's scream before she was killed had startled him even though he was miles away. Why was there still no movement in the village?

Of course, not the entire village would have been drugged and fallen into a deep sleep.

Therefore, there is only one possibility—the village is deserted.

Or rather, there are no longer any living people.

He indeed couldn't hear any signs of human activity in the village.

In a mere instant, Feng Xuese had deduced the cause and effect of the incident:

After relieving herself, the woman was walking back while tying her belt when she bumped into something. She only had time to cry out before she was cut in two with a single stroke.

So, what exactly did she see? What could such a small village possibly hold?

Maple Snow suddenly rose higher, leaping onto a tall tree and standing on a sparse, cold branch, looking down at the village.

The moonlight was dim and hazy, the village was pitch black, and every house was closed, revealing nothing unusual. The shadows of the mountains behind them were menacing and eerie, and apart from the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves, there was only silence.

His expression was somewhat solemn.

From the moment he heard the woman's screams to his arrival, almost nothing happened. Was the killer still lying in wait nearby, or had he already fled far away?

If it is the former, with his skills, even the sound of flowers blooming and leaves falling within dozens of feet cannot escape his ears. No matter how well the murderer hides, he can't control his breathing and heartbeat, right?

If it is the latter, then the murderer's martial arts skills are even higher than he judged—in today's martial arts world, there are very few people whose names are known and whose speed surpasses his.

A soft "beep" sound.

A spark suddenly burst from the thatched roof of a house on the east side, and the fire quickly spread, illuminating the night.

The color of maple leaves, like snow, rushed down from the trees and into the fire.

Although he couldn't hear any living people in the village, he still didn't give up and wanted to see if there were any who had escaped.

He kicked open the nearest door and rushed into the house. By the firelight, he saw that it was an ordinary farmhouse with some rough furniture. In the corner of the room was a wooden bed with a woman and two children lying on it.

The heads of the mother and her two children were tilted at a strange angle, clearly indicating that their necks had been broken.

A hint of bloodlust suddenly appeared in Feng Xuese's calm and composed eyes.

He turned and rushed into the second house, which had a similar layout. An old woman was lying on the ground with her eyes bulging out, her tongue sticking out of her mouth, her face bluish-purple, and a dark purple mark on her neck, clearly indicating that she had been strangled.

The third family, all seven members, had their sternums sunken and were choking on blood from their mouths and noses. They were brutally murdered in their sleep.

The entire fourth family was disemboweled in an extremely cruel manner, and the bedding on their bed was soaked in blood.

The fifth family, including a guard dog, all died from skull fractures caused by a heavy weapon.

The sixth body, like the first female corpse discovered, was cut in two by a sharp weapon.

The head of the seventh family died peacefully, though his face was ashen and there was black blood around his mouth, indicating that he had died of poisoning...

Flames roared, thick smoke billowed into the sky, and tongues of fire licked at other buildings, engulfing the entire village in flames. The crackling of sparks, the thud of collapsing roof beams, and the stench of charred human flesh filled the air, making one want to vomit.

Firelight flickered in his snow-white eyes, but his face was even whiter than snow.

The village had 21 households, 86 people, and none of them survived.