Chapter 50: Chapter 50 Gratitude Gu Jingang looked at the ground littered with corpses and severed limbs, his tiger-like eyes widened in fury, rage boiling within. After throwing the massive stone, his fists took on a rich dark green hue, resembling giant hammers as they smashed toward Wang Chong. The name "Iron Fist Jingang" was not in vain; his bare hands could withstand swords and blades. Wang Chong’s expression changed; he hadn’t expected Gu Jingang to arrive so quickly. He swung the Wolf Fang Club, blasting the massive stone into fragments, his body retreating explosively. But Gu Dajiang, his eyes blood-red with madness, swung his lone remaining arm with a large saber, accompanied by a chilling whistling sound, charging toward Wang Chong. Two against one, especially with Gu Jingang’s strength surpassing Wang Chong’s by a margin; the outcome was predictable. Wang Chong was quickly overwhelmed, his movements becoming increasingly desperate. If not for the help of the Blood Boiling Pill, it would have been even harder for him. From afar. A group of agile figures sprinted forward, joining the battlefield. Seeing the carnage, they flew into a rage, their gazes toward the mountain bandits filled with murderous intent. With the reinforcement of fresh troops, the tide completely turned in favor of Gu’s Manor. One by one, mountain bandits fell screaming. Outnumbered and outmatched, it was a complete rout. After all, the mountain bandits lacked a sharpshooter like Gu Sheng threatening them from the shadows. Wang Chong, besieged by Gu Jingang and Gu Dajiang, sensed the battlefield turning against him. In that moment, he knew the tide had turned irrevocably. Though furious, he was helpless. "Distracted? Courting death!" Gu Jingang roared like an enraged lion, his hammer-like fist smashing forward, forceful and accompanied by a fierce wind. It struck the Wolf Fang Club with such power it emitted metallic reverberations, numbing Wang Chong’s tiger mouth. Seizing the moment, Gu Dajiang slashed upward with his saber, almost splitting Wang Chong’s head in half. Thankfully, Wang Chong dodged in time. Even so, a long gash stained his entire face in crimson, making him look terrifyingly ferocious. Wang Chong’s heart shuddered, knowing that if he didn’t abandon something, today would be the day he died! His gaze turned manic. He swallowed the second-to-last Blood Boiling Pill between his teeth, his momentum skyrocketing, the Wolf Fang Club sweeping horizontally with a chilling howl that made one’s scalp tingle. Gu Jingang’s fists, full of dark green energy, smashed forward but were repelled by Wang Chong’s massive force, sending him flying backward. Wang Chong loosened his grip on the Wolf Fang Club, using the rebound force to leap away. He shot a venomous glare at Gu Jingang and Gu Dajiang, knowing that the successive consumption of Blood Boiling Pills would undoubtedly harm his foundation. Already mediocre in martial talent, breaking through the bottleneck of Blood Refining Small Success was near impossible now; his future path almost completely severed. How could he not hate? Suppressing the raging turmoil of qi and blood within, he fled into the distance. Gu Dajiang hurled his saber with all his might, leaving another wound on Wang Chong’s right arm, almost severing his forearm. "Dajiang, clean up the aftermath. I’m going after that villain!" Gu Jingang, seething, gave his orders before sprinting off into the distance. If this scoundrel escaped, he would remain a future threat. With mountain bandit leader Wang Chong fleeing, the remaining bandits’ morale collapsed entirely; all they could think about was escape, with no will to fight left. But under the relentless pursuit of Gu’s Manor’s fresh troops, none managed to leave alive. Gu Sheng exhaled deeply. "It’s finally over..." His gaze was complex; although Gu’s Manor ultimately annihilated the mountain bandits, this battle brought no true victory. Gu’s Manor suffered heavy losses as well. Losing part of the procured supplies was manageable. The true devastation was the loss of lives. Especially with the deaths of Gu Renxu and one martial artist; the toll was severe. When news reached the manor, it would undoubtedly stir shock and turmoil. Dozens of lives might not seem much, but to each individual family, it was a catastrophe. The slaughter concluded. Martial artists from Gu’s Manor shouted toward the mountains. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶 A group of villagers who had fled into the woods cautiously emerged. Upon confirming Gu’s Manor’s victory, their faces lit up with joy, but seeing familiar corpses sprawled around, they broke into mournful cries. Gu Sheng supported Gu Erniu as they walked out of the forest. Seeing the scene before them, both felt an overwhelming sense of bitterness. Gu Sheng approached Gu Renxu’s lifeless body, gently closing his wide-eyed, shocked gaze. This world was utterly unforgiving to ordinary people. To struggle free from the shackles of this cage was an almost impossible task. Even becoming a martial artist marked merely the beginning of the journey. A deep yearning surged within Gu Sheng’s heart—a craving to grow stronger. This feeling of having one’s fate out of control was utterly unbearable. The survivors began to clean up the battlefield. Gu Jingang appeared from the distance, his face grim. "He got away." He walked over to Gu Dajiang, his voice heavy. Gu Dajiang wasn’t surprised. Wang Chong had acted decisively, clearly consuming a temporary power-enhancing medicine. Gu Jingang, not being adept at speed, naturally couldn’t catch him. "We can’t let this go. If we do, it’ll become a future disaster." Gu Jingang said firmly. Gu Dajiang nodded coldly. "First, we return to the manor. This won’t just be left here." At this moment, his left hand was tightly bound, but even if healed, it would never return to its former strength. Thankfully, upon examining Gu Xiaojiang’s injuries, he found they were not overly critical; although tendons and bones were damaged, a period of recuperation would suffice. This allowed him to relax somewhat; if Gu Xiaojiang had ended up crippled, he truly would have lost his mind. "We were fortunate you arrived in time. But without Gu Sheng, we might not have lasted until your arrival." Gu Jingang followed Gu Dajiang’s grateful gaze, and his expression froze momentarily. A calm-faced young man was resting beside a cart. "Him?" "You know him?" "Yes, I saw him once before when wolves invaded the manor. He single-handedly killed a wolf; I remember him." "His archery skills are exceptional, and his wits sharp. Were it not for his assistance, the casualties at Gu’s Manor would have been even greater – even Xiaojiang..." Hearing Gu Dajiang’s account, Gu Jingang’s expression shifted to one of amazement. "It seems he’s a promising talent. We’ll discuss this further once back at the manor." Both men nodded. Now was not the right time to dwell on such matters; recognition and rewards could wait until everyone’s safety was secured. Returning securely to the manor was the highest priority. Gu Sheng and Gu Erniu got to their feet and followed the convoy forward. Occasional glances of surprise and admiration were cast their way. It hadn’t been hard to discern that Gu Sheng was the sharpshooter in the shadows. A few deductions were enough to piece things together, and besides, Gu Sheng hadn’t intended to hide it. Earlier, Gu Dajiang had personally thanked him, a gesture visible to everyone. Yet, Gu Sheng’s demeanor remained serene. Having come this far, he accepted it without fuss. Previously, he had avoided drawing too much attention to evade envy, but now, being exposed, he intended to leverage the opportunity for greater gain. He had accomplished a significant merit this time, and based on the Gu Manor’s master’s temperament, stinginess would not be an issue. Gu Xiaojiang, lying atop a flat cart, gestured for the cart driver to halt as they approached Gu Sheng. Gu Xiaojiang, looking at Gu Sheng, whose age seemed close to his own, struggled to prop his upper body upright and said: "Gu Sheng, thank you for saving my life. I was wrong before; walking outside, caution must indeed come first." The experience of facing death had changed Gu Xiaojiang. His gaze carried complexity—a mix of gratitude, admiration, and shame. The boy he had once dismissed had ended up saving him. If not for Gu Sheng’s two arrows stopping Zhang Da, even Gu Dajiang’s life wouldn’t have been enough to save Gu Xiaojiang. Gu Sheng nodded lightly. "Focus on healing." He showed no emotional fluctuation from Gu Xiaojiang’s gratitude, just as he hadn’t been angered by Gu Xiaojiang’s previous dismissal. Nonetheless, his opinion of Gu Xiaojiang had improved significantly.