Mainland Martial Arts

Chapter 422 Li Hua's Clues

The bandits who had originally given up resistance because of Lin Feng's strength, now saw the smoke and dust, and their fear was gradually replaced by greed and luck. They began to stir. There was a sly glint in their eyes, and they exchanged glances with each other, as if they were planning something.

One of the bandits whispered to the people around him: "Maybe this is an opportunity. The guy might have been buried down there. Should we..."

However, before he could finish his words, he was glared at by the person next to him. The person lowered his voice and said, "Are you going to die? If he doesn't die, we're done."

Although they were shaken in their hearts, they did not dare to act rashly. They just hesitated and looked in Lin Feng's direction from time to time, full of vigilance and anxiety.

Just as everyone was feeling uneasy, a figure slowly emerged from the thick dust. It was Lin Feng! His body was covered in dust, his hair a little disheveled, but his eyes remained sharp as an eagle's. He dragged two corpses in his hands and walked towards Cao Xun step by step. With each step, the sand and gravel under his feet made a slight sound, as if telling of the thrilling battle he had just experienced.

Seeing Lin Feng's safe return, everyone in the Cao family caravan breathed a sigh of relief, their faces filled with joy. Cao Ling's eyes suddenly lit up, tears of joy and relief welling up in her eyes. She excitedly shouted, "Lin Feng, you're okay! That's great!"

Cao Xun and Cao Mo also smiled slightly, their eyes filled with gratitude and admiration for Lin Feng. Cao Xun walked over, patted Lin Feng on the shoulder, and said, "Lin Feng, you really made us worry to death. When you left, our hearts were in our throats." There was a slight tremor in his voice, revealing his inner excitement and relief.

When the bandits saw Lin Feng emerge unharmed, their hopes for survival vanished, replaced by a sense of relief. They secretly thanked themselves for not acting rashly, as otherwise, they would have been struck by a knife in the sand, facing a tragic end. Their faces paled, their eyes gleaming with fear. One of them whispered, "It's a good thing we didn't act! Lin Feng is a monster, terrifying." The others nodded in agreement. They no longer dared to resist, wanting only to obediently follow the Cao family caravan's instructions and leave this dangerous place as quickly as possible.

Lin Feng dumped the two bodies in front of Cao Xun and said expressionlessly, "These are the people on either side of the canyon. Take a look. Do you recognize them?" His voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of fatigue, but still exuding an undeniable authority. He looked at the bodies on the ground with a cold gaze, knowing full well that these people were not the ones pursuing him. Knowing his own strength, he knew that those capable of pursuing him would never resort to such crude tactics. To him, pelting people with rocks was childish play, posing no threat at all.

Cao Xun squatted down and carefully removed the black cloth from the two bodies' faces. His expression darkened as he saw their faces clearly. "They're from the Li and Ding families!" His voice was low and angry, his hands unconsciously clenched, and his eyes revealed ferocity and shock. His brows knitted together, forming a deep "chuan" shape, as if he was pondering the conspiracy behind this.

Cao Ling leaned closer, eyes wide with curiosity. "The Li and Ding families? Dad, why are they doing this?" Her voice was clear, nervous and uneasy, her brows furrowed slightly as she stared at her father, awaiting an answer. Her hands unconsciously tugged at the corners of her clothes, revealing her inner anxiety.

Cao Xun stood up, patted the dust off his hands, and said solemnly: "The Li family, the Ding family, our Cao family, and the Ming family are the four major families in Lingyuan City. The four major families are equally powerful and have been competing with each other. Every two years, there is a martial arts competition for the younger generation. The winning family can represent Lingyuan City to receive merchants for cooperation, which is huge. If you come last in five consecutive competitions, you will lose the opportunity to participate and cooperate. This is a fatal blow to the family. You may even be unable to cooperate with foreign merchants and can only send people out to look for opportunities. In this desert area, although there are few merchants, each of them can bring huge wealth to Lingyuan City." There was a hint of helplessness in his eyes, as if he had long been accustomed to this kind of family struggle, but also deeply tired.

Cao Mo added, "Now that the Li and Ding families are cooperating, they probably want to get rid of our Cao family and take over our industries. This way, the Ming family will be no match for them, and Lingyuan City will have two dominant families." His voice was calm and steady. He analyzed the current situation, his eyes revealing a hint of shrewdness and decisiveness.

Lin Feng listened quietly, his face expressionless, his eyes deep and calm. After listening, he frowned slightly and asked, "Does the City Lord allow such vicious competition?" His voice was low and calm, tinged with doubt. He clasped his hands behind his back, his posture erect, like an unshakable mountain.

Cao Xun sighed helplessly and said, "It was the City Lord who implemented it. He thought it would bring benefits to Lingyuan City, so why not? And the City Lord will protect the winning family for two years." His eyes revealed dissatisfaction, but he also understood that the City Lord's authority could not be defied. His shoulders slumped slightly, as if he felt somewhat powerless in the face of this helpless reality.

Lin Feng nodded slightly, thinking to himself, "So that's how it is. This is survival of the fittest." A flicker of emotion flashed across his eyes, a sense of helplessness at the conflicts of interest in this world. He gazed into the distance, as if pondering his own situation and future path.

Suddenly, Lin Feng seemed to think of something, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. He asked, "Li family? General Li Hua's last name is also Li. Brother Cao Xun, do you know the relationship between General Li Hua and the Li family?" His voice was urgent; the question seemed very important to him. He stared intently at Cao Xun, not missing a single change in his expression.

Cao Xun was slightly stunned and asked in confusion, "Which General Li Hua?" His eyes were full of confusion. He looked up at Lin Feng, trying to find the answer from his face.

Lin Feng stared at Cao Xun and said, "It's Li Hua, one of the twelve generals fighting on the front line." His eyes were full of expectation, hoping that Cao Xun could give him a satisfactory answer.

Cao Xun lowered his head in thought for a moment, then raised his head and said, "That General Li seems to be from a branch of the Li family. After retiring from the front three years ago, he's been living in Moyan Village." His voice was uncertain; after all, it was just hearsay. His eyes revealed a hint of apology, as if he was sorry for not being able to provide more accurate information.