115. Encountering Another Furious Dragon Slayer

Cumin, salt, pepper, sesame oil—Xie Wuji threw everything he had learned at the night markets into his barbecue technique. Before the roasted pig was even finished, those nearby were already salivating uncontrollably.

"Don't touch it! It's not ready yet!" Xie Wuji said, swatting Li Dazui’s hand away with a pair of tongs.

Li Dazui swallowed hard, struggling to contain himself. "Look at this mess you've made. You’re torturing me... Just kill me now; I can't wait any longer!"

"Senior Sister, Senior Brother Xie’s grilling skills are far superior to yours," the junior sister whispered.

Xue Fen blushed deeply. "Don't bring that up—is there even a comparison?"

Peony, standing nearby with flushed cheeks, chimed in, "Senior Brother, are you looking for someone to warm your bed?"

"What for?"

"Pfft, haha! If I were your bed-warmer, wouldn't I get to eat such delicious food every day? This spicy strip is truly amazing, and this instant noodle stuff too!" Peony said, looking intoxicated. "This is the best thing I’ve ever eaten!"

"Haha, you all should come to the Danxia Sect often. I'll make you plenty of delicious treats when you do!" Xie Wuji said, half-jokingly.

Peony, however, took it seriously. "Alright, Senior Brother Xie, you’d better wait for me. I will definitely come to visit you in person!"

"Fine, I'll be waiting." Xie Wuji sniffed the roasted meat and, finding it perfectly cooked, took the pig off the rack. He gave each of the three girls a rib, and since Li Dazui had a massive appetite, he handed him an entire leg. Xie Wuji then grabbed a scrap for himself.

As he ate, tears streamed down Li Dazui’s face. "I’ve decided. If I manage to get my sentence reduced, I’m coming to the Danxia Sect to work as your handyman!"

Xie Wuji thought to himself that having a Nascent Soul stage handyman wouldn’t be a bad thing. "It’s a deal, then. Though, getting your sentence reduced is incredibly difficult. Still, I’ll help you if I can."

Just as everyone was enjoying their feast, a group of people approached. They were clad in armor, resembling military generals, which caused Xie Wuji to narrow his eyes.

"What business do you have here?" Xie Wuji, acting as the leader, stood up to ask.

The man in the lead rubbed his stomach. "Brother, we are disciples from the General’s Mansion. Could we scrounge a bit of food from you? We smelled this from a long way off—it smells so damn good that our own flatbreads seem like filth in comparison!"

Xie Wuji looked at the flatbreads they were holding. A thought struck him, and he said, "Fine, anyone who loves good food is a brother to me. Give me your flatbreads, and I’ll make you a specialty from my hometown!"

"Really?" The men gathered around, delighted.

Xie Wuji worked busily as he asked, "What should I call you all?"

"I am Hao Nanren, third in rank among the disciples of the General’s Mansion," the man replied.

Xie Wuji sliced the flatbreads open, stuffed them with shredded roasted pork, added a splash of black pepper sauce, and topped them with a few lettuce leaves. In no time, over a dozen sandwiches were ready.

After taking a bite, Hao Nanren was so shocked he jumped three meters into the air. "My god, how can this bread taste so good?"

"This is called a Roujiamo (meat burger)," Xie Wuji explained. "It’s missing the rich broth, though. If we had some broth and added a bit of pickled vegetables, it would taste ten times better!"

Hao Nanren gave a thumbs-up. "Good man! It turns out the Danxia Sect doesn't just refine pills; you know how to cook too. You’re impressive, kid!"

Xie Wuji laughed heartily. He sat down on the ground, tore off a piece of pork, and asked, "Have you all seen any other disciples from the Danxia Sect?" He was eager to reunite with his fellow sect members.

Hao Nanren’s brow furrowed. "Speaking of the Danxia Sect, I did see one, but... it was a corpse."

At the mention of a corpse, Xie Wuji’s heart sank as if struck by a hundred-pound hammer. As a disciple of the Danxia Sect, he did not want anyone to be in danger.

Just then, the wild man Li Dazui spoke up. "May I ask if the place where you found the body is three miles to the north?"

"Yes, that’s it. There’s a death-row prisoner there, a Nascent Soul stage expert with a violent temperament and immense power," Hao Nanren said. "We were wary of his abilities, so we walked around that area."

Li Dazui sighed. "You probably aren't aware, but among the twenty-some death-row prisoners, I’ve heard of the one in that area. He’s a murderous maniac nicknamed the 'Dragon-Slaying Hand in a Rage.' He has an iron arm that can tear people apart, and he especially loves tearing women limb from limb. The man is incredibly cruel; I ran into him on my way here, and we nearly fought."

"I have to go take a look," Xie Wuji said, standing up. "I don't want my fellow disciples to be in danger."

"I'll go too," Xue Fen said, rising.

"You don't need to go. It’s dangerous," Xie Wuji said.

Xue Fen replied quickly, "Senior Brother Xie saved our lives and treated us to such delicious food. If we can't even help with this, wouldn't we look completely useless? Perhaps we might be able to help after all!"

"I naturally have to go, too. Otherwise, if you slip away, who will I find to eat such delicious food with?" Li Dazui laughed.

Hao Nanren and the four others from the General’s Mansion also added, "We’ll help as well, though if the opponent is too strong, there won’t be much we can do, given that we have our own important mission to fulfill."

"Then I thank you all, my fellow brothers and sisters!" Xie Wuji said with a bow.

The group was very courteous, and once they had finished eating, they set off. Upon reaching the scene, Xie Wuji saw a disciple lying on the ground, disemboweled in a gruesome manner. Xie Wuji was stunned; this disciple belonged to the Great Elder’s faction, and he didn't know if the rest of them had gathered together yet. Although he had his grievances with the Great Elder, the sect rankings were at stake, and since the Great Elder hadn't openly attacked him, he felt it best to take the high road. Besides, Baili Yan’er was with the Great Elder’s faction.

At the thought of Baili Yan’er, he became anxious and scanned the surroundings. Suddenly, a hulking figure descended from the treetops.

The man laughed wildly, dressed in tattered green rags. He held a hammer in his left hand and a sword in his right—a sword Xie Wuji recognized well as one used by the Great Elder’s disciples.

Xie Wuji said, "You killed him?"

"That’s right! I was even planning on eating him. I love human meat the most, hahahaha! Oh, look at that—who’s this? Is that Li Dazui? You were actually captured by them?!" the Dragon-Slaying Hand in a Rage sneered.

Li Dazui shouted, "You dog, you’ll never change! The Warden gave clear orders: the main goal isn't just to kill, but to block the path of the surrounding disciples. Injuring them is one thing, but you’re killing and eating them? What’s so good about eating people?!"

"Haha, I love the feeling of fresh blood flowing down my throat; you wouldn't understand! Get out of the way and let me finish off all these little brats, then I’ll share this delicacy with you!" the Dragon-Slaying Hand said, his eyes burning with bloodlust.

Xie Wuji spat on the ground, thinking that this wasn't a fellow foodie, but a living monster.

"Where are the other Danxia Sect disciples?"

"Defeat me, and I’ll tell you!" The Dragon-Slaying Hand’s eyes were filled with a warlike glint.

"It took the Li Kingdom a great deal of effort to capture this guy," Li Dazui explained. "He wiped out three villages—three villages... over three hundred people slaughtered without a trace. He even had a cruel habit of boiling them. He’d set up a giant cauldron in each village, tossing the elderly, women, and children inside to suffer and die!"

"He truly is a man who deserves to die!" Hao Nanren said, stepping forward with his spear.

Li Dazui looked at him. "Hmph, do you know how the guards of the Li Kingdom finally captured him? They sent a force of ten thousand to pin him down and took turns attacking him in waves. Ten thousand! He killed over three thousand of them before he was exhausted and captured. And you know the strength of the Li Kingdom’s guards—they are second to none among the Seven Kingdoms!"

Hearing this, Xie Wuji realized how difficult the opponent would be. He said, "Thank you all for your help. Since this man is an irredeemable villain, rather than letting him continue his atrocities or escape to harm others, we should finish him here and act on behalf of heaven!"

"Agreed!" The group’s fighting spirit soared!