Zheng Renxin made a quick decision and immediately retreated.
However, Li Ji sneered and leaped directly, swinging a big knife like a door towards Zheng Renxin and the other three.
Zheng Renxin and the other four martial artists with refined organs all burst with blood and raised their long swords to block in front of their chests.
"Bang, bang, bang, bang."
Four muffled sounds, Zheng Renxin shook violently as if he had been hit hard, feeling a powerful force pressing down on him.
Even though he had already released all his blood and even strengthened his body and refined his organs, he still couldn't resist this force.
In the next moment, Zheng Renxin was swept away by a single slash, retreating several steps.
Zheng Renxin covered his chest and spurted out a mouthful of blood.
A taste of iron rust spread in his mouth.
Injured by just one blow.
And not only Zheng Renxin, but the other three top martial artists from Miaoshou Garden were also injured to varying degrees.
For a moment, the four top martial artists were in shock.
Just one strike, and Li Ji had injured them severely.
Although they were all in the organ refinement realm, the difference in strength between the two sides was like heaven and earth.
"No wonder Li Ji, the Dragging Knife King, was able to block the trade routes and even escape from the encirclement of the imperial army back then. With this kind of strength, how many people under the Divine Power Realm can match him?"
"Family Head, run! You can't die here. We three will hold them back for you!"
"Family Head, we're defeated, please go!"
The other three top martial artists from Miaoshou Garden shouted desperately.
This time, Miaoshou Garden had gone all out, and if the top martial artists were wiped out, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Especially if Zheng Renxin were to die here, Miaoshou Garden's century-old foundation might be destroyed in an instant.
"I said, don't run away, stay here together!"
Li Ji, carrying a door-like big knife, stepped forward with a wicked smile.
Zheng Renxin was not a fool.
Even though his eyes were red, veins bulging, and he was clearly furious, he couldn't afford to die in this situation.
If he died, Miaoshou Garden would likely fall apart and descend into chaos.
Just as Zheng Renxin was about to step back.
From outside the deserted temple, dozens of thieves suddenly appeared, and their leader was a martial artist in the organ refinement realm. Nᴇw ɴovel chaptᴇrs are published on ɴovᴇl(ꜰ)ir(e).nᴇt
He brought people with him, holding crossbows, blocking the retreat of the Miaoshou Garden group.
For a moment, the Miaoshou Garden martial artists who were still fighting inside the deserted temple were in great fear, and their morale plummeted.
At this moment, Zheng Renxin immediately shouted.
He stared at Li Ji, saying coldly, "Li Ji, stop it. This time, Miaoshou Garden admits defeat."
"You came to Nanyang City from the south, risking such great danger, for nothing more than gold and silver."
Zheng Renxin's words made everyone slightly stunned.
Even Li Ji stopped in his tracks.
"Not even trying to fight to the death?"
Zheng Renxin shook his head, "In this situation, fighting to the death would only result in more casualties, it's meaningless."
After speaking, Zheng Renxin simply dropped his weapon.
This "frank" action also made a slight smile appear on Li Ji's face.
"Hahaha, not bad, you have a sense of the situation."
"Have your people put down their weapons."
Zheng Renxin glanced at the Miaoshou Garden, where there were now only about thirty or so of the original seventy to eighty martial artists left. He sighed and said, "Put down your weapons."
As a result, the Miaoshou Garden people put down their weapons.
With a signal from Li Ji, his men quickly approached and surrounded the Miaoshou Garden group.
"Li Ji, name your price."
Zheng Renxin said again.
Although he felt somewhat aggrieved, Nanyang Zheng's family was not a martial arts clan. Miaoshou Garden had gained its reputation through generations of practicing medicine and accumulated wealth over a century. Facing a fierce bandit like Li Ji, there was no way to resist. They could only spend money to buy their safety and hope to survive this ordeal.
Although Li Ji looked burly, he was quite shrewd.
He rolled his eyes and suddenly laughed, "Zheng Renxin, your Nanyang Zheng's family established Miaoshou Garden, practiced medicine for generations, and accumulated wealth for a hundred years. The gold and silver you've saved up over the generations must be countless."
"Don't even bother specifying an amount, send someone to fetch everything you can."
"If I'm satisfied, I'll naturally let you go. After all, you're right, my brothers and I came south at great risk, and all we seek is some gold and silver. Your lives aren't worth much to us."
Zheng Renxin's face changed slightly.
He had expected Li Ji to be greedy, but he didn't expect him to be this greedy.
Li Ji didn't even mention a specific amount; he just wanted someone to empty Miaoshou Garden.
That was the wealth accumulated by Nanyang Zheng's family over a hundred years!
But could he oppose it?
Right now, they were at the mercy of others, and refusing meant death.
Zheng Renxin's chest heaved violently. He thought of the teachings left by the ancestors of Nanyang Zheng's family.
No matter when, people are the most important.
Everything else can be sacrificed.
It was precisely because of such teachings that Nanyang Zheng's family had survived several disasters over more than a hundred years and continued to this day.
Thinking of this, Zheng Renxin gritted his teeth and said in a deep voice, "Li Ji, I'll send my son, Zheng Yifeng, back, and you can send people to take the goods. How much you can take depends on your means."
Li Ji laughed heartily, "Haha, good. Erhu, take your people and escort Zheng Yifeng back. Remember, take everything you can."
"If Zheng Yifeng dares to play tricks, just kill him."
Then, Li Erhu, with more than ten men, escorted Zheng Yifeng away from the deserted temple.
There were still many corpses inside the deserted temple, but the atmosphere suddenly lightened.
Zheng Renxin and the others squatted on the ground, guarded by Li Ji's men.
Li Ji scratched his head and smiled, saying, "Zheng Renxin, you can bend and stretch, you're quite a character."
However, one of the thieves nearby shook his head and said coldly, "King, the Nanyang Zheng's family has been around for over a hundred years, so naturally, they have their own way of dealing with things."
"They are not martial arts clans, so they won't fight to the death like us Jianghu people. Only, I thought they would put up more of a fight, especially with four top martial artists in the organ refinement realm. I didn't expect them to be so weak, not even as good as the imperial dogs. Tsk tsk..."
"It seems that Miaoshou Garden has become wealthy and prosperous, and there's no more warrior spirit left."
For a moment, many thieves burst into laughter, and their mocking gazes toward the Miaoshou Garden group were evident.
The people of Miaoshou Garden glared in anger, but most of them lowered their heads.
Because what these thieves said was the truth.
Nanyang Zheng's family had lost its warrior spirit long ago, and they couldn't put up much of a fight despite having four top martial artists in the organ refinement realm.
Zheng Renxin's gaze turned cold, and he clenched his fists tightly.
But he dared not act out, and could only endure the mockery from Li Ji's group.
Just at this moment, the sky suddenly darkened, and thunder rumbled.
Soon, heavy rain began to pour.
However, the heavy rain had no effect on the people in the deserted temple.
The thieves continued to eat and drink heartily, waiting for the gold and silver from Miaoshou Garden, enjoying themselves.
"Crack, crack, crack."
Suddenly, a figure appeared in the rain.
The person wore a bamboo hat, black clothes, and a black cloth mask covering their face, concealing their identity completely. They walked step by step toward the deserted temple.
The thieves guarding the temple's entrance immediately shouted loudly.
The newcomer was none other than Lu Changsheng.
He raised his head, and his gaze could already see the situation inside the deserted temple.
Miaoshou Garden, with so many people, was now squatting as captives of the thieves.
Lu Changsheng shook his head. It seemed that the Zheng family in Nanyang was indeed not worth much!
Then, Lu Changsheng continued to approach step by step, seemingly not hearing the shouts.
He walked all the way to the entrance of the deserted temple.
The thieves guarding the entrance of the temple immediately drew their knives.
Lu Changsheng stopped.
He looked at the two thieves and then shouted loudly inside the deserted temple, "A traveler traveling day and night. It's raining heavily, may I be allowed to take shelter in the temple for a while?"