My Cultivation Starting from Archery

Golden Bell Temple.

The back courtyard's Zen rooms.

Two barbarians disguised as monks are kneeling on futons.

Outside, the clash of weapons and screams of agony are ceaseless.

"Squad Leader."

The thin-lipped monk is uneasy, "Xiang Tingchun has sent people to surround Golden Bell Temple, what should we do? If the Jade Key also falls into their hands, wouldn't that be..."

The man referred to as Squad Leader is calmer.

He takes out a piece of jade from his bosom and hands it to the thin-lipped monk.

"Squad Leader?!"

The thin-lipped monk is panicked, "This is absolutely impossible, the Immortal Treasure is of utmost importance, how can it be entrusted to me?"

"Xiang Tingchun knows me."

The Squad Leader speaks indifferently, "He will surely fixate on me, and with the object in my possession, it will be even less safe. I will hold off the man named Xiang; you find a way to escape. If there's really no way, then hide the Jade Key."

The thin-lipped monk carefully accepts the object, "Do we really have to die here today? It's all because of that damn traitor who handed over the Immortal Treasure so easily. Otherwise, Tuoba Yuwen's two divisions would have united the grassland long ago, and seizing the Great Sheng Court's place would be within reach!"

"There's no need to panic so much."

The middle-aged man truly resembles a high monk who has attained enlightenment, speaking soothingly and serenely, "Even if we fail, the Sect Hierarch and Great Khan still have other plans; at worst, we would just trade benefits with the old Emperor of the Sheng Dynasty.

"He's coming soon, you should go."

"Yes!"

The thin-lipped monk takes the Jade Key and disappears out the window.

"Bang—"

A corpse crashes into the wooden door of the Zen room like a boulder.

Xiang Tingchun steps over the corpse and into the room, the He Miao Long Sword in his hand still dripping blood. He speaks deliberately, "Give me the object."

"Sigh~"

The Squad Leader sighs lightly, taking two copper maces from behind, "Lord Thousand Households, you don't even know what the Immortal Treasure is, why go to such great lengths?"

"After you're dead, I'll naturally figure it out."

Inside the Zen room, the sword light flickers.

...

About twenty minutes after the whistle arrow was fired.

People began to flee from the mountain to the side guarded by the troops.

"Get ready!"

Fang Zongqi raises his hand, preparing to give an order.

"Help!"

"The monks at Golden Bell Temple are killing people!"

"..."

As the crowd draws closer, the officers and soldiers realize something is wrong.

The number of people running down the mountain is close to a hundred.

The Witch God Sect isn't attacking with a large army; taking back roads through the wild and sneaking in dozens of people might be possible, but how could there be so many?

It's clear at a glance that most of them are common folks.

"Wait a moment!"

Fang Zongqi quickly stops the archers who are ready to shoot and shouts to the crowd, "Stop! No one goes down the mountain; everyone, stop!"

"Sir, there is a monk killing people at Golden Bell Temple!"

"Save me, sir, let me go, please let me go!"

"..."

The frantic crowd isn't willing to listen.

"Spit—"

Fang Zongqi draws his Crescent Moon Curved Blade and sternly rebukes, "I am telling you to stop, don't you understand! Anyone who takes one more step forward will be treated as a Witch God Sect Follower and summarily executed!"

Seeing the flashing silver blade, the people are forced to halt.

Chen Sansi witnesses the chaotic scene and knows that many innocents are bound to die today.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

It seems that to avoid alarming the enemy, this Lord Thousand Households would rather more civilians die.

"Nobody move! Whoever moves will be shot dead!"

Flag Leader Fang spoke cautiously, "Horse Flag Officer! Most followers of the Witch God Sect are barbarians. Take a squad, go up there, and scrutinize each one!"

Fortunately, they were aliens, and even if they disguised themselves in clothing and makeup, their facial features and accents were still distinguishable. Plus, by questioning them about their family backgrounds and residences, and despite taking some time, one could eventually identify them.

There was no hiding it any longer.

The Witch God Sect followers in the crowd couldn't hold back any longer.

A man pretending to be a wealthy elder raised his hand and struck, slapping the heart on the back of an old man in front of him.

The old man spewed a mist of blood and died on the spot.

The crowd that had just been brought under control once again erupted into chaos, everyone screaming and panicking, fleeing in all directions.

"Brothers, kill! Carve a blood path—"

The followers of the Witch God Sect no longer hid their identity, revealing their hidden weapons and began killing in the confusion.

"Do not panic!"

Flag Leader Fang shouted, clashing with that wealthy pretender, without forgetting to direct, "Form squads with the men from each small flag, assist each other, and create formations to encircle and kill!!!"

The Witch God Sect devotees were clearly trying to scatter and escape.

So the numbers they encountered were not large, about seven or eight, and without any Bone Forger Realm masters among them, it seemed the masters had already broken through elsewhere.

Chen Sansi, commanding his men and coordinating with another flag officer, circled around a one-eyed man.

Zhu Tong, Wang Li, and others, wielding spears, jabbed at the follower from all directions.

The man had the strength of the Blood Refining Early Stage and dual-wielded swords, wildly slashing and chopping. He managed to approach by sheer brute force, but was quickly pushed back by soldiers with shields and swords, and was once again caught in a desperate struggle.

Add to that, there was a flag officer on the army's side, also in the Blood Refining Early Stage, coordinating the attack. Within less than ten exchanges, the Witch God Sect follower revealed numerous flaws and was stabbed all over by the chaotic spears, bleeding from multiple wounds.

This was the might of the military!

Those sects in Jianghu could not match this fighting strength.

Chen Sansi wasn't idle either; he would draw his Big Bow fully, and upon the string's release, the arrow would soar.

The Wolf Teeth Arrow flew through the gaps in the chaotic crowd, piercing through the face of a Witch God Sect follower over a hundred paces away, nailing the head onto a tree trunk with a thud, causing instantaneous, painless death.

"Die—"

A Blood Refining Early Stage Witch God Sect follower approached from the flank, raising a Crescent Moon Curved Blade in an attempt to ambush.

How could Chen Sansi's keen hearing not detect him?

Anticipating this moment, Chen Sansi turned and shot an arrow just as the attacker raised his blade.

Being no more than ten steps apart, the impact from the arrow carried the attacker backward, and before he even fell to the ground, he was caught up by a long spear, the blade slicing through his neck, severing the head from the body. Like a kicked ball, the head rolled far along the slope with a rumble.

The melee did not last long.

The army's side had more people and quickly entrapped the Witch God Sect devotees, who, despite their stubborn resistance, probably couldn't hold out for much longer.

"I wonder how the main battlefield is doing."

Chen Sansi looked toward the direction of the Golden Bell Temple.

Had Xiang Tingchun gotten what he desired?

He held his reed leaf gun, ready to help quickly resolve the fight.

"Swoosh—"

Dozens of yards away, the sound of branches being broken underfoot arose.

Someone hidden for a long time was trying to escape amidst the chaos.

An escapee!

Upon hearing the noise, Chen Sansi immediately gave chase.

Through the trees, he could vaguely see a brownish-yellow figure flash by.

The forest ahead was dense, obstructing most of the view.

Chen Sansi, relying on his hearing and the footprints on the ground, pursued cautiously, not taking any rash actions since he didn't know the capability of his opponent; it's always wise to be careful.

It wasn't until he had covered several miles and the view became clearer that he finally caught sight of the person he sought.

A pointed-mouthed and cheeky monk clad in a monk's robe but with earring holes in his ears, clearly not dressing in the style of the Sheng Dynasty's commoners.

Chen Sansi nocked an arrow, ready to shoot, when another group quickly approached.

This group carried ordinary long swords, each wearing black clothes and masking their faces with black cloths. There were four of them in total, blocking all escape routes and stopping the pointed-mouthed monk.

A third-party force?

Chen Sansi recognized someone familiar among the masked people: "Is it him?"

He concealed his breath and hid, watching secretly.