Chapter 10: Your Uncle's Been Waiting
West of the Xuanyin Mountain Range lay Yunmeng Swamp—a lawless zone, or rather, shared territory of the four sects. Stretching over a third of the range, it teemed with beasts and rare herbs, luring disciples from all sects, eager to strike it rich. Yet its greatest terror wasn't the beasts, but the raiders lurking at its edges. These bandits, ruthless and cunning, preyed on those entering or leaving the swamp, attacking in swarms. The four sects had tried to wipe them out, but the raiders vanished like smoke, eluding every purge. In the end, the sects posted bounties at the market: 10 low-grade spirit stones per raider; 1 mid-grade for a leader; 20 mid-grade for top-10 raiders on the wanted list; 20 mid-grade minimum for dismantling a gang. Rewards were claimed at the Alliance Hall, using a "Bounty Talisman"—a special jade slip that absorbed a sliver of the victim's soul upon killing, verifiable by the Hall. On a hillside at Yunmeng's edge, a seven-person team crept forward, scanning the surroundings. At the rear walked a youth in green robes—handsome, scholarly yet sharp-eyed. This was Lin Yi, masked, going by "Xu Lin." *Zhang Wanshan, that brute, had the nerve to give me such a pretty mask,* he grumbled inwardly. *Flamboyant old man.* The team—six men, one woman—boasted two Qi Refining Stage 6 cultivators. The weakest, bar Lin Yi, was Stage 4. Lin Yi, now Stage 2 with perfected Skin Transmutation, matched Stage 4 in combat, earning his spot. Three days in the swamp, and no raiders. *Disappointing,* Lin Yi thought. He'd come not for bounties, but to absorb spiritual energy for Flesh Transmutation. Still, he'd bought a Bounty Talisman for 1 low-grade stone, just in case. Suddenly— "Watch out!" A Stage 6 cultivator raised his hand, shouting. "Fall back!" The ground ten zhang ahead *rumble-crashed*, collapsing like a hollowed pit, dust billowing. "Ambush!" the other Stage 6 cultivator barked. The team retreated, tensing, summoning their artifacts. Only Lin Yi stood empty-handed—his palms were his weapon. "Hiss… hiss…" Hair-raising sounds followed the collapse. Dozens of python heads, as thick as thighs, burst from the hole—over fifty in total. Luckily, they were lowly Tier 1 beasts, easy prey. "Kill!" Someone shouted. Artifacts flashed, slicing into pythons. Lin Yi *whooshed* into the fray, Iron Sand Palm smashing one python's skull. "Dammit, I didn't come to kill snakes," he muttered, venting his frustration. Every palm strike hit with full force, reducing pythons to pulp. In moments, the pythons lay dead. But the team knew: this was just the start. Raiders had a fearsome reputation—no one dared relax. Lin Yi, having charged ahead, now stood before the group, hands behind his back, face set in a grave expression. Wind ruffled his green robes, making him look like a lone master seeking a worthy foe. "Idiot," a yellow-robed youth scoffed. "Jealousy. Pure jealousy," Lin Yi thought, ignoring him. The cold-faced female cultivator glanced at him, then dismissed him, focusing on the collapse site. *Frigid b*tch. Must be frigid,* Lin Yi mused. "Xu Lin, get back!" A Stage 6 cultivator yelled. Too late—a土黄色的 (earthen-yellow) spell shot from the collapse site,直奔 Lin Yi. The Stage 6 cultivator moved to intercept, then froze. Lin Yi laughed, shouting, "Perfect!" He stood his ground, no defense. "Idiot!" "Suicide!" The naysayers smirked, while a few teammates tensed. But Lin Yi's Flesh Transmutation had already activated, absorbing the spell, converting it into muscle-tempering energy. "Refreshing!" Lin Yi threw his head back. "Raiders! Show yourselves! Stop hiding—your uncle鄙视 you!" The team gaped. A *rustle* of branches—over twenty raiders dashed down the hillside. From the collapse site, *whoosh*—twenty more. Behind them, another twenty closed in. Seventy raiders total. The six team members, all from major sects, included a Dianxuan disciple who scorned Lin Yi as "lowly outer trash." Facing seventy raiders, they showed no fear—eagerness, in fact. In their minds, raiders were rogue cultivators, weak in spells and energy compared to sect disciples. None wondered why raiders, once scattered, now gathered in such numbers. Lin Yi, ever the showman, outdid himself. As the team readied to attack, he yelled, "Your uncle's been waiting!" The yellow-robed youth choked back a吐血. "Dude, *please* stop. No more flamboyance. I'm begging." "Die!" A raider leader—gaunt, menacing—snarled. Four raiders (Stage 3) unleashed spells at Lin Yi. To them, a Stage 2修士 (cultivator) was easy prey, especially one already hit by a spell. They didn't know he'd absorbed it. "Die? *You'll* die!" Lin Yi adopted his market-peddler swagger, bluffing. "Daring to raid here? The four sects will crush you!" The spells hit—absorbed instantly, fueling his muscles. The raiders and teammates stared, shocked. *He's got the right to be cocky,* they thought, dumbfounded.