Chapter 138: Blood-Red Frenzy

Li Haoran was pushed out by Chu Bing.

Chu Bing was overjoyed; Old Zhao had finally acknowledged her as Li Mohan’s woman! Fearing that the old curmudgeon might go back on his word, she couldn't wait to hustle Li Haoran out of the courtyard.

"You go back first. I'll come see you tonight," Chu Bing whispered at the gate.

Li Haoran was seething with rage inside, but when faced with Chu Bing’s face, he could only suppress his fury. He didn't want to leave any bad impression on her. His smile was stiff, but his tone remained gentle. "Alright, take care of yourself. If you need anything, just come find me."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Chu Bing waved her hand and shut the courtyard gate right in front of him. Her impatience was such that it seemed she couldn't bear to look at him for even a second longer.

Watching the tightly shut gate, the smile on Li Haoran’s face faded bit by bit, replaced by a grave expression. "Li Mohan... heh, truly a persistent ghost."

Even after he had left, hearing that name from Chu Bing’s lips was still deeply unpleasant. A shadow flickered in Li Haoran's eyes as he whispered, "Send a letter to A-Da. Tell him to act as soon as possible. I want my high-and-mighty big brother to never stand again."

A dark figure flashed by, and then all returned to silence.

Chu Bing turned around, ready to chat with Old Zhao, but he had already retreated into his room, leaving her in an empty courtyard. She rubbed her nose. "What an unromantic old man!"

The System mocked her coldly, "You were literally trying to defect to Li Haoran right in front of him just now. It would be a miracle if he gave you a pleasant look."

Chu Bing ignored it, still holding a grudge about the System not waking her up that morning. Seeing she was ignoring it, the System didn't mind, continuing instead, "Now that Li Mohan has left, can you finally get down to completing your mission?"

Chu Bing covered her ears, pretending not to hear. Unfazed, the System calmly added, "Host, allow me to remind you: you have been in this world for a long time, yet your mission has made zero progress. Do you know what that means?"

"What?" Chu Bing asked listlessly. The System’s previous leniency had made her relax, assuming it was just all bark and no bite, so she had let her guard down.

The System said coldly, "To better motivate the host, this System has decided to activate 'Punishment Mode'."

"What? Punishment Mode? What kind of nonsense is that?" Chu Bing perked up. What trick was the System pulling now?

"From this moment on, if the host's mission shows no progress, your lifespan will be shortened. Your initial lifespan was twenty-four years; you currently have two years left to live."

Chu Bing was stunned. "You’re ruthless!"

She clenched her fingers into a fist and slammed it against the table. "Isn't it just teaching Li Haoran to become a martial arts master? How hard can that be!" She now possessed the combined martial arts of all the masters; surely she wouldn't be stumped by a measly Li Haoran?

The System wore a meaningful smile, though Chu Bing couldn't see it.

Yellow sand filled the sky. Li Mohan wore a long white robe, and the spirited horse beneath him neighed incessantly. He scanned his surroundings, a cold glint in his eyes.

"Young Master, it seems we are being watched," a soldier said, stepping forward to report cautiously.

They were in a desert outside the border. Having traveled non-stop for the past few days, they should have reached their destination according to schedule. However, because of the faint, intermittent sound of hoofbeats behind them, they had grown vigilant, kept their nerves taut, and even altered their route.

"Eldest Young Master, there’s no village or shop for miles in this desert. The enemy likely won't dare to attack immediately, but we should let the men rest. If we encounter bandits, I fear no one will have the strength to fight back."

Li Mohan dismounted, his expression calm. "Although this place is vast and the enemy cannot hide, by the same token, neither can we."

For someone to assassinate them in the desert would be effortless. But... who could it be, following them all this way? Li Mohan frowned. The pursuers had been on his tail ever since he left the manor, suggesting they were intimately familiar with his itinerary. Could it be someone from the manor? And if so, who?

An image flashed through Li Mohan's mind. Just as he was deep in thought, a cold light shot directly toward his vital point. Li Mohan’s expression shifted, and he quickly dodged to the side.

But immediately after, his soldiers, as if by prior agreement, simultaneously drew their blades and lunged at him! Before Li Mohan could even react, a blade slashed across his shoulder.

Blood gushed like a fountain. Li Mohan clutched his wound and used his light-body technique to retreat repeatedly. He glared coldly at the soldiers, seeing that those who had followed him so respectfully now looked like different people, baring their sharp fangs.

In the distance, the sound of hoofbeats grew clearer. Clearly, those who had been trailing them were the reinforcements for these soldiers! They had deliberately lured him into the desert, intending to kill him without a trace!

Li Mohan’s gaze was icy. "Whose men are you?" Could it be that his father wanted him dead? No, that was impossible! Li Mohan bit his lip hard to stop himself from making wild guesses. He refused to believe that the father who had doted on him would order his own soldiers to kill him.

The soldiers didn't speak, circling their blades as they slowly closed in on Li Mohan. They were many, and he was injured. If they got close, he would surely die.

Li Mohan scanned his surroundings, but the men seemed to have coordinated perfectly, surrounding him without leaving a single gap. He had nowhere to run!

A cold resolve flashed in his eyes. If he couldn't escape, he wouldn't! Death was the worst that could happen!

He flicked his wrist, and sword light shimmered as he charged in one direction. The soldiers swung their blades, hacking into him, but Li Mohan didn't flinch. As if he couldn't feel the pain, for every cut he received, he landed two on his attackers!

Soon, the ground was soaked in blood. Li Mohan remained expressionless, like a machine, hacking away, while the severed limbs piled up. The soldiers finally felt fear and began to retreat, but it was too late.

Li Mohan was blinded by bloodlust, with only one thought in his mind: kill!

"Yo, isn't this my big brother?" A deep, magnetic voice rang out.

Before anyone could react, a fiery red figure descended from the sky.