The battle between the two second strongest experts of the Xiren family and the Shiranui family was earth-shattering, witnessed only by the three bystanders, Wan Lei.
Given the temperaments of these three individuals, it was a foregone conclusion that this event would not be publicized.
This momentous battle was destined to go unrecorded in history through word of mouth.
In fact, they were not the only ones who had experienced this battle together.
The villagers of Xinglin Village had long since noticed the commotion in this area, and some had come to investigate.
However, the range of the flame domain alone spanned two li. Those people, miles away from the flame domain, could no longer withstand the terrifying low temperature, let alone see clearly who was fighting inside.
But, no matter how isolated and remote the small village was, or how limited the villagers' knowledge, they had learned of the Xiren family's invasion of the Shiranui family's territory from merchants who had visited Xinglin Village in recent days.
In the small village, there was panic and fear, lest the Xiren family's army come and slaughter them one day.
The merchants smiled and comforted them, saying, "For a remote place like yours, if their army comes to raid you, the grain and goods they seize would not be enough to cover their travel expenses.
The people of the small village were reassured.
On this day, several villagers who came to investigate, after feeling the terrifying temperature and seeing the blue flames in the central area, even though they had lived in this small village their entire lives without ever leaving, knew that it was...
The Xiren family's Netherworld Cold Flame!
Had the Xiren family's army arrived?
Impossible, if they had arrived, they would already be dead.
They guessed that it was powerful individuals fighting, who had no time to concern themselves with them, the insignificant villagers, and disdained to act against them. It was just that they were unfortunate enough that their Xinglin was chosen as the battlefield.
Perhaps, with its trees and flowers, its pleasant scenery, it perfectly fit the martial world and wuxia setting in the hearts of the powerful.
As for whether the forest and village would be destroyed, or whether many people would die?
Let alone whether the great heroes cared, even the villagers knew that those so-called great heroes who claimed to draw their swords to help when they saw injustice were merely a group of self-proclaimed noble and freedom-loving, but in reality, unfulfilled individuals. Families did not want them, so they had to wander the jianghu, drifting around like street hooligans and bandits.
These people loved to drink, loved to fight, and did not obey the government's rules. They had their own code of conduct, treating human life as insignificant. The so-called drawing their swords to help when they saw injustice was simply cutting down anyone who offended them.
A group of scoundrels who had made outstanding contributions to the disruption of social order.
The martial world,
Heh,
Just a place full of filth.
These were people who did as they pleased, and yet, these people were powerful. They drew their swords at the slightest provocation, and the common people could not afford to offend them. They could only give them the title of "great heroes," hoping to restrain them with righteousness.
Therefore, the common people were both respectful and fearful of those "great heroes."
After the few villagers who had scouted returned to the village, they told everyone to hide in the wine cellar, and they left a few strong youths outside to guard.
Actually, it would have been better if they had all hidden or fled.
If they were really encountered by robbers and killers, how could they think that it was normal for the entire village to be gone except for a few strong youths?
But they did not expect that after the battle had lasted for a while, a world-destroying shockwave would strike. They, who were chatting under the eaves, did not have time to react before they were plastered against the wall.
"Plastered" – this word was quite terrifying.
In fact, even if they had reacted, there was nothing they could do, and no time to jump into the cellar.
Even if they had jumped into the cellar, their fate would have been to suffocate and starve to death. The houses would have collapsed and pressed down on the cellar, trapping them.
Perhaps, many years later, someone would remember this place, come here to take a look, and find it a good place to build a village. When digging the foundation, they would see the piled-up white bones in those cellars.
They were very lucky that a wine-loving old man came here.
Wan Lei unleashed his thunderous power, enveloping all the rubble and pushing it forward, exposing the entrance to the cellar.
He shouted loudly, "You are saved, you can come out now."
The villagers lifted the cellar cover and crawled out, looking at their flattened homes and bursting into tears.
After crying, there was the joy of surviving.
They knelt down and kowtowed to Wan Lei and the other two to express their gratitude.
Some people suspected that these three were the ones who had leveled the village, but no one dared to say it.
Since they had saved their lives, kowtowing in thanks was enough.
The old man chuckled, and did not have the nerve to ask these people for more wine.
As saviors, they should have an attitude of expecting no reward.
Therefore, he could only mock Wan Lei a couple of times to fill the void of his regret.
Yes, these two, who repeatedly said, "The rise and fall of the world has nothing to do with me," could not control themselves and showed compassion, saving these people.
In the small town, the cavalry slaughtered the common people, and they did not bother to manage it. This was war, and they deserved it.
Here, hundreds of people were buried alive, yet they could not bear to watch them wait for death in despair.
If it was within their power to save some people, they would do so readily, as long as their conscience was clear.
Yes, this was a double standard.
But who told them they were not saints?
The slaughter of the people in the small town was not happening before their eyes, so they were too lazy to go and arrest the cavalry one by one. It was labor-intensive and thankless work. They were content to protect the people in the small wine shop. As long as the killing did not happen before their eyes, they were too lazy to act.
This was war. Could they manage one place but not the entire world?
This time, if they had clapped their hands and left, not coming to this small village, even if they remembered afterwards that there might be survivors in that village, they would not turn back to rescue them.
But they came, they saw, and they saved them as they went.
It was indeed a double standard.
Wan Lei had never claimed to be a good person. In the Central Region, the reputation of the two great bullies was well-known.
Since they were bullies, they naturally acted according to their moods. It was simply a matter of whether "I am too lazy to act" versus "I am willing to manage."
They left.
Before leaving, they accepted two jars of wine.
The wine was given to them by the villagers themselves. They were too embarrassed to ask for it, but since it was offered, they accepted it. After all, they had saved their lives, and taking two jars of wine was not too much to ask.
"Old man, where are we going next?"
"Sit still, don't move."
"Why?"
"Don't you realize? Wherever you go, that place suffers disaster. You two are disaster stars, things sent down from heaven to bring misfortune to others."
"Get lost. What does other people's wars have to do with us? If we weren't there, wouldn't those people still die?"
"Stop talking nonsense, hurry up and tell me the next place, otherwise, we'll let you taste what it's like for a disaster star to descend."
"What, you two are going to beat me up? I'm telling you... Ow, stop hitting, stop hitting."
"Hurry up and tell me, where to."
"Xianglou, let's go to Xianglou."