Lin Xun and the others caused an instant sensation when they returned to the village with bags full of herbs, spiritual ingredients and valuable parts harvested from the two beasts.
Almost everyone in the village came to Lin Xun's cottage to see the snow-spot leopard and the one-horned lizard with their own eyes.
The hunting group led by Zhou Zhong also happily prided in the fact that it was the first time over the years that they came home with two dead beasts.
An overwhelming variety of spiritual ingredients were spread out all over the courtyard floor, among which the skins, bones, tendons, meat and blood of the snow-spot leopard and the one-horned lizard were the most fascinating.
The villagers fixed their eyes on them with amazement and admiration.
There were quite a few practitioners in Feiyun, and Lian Rufeng, with his cultivation at the level of Viscera Opening, was the most powerful one. Even he had never slayed a beast like snow-spot leopard, let alone a one-horned lizard that was much more ferocious.
So when they heard the snow-spot leopard was killed by Lin Xun single-handedly, they were held in awe unconsciously.
To them, the story of a thirteen-year-old boy slaughtering an adult snow-spot leopard on his own was legendary.
"Zhou Zhong, what are you going to do with so many things here?" One of the villagers asked.
This had been discussed between Lin Xun and Zhou Zhong on their way back. The spiritual ingredients would be divided into two parts, with one belonging to Lin Xun and the other to the village which could be traded for daily supplies in Green-sun Tribe.
As for the things collected from the snow-spot leopard and the one-horned lizard, they were not something that could be obtained easily and frequently, so they would not be sold but kept for their own use.
Zhou Zhong stepped forward after he saw Lin Xun smiled and nodded at him, "Guys, I have discussed with little Brother Lin about this. We have both agreed to share the meat and the blood of the two dead beasts we brought back with everyone in the village, as we all live in Feiyun like brothers and sisters."
The villagers cheered and brightened up at this good news that they had never expected to hear.
In Feiyun, the things every household possessed were private. It was rare for one of the villagers to divide his gains with others, and surely no one had ever shared two dead beasts!
"Hahaha, in this case, I will take some of the skin and blood of the snow-spot leopard as well as some flakes of the one-horned lizard!"
Lu Ting pushed his way through the villagers and demanded, gazing at the two beasts with his greedy eyes.
Behind him was Qian Qi with his arms crossed. He looked coldly upon the crowd and then got fevered when he saw the beasts.
The villagers frowned and were silent at once.
They were disgusted by Lu Ting's barefaced request for the most valuable parts of the snow-spot leopard and the one-horned lizard.
Zhou Zhong, in particular, looked disapproving. He had said it clearly that only the meat and blood would be shared, nothing else.
On the other hand, Lu Ting seemed not bothered at all. He went straight forward to grab the things he wanted.
His rudeness had reached the limits of Zhou Zhong, who shouted immediately, "Stop! These are not yours to take!"
Lu Ting raised his eyebrows with a nasty expression on his face, "You morons are not practitioners. Such good things are useless to you. Only I can make the best use of them."
While he was speaking, he reached out his hand to snatch the skin of the snow-spot leopard, looking outrageous and brazen.
Then he suddenly paused as a pale cyan dagger popped up in front of him. He twitched his face subconsciously, stood up straight and looked at Lin Xun resentfully, "Are you going to fight me?"
Before the sentence was finished, Qian Qi, who had been watching from the distance, strolled close with a cold look on his face.
Lin Xun smiled, with his dagger still pointing at Lu Ting, "The snow-spot leopard has been killed by me, which means it is mine. Have you asked for my permission before you want to take something that belongs to me?"
"He's right. The snow-spot leopard is his."
"Lu Ting, you crossed the line."
The villagers started to talk all at once.
They had regarded Lin Xun as one of their own after he agreed to solve the pest crisis, so surly they were unwilling to see him being bullied by Lu Ting.
Lu Ting screamed with a scowl, "Shut up! There's no place for you to speak. If it weren't for Captain Lian and me to keep you safe, you would have been dead already! How dare you help an outsider to against me now?"
The villagers turned pale, shocking and angry. Yet they had to give the credit to Lu Ting and the other guardians for they had risked their lives to trade in Green-sun Tribe for daily necessities.
Although they had been dissatisfied with fewer and fewer things the village guardians brought back in the most recent year and complained a lot about it, they had to keep their anger to themselves because their lives in future still relied on Lu Ting and his companions.
As no one talked back, Lu Ting smirked and then turned to Lin Xun.
"Kid, don't equivocate with me. Are you going to let me take it or not?" His tone of voice held a subtle threat.
At the same time, Qian Qi also stared at Lin Xun in a cold and intimidating way.
He had not intended to collide with Lin Xun openly in case of incurring public wrath, but his desire for the snow-spot leopard and one-horned lizard had clouded his judgment.
If Lin Xun refused to cooperate this time, he would not mind to teach him a lesson with the world watching.
The spitefulness in his eyes did not escape Lin Xun's watch, who concealed the contempt and sneered in his heart. How presumptuous robbers they were!
"You want these? Simple, beat me first!"
Lin Xun said in his usual tone of voice, calm and smiling.
"You are courting death!"
Lu Ting grimaced and glanced at Qian Qi without a trace. Qian Qi took the hint and walked up behind Lin Xun from one side to block his exit.
The villagers got raged at their shameless and peremptory actions.
Zhou Zhong, on the other hand, got worried. He whispered to Lin Xun, "How about……we give some to them?"
A wise man did not fight when the odds were against him. He wanted to persuade Lin Xun to give up for the safety of his own life.
Lin Xun answered with finality, "It is nonnegotiable."
"Great! It should be like this!"
With a loud shout, the village head Shiao Tianren showed up in the courtyard.
His appearance lifted the spirits of the villagers as if they had something to rely on. A vague smile crept up on Lin Xun's lips.
If it had taken place at some other time, Lin Xun would have let it go for now and then find a better chance to get even with later.
But today was different. He had expected the village head would not stand by, so he stirred up the fight with Lu Ting and Qian Qi.
The two guardians frowned at first but soon restored calm. Apparently they didn't give a damn about the village head.
With a dignified bearing, Shiao Tianren looked at Lu Ting and Qian Qi and scolded with a heavy sound, "How dare you two rob in the village! Do you really think I will allow things like this to happen?"
He stopped for seconds and then continued, "If you succeed today, will you be bold enough to rob other villagers tomorrow?"
His words awakened the villagers, all of whom after a while shared a bitter hatred towards Lu Ting. If he wanted something from them in the future, what could they do?
Lu Ting lost his patience. He frowned and pointed at Shiao Tianren, "Old fogey, we have respected you for all these years. Don't embarrass yourself!"
The village head's face darkened, while Lin Xun sneered at Lu Ting's stupid words. What he said now would only make the villagers hate him more.
"That's enough. Today is a misunderstanding. We will leave now."
Qian Qi abruptly interrupted and grabbed Lu Ting's arm to leave.
"What are you doing? You don't want the skin of the snow-spot leopard? And the flakes of the one-horned lizard? You know we can make a good armor out of them!"
Lu Ting shouted and struggled, still he was dragged away by Qian Qi.
After two of them left, Shiao Tianren felt secretly relieved even though he remained angry. The stares of the villagers upset him, so he waved his hand and said, "All right, it's over. Go back to your homes."
The villagers also understood they should not stay under the current situation, so they hurried home, leaving Lin Xun, Shiao Tianren and Zhou Zhong in the courtyard.
Were there any three of them, the village head signed, "I did not expect them to be so arrogant."
Lin Xun grinned and replied with an irrelevant answer, "Qian Qi is a smart man. Once you were here, he knew they wouldn't get their ways today."
Shiao Tianren shook his head, "They left for now, but I'm afraid they will come after you another time."
Lin Xun nodded. He thought for a while and then asked, "Uncle Shiao, if both of them disappear one day, what do you think of it?"
What he really wanted to ask was that did I have you support if I had the opportunity to kill them.
Looking at the clear and peaceful eyes of Lin Xun, Shiao Tianren's eyelids twitched with a rush. It took him quite some time to give a decisive answer, "That will be the best. It will be beneficial to all the villagers of Feiyun if they disappear!"
Lin Xun laughed at once, for it was the exact answer he wanted.