I am dying of old age, and I have awakened to the character of longevity.

Now, Chen He, though trained in martial arts, wasn't yet a true martial artist, and his age was a factor. His combat strength wasn't high. After Wang Wu's relentless hacking with his broadsword, Chen He was already wounded in several places.

Finally, Wang Wu pinned him to the ground, unable to move, and Chen He watched helplessly as Wang Wu's blade was about to slice his neck. He screamed desperately for help.

Wang Wu, at this moment, saw his elder brother killed and was momentarily stunned, filled with fear.

How could this be?

His elder brother, Li Wei, was a martial artist nearing the Copper Skin Realm! How could he be killed by an old hunter?

In Wang Wu's eyes, Xie An was no longer a hunter but a terrifying demon of slaughter.

Just then, Xie An drew his bow to its fullest extent, aimed an arrow at Wang Wu's head, and said fiercely, "Release him."

Feeling the arrow aimed at him, Wang Wu felt a chill down his spine, but he knew he absolutely couldn't release Chen He at this moment. Without this hostage, he'd be an easy target. He didn't move the broadsword from Chen He's neck, still intending to pull Chen He in front of him as a shield.

"Don't move, or I'll blow your head off!"

Xie An threatened harshly.

In truth, Xie An did have a clear shot to kill Wang Wu, but he wasn't confident in his archery skills and worried about hitting the wrong person. He could only resort to intimidation.

Wang Wu didn't know Xie An's archery wasn't good and didn't dare to gamble. He didn't dare to move, enduring the pressure and saying fiercely, "Then let's see if your arrow is faster or my blade is! If you shoot me, your friend won't live either."

The two sides were at a stalemate.

An autumn wind swept through the forest, and birds screeched. Moonlight spilled from the sky. Despite being deep autumn, with temperatures below freezing, both sides were drenched in sweat, incredibly tense.

In reality, Wang Wu was the most nervous, as a slight misstep could mean being shot to death. Xie An was better off; after all, he wasn't the one who would die.

Chen He was quite close to him, and Chen He had just taken the initiative to offer ten taels of silver to help him out of his predicament, showing that this man was worth befriending.

But if it really came down to a situation where he had to choose one or the other, Xie An would definitely choose himself first.

If there was a chance to save Chen He, Xie An would still try his best.

For no other reason than Xie An felt that one should have a conscience.

After a quarter of an hour, Xie An, who had been drawing his bow to its fullest extent, felt very strained. He knew that continuing the stalemate wouldn't work.

"Wang Wu, right? Actually, we just want to live. There's no need to make this a fight to the death. How about this: we both drop our weapons at the same time, and you take the opportunity to escape, how about it?"

Wang Wu rejected it outright. "Okay, but you have to throw your bow far away. Otherwise, before I can run far, you can pick it up and shoot me."

Xie An looked at Chen He, whose life hung by a thread, and finally felt he should give it a try. "Okay."

Wang Wu thought about it and felt it was feasible but was still uneasy. "You must throw the bow and arrow further away."

Xie An said, "I'll throw the bow and arrow ten zhang away. At this distance, even if I regret it later and run to pick up the bow, it will be enough time for you to get into the forest and escape. If I throw it too far, you'll have time to take Chen He, this hostage, with you."

Wang Wu calculated.

For him, leaving with Chen He as a hostage was undoubtedly the safest way, so Xie An wouldn't dare to act rashly.

But this old man was meticulous and cut off his thoughts.

He also thought that if Xie An really threw the bow and arrow ten zhang away, even if Xie An ran to pick it up, it would take at least five or six breaths. This time would indeed be enough for him to get into the forest by the road and escape.

Moreover, if Xie An really dropped the bow and arrow, Wang Wu would undoubtedly be more proactive. He could completely kill Chen He with one blow and then run.

Xie An had also considered this, but there was no way… the side that actively wanted to save someone would always be at a disadvantage. This risk still had to be taken.

Furthermore, if Xie An's strength was strong enough, he could have completely controlled Li Wei just now and used him as a hostage exchange. But obviously, Li Wei was powerful. Killing him was already good enough; controlling him would be too difficult and risky.

After weighing it again and again, Wang Wu finally agreed, "Okay."

Xie An said, "I'll count to three. I'll throw the bow and arrow, and you'll throw the knife. If you dare to cheat or do anything to harm my friend, I won't let you go!"

He ran wildly in the forest, making terrified "Ah, ah" sounds.

After running two or three li, Wang Wu found that there was no one around, and then he stopped to breathe, "This old hunter is really difficult to deal with. Fortunately, I survived. But another old man reported his family. Wuchiao Town, Chen's Martial Arts School… Hmph, wait for my Giant Whale Gang to come to your door. Li Wei is the illegitimate son of the gang leader's mistress. You can't escape…"

Suddenly, Wang Wu felt a chill.

Whoosh.

A sharp arrow whistled through the air, shooting out from the thorns in front. When Wang Wu heard the sound, he tried to dodge, but it was too late. The arrow pierced his heart.

"Heh, heh…"

Wang Wu saw the arrow through his chest, struggling to look up. He saw Xie An walking out of the thorns. He still looked like a harmless old man.

"You, how did you catch up…"

"Forgot to tell you, my speed is more than twice yours…"

Wang Wu stared wide-eyed, full of unwillingness.

This old man actually had a trick up his sleeve…

Xie An stopped six meters away from Wang Wu, not approaching. Although Wang Wu was seriously injured, he could still struggle to his death. Xie An didn't want to take any risks, so he slowly drew the heavy bow, aimed the arrow.

Wang Wu was extremely afraid. "Sir, please, please have mercy and let me go. I have money, I'll give it all to you…"

"If you don't do something, don't do it. If you do it… do it thoroughly!"

There was no expression on Xie An's cold face. He suddenly released the bowstring.

Buzz!

The arrow roared out and shattered Wang Wu's head.

His brain splattered, and he couldn't be deader.

Hoo!

Xie An finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Killing someone for the second time, he gradually adapted to the rhythm, and he didn't feel any emotional fluctuations.

He put the heavy bow on his body, then walked to Wang Wu and groped him.

Ten taels of silver.

Then he found a ravine, threw Wang Wu's body into it, and then turned and left.

Now, Chen He, after escaping death, sat paralyzed on the side of the road, stunned for a long time before adjusting his emotions. Then, according to what Xie An had said before, he dragged the bodies of Li Wei and A San to the forest by the road, dug a large pit with iron tools, and buried the bodies.

After completing all this, Chen He was exhausted. He sat on the ground, panting heavily. He held the thirty taels of silver he had taken from the two men, and he was still afraid when he recalled it.

His mind kept recalling the scene of Xie An killing people earlier.

His mind was sophisticated, his movements were done in one go, and every step was planned… It was like an old hunter!

"Old Xie's changes recently have been too great. If it weren't for him, I would have died."

While in a daze, Chen He heard footsteps behind him. He turned his head and saw Xie An walking out of the forest with a heavy bow on his back. He still looked like a harmless, old-fashioned man.

Chen He knew that this old man was no longer the old man he had been before.

Fortunately, he had also practiced martial arts, so he wasn't so frightened by Xie An that he lost his mind. He quickly went up and asked, "Did you catch up with Wang Wu?"

Xie An nodded, "Yes, he's dead."

Hoo!

Chen He finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Fortunately, Brother Xie, you are fast enough. Otherwise, if you let the tiger return to the mountain, and the other party knows my family, I'm afraid the Chen family will suffer. Brother Xie, this time you not only saved my life but also saved the entire Chen family. As your younger brother, I have nothing to repay you."

As Chen He spoke, he was about to kneel down and thank him, but Xie An quickly helped him up. "Old Chen, don't do this. You reported your family earlier to help me out of my predicament. We're even. But this matter should not be publicized."

"I know. Let's go back to town quickly."

The two men drove the cart and hurried towards Wuchiao Town.

During this period, Chen He gave Xie An all the thirty taels he had found, and Xie An didn't hesitate to accept it.

Two hundred and fifty taels from picking up the slack, and forty taels from killing the robbers. A total of 290 taels…

Now he has the ambition to do great things.

This wave is not a loss!