In a perfect world, you start by relying on your own strength.

"Die, you son of a bitch!"

The bandit roared, and his long sword, once again carrying a fierce wind, slashed straight at Shi Geng's face like a bolt of lightning. The sword strike was fierce, and he had obviously used all his strength.

Shi Geng didn't even lift his eyelids, but slowly extended two fingers and directly caught the long sword that was slashing down.

The bandit's pupils contracted sharply. He instinctively tried to draw his long sword, but no matter how hard he gritted his teeth and exerted force, with veins bulging on his arm, the sword remained motionless, as if it were welded to a piece of black iron.

Shi Geng narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing in them. He exerted a little force with his fingertips, and with a crisp crack, the long sword made of refined iron broke in two.

Before the other party could react, Shi Geng flicked his finger, and half of the broken blade flew out with a whoosh. A flash of cold light followed, and a string of bloodstains appeared. The enemy's head rolled to the ground, without even having time to scream.

The surrounding bandits froze on the spot, their faces filled with astonishment. The fight had just taken only a moment, and their companion had already perished. It was so fast that they hadn't even had time to react.

The man riding the beast was taken aback at first, then he put away the contempt in his eyes and began to seriously examine the child in front of him.

Although Liu Meng's strength was not among the top in the bandits, he was by no means an ordinary person, yet he was killed by this child in an instant.

He secretly wondered if he was a prodigy from some great tribe who had come down the mountain to gain experience.

With this thought in mind, the man's expression turned cold. He raised his hand and placed it on the broadsword at his waist, his body surging with murderous aura, clearly indicating that he had taken many lives.

"You've got some skill; I misjudged you." He said in a deep voice, his eyes fixed on Shi Gen. "No matter which great tribe you're from, if you've trespassed into this place today, you'd better leave your life."

Before he finished speaking, he leaped off the beast's back, his heavy longsword swirling in the howling wind as it slashed down at Shi Heng's head.

This strike was powerful and heavy, with the might to split mountains and shatter the earth. Ancient runes on the blade shone brightly, and a solid cave slowly emerged from above his head, instantly enveloping the surrounding area with overwhelming pressure.

The bandits who were fighting with the villagers changed their expressions and immediately withdrew from the battle, fearing that they would be affected by the lingering effects.

The bandit leader had already exhausted all his strength and was determined to end the battle quickly. In his eyes, the wilderness was vast, and even if the opponent had an extraordinary background, he could still escape after killing him.

Shi Geng narrowed his eyes slightly. Facing the thunderous blade, he simply threw a punch forward.

This punch showed no flowing runes or surging blood energy; it looked like a child casually throwing a punch, utterly bland and without any power.

But this seemingly ordinary strike collided head-on with the treasured sword that carried the power of the cave.

Bang-!

A deafening roar erupted, and a violent shockwave swept outwards from the point of their clash, instantly extinguishing the raging flames.

The man holding the knife shuddered violently, his hand split open instantly, and he could no longer hold the heavy long knife, which flew out of his hand and spun away.

He was struck as if by lightning, staggering backward, each step leaving a deep crater in the ground.

"How is that possible!"

The bandit leader's face was filled with disbelief. This child had actually defeated him with just his physical strength?

His expression immediately changed, realizing that he had encountered a much stronger opponent than he had imagined, and that continuing the fight would only lead to his death.

He dared not linger in the fight any longer. He suddenly turned around, exerted force with his feet, and transformed into a blur, fleeing in panic without looking back, not even daring to pick up his weapon.

Seeing that their leader had fled, the remaining bandits dared not linger and scattered in all directions.

"Trying to leave?"

Shi Geng's eyes turned cold, and he raised his hand in a gesture of invitation. The long sword that had flown out of his hand was immediately drawn back into his palm by an invisible force.

The ancient runes on the blade shimmered with light, and it withstood his ordinary punch without sustaining any damage, making it a rare and precious weapon.

Shi Geng raised his hand and weighed the precious sword in it, saying, "It is indeed a fine sword."

Before he finished speaking, Shi Geng suddenly flicked his wrist, and a sharp blade of light slashed through the sky. The hundred or so bandits who were scattering and fleeing froze, blood lines quietly appearing on their necks. The next moment, their heads rolled off one after another, and they were all killed in an instant.

The entire scene fell into a deathly silence. The surviving villagers stood there dumbfounded, speechless.

They stared at the corpses and heads scattered on the ground, then at the small figure holding a long knife, and a storm of emotions surged within them.

This group of ruthless bandits, who had been burning, killing, and looting everywhere, were all wiped out by a child with a single stroke. Shock, awe, and gratitude were mixed on everyone's faces, and they were unable to recover for a long time.

Shi Geng glanced at the stunned villagers, and was about to chase after the fleeing leader, but he put his foot down as soon as he lifted it, and his expression became more solemn.

The surrounding air seemed to subtly fluctuate, and a dark and cold aura quietly spread out. This aura far surpassed that of a Cave Heaven expert, having already reached the Spirit Transformation level.

"The Spirit Transformation Realm?"

Shi Geng raised an eyebrow, a hint of understanding flashing in his eyes. He had been wondering why the village's guardian spirit had allowed these bandits to rampage and slaughter the villagers.

Now I finally understand why. It seems that the village's guardian spirit was killed by these lurking Spirit Transformation Realm beings long before the bandits attacked.

Boom!!

With a loud thud, the earth trembled violently, and a colossal creature emerged from the ground.

A centipede emerged from the ground, its entire body crimson, stretching for tens of meters, resembling a scarlet mountain of flesh coiled there.

It stared intently at Shi Geng with its pair of crimson, lantern-like beastly eyes, exuding an overwhelming aura of ferocity that seemed to freeze the surrounding air instantly.

The villagers turned pale, their faces instantly filled with fear and deep-seated hatred. They had witnessed firsthand how this terrifying beast had killed and devoured their village's sacred spirit, leaving the village vulnerable to the brutal bandits' slaughter.

"Beware, benefactor! This beast killed our village's spirit priest!" a villager shouted urgently, his voice filled with resentment.

Shi Geng nodded slightly, looking the giant centipede up and down, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"This ferocious creature is actually a sacrificial spirit?"

He discovered that this centipede was actually a sacrificial spirit. Ordinary sacrificial spirits usually reside in a village, receive incense offerings, and protect the stability of the village or town. It is rare to see one that roams around and does evil like this.

But the sacrificial spirit before them was completely different. Its body was filled with malevolent energy, and its pale red scales were surrounded by a thick bloody light. It was obviously stained with blood and had even devoured other sacrificial spirits. It was an extremely troublesome and ferocious creature.

As if sensing that Shi Geng had seen through its true nature, the centipede spirit's scarlet beast eyes blazed with ferocity. Its massive body arched sharply, and dozens of its long legs stomped off the ground simultaneously, carrying a foul and pungent aura as it lunged fiercely at Shi Geng.