Slaying demons and eliminating evil, a martial saint among mortals.

After finishing a piece of sweet cake, Tiger looked down at the remaining piece in his hand.

"Dad, can I take this piece back for my sister to eat?"

Zhang Erniu slowly raised his head, and a smile returned to his face.

"Of course he can. Tiger is sensible now and knows to think of your sister."

"Then I'll take it back for my sister to eat."

Tiger pushed Zhang Erniu forward.

There weren't many people on the street anymore.

As darkness fell, the roadside stalls began to pack up their goods.

Tiger was still clutching the piece of sweet cake he had prepared to take back to his sister, pushing the wheelchair while glancing down at it every now and then.

Seeing his expression, Zhang Erniu's smile gradually returned.

"Tiger Boy".

Tiger immediately responded.

"Father, what's wrong?"

Zhang Erniu looked up at the south side of the town.

"You push your father to the City God Temple."

Tiger was stunned for a moment.

"City God Temple?"

"Father, what are we doing going to the City God Temple at this hour?"

"Before your Uncle Qin left, your father made a vow at the City God Temple."

"Back then, I thought that if one day your Uncle Qin really became successful and could lead you to a good life, I would go to the City God Temple to fulfill my vow."

"Didn't we hear that your Uncle Qin is coming back to take you to Dongxuan City?"

"Now that your wish has come true, Father, you have to go and fulfill your vow. Otherwise, the City God will blame us."

Tiger seemed to understand but not quite, but he knew one thing: his father wasn't angry and was now going to fulfill his vow, which meant his father also wanted to go to Dongxuan City.

"Okay, I'll push you there."

The City God Temple is located in the south of the town. During the daytime, many people come to burn incense, mostly to pray for peace and safety.

Zhang Erniu used to come here often because hunters would kowtow and pray for safety before going into the mountains.

However, it's getting late now, and the temple entrance is much quieter, with only two old lanterns hanging by the door, swaying gently in the wind.

Tiger pushed Zhang Erniu to the main gate of the City God Temple.

Zhang Erniu looked up and glanced inside. After entering through the main gate, there was a second gate, and behind the second gate was the main hall.

However, there is a high threshold between the main gate and the second gate, which wheelchairs cannot pass through.

"Dad, wait here for a moment, I'll go and get some people to help us."

"No need, let's just wait here for a while. Maybe someone else will come later."

After he finished speaking, he seemed to remember something and raised his hand to pat his forehead.

"Look at your father's memory. When we come to fulfill a vow, we always need incense and candles. I was so busy bringing you here that I forgot to buy them."

Tiger looked around, but there was nowhere to buy incense and candles.

"Father, what should we do? No, let's come again tomorrow."

Zhang Erniu took out twenty coins from his pocket and handed them to Hu Zi.

"Since we're already at the door, let's take care of this matter while we're at it."

"Go to Uncle Liu's shop on the front street and buy some incense and two candles. His incense and candles sell the best. Dad will wait for you here."

Tiger was somewhat reluctant after taking the money.

"Uncle Liu's shop is too far from here. It takes a lot of time to go back and forth."

"What are you afraid of? Dad is waiting for you at the entrance of the City God Temple. You won't run around."

"You've thought this through, kid. The incense and candles won't cost twenty coins, and the remaining few coins are all yours."

Upon hearing Zhang Erniu's words, Hu Zi's eyes immediately lit up.

"The rest of the money is mine, so I can buy whatever I want?"

"I already said it's yours, so buy whatever you want. Dad won't interfere."

"But remember, don't wander off. Come back after you buy the incense and candles."

Tiger immediately clutched the money tightly, as if afraid of losing it.

"Okay, Dad, you wait here for me. I can run really fast, I'll be back in a minute."

"Alright, alright, go ahead. Let's see how fast you can run. Be careful and don't fall."

"Then you wait for me here, Father."

"Where else can Father go? Go quickly and come back soon."

Tiger was relieved and skipped away.

While running, he was calculating in his mind that buying incense and candles would cost at most fifteen or sixteen coins, and he could use the remaining money to buy sweet cakes.

We can't even spend all the money on sugar cakes, so we can buy a small handful of roasted beans. We'll eat half ourselves and leave the other half for my sister.

Tiger's figure quickly disappeared around the street corner, leaving only Zhang Erniu at the entrance of the City God Temple.

At this moment, the smile on Zhang Erniu's face vanished, leaving only a chilling expression.

After a long while, he slowly lowered his head, reached into his robes, and pulled out a dark red invitation card from his innermost pocket.

The thin postcard had a dark, blood-soaked surface with fine black lines along the edges.

This is the blood oath from Yanyu Tower.

I found it on a pile of skeletons while hunting in the mountains.

Over the years, he has also learned that the blood oath of Yanyu Tower is also known as the Yama's Oath. As long as you write down the name and identity of the person you want to kill, Yanyu Tower will hunt them down with all its might.

Regardless of grudges or right and wrong.

To date, none of those who have submitted blood oaths have survived.

All these years, I haven't been able to bear using this blood oath.

As a disabled person, having this thing on his person is like having a knife hidden in the dark. As long as he still has this knife, he feels confident.

But now, it's time to draw this sword!

Zhang Erniu looked down at the blood-written invitation, the information of which had already been written on it.

Qin Lie!

Apprentice demon hunter in the Demon Division of Dongxuan Town.

This was written by Qin Lie when he had just left Heishan Town.

At that time, he hesitated. If Qin Lie was sensible and willing to take back his salary, then he could temporarily refrain from using the blood oath.

It seems we can't wait any longer.

Qin Lie is no longer the fool he used to be; he has now become a demon hunter.

He also wanted to take Liu Yunniang and her two children away. If he waited any longer, Qin Lie might strike first and kill him.

Zhang Erniu looked up and glanced inside the City God Temple.

The blood oath handover point in Heishan Town is located in this temple.

Go through the second door, and under the third blue brick on the left, there is a hidden compartment. Just put the blood oath there, and someone will come to retrieve it.

He had to go to great lengths to find out this information.

Zhang Erniu pushed the wheelchair, and it moved forward half a foot, but was stopped by the threshold.

He looked down at the high threshold.

When my legs were fine before, I never realized the threshold was so high.

But now, for him, this threshold is like a mountain beam.

The wheelchair couldn't get through, and he couldn't stand up.

Zhang Erniu stared intently at the threshold. After a while, he gritted his teeth, braced himself on the armrests of the wheelchair, and slowly moved his body forward.

Because of the lack of strength in her legs, she swayed to the side with the slightest movement.

boom!

Zhang Erniu fell off his wheelchair and crashed heavily to the ground.

However, he didn't shout. Instead, he lay on the ground panting for a while before raising his head to look in the direction of the second gate.

Get there!

We absolutely must go there!

Zhang Erniu used his elbows to support himself on the ground and crawled forward little by little.

The bluestone slabs on the ground were cool, and in some places they were still covered with incense ash and mud.

His palms rubbed together incessantly until they were chafed raw, and his elbows burned with pain.

With each step forward, his clothes became even dirtier, but Zhang Erniu didn't care at all.

He just stared at the second door, his eyes growing increasingly red.

Qin Lie must die!

He silently repeated the name in his mind as he climbed.

Qin Lie!

Qin Lie!

If it weren't for Qin Lie, Liu Yunniang wouldn't be the way she is now.

If it weren't for Qin Lie, Xiao He wouldn't have been beaten so many times.

If it weren't for Qin Lie, Hu Zi would probably admire himself even more.

If it weren't for Qin Lie, Liu Changhe wouldn't have dared to laugh at him like that.

It's Qin Lie!

It's all Qin Lie's fault!

Qin Lie stole this family; it was Qin Lie who made him the laughingstock of the town.

His leg is crippled, but he's not dead yet.

He is the true master of the Zhang family!

He is Liu Yunniang's man!

He is Xiaohe and Huzi's father!

Everyone in this family should listen to him!

Zhang Erniu gritted his teeth and continued crawling forward with determination.

Half of his body was pressed against the ground, and from a distance, he didn't look like a person at all.

It's like a dog whose spine has been broken, yet it still manages to crawl forward.

But Zhang Erniu didn't care.

With his elbows chafed raw, he finally reached the second gate.

Zhang Erniu raised his head, panting heavily. Then he grabbed the threshold with both hands and dragged his body upwards.

I have no feeling in my legs and I can't use my waist.

He could only rely on his two arms, his fingers digging into the edge of the threshold, his nails scraping painfully from the gaps in the wood.

He endured it, gritting his teeth and slowly inching upwards.

boom!

I had only climbed halfway when I slipped down again.

His chin hit the threshold, and a metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.

Zhang Erniu lay on the ground, reached up to wipe his mouth, and found blood on the back of his hand.

Looking at the blood on his hands, he suddenly smiled.

"Qin Lie, you still want to take my home away!"

"You're dreaming!"

He gripped the threshold again, this time using almost all his strength to drag himself up little by little.

By the time he climbed over the threshold of the second door, he was covered in sweat.

With his forehead pressed against the cold bluestone slab, his breathing became intermittent.

However, he didn't rest for too long because Tiger would be back soon, and he couldn't afford to delay.

Zhang Erniu raised his head and looked at the blue bricks on his left.

The first piece

The second piece

The third piece

The blue bricks were embedded very tightly, apparently to prevent anyone from accidentally discovering this location.

Zhang Erniu pulled a rusty little iron piece from his sleeve; he had prepared it beforehand.

He inserted the iron sheet into the crack between the bricks and pried it open little by little.

Finally, the blue bricks loosened a little.

With a forceful pry, Zhang Erniu pried off the third brick.

Sure enough, there was a small hidden compartment below.

Zhang Erniu looked at the hidden compartment, and his breathing suddenly became rapid.

As long as the blood oath is placed inside, Qin Lie will die.

Liu Yunniang and her two children will not leave; this home is still theirs.

"Don't blame me, you brought this on yourself."

"If you had listened to me, things wouldn't have come to this."

After saying that, he stuffed the blood-stained note into the hidden compartment and then pressed the blue brick back in.

The moment the blue bricks closed, Zhang Erniu finally gave up.

He lay face down on the ground and didn't move for a long time.

The temple was very quiet, with only the sound of the wind blowing the lanterns outside.

After a moment, there seemed to be a very faint sound coming from behind the second door.

It sounded like a mouse crawling in a crack in the wall, or like someone chuckling softly in the darkness.

Zhang Erniu froze and suddenly looked up.

But the area behind the second door was completely empty.

The City God statue stood in the shadows of the main hall, its head bowed and eyes downcast, as if it saw nothing.

Zhang Erniu stared into the darkness for a long time.

Finally, he slowly lowered his head, a cold smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.