The area around Yue City was surrounded by dense forests, and all the mined resources could only be transported via the Songjiang River. Five hundred li away from the city was a relay transfer dock along the Songjiang River. Although a foreman earned a decent income, it basically cut off any further possibility of him becoming a cultivator.

To temper the blood and marrow required a large amount of medicinal herbs and relentless training day and night. If one failed to generate vital energy before the bones set at age twenty-four, there was basically no hope of ever becoming a cultivator. Adam Carter had also relied on the money collected daily from the gang, climbing step by step to his current position.

Eric Bennett’s talent for cultivation was no less than his. When Adam Carter learned of this back then, he truly felt it was a pity for Eric Bennett.

Now that Eric Bennett had returned, it was as if they had gained another great general on their side!

What Eric Bennett practiced was a mountain-splitting saber technique, and he was naturally fierce and brave. Two years ago, even ordinary marrow-tempering cultivators could do nothing against him, and he was especially skilled in group battles. In a fight, as long as he donned iron armor and wielded his broadsword, almost no one could stand in his way.

With this guy around, their group no longer needed to hide and endure—they could just go straight to the enemy’s door.

But Eric Bennett’s face was gloomy, with not a trace of a smile in his eyes; instead, they were filled with darkness.

“I was summoned back from Licheng two days ago.”

Adam Carter’s expression changed slightly, already sensing that something was wrong. He instinctively looked behind him, only to see seven or eight figures instantly blocking off the entire alley.

Even on the eaves above, he didn’t know when a few more figures had appeared, looking down with cold sneers.

Adam Carter’s heart sank. If it were only these dozen or so external martial artists at the blood-tempering stage, he wouldn’t be concerned. But since these people had set up an ambush here, how could it be just a handful? A few marrow-tempering experts had yet to show themselves.

He had been cautious every day, yet still fell into a trap! He never expected the problem would come from Eric Bennett, who had long faded from Yue City.

“And why is this?”

Taking a deep breath, Adam Carter remained exceptionally calm. He turned his head, meeting Eric Bennett’s gaze with a questioning look.

But the latter averted his eyes, his face stiff and cold: “In Licheng, I already have a wife and child. If I don’t betray you, my wife and child will die miserably. Tell me, what should I, Eric Bennett, do?”

Adam Carter suddenly understood, and his brows furrowed. He vaguely knew that the reason Eric Bennett was unwilling to continue fighting and killing, and withdrew from Licheng, was because he had fallen for a woman.

Though today’s events angered him, and betraying a brother was certainly wrong, when he thought about it, it was understandable—

The flames of anger in his heart subsided somewhat.

Eric Bennett then let out a faint sigh and continued in a calm tone: “I remember I once said, brothers like us, rolling on the edge of a blade, with our heads hanging from our belts, gambling our lives for a future, will sooner or later die miserably in the streets. Back then, I asked if you’d leave Yue City with me, go far away, and seek a peaceful life. You said you wouldn’t, and now it’s come to this!”

Adam Carter was stunned for a moment, then let out a helpless laugh and shook his head slightly: “Even if I had known this would happen, I, Adam Carter, would not regret it. Do you remember that Owen Bennett?”

Years of struggle, fighting with cats and dogs for food. He had long understood that if a person wanted to survive, he couldn’t do without ‘struggle’ and ‘fight’. Struggle against the heavens! Compete with others!

Before the age of fifteen, he struggled just to survive. After fifteen, once he had some capital, he began to fight for his future.

People are never satisfied; once they have enough to eat and wear, they want more.

He, Adam Carter, was just like that. From the bottom of his heart, he wanted to climb out of this mire, to one day stand high above like those noble cultivators. He wanted his descendants never to end up wandering the streets, lacking food and clothing. And he wanted that person to pay the price.

Besides, he was truly fascinated by martial arts. The more he cultivated, the more obsessed he became. He yearned for those legendary Golden Core and Nascent Soul experts who could move mountains and suppress rivers.

So even if time could turn back, and Eric Bennett asked him again a year and a half ago, he would still refuse without hesitation.

Wash his hands and live an honest life? Heh—

Just look at Eric Bennett today, and you’ll know how hard it is for people like them to live in peace for a lifetime.

When he was twelve, he had personally witnessed a retired marrow-tempering martial artist being hunted down at home by an old enemy. The enemy, whom he could have killed with a flick of his hand back then, was now a cultivator at the seventh level of Qi Refining, with boundless prospects. Not only was the marrow-tempering martial artist himself torn to pieces, but nearly a hundred members of his family were slaughtered as well! It was a tragedy that shocked all of Yue City five years ago.

Yet afterwards, no one pursued the matter, and for a whole month, no one even dared to collect the bodies.

And that retired marrow-tempering martial artist was named Owen Bennett.

So Adam Carter had long since understood one thing: if he wanted to live in peace and not be hunted by his enemies, there was only one way—keep getting stronger, strong enough that no enemy would even dare to think of revenge!

He started out at thirteen, and in gang fights, he had killed at least eighty, if not a hundred people. Who knew if among the relatives of those enemies, a few monsters might emerge?

Just like Owen Bennett’s enemy, at the seventh level of Qi Refining, able to run rampant in the world, relying on the power of a sect, with eyes and ears everywhere. Even if the enemy hid at the ends of the earth, he could still find them.

“Owen Bennett?” Eric Bennett didn’t know if he was thinking of himself, and fell silent.