Xiaoming went upstairs. Long Xiao turned off the TV and said, "Speak, big sister. What organization are you? What are you doing with those blood samples?"
"Brother, you're not a police officer. I advise you not to meddle in other people's business, or you'll get yourself into trouble."
Long Xiao smiled and said, "I've already caused enough trouble, a little more won't matter."
The middle-aged woman sighed and said, "Alright, I'll tell you. You'll regret it once you know."
The middle-aged woman told Long Xiao that their organization was called Longxing Association.
Longxing Association was very powerful, with about a thousand core members and at least fifteen to sixteen thousand members in its periphery.
"Who is your president, and why are you collecting those blood samples?" Long Xiao asked.
"Brother, I advise you, don't get involved in this matter..."
Long Xiao interrupted the middle-aged woman and said, "It's my turn to ask, answer me."
The middle-aged woman sighed and said, "The president is called Tianlong. None of us have ever seen him. I only know that his strength is immense, and he has great influence in China."
"Where do you get your medicinal herbs from?" Long Xiao asked.
The middle-aged woman shook her head and said, "That's not my responsibility, I don't know. We report what herbs we need, and then someone delivers them."
"The herbs are delivered tomorrow, so you haven't reported it today, have you?" Long Xiao asked.
The middle-aged woman looked at Long Xiao in surprise and asked, "How did you know it hasn't been reported yet?"
Long Xiao smiled and said, "I went to Yaowang Temple this afternoon and saw those three fake Taoist priests. They'll be back soon. If you don't want to talk, I'll ask them then."
"Do you think they'll tell you?" the middle-aged woman asked.
Long Xiao nodded and said, "Of course. You should believe in my methods."
The middle-aged woman revealed very little about Longxing Association. When Long Xiao asked further, she refused to say more.
"Fine, don't say it then. Treat your leg wound yourself, and I'll rest for a while."
After speaking, Long Xiao closed his eyes and ignored the middle-aged woman.
The middle-aged woman looked at Long Xiao, then lowered her head to examine the wound on her leg.
Enduring the sharp pain, she pulled out two half-broken daggers, found the first-aid kit, cleaned the wound, and bandaged it.
Sitting on the sofa, enduring the pain, she secretly glanced at Long Xiao. Long Xiao was lying there still with his eyes closed, seeming to be asleep.
After more than half an hour, Xiaoming came in, kicking the door open, carrying two large bags.
"Brother, look what I found."
Long Xiao opened his eyes and watched as Xiaoming threw two large bags onto the coffee table. A scent of herbs wafted into his nostrils.
Opening the bags, he saw they were filled with precious medicinal herbs.
Long Xiao smiled and said, "You pick first, I'll deal with the rest."
Xiaoming felt a little embarrassed. "Brother, why don't you pick first?"
Long Xiao shook his head. "No need. My dosage is too large. You pick the best ones, and the rest are mine."
Seeing that Long Xiao was sincere, Xiaoming no longer stood on ceremony.
He poured the herbs from both bags onto the coffee table, picked out dozens of the best and oldest ones, and immediately munched them down.
Xiaoming then repacked the remaining herbs into the bags and said, "Brother Long, you can handle the rest."
Long Xiao nodded, picked up the two bags, and went upstairs. He found a room, kicked the door open, and prepared to use 'Long Tun Si Hai' to absorb the life essence from the herbs.
As soon as the door opened, a voice came from the pitch-black room. Long Xiao quickly retreated, throwing the bags onto the ground, ready to fight.
After a full minute, no one emerged from the room. He cautiously entered, turning on the light.
The room contained a large bed. In the corner, three children were trembling, their eyes filled with fear as they stared at Long Xiao.
On the ground lay two other children, motionless, their state unknown – whether they were dead or asleep.
Long Xiao walked up to the three children and asked, "Don't be afraid, I'm not a bad person."
One child stammered, "Uncle, you're not going to eat us, are you?"
Long Xiao shook his head. "Of course not. Tell me, why are you here?"
"We were captured by bad people. They give us medicine every day and make us sleep."
Long Xiao pointed to the two children on the bed. "Are they asleep because they took medicine?"
One child nodded. "Yes, they give us medicine every night. I'm scared."
Long Xiao smiled, patted the child's head, and said, "Don't be afraid, children. I will rescue you."
Seeing Long Xiao's kind face, one child said, "Uncle, we're hungry."
Long Xiao nodded. "Wait here, I'll get you something to eat."
Soon, Long Xiao found the kitchen, cooked a pot of instant noodles for the children, and added a few eggs.
He injected a weak stream of life essence into the two children on the bed. They woke up, saw Long Xiao, and were startled.
After explaining the situation to the children, all five of them ate ravenously.
After the children finished eating, Long Xiao found some fruit and brought it in. "You stay in this room, and I'll take you away tomorrow."
He left the room and closed the door. Since there were people upstairs, Long Xiao couldn't use 'Long Tun Si Hai' to absorb the life essence from the herbs. He took the bags and went downstairs.
Xiaoming saw Long Xiao coming down and asked, "Brother, did you finish so quickly?"
Long Xiao shook his head and told Xiaoming about the situation upstairs. Xiaoming stood up and kicked the middle-aged woman in the stomach.
"You guys are kidnapping children!" Xiaoming exclaimed angrily.
"I, we... It's what's ordered from above. We don't dare not to do it," the middle-aged woman said frantically when Xiaoming started hitting her.
Long Xiao took the two bags to the courtyard, found an open space, threw the bags on the ground, and sat down directly on them.
Long Xiao was very proficient in the 'Long Tun Si Hai' technique. Within minutes of sitting down, he entered the state. The life essence from the herbs and surrounding trees rapidly entered his dantian.
Shortly after Long Xiao sat down, four young men wielding long sabers emerged from behind the main building.
The four exchanged glances and nodded. Two of them silently approached the living room door of the main building, while the other two headed towards Long Xiao.
As the two got closer to Long Xiao, he was completely engrossed in his cultivation and unaware of their approach.
Inside, Xiaoming had just finished beating the middle-aged woman and sat on the sofa when he saw two men with long sabers push open the door and enter.
Seeing that Xiaoming had noticed them, the two men lunged at him with their sabers.
Xiaoming pushed off the ground with his toes, shifted sideways, and moved away from the sofa. Both long sabers sliced into the sofa.
The two men, realizing Xiaoming had vanished, stood up to search for him when the Tibetan Mastiff, crouched by the door, pounced on one of the young men.
The young man never expected the Tibetan Mastiff kept in the house to attack him. Feeling a sharp pain in his back, he turned his head only to have the mastiff's jaws clamped around his neck.
The other young man swung his saber at the mastiff. Before his saber could fall, Xiaoming's Black Iron cleaver struck.
Blood splattered. The young man's arm and his long saber fell onto the sofa. The young man screamed in pain. Xiaoming dodged the spraying blood, and the Black Iron cleaver sliced into the young man's neck.
The sound abruptly ceased, and the corpse collapsed onto the sofa.