Chapter 61: Wiped Out
The City Lord came in with a flattering smile, his gaze resting on Fang.
Seeing the gold color of his robes, he could confirm that he was a Core Disciple.
"Ah. Greetings, Esteemed Disciple. It is an honor to welcome you into my humble city."
Fang waved with a small smile. "It’s my honor too. I heard the reports, and I’m truly saddened by the things your city has gone through. Don’t worry, those bandits wouldn’t see the end of today."
Something sharp and resolute flashed within his eyes, startling the man.
"Ah, thank you. Thank you. I would really appreciate your help."
Bowing curtly, he said.
"Well then, I shall excuse myself. If you need anything, please send the servants to call for me."
Fang nodded, and watched the man leave with his narrowed eyes.
"Senior Brother... you’re suspecting something?"
Fellin caught onto that look and asked.
Fang nodded.
"His timing. He had been outside for a while now and only entered when you wanted to speak about Ariana."
Tamar’s brows rose defensively, but she didn’t say a word.
Meanwhile, Sera blinked and tilted her head.
"Ha? It can’t be that he knows something about her, right? Or maybe he just thinks she’s pretty."
Fang shook his head with a smile.
"Don’t think too much about it. It might be a coincidence."
Picking up the teacup before him, he took a sip, then looked at the sleeping girls.
"Oh. They’re waking up."
At the same time, Ariana and Dera stirred, scrunching their faces and sitting up on the bed.
"Ah?"
Ariana let out a confused sound, staring at Fang. She hadn’t seen him before.
And his blue and gold robes... Her eyes widened.
’A Core Disciple?!’
Dera was also surprised, rubbing her eyes.
"Wow... I thought the Core Disciples were having a closed door cultivation session."
Fang smiled and answered. "Mine ended yesterday. I’ve achieved a breakthrough."
Fellin’s eyes trembled in surprise. "You... you broke through that fast?"
Hadn’t he just had a breakthrough half a year ago?
Putting on a cute expression, the long-haired disciple winked.
"Your big brother is amazing, right? Hehehe..."
However, his jovial expression disappeared in an instant, and he spoke in a serious tone.
"Alright. I believe everyone is fine now. I want to hear your reports concerning the bandit base. As soon as we’re done with breakfast, we’re leaving."
The others glanced at each other, the began to retell their findings.
Fellin went first, explaining that he had entered a building where he found stolen goods and human skeleton that seemed to have rotted since years ago.
"That building... is chaotic. It’s their nonsense center. Storage room, infirmary, brothel. It was just chaotic."
Fang nodded, then turned to Ariana.
"You?"
The girl lowered her head with a dark expression.
"The place I entered... was a kitchen. A very large one. There were women cooking there. Slaves. Then this guy came in and hit one woman. And he dragged her away."
Her eyes became watery as she clenched her robes tightly.
"I wanted to help, but I knew I couldn’t. I’ll only be disturbing the others and bring us trouble."
Fellin immediately walked over to her and patted her head.
"It’s okay. We’re going to rescue all of them."
Meanwhile, Dera lowered her head, her expression dark with guilt.
Unlike Ariana, she hadn’t been able to hold back, and had injured a bandit.
That was the reason why everyone almost perished on the mission.
Fang sensed her distress and turned to her.
"Dera."
His feminine voice called out to her softly.
Dera looked up, staring at the young man’s beautiful face.
His eyelashes fluttered gently as he looked at her. Sunlight streamed in from the window, falling onto his face and illuminating it with a lush glow.
Her eyes cleared, staring at him in a daze. He really looked like her mother.
"Dera. Don’t let your heart be overwhelmed by guilt. Instead, use this as a determination to grow stronger. Imagine if you were a King Stage Cultivator, would you be running from the bandits, abandoning the ones you wanted to save?"
The girl shook her head, still dazed.
"Good. Now don’t dwell on the past. Focus on the present, and plan a great future."
The girl nodded, her expression no longer gloomy.
The report continued. After hearing everything from them all, Fang had a good idea of what the place was like.
"I see. Alright. We’ll take care of it once you’re all ready."
...............
Hours later, the six disciples left the Snowfolk City and headed for the Nightlight Forest.
Fang seemed to be taking everything easy, but he was determined to complete the mission... and avenge the fallen disciples.
"Hm... you said the forest is quite dangerous, right?"
He asked, turning to look at Fellin.
The young man nodded. "We encountered a pack of thunder wolves led by an Initial Master Stage thunder alpha."
Fang was impressed. "You dealt with it? Not bad."
Fellin simply pressed his lips together, not saying anything.
"Sigh. Since you said the forest is dangerous, then I’ll have to blitz through it. Sorry everyone~"
The next instant, everyone was gripped by Fang’s spiritual energy, and pulled forward.
"Wahhhh!!!"
Ariana let out a hysterical shout as her vision blurred. The same occured to the others, including Fellin himself.
The only person who could adapt to such speed was Fang.
Carrying them across the forest, they arrived at the center in less than thirty minutes.
Immediately Fang released his hold on them, everyone fell to the ground, rolling.
It felt as if the world was tilting, and it took them some time to finally stabilize themselves.
"Damn. That was fast."
Dera groaned, rising to her feet. The moment she laid her eyes on the base in the distance, hatred swirled in her heart.
"It’s okay."
Fang patted her shoulder with a smile, then stepped forward.
The icicle barrier Fellin had made was still there, melting and half-destroyed.
Fang glanced at it once, then refocused his gaze on the walled fortress of the bandits.
"Let’s go."
The moment the six disciples got close, alarms rang out from within the walls, and the gates opened.
The bandits poured out chaotically, forming lines like an army and facing the disciples.
Fang stopped some meters away, gazing at the bandits silently. His gaze swept through them, and his brows furrowed.
"Where are your leaders? Are they cowards now?"
His loud voice, amplified by spiritual energy, shook the whole base.
Some bandits were startled and took several steps back, while the the others grew more wary of this feminine man.
"No need to shout at my boys. I’m here."
An aged voice rang out from within the bandits, and an old man with hunched back walked out.
His eyes were entirely black, and he was missing his two front teeth.
However, he wasn’t skinny like an old man should be. He had a buffed body, even more muscular than an average youth.
By his side, his four bandit generals stood, glaring at the disciples.
Two of them were familiar, while the other two seemed to have just returned from their missions.
Fang raised an eyebrow. "Hoh? I expected that you all would scram, but it seems I’ve been proved wrong."
"You’re not just bandits."
He took a step forward, the grass under his feet becoming crystalline.
"You’re becoming something else." A cold smile graced his lips. "Again. Where is your leader?"
Hearing this, the old man was surprised.
"Are youth these days blind? Heh... no wonder you all... die easily."
Fang wasn’t triggered by those words, but Dera was boiling with rage.
The black-haired young man shifted his gaze from the old man and looked at a seemingly ordinary bandit in the crowd.
"You. Drop the pretense already. I can tell you’re a Reaper. Are you the one backing them up?"
Instantly, the atmosphere became oppressive, and everyone felt a suffocating pressure escape from the bandit.
He took off his headband and nose mask, revealing another mask he wore underneath.
"Hmm. Dark Lord, this one doesn’t seem easy to deal with."
Instead of answering Fang, he walked to the old man and stood by his side.
The Dark Lord’s expression became unsightly.
"Even with us combined? The Soul Cross Sect is really thorough! Ptui!"
He spat to the ground, glaring at Fang and the others in disgust.
The feminine disciple showed no reaction, only smiling.
"Well, since that is the case, I should clear out the cannon fodders at least."
Before anyone could react, the ground beneath the bandits froze up, and they began turning into blocks of ice.
The Dark Lord and his generals, including the Reaper agent, all escaped the deadly sentencing.
The ordinary bandits weren’t so lucky, unfortunately.
In just a few seconds, they had become ice statues, and a simple tap of Fang’s boots made them all shatter.
"You...!"
The Dark Lord shouted in madness, seeing the members he had trained for years die like that.
Fang remained unfazed, shifting his gaze to the surviving six.
"Well, you guys are the next. Shall we?"