Chapter 180 - 177: Triangular Mountain Bandits
Typically, Martial Artists maintain a certain awareness of their surroundings even while sleeping, and Ye Xing was no exception. With this perception and vigilance, he could react at the first sign of danger.
Thus, when the horse-faced bandit attacked, Ye Xing was instantly startled awake. On pure instinct, he whipped his leg out.
The sole of his shoe slammed into the horse-faced bandit’s face. As a Martial Artist at the Martial Arts Fourth Realm’s Qi Gathering Stage who cultivated the Innate Skill, Ye Xing’s strength was immense. He shattered the man’s nose on the spot, and blood streamed down his face. The force of the kick sent the bandit spinning backward through the air.
THUD! He crashed heavily onto the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
In an instant, the entire scene fell silent. Everyone stared in astonishment at the blue-robed young man on the black steed, and the bandit leader’s expression flickered with uncertainty. He knew his subordinate Ma the Sixth’s strength; he was solidly at the Peak of the First Realm, not far from the Martial Arts Second Realm. Yet this young man had seriously injured him with a single kick. It was obvious that this youth’s Cultivation was at least at the Martial Arts Second Realm, and perhaps even the Martial Arts Third Realm.
Ye Xing was fully awake now. He glanced at the severely injured, horse-faced bandit on the ground and then looked around, quickly grasping the situation.
"May I ask your name, young friend?" the bandit leader asked, quickly forcing a smile and cupping his fist toward Ye Xing.
"What’s my name? None of your damn business!" Ye Xing sneered. He was in a foul mood. How could he not be after being woken from such a pleasant dream? ’I was in the middle of a great dream with Little Mengmeng. Damn it all.’
"Hey, punk! Who the hell do you think you’re talking to? You got a death wish or something?!" one of the bandits shouted.
"Wang Er Dan, shut your damn mouth! Who gave you permission to speak?" the bandit leader roared before quickly turning back to Ye Xing. "My apologies, brother. This subordinate of mine is an idiot; please pay him no mind. Here’s the situation: we of Triangular Mountain have some business to attend to in Lantian Village today. We’d appreciate it if you’d just step aside!"
"Step aside?" Ye Xing said coolly. "And what if I don’t?"
"Then I advise you to think carefully," the bandit leader said. "If you cooperate, you can have your pick of the women in this village. Afterward, I’ll even give you a small reward! If not..."
"Heh, I couldn’t care less about your little reward!" A cold smile touched Ye Xing’s lips. "You people woke me from a good dream, and now I’m in a very bad mood. So, I think I’ll make this my business after all."
"Standing between me and my money... you’re courting death!" The bandit leader’s face went cold. "Men," he roared, "get him! Kill this brat!"
At the bandit leader’s command, the bandits surged forward, their killing intent palpable. Brandishing their Great Sabers, they closed in on Ye Xing.
"You’re all just a bunch of scum. I’m going on a killing spree today!"
Ye Xing kicked off the horse’s back, leaping down.
SHING! With a flash, the Cyan Blade Treasure Sword was unsheathed, its blade glowing with a cyan light in the sun.
SQUELCH! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
AHH! SQUELCH! SQUELCH!
In an instant, blossoms of blood bloomed in the air as screams of agony echoed across the plains. Ye Xing employed his Wind Shadow Step, his Gale Sword Skill striking with ferocious speed. Like a tiger loosed upon a flock of sheep, he wreaked havoc in all directions. Heads flew into the air, severed limbs rained down, and a bloody storm engulfed the battlefield.
"’Damn it, this kid is incredibly strong! He’s almost on par with my First Brother!’ The bandit leader’s face paled. ’Men, retreat! Quick, retreat now!’"
Before the words had even left his mouth, he had already wheeled his steed around and galloped away. In truth, his order was unnecessary. Many of the bandits, their courage shattered, were already fleeing for their lives.
Most of these bandits were only at the Body Refining Stage. Out of a hundred men, only a dozen were First Realm Martial Artists, with just three to five at the Second Realm. They were on a completely different level from Ye Xing; slaughter was their only fate.
These bandits were all vicious criminals whose hands were already stained with the blood of countless innocents. Ye Xing naturally showed them no mercy, treating them as mere practice for his sword.
Ye Xing’s gaze fell upon the fleeing bandit leader—the Third Village Chief of Triangular Mountain.
"And where do you think you’re going!"
With a great roar, Ye Xing kicked off the ground. He executed his Lightweight Skill and soared into the air, his Cyan Blade Treasure Sword glinting coldly as he brought it down toward the bandit leader on horseback.
"Young Hero, spare me! I’m begging you, don’t kill me!"
The bandit leader’s eyes were wide with terror. In a desperate, clumsy roll, he threw himself from his horse and into the tall grass, cutting a pathetic figure.
SQUELCH!
The momentum of Ye Xing’s Cyan Blade Treasure Sword didn’t falter. With a single strike, it cleaved the bandit leader’s beloved horse in two. Blood sprayed out, staining the ground red.
The sharp edge of the Cyan Blade Treasure Sword glinted coldly, dripping with blood. Ye Xing advanced on the bandit.
The Cyan Blade Treasure Sword became a streak of cyan light, thrusting straight for the bandit leader’s heart.
"Young Hero, let’s talk this over! Spare me, and I can give you lots of money!" the bandit leader yelled, hastily swinging his saber to parry Ye Xing’s Cyan Blade Treasure Sword. "I’ll give you five hundred Gold Coins! No, A Thousand Gold Coins! Just spare my life, please!"
"Alright. I’ll take the Thousand Gold Coins, and I’ll take your life too!" With a sudden change in his Gale Sword Skill’s Sword Techniques, Ye Xing’s blade hissed through the air—SQUELCH!—leaving a deep, bloody gash on the bandit leader’s arm.
CLANG! CLINK! CLANK!
The bandit leader frantically swung his saber, struggling to fend off Ye Xing’s assault.
The bandit leader’s Cultivation was at the Peak of the Martial Arts Third Realm, so his strength was considerable. However, he was no longer a match for Ye Xing. In just three to five exchanges, he had already suffered two sword wounds, both so deep the bone was visible, with blood pouring out.
"Aah, spare me! I’ll give you a Treasure Map! Please, let me go!" the bandit leader shrieked. He knew that at this rate, he’d be dead in a dozen moves at most. His eyes were bloodshot and filled with a crazed desperation.
"A Treasure Map?" Ye Xing’s interest was piqued. He immediately asked, "You have a Treasure Map?"
"Yes, I have one! I have a Treasure Map! Just don’t kill me!" the bandit leader said hastily, seeing a glimmer of hope.
"Oh? What kind of Treasure Map? Let me see it," Ye Xing said, slightly slowing his Sword Techniques. He was in no rush to kill the bandit leader now. After all, a Treasure Map represented an enormous fortune—a temptation that was hard to ignore.
"I don’t have it with me! It’s back at the stronghold. If you let me go, I’ll go back and get it for you right away!" the bandit leader said quickly.
"Hah! Think you can fool me?" Ye Xing scoffed. His Sword Techniques suddenly grew more ferocious, stirring up fierce gusts of wind as Sword Roars echoed around them.
The Gale Sword Skill was incredibly swift and fierce. Even though his Sword Skill Realm was not yet at the Entry Level, its power was still astonishingly strong, no weaker than a Profound Level Sword Skill at the Perfect Realm.
Under Ye Xing’s full-powered assault, the bandit leader was forced into a continuous retreat.
Seven moves later!
SQUELCH! A spray of fresh blood flew through the air.
Ye Xing thrust his sword into the chest of the Third Village Chief of Triangular Mountain, shredding his heart.
"You... My First Brother won’t let you get away with this... You can’t escape... And everyone in this village... will die with me!" Before he died, a savage grin spread across the face of the Third Village Chief of Triangular Mountain. He fell stiffly to the ground, his life extinguished.