Martial Arts Overlord

The night grew darker, and the once-bustling Luo Mansion fell into tranquility.

CLIP-CLOP...

At the main entrance of the Luo Mansion, two robust Fire Cloud Horses were led out by servants.

The horses sneezed, warm air puffing from their nostrils, their hooves impatiently stomping the ground. It was clear they were displeased to be awoken at such a late hour.

"Young Master, the horses are ready," the servant said respectfully, bringing the horses before Luo Feng.

Luo Feng nodded and took the reins.

"Feng Er, can’t you stay one more night and leave tomorrow? It’s already so late." Yang Qing stood beside him, her gaze fixed on Luo Feng with reluctance.

Luo Feng’s abrupt decision to return to the school overnight had sent the entire Luo Mansion into a flurry of activity.

Luo Feng glanced at Bing Ruolan standing nearby, then turned back to Luotian and Yang Qing, saying, "I remembered some urgent matters and need to return to the school as quickly as possible. Father, Mother, the night wind is cold; you should both head back. I’ll take good care of myself."

There were still six days left until the day Luo Feng had agreed to duel with Duanmu Yu. He had originally planned to set off for the Purple Sun School tomorrow.

However, after learning about the mission Bing Ruolan had undertaken, he changed his mind. He decided to help Bing Ruolan complete her mission before returning to the school.

Yang Qing gently touched Luo Feng’s cheek, her eyes glistening slightly. "Let Mother have a good look at you. Don’t be reckless when you’re out there; I just want you to be safe and sound. If you run out of silver, just write us a letter, and I will arrange for someone to deliver some to you."

Hearing this, Luotian smiled resignedly and said, "Yang Qing, Feng Er is all grown up; he can manage his own affairs. We shouldn’t worry unnecessarily. Feng Er, be careful on the road."

"Mm."

Yang Qing turned her gaze to Bing Ruolan, who was standing next to Luo Feng. She smiled lovingly and said, "Ruolan, please come visit us whenever you have time. My son, Feng Er, acts impulsively and without considering the consequences; please remind him to be more careful."

Luo Feng pouted. "Mother, am I really that bad?"

Bing Ruolan’s lips curved into a faint smile. She looked at Yang Qing, saying, "Thank you, Aunt. I will."

Luo Feng climbed onto his horse and said to the people standing outside the main gate, "Brother, Mother, Father, Zi Ling, I’m off. Take care of yourselves."

"Second Brother, I’ll be waiting to hear the news of you becoming one of the Four Great Talents!" Luo Xiao, hand in hand with Li Yun, waved and chuckled at Luo Feng.

"Alright, I certainly will! Giddyup!"

Luo Feng nodded vigorously, turned his horse around, and together with Bing Ruolan, they galloped away.

The duo rode straight to the west gate of Panlong City. The city gates were already closed for the night, but seeing it was Luo Feng, the gatekeepers hurriedly opened them to let them pass.

"Luo Feng, you didn’t really need to leave in such a hurry. Even if I don’t complete this mission, it will be alright," Bing Ruolan said as they left Panlong City and galloped under the moonlight.

"That won’t do at all," Luo Feng shook his head. "I’ve heard that if an inner courtyard student fails a mission they accepted, a point will be deducted from their school credit. Your school credits are currently zero, aren’t they? I don’t want my class leader to have negative school credits."

Upon hearing his words, Bing Ruolan immediately became displeased. She pouted and snapped back, "Hmph, do you think I’m embarrassing you?"

"I didn’t say that."

Luo Feng smiled faintly. "Since I know about it, I can’t just ignore it. Besides, the Sky Wolf Camp has been wreaking havoc in the Wolf Tooth Mountain region for years. Our going there is also to rid the people of this scourge."

"But you only have about five to six days left, right? If you don’t manage to get into the inner courtyard before your three-year deadline is up, you’ll lose your qualification for promotion to the inner courtyard. Will you have enough time?" Bing Ruolan asked, looking worried.

"That’s why we must act decisively and quickly! Giddyup!"

Luo Feng laughed loudly, his laughter reverberating several miles in the night. Spurring his Fire Cloud Horse to full speed, he raced forward like a gust of wind and a bolt of lightning, quickly leaving the scenery behind.

"Wait for me..."

Watching Luo Feng’s retreating figure, Bing Ruolan spurred her horse to follow. A faint dimple appeared on her delicate face, her soft voice as pleasing as wind chimes in the night wind, her short blue hair swaying gently, like waves on the sea.

「...」

「A night later, Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan arrived at a plain.」

In the plain, the main road was overgrown with weeds standing half a person’s height. Every few steps, human bones could be seen, lending the whole area a sense of desolation.

"This road used to be very prosperous, but ever since the Sky Wolf Camp appeared, no one dares to use this road anymore, and it gradually fell into disuse," Luo Feng remarked, gazing at the desolate scenery around him.

Bing Ruolan nodded slightly, her Daimei furrowing as she looked at the bones by the roadside.

"Hmm? There are people ahead. Let’s take a look."

Luo Feng’s eyebrows twitched. He swiftly dismounted, employed his Qinggong, and moved silently ahead.

Bing Ruolan secured the horses and followed Luo Feng from a distance.

Ahead, within the messy weeds, a few mounted martial artists surrounded an old man. Their drawn weapons glinted coldly, reeking of killing intent.

The elderly man was frail and hunched over, carrying a bamboo basket on his back, while leading a well-behaved little girl of about five or six years old by the hand.

The little girl’s face had turned pale, clearly terrified by the sight before her.

Kneeling on the ground, the old man looked fearfully at the horse bandits surrounding him and pleaded, "Sirs, this old man only transports sea salt to Panlong City for sale. The meager earnings are just enough for sustenance; I don’t have a single Silver Tael on me, nor any other valuables! I implore you kind gentlemen to spare the lives of me and my granddaughter."

The horse bandits roared with laughter, their gazes fierce.

One of them, a bandit holding a twelve-foot gleaming steel spear, rode forward and sneered, "Who says you have no valuables? Isn’t this something?"

Saying so, he flicked his wrist, and his shiny spearhead pointed at the little girl kneeling beside the old man.

"Haha... This little girl isn’t bad, she’s quite pretty, just a bit thin. I wonder if the Second Gang Leader will like her."

"What does it matter if she’s thin? Bring her back, give her some good food for a few days, and she’ll surely fatten up."

A few horse bandits nearby laughed unabashedly.

"Grandpa, I’m scared..." The little girl trembled, her small hand tightly clutching the hem of her clothing.

"Xiao Xuan..." Hearing the laughter, the old man’s face turned ashen. He pulled the girl tightly into his embrace. Suddenly, his normally turbid pupils brightened, and he said sternly, "You can take anything else, but if you want my granddaughter, you’ll have to step over my dead body first!"

The laughter abruptly ceased. A menacing look appeared in the eyes of the horse bandit who held the twelve-foot long spear.

"Humph! Old man, if you refuse a toast, you’ll be forced to drink a forfeit! There’s nothing that we, Sky Wolf Camp, want and can’t get! Die!"

WHOOSH!

With a flash of cold light, the long spear lunged out like a Jiao Dragon, aiming for the old man.

Just as the spear was about to pierce a bloody hole in the old man, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air.

BANG! A stone accurately hit the tip of the spear. The armed horse bandit couldn’t stop his momentum and was thrown off his horse, landing face-first in the dirt.

"Who! Get the hell out here!"

The bandit who fell had lost several teeth; his mouth was full of blood, and he was a sorry sight. Jumping up from the ground, he glared with rage in the direction the stone had come from.

The sound of light footsteps became clearer, and a teenager in martial attire emerged from the bushes.

The black hair on his forehead stirred slightly; underneath was a pair of eyes, deep like wells, their sharpness concealed. The boy’s somewhat youthful face held a maturity beyond his years. It was Luo Feng.

"Boy, you dare meddle in the affairs of Sky Wolf Camp?"

Several horse bandits drew their swords and looked menacingly at Luo Feng.

Luo Feng’s expression remained nonchalant. He snorted lightly and beckoned them over. "If you’re going to make a move, do it quickly. I’m in a hurry."

The bandits were momentarily stunned. He’s in a hurry?

They had never encountered someone so arrogant before. Bursting into laughter, they quickly dismissed him. They then turned to the bandit who had fallen to the ground and said, "Xue Li, he’s yours. Teach him a lesson!"

Xue Li, who had lost two front teeth thanks to Luo Feng, was eager for revenge. Hearing the order, he sneered, kicked the steel spear from the ground into his hand, and with the spear tip bursting into a flurry of deadly feints, lunged at Luo Feng!

Despite the spear tip surging towards him, Luo Feng remained as calm as the wind and clouds. Extending his hand, he accurately caught the spear tip, then applied a bit of force, bending the long steel spear into a crescent moon shape before suddenly snapping it straight!

With a loud TWANG! The other end of the spear struck Xue Li’s chest heavily.

CRACK! Xue Li spat up blood and was hurled backward as though struck by lightning, landing hard on the ground. His chest caved in; he was already dead.

WHOOSH!

Without pausing, Luo Feng moved into the crowd.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

His fists flew. Some of the bandits, along with their horses, were sent flying before they could even react, crashing to the ground and beaten to a pulp.

"I told you I’m in a hurry."

Luo Feng quickly took care of them all and brushed off his hands.

"That was quick."

Bing Ruolan brought the horses over. Her beautiful eyes swept over him, seemingly unsurprised.

Luo Feng shrugged and laughed, "They were just a few small fry."

By now, the old man who had been kneeling on the ground had finally awoken from the shock. He looked at Luo Feng and bowed deeply, gratefully saying, "Thank you, young sir, for saving our lives! Xiao Xuan, quickly thank this brother..."

The sweet-looking little girl stared at Luo Feng in wonder, a peculiar gleam in her eyes.

"Please stand up, sir. I can’t accept such a deep bow."

Luo Feng helped the old man stand and asked, "Do you know the way to Wolf Tooth Mountain?"

"Wolf Tooth Mountain?"

The old man shuddered and swallowed hard. He pointed in a direction and said, "Go thirty miles that way. Why do you ask, young sir?"

Luo Feng hopped onto his horse and replied with a smile, "We’re headed there."

"Don’t!"

The old man cried out in alarm. His eyes filled with fear, he sternly warned, "You both may not know this. The notorious Sky Wolf Camp is on Wolf Tooth Mountain. Their leaders, ’One-eyed Wolf’ Qin Tai and ’Flower Faced Civet’ Xu Huan, have extremely high cultivation and are cruel in their actions. Anyone who nears Wolf Tooth Mountain never returns alive! You mustn’t go there! Your lives will be in danger!"

Luo Feng and Bing Ruolan exchanged a smile, and Luo Feng said, "Thank you for the warning, sir. However, we are students of the Purple Sun School. We’ve accepted a mission from the school to annihilate the Sky Wolf Camp."

Taking out a silver note worth a hundred taels from his pocket, he placed it in the old man’s hand and said, "Sir, take this money. These bandits should also have some savings on them. These Silver Taels should allow you to open a small shop in Panlong City. From now on, you can take care of your granddaughter peacefully and no longer come to this dangerous place."

Having said that, Luo Feng let out a long cry and rode away.

Bing Ruolan watched Luo Feng’s retreating figure, a peculiar sparkle in her bright blue eyes. She smiled faintly, turned her horse around, and followed him, leaving the stunned grandfather and granddaughter behind.