Chapter 70

"Kyaah! Shit, shit! Kill that bastard!"

The bandit, trembling like a rag, grabbed his bleeding wrist and shouted. The other bandits, who had been smirking, were momentarily confused, but upon hearing the cry, they finally gathered their weapons. Zhang Jian, confirming that all the bandits had drawn their swords, pulled out his own sword.

The bandits had formed a semicircle around the entrance of the inn, and Zhang Jian's sword was pointed at the one at the far end, the closest to the inn.

The bandit facing Zhang Jian didn't see anything clearly. Something flashed in an instant, and the world spun around him. He found himself spinning in the air, about to collapse. He wanted to scream, but his head, separated from his body, fell to the ground without making a sound. The world went dark.

After cutting off that bandit's head, Zhang Jian swung his sword at the nearby bandits in sequence. Three bandits were struck by the sword and fell one after another. Only then did the other bandits realize they needed to attack him. They shouted and charged at Zhang Jian.

When martial artists fight, two experts of a certain level can decide their life and death in a single move. So, what happens when an expert of that level fights several lower-level bandits?

After killing the first bandits, Zhang Jian hardly moved. There was no need. When the clumsy bandits rushed at him, he simply dodged their attacks and countered. This alone was enough to leave the bandits with large wounds on their necks or chests, causing them to collapse.

After about six bandits fell, the remaining bandits stiffened. Only then did they realize the gap in skill between Zhang Jian and themselves. They began to inch backward, showing signs of wanting to flee.

At that moment, Zhang Jian said, "There's nothing easier than cutting down the back of a fleeing person."

The remaining four bandits froze. They looked at Zhang Jian with trembling eyes and swallowed hard. Then, a bandit who was still clutching his wrist and sitting on the ground shouted, "You idiots! Why are you going one by one to die? Attack all at once! He only has two arms!"

It was a sound judgment. Who wouldn't think so? For a martial artist who expends a lot of energy in a single move, few things are as threatening as a group attack. Even Zhang Jian had suffered a major injury in a one-against-many fight in the past.

The bandits, realizing their numbers were still significantly greater, exchanged trembling glances and glared at Zhang Jian, their eyes now filled with killing intent, not just fear.

Lian, who had been watching Zhang Jian's amazing martial arts, felt other gazes. Looking around, he saw that, just like when they entered the village, many people were watching the fight from the windows and doorways of the buildings. Lian could see a glimmer of hope and excitement in the dirty faces of the people.

Meanwhile, as Zhang Jian and the bandits caught their breath, the surrounding area became very quiet. The fallen bandits were already dead, and the bandit who had lost his wrist was sweating profusely but still watching his comrades and Zhang Jian. Zhang Jian, standing with his sword hanging down, and the four tense bandits stared at each other.

Then, a gust of wind blew, raising a cloud of dust in Zhang Jian's direction. Dust entered his eyes, and he frowned, closing his eyes. The bandits saw this as an opportunity and moved.

A clear metallic sound echoed through the street. In an instant, the positions of Zhang Jian and the four bandits had switched.

Lian, Yang Hong, and the villagers watching all held their breath. Who had won? The bandits who had been disrupting the village, or the stranger who had suddenly appeared?

In the next moment, the four frozen bandits collapsed. Blood gushed from their fallen bodies, staining the dry ground.

Zhang Jian, who had been closing his eyes until then, straightened up, shook off the blood from his sword, and sheathed it. Only then did he blink and rub his eyes.

He then noticed a small tear in the sleeve of his left arm and clicked his tongue. It wasn't just because his eyes were closed; the flow of his internal energy had become slightly impure when he threw the needle. He patted the torn part to remove the dust and approached the last bandit.

"What... the hell... is this...?"

The bandit, clutching his bleeding wrist, was trembling. He gritted his teeth as he looked at the approaching Zhang Jian. However, Zhang Jian walked past him and headed towards the building across the street. There was a large wooden pillar in front of the building.

The needle Zhang Jian had thrown was embedded in the pillar. Around the needle, which was more than halfway in, there were spiral marks as if a beast had clawed it.

The reason for the impurity in Zhang Jian's internal energy was this. It was a kind of martial technique, and he had experimented to see if he could apply it to a projectile, as he usually did with his fists. The result was that the power was not significant compared to the internal energy used, and without the counterforce to neutralize the rough flow, it strained his qi and blood. Additionally, when he tried to pull the needle out, it broke halfway.

Seeing the broken needle, Zhang Jian shrugged and threw it on the ground. Not every experiment or challenge in martial arts would succeed, but he could still learn from the failure, so it wasn't all bad.

After discarding the needle, Zhang Jian finally approached the bandit who had lost his wrist. The bandit looked up at Zhang Jian with a pale face.

"What do you mean by receiving a letter?"

"P-please... I've lost too much blood..."

Zhang Jian nodded and squatted down, taking the bandit's wrist and pressing his fingers into the arm. The blood, which was still flowing, stopped. The bandit looked surprised, and suddenly Zhang Jian slapped him across the face. The bandit made a sound and fell to the side. Zhang Jian asked again, "Do I need to ask the question again?"

"N-no, no. A letter... from the Shen Shachuan side... said that a few people, including a woman, would pass through here, and if possible, to capture them..."

"Who sent the letter?"

The bandit glanced at Zhang Jian's eyes, hesitated, and then answered, "From... the Dark Merchant of Shen Shachuan."

Zhang Jian smiled and looked at Yang Hong, who was in front of the inn. "They said they never leave Shen Shachuan?" Of course, that was impossible. It was natural for those with power to expand outward. Of course, it might have been a change of heart due to a failed transaction.

The Dark Merchant, through Lian's interpretation, knew the content of the map. While he didn't know the final destination, he knew the starting point and that Lian's shop had been ransacked, with people on the run. He also knew that the people who had stolen the map were with her. Perhaps the Dark Merchant's warriors were already on their way here.

In any case, the number of enemies had definitely increased. Zhang Jian, still smiling, looked at Yang Hong, who was approaching, and then back at the bandit.

"Shen Shachuan is only two days away from here. How did you think you could cause such chaos in this small village? Weren't you afraid of the Martial Arts Alliance?"

"We... didn't plan to stay long. We came here four days ago and intended to leave within two days."

"Did you wander from village to village, targeting places without a branch of the Martial Arts Alliance or small ones to loot?"

"...Yes."

Zhang Jian nodded and stood up. It seemed there was nothing more to ask. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword. But then he noticed the surroundings. Dozens of villagers had quietly come out of their houses and filled the street.

Seeing their ragged clothes and dirty faces, but also their brightened expressions, Zhang Jian smiled and let go of his sword. He then grabbed the still fallen bandit and threw him in front of the villagers. He dusted off his hands and said, "Do as you please."

The bandit, rolling on the ground, saw the angry faces of the villagers. His body trembled.

* * *

Lian, despite riding the cleanest horse in the inn's stable, was not in a good mood. Zhang Jian noticed and asked, "Is the saddle uncomfortable?"

"Huh? No, it's not that. It's just... I wonder if the villagers will be okay now."

"The Martial Arts Alliance will set up a proper branch if they recognize the situation in the village. It will also be included in the regular patrol routes. With that, bandits won't target the village."

Lian nodded, saying, "I see." Behind them, Yang Hong, touching the bruise on his cheek, smiled. It was the result of a hard punch from Zhang Jian before they left the village. But despite the pain, when he saw the opportunity to tease Lian, he said with a grin, "I don't think our scholar is frowning for that reason."

"...You bastard..."

Lian immediately reached for the axe at her waist. But after a quick glance at Zhang Jian, she quietly put it back. Yang Hong, who had known her for a long time, was slightly surprised. Lian's beauty and reputation in the dirty underworld were due not only to her skills but also to her temper.

"You, be careful. I can really catch you one day."

Yang Hong laughed awkwardly, thinking he should stay close to Zhang Jian for a while. Despite the paradox that the safest place was next to someone who could give you a bruise for a minor mistake, he felt a bit dejected.

Zhang Jian, hearing their bickering, turned his head and looked back. The village, whose name he didn't know, was already far away and faint. The village, which had been occupied by bandits for several days, must have suffered a lot. But they were alive and would rebuild their village and fields. Zhang Jian hoped they would quickly forget this incident.

They rode with Lian leading the way. The direction was southeast.

* * *

On a hill of moderate height, the Taiping soldiers were looking into the distance.

"Our forces are there. What about retreating now?"

Zhu Xian, who played the role of a strategist in the Taiping, said to the leader Bai Shajing. But Bai Shajing, looking at the distant dust cloud, said nothing. Zhu Xian, biting her lip, glanced back and said in a low voice, "They may act like heroes now, but most of them were loafers or ruffians until recently. They will be crushed like eggs on the ground when they face the real warriors of the ancient families."

But Bai Shajing only looked into the distance with deep-set eyes. Seeing this, Zhu Xian finally couldn't hold back and was about to shout. But Bai Shajing spoke a beat faster, stopping her.

"We haven't found Galong yet."

"…He is probably dead. The map group had no reason to keep him alive while fleeing."

Bai Shajing shook his head.

"We haven't seen his body. So, there's a high chance he's still alive."

Zhu Xian, frustrated, muttered and said discontentedly, "Damn, do you know what the worst-case scenario is? If the map group just left Galong in the wilderness and our pursuit team found him, then our goal would no longer be the map group but to kill both the pursuit team and the map group to protect our Taiping's information."

With their current number of about thirty and the enemy's forces of nearly a hundred, they would have a hard time surviving in that case. But despite the bleak outlook, Bai Shajing said calmly, "We will save Galong. We will also obtain the Li family's treasure and Li Shimin's martial arts."

Zhu Xian wanted to shout, "How will you do that?" But Bai Shajing, as if he had heard the question, turned to her and smiled.

"Opportunities will arise as we chase. Don't think only of the worst."

"…Yes, leader."

Bai Shajing, having calmed her, led his horse forward, raised his hand, and shouted, "The blue sky has passed, and the mandate of Han has ended!"

The Taiping, who had been slightly dejected at the sight of the enemy's pursuit team, all opened their eyes wide and raised their right hands in response. They shouted in unison, "The time of the Yellow Springs is coming soon!"

Bai Shajing, satisfied with their response, shouted again, "Let's go! Those who abandon their comrades and flee will lose the opportunities they once had! Let's save Galong and obtain the map!"

With that, Bai Shajing led the charge. The Taiping, believing they were following a righteous cause, followed with shining eyes. Zhu Xian, still worried, shook her head and followed at the back.

In the scorching sunlight of the wilderness, various thoughts and desires rose like the dust cloud, mixing and swirling in a murky haze.