Chapter 16

As the heavy door of the stone chamber slammed shut, the torch-bearing bandit felt a strong gust of wind coming from his left. He knew something was amiss and didn't have time to wonder how someone inside could have untied the ropes. He swung his saber with all his might. Before he could see the full swing, he felt a heavy blow to his chest, as if struck by a large iron hammer. His internal organs felt shattered, and he was overwhelmed with indescribable pain.

He realized the other party was well-prepared and had planned the ambush. He tried to shout for help, hoping his companions resting in the ancient temple would hear and come to his aid. Unfortunately, before he could utter a word, another heavy punch landed on his forehead. The force was so great that he didn't even groan before collapsing unconscious.

The one who delivered these two punches was none other than Wei Tianqing.

The second bandit reacted swiftly. Hearing the door close behind him, he didn't move forward but immediately turned and swung his saber. Although the stone chamber was dim, the torch hadn't gone out, and by its light, he saw his saber cutting toward a figure.

His swing was decisive and swift, but the figure didn't retreat. Instead, it moved forward with incredible speed. Before his saber could land, the figure darted in front of him like a cheetah and rammed into his abdomen.

The impact was significant, and the bandit felt intense discomfort in his stomach, weakening his grip. He instantly reacted, opening his mouth to call for help, but the other party was prepared. A fist struck his chin from below, causing his jaw to vibrate painfully. His jawbone was dislocated, and his mouth, though open, couldn't close.

Frustrated and angry, he sensed another gust of wind from behind. Before he could turn, Wei Tianqing, who had rushed from behind, landed another heavy punch on the back of his head. Dizzy and disoriented, he fell to the ground.

In an instant, the two bandits were felled by Chu Huan and Wei Tianqing. Wei Tianqing picked up the torch, glanced at Chu Huan, and gave him a thumbs-up, saying, "Little brother, well done!"

The people inside the room had woken up. Under the light, they saw the two bandits lying on the ground and were overjoyed. Wei Tianqing turned to them and whispered, "If you want to leave, don't make any sudden moves or noise."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Madam Qiao's face was still pale. She had followed Wei Tianqing's instructions, claiming that someone inside was dying to lure the bandits in. She had been tense and spoke convincingly. Now, she urged, "Wei Tianqing, let's go quickly. If we don't leave soon, the bandits will discover us, and we won't be able to escape!"

The others nodded, eager to leave.

Wei Tianqing respectfully said to Madam Qiao, "Madam, please stay calm. I'll go out and find the horses first, then come back to lead you all out." He then asked, "Who among you can ride a horse? Raise your hands!"

The people looked at each other, and soon four hands were raised, one of them belonging to Zhu Fa from Longhe Horse Market, who was holding his stomach and sweating. The painful cries the bandits heard earlier were from him. His cries were realistic, not because of his acting skills, but because Wei Tianqing had punched his stomach to achieve the best effect, using only half his strength but causing Zhu Fa great pain.

Chu Huan also noticed that Su Linlang had raised her hand.

Wei Tianqing nodded slightly, signaling everyone to lower their hands. He looked at Chu Huan, who understood and nodded, indicating he could ride a horse.

"Out of ten of us, six can ride horses!" Wei Tianqing said. "This makes things easier. Those who can ride will help those who can't. Once I find the horses, I'll come back to lead you all out!" He paused and added solemnly, "You all know these bandits are numerous and ruthless. When we find the horses, mount them and escape. We're not familiar with the terrain, so whether we can escape their pursuit depends on your luck." He didn't want to delay and said to Chu Huan, "Little brother, stay here and protect the madam. I'll go out to find the horses. I'll reward you generously after this."

Chu Huan smiled faintly and said, "Let's split up. I need to find my belongings too!" Without another word, he gently opened the door and disappeared from sight.

Wei Tianqing was taken aback, unsure what Chu Huan was up to, but didn't delay. He handed the torch to Madam Qiao and whispered, "Tie these two up and gag them!" He then turned and left, scanning the area. It was quiet, and Chu Huan was nowhere to be seen. He closed the door and, guided by memory, made his way out of the ancient temple in the darkness.

...

...

Hou Muxin held a special position among the bandits. Most of them were resting in a dilapidated but spacious side room of the ancient temple. They had been sleepless and exhausted recently, and now that they had kidnapped Madam Qiao, they felt more relaxed. Many of them, after eating some dry rations, fell into a deep sleep in the old house.

Hou Muxin, however, was resting in a smaller room. He had set up a makeshift bed with wooden planks. Lying on the bed, he closed his eyes but couldn't fall asleep. The heat in his lower abdomen didn't subside and grew stronger. His mind was filled with the alluring figure he had seen on the window paper, imagining Lin Daier's fair skin, making him feel unbearably hot.

He sat up, removed his mask, and rubbed his face, trying to calm down. But the image of Lin Daier's curvaceous figure wouldn't leave his mind, filling him with intense desire. He put the bronze mask back on, stood up, and paced for a while. Suddenly, he stopped, his eyes behind the mask gleaming strangely.

"Lin Daier can't move, but there are still three women in there," Hou Muxin muttered to himself. "The woman in the hood looks good, but she seems brave and might be hard to handle... Madam Qiao, on the other hand, is quite beautiful and seems timid. I can bring her over for questioning... Heh heh, even if I force myself on her, she would be too proud to tell anyone!" The thought excited him, and he didn't hesitate, quietly opening the door and looking around. Seeing no one, he stealthily made his way toward the stone chamber.

Thinking about the pleasure he would soon have with a beautiful woman like Madam Qiao, his desire burned intensely, and he quickened his pace.

...

Following his memory, Wei Tianqing crept out of the ancient temple in the darkness. He saw two horse-drawn carriages parked outside. He approached quietly, hearing snoring from inside one of the carriages. He knew bandits were inside and considered eliminating them but feared causing more trouble. His primary goal was to protect Madam Qiao and help her escape. He decided against it and instead moved stealthily to the left side of the temple.

He circled the temple, passing through ruins and broken stones, and reached the back. By the moonlight, he saw a small pond nearby, with a few scattered trees. Seven horses were tied there, and a figure was leaning against one of the trees, seemingly asleep.

Wei Tianqing knew it was the bandit guarding the horses. He crouched down and moved quietly around the bandit, observing for a moment to confirm he was asleep. Then, he crept closer, slowly raising his saber. He positioned the blade at the bandit's throat and sliced it, severing the throat.

The bandit, in his sleep, felt the pain and instinctively raised his hand to his throat, making a gurgling sound before collapsing and dying.

Wei Tianqing smiled coldly, dragged the bandit's body behind a tree, and surveyed the area by the moonlight. Satisfied, he returned to the temple, quietly opening the door to the stone room. The people inside were startled but relaxed when they saw Wei Tianqing.

Madam Qiao asked urgently, "Did you find the horses?"

Wei Tianqing nodded, seeing the two unconscious bandits were tied up. He whispered, "We're leaving now. Extinguish the torch, and follow me, holding each other's clothes. We must make no noise. I'll lead you to the horses, and once we have them, everyone should go their separate ways. Take care!"

Su Linlang suddenly said, "He hasn't come back yet!"

"Who?" Wei Tianqing was puzzled, then realized who she meant. Looking around, he saw no sign of Chu Huan and frowned. "Where did he go? Why hasn't he returned?"

No one spoke, and after a moment, someone cautiously said, "He... might have already left."

Others exchanged glances, and someone agreed, "He might have really left. Otherwise, why hasn't he returned after so long?"

Su Linlang paused, then said softly, "He's probably looking for his package. He... he wouldn't abandon us." Her voice was calm, but her tone was firm, as if she was certain Chu Huan wouldn't leave them behind.