Chapter 19. They will be too busy fleeing in surprise.

Rogue Swordsman Huang Yaoming asked, as if confirming, "Ah! So we just need to deal with the leader, right?"

"If we can bring the Chief out, the fight is as good as over."

With those words, Secretive Cloak Swordsman Xin Yangjue tightly shut his mouth like a clam.

Feng Yanchao, the Chief of the Bandits, laughed awkwardly and said, "Did everyone hear that? There's nothing to fear. When they come, just close the gate and hold your ground. As for the aftermath…"

Feng Yanchao glanced sideways at Lian Jieha.

Lian Jieha nodded. "Brother Lian will take care of it! We will win!"

"Yaaah!"

The bandits' shouts echoed through Wufeng Mountain.

***

After the meeting, the bandits dispersed in small groups.

Secretive Cloak Swordsman Xin Yangjue, Shadowless Divine Spear Bai Jiao, Rogue Swordsman Huang Yaoming, Yan Siong, and Tian Yibao entered the same cave. The atmosphere was subtle, perhaps because they had all been defeated by Lian Jieha.

As soon as they entered the room, Huang Yaoming lowered his voice and asked, "Brother Xin, is it really okay to just let things be?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the Nanyang Merchant Guild. There are said to be ninety of them. Is it really okay to just let things be…?"

"Is it not okay? Are you suggesting we run?"

"…"

Huang Yaoming stared intently at Xin Yangjue, as if trying to gauge his sincerity.

Bai Jiao, who had lost his front teeth to Lian Jieha about a month ago, interjected with a lisping voice, "Brother Xin is right. The enemy's numbers are many, but there's no need to worry too much. If things really go south, we can always run. None of them can keep up with us except the Chief. What's there to worry about?"

"Indeed, that's true."

Huang Yaoming's face finally relaxed, as if reassured.

Yan Siong and Tian Yibao, the underlings, also nodded, as if confident in their agility.

Xin Yangjue turned his gaze to Bai Jiao.

His nose was flattened, and his front teeth were all gone, making his face look particularly disfigured.

"Bai, are you planning to retreat?"

"Ha! There's no other way."

"There might be a way…"

Xin Yangjue's expression was ambiguous as he trailed off.

"Do you have a plan?"

Xin Yangjue's eyes turned to Yan Siong and Tian Yibao.

"Being strong isn't just about having excellent martial arts. What about you two? Are you willing to follow a young leader who hasn't even bled yet?"

Yan Siong and Tian Yibao shook their heads.

"No, I only have two leaders."

"Me too."

Perhaps because they all shared the experience of being defeated by Lian Jieha, the five of them had formed a certain sense of camaraderie.

Hearing their firm responses, Xin Yangjue took out a neatly folded piece of paper from his robe and tossed it in front of Yan Siong and Tian Yibao.

"What's this?"

Xin Yangjue replied nonchalantly, "Mountain Attack Powder."

Yan Siong and Tian Yibao blinked.

Mountain Attack Powder is a powder that disperses one's internal energy with just a small dose, a prized possession of evil sect experts. Why would such a thing be brought up here?

"…?"

"Heh heh. If used at the right time, it works better than无形之毒. Give it to the young one before the fight with Liang Wu starts. If he and Liang Wu end up in a lose-lose situation, we will clean up the mess."

"Ah…"

Yan Siong and Tian Yibao only rolled their eyes, hesitant to pick up the paper. They felt uneasy about using it against Lian Jieha.

Though young, he was ruthless. The disfigured face of the old bandit leader Bai Jiao was proof. It was not easy to pick up the Mountain Attack Powder with such a living witness right in front of them.

Yan Siong and Tian Yibao glanced at each other.

This was like two mice trying to tie a bell around a cat's neck. One of them had to do it, but neither wanted to.

Bai Jiao, watching their silent struggle, nudged the paper with his toe.

As the paper slid toward him, Yan Siong's throat made a dry swallow.

"Me?"

"Last time, he went first, so this time it should be you to make it fair."

Yan Siong reluctantly picked up the paper.

If he had known this would happen, he would have taken the hit a month ago.

***

The Nanyang Merchant Guild's warriors arrived at Xiazhuang Village as the sky was turning dusky. The warriors had to spend the night at the Land God Shrine at the entrance of Xiazhuang Village because there were no houses in the village that could accommodate over eighty people.

The Chief and two other leaders stayed inside the Land God Shrine, while the rest set up camp inside the courtyard.

Although it was late March, it was still chilly at night, so the two leaders had to light a fire inside the Land God Shrine.

As the flames rose, the three of them took out dried meat from their travel bags and started eating.

Suo Junping, the Chief of Jing Tian Hall, glanced at Wang Yingjie, the Chief of Feng Yun Hall, while chewing on the dried meat.

"Wang Chief, about that young bandit who is said to be skilled with a sword."

"Yes?"

The two men, both in their early forties, used respectful language with each other.

Wang Yingjie was from the Qingyun Hall, and Suo Junping was from the Hongfang, so they kept their distance. The Qingyun Hall and the Hongfang were secretly competing to monopolize the protection of the Nanyang Merchant Guild.

"Isn't it a bit strange?"

"What is?"

"The fact that his name is mentioned as often as Secretive Cloak Swordsman and Shadowless Divine Spear. Have you ever seen this young bandit, Wang Chief?"

"No."

A bitter smile appeared on Wang Yingjie's face. He had been startled by the arrow attack and had paid the toll voluntarily. Naturally, he had no chance to meet the rising young bandit.

"Is it true that Chief Jiang of the Lightning Sword Hall was defeated by him?"

"Perhaps. If it's true, there must have been some reason unknown to others."

The fact that Chief Jiang Wude of the Lightning Sword Hall, the leader of the Bai Lang Hall of the Wan Shui Merchant Guild, was defeated by a young bandit was an open secret. Of course, few people believed the rumor entirely.

Suo Junping nodded and turned his gaze to Jing Tian Swordsman Li Wu.

"What does the Chief think?"

"What do you mean?"

Li Wu, with a piece of dried meat in his mouth, met Suo Junping's eyes.

"About the young bandit in Wufeng Mountain. Is he really as formidable as the rumors suggest?"

"When I was training at the Huashan Sect, I heard a phrase so often that it stuck in my ears: Tang Ma Mie Si."

"…"

Wang Yingjie and Suo Junping were momentarily speechless.

Indeed, the Chief, being a lay disciple of the Huashan Sect, thought differently.

"Our goal is to eliminate the bandits in Wufeng Mountain. What does the age of the enemy matter? If the enemy stands before us with a sword, we cut them down."

Suo Junping felt his question was futile and changed the topic.

"Anyway, now that Wufeng Mountain is in sight, how do you plan to arrange the warriors?"

"The terrain is narrow, so it will be difficult to maintain formation. We will all advance together, with Feng Yun Hall on the left and Jing Tian Hall on the right. I will guard the center with the warriors of the main hall."

"What about the experts from the Qingyun Hall?"

"I have already told them to stay in the center as much as possible. They won't be of much help, but…"

Chief Li Wu also believed, like the boat owner, that the Nanyang Merchant Guild's warriors were sufficient for the battle.

Wang Yingjie nodded and asked, "I heard from Xiazhuang Village that the bandits number over thirty. It seems to be more than we expected, and I'm a bit worried."

"Many, you say? Most of them are displaced farmers. How many of them have trained in internal and external martial arts like Secretive Cloak Swordsman and Shadowless Divine Spear? When we charge in and shoot a few arrows, they will be too busy fleeing in surprise."

"Indeed!"

"That's right."

With the experience of many bandit suppression campaigns, Li Wu's words made the two leaders nod in agreement.

***

Finally, the day of the decisive battle arrived.

Chief Li Wu of the Nanyang Merchant Guild led seventy warriors from the guild and eleven warriors from the Qingyun Hall, a total of eighty-one people, toward Wufeng Mountain.

However, halfway up the mountain, their path was blocked by dozens of logs, preventing them from advancing further.

Soon, the heads of the bandits appeared above the stacked logs.

"Where do you think you're going, dogs of the Merchant Guild!"

"You bastards! Why don't you just scram!"

"The Nanyang Merchant Guild will never pass through Wufeng Mountain again!"

"Do you think the Green Forest is easy to deal with!"

From a distance of about ten zhang (about 30 meters), Chief Li Wu waved his hand.

As if on cue, a dozen archers stepped forward.

Whoosh!

As the archers shot their arrows, the bandits' heads quickly ducked down.

The archers continued to shoot without pause.

When the arrows in their quivers were almost depleted, Li Wu shouted, "Immediately cross the log wall! Feng Yun Hall, lead the way! Jing Tian Hall, follow behind!"

"Yes!"

Wang Yingjie, the Chief of Feng Yun Hall, led over twenty subordinates up the slope. Over twenty experts from Jing Tian Hall closely followed behind.

Suddenly, a few arrows flew from inside the log wall. However, since they were not aimed, no one was hit by the blind arrows.

The Feng Yun Hall warriors quickly climbed the log wall.

The first to reach the top was Chief Wang Yingjie, who kicked off a tree and climbed up.

However, as soon as he reached the top, Wang Yingjie leaped backward.

Three halberds narrowly missed his feet.

Wang Yingjie flipped several times in mid-air and landed gracefully on the ground.

The Feng Yun Hall warriors followed, climbing over the log wall. However, the ordinary warriors could not withstand the halberd attacks that even Chief Wang Yingjie had struggled to handle.

The Feng Yun Hall warriors were pushed back by the halberd attacks.

As injuries from the halberds mounted, Li Wu ordered the warriors to retreat.

Furious, Wang Yingjie stood in front of the log wall and shouted, "You Green Forest bandits, making such loud noises! Hiding like mice! Can you even call yourselves men!"

After a moment, the heads of the bandits began to appear over the logs.

Ma Xingdao, one of the bandits, responded, "You're the one making a fuss! What do you expect when you come like a pack of dogs? You dog! Bark from there. Do you think we'll come out just because you do that!"

"Shameless brats! What are you barking about, coming in a pack like that!"

"Get lost, idiot! We're not coming out!"

"Hehe! Do you think we're fools?"

Unable to bear the bandits' taunts, Wang Yingjie turned away dejectedly.

Li Wu, who had been surveying the surrounding terrain, called out to Suo Junping, the Chief of Jing Tian Hall.

"Go to Xiazhuang Village and get some oil."

"Ah, a fire attack?"

"Yes. If we burn the logs, where will they hide?"

"Understood."

Suo Junping descended the mountain with his subordinates and returned around noon with three barrels of oil.

However, Li Wu did not immediately launch the fire attack.

Instead, he pulled the warriors back and tightened the defenses, passing the time aimlessly.

Wang Yingjie, who had sent five injured warriors down to Xiazhuang Village, asked impatiently, "Chief, when do you plan to attack?"

"If we prepare the fire attack in broad daylight, the enemy might counter or prepare. I plan to remove the logs under the cover of darkness. Don't be too hasty."

It made sense. However, Wang Yingjie's mind was uneasy. The continuous failures were gradually eroding the Qingyun Hall's standing within the Nanyang Merchant Guild.