Chapter 5: Ambushing Bandits

Hearing the ethereal singing from the darkness in the distance, Mu Yuan faintly felt that within that carefree and unrestrained tone, there was a hidden sense of twilight, as if life and death were right before one’s eyes—unavoidable and inescapable!

Of course, this was just a vague feeling Mu Yuan had. Thinking about it, he found it somewhat amusing. This ragged Taoist was absolutely unfathomable—at least much stronger than his own lazy master. This perception came from ten years of practicing cultivation, and it had little to do with his actual power or skill.

If this old Taoist was truly in some kind of trouble, there was no way Mu Yuan could solve it by himself.

The martial artists gradually dispersed. A few of them, heavily drunk, stumbled into their tents, and soon thunderous snores could be heard. The surroundings quieted down, with only the occasional cry of night birds and the low growls of hidden beasts coming from the distant forests.

Mu Yuan, however, felt no sleepiness at all. He slipped back into his tent and fiddled with the green gourd in his hand, feeling quite curious. Slowly, he channeled his Zhenqi, letting it flow gently toward the gourd, while also opening up his spiritual awareness. He followed the Zhenqi, sensing any changes within.

As his Zhenqi entered the gourd, Mu Yuan suddenly felt his vision broaden. A vast space appeared out of nowhere. Instead of being narrow, the inside of the gourd was about two li in radius, yet it gave a strange sense of spatial distortion, as if everything was somewhat unreal. Moreover, this space was filled with thick, shifting Water-Attributed Elemental Power, producing sounds like the ebb and flow of tides. Among the Five Elements, Black Water nourishes Green Wood. When Mu Yuan’s Longevity True Qi infused into it, it immediately burst with intense vitality, seeming to grow stronger in an instant.

Mu Yuan felt a surge of joy, thinking to himself that this was truly a treasure. He slightly concentrated his Zhenqi, sensing the Water-Attributed Elemental Power, and then activated the Greenwood Divine Radiance technique. The dense elemental power inside the gourd instantly transformed into countless thin, black sword qi that shot out in all directions. The shimmering light was dazzling to behold.

Although using the Greenwood Divine Radiance sword art to channel Water-Attributed Elemental Power wasn’t a perfect match, Mu Yuan was still very pleased. After all, the concentration of Water-Attributed Elemental Power inside the gourd far exceeded his own cultivation level, and the power it unleashed was much greater than when he used Longevity True Qi to perform Greenwood Divine Radiance.

“If I had a Water-Attributed sword art, I’d be even more formidable with this magical item—what a shame!” Mu Yuan felt a slight regret. With a thought, he retracted his Longevity True Qi inside the gourd, and the one-chi-tall gourd in his hand immediately shrank to just a few inches. Mu Yuan adored it dearly. He threaded a silk cord through it and hung it around his neck.

“This gourd is truly an amazing item. Not only can it be used for storage, but it’s also excellent for combat. If I were to encounter a warrior of Gai Tiancheng’s level now, at least I wouldn’t have to be afraid!” Satisfied, Mu Yuan lay down to rest. The Longevity True Qi inside him continued to circulate slowly along its set path, but each time it passed the gourd on his chest, it grew slightly thicker, making his cultivation more effective than before.

Time passed steadily, and gradually the darkness faded as the red sun rose in the east. The carriages and horses set off again, continuing their journey.

They traveled along the main road, swaying and rocking as they went. Years of continuous warfare had drained the Tiandu Kingdom’s finances and resources, all poured into the war effort. Compounding this, this year brought a severe drought, resulting in a miserable autumn harvest. Along the roadside, beggars and famine victims began to appear in growing numbers. They stared at the luxurious carriages and horses with eyes full of hope, eagerness, and even greed.

Mu Yuan watched the beggars by the roadside and could clearly sense the intentions in their eyes. He couldn’t help but sigh. When granaries are full, people know etiquette; but now, when even basic food and warmth are out of reach, how could anyone expect these people to remain law-abiding? Turning to banditry was quite normal, and crimes like robbery were no longer rare.

However, Jia Bu’s group had quite formidable martial artists on horseback. Although the refugees eyed them covetously, none dared to actually attack and rob them.

When noon arrived, the caravan was passing through a narrow gorge. The mountain path was tight, with steep cliffs and deep valleys on either side, lined with a row of maple trees adorned with red leaves. Even though the weather was gradually cooling, the journey still left them drenched in sweat. Jia Bu leaned out from his carriage and shouted for the caravan to stop and rest right there. It was a sheltered spot, out of the wind, so they prepared some food.

Mu Yuan himself was steaming with heat. The autumn sun shone brightly; though not as intense as in summer, enduring its rays throughout the journey was still uncomfortable. He reined in his horse under a maple tree to rest. Once he activated his skill, the dense Water Elemental Power from the gourd on his chest slowly spread out, bringing a refreshing coolness that even wiped away the sweat on his body.

Just as he was enjoying the comfort, a series of hurried footsteps sounded, and suddenly several dozen people burst out from the side of the road. They all had fierce faces, were tall and bulky, and held swords and knives. A ferocious-looking man at the front shouted loudly, “Leave your valuables, and we’ll let you live!”

When the footsteps were heard, the martial artists already sensed something was wrong and drew together. Mu Yuan inwardly cursed, never expecting to actually encounter highway bandits. Moreover, judging by their appearance, these weren’t people driven to banditry out of desperation—they seemed like professional robbers who made a living by plundering.

Seeing that the martial artists were ready, Mu Yuan didn’t join the commotion. Instead, he quietly moved closer to the carriage and leisurely watched the scene unfold.

At first, a trace of panic appeared on Jia Bu’s plump face, but once he saw the martial artists prepared, he felt somewhat reassured. After all, he was a merchant who had traveled extensively and seen much of the world. He stepped down from his carriage, cupped his hands, and called out, “I don’t know which heroes are blocking our path. I am merely passing through your esteemed territory to escape the war. I happen to have two hundred taels on me, which I am willing to offer. Consider it a contribution for your wine, honored heroes.”

The leader laughed heartily, “You think you’re dealing with beggars? Leave everything! Otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

Jia Bu’s face showed resignation; he wasn’t particularly surprised by this turn of events. In these times, coming across someone with substantial wealth wasn’t easy, so there was no way they would let them pass so lightly.

A short, shifty-eyed man standing beside the shouting leader suddenly leaned in and whispered something into the big man’s ear. The leader’s eyes lit up, and he waved his long knife, shouting, “Hey, fatty! Are there women in that carriage? Leave them too! They’ll keep me entertained and be taken back to the stronghold to be the boss’s fortress wife!”

Jia Bu’s face changed, and Feng Lie could no longer hold back. Pointing his staff, he yelled, “You bandit, such big talk! Aren’t you afraid your tongue will trip?”

The big man roared in anger, “You brat who doesn’t know his place! You think just because you’ve practiced a bit of martial arts you can strut around? Brothers, charge! Beat this reckless kid to death! Take the valuables and women back to the stronghold! Kill all the men and bring them back to cook and eat!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the bandits surged forward like wolves and tigers, brandishing swords and knives as they rushed in. Seeing no room for negotiation, the martial artists drew their weapons, and the two sides immediately clashed into a chaotic fight!

There were about seven or eight martial artists in the entourage, plus some servants who also knew a bit of martial arts and were quite nimble. Although the bandits were fierce, they couldn’t gain the upper hand immediately.

The shouting big man, however, charged toward Jia Bu with a vicious sneer, heading straight for the carriage carrying Jia Bu’s family.

Jia Bu grew frantic. Though the accompanying martial artists were skilled, they were outnumbered and couldn’t break free from the fight. Jia Bu was no expert in combat, so he hurriedly dodged and ran. The big man didn’t give him a chance to escape—with a swing of his long knife, a sheet of blade light mixed with cold energy, like a snowball, came crashing down.

Jia Bu cried out in alarm. Suddenly, an iron sword swept through the air, blocking the descending blade light. Amid the dazzling glare, it found the knife’s body and let out a sharp, clanging ring!

Mu Yuan had already noticed this big man was no ordinary fighter. Standing beside the carriage, he intercepted the blade in that critical moment. At the same time, several startled cries came from inside the carriage—their voices charming and delicate, and even in their alarm, carried a tone of tender affection.

Hearing this, the big man’s eyes blazed with light. He laughed heartily and roared, “Kid, get lost!” The blade light whirled like a flood dragon emerging from water, extremely fierce!

“This fellow’s knife technique isn’t bad,” Mu Yuan chuckled. His iron sword vibrated, deflecting the long knife, then with a flick of his wrist, a sharp radiance shot from the tip of the sword—precisely the Greenwood Divine Radiance, taking form through the sword. The knife-wielding big man couldn’t withstand it. Struck in the chest by a burst of energy, he spat blood and fell to the ground.

Mu Yuan sheathed his sword and stood still. Seeing that several of Jia Bu’s servants ahead were already wounded and fallen, he picked up a few pebbles and flicked them rapidly with his fingers. Several cries of pain followed—these bandits only knew some basic martial arts; the most capable were only around Feng Lie’s level. They were no match for the pebbles Mu Yuan propelled with his Longevity True Qi, and they fell one after another.

Jia Bu was overjoyed and urged repeatedly, “Young Hero Mu, excellent skill! Quickly defeat these bandits, and we’ll set off immediately!”

Just as Mu Yuan was about to take action, he saw the big man who had been severely wounded by the Greenwood Divine Radiance earlier take out a black cloth pouch from his chest. His face was twisted with rage. He opened the pouch, and a buzzing sound like that of bees was heard. A dense swarm of black mosquitoes flew out, resembling a small dark cloud, swirling chaistically in the sky before descending to cover them!