Chapter 10: Peach Blossom River Village Massacre

“Aaargh!” The bloodcurdling scream cut off abruptly.

“Search! Check the woods! See if anyone else is hiding! Go search, everywhere!” A rough male voice echoed through the trees.

Ye Tianlong was just about to grab Ye Qing and get the hell out of there.

CRACK!

Startled and terrified, Ye Qing slipped, stepping right onto a dry twig.

“Who’s there?!”

Thwip! Thwip! Two arrows instantly zipped through the trees towards the sound!

With two swift slashes, Ye Tianlong cut the arrows out of the air. He turned quickly to Ye Qing, whispering urgently, “Xiao Qing, go hide properly! Don’t be scared, Brother will protect you.”

“Mm,” Ye Qing nodded, trying to be brave. “With Brother here, I’m not afraid.” She quickly scrambled into a dense thicket, concealing herself.

“Third Leader! Over here! It’s a man! Haven’t seen him before!” a bandit shouted.

“Yo ho! Fresh meat! Get him, boys! Remember the Black Wind Stockade rules – leave no witnesses when we rob! HAHAHA…!” The rough voice of the Third Leader grew closer.

Rustling sounds came from the bushes nearby. A short, wiry man emerged, already drawing his bow, aiming straight at Ye Tianlong. This must be an archer.

Ye Tianlong took a deep breath. His True Qi flared, swirling faintly around him like ethereal white mist.

“Third Leader!” The archer, sensing the shift in the air, lowered his bow, staring at Ye Tianlong with sudden fear! “He’s a cultivator! A strong one! His True Qi… it’s almost solid, like mist!”

“Huh? What?” Three more burly bandits burst out from the bushes to Ye Tianlong’s left and right. They were shirtless, chests bare, each wielding a heavy, wide-bladed saber. They all looked shocked and slightly hesitant now. “Sparrow, are you sure?”

From the path ahead, a man emerged. He wore a patterned headscarf, had scraggly sideburns framing his face, and carried a sharp steel ring saber at his waist. The other bandits immediately looked towards him. This had to be their boss, the Third Leader.

The Third Leader sized Ye Tianlong up, then spun around and bellowed at the archer, “Sparrow, where the FUCK are your eyes?! Open ’em up and look properly! This kid is just goddamn Body Refining Realm!”

“But… that True Qi just now…” Ma Queer started to argue, but looking again, Ye Tianlong’s aura did seem to settle back to just Body Refining level. He quickly backtracked, stammering, “M-My mistake, Third Leader! I saw wrong!”

“Ptui!” The Third Leader spat right onto Ma Queer’s clothes. “Watch your damn eyes next time! Don’t go crying wolf!” he snarled.

“Y-Yes, Third Leader,” Sparrow flinched, shrinking back, though his eyes still held a trace of fear as he glanced at Ye Tianlong.

Ye Tianlong’s face remained utterly impassive, his eyes like chips of ice.

Seeing this calm indifference, rage flared in the Third Leader’s chest. He released his own aura – sparse, weak True Qi swirled around him. Diamond Realm, Third Layer. Same as Yue Qingshan.

His handful of followers were a mix of levels, but every single one radiated viciousness and cruelty!

Ye Tianlong met their glares coolly, drawing the Wood Stone Sword. As expected, another round of mockery erupted.

“Hoho! Look at this cocky Body Refining punk!” the Third Leader jeered loudly. “Putting on airs, huh? Forgot your own damn level, kid? What’re you gonna do with that wooden sword? Tickle us? Right, boys? HAHAHA…!”

“Yeah! Boss is right!” one of the lackeys chimed in eagerly. “If I were him, seein’ the Third Leader, with my crappy Body Refining cultivation? I’d have pissed myself and run already! This guy’s still pretending? He really doesn’t know high the sky is! The Third Leader’s power, his realm! Killing this kid’ll be easy!”

The Third Leader visibly puffed up, basking in the flattery.

Ye Tianlong snorted contemptuously. “Either you leave, and I leave. Or… you die!”

A savage grin spread across the Third Leader’s face. “Arrogant little bastard! I’ll hack off your legs and see if your mouth is still so tough! Boys, get him! CHOP HIM UP!”

“KILL!” The bandits roared, lunging forward!

Steel flashed! Killing intent filled the air!

Shadows flickered in front of Ye Tianlong as sabers slashed at him from all directions! The clang of metal on wood echoed sharply! Clang! Clang!

Arrows zipped through the air like shooting stars! Thwip!

Ye Tianlong dodged them effortlessly.

“Heeya! Eat my blade!” The Third Leader charged forward like a raging bull, his steel ring saber whistling through the air, trailing sharp streams of saber Qi!

Ye Tianlong pushed off the ground, light as a swallow! His Wood Stone Sword thrust forward! Shink!

DING!

A sharp metallic ring! Sparks flew!

“Third Leader, watch out!” one of the men yelled in alarm.

Ye Tianlong followed his thrust with a lightning-fast flying kick! WHUMP!

The Third Leader’s body flew sideways through the air, crashing hard into the trees!

The three remaining shirtless bandits stared, mouths agape. “The Third Leader… h-he actually got kicked away… by this kid?!”

“Useless trash! What are you waiting for?! GET HIM!” the Third Leader roared, spitting blood.

“Aaargh!” The three bandits charged forward together!

Silver light flashed! Wide blades descended! Swish! Swish! Swish!

Multiple sabers chopped down towards Ye Tianlong simultaneously!

Ye Tianlong stood perfectly still. His body didn’t move an inch. He simply swung his sword once.

The movement looked deceptively simple, almost slow. But in reality, it was impossibly fast, incredibly sharp, unstoppable!

A high-pitched shriek tore through the air as the blade cut!

Thump. Thump. Thump. Severed limbs hit the forest floor.

Blood sprayed like fountains!

The three bandits stared in horror at their own hands, still gripping their sabers, lying detached on the ground! A second of stunned silence, then their faces twisted in agony! “AAAAH! My hand! My hand!”

The Wood Stone Sword flashed again, a diagonal thrust! Slice! Slice! Slice!

Three heads flew into the air!

The Third Leader stared, frozen. Then, his eyes darted to Ma Queer, who was paralyzed with fear nearby. He screamed, “Sparrow! What are you staring at?! Shoot him! Shoot him DEAD!”

Sparrow looked at Ye Tianlong as if seeing a monster. He let out a terrified shriek, turned, and bolted, scrambling away into the woods!

Ye Tianlong raised the Wood Stone Sword, his cold gaze locking onto the Third Leader.

Seeing this, the Third Leader trembled violently, his earlier bravado replaced by sheer terror. “Y-You… Who the hell are you?! Don’t you know who my Big Brother and Second Brother are?! They’re the First Leader and Second Leader of the Black Wind Stockade! If you dare touch me, they’ll kill you! They’ll slaughter your entire family!”

“Heh,” Ye Tianlong leaped forward, the Wood Stone Sword slicing through the air!

Pshk!

The wooden blade plunged deep into the Third Leader’s back, right through his heart.

Sword withdrawn. Blood flowed.

The Third Leader collapsed, already a corpse.

“Xiao Qing, it’s safe now. You can come out. Let’s get out of here quickly,” Ye Tianlong called out. Ye Qing emerged from the bushes. They were just about to leave when—

Ye Qing stopped short. “Brother… earlier… Someone was screaming for help.”

“This way!” Ye Qing started running forward.

Ye Tianlong quickly followed. “Slow down! Be careful not to fall!”

Greenery flew past as they followed a rough dirt path to the edge of the woods.

There… three or four bodies lay sprawled on the ground. They were dressed as simple farmers, their faces frozen in masks of terror. The screams they’d heard earlier must have come from them. But it was too late.

Looking out from the edge of the trees, a scene from hell unfolded before their eyes.

It was a village. A stone marker by the path read: Peach Blossom River Village.

It was springtime. Peach blossoms were in full, vibrant bloom.

But the village itself was deathly silent. Horrifyingly still. Everywhere bore the marks of brutal slaughter and pillage. Burning houses, smashed wooden doors, and bodies… bodies lying everywhere.

Crimson blood flowed sluggishly in streams, pooling on the path, staining the nearby river red. Corpses choked the waterways, floated amongst the blossoms. Severed limbs lay scattered like discarded refuse.

One woman… lay dead, still clutching her nursing baby. Her neck had been sliced clean through, her head resting grotesquely on the swaddling clothes in her lap.

Worse than beasts!

Rage surged through Ye Tianlong, hot and biting.

Picking their way through the carnage-strewn path, Ye Qing suddenly knelt beside the body of a disfigured woman lying near the riverbank.

She saw the faintest flutter of breath! “Brother! Help her! She’s still alive!” Ye Qing cried out.

Ye Tianlong rushed over. Only then did he see the full extent of the woman’s horrific injuries. Her body was covered in deep cuts. Her abdomen… it was basically ripped open. She lay in a massive pool of her own blood, looking more like a corpse adrift in a red sea.

“Is she really still alive?” Ye Tianlong knelt, checking her condition.

Suddenly, the woman  with difficulty lifted her head. Her eyes… they were a startling shade of green, but completely dull, devoid of light. Her voice was a bare whisper, raspy and weak. “Save… save us… cough… save…”

“You…” Before Ye Tianlong could speak, the woman’s hand shot out, gripping his wrist with surprising strength.

“Please… save them… Black Wind Stockade… Our children… cough… they’re still… inside…” The woman’s breath hitched, her body spasming weakly.

Her grip loosened. Her hand fell away, leaving a stark, bloody handprint on Ye Tianlong’s wrist. Her last breath sighed out.

Ye Tianlong stared at the blood staining his hand, then at the dead woman’s face, her plea echoing in his ears. His decision was made.

“Xiao Qing,” he said, his voice low and heavy as he stood up. “Looks like Brother has to pay a visit to the Black Wind Stockade.”

Tears welled in Ye Qing’s eyes, but she nodded fiercely. “Mm! Brother! You have to bring their children back!”

After finding a relatively safe, hidden spot for Ye Qing to wait, Ye Tianlong followed the bloody trail left by the bandits’ horses, step by step, towards the Black Wind Stockade.

The path was littered with droplets of blood.

Ye Tianlong looked down at the grim trail, then raised his head, gazing towards the formidable bandit fortress looming in the distance.

A massive gate made of thick logs barred the entrance. Above it hung a crudely painted wooden sign with three large characters— Black Wind Stockade. Inside the gate, watchtowers were visible, manned by patrolling bandits. The defenses looked surprisingly well-organized and heavily guarded.

Ye Tianlong’s heart sank slightly. This Black Wind Stockade… it wouldn’t be easy.