Chapter 6: Drawn into Trouble

Two days later.

Yuanmu Mountain.

“Whoaaa, Brother, look!” Ye Qing gazed out of the carriage window, her face full of wonder. “It’s so different from Bai Cheng heeeere! The mountains are so TALL, and the trees are sooo green and thick!”

Ye Tianlong immediately slowed the carriage.

“Hey, be careful now, don’t catch a chill leaning out like that,” he cautioned gently. “We’re out in the boonies, you know. If you get sick, finding medicine won’t be easy for Brother.”

Ye Qing pouted playfully. “Ay-yaaa, I know, I know! Brother, you sound just like one of those nagging old grannies in the market square nowadays. Nag nag nag…”

A smile touched Ye Tianlong’s lips. “Oh? Getting bolder, are we? Teasing your big brother now, hmm?”

Ye Qing just hummed defiantly, “Hmph!” and made a funny face at him.

The carriage rolled deeper into the mountain valley, surrounded by lush, deep greenery. The dense forest canopy, with its wide leaves, blocked any view of the distance.

“Huh,” Ye Tianlong murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly as he spotted tracks on the dirt path. “These carriage tracks look pretty fresh. Someone must have passed through here not long ago.” He subtly increased his alertness.

Suddenly, a desperate cry echoed from up ahead: “HELP! Save meeeeee—!”

Ye Tianlong’s heart jumped. Trouble!

Gotta get out of here, fast! Can’t let anything happen to Ye Qing.

“Hiyah!” An old woman, riding desperately, galloped towards them, seemingly out of nowhere!

Clutched tightly in her arms was a young girl, maybe twelve or thirteen years old.

THWIP!

An arrow sliced through the air! Urgh!

The cold steel arrowhead sank deep into the old woman’s shoulder, maybe a good two inches. Blood instantly bloomed, staining her clothes dark red. Splat!

Shielding the child with her body, the old woman tumbled from the horse, thud!, landing right beside Ye Tianlong’s carriage.

Ye Tianlong got a closer look.

The old woman’s face was deeply wrinkled, but she wore fine brown brocade clothes. She held the child fiercely, her body already covered in numerous bloody cuts and slashes.

The child in her arms, the young girl, wore a flowery dress, and a valuable-looking koi fish jade pendant hung from her waist. Definitely not common folk.

Before Ye Tianlong could even open his mouth—

“Heh heh! Brothers, look! Another fat sheep right ahead! CHAAAARGE!” a rough male voice bellowed from the direction they’d come from.

The pounding of hooves grew louder, closer. Thump-thump-thump-thump!

Ye Tianlong finally saw them – a band of rough-looking men dressed in coarse, simple clothes, wielding long, sharp knives. Bandits!

Inside the carriage, Ye Qing trembled, her voice shaking. “B-Brother… I-I’m scared… hic…”

“Don’t be afraid! Brother will protect you!” Ye Tianlong’s gaze sharpened like a hawk’s, locking onto the approaching bandits.

The horses skidded to a halt, kicking up dust. Whoa!

“Well, well, aren’t you a feisty one?” the leader, a burly, heavily built man, sneered menacingly. “Got some nerve standin’ up to us, the Luosha Gang! Heh! Out here in the middle of nowhere… If you know what’s good for ya, hand over all your money and valuables, now!”

Ye Tianlong snorted coldly. “Hmph! Want my valuables? Let’s see if you’ve got the strength to take ’em! A bunch of bullies picking on women and children… You’re asking to die!”

Thwip! Thwip!

Two more arrows flew through the air! Thok! Thok! They embedded themselves firmly in the side of the carriage woodwork.

Ye Qing let out a small squeak from inside, shivering and sobbing quietly. “Eep! Wuwuwu…”

“It’s just one guy! Acting tough ’cause ya haven’t met real trouble yet, huh?!” The bandit leader spat dismissively. “Heh, but lookie here… got a woman hidin’ in the carriage too! Boys haven’t had a taste of somethin’ warm in a while… We’ll be takin’ the woman too, thank you very much! Heheheh!”

Rage exploded within Ye Tianlong. He pointed a trembling finger straight at the burly leader, his voice ice-cold. “I. Will. KILL YOU!”

He whipped out the Wood Stone Sword from his waist. His true qi flared, shimmering faintly around his body.

“Hah? A wooden sword?! And lookin’ at yer aura… just Body Refining Realm?!” The bandit leader blinked, then burst into raucous laughter. “HAHAHAHA! And here I thought you were somethin’ special! Turns out you’re just trash! All bark and no bite, eh?! Whaddaya gonna do, poke us with yer stick?!” He jeered at Ye Tianlong. “Takin’ care of you? One of my boys is enough! Alright lads, who wants first dibs? Show this little piece of garbage what the Luosha Gang is made of! Can’t let this trash insult us!”

“Lemme at ‘im! ME!” a sharp voice cried out.

A short, stocky man pushed forward, hefting a pair of heavy-looking board axes (Ban Fu), each maybe two feet long with wide, polished blades. He swung them experimentally, whoosh, whoosh! making the air hum!

“Boss! Lemme handle him! Teach him who he shouldn’t mess with! These axes are thirsty for some blood!” The short man unleashed his own aura – huh?! Surprisingly, he was a Diamond Realm cultivator! First Layer!

“Alright!” The burly leader laughed heartily. “Take him out! One move!”

The short bandit immediately spurred his horse forward, charging straight at Ye Tianlong, his axes gleaming wickedly in the sunlight.

“Heh! Just Body Refining Realm… tryin’ to play hero with a freakin’ wooden sword? Even the storybooks wouldn’t dare write such nonsense…” the short man sneered condescendingly, his eyes full of contempt.

An axe chopped down through the air towards Ye Tianlong! “DIIIIE!” he roared!

The whistling sound of the axe carried killing intent!

Sure, Diamond Realm speed was fast. But compared to Elder Mu’s willow branches? It was pathetically slow.

The wind shifted.

Ye Tianlong moved. His body followed like a shadow. He raised the Wood Stone Sword and leaped forward!

A blur of motion.

The short bandit’s attack abruptly stopped mid-swing. His axes clattered to the ground. Clang!

Amidst the other bandits’ confused gasps… “Huh?” “Wha-?!”

The short man swayed, then tumbled lifelessly from his horse. Thump!

Only then did the others see it – a neat, perfectly round hole right between his eyes, blood trickling out steadily. Drip, drip…

A horse nearby spooked, its hooves trampling wildly. Stomp-stomp! CRUNCH!

SPLAT!

Blood, brain matter, and skull fragments sprayed three feet into the air!

The burly leader stared, utterly shocked. “Body Refining… killed my brother… with a wooden sword?! What the hell is going on?! Y-You…!”

“You’re next!” Ye Tianlong’s voice was chillingly calm. “What are you waiting for? All of you, come at once!”

The leader’s face flushed red, then pale, with fury and disbelief. “BROTHERS! GET HIM! KILL HIM! TEEEAR HIM APART!”

The entire group roared, spurred their horses, raised their knives, and charged madly at Ye Tianlong!

Two black blurs shot past.

Cold light flashed.

Ye Tianlong moved like lightning, swinging the Wood Stone Sword. Phantom images flickered through the air, carrying a sharp, chilling sword intent.

Two steel knives clashed against the Wood Stone Sword!

KRA-SHINK!

The steel blades shattered into pieces!

The two bandits froze mid-air for a split second, then crashed heavily to the ground. Thud! Thud!

Spurt! Spurt!

Blood erupted as their heads rolled away from their bodies!

Instantly, two more bandits attacked from behind him! Knives raised, ready to chop down!

Ye Tianlong twisted at the waist, spinning around, and delivered a powerful whip-kick! WHACK! The kick sent both bandits flying backward through the air!

Teeth and blood sprayed from their mouths as they crashed to the ground, stunned and broken.

Ye Tianlong swung his sword again!

Horizontal slashes, vertical chops – every move infused with the sword intent he’d gleaned from the red doors of the Burial Immortal Temple back on the floating island. Even though he’d only grasped the surface, it was far more than these common bandits could handle!

Within five breaths! Maybe three seconds!

The ground was littered with corpses!

The burly leader, somehow miraculously still alive, stared at the carnage around him, utterly terrified. “Y-You… Who… Who in the hell are you?! Th-This isn’t the power a Body Refining cultivator should have!”

Ye Tianlong’s expression was cold, hard granite. “I am in the Body Refining Realm,” he stated flatly. “But I’m at the Fifth Layer.”

“Wh-What?! Body Refining has a fifth layer?!” The leaderstared blankly , stunned into momentary silence. Then, primal fear took over. He scrambled backward a few steps, pleading desperately, “D-Don’t come closer! I-I was wrong! I was wrong! S-Spare me! Please, spare my life! It was my fault, I judged a master by his clothes! Spare meee!”

Ye Tianlong raised the Wood Stone Sword, letting out a small sigh. “It’s not just you. I want to know why there’s a fifth layer too. But… you’ll never find out the answer.”

The Wood Stone Sword flashed out like lightning – incredibly fast, brutally powerful! Slice!

Blood sprayed high!

The burly leader’s head hit the dirt. Thump.

Ye Qing rushed out of the carriage, her face pale with anxiety.

“Brother! Oh, Brother, I was so worried! Are you okay?!” She flew into his arms, hugging him tightly.

Ye Tianlong smiled gently, stroking her hair reassuringly. “See? Brother’s fine. Don’t worry. Didn’t I promise I’d protect you?”

“Um… W-Who are you two?” Ye Qing asked hesitantly, noticing the old woman and the young girl huddled fearfully in a corner of the carriage.

The old woman was badly injured, her face pale as paper, her body trembling. She needed medical attention, fast.

“My name is Li—” the little girl started to say.

“Ahem! Cough, cough!” The old woman suddenly coughed, cutting the girl off. “Forgive my oversight. I am old… allow me to presume on my age. You may call me Sun Po (Grandma Sun). This child is my granddaughter, Sun Mingyue. May I ask our benefactor’s esteemed name?”

“My name is Ye Tianlong. This is my sister, Ye Qing,” Ye Tianlong replied.

“Brother, they look so pitiful… C-Can we help them, please?” Ye Qing looked at Ye Tianlong pleadingly.

Ye Tianlong quickly scanned the surroundings.

Corpses everywhere. The bandits’ horses had all bolted during the fight. Nothing else around.

Out here in the wilderness… an injured old woman and a young child, with no strength to defend themselves… If he left them here, they definitely wouldn’t survive.

Ye Tianlong considered for a moment. “Where are you two headed?”

Sun Po’s voice was weak. “We… we were going to Lishui City to pay respects to our ancestors… We never expected to run into these bandits on the road… All the guards we brought with us… they’re all… It’s just the two of us left…”

“We happen to be passing through Lishui City ourselves,” Ye Tianlong said. “We can give you a ride.”

“Oh, thank you! Thank you, kind benefactors!” Sun Po nodded gratefully.

“Thank you, Big Brother! Thank you, Big Sister!” Sun Mingyue also bobbed her head, but her eyes turned red as she looked at her grandmother’s wounds. She muttered angrily under her breath, “Hmph! Stupid, horrible bandits! Bullying me and Grandma Sun like this! If only my Daddy was heeeeere… he’d kill them all with one swish of his sword…!”

Ye Tianlong just dismissed it as childish boasting, not thinking much of it.

He got the carriage moving again.

After travelling a short distance, they came across another clearing. More bodies lay scattered haphazardly – some belonging to the bandits they’d just encountered, others clearly belonging to Sun Po and Sun Mingyue’s guards and servants.

Severed limbs, pools of blood soaking the earth… The sickening metallic tang of blood hung heavy in the air.

Something’s wrong, Ye Tianlong thought, his eyes narrowing. These guards… their equipment was top-notch. And looking closely at their wounds… they were all killed with single, precise strikes! This wasn’t the work of those clumsy bandits!

A knot of unease tightened in Ye Tianlong’s stomach.

A sudden, sharp gust of wind whipped through the trees! Whoosh!

“Little friend,” a chilling voice suddenly echoed, seemingly from nowhere. “You can’t take those two today!” A figure abruptly materialized before them – an old man clad entirely in black robes. “Leave them… and I’ll spare your life, and your sister’s. Hee hee hee…”