The mountaintop.
“Haha, I didn’t expect them to actually come. My little beauty, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”
Watching the carriage gradually approach, the corners of the Scar-faced Bandit’s mouth curled upward uncontrollably.
The Second-in-command, who was suspicious by nature, cautioned, “Still, Boss, it’s best to be a bit careful. A fat sheep that falls into our hands so easily always feels a bit strange to me. Besides, for some reason, that carriage slowed down for a moment just now. Someone inside might have already realized we’re lying in ambush.”
“Second Brother, you're fine in every other way, but you're just too suspicious.”
The Scar-faced Bandit appeared entirely unconcerned.
“With your eyesight, you should be able to tell what kind of strength that old monk driving the carriage has, right?”
“Probably a Seventh-rank Martial Monk. With his advancing age, his strength has likely declined even more than an ordinary Martial Monk’s.”
“Isn't that right then? That carriage can hold three or four people at most. Do you think that weak scholar who couldn't even truss a chicken can wipe out our entire stronghold single-handedly, or could that pretty young lady do it? You should have more faith in this stronghold chief’s strength instead of always worrying about useless nonsense.”
The Second-in-command pondered for a moment, nodded, and apologized somewhat, “Boss is right. I was overthinking it this time.”
“That's right, this carriage is simply a fat sheep delivered right to our mouths!” The Third-in-command chimed in to stir up the mood at this moment.
The bandits burst into uproarious laughter, smug expressions plastered across all their faces.
Taking advantage of the moment, a minor bandit grinned lewdly and said, “Still, Boss, with the girls caught and brought up the mountain recently, none of the brothers on the mountain have even gotten to touch them once, except for you and the two commanders. We go through life and death with you, Boss—with this little lady, could you let the brothers have a taste of the freshness too?”
Hearing this, the Scar-faced Bandit’s face suddenly stiffened.
“Hm? Are you negotiating conditions with me?”
“Boss, don't misunderstand! It’s really just that this little lady is famous far and wide for her beauty, making us all feel a bit impatient to hold back...”
Before his words even finished, the minor bandit suddenly detected a potent surge of killing intent.
“Kill him for me!”
“Roar!”
A striped tiger crouching beside the Scar-faced Bandit suddenly leapt out, its bloody maw baring sharp, blood-stained fangs.
The minor bandit had never expected the Boss was actually being serious, and immediately cried out in sheer terror, “I misspoke, I misspoke! Boss, spare my life!”
Seeing that the Scar-faced Bandit remained unmoved, the minor bandit panicked and tried to flee.
Yet the tiger was too fast. Even though he was a martial artist, the moment he turned around, his throat was torn open with a single bite.
A thick, pungent stench of blood soon permeated the air as the tiger feasted heartily on the human flesh before it.
All the bandits were dead silent, watching the scene in terror.
The Scar-faced Bandit had deliberately killed the chicken to warn the monkeys right in front of everyone.
What he wished to demonstrate was clear: he was supreme in this stronghold, and whoever disobeyed had only death awaiting them.
The striped tiger by the Scar-faced Bandit’s side was the very symbol of his authority.
Just then, a little black snake leisurely appeared at the mountaintop, strolling casually past the bandits as if taking a peaceful walk.
“Where did this little snake come from?”
The Scar-faced Bandit knitted his brows.
“Never mind it. Everyone get ready to head down the mountain to intercept and slaughter the carriage.”
He did not take a mere little snake seriously in the slightest.
Yet just as he was about to turn around, the Scar-faced Bandit noticed that the tiger, which had been wolfing down human flesh moments ago, suddenly froze. It stared fixedly at the ground before it, its body trembling uncontrollably.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Following the tiger’s terrified gaze, the Scar-faced Bandit saw only a finger-sized little black snake there.
As the king of the forest, it was hard to believe the tiger could possibly fear a snake of such size.
“Wait, what on earth is this little snake?!”
The Scar-faced Bandit suddenly realized something was wrong.
This inconspicuous little black snake was actually evoking a strong sense of dread within himself!
At this moment, dazzling golden radiance abruptly surged from Xiao Jiu’s body.
These petty bandits dared to harbor designs on her master? It was time to show them the meaning of terror!
As the golden light flowed, Xiao Jiu’s body expanded rapidly.
Three chi, six chi, eight chi...
In the end, she actually expanded to a full length of over two zhang!
With a single sweep of her tail, the tiger’s burly body was sent flying directly away.
Before it even had time to whimper, it was swallowed whole in one gulp.
In addition to Devour, Xiao Jiu could transform spiritual energy into anything she had swallowed.
The next second, flames spewed forth from the serpent’s maw.
The roaring inferno engulfed several bandits in the blink of an eye.
“Where did this giant python come from?!”
“No, this isn't an ordinary python at all!”
The bandits were thrown into utter chaos in an instant.
Although Xiao Jiu’s size had drastically increased, her speed hadn't decreased in the slightest.
Any prey she set her eyes on had no chance of escaping whatsoever.
A mountain fire suddenly flared up, and miserable shrieks echoed one after another within the blaze.
In the blink of an eye, more than half the bandits of the Blade and Axe Hall were reduced to ashes, with neither the Second-in-command nor the Third-in-command spared.
Xiao Jiu fixed her gaze on the Scar-faced Bandit, her speed accelerating abruptly.
“So fast!”
The Scar-faced Bandit had killed countless wild beasts on the mountains and fought demons many times.
Yet whether among humans or demons, this was the first time he had ever witnessed such terrifying speed.
If this went on, he would definitely be caught!
Seeing Xiao Jiu closing in, the Scar-faced Bandit suddenly grabbed two minor bandits beside him.
The two bandits thought their Boss was trying to save them and immediately showed faces full of gratitude: “Thank you, Boss!”
“Thank me? Today, it’s my turn to thank you. Since you're both useless trash anyway, block it for me!”
Only then did the two bandits understand: “Boss, I don’t want to die! No!”
Without the slightest hesitation, the Scar-faced Bandit hurled the two outward.
Taking them one by one, Xiao Jiu swallowed both bandits in a flash.
However, because of them, Xiao Jiu’s speed was delayed for a brief moment.
Seizing the chance, the Scar-faced Bandit fled down the mountain for dear life.
He still had a chance to escape!
He clearly remembered that halfway down the mountain, there was a wooden bridge leading to the opposite side.
As long as he could sprint across the wooden bridge ahead of this black python and sever it, he could survive!
“Faster! Even faster!”
Casting all caution aside, the Scar-faced Bandit even went so far as to burn his Essence Blood, running toward the wooden bridge with everything he had.
Finally, he spotted the wooden bridge not far off.
To him, that rickety wooden bridge was as precious as a lifesaving straw.
Yet just as the Scar-faced Bandit drew closer step by step, he suddenly noticed that a carriage had parked by the wooden bridge at some point.
“A carriage? When did a carriage get here?”
Doubt welled up in the Scar-faced Bandit’s mind.
“Wait!”
He suddenly realized something.
Why did this carriage look so similar to the one that scholar was riding?
“We meet again.”
Right at that moment, Chen Ning, sitting inside the carriage, slowly drew back the curtain and waved at the completely exhausted Scar-faced Bandit.
“It really is him!”
The Scar-faced Bandit’s pupils constricted violently, and a creeping chill ran down his spine.
From the very start, the entire stronghold had not taken a mere scholar seriously.
Only now did he realize how bizarre this was.
Just how foolish had he been before to actually believe that in a world overrun by demons and monsters, an ordinary scholar would dare travel alone!
The Scar-faced Bandit was struck with terror.
In his frantic panic, he could only pin all his hopes on that wooden bridge.
“You observed me in secret from the mountain for so long, yet upon meeting me face-to-face, you immediately take to your heels. That’s hardly good hospitality, is it?”
A cold voice echoed in the Scar-faced Bandit’s ears.
Immediately after, a Rule was calmly flicked out from Chen Ning’s hand.
“What is that thing?!”
Horrified, the Scar-faced Bandit focused his mind and executed his martial technique: “Indestructible Vajra Body!”
He believed that with his cultivation realm as a Seventh-rank Xiantian Martial Artist, it should be enough to easily withstand a lightning strike.
However, the might of this Lightning Rule was completely different from what he had imagined.
As the Rule shattered, a piercingly cold wind suddenly swept through from above.
Beneath the clear sky, a wisp of gloom crept over the peak.
Within the dark, murky clouds, deep thunder rumbled like an avalanche.
“Rumble!”
A thunderbolt descended from the Nine Heavens, tearing through the entire sky with a deafening blast and crashing down onto the Scar-faced Bandit.
Amidst this roaring, massive lightning, the Indestructible Vajra Body he took such pride in was practically child’s play.
The Scar-faced Bandit’s entire body was charred black in an instant, and a mouthful of fresh blood spurted wildly from his mouth.
He widened his eyes in disbelief, utterly incapable of imagining that the power of a single Lightning Rule could reach such a terrifying extent.
“Sword Rule.”
Meanwhile, Chen Ning had already flicked out a second Rule.
Dozens of sword blades manifested out of thin air, and a sky full of rain-like swords descended mercilessly.
All of the Scar-faced Bandit’s martial Dao foundations had been reduced to ashes in the lightning strike just now. Even if he wanted to dodge, he could not muster a shred of strength in his body.
“No!”
The Scar-faced Bandit’s eyes went wide, filled with bloodshot veins.
If there was anyone to blame, he could only blame himself for offending the wrong person.
【Slain 46 bandits, obtained Noble Qi * 92】
【Slain Xiantian Realm bandit chief, obtained Noble Qi * 10】
The instant the Scar-faced Bandit’s body was pierced through, the system notification sounded by Chen Ning’s ears.
Just like last time, the people Xiao Jiu killed were also counted toward his system rewards.
At this point, Xiao Jiu had also shrunk back down to her original size, hopping and slithering merrily back onto the carriage.
Her raised tail seemed to be expecting praise.
“Yeah, you did well this time.”
For the sake of over ninety points of Noble Qi, Chen Ning gave her a compliment.
“Let’s go. Time to set off.”
Soon, the carriage returned to the mountain road, continuing in the direction of the Imperial Capital.
Gazing up at the sky, Qing Yan’s eyes couldn't help but linger for a moment.
The faint outline of a full moon appearing at the edge of the horizon heralded the arrival of that day.
“The night after tomorrow will be the Blood Moon Night, won't it?”
Qing Yan murmured softly.
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