Chapter 275 - 271: The Bandits Flee in Defeat
Chapter 275: Chapter 271: The Bandits Flee in Defeat
The bonfire blazed, its flames leaping. In the flickering firelight, the faces of everyone in the forest shifted between light and shadow. The thick stench of blood still hung in the air, a testament to the brutal battle that had just taken place.
However, it was as if time had stood still. Both sides, who had been locked in a frenzied slaughter just a moment ago, had now come to a halt. Everyone was dumbfounded, staring blankly at the headless corpse of the bandit leader, Golden Saber Yuan Hong, on the ground, then back at the indifferent Ye Xing, who was sheathing his sword.
A Seventh Realm Martial Artist! A High-tier Martial Artist of the Qi Condensation Stage!
The bandit chief, who seemed invincible in their eyes, a Demon King on a rampage, had been killed in a single strike.
This—
The sheer contrast was simply unbelievable.
"Brothers, what are you spacing out for? Get these bandits!" Chief of the Escort Yang Lei was the first to snap out of it, roaring in excitement, "Kill these damn bandits and avenge our fallen brothers!"
At Chief of the Escort Yang Lei’s roar, the other Escort Masters all came to their senses. "Avenge them! Avenge them! Kill!"
The morale of the Weiyang Escort Agency’s men soared. Covered in blood, they roared and swung their weapons, charging at the bandits.
The bandits were terrified. Their own leader had been killed in a single strike—what the hell was the point of fighting? Staying here was just asking to die. Instantly, they turned tail and fled for their lives into the forest.
The Escort Masters gave chase, cutting down another fifty or sixty bandits before they returned.
The battle, though lasting only a short while, had been brutal. Bodies littered the ground. The Weiyang Escort Agency alone had suffered thirty to forty casualties. If not for Ye Xing’s intervention, they would have likely been wiped out.
"Young Master Ye, thank you for your righteous assistance. If you hadn’t stepped in, the Weiyang Escort Agency would have been finished." Chief of the Escort Yang Lei, the young Escort Master Little Fei, and a group of others walked over to Ye Xing.
"That’s right, Young Master Ye. Thank you for saving our entire caravan," Escort Master Little Fei and the others added gratefully.
From his earlier warning to be on guard to his intervention just now, he could be credited with saving both the Weiyang Escort Agency and the entire caravan. After all, protecting the caravan was the Weiyang Escort Agency’s duty. Having accepted payment from the merchants and passengers for this escort job, they were obligated to ensure the caravan’s safety. Ye Xing, however, was different. He was merely a passenger who had also paid for protection. He had no such obligation. It would have been perfectly reasonable for him not to intervene; doing so was an act of righteous assistance. As the Chief of the Escort for the Weiyang Escort Agency, Yang Lei was naturally deeply grateful to Ye Xing.
"Young Master Ye, these one thousand Gold Coins are a small token of our appreciation from the Weiyang Escort Agency. Please accept them! If it weren’t for you this time, we wouldn’t have just failed to complete our escort mission—we probably wouldn’t even be alive." Chief of the Escort Yang Lei took out ten gold tickets from his robes. Each ticket was for a hundred Gold Coins, totaling one thousand, and he respectfully offered them to Ye Xing.
"No need," Ye Xing said, shaking his head with a faint smile.
"Young Master Ye, please, just take it," the young Escort Master Little Fei and the others urged. As Escort Masters who spent their lives on the road, they placed great importance on friendship and honor in the martial world.
"Do you think I’m short on money?" Ye Xing asked, looking at them.
The Lower-grade Qiankun Bag at Ye Xing’s waist alone was worth several thousand Gold Coins, to say nothing of the Daluo Sect’s treasure he carried. Not even counting the Glowing Treasure Sword or the Upper-grade Qiankun Bag, he had millions of Gold Coins.
Big-Beard Yang Lei scratched his head. He was deeply grateful and wanted to repay Young Master Ye.
"Chief Yang, many of the Escort Masters are injured. You should go tend to them," Ye Xing said.
"Ah, alright. I’ll take my leave then. Please get some rest, Young Master Ye." Big-Beard Yang Lei respectfully withdrew.
The bonfire crackled, its red flames leaping and burning. The dim yellow light faintly illuminated the surroundings, adding a touch of warmth to the cold little grove. Aside from a few who were sleeping, most people in the caravan had no desire to sleep. They gathered around the bonfire, discussing the recent battle. As they talked, they would glance over at Ye Xing from time to time; clearly, he was the main topic of their conversation.
Inside the carriage, Ye Xing sat cross-legged, circulating the Innate Skill. He breathed in and out, cultivating again and again. He was only half a step away from the Innate Realm, and he seized every second he could to cultivate, hoping to break through as soon as possible.
Outside the carriage, the members of the caravan discussed Ye Xing in low voices, but he was completely oblivious to the outside world, continuing his quiet cultivation.
"Big Brother!" A little boy’s voice called out from outside the carriage.
Hearing the voice, Ye Xing lifted the curtain and saw that it was the same young, well-dressed boy who had scrounged some instant noodles from him earlier.
"What can I do for you, little guy?" Ye Xing asked with a slight smile.
"Big Brother, can you promise me one thing?" the well-dressed boy asked, a little nervous. His big, dark eyes were fixed on Ye Xing, full of hope.
"It’s windy outside. Come in and talk," Ye Xing said.
The well-dressed boy immediately climbed into the carriage and sat down next to Ye Xing. Looking at him with eyes full of adoration, he said, "Big Brother, you’re amazing! You killed that bandit chief with a single strike. Can you teach me? I want to learn martial arts from you."
Ye Xing was taken aback.
"I’m afraid not. I’m very busy right now and don’t have time to teach you," Ye Xing said after a moment of thought. ’I’m focused on breaking through to the Innate Realm, so I really don’t have much time. And after I reach the Innate Realm, I have to go to the Central Plains Martial Arts world to find Mengxue. Before I leave for the Central Plains, I also have a ton of things to arrange and take care of in White Cloud City. I just don’t have the time. I’m certainly not in the mood to take on and teach a disciple.’
The well-dressed boy said hurriedly, "Big Brother, if you don’t have time, you can just teach me a little. I don’t need to learn much. I just want to learn that one strike from before—the one you used to kill the bandit." As he spoke, his face flushed, and he excitedly mimicked the posture Ye Xing had used to draw his sword and kill the bandit.
"Don’t need to learn much, just that one strike?" Ye Xing was amused by the little guy.
’That strike had seemed simple, a quick flick of the wrist that instantly killed the bandit leader. In reality, however, it was the manifestation of the Gale Sword Skill at the Great Success Realm. It looked simple because it had been simplified from the complex. To truly learn it was incredibly difficult.’
"Big Brother, please teach me! I’m not afraid of hardship!" the well-dressed boy said quickly.
"Ahang!" A gentle female voice called from outside the carriage.
Lieu Nuoning, dressed in a long, light purple dress, was seen jogging over, holding a robe in one arm and lifting her skirt with the other hand. Arriving at the carriage, she spoke softly to the well-dressed boy, "It’s getting cold. Put on another layer."